Bubble Pop Podcast

The final episode of Bubble Pop is here - but will it be the end?
This week Amanda is joined by Malcolm Farr to chat about the election and breaks down what happens in the nation's Parliament for people who don't live inside 'the Canberra bubble'.

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An edition of Bubble Pop broadcast Monday 23 May 2022.

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An edition of Bubble Pop broadcast Saturday 21 May 2022.

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The election is here and Bubble Pop takes you through everything you need to know about election day and voting. Plus, one of the last policies the Coalition announced before the election would let first home buyers use their superannuation to buy a house, but what effect will that have on the housing market and retirement balances? And finally, the polls point to a Labor win, but can we trust them?

Guests:

- Michael Read, Australian Financial Review Reporter

- Professor Murray Goot, Polling Expert

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The election is just ONE week away. So how should you vote? This week’s show takes a look at how Labor and the Coalition compare on major policy areas like cost of living and climate. Then, research shows women are more likely to be MPs in those pesky marginal seats the parties want to win. Why is that? And does it hinder their influence in Parliament?

Guests:

- Prof Michelle Ryan, Director of the Global Institute of Women's Leadership at ANU

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This week on the show, Amanda is travelling with the Nationals. Colloquially referred to as ‘The Wombat Trail’ – it’s the National Party’s election campaign trail around regional Australia. Leader of the Party and regional-voter-whisperer, Barnaby Joyce joins the show to share his insights. We also talk independents - who are they? What do they stand for? And can they actually win any seats?

Guests: 

- Barnaby Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader

- Helen Haines, Independent Member for Indi

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The cost of things you buy is going up, and many people are feeling the pinch. Both sides of politics say they can help, but can they? How much control do politicians actually have over things like inflation and wages? This week’s show looks at what plans the Coalition and Labor have for giving you a helping hand in a hot economy.

Guests: 

- Katy Gallagher, Shadow Finance Minister

- Nicholas Gruen, Lateral Economics CEO

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Albo has tested positive for Covid-19, putting a spanner in the works of the Labor campaign that had just started getting some momentum. Bubble Pop takes a look at week two of the election campaign, plus why no one is talking about establishing an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

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The election campaign is officially here! So begins six weeks of insanity in the land of politics, with the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader bouncing around the country trying to convince people to vote for them. I’m travelling with the Prime Minister’s election roadshow this week, so have all the latest from my front row seat. Plus I speak to another journalist travelling with Anthony Albanese to hear how things are going on the other side. 

Guests: 

- Andrew Constance, Liberal Candidate for Gilmore

- Jonathan Lea, Sky News Senior Political Reporter

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The election is ALMOST here and the air could not be more tense in Parliament House. But how is an election called? And once it IS called, what do you, as a voter, have to do? Amanda answers all that in this week’s episode. We also look at what has been happening in the NSW Liberal party and how it could be delaying the election.

Guests: 

- Evan Ekin-Smyth, Australian Electoral Commission

- Max Maddison, Political Reporter at The Australian 

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Bubble Pop is back for another year! This week, the Budget was handed down, but what does it mean for you? And how will it affect the election in May? And, a new deal between China and the Solomon Islands is making Australia nervous. Find out why on this week’s show. 

Guests: 

Chris Richardson, Deloitte Access Economics Partner

Graeme Smith, ANU Department of Pacific Affairs Senior Fellow 

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The federal election is just around the corner and things are getting nasty in Parliament House. ScoMo says Albo is "weak", while Albo says Scott is loose with the truth. But the political insults are just beginning as we get into campaign season. 

Sarah and Amanda take you through the latest, and explain how Covid will affect how you vote. 

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We are back for another year and ready to tell you everything you need to know about federal politics. But first! What happened over the summer break? Sarah and Amanda catch you up to speed on what went down while you were on holiday. TLDR: Omicron ruined everything, and parliament is a mess.

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What a year… Here we were thinking that 2020 was the year to end all years and then came 2021 - more Covid-19, seemingly never-ending lockdowns, and more sexual assault stories than the Australian media has probably ever covered. But the downs came the high, the whole of Australia got vaccinated and it looks like women’s rights are taking a turn for the better. We take you back through the year that was and what you can look forward to on the political calendar next year.

