Past Programs
Government - Federal - 2007
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
Native title today
11/12/2007
The Kuku Yalanji people of the Daintree have had 1,300 square kilometres returned to them in Queensland's largest Aboriginal freehold transfer. But what has Native Title come to mean in Australia today, and has it brought the anticipated benefits to Indigenous people?
Indigenous futures
04/12/2007
Our discussion today is about indigenous futures ... How important is saying 'sorry' to gain the trust of indigenous people? And on a more practical level, what's the future of hybrid economies, the CDEP scheme, and healthcare? Is indigenous policy a new dilemma, or a new incentive for Labor, in establishing where responsibilities between the Federal Government crosses over with the States and Territories?
Doctor who?
03/12/2007
Doctor who? The new Liberal Party leader, Dr Brendan Nelson, is being dubbed by some as a 'political chameleon' who's 'never voted Liberal in his life'. Is his knife-edge victory too narrow for a stable leadership? Does his election mean that the Liberal party is having second thoughts about discarding John Howard's legacy?
Election campaign wrap
23/11/2007
Australians are off to the polls on Saturday. Who'll get the nod from the voters? History tells us that federal governments change only rarely in Australia. So is there a mood for change? Or will the Coalition be returned? What have been the decisive issues?
Radio National often provides links to external websites to complement program information. While producers have taken care with all selections, we can neither endorse nor take final responsibility for the content of those sites.
Balibo 5 and war crimes
22/11/2007
New findings reveal that Indonesian soldiers may have committed war crimes by deliberately killing five Australian newsmen in 1975..... will the outcome damage relations between Australia and Indonesia or is it time for the two countries to move on after 32 years? And how will an incoming government in Canberra handle the coroner's findings?
Universities:Access and Equity
13/11/2007
Is a university degree only for the rich? Labor argues that students are discouraged by HECS debt and the struggle to combine work and study. The government disagrees, saying they've boosted university funding and student incomes.
So is the cost of a degree turning students away and what can universities expect in the lead-up to the election?
IR Reform
05/11/2007
Claims of 'me-tooism' are dominating the election campaign, but not in relation to WorkChoices and the role of unions: in this area there really are some stark differences between the government and Labor. So is WorkChoices or the Labor alternative best for workers, employers and the national economy? And is IR reform the defining issue for the 2007 federal election campaign?
Balance of power in the Senate
30/10/2007
Issues like the housing crisis, climate change and IR reform are all on the agenda in this election, but one of the emerging themes is: who will hold the Senate majority?
Electoral preference deals are firming up between the minor and major parties, and last week's Galaxy Poll showed that the Coalition was in the lead for Senate control.
Some people now think that voting Green in the Senate is insurance against two-party domination in Parliament -- a role traditionally held by the Democrats.
So what do the minor parties stand for, and what kinds of preference deals will be done? Who is likely to hold the balance of power in the Senate?
Proposed preamble
17/10/2007
John Howard said in a speech to the Sydney Institute last week, 'I would aim to introduce a Bill that would include the preamble statement into parliament within the first 100 days of a new government.'
So if a new preamble designed to symbolically recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders was created, then what should be in it?
Who should contribute to the wording of such a preamble?
And, what effect would it have on the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians?
Radio National often provides links to external websites to complement program information. While producers have taken care with all selections, we can neither endorse nor take final responsibility for the content of those sites.
The Haneef case and the AFP
30/07/2007
A discussion re the aftermath of the Haneef case. Has public confidence in the Federal Police been shaken? What questions does the matter raise about Australia's anti-terrorism laws, the discretionary powers of the Immigration Minister, and the independence of the judiciary?
Population and Immigration
02/07/2007
On the program today ... Prime Minister John Howard is currently running the largest migration program in the country's history. As Australia faces an ageing population, lower birth rates and a declining domestic work force, is increased immigration the answer to guarantee our future prosperity? Is this the solution to Australia's population problem?
Does TAFE fail to make the grade?
14/06/2007
Is TAFE addressing the skills shortage problem in Australia? While the Coalition signals an overhaul of TAFE funding, and the Labor Party wants to build trades training centres in Australia's secondary schools, we ask our panel how TAFE courses can be more modern, vibrant and attractive to youngsters and what can be done to change the perception of TAFE being an aged institution and the 'poor cousin' of universities.
Political star recruits
06/06/2007
Over the last decade, we've seen both major parties recruiting high-profile candidates for contestable seats, usually against the wishes of the local branch. Supporters of the practice say it's a necessary evil if our parties are to get fresh blood into a diminishing 'members only' talent pool. But opponents argue that disenfranchising the rank and file only accelerates the drift away from party membership. What do we know about the successes of star recruits? Is a high profile needed to cut through in an increasingly fractured media environment? Do parachuted, high-profile recruits inevitably undermine grass-roots democracy?
Shopfront democracy
30/05/2007
High profile government ministers and opposition frontbenchers may hog the media limelight, but do we undervalue the hardworking local MP - someone who aspires to service his or her local constituents? Is the local electorate office the real shopfront of democracy?
Aboriginal Housing
19/03/2007
Home ownership is an aspiration for many Australians, and a proposed new deal between the Federal Government and the Northern Territory could make way for many indigenous Australians - in remote areas - to legally and individually buy their own home within months.
Home ownership will depend on how easily Aboriginal people in remote areas can pay back loans. Will home ownership reduce poverty and foster self esteem?
