Past Programs
Government and Politics - 2008
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The tv interview as confession - the frost/nixon interviews of 1977
25/12/2008
In a series of three remarkable interviews in 1977, the British TV host David Frost made himself a household name by cornering the wiley ex-US president Richard Nixon. The story behind one of the first cases of chequebook journalism is the basis of a new film - join us Christmas Day for a discussion about this landmark media event.
Hidden Queensland
23/12/2008
Right now, Queensland is at the epicentre of national power. The Prime Minister, the federal Treasurer, the Governor General are all from Queensland. And the state is growing like there's no tomorrow - vast numbers of overseas and interstate migrants mean it's practically bursting at the seams. And it's got a burgeoning cultural sector - of which the Writer's festival is evidence. These days Queensland's the smart state.
But it wasn't always this way. How many of you remember when it was the Moonlight State? A mere twenty years ago Queensland was better known for its vice, cronyism, corruption and misconduct. The Fitzgerald Inquiry led to former government ministers and the police chief being thrown in jail. The state, back then, was a national embarrassment.
So how did it all turn around? Where is Queensland at now? And how did that era affect today's Queensland? No talkback today ... but Australia Talks ponders these question's ... some of them addressed in Hidden Queensland - the title of the Spring edition of the Griffith Review.
Solar feed-in tariffs
17/11/2008
Five states and territories have already announced feed-in tariffs for solar energy, meaning that you are able to sell the energy your solar panels generate back to the grid.
The Council of Australian Governments is now considering a national tariff scheme. The feed-in tariffs are supposed to boost the solar industry and attract investment. So will national feed-in tariffs enable solar energy to deliver on its promises? And what form should the tariffs take?
Anti-terrorism laws
29/10/2008
Last week all terrorism-related charges against Jack Thomas have been dropped. The 35-year-old had been accused of receiving money from a terrorist organisation. And despite an ongoing vigorous defence of their case against Dr Mohamed Haneef, the AFP has been unable to bring charges against him.
A senate committee has recently recommended establishing an ongoing independent reviewer panel for our national security laws. Does the war on terrorism still justify the anti-terrorism laws, or are they leading to an erosion of civil liberties?
Nursing shortage
27/10/2008
New research into the nursing workforce shows that 15 per cent of nurses are retiring every five years and more and more work only part-time. One in every two enrolled nurses are dropping out of the job. At the same time one-third of students are not finishing their nursing courses. The reasons for the attrition are harsh working environments and long working hours. Is Australia heading towards a nurse crisis -- have we maybe already hit it? And how can we counteract the nursing exodus?
Nuclear energy
23/10/2008
While the financial crisis has eclipsed global warming as the big political issue, could pure economics prompt a re-think of our energy policy? The Garnaut Report on climate change dealt only briefly with nuclear power. It set out a number of provisos before nuclear could be considered for Australia, including cost and waste disposal. But supporters say when the real costs of carbon emissions are known, nuclear will start to look a lot more competitive. So is it time to restart the nuclear debate -- and what's changed since the seventies?
Hidden Queensland
02/10/2008
Right now Queensland is flying: it's not only the fasted growing state in Australia, but also the centre of national political power with the Prime Minister, the federal Treasurer, and the Governor General all being Queenslanders. Who would have thought this twenty years ago when Queensland stood for cronyism, corruption and misconduct. So how did Queensland change from the national joke into what it is today? And does that era still affect the state?
This special Australia Talks comes to you from the recent Brisbane Writers Festival.
Role of the Senate
01/10/2008
It's more than 15 years now since Paul Keating's "unrepresentative swill" swipe at the Senate. But he's not the only leader who's wanted changes to the role and power of the Upper House. With the minorities and independents now making it tough for the government to get its budget bills passed, the Senate is back in the news. And one of Labor's longest serving senators wants to change its term to four years. So is it time for another debate on the value and role of the Senate? And what about those hundreds of reports and inquiries the Senate conducts? What do they cost, and what do they achieve?
Buying back the Murray
21/08/2008
South Australia's lower lakes have become a rallying point for the crisis facing the Murray Darling. Scientists say the lakes will be lost unless there are significant inflows of water before summer. But is there enough water to save the lakes and where will it come from?
The Australian Conversation Foundation wants the federal government to buy six big rural properties that have significant water storages, including the controversial Cubbie Station. The ACF says between them, those properties could deliver 300 gigalitres, and buy some time for the lower lakes.