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We made it! Parliament is finally over for the year! We take you through exactly what happened in the last parliamentary sitting week of 2021 - the most notable was a massive report on sexual harassment and bullying in Parliament House. We speak to the longest-serving female MP Tanya Plibersek about her time in parliament. Then we take a look at new rules for social media companies that mean online trolls could finally be unmasked.

Guests: 

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In the final parliamentary sitting fortnight of the year, things got a little bit messy. A whole bunch of MPs and Senators voted against their OWN parties, which is kind of a big deal. Sarah and Amanda take you through why, it has something to do with vaccine mandates and an anti-corruption watchdog. We also take you through exactly what is in the religious discrimination bill that was released publicly this week.

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In the final Parliamentary sitting fortnight of the year, the government will debate its religious discrimination bill. But the complex issue is dividing communities. We ask how the bill came about in the first place and why it’s necessary? We also look at the government’s investment in new technologies including mysterious quantum computers. Sarah and Amanda explore how cutting edge tech could change your everyday life.

Guests: 

- Fr Frank Brennan, Jesuit Priest and ACU Law Professor

- Fergus Hanson, Director of ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre

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The Prime Minister has been on a whirlwind trip around Victoria, spruiking the government’s climate change credentials. He announced millions for increasing electric car sales, but it work? There are also increasing numbers of children catching Covid-19, but while it might not be too dangerous for them, it has big implications for vulnerable people around them.

Guests: 

Tony Weber, CEO of Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam, Infectious Diseases Expert at Monash University

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The super important COP26 Climate Summit talks have been overshadowed by a spat between France and Australia over the dumped submarine deal. We take you through exactly what happened and why it’s all such a big deal. Plus what was actually agreed to at CPO26? Have we saved the world from climate change? Maybe, maybe not – find out on the show!

Guests: 

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Australia has OFFICIALLY committed to net-zero emissions, and it only took us a decade, and 3 or four Prime Ministers. Sarah and Amanda chat about why the government’s plan to reach that goal hasn’t been met with resounding applause. Plus international travel begins again on November 1! We chat to the CEO of Flight Centre about how that’s all going to work.

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This week there have been investigations by ICAC and IBAC, but what are these anti-corruption bodies? And why doesn’t the federal government have one? Plus we look at a new government plan to improve mental health and talk to a giant in the field about why the plan isn’t good enough. 

Guests: 

Zali Steggall, Independent MP for Warringah

Professor Ian Hickie, Former National Mental Health Commissioner

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Vaccine rates are skyrocketing. International borders are opening. New drugs will help people be less sick from Covid-19. Everything is finally looking up! We take you through things you can finally look forward to. Also, climate is back on the agenda and it feels like the climate wars could finally be coming to an end. 

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This week we take a look at the crossbench. What is it? Why is it important? And do they have more power than major parties sometimes? We sit down with crossbench senator Rex Patrick, to talk it all through and how he is helping keep the government transparent and accountable.

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Christian Porter has resigned. He’s been dragged over the coals for something called a ‘blind trust’. We take you through exactly what that is and why Porter remaining in parliament as an MP is still a problem. We also look at why France is so mad at Australia over the US nuclear submarine deal and how that might impact us in the future.

Guests: 

- Phil Coorey, Australian Financial Review Political Editor

- Michael Shoebridge, Director of Defence, Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute

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Australia has gone nuclear. Nuclear submarines that is. Sarah and Amanda explain what they are and why the news has made China mad. We also look at how companies that made a profit during the pandemic get to keep billions of dollars in JobKeeper payments.

Guests: 

- Rex Patrick, Independent Senator

- Malcolm Davis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Defence Analyst

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The Women’s Safety Summit was held in Canberra this week, but what does that actually mean for women? Also on the show, the government teamed up with Labor to pass laws that make it harder for smaller parties to get elected. We speak to all-Aussie firebrand, Senator Jacqui Lambie about how it’s impacting democracy.

