Think Again: Recent Episodes

Jennifer Borrell & Jacques Boulet

Think Again offers weekly conversations and reflections about current events, trends and public pronouncements on contemporary and emerging issues. The show moves beyond what we read and hear via the public and ‘social’ media, to invite alternative possibilities to guide our thinking, living and organising.

Soares, N (2025) If anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: ther case against superintelligent AI London: The Bodley Head

Have you ever wondered why interacting with governments and companies has become so complicated and time-consuming?Madison Moffatt gives an insider view of how governments came to offload regulation compliance work onto companies from the 1990s, and how companies subsequently developed ways to offload administration work onto customers. At the same time, governments have increasingly required us to do our own administration online.In these cost-cutting drives over the last few decades, it is citizens and customers who have picked up the cost through many hours of unpaid work.Activism linksFREE PALESTINE RALLY 2nd August 12pm State libraryPublic rally for a moratorium on data centresCities for everyone: Beyond neoliberalism urbanism

), meaningful conciliation with traditional owners, and an avenue for education about nature and ecology.Listeners are urged to get behind the campaign to establish the Wallan Wallan Regional Parkland.LinksSign the petitionWallan Wallan Regional Parkland campaignFind and contact your local MP

Rosan Smits: These Christians want to overthrow democracy all over the world. Thanks to Donald Trump, they succeed

, The Saturday Paper No. 603, 6-12 June 2026. (by subscription)Getting help in VictoriaCentrelink issues: Social Security Rights VictoriaLegal help: Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria

s going on in Sudan, the civil war in that countrry has been and continues to be one of the most violent in recent history and still with any possible resolution in sight. It is known that the United Arabic Emirates have been funding and continue to support the rebel militia, the details remain obscure. What is too often forgotten is the human toll especially also the plight of refugees fleeing the country and on the basis of her own experiece, Aziza Hussein reveals what it means to be displaced from your home country and culture and need to adapt to the culture of often not-so-welcoming new host countries and their people(s). The loss of your own culture is often a forgotten but important aspect of such displacements.

Jennifer and Jacques have a closer look at why citizens are losing faith in political systems and processes, and the idea that democracies are working in their interests. This is a world-wide trend.Meanwhile, on the home front, tone-deaf representatives of wealth and power tell a senate committee looking into tax changes, why they should pay lower tax to normal income earners. Against all the evidence to the contrary, they argue that tax breaks make them more productive and lead to them contributing more to society.ReferencesJoseph Stiglitz 2019, People, power and profits: Progressive capitalism for an age of discontent, Great Britain, Allen Lane.Richard Sennett 1977, The fall of public man.Transcripts of 2-day senate hearing regarding tax changes

initiative that involves community members keeping small patches of creek litter-free.Kelvin suggested community members can support this and similar local initiatives. On a broader policy level he suggested people camapign to reduce the huge and unsustainable level of litter we are producing as a society. LinksChain of Ponds - Adopt a CreekBoomerang Alliance - taking action against wasteAbout the UK Plastic Packaging TaxMore about the UK Plastic Packaging Tax

s Plan for Footscray

. Pearls and Irritations, 29 May 2026.

A MatéA Jewish holocaust survivor campaigns against Zionism

s new hate speech laws

s complicity in the destruction of Gaza, Pluto Press (or go to: Proof of pro-Israel media bias in mainstream media)Henry Reynolds 2026, Looking from the North, Sydney, NewSouth

has been used in the past as a Zionist slogan. Of great concern, academic freedom is at risk, as are universities as a site of scholarly debate and contest. This is already happening to a degree and there is risk of freedom of speech on campuses being further curtailed.Some of the laws will undoubtedly be contested. In the meantime people are advised to stay informed, but to not let these laws have a chilling effect on their right to free speech.

s founder, Jorge from Chile arriving as a refugee in Brisbane and immersed in the thinking and activism of Liberation Theology and Jacques in his native Belgium studying in a Catholic Wokers Movement School of Social Work and later involved in several Catholic movements and events in Congo and Germany. All three offer their personal accounts from their own experience.Referenceshttps://australiancardijninstitute.org/ https://australiancardijninstitute.org/cross-disrupts-imperialist-occupation-of-the-world-pope-leo/

set of values to a determined contributor to the small group of trillionaire capitalists threatening to dominate our lives and thoughts.ReferencesKaren Hao 2025, Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination. London: Allen Lane.Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares 2025, If anyone builds it, everyone dies: The case against superintelligent AI. London: The Bodley Head/Vintage

that work in every case), instead paying attention to context, and documenting and exploring what works in a particular place.Rob and Marie discuss how a good social science approach would involve teachers and students as researchers, in their teaching-learning contexts. Both have worked with teachers as researchers, and this has been essential to finding new ways to address challenges for schools and students.Finally, Rob talks about his project work supporting teachers as researchers to build new knowledge, particularly to build culturally responsive curriculum and teaching practice.

