Advertise on podcast: The Issue

A former public servant is blowing the whistle on the federal government’s handling of data.Samuel Spencer says it is not good enough that Commonwealth Departments are using Microsoft Excel to administer $1.2 trillion budget documents, COMCAR bookings, and data collection for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The CEO of Aristotle Metadata, and Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra, joins The Issue podcast this week to discuss the recent OpenAI hack of a Medicare statistics portal, planned Australian AI standards and even has advice for ordinary Aussies on their use of AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this candid interview with The Issue Podcast, Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam opens up about his upcoming exit from federal parliament, sharing how the intense demands of political life impact families. As Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, he sets out his migration vision - protecting essential labour for farmers and hospitality businesses - while outlining cuts to the foreign student intake. Duniam also tackles high-stakes Coalition politics, addressing the threat Pauline Hanson’s One Nation poses to Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and his thoughts on whether Andrew Hastie has what it takes to be a future Prime Minister. He reveals his one big regret about toppling Sussan Ley. And is this really it for his political career? Or will the Tasmanian one day run for Premier of his beloved state? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man who has worn many hats in Canberra, Kim Beazley, joins The Issue this week to discuss fraught US relations, security threats, and the great change in Australian politics. Beazley discusses how significant AUKUS is, and if politics is still a "good career". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of The Issue, we get a special look inside the giant project notorious for delays and cost blowouts, but is critical to Australia's electricity plans. Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes sits down in a candid interview to reveal what's gone wrong with Snowy 2.0 and what might still go wrong. And most importantly, when will the billion-dollar project finally deliver the country some power? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Strait of Hormuz remains choked by war six months on. What does this mean for inflation and interest rates in Australia? Did we ever move past the risk of fuel shortages? Senior energy analyst Saul Kavonic joins The Issue this week to discuss our country's vulnerable fuel supply and how we can maintain competitive leverage during geopolitical conflict. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is AI about to accelerate cybercrime? How do we stop it? How exposed are we? Australia's number one expert on all things cyber security, Alastair MacGibbon sits down with The Issue to discuss the growing threats in our country. MacGibbon also speaks about the most vulnerable group of Aussies and how we can and should protect them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the AI revolution ramps up in Australia, AI Professor Toby Walsh is optimistic but cautious. In this week's episode of The Issue, Toby Walsh discusses the rapidly growing number of data centres in Australia and our need to use new renewable energy. He also speaks on worrying AI surveillance tech and the facilitation of crime by Silicon Valley. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you ask Anthony Albanese if you had the chance? Mortgage broker Joseph Daoud dropped $16.5k at a charity auction - not for himself, but to give three everyday Australians a front-row seat to his tennis match with Anthony Albanese at The Lodge. Want in? Tell Joe in 25 words or less what question you'd ask Albo at https://www.stoptheambitiontax.com/tennis On this week's episode of The Issue: 📈 Where property prices and soaring rents are headed next (and what buyers should do right now) 💬 The 35-year-old entrepreneur reveals what he plans to tell the PM—and why government transparency is at the top of his agenda. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defence recently confirmed a plague of unidentified flights above RAAF bases. Industry insiders tell us drones are now a critical danger for us all. In this week's episode of The Issue, CEOs Ben Westgarth, Justin Olde, and aviation academic Oleksandra Molloy discuss the drone threat in wars and Aussie skies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All three of the major parties in Australia are now pushing to lower Australia’s migration rate.   Pauline Hanson and One Nation have shaken up the debate on population.   But if we are going to cut immigration, how do we keep the country growing?  Demographer Peter McDonald says he is “pro-child” and would support the government increasing access to the Family Tax Benefit.   The Issue this week delves into the hottest argument in politics right now.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Richardson says residents who oppose new local developments otherwise known as NIMBYs ("Not In My Back Yard"), need to ‘suck it up’ in for the nation to solve its housing crisis.   The Economist says the country’s housing policy for decades has been the word no.   “No, you can't do that. No, you can't build here, you especially can't build there, and on those occasions where you are allowed to build, there are a whole heap of rules and regulations that mean that that building's going to be incredibly expensive,” Richardson tells The Issue Podcast.   “You need the Federal Government to bully the states, to bully the councils, to get stuff done.”   The man who tells it straight about Canberra also unleashes on the Federal Budget, defence spending, interest rates, and inflation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised concerns with China over its nuclear-capable missile test in the South Pacific. But is that enough? Lachlan Strahan tells The Issue if these types of incidents increase in frequency, we should become ‘more concerned’. The historian and diplomat with 30 years’ experience also questions whether AUKUS will work out, he says the Albanese Government is spending too much cash on rugby league diplomacy, and says the PM may be getting a little too close to Indian PM Modi. Strahan has written a book called ‘The Curious Diplomat’ and today on The Issue he shares jaw dropping stories, including going into North Korea on a mission and being yelled at by politicians. He also shares his thoughts on Pauline Hanson, and what a One Nation Government would mean for international relations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The CEO of Master Builders Australia has revealed to 7NEWS she received death threats to her family home in Canberra. Denita Wawn says the ordeal pushed her to clean-up the building sector and the construction union, the CFMEU. In this episode of The Issue podcast, she also tackles the tradie shortage, the federal budget’s tax changes, the goal of 1.2 million new homes and immigration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How secure is Australia’s food supply? The podcast examines that critical Issue this week. We talk to Xavier Martin, a broadacre farmer from the Liverpool Plains and the President of the NSW Farmers Association. He says high fuel prices, shortages of fertiliser and uncertain weather patterns are forcing farmers to make decisions to cut back how much food they’re producing. The show’s second guest is Retired Colonel Neil Greet who served for 30 years including in Iraq and Timor Leste. He also supported the Australian Defence Force response to the deadly Black Saturday Fires in 2009. He’s complied a report for the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group who say there’s a plausible case for regional food shortages emerging over the next 12 months. Links to reports mentioned: NSW Farmers Farm Business Sentiment Survey  https://www.nswfarmers.org.au/NSWFA/NSWFA/Posts/News/mr.027.26.aspx ABARES Agricultural Commodities Report https://daff.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/1038221/0/00_AgCommodities202606_v1.0.0.pdf  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bristling with high-tech weapons, Beijing is inseparable from the case for Australia spending tens of billions more on our defence in the years ahead. How dangerous is China's surge in military capability? How does their military strength compare to Australia or the US? RAND security expert Mark Cozad discusses all in this week's episode of The Issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.