Based with Senator Alex Antic

Michael Shellenberger is a leading investigative journalist wellknown for his work on the Twitter Files. He is the founder and president of Civilization Works, a nonprofit that incubates ideas, leaders, and movements, and cofounder of the California Peace Coalition.

Michael is a fierce advocate for freedom of speech, and in 2024 he campaigned extensively against the Labor Government’s proposed “Mis and Dis Information” laws. His work played a major role in ensuring those proposed lawswere never introduced into the Parliament.

A previous guest on Based Podcast, on this episode SenatorAntic and Michael discuss the serious and frightening reality of the Government’s dystopian “Digital Duty of Care” Bill, the state of freedom of speech online both in Australia and around the world, and the dwindling support for the near defunct “climate change” scare narrative.

CEO of Liberty Sentinel Media, Alex Newman is an award-winning international journalist, educator, author, speaker, and radio host of “The Sentinel Report With Alex Newman”.

Alex currently serves as a contributor to the Epoch Times and contributes and writes for a wide range of conservative publications with a focus on conservative values, freedom, liberty and the education of children.

On this episode of Based, Senator Antic and Alex discuss the history and importance of the liberties, freedoms and sovereignty enjoyed by the United States, and the shared cultural and political issues which threaten those foundational principles in Australia, the United States and across the western world.

Dr John Lott is an American economist, political critic, andcrime researcher. He has a Master’s degree and Ph.D. from UCLA and has held important positions in economics and law at several prestigious institutions including the Yale Law School.

On this episode of Based, Dr Lott explains that crime ratesin Australia are worse than in the United States and how crime statistics are manipulated and misunderstood both in Australia and overseas.

He discusses the role firearms play in the debate aroundself-defence, the history of firearm control in Australia, and whether we really are safer for it.

Del Bigtree is the host of The Highwire and CEO of the Informed Consent Action Network.

Del has had a long career in television and film production, working on productions such as Dr Phil, The Doctors, and Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Conspiracy, as well as serving as communications director for Robert F. Kennedy Jr's 2024 presidential campaign.

On this episode of Based, Senator Antic and Del Bigtree discuss Australia's Covid response, the obstacles facing RFK Jr and MAHA, and commonsense questions regarding informed consent and medical procedures.

Aaron Siri is the Managing Partner of US law firm Siri & Glimstad LLP.

Earlier this year, Aaron submitted testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, focusing on the safety evaluation of the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule, which generated immense interest in this topic.

Aaron has a wealth of litigation experience in the United States and knows firsthand the barriers that make it difficult to obtain compensation for these injuries.

On this episode of Based, Senator Antic and Aaron Siri discuss the protections built into the US health system and the Australian parallels.

Paul G. Conlon is a senior engineer with expertise in electronic engineering, information technology, and digital identity systems, as well as the author of 'Citizen One: The Case Against Digital Identity'.

In 'Citizen One', Paul makes a case against centralised digital IDs by using his technical understanding and family history of living in 1930s-40s Germany to highlight how such systems enable state control over the lives of citizens. He warns that while these systems are introduced on the basis of safety and convenience they pose serious threats to privacy and freedom.

On this episode of Based, Senator Antic and Paul G. Conlon discuss the centralised identity system, what we can learn from that historical experience, and the many devils in the details of centralised digital ID.

Dr Maryanne Demasi is an Adelaide-born investigative journalist specialising in medical subjects. Dr Demasi’s reporting has earned her an international audience and three National Press Club of Australia prizes for Excellence in Health Journalism.

Dr Demasi was one of the first high-profile reporters to draw attention to systemic issues within the modern Australian medical and pharmaceutical industry. Though her efforts in this direction resulted in significant backlash and career hardship, Dr Demasi gained a reputation as a fearless journalist committed to telling the truth despite the cost.

This pioneering work meant that when the COVID-19 era hit in 2020, Dr Demasi was well placed to recognise and report on the same pattern of half-truths she had seen in the past.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Dr Demasi discuss the medical industry and its regulation, the dichotomy of old and new media, the response to COVID-19 and the evolution of her career so far.

Zuby @ZubyMusic is a rapper, author, podcast host, fitness expert, and all-round creative entrepreneur. He hosts the weekly Real Talk with Zuby podcast and has over two million followers on social media.