s plan for Footscray:https://borderlandscooperative.net/footscray-peoples-plan-mapping-session-and-more/

, Handbook of Global Education Policy, WILEY-BLACKWELL. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118468005.ch7

David Wengrow 2021, The dawn of everything: A new history of humanity, Allen Lane.Roman Krznaric 2025, History for tomorrow: Inspiration from the past for the future of humanity, WH Allen.Kim Stanley Robinson 2020, The minstry for the future, US, Orbit Books. (a novel)

s full scale attack on Iran which started in late February.They examine some of the reasons given for the war, plus the devastating ripples of harm spinning out from it, harming and uprooting millions of people.

Conal Feehely from Get Up recently went undercover to an Advance conference and he shares some of his learnings.Amidst some predictably extreme themes from presenters (for example blaming migrants and climate policy for current woes) Conal had a range of civil conversations with attendees with legitimate grievances looking for a political solution. Advance has a deliberate, ongoing strategy of engaging such people - preparing the ground and planting right-wing ideas as a long term strategy of political engagement.Advance is a well-funded reactionary news producing collection of rich benefactors and profiteers that certainly must and can be countered by grassroots people power. Conal talked about possibilities for action, particularly in relation to Get Up and its campaigns.Link: https://www.getup.org.au/

t be clearer.Mililma May from Change the Record talks with Jacques about a campaign to change this situation, which listeners can support: Raise the Age Change the Record links:Website: https://www.changetherecord.org.au/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changetherecord_/Other sources named in the show:Amber Hayward and Lilly Hayward: https://nit.com.au/22-04-2025/17528/noongar-advocates-take-powerful-message-to-the-united-nationsThe Disappeared Project: https://thedisappearedproject.com/

s biggest bush walkHelp stop deforestationJoin a local groupACF get involved

David Wengrow 2021, The Dawn of everything: A new history of humanity. Allen Lane (Pengui Books), Great Britain.David Graeber 2015 , The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy Brooklyn. Melville House Publishing.

s ongoing war on Gaza, and growing inequality embedded in our taxation, education and housing systems.Certainly, real change is needed and the presenters begin a conversation about this, to be continued in the next program.Omar El Akkad (2025) One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This Melbourne: Text PublishingTony Wright ‘Yes, Pauline Hanson is all smiles. But the question is – who will get the last laugh?’ Saturday Age 7th FebruaryAmy Remeikis Make no mistake, the Liberals are already history – and Labor should be worried… The New Daily 4th FebruaryRichard Dennis Left-right labels (which) make political commentary easy, and democracy hard The New Daily 10th February

s reliance on security, police and surveillance is causing direct harm to those targetted and it is undermining the safety and wellbeing of the broader community.The report makes a range of recommendations for the immediate and longer term that focus on prevention, support for community, non-discrimination and human rights.LinksA community evaluation of the Footscray CBD Patrol ProgramFootscray Community ResponseTake actionThis February (2026), Maribyrnong Council will vote on whether Footscray’s unhoused community and other “undesirables” using public space should continue to be surveilled and criminalised by private security guards. Join FCR at 5:45pm on Tuesday 17 February at Maribyrnong Town Hall for a speak-out, then we’ll all head into the Council meeting together to ensure our community is heard.Sign the petition on Instagram

.Robert also speaks of his admiration for the enduring hope, vitality and creativity of the local communities and indviduals he has collaborated with, providing the inspiration for his ongoing involvement .

in 2025, namely:(1) extreme weather events brought on by climate change;(2) the Bondi massacre and its fall out, including some shameful weaponisation of the tragedy for political purposes, and(3) the megalomaniac spinning out of control of the US under Trump and implications for Australia.

risky behaviour: The role of walking and visual characteristics through a field study’, Transportation Research, vol. 101.

s no longer possible to be a Palestinian in the West BankMelbourne protest against genocide in Syria Saturday, 13 December 2025, 12:00pmParliament of Victoria: Stand together against the genocide in Syria and call for an end to the ongoing massacres of minorities. NB: This is a peaceful solidarity gathering; No flags, political or sectarian symbols should be displayed.https://www.instagram.com/p/DR-825xE7NW/