Guests: 

- Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner

- Jacqui Lambie, Tasmanian Senator

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Regional Australia is having its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the pandemic began. In the mostly Indigenous town of Wilcannia more than one in ten people have contracted the virus. We hear what the situation is like on the ground from a local. And, border closures dominated headlines AGAIN this week, but are they unconstitutional? We get the low-down from a legal expert.

Guests: 

- Brendon Adams, Wilcannia Community Leader and Wilcannia River Radio Station Manager

- Professor Anne Twomey, Constitutional Law Expert

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This week has been dominated by arguments about how and when Australia should open up again. The PM says soaring Covid-19 case numbers in NSW don’t matter, leading epidemiologists say they do. We find out who’s right. Sarah and Amanda also look into what Australia is doing to help Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban with a Liberal MP who says we should take more. 

Guests: 

- Professor Tony Blakely, Public Health Medicine Specialist and Epidemiologist at the Melbourne SChool of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne

- John Alexander MP, Liberal Member for Bennelong

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This week we look overseas to the crisis in Afghanistan. Amanda and Sarah ask who are the Taliban? How did this all start? And what role did Australia play? Then we look at a new law that could push employers to actively prevent workplace sexual assault, rather than just reacting to it once it’s already happened.

Guests: 

Amin Saikal, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia 

Louise Pratt, Shadow Assistant Minister for Employment and Skills

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Canberra has been plunged into lockdown and Covid-19 is popping up across the country as NSW loses control over Delta. We talk to a top epidemiologist about what can be done. Then we talk climate with the leader of the Greens with a major UN report telling the world to get its skates on when it comes to reducing emissions.

Guests: 

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Closing the Gap, which aims to improve Indigenous people’s lives has gone through some historic changes recently. Sarah and Amanda explain why and how. Plus are you going to get $300 for getting a jab? Labor wants to throw some cash around, but the government isn’t so keen. 

Guests:

- Evan Calford,Senior Lecturer in Economics at ANU

- Cameron Gooley,Indigenous Affairs reporter at Sydney Morning Herald

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Lots of people make tonnes of money off negative gearing, but what is it? Sarah and Amanda explain and look into why Labor has ditched getting rid of it from their policy platform among other things. Then, Covid-19 has changed what we do online, we speak to Minister Jane Hume about what the government is doing to accelerate the digital economy. Plus, we’ve got the latest Covid-19 updates.

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How does legislation go from being an idea to becoming law? Sarah and Amanda speak to President of the Senate Scott Ryan to find out how the Senate works and what his job involves.

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New South Wales and Victoria got into a tussle this week about who was getting the most money from daddy Sco Mo. Now they’re both in lockdown and Sarah and Amanda are here to explain how much pocket money everyone is getting. We also discuss backlash against a new Covid-19 advertising campaign, and how a little phone call to Pfizer got the government really mad.

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A lot is happening with the vaccine rollout. States were blaming Scott Morrison for not securing enough vaccine supplies, BUT ScoMo himself has delivered, with millions more Pfizer doses arriving on our shores by the end of the month. Sarah and Amanda also explain why you should be outraged about car parks. It involves billions of dollars and not a lot of accountability...

Contact the team on: bubblepoppod@gmail.com

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The Prime Minister says the more people get vaccinated, the faster Australia can get back to normal – but with confusion surrounding who can get the AstraZeneca vaccine, the rollout is still too slow. Sarah and Amanda also take you through new some new laws that give adults more rights online, and how a new recycling ban is mixing up how we deal with waste. 

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Who can get the AstraZeneca vaccine is rapidly shrinking, we’ll take you through who can get which vaccine and whether you should be worried. Then we’ll tell you about major changes happening in the superannuation space. And what did global leaders agree to at the G7 meeting?

Guests - Prof. Mark Howden, ANU Institute of Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions Director

Get in touch at BubblePopPod@gmail.com

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This week saw the biggest police bust in Australian history. Sarah and Amanda tell you about the sneaky method used to take down some of the world’s biggest crime bosses, and why the Prime Minister wants to give police even more powers that could let them read your online messages. We also take you through who the Biloela family is and how Australia’s treatment of them could be in breach of international law.

