The Lucky Country

Schwartz Media's new daily podcast 7am launched a few weeks ago. Search for 7am in your favourite podcast app to subscribe and keep listening. Before entering parliament, Scott Morrison ran Tourism Australia. He was sacked by the minister, but the details of what happened have never been made public. Karen Middleton on the clearest picture yet of his time in the office. Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton. 

Schwartz Media's new daily podcast 7am launches today. Search for 7am in your favourite podcast app to subscribe and keep listening. Scott Morrison’s surprise win last weekend was the status quo election no one saw coming. The vote was actually a repeat of 2010, and the country has been stuck on that divide ever since. George Megalogenis on how Australia was fractured and what to do next.

Richard Dennis, host of The Lucky Country, introduces Schwartz Media's new podcast, 7am. Hosted by Elizabeth Kulas, 7am is a daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Hear the country's best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday. Subscribe in your favourite podcast app to hear the first episode on Monday, May 27.

For the final episode of season two of The Lucky Country, chief economist at The Australia Institute Richard Denniss and Canberra-based lobbyist Chris Fry chew the economic fat of the complex relationship between Australian citizens, their elected representatives and the policies that determine the winners and losers.

The public messaging regarding recent occurrences of the rape and murder of women has predominantly been that women need to try harder to stay safe in public. Is this the right message? This week, Richard Denniss talks to journalist Chris Kenny about the way violence against women is reported in the media, and Ebony Bennett, deputy director at The Australia Institute, discusses research into why women are angry about the tone that has been taken with this issue.

Why do corporate investments and political interests so often take priority over the long-term viability of our common resources? Should more Australians be encouraged to vote to secure the nation’s future, or is it okay to prioritise this generation’s wants over the next generation’s needs? This week, former Greens leader Bob Brown joins Richard Denniss to discuss why the greater long-term good should have precedence over short-term interests that only serve the few.

Why do people embark on careers in politics, and what does the uncivilised behaviour we see on Question Time achieve? In this episode, former trade minister Craig Emerson joins Richard Denniss to discuss why democracy is the worst political system there is – except for all the others. News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

This week, The Lucky Country looks at the politics of live animal exports and how restrictions on trade for those things Australians find unsavory means that Australia does not have true free trade conditions. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young joins Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute, for this debate. News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

Why does Australia spend so much time and money commemorating the wars we’ve fought in? And why do corporate sponsors’ logos at the Australian War Memorial often overshadow the people and events being commemorated? In this episode, Richard Denniss and ANU historian Frank Bongiorno discuss why we remember war the way we do, and the level of investment in commemoration.   News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

Does corruption occur in federal politics? How will we know, and, importantly, how will it be prosecuted, without a federal corruption watchdog? In this episode, Richard Denniss and former NSW premier and now federal senator Kristina Keneally discuss the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s impact on politicians’ and public servants’ behaviour, and the case for a similar mechanism on the federal level.   News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.c

How do the cogs of government turn when preparing a federal budget? In this episode, The Lucky Country takes a behind-the-scenes look at the budget with former treasurer Wayne Swan. Swan and Richard Denniss discuss what is in the budget, and what decision-makers take into account when they decide who wins and who loses.   News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

Does class exist in Australia? And if so, does it matter? In this episode, Richard Denniss and ANU political scientist Jill Sheppard discuss class in Australia, its impact on individuals’ lives and its influence on politics. News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

Does wealth “trickle down”? Or does society benefit more when wealth “trickles up”? The Lucky Country’s first episode of the year features Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, who was recently awarded the 2018 Sydney Peace Prize for his work addressing global inequality. Stiglitz and Richard Denniss discuss what the Turnbull government’s proposed corporate tax cuts mean for ordinary Australians. News audio is courtesy of the ABC. Email us at: theluckycountry@schwartzmedia.com.au

What impact might a banking royal commission have on the economy, or a cut in corporate tax rates or the legalising of same-sex marriage? To answer these and other questions, Richard Denniss is joined by senior economist at the Australia Institute Matt Grudnoff.  News audio courtesy of the ABC.

Throughout this series the issue of shame has come up again and again. To explore its effect on public debate and the economy, Richard Denniss talks to Jim Stanford from the Centre for Future Work about union membership and wage stagnation, broadcast Jeremy Fernandez about the courage of speaking up about a racial attack and Chris Fry on what's needed to change the gun debate in America.