Tamar Hopkins from the Racial Profiling Data Monitoring Project talks about the latest data showing that Victoria Police target certain groups, with members much more likely to be searched than white people and have force used against them. These groups include people perceived by the police to be Aboriginal, African, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Pacific Islander.Tamar proposes a range of alternative measures to policing, including the resourcing of communities, and a monitoring body to ensure accurate data collection relating to systemic racism.Linkshttps://www.racialprofilingresearch.org/https://imcl.org.au/police-racial-profiling-has-not-improved report

s previous book: Subimperial Power (2022) Melbourne University Press.

s human rights commitments and would amplify race-based discrimination in the justice system, including against children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.MEDIA RELEASESYouthlawVictorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS)ActionFind your local state member. Tell them not to introduce this Bill.Racial profiling datahttps://www.racialprofilingresearch.org/

in Quarterly Essay, No.97.

Nate Soares (2025) If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies London: The Bodley Head

s survival over the last few years).

s books after the launchhttps://shop.redflag.org.au/https://nibs.org.au/ (NB: website may be under renovation)CampaignsAustralia Palestine Advocacy NetworkFree Palestine MelbourneLocal Jewish groups for PalestineLoud Jew CollectiveThe Jewish Council of AustraliaJewish organisations calling for sanctions against Israel

Supriya Pattanayak is Vice Chancellor of Centurion University of Technology and Management in India. She explains its unique, progressive model of working closely with communities in innovative ways, to address their needs and aspirations.Real-life problems are addressed locally with practical applications of knowledge that create goods and services of value to communities. Guiding principles include sustainability, positive social impact, and community empowerment, along with a learning model based on applied learning.The university's ongoing success gives substance to its tag line: a world of hopes and possibilities'.LinkCenturion University of Technology & Managementyoutube Centurion Cares

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the 'performance' of the federal Labor government and how its rhetoric about how well it is doing doesn't quite match reality. Examples are responses to the genocide in Gaza, climate policy, the aged care system, and the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. They highlight that the fragile trust of Australians should not be taken for granted.

Annika Reynolds, National Climate Policy Advisor with the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), talks about some important recent developments in Australia's climate policy. These include approval for Woodside to extend the life of its North West shelf gas project by 40 years, the release of the national Climate Risk Assessment report, and the setting of Australia's emissions reduction target for 2035.At this point, our federal government is falling short of policies and decisions to avert the worst climate catastrophe for future generations. It is time for the government to act on the scientific evidence, and for us to take collective action to hold it to account. LinksWrite to your local MP re strong nature laws nowNational Climate Risk AssessmentAustralian Conservation Foundation (ACF)

Starting with the recent clashes on Melbourne's streets, Jacques and Jennifer look at some of the major converging fractures in our society and discuss what we can learn from Europe's Nazi past and from current events in the US.

Jennifer interviews Dr Bob Davidson, who is an honorary Research Fellow at Macquarie University, about the neoliberalism takeover of our human services over the last 40 years or so.The NDIS is discussed as an example. Bob highlights some of the fundamental failures of this neoliberal project, including too many service providers, bad actors, a range of scandals plaguing human service areas (including aged care and early childhood education), absence of transparency about the use of public money by private operators, lack of access or existence of some services even when people are eligible, the loss of community or collective-oriented programs, and onerous adminstrative load on individuals accessing the scheme.While criticising the neoliberal approach to human services, with governments stepping back from their responsibilities, Bob believes that the human service system can include some for-profit providers.ReferenceBob Davidson 2024, 'Neoliberalism and human services: the National Disability Insurance Scheme', in Captured: How neoliberalism transformed the Australian state, eds: Phillip Toner, Michael Rafferty, Sydney: Sydney University Press.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the downward spiral of our universities over the last 40 years of neo-liberalism, with the decline accelerating during the COVID pandemic, and only getting worse since.Universities are said to be at breaking point with the corporatist, managerialist focus on cost cutting, exploitation of staff, and selling low quality courses to students.They end the program with suggestions for professors and students from Giorgio Agamben who wrote 'Requiem for students'.ReferencesGiorgio Agamben (2020) translation of short intervention on the blog Diario della crisi at the website of the Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici, 23 May 2020.Graeme Turner (2025) Broken: Universities, politics and the public good, Clayton: Monash University Publishing.Stuart McIntyre, Andre Brett & Gwilym Croucher (2017) No end of a lesson: Australia’s unified national system of higher education, Carlton: Melbourne University Press.Lew Zipin (2019) ‘How council-management governance troubles Australian university labours and futures: Simplistic assumptions and complex consequences’, Social Alternatives, vol 38, issue 3, pp. 28-35.Caitlyn Cassidy (2023) Appallingly unethical-Why-Australian universities are at breaking point, The Guardian, 11 April 2023.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss the federal government's recent Economic Reform Roundtable, commonly known as the 'productivity roundtable'.They discuss where it went wrong - though a good idea in principle, including assumptions that cutting costs for big business (e.g. via lower tax and regulation) will necessarily lead to higher productivity and not just bigger profits.The hosts unpick the notion of productivity itself, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which gives no or little value to most caring work and upaid environment protection.Finally they criticise the centrist push of our political leaders to do nothing meaningful.ReferencesRichard Denniss (2025) Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us Australia Institute - Vantage Point Emma Holten (2025) Deficit: how feminist economics can change our world London: WH Allen - Penguin/Random

