Pod On The Hill - Victorian Labor Podcast

This week on Pod on the Hill, Clare Burns was joined by Jacob Varghese, CEO of Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, the Australian law firm at the centre of some of our biggest class action cases, and a supporter of this show. Jacob joined Clare to talk about his time with Maurie Bs and the justice issues they're now taking on for all Australians.

Peta Murphy sensationally won the seat of Dunkley at the recent federal election. She joins Toby to discuss her campaign, and the stunning legal career she built before entering politics. She also speaks candidly about her recent cancer diagnosis, which has struck for the second time, and how she's juggling her health with Canberra. An unmissable episode.

Jim Stanford is an economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work, based at the Australia Institute. Originally hailing from Canada, where he was Director of Policy at Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector trade union, he's also the author of Economics for Everyone: A Short Guide to the Economics of Capitalism. Clare Burns spoke to Jim about how technology is changing work and the social and economic impacts of automation and artificial intelligence.

Clare O'Neil is the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Technology & the Future of Work. Clare Burns spoke to her about her passion for equality in education, her families love of books, and what working in the beating heart of American capitalism, the New York Stock Exchange was like.

Paul Hamer won the seat of Box Hill in a stunning result in 2018, remarkably, running his own campaign. Toby Halligan speaks with Paul about how his family’s escape from the Holocaust has shaped his worldview, and why his work as a civil engineer has shaped his passion for infrastructure.

Shireen Morris is a constitutional lawyer, adviser to the Cape York Institute and was Labor’s candidate for the Federal seat of Deakin at the 2019 election. Toby Halligan spoke to her about her work on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, why Labor was a natural fit for her, and how being on Neighbours compares with politics.

He's the Shadow Defence Minister, the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and he loves Geelong. We speak to Richard Marles about when Kardinia Park tops Disneyland, how his snow globe collection began and what shapes his thoughts on defence policy.

Simon Welsh is a political researcher who devotes his time to understanding voters’ motivations and what drives their decisions. Nicola Castleman spoke to Simon about the Federal election result, how focus groups actually work, and which character in Hollowmen he most resembles.

John Kennedy’s remarkable win over John Pesutto, former Liberal MP and Shadow Attorney General, in the blue-ribbon seat of Hawthorn was one of the most stunning results from the 2018 State Election. Conrad French spoke to John about the education system, his faith, the election result, and why a newspaper once mistakenly thought he’d captained a frigate.

Despite nursing a broken hip, and having just retired as the State Secretary of Ambulance Employees Australia - Victoria, Steve McGhie stepped up to run for the state seat of Melton at the 2018 election. The rest, as they say, is history. Interviewer Toby Halligan learned what the advantages can be to having an identical twin, how being a paramedic has changed in the past thirty years, and what he hopes to achieve in the seat of Melton.

Last year Matt Fregon was elected in what Anthony Green described as a shock win for Labor in Mount Waverley. Matt tells us how that happened, how it changed his and his family's life and what he wants to achieve now.

Julie Kun is the CEO of WIRE, the crisis support service established in 1984, when it stood alone to support the most vulnerable women facing family violence. Julie takes us through the help available to victim-survivors and how WIRE has evolved to support families in need. She also tells us what Labor is doing to confront the issues of family violence, to not only support those in crisis but to change the conversation.

This week Nicola spoke with Mounir Kiwan, car expert, car nerd and veteran of the electric car industry. Mounir doesn't speak for any car company or industry body but instead gives us his own perspective on the future of the electric car industry.

This week Pod on the Hill went to the Change the Rules Rally. Clare Burns spoke with Union leaders and members about why they were attending the rally and what the Change the Rules campaign is all about.

This week Dr Tien Kieu, professor in quantum mechanics and newly elected MP in the South Eastern Metropoltan region, joins us in conversation on Pod on the Hill. Tien spoke about his childhood in Vietnam, and his extraordinary escape to Australia as a refugee. He also speaks about his impressive academic career and his election to the Victorian Parliament last year.