Hello! This week's ep is a bit early: my plan is to (try) to start posting multiple episodes a week if possible. Let's see how we go.
Sean Kelly is a writer who writes for a range of Australian publications. He's a former adviser to Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
I've always been a fan of Sean's analysis and writing and was keen to get his thoughts on how COVID-19 is unfolding in Australia, particularly in terms of the Morrison government's response. We take a look back at how the Coalition has tackled the crisis since January (sometimes okay but generally pretty bad!), why Sean thinks it's vital we see the modelling the government is relying on, the possibilities of nationalisation, the threat of "disaster capitalism" and how the ALP has responded to this situation.
Please note that just after minutes we finished recording, the government announced the $130 billion JobKeeper economic package.
The live instalment of LIASYO with Andrew Denton at MICF has also been cancelled
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Sean's writing for the Nine Fairfax papers
Sean's writing for The Monthly
Sean's writing for The Saturday Paper
ARTICLE: Morrison must give us more detail if we are to trust his judgment by Sean Kelly
ARTICLE: Scott Morrison's efforts at hazard reduction by Sean Kelly
ARTICLE: Scott Morrison's COVID-19 two-person rule explained from ABC News
Cause of the Week: The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au)
Emerald Moon is a Brisbane-based Leftist activist and former candidate for the Australian Greens who's passionate about climate action and renters' rights. Emerald ran for the Greens in the safe Liberal seat of Bowman in 2019 and is currently working on the up-coming Brisbane local and Queensland state election.
Amid the insanity of COVID-19 (I hope you're all okay!), I ask Emerald about how she arrived at her socialist politics, how the Queensland Greens are making real progress with socialist ideas and policies, the truly cooked housing situation in Australia and how we can have a revolution while also practising social distancing.
The live instalment of LIASYO with Andrew Denton at MICF has also been cancelled
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
I'm on the latest episode of The Bugle with Andy Zaltzman and Nish Kumar, many LAFFS about the virus
ARTICLE: The Politics of the Virus by Mick Armstrong
ARTICLE: Here's a mad thought: let's save the real things like, er, the people by Guy Rundle
ARTICLE: What I like about the Coronavirus by Slavoj Zizek
Cause of the Week: Australian Unemployed Workers Union (unemployedworkersunion.com)
Welp. Gosh. Here we are, then. I hope you're doing okay.
Amidst the chaos of the global Coronavirus pandemic, previous LIASYO guest Osman Faruqi joins me (via Skype) to reflect on what the hell is happening. Osman is a journalist is the editor of The 7am Podcast for Schwartz Media and has been tweeting and writing a lot about the unfolding situation.
Here we discuss the most egregious examples of capital exploiting this crisis and the insane contradictions about this economic system it exposes, the Australian government's shitty response and how much needs to change in our society to make sure this kind of thing can never happen again.
It was a slightly depressing but very cathartic conversation and I hope it gives you some comfort and ferments your (justifiable) rage towards those in power in these wild times.
The live instalment of LIASYO with Andrew Denton at MICF has also been cancelled :(
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
ARTICLE: Should I keep my children home from school due to Coronavirus? (ABC)
ARTICLE: Super-rich jet off to disaster bunkers amid Coronavirus outbreak by Rupert Neate
Cause of the Week: Support Act (supportact.org.au)
Michael West is a Walkley Award-winning independent journalist covering the rising power of corporations over Australian democracy. After years working for both NewsCorp and Fairfax, Michael eventually went out on his own to cover the crimes of the corporate world and how big business get away with dodgy shit and poison our politics.
Here Michael lays out his experiences in and philosophy on journalism (plus some insights into Murdoch empire), the conflicts of interest in the big business of media corporations, the state of tax avoidance and political donations in Australia and how it's very clear that the economic creed of neoliberalism and privatisation has failed.
My show ENOUGH is on now the 2020 Adelaide Fringe, tickets available here
GRANDILOQUENT is coming to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, it’s on sale now
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
Michael's writing at The Independent
ARTICLE: Ranking Australia's billionaires as taxpayers by Michael West
ARTICLE: Australia's Top 40 Tax Dodgers 2019
Cause of the Week: Support Michael's site and his journalism (michaelwest.com.au)
Alex Bhatal is a social worker and activist. From 2001 to 2018 she was a six-time Greens candidate for the inner-city seat of Cooper (formerly Batman) but in 2019, Alex quit the party having been subjected to a campaign of abuse and “relentless organisational bullying” for years.
Here Alex lays out for her me her journey into politics, her passion for refugee rights and social work, why the Tampa incident inspired her to join the Greens and her experience of running in the same seat for 17 years.
I also ask Alex to explain exactly what happened between her and the Darebin branch of the Greens, how bad it got for her and what it tells us about the state of the party today. Alex is extremely frank and honest talking to me about what was clearly a painful time in her life and for that I’m very grateful.
My show ENOUGH is on now the 2020 Adelaide Fringe, tickets available here
GRANDILOQUENT is coming to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, it’s on sale now
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
ARTICLE: Alex Bhathal and discord in the Greens by Martin McKenzie-Murray
ARTICLE: Batman: How it went wrong for the Greens by Martin McKenzie-Murray
Alex's statement on why she resigned from the Greens
From solidarity.net.au: Alex Bhathal resigns - the latest victim of Greens' drift right
Cause of the Week: Refugee Legal (refugeelegal.org.au)