Jennifer is joined by Belinda Curtis who is National Manager Dementia-Friendly Communities, with Dementia Australia.Belinda begins with an overview of dementia, and corrects a few misconceptions. Importantly, dementia happens within real life social and physical settings, reaching beyond individual medicalised notions. The creation of dementia-friendly communities enables people with dementia to continue being socially connected and making their own unique contributions.Belinda describes the community development processes that start with the wishes and needs of community members, and the strengths and resources they bring to create dementia-friendly communities.LinksDementia AustraliaDementia AustraliaNational dementia helplineDementia action weekCommunity development conferenceRegenerating Communities conferencePro-palestine marchesAPAN - eventsFree Palestine - events

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the urgent need to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI). They are prompted by the Productivity Commission's hare-brained idea that we should not regulate it too much so as not to inhibit its development (and add $$$ to the coffers of big tech, they add).ReferencesHolten, Emma, (2025) Deficit: How Feminist Economics can change our world, London: WH Allen (Penguin Random House Group)Bates, Laura (2025) The New Age of Sexism: How the AI revolution is reinventing misogyny, Sydney/Melbourne: Simon and SchusterRegenerating communities: Community development conference 2025

Jennifer is joined by guests Cecilia and Enny who talk about their work in communities in Timor Leste, supported and resourced by xpand Foundation. Their work with 'Foundation Rai Matak' and 'WithOneSeed Foundation', focuses on projects that rejuvenate local ecologies, return wealth to local economies, and resource and empower local people and communities.The work is described as creating hope into the future.LinksXpand FoundationDonate to WithOneSeedRegenerating Communities: community development conference

Jacques and Jennifer explore the possibilities of 'community development' for creating social change.They first look at what we mean when we use the word 'community', and the 'development' of community. Then they move to the idea of 'relationality' as probably more meaningful and useful than the over-used 'community' (as introduced in the very first episode of 'Think Again'). This may include grassroots, horizontal relating, and verticle relating (up and down the system ) - with the most effective sites for change depending on the issue, context and point in time.Next, the hosts introduce the historical European principle of 'subsidiarity' - that higher levels of government defer to local levels (or community) if this is more effective. Finally, they highlight a dual imperative for community work - one that is human-personal and the other to pursue structural justice. Regenerating communities conference - October 2025References Demos UK (2021) The Social State: from transactional to relational public services…Ebrahim & Weisband (2007) Principles of Distributive Subsidiarity and Democracy… connect the lines between citizen activism, networks, accountability, and postmodern public ethics.’ (p.331).1981 Webster’s Third International Dictionary (Vol. III, p. 2279) 'subsidiarity' is a theory in sociology: functions which subordinate or local organizations perform effectively belong more properly to them than to a dominant central organisation’Jess Hill (2025) 'Losing it: Can we stop violence against women and children?', Quarterly Essay, Iss: 97.

After two previous programs about Iran dealing with its last 70 years of political transformations and its recent and present involvement in the Palestine, Israel and US conflagration, Jacques has a conversation with former journalist and writer Shokoofeh Azar now living in Victoria and involved in our Borderlands library. We learn about the present situation under autocratic Islam/Mullah governance, the reaction of opposition groups to the Israel/US attacks and the hopes of large sections of the population for freedom and the collapse of the oppressive regime.ReferenceShokoofeh Azar, 2020, The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree, New York, Europa Editions. (Translator: Anonymous)

Jacques and Jennifer look at the homogenous, so-called 'balanced' middle ground adopted by our two main parties and mainstream media - in particular, in relation to the illegal actions of Israel, and local efforts here to clamp down on pro-Palestine solidarity under the guise of a controversial definition of anti-semitism that includes criticism of the State of Israel.They also look at the complicity of international corporations in Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land, and military attacks on the people there.https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/profiting-from-genocide?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=778851&post_id=167313571&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=noz8m&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email https://johnmenadue.com/authors/federica-marsi/ Read about the report here: https://ow.ly/Ho5r50WnpGr