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Victoria just can’t catch a break. The state is back in lockdown and we’re going to take you through exactly how we got here… again, and whether the government is doing anything to help. We also have a look at how universities are doing after firing literally thousands of staff. Then, Sarah takes you through what the PM got up to in New Zealand.

Get in touch at BubblePopPod@gmail.com

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This week we take you through how the government is being kept accountable by something called Senate Estimates. Turns out there’s been more sexual assault allegations, but there’s also a new education program on the way to STOP. THIS. HAPPENING. Estimates is BIG, but we’re here to take you through it. We’ll also take a dive into what’s wrong with Question Time, and explain what’s happening over in Israel-Palestine.

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Australia finally has lots of vaccine doses, but now that we have all these vaccines, people aren’t taking them. Why? Amanda and Sarah find out. We also talk to rebel Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon about the government’s WILD decision to sink more than half a billion dollars into building its own gas power station. Then, we chat Budget Reply. Why do we have one? And what’s Labor’s alternative plan for Australia.

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Knock knock. Who’s there? THE BUDGET. The government handed down its spending plan for Australia this week. But what does that mean? Do I get a tax cut? When can I go overseas? And do I get any free stuff? Sarah and Amanda answer all these questions and more in this week’s episode. We look at whether Australians should be worried about the trillion-dollar debt, and whether the budget delivered for women like the government promised.

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What on earth is the federal budget? And why is everyone talking about it so much? Sarah and Amanda answer all your budget questions, and get a helping hand from the Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Then, the government is copping some serious heat over their India travel ban. And finally, we take you through what happened in the Tasmanian state election.

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Hotel quarantine has been a central part of Australia’s pandemic response, but is it safe? People are catching Covid-19 inside the hotels meant to stop the virus. So what’s going on here? Amanda and Sarah find out. Australia has also banned travel with India, but what does that mean for Australians stuck over there? And former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, who alleges she was raped inside Parliament House, has a tough talk with the Prime Minister.

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The world is stepping up its climate change ambitions, and Australia is falling behind. Amanda and Sarah tell you about the US Climate Summit. Also on the show, the government is fast-tracking when over 50s can get their vaccines, but only if it’s the AstraZeneca one. And would you like to have sex – uh I mean drink my milkshake? Or taco… Confused? So are we, and so is the federal government it seems! We look at how they stuffed teaching kids about consent.

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When will you get vaccinated? Who knows!? The government’s vaccine rollout is in shambles, Amanda and Sarah tell you what happens now. Australia Post’s boss accuses the Prime Minister of bullying. And, why do indigenous people keep dying in police custody?

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Get your suitcase ready because Australians can finally go overseas – but only to New Zealand. There are also government funded, half-price flights on offer. Sarah and Amanda explain everything you need to know and what it means for the Australian tourism sector. There have also been some serious developments on the vaccine front, we’ll tell you what it all means, and, Scott Morrison’s new Women’s Taskforce met for the first time this week, is it going to be enough to address the government’s gender equality woes?

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The single most expensive government program in Australian history ended this week. But what does JobKeeper ending mean for you, and the economy you live in? A male backbencher has made a name for himself for all the wrong reasons, and the Labor party got together to decide what their policies will be in the lead up to the next election.

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The never-ending sexual assault and misconduct allegations plaguing federal politics continued this week, with reports of prostitutes and group sex inside Parliament House, while a crucial press conference by the Prime Minister turned into a disaster of his own making. Sarah and Amanda explain what Senate Estimates are and why they matter. And a veteran MP explains why so many ex-soldiers are taking their own lives and why it needs to be investigated.

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This week, blood clots in European vaccine recipients raised questions for Australians here at home. Amanda chats to a leading infectious disease expert to figure out if we should be worried. Meanwhile thousands of women marched on Parliament House over the treatment of sexual assault victims. Sarah talks to the ordinary woman who started the whole thing. 

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This week, the Prime Minister announced a couple of billion dollars to help apprentices and tourism, once JobKeeper (the government’s wage subside program) ends in March. Amanda chats to a renowned and down to earth economist about what that all means. International Women’s Day this week was also marred by accusations of rape still hanging over Parliament House. Sarah speaks to Alicia Payne MP about what it’s like being a woman in politics these days.

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