Zuby's music is notably energetic and inspirational, but he has also become well known for his outspoken yet constructive stance against political correctness.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Zuby discuss artists speaking out, the left achieving peak woke, conspiracy theories that turned out to be true, and the future of conservatism.

After receiving a rent increase notice for an additional$180/week ($10,000 a year) in March of 2025 Morgan Cox @unleavenedcat appeared on the ABC’s Q+A program to ask a simple question:

“Is the Government going to cut immigration to match housing availability, or are we just going to keep going until every regular working Australian is homeless?”

Morgan’s plea that “The Government makes the laws anddecides who comes in so if you’ve got two and a half million people coming in in a few years surely, surely you can say to them, no, we don’t have enough houses for you” resonated around the country as clips of his appearance on Q+A spread quickly online.

Seeing that this problem was not going to be addressed bythe Government, Morgan doubled down and moved into a caravan outside the Prime Minister’s house for two weeks during the election campaign and created a website for people to tell their harrowing stories of struggle and homelessness caused by the cost of living and housing crisis:

https://costoflivingcasualties.com.au/

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Morgan Coxdiscuss Morgan’s own struggle with the cost of housing and the impact mass immigration and increased cost of living is having on many millions of Australians.

Narelle Mason and Matt Newlands are former frontline workers who now work as registered counsellors equipping frontline workers/first responders to face the unique mental health challenges of frontline work such as policing, military, paramedics and firefighters.

In 2022, they cofounded Frontline Mental Health to help frontline workers prepare for the psychological and emotional challenges that frontline work presents.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic speaks with Narelle and Matt about the current mental health situation in frontline workplaces, the value of preventative work, the concept of post-traumatic growth, and the costs of not addressing traumatic aspects of frontline professions.

Zane Basic is the Liberal Candidate for the seat of Mayo.

Growing up as the son of first-generation Croatian immigrants, who came to South Australia with nothing but a suitcase, Zane understands what it’s like when times are tough – especially in a cost-of-living crisis.

Zane understands the meaning of hard work and he wants to bring this work ethic to the task of delivering more for our Hills and Fleurieu communities.

On this edition of BASED, Zane Basic and I discuss his own family’s struggles and success, and his vision for the electorate of Mayo.

Authorised by Senator Alex Antic, Liberal Party of Australia, Adelaide.

Irena Zagladov is the Liberal Candidate for the seat ofMakin.

Born in the former Soviet Union in Kiev, Irena Zagladov haslived through socialism, which she describes as an ongoing housing crisis, and an ongoing shortage of essentials. Sound familiar?

A current Councillor for the City of Tea Tree Gully, Irenacan see the creep happening in Australia and understands the risks we face.

On this edition of BASED, Irena Zagladov and I discuss herformer life in the Soviet Union, her migration to Australia, and why she’s now running for the north eastern Adelaide seat of Makin.

Authorised by Senator Alex Antic, Liberal Party ofAustralia, Adelaide.

Daniel Wild is the Liberal Candidate for the seat of Spence.

Adelaide’s most northern metropolitan electorate, Spence was once a manufacturing powerhouse, providing stable and well-paid employment for hard working Australians.

Traditional Labor voters have been forgotten about in thenorth; the renewable energy and immigration obsession of Labor has destroyed jobs and overloaded our infrastructure.

Dan Wild knows what has gone wrong, and he has thecredentials and experience to become an effective and pragmatic Member for Spence.

On this edition of BASED, Dan Wild and I discuss the successful Australia of yesteryear, and the way Labor has abandoned working class Australians.

Authorised by Senator Alex Antic, Liberal Party of Australia, Adelaide.

Reilly O'Brien is an AFL player who is currently the first-choice ruckman for the Adelaide Crows. He has played for the Crows since 2014.

As well as having a successful career in the AFL, O'Brien holds a medical science degree from Flinders University and a Master of Neuroscience from King's College. In 2024, O'Brien received the Jim Stynes award for his advocacy work relating to mental health with South Australian school students.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Reilly O'Brien discuss life in the AFL, the impact of neuroscience on preventing concussions in football, Jordan Peterson, and more.

