Follow The Money

With President Trump spewing threats at friends and foes, the American government has gone off the rails.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss Trump’s genocidal threats against Iran, his efforts to subvert US democracy, his administration’s growing isolation from long-time allies, and why it’s time for the Australian government to reassess its relationship with the United States.
This episode was recorded on Monday 13 April.
Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025)
Vance joyless as US-Iran negotiations fall apart, After America, the Australia Institute (April 2026)
Shorter America This Week: Ceasefire?; Madman theory; Group hugs in space by Emma Shortis, The Point (April 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no reason our societies can’t change radically, to produce more of what we need and less of the things that are sowing the seeds of our own destruction, says Yanis Varoufakis.
On this episode of Follow the Money, we bring you highlights from the recent Australian tour of economist and author Yanis Varoufakis, with contributions from a cast of very special guests. Across live events in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, they discuss misogyny, political power, the erosion of Palestinian rights, and Yanis’ latest book, Raise Your Soul: A Personal History of Resistance.
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Guest: Yanis Varoufakis, economist & author // @yanisvaroufakis
Guest: Clare Wright OAM, Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement, La Trobe University // @clarewrighthistorian
Guest: Randa Abdel-Fattah, Future Fellow in Sociology, Macquarie University // @RandaAFattah
Guest: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss
Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Guest: Louise Adler AM, former Director, Adelaide Writers’ Week
Guest: Leanne Minshull, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Raise Your Soul: A Personal History of Resistance by Yanis Varoufakis, Penguin Books (November 2025)
A Time for Bravery: What happens when Australia chooses courage?, Australia Institute Press (December 2025)
What’s the Big Idea? 32 Ideas for a Better Australia, Australia Institute Press (December 2024)
Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy by Clare Wright, Text Publishing (October 2024)
Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah, UQ Press (September 2025)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petrol and diesel prices are sky high because of the illegal US-Israel war on Iran, but major fuel shortages in Australia are very unlikely.
Matt Grudnoff and Ebony Bennett discuss Australia’s relatively strong position in global energy supply chains. Matt explains why some petrol stations have run low despite overall fuel supplies remaining steady, how the price hikes are fuelling inequality, and why Scott Morrison’s 2021 claim about an electric vehicle policy putting an “end to the weekend” now looks even more absurd than it did at the time.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 31 March.
You can sign the Australia Institute’s petition calling on the federal government to make gas exporters pay their fair share.
Guest: Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist, the Australia Institute // @mattgrudnoff
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Fuel costs and RBA hikes equal to a 90 basis point rate rise: 'this is brutal' by Greg Jericho, The Point (March 2026)
Fuelling inequality: The brunt of a global crisis should not be borne by people in poverty by Kristin O’Connell, The Point (March 2026)
The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (March 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 25% gas export tax would drive down gas prices for Australians and collect billions of dollars that can be used to provide better, cheaper health and education services.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Ebony Bennett discuss the case for a 25% gas export tax and the New South Wales government’s ban on new coal mines.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 24 March.
You can sign the Australia Institute’s petition calling on the federal government to make gas exporters pay their fair share.
Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
The case for a gas export tax, explained by Richard Denniss, The Point (March 2026)
Tax gas exports, invest in health/aged care – new polls, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
What the Middle East war means for Australians and gas companies, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
'No new coal or gas is a slogan, not a policy': Bowen, ABC Radio National (March 2023)
SUMMER SPECIAL | President Anote Tong, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (January 2017)
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo, Australia Institute Press (February 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now costing Australian governments $31,020 per minute, fossil fuel subsidies are growing faster than spending on the NDIS.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Rod Campbell and Ebony Bennett discuss why it’s time to call out the idea that governments can’t afford to support Australians in need yet still dish out $16.3 billion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2025-26 alone.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 17 March.
What we owe the water: It's time for a fossil fuel treaty by Kumi Naidoo is available now for just $19.95. Use the code 'PODVP' at checkout to get free shipping.
You can also subscribe to the Vantage Point series to get four essays a year on some of the most pressing issues facing Australia and the world.
Guest: Rod Campbell, Research Director, the Australia Institute // @rodcampbell
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Fossil fuel subsidies in Australia 2026 by Matt Grudnoff and Rod Campbell, the Australia Institute (March 2026)
Australia’s great gas giveaway, the Australia Institute (May 2024)
Joseph Stiglitz on super profits, capital gains and why corporate tax is good for democracy, Follow the Money (February 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.