Meanwhile, the new independent senator Nick Xenophon is supporting the compulsory acquisition of water licences, arguing that time is running out for the Murray Darling. But with the resource in crisis, have we lost the chance to strike a balance between the environment and the needs of agriculture? Do we have to accept that nothing can be done to save the lower lakes?
Urban Water
24/07/2008
Water Minister Penny Wong, has given assurances that drinking water remains a priority in the southern basin even though the Murray River is at its lowest levels on record. More than a million Australians draw their drinking water from the Murray and there's little prospect of rain between now and the start of Spring.
Water used for domestic purposes, accounts for about 11 per cent of our total consumption. Agriculture uses about 65 per cent. But with the farm sector facing a tough future, is it time to reduce urban water consumption? Patrick Troy from the Australian National University says households could cut their demand for potable water by up to 70 per cent, but we'd have to be prepared to change the way we build. He wants all new developments to include rain and grey water tanks and composting toilets. Would those measures work and what about permanent water restrictions? The future for urban water in Australia Talks.
Emissions trade
08/07/2008
According to the Garnaut report emissions trade should start without delay—in 2010. Otherwise climate change would cost Australia not only billions of dollars but also important parts of our unique environment such as the Great Barrier Reef.
Everybody will pay for the scheme: directly through buying emission permits if you're a carbon-emitting industry, and the rest of us will pay for it indirectly through the rising costs of petrol and energy. The government plans to compensate some industries and low-income households. But will that be enough? What are the implications of emissions trading for our economy?
Same-sex relationships, same equality?
06/05/2008
The federal government says it will remove laws that discriminate against same-sex couples financially and in the workplace, but it won't consider gay marriage, even forcing a backdown from the ACT government on its civil union push. Is financial reform the end of the equality debate?
Last week the Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced that a range of Commonwealth laws will be changed to remove same-sex discrimination. The announcement followed on from the report of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (Same-sex: Same entitlements) that looked at financial and workplace discrimination. And while the reforms have been welcomed by many in the gay and lesbian community, there are some lingering questions over the question of gay marriage...or indeed even civil unions. As the ACT government was poised to introduce legislation the federal government used its power to force a backdown.
Is financial equality enough to redress discrimination against same sex couples? Should the Federal government allow state and territory governments the freedom to introduce their own laws on gay marriage and civil unions?
A new conservative coalition?
23/04/2008
With Labor in power throughout the country, how can Australia's conservative parties find their way out of the political wilderness? In the wake of the last Federal Election, a review of the National party by former leader John Anderson and political strategist Michael Priebe produced three possible outcomes for the future of the beleaguered party:
1. An improved coalition with the Liberals.
2. A stand-alone party.
3. As part of a new conservative force with or without the Liberals.
What would be the implications for the Liberal party? There are rumours that some Queensland Liberals would jump ship to a new conservative political party, if federal coalition partners fail to achieve a merger.
What's your view?
Australia 2020 Summit. After all the talk, what next?
21/04/2008
As the dust settles on the weekend's Australia 2020 Summit, Australia Talks asks how words are translated into action? The Summit has been a forum for big ideas but now, the age old problem. Talk is cheap, and action expensive.
We want your thoughts on how the 'blue skies' aspirations of a conference become innovation, change and reform.
The challenges facing local government
11/03/2008
Local government is at the cutting edge of delivering services, yet it isn't even acknowledged in Australia's constitution. There are over 700 local governments around the country and they're responsible for over 130 billion dollars worth of infrastructure. Yet, in New South Wales there are currently seven councils under administration, and questions are being raised about the relationship between local council approval processes and developers. How do we make local government more efficient, more accountable and more supported? Your ideas please on our message board...and call us on 1300 22 55 76
Building national transport
19/02/2008
The Prime Minister calls it planning for productivity -- a shake-up of our national infrastructure. Under review -- transport, communications, water and electricity services. An advisory body called Infrastructure Australia will be set up this month to carry out a national audit and make recommendations on ways to make these services more efficient, better coordinated and cost effective. One of the body's particular jobs is to look at public-private partnerships already operating in several states. The plan is to develop a national, uniform system to try to encourage $60 billion worth of investment over the next decade. But how do these schemes operate, and who benefits?
Beyond Kyoto
04/02/2008
Signing Australia up to the Kyoto protocol was one of the first acts of the Rudd government but where to now? As Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong returns from a meeting of the world's biggest carbon emitters, we look Beyond Kyoto.
One of the issues ahead is what responsibility current generations have to future generations. While many international treaties do refer to inter-generational responsibility, it's much more difficult to pin down in legislation. And in framing that legislation, does the environment itself need to be considered? Do the atmosphere, the oceans, or even the trees have a right to exist?