A conversation with Taryn Lane, Manager of Hepburn Energy, the first community-owned renewable energy (wind now complemented with battery and solar) in Victoria. She has published a book Hopeful Action: A handbook for Community-led Climate Transitions offering a combination of practical and philosophical 'hints' to take along your community development journey trying to make our world and our presence in it sustainable. Access to the book is below... https://issuu.com/communityclimateaction/docs/hopeful_action_digital

Jacques and Jennifer continue discussion about the current conflict centred on Iran, to offer a fuller historical and geopolitical context than provided in dominant narratives and the mainstream media.What is clear is that much of the blame belongs to the interference of self-interested western powers, namely the US and Britain. Scott Burchill 24/06/2025 Regime change and blowback in Iran in Pearls and Irritationshttps://avigail.substack.com/p/lies-lies-and-more-lies?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=749647&post_id=166442094&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2qztnn&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email All the Shah�s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror, by Stephen Kinzer. John Wiley and Sons, 2003Review Essay of Stephen Kinzer's All the Shah's Men, Masoud Kazemzadeh, Ph.D.MIDDLE EAST POLICY, VOL. XI, NO. 4, WINTER 2004https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/07/the-time-has-arrived-for-a-comprehensive-middle-east-peace/ Jeffrey Sachs and Sybill Fares

Jacques and Jennifer look at the some of the history and motivations of western powers behind current global conflicts that Australia is once more becoming embroiled in - namely Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza, and recent military exchanges between Israel and Iran, and US attacks on Iran.Australia seems fixated on the idea that the US is our friend who we must always support and follow, even while President Trump loudly proclaims 'America First'.

Jacques first continuous the reflections we started last week, especially revealing the 'alternative media' sources we rely on in Think Again to bring news going beyond and beneath what we get daily from the mainstream media; a few of those are mentioned below. He then moves onto the today and tomorrow part, reflecting on how our present political leadership deals (or equivocates out of dealing) with our environmental and international political predicaments.

Jacques and Jennifer reflect on the last six years of Think Again, while calling for donations to support the program and 3CR.

Jacques and Jennifer discuss some ideas from Rutger Bregman's new book: Moral ambition: Stop wasting your talent and start making a difference.Two themes of interest are: (1) the social and communal nature of making meaningful change: it is not done by lone 'stars' but by people working collectively over time, and (2) the processes of making change are important, not just the end goal or outcome i.e. the 'relational' processes and how we treat each other along the way.Jennifer and Jacques challenge Bregman's under-rating of the importance of 'awareness raising' for creating change. They think it is more important than ever, given the dominant narratives that hide the truth about pervading injustice, inequality and oppression, not to mention rightwing saturation of social media with conspiracy theories and misinformation.ReferencesRutger Bregman (2025) Moral ambition: Stop wasting your talent and start making a difference, Bloomsbury Publishing.David Graeber (2018) Bullshit Jobs: The Rise of Pointless Work and What we can do about it.…Penguin BooksRutger Bregmans' panel and speech at the 2019 WEF Davos gathering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LtFnmPruU Carole Cadwalladr, the journalist who broke the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook data breach scandal being interviewed on Jon Stewart's Daily Show: #DailyShow #JonStewart #CaroleCadwalladr3CR (inaugural) program on relationality: www.3cr.org.au/thinkagain/relationality-our-modus-vivendi

Jennifer talks with Kelly O'Shanassy, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) about the implications of the recent federal Labor victory for climate change, and the preservation of our natural enviornment and endangered species.They discuss the recent 'climate bomb' decision made by new Environment Minister, Murray Watt, to approve an extension of Woodside Energy's North West Shelf gas project in WA to 2070. Kelly explains the fossil fuel-friendly policy context of this decision.Kelly also talks about the need for strong legislation that preserves our natural environment and the habitats of a multitude of endangered species.She engenders a sense of hope, and faith in 'people power', and she shares with listeners ways they can fight these catastrophes with others who also care about the environment and the future.

Jacques and Jennifer reflect on the post-election political reality in Australia and the implications for doing something about some of the major issues facing us, like looming catastrophic climate change and the escalating gap between rich and poor.They urge Labor to seize the day, and ask 'if not now, when?'