Michael Shellenberger is the Founder and President of Environmental Progress, a nonprofit pro-nuclear research organisation based in California. He is also and investigative journalists and has run twice for Governor of California as an independent.

A lifelong environmental activist, Shellenberger has criticised climate alarmism for being unscientific, and has advocated for the use of nuclear energy as an efficient and environmentally-friendly energy source. In 2022, his reporting on the "Twitter Files" exposed "blacklisting" of journalists taking place at Twitter prior to Elon Musk's purchase of the platform.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Michael Shellenberger discuss government and social media censorship, changes in progressivism over the years, the Twitter Files, and the relationship between intelligence agencies and social media.

Nathan Livingstone runs the popular X account @TheMilkBarTV which is well-known for content criticising Australia's COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.

A recent video edited by Nathan detailing the timeline of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was viewed by millions of people around the world.After losing his job as a forklift driver for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Nathan began using his editing and filmmaking skills to critique politics during the COVID period.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Nathan Livingston discuss Melbourne during COVID, Nathan's video outlining the Trump assassination attempt, and Labor's revised Combatting Mis and Dis Information Bill and how it could potentially impact accounts such as MilkBarTV.

Victor Davis Hanson is an American military historian, author, and professor emeritus of Classics at California State University. He has written many books on ancient history and contemporary political issues, and is also a Senior Fellow in classics and military history at the Hoover Institution.

Professor Hanson has been a vocal critic of contemporary progressivism in the United States and published 'The Case for Trump' in 2019. His most recent book, 'The End of Everything', examines recurring historical themes in civilizations that have collapsed or been destroyed.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Victor Davis Hanson discuss how civilizations perish, the rise of China, wokeness, the reinvention of Kamala Harris and what another Trump presidency would mean for Australia.

Dr Robert Epstein is an American psychologist, professor, author, and journalist. He is the former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today and founder of the American Institute for Behavioural Research and Technology.

As well as authoring many books on psychology, Professor Epstein has been an outspoken critic of Google and the influence of Big Tech on democratic processes, noting the danger of “allowing big technology companies to decide which news stories are legitimate”.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Professor Epstein discuss Big Tech's control over access to information online, and how such a monopoly can undermine our democratic process.

Rachel Read is a mother of five who is raising awareness of sex education curriculum content in South Australian schools and advocating for parental involvement in education.

Rachel decided to become a member of the governing council of her childrens' school in the Eyre Peninsula. Concerned about the curriculum material, she met with other parents to discuss what their children were being exposed to in classrooms and found that they shared her concerns. However, the school told her she would be "formally disciplined" and have to attend respect-building workshops.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Rachel Read discuss her experience of seeking curriculum transparency and working with other parents to challenge the system.

Link to FB Page Parents For Safe Kids: https://www.facebook.com/parents.for.safe.kids

Link to FB Group Guardians South Australia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1945148312316645

Link to FB Group In Defence of Children: https://www.facebook.com/groups/indefenceofchildren/

Andrea Amico is the founder of Privacy4Cars - a privacy tech company focused on identifying and responding to the challenges posed by vehicle data collection.

Through his company, Andrea raises awareness of the ways in which we unknowingly leave a trail of digital information, which can be collected by private corporations and government agencies, through our vehicle use. 

Avi Yemini is the Australian correspondent for the Canadian news platform Rebel News.

Avi became a well known critic of government overreach in Australia during the pandemic period through his reporting on lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and  protests in Victoria.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Avi Yemini discuss Avi's courageous journalism during the COVID period and how the mainstream media failed to tell Australians the truth.

Colonel Richard Justin Kemp CBE is a retired British Army officer who served from 1977 to 2006.

Kemp served as an infantry battalion commanding officer. Among his assignments was the command of Operation Fingal in Afghanistan from July to November 2003. He also co-authored the book ‘Attack State Red’.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Colonel Kemp discuss the Northern Ireland conflict, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and the ongoing Israel/Palestine conflict.

Andrew Bridgen MP is a British politician who has served as a Member of Parliament since 2010. A member of the Conservative Party (UK) until April 2023, Andrew's speeches and advocacy have drawn attention to the concerns associated with COVID-19 vaccines across the world over the past few years. On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Andrew Bridgen MP discuss government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of excess deaths across the world, and the personal costs of being an outspoken critic of the government in recent times.

