Democracy (handle with care)

Careless political finance reforms could shift the balance in Australian democracy in favour of special interests.
Will the government’s political finance reforms keep vested interests out of politics or ensure the major parties dominate Australia’s political landscape? Could South Australia’s proposed political donations ban become a model for the rest of the country? And what home-grown innovations have insulated Australia from some of the democratic backsliding seen in the United States? On this episode of Follow the Money, the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Director Bill Browne joins Ebony Bennett to discuss political finance reform.
This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 2 July 2024 and things may have changed since recording.
australiainstitute.org.au (australiainsti...) // @theausinstitute ( / theausinstitute )
Guest: Bill Browne, Director, Democracy & Accountability program, the Australia Institute // @Browne90 (x.com/Browne90)
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett ( / ebony_bennett )
Show notes:
Principles for fair political finance reform (australiainsti...) by Bill Browne, The Australia Institute (August 2023)
SA’s political donation ban ambitious, but must safeguard diversity of voices (australiainsti...) , The Australia Institute (June 2024)
Honest Government Ad | How to Rig Elections ( • Honest Government Ad |... ) , Juice Media
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
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Support Follow the Money: nb.australiain...
See omnystudio.com/listener (omnystudio.com...) for privacy information.

[@desmondo7042]

pollies are the champions for the betterment of themselves

[@simondowdeswell6704]

Disinformation in social media? We suffer more from disinformation in mainstream media. Huge bias in mainstream coverage towards points of view that support their agenda is the major cause of major policy failure on social issues. The revolving door between government and corporate jobs is also a huge systematic failure.

[@keepitreal2902]

Look no further than The Australian

[@ronosmo]

Agree 100%.

[@ronosmo]

I worry about corporations who create lobby groups that work by creating content with the clear intent of slowing climate change, such as we see from the fossil fuel lobby today.

[@kylieisola4735]

Plain english you say?….call these ‘donations’ what they are, bribes.

[@kylieisola4735]

Advertising for elections should be banned. Public debates and OLD SCHOOL journalism.