Jennifer is joined by David Glanz from the Refugee Action Collective to talk about the implications of the federal election result for refugees and asylum seekers.David talks about our cruel system of prolonged temporary visas, offshore detention centres, and deportations. This time round (during Labor's 2nd term) we need to agitate much more strongly and loudly for fair, just and humane treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, in line with our international obligations. RAC Forum:From the US to Australia: Fighting racist deportationsMonday 2 June, 6.30pm-8.00pmKathleen Syme Library and Community Centre251 Faraday Street, Melbourne (Carlton)

Amidst Labor celebrations following their federal election victory, and ruminations that the Greens were punished for being too pro-Palestine, Jacques and Jennifer argue that local politics cannot ignore what is happening internationally - especially in the clear case of genocide against the Palestinian people by the State of Israel.Their conversation draws attention to this, to remedy what has been largely ignored in the campaign and in post-election analysis and reflection. And they call for more 'moral compass' in our local politics and discourses.https://theintercept.com/2024/12/23/eu-report-israel-war-crimes-complicity/ https://johnmenadue.com/images/Israel-Palestine-pushed-beyond-endurance-Print-2025-04-22.pdf https://www.commondreams.org/news/guterres-trump-gaza?utm_source=Common+Dreams&utm_campaign=e404e72f30-Top+News%3A+Mon.+5%2F5%2F25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-c56d0ea580-600367827

In the context of the federal election on 3rd of May, Jennifer and Jacques talk about disruptions at home and abroad, and how public political discourse has narrowed to exclude the things that we really need to focus on. These things include climate change, military enmeshment with the US, and how the capitalist system is failing most people and evidently in decline.At the same time, right wing propaganda spreads and oozes throughout our social media.

Jennifer talks with Dr Nick Riemer from the University of Sydney about the new definition of antisemitism proposed by Universities Australia for use on Australian campuses.This definition was developed in reaction to pro-Palestine protests against the actions of the State of Israel, to stymie open and scholarly debate.ReferencesJumana Bayeh 2025, Silencing Palestine: Universities Australia and the new definition of antisemitism, Overland 31 March 2025Nick Reimer 2025, Genocide showroom: Universities after Gaza, Overland 22 April 2025

Jacques talks again with Suzan Saka from the Alevi Foundation of Australia about the dire situation of Alevi people in current Turkiye and surrounding countries. Suzan begins by giving some background about the Alevi culture, and the substantial presence of Alevi people in Australia. She then details the hardships and prosecutions they suffer in Syria, Iraq and their Anatolian homeland in Turkiye... It is a humanistic imperative to alert politicians and the international bodies about their plight and argue for intervention and support.

Jacques talks with Mike Salvaris, Director of the Australian National Development Index (ANDI). While our governments and political leaders focus on narrow economic indicators (like GDP) of 'progress' and how well a country and its population are doing, various attempts have been made to capture more meaningful social, cultural and personal aspects of people's lives since the 1960s.Mike Salvaris talks about the development and application of ANDI as a measure of wellbeing and progress for everyday Australians and about the planned process of introducing a set of wellbeing indicators in West Australia.ANDI website: https://www.andi.org.au/

Mark Zirnsak from the Tax Justice Network Australia talks with Jennifer about the recent federal government budget, handed down just before an election on the 3rd of May.While the budget has some positives such as boosts to Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and fair funding for schools, it doesn't address the fundamental inequity of our tax system. It would take a braver approach to address this, which might provide the required funds for things like an adequate level of social housing and Centrelink benefits that people can actually live on.TJN website: https://www.taxjustice.org.au/

Jennifer and Jacques continue their reflections on the latest events in the US, clearly demonstrating a new Authoritarianism that shouldn't be ignored. They talk about the implications for Australia as well as people in the US, the selective silence of our leaders, and how the new wave of Trumpist Authoritarianism is reported across our media. Lastly they make a call to be both alert and active.Trump is kryptonite for PM, Dutton’ by Peter Hartcher Saturday Age (15/03/2025)‘Pulling the Strings: Australia offered the US a deal on critical minerals, and Trump sold us fool’s gold…’ by Matthew Knott Saturday Age (15/03/2025)Nick Bryant (2024) The Forever War: America's Unending Conflicy With Itself (Viking/Penguin/Random House Australia)Simon Mccarthy-Jones: Spite (see ref. in https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/author/simon-mccarthy-jones) Carlos Martinez in the Morningstar https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/strategic-autonomy-or-stockholm-syndrome-whither-europe