Dr Kevin Donnelly is an author and senior fellow in the Education and Arts Faculty at the Australian Catholic University. His books include ‘How Political Correctness is Destroying Australia’ and ‘A Politically Correct Dictionary and Guide’.

Dr Donnelly has done much work analysing and reviewing the Australian National Curruculum, having co-authored a review in 2014, and has criticised the ideology behind the “Safe Schools” program.

On this episode of BASED, Dr Donnelly and Senator Antic discuss the Australian curriculum, political correctness, and the left's long march through the institutions.

Adam Creighton is an Australian journalist and the Washington correspondent for The Australian. He has published articles for The Wall Street Journal and The Economist and served as a senior economic advisor to then-opposition leader Tony Abbot.

Creighton’s pieces for The Australian have criticised pandemic restrictions and raised important questions about liberty in his home country.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Adam Creighton discuss the pandemic experience in Australia, the purpose of investigative journalism, and the upcoming US Presidential election.

Konstantin Kisin is the host of the Triggernometry podcast, and has contributed to a number of publications including The Spectator and The Daily Telegraph. He is the author of ‘An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the West’.

Having grown up in the former Soviet Union, Kisin is an outspoken and articulate critic of identity politics and authoritarianism. His Triggernometry podcast has become one of the leading political and cultural podcasts on YouTube.

On this episode of BASED, Konstantin Kisin and Senator Antic discuss the Soviet Union, the pushback against social media censorship, and the nature of wokeness.

@KonstantinKisin

Jack Posobiec is an international social media superstar, the senior editor for American conservative political news and analysis podcast Human Events, and a former U.S. naval intelligence officer.

Jack is well known for his popular X (Twitter) account, and criticism of leftist ideas from climate change to BLM. He is also the author of three books: Citizens for Trump: The Inside Story of the People’s Movement to Take Back America, 4D Warfare: A Doctrine for a New Generation of Politics, and Antifa: Inside the Black Bloc.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Jack Posobiec discuss the 2024 US Presidential election, social media, 5th generation warfare, the climate change controversy, and much more.

Ted Hui is a Hong Kong politician who was formerly a Legislative Councillor for the Hong Kong Island constituency, and is currently practising as a barrister and solicitor admitted in the Supreme Court of South Australia.

Following his arrest related to a human rights protest, and concerned that his defence of democracy and human rights would lead to persecution by the Chinese government, Hui sought political asylum in the United Kingdom in 2020.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Ted Hui discuss Hui’s story, the Chinese Communist Party, human rights and democracy.

Ramesh Thakur is Emeritus Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the Australian National University, as well as a former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Over the past few years, he has become well known for his conservative political commentary on Sky News Australia and his articles for The Spectator Australia, notably criticising vaccine mandates and the Voice to parliament.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Professor Thakur discuss the impact of pandemic restrictions and policies on public health and democracy, and the shift towards global public health decision making.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is the former Deputy Mayor of Alice Springs, and the current Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs.

As a conservative Indigenous woman from the Northern Territory, Senator Nampijinpa Price has spent decades calling it as it is and fighting to resolve real issues that face Indigenous communities, like domestic violence.

A leading campaigner against Labor's proposed "Voice" to Parliament, on this episode of BASED, Senator Nampijinpa Price and I discuss the real issues facing Indigenous Australians, and how the "Voice" will do nothing to address them.

Authorised by Alex Antic, Liberal Party of Australia, Adelaide.

Julian Assange is an Australian citizen and the founder of whistleblower website WikiLeaks established in 2006.

Wikileaks' release in 2010 of leaked video from a United States helicopter showing an air strike that killed civilians in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff, put Mr Assange on the world stage.

Between 2012 and 2019 Mr Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and since August 2019 has been held in a London prison, fighting extradition to the United States.

On this episode of BASED, I speak to Mr Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton about his brother’s life, political asylum, eventual imprisonment, what he faces should he be extradited to the United States and what that will mean for journalists around the world.

Moira Deeming MLC is a former teacher and current MP in the Victorian parliament. Earlier this year, she was expelled from the Liberal Party.