Jennifer and Jacques reflect on recent world trends toward Authoritarianism, and what we need to take good notice of.Quoting Henry Giroux, they argue that our task is to refuse the limits imposed by neoliberal fatalism and authoritarian rule - but not only to resist but to widen the horizon of the possible.Henry Giroux (19/02/2025) Neoliberalism's Embrace of Cruelty and its Assault on Social Bonds in the LA Progressive (Giroux occupies the Chair for Scholarship in the Public Interest in the English and Cultural Studies Department; he is the Paulo Freire Distinguished Schoar in Critical Pedagogy at Mc Master University in Canada)Nick Bryant (2024) The Forever War: America's Unending Conflict With Itself (Viking, Penguin Random House Australia)Chris Hedges speech at the Workers Strike Back conference in Seattle (go to Chris Hedges substack)J. Boulet (2021) 'Social-Media-weaponised populism and community development' in Kenny, Ife & Westoby (eds.) Populism, Democracy and Community Development (Bristol: Policy Press/Bristol University Press)Kant Immanuel (1795) Zum Ewigen Frieden: ein philosophischer Entwurf (Towards an eternal Peace: a philosophical proposal)

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the recent roller coaster of international events, led by US President Trump. Chief among these are the incredible public shouting match between the US Trump-Vance duo and Ukrainian Presient Zelensky, and Trump's idea for the Palestinians to evacuate Gaza permanently giving up their land for a high-priced seaside resort.Overall, the US has dropped its mask of benevolent keeper of world order, and its blatant self-interest has been laid bare - which places onus on other formerly-compliant nations to respond, including Europe and Australia. References:To listen to Jeffrey Sachs delivering his astonishing speech to the EU go to:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA9qmOIUYJA&t=1s Jane Fonda, receiving recognition from the actors Union for her lifetime acting and other achievements and tell the Hollywood audience to start resisting, go to:https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jane+fonda+sag+2025

For this episode Jennifer interviews Jacques about the results of the latest German election, with surpises including a worrying boost for right wing racist party AfD, but also, more hopefully, for left wing progressive party Die Linke.Jacques talks about trends in German politics from WW2, to give some context for latest voting results. He finishes with some linking this to international trends. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/roots-neofascism-east-germany from Jacobin:After Germany’s Election, the Left Can Hope AgainJulia Damphouse

Teachers are key agents of changes and improvements in their classrooms. Yet spaces and opportunities for teachers, and others in the human services, to have control over their working lives and professional learning, have drastically diminished. Janette and Mary talk to Marie about their project to address this, by supporting teachers' reflection and self-directed learning and improvement. The evaluation of their project was overwhelmingly positive, with principals and teachers valuing the opportunity for professionaly supportive reflection, especially in a safe space outside the school environment.ReferencesAllen, J.M. (2019) From “Telling” To “Triangle” To “Tentative Truth”: How The Use Of The Positioning Theory Triangle Enabled Multiple Layers Of Truth To Become Evident. Paperson social representations, 28(1), pp 5.1-5.18.Allen, J.M., Hattie, J., Redman, C.R., (2022) Ticking boxes?: How teachers perceive their professional learning within a performance and development process Leading and Managing 2022 Vol. 28 Issue 1 Pages 1-19Baxter, L.P., Gardiner, A.E., & Southall, F., (2021), Trialling critical reflection in education: the benefits for school leaders and teachers, Reflective Practice 2021 Vol. 22 Issue 4 Pages 501-514Clandinin, D.J., (2006) Narrative Inquiry: A Methodology for Studying Lived Experience, Research studies in music education 2006 Vol. 27 Issue 1 Pages 44-54Creagh, S., Thompson, G., Mockler, N., Stacey, M., & Hogan, A., (2023) Workload, work intensification and time poverty for teachers and school leaders: a systematic research synthesis, Educational Review 2023 Pages 1-20Creswell, J.W. (2007) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches, Sage Publications Gore, J.M., Miller, A., Fray, L., Harris, J., Prieto, E., (2021) Improving student achievement through professional development: Results from a randomised controlled trial of Quality Teaching Rounds. Teaching and Teacher Education 2021 Vol. 101 Heffernan, A., Bright, D., Kim, M., Longmuir, F., Magyar, B., (2022) ‘I cannot sustain the workload and the emotional toll’: Reasons behind Australian teachers’ intentions to leave the profession”, Australian Journal of Education, Vol 0, p. 1-14Hunter, M.A., Broughton, G. (2025) Professional supervision for principals: A primer for emerging practice. Cambridge University Press, online. (+ LinkedIn announcement of book)Moghaddam, F.M., , Harré, R., & Lee, N. (Eds) (2008). Global conflict resolution through positioning analysis. New York, London: SpringerNetolicky, D. (2016). Rethinking professional learning for teachers and school leaders. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 1(4), 270-285.Timperley, H., Ell, F., Le Fevre, D., Twyford, K., (2021) Leading Professional Learning ACER Professional supervision course for educators

Jacques and Jennifer talk about some of the unravellings happening in our society, with reactionary forces being unleashed in the US and rippling into Australian politics.The unravelling of Australian society Allan PatienceAmid President Donald Trump’s rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs throughout government and the Defense Department declaring “identity months dead,” concern grew this week that Black History Month could be in danger.