The reason? A women’s rights event she spoke at was hijacked by men in black performing Nazi-style salutes, who had no connection with Moira.

Inexplicably, the media and others condemned her and the event, the theme of which was “Let Women Speak.”

On this episode of BASED, Moira and I discuss her origins in the political left, her experiences in the education system, and her career in politics so far.

Senators Gerard Rennick and Matt Canavan championed freedom and liberty during the COVID period.

This month the three of us questioned representatives from Pfizer and Moderna at the Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

On this episode of BASED, recorded in my office in Canberra during the last sitting week, Senator Rennick and Senator Canavan join me to discuss the way in which big pharma has controlled the vaccine narrative over the past three years, and the evidence presented to the committee in Canberra.

Professor Ian Plimer is a geologist and professor emeritus at the University of Melbourne and an outspoken critic of the prevailing climate change narrative.

He is the author of many books including ‘Not for Greens’, ‘Green Murder’, ‘Heaven and Earth’, and ‘A Short History of Planet Earth’.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Professor Plimer dig into the facts and figures about energy policy, the so-called “climate apocalypse,” and the dangerous incoherence of Net Zero.

Nigel Farage has been described as “the most important British politician of the last decade” and one of the most influential.

On this short episode of Based, in a terrifying glimpse into our socially controlled future, Nigel joins me to discuss the dangerous Voice to Parliament and to reveal in an Australian exclusive the details of his bank cancelling him for political reasons.

If they can cancel Nigel Farage from the banking system, they can cancel anyone.

Andrew Bogut is one of the few Australians to have made it in the NBA. He was the number one NBA draft pick in 2005, and spent his career in the United States until retirement from basketball in 2020, and his return to Australia full time.

Since then he has been one of the most fierce and outspoken critics of Government overreach into our lives during the COVID period, and has a unique perspective into the interaction between Big Government and Big Sport.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Andrew Bogut discuss the intersection of sport and politics, and why we need more spine in both.

Hanna Moore is a young South Australian woman who suffered a COVID-19 vaccine injury.

On this episode, Hanna describes her experience of being vaccine-injured, the impact it has had on her life, the difficulties she has faced in seeking to have her injury acknowledged, and the growing awareness of how such injuries have impacted peoples’ lives.

The Hon Tony Abbot AC was the Prime Minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015 and is a former leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.

Tony has championed conservative and classical liberal ideas throughout his political career and continues to be an influential figure in Australian politics.

On this episode of BASED, Senator Antic and Tony Abbot discuss the Voice to Parliament, Australia’s education system, the Covid pandemic, and the importance of nuclear energy.

Dr. Aseem Malhotra is a British cardiologist and public health campaigner. He is a former Consultant Clinical Associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the author of The Pioppi Diet, The 21-Day Immunity Plan, and A Statin-Free Life.

Dr. Malhotra is well known for his principled, evidenced-based, and patient-focussed approach to healthcare, and has publicly voiced his concerns regarding the handling of the pandemic and the influence of Big Pharma on public health.

In this episode of BASED, Antic and Dr. Malhotra discuss medical ethics, the actions of governments during the pandemic, and the fallout we are now experiencing.

Cory Bernardi is a former senator for South Australia and host of the weekly Sky News program ‘Bernardi’. He founded the Australian Conservatives party in 2017 after leaving the Liberal Party and is the author of the book ‘The Conservative Revolution’.

Bernardi is well known for his unapologetic, common-sense conservatism and boldness in defending traditional values. He regularly discusses topics ranging from Net Zero to the rise of wokeness and intersectional ideology.

In this episode of BASED, Antic and Bernardi discuss the rise of big business and government, leftism, and “conspiracy theories.”

Professor Nikolai Petrovsky is an accomplished immunologist, vaccine developer, and clinical researcher with decades of experience in his field. He holds a double degree in medicine and surgery and completed his PhD in immunology. He has also contributed over 220 peer-reviewed articles to academic journals. In 2002, Professor Petrovsky founded Vaxine, an Australian biotech company specialising in vaccine development, which developed a COVID-19 vaccine called COVAX-19 which was authorised for emergency use in Iran. In this episode of BASED, Professor Petrovsky shares his expertise in vaccine tech and viruses and his views on Australia’s COVID-19 pandemic response.