Jacques interviews Josh Bornstein about his new book: Working for the brand: How corporations are destroying free speech. (2024 - Scribe Publishers)Josh explains how corporations are exercising unprecedented power over what we say, in a way that we wouldn't accept from our governments. He offers examples of lots of large corporations including Qantas and our universities...Other books recently appeared and documenting the failure of the major institutions and systems in the capitalist political economy to create and maintain equality, justice and ecological safety and security.Eric Bleecher (2024) The Men Who Killed The News: The Inside Story of how Media Moguls Abused their Power, Manipulated the ruth and Distorted Democracy (Sydney: Scribner)Grace Blakeley (2024) Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom (London: Bloomsbury)Rick Morton (2024) Mean Streak: A moral vacuum & a multi-billion dollar government shake down (Sydney: Fourth Estate/Harper-Collins)Naomi Klein The Shock Doctrine (2014) and Doppelganger (2022)

Jacques and Jennifer continue their exploration of possible and probable political developments in 2025, started the previous week.They include some 'highlights' (or low lights) from current events, and touch on how we need to change direction.

Jacques and Jennifer discuss unfolding developments internationally and what we might expect in 2025, especially relating to the US-centred vortex, a vortex that has been smouldering since the early-1800shttps://johnmenadue.com/jeffrey-sachs-and-joanna-lei-on-taiwan-and-us-china-conflict/https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/200-years-of-the-monroe-doctrine?utm_source=Common+Dreams&utm_campaign=d1a70f65de-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_11_15_08_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d1a70f65de-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562246/how-democracies-die-by-steven-levitsky-and-daniel-ziblatt/Stephen Collinson, CNN (Wed. 08/01/2025) Trump’s threats to Greenland, Canada and Panama explain everything about America First’

Jennifer and Jacques cover the latest events in the Middle East, with Israel's expansionism and its opportunistic bombing of Syria.They comment on the one-sided local response in the media and by our politicians, evidently cowardly responding to a strident Zionist lobby and to the demands of Australia's hegemonic 'biggest friend' the US.References:https://johnmenadue.com/how-the-us-and-israel-destroyed-syria-and-called-it-peace/ https://johnmenadue.com/endless-onslaught-would-israels-mordechai-be-attacked-as-antisemitic-in-australia/

Looking back over an almost 40 years-long academic career, moving from Melbourne (Melbourne and Monash Universities) to the UK in 2016 (Bath University) and since 2022 in Germany, as Chair of the University of Cologne Research Hub for Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities, Kate Rigby talks with Jacques about the evolution of her endeavours to integrate our ways and means of being and thinking as 'humans' into the relational reality of our ecology, of Mother Earth. The conversation implicitly also opens up questions about Australia's Tertiary Education and whether it remains fit and prepared to play its role in the necessary thinking and practice our times demand. Below are links to some of her publications. 2023: Meditations on Creation in an Era of Extinction, New York: Orbis Books. ('Day Three' available open access here)2020: Reclaiming Romanticism: Towards an Ecopoetics of Decolonization, London: Bloomsbury Academic (open access)2015: Dancing with Disaster: Environmental Histories, Narratives, and Ethics for Perilous Times, Charlottesville: U of Virginia P.(Chapter Two available open access here)2004: Topographies of the Sacred: The Poetics of Place in European Romanticism, Charlottesville: U of Virginia P.Other links:Manifesto of Australian National Working Group for the Ecological Humanities (c. 2001)Environmental Humanities JournalUniversity of Cologne Research Hub for Multidisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities (MESH).Sophia's Spring Eco-feminist Church Community, CERES, Brunswick (if interested in attending service on December 22, at which Kate will be speaking, please contact the coordinator, Christina at christinatree@ceres.org.au)

Jennifer and Jacques talk about how we have taken on the administration burden once carried by government bodies and companies, including utilities, services and financial institutions. After all, we already pay for those utilities and services but are now required to 'manage' them ourselves... and spending hours at doing it being punished when we don't... This trend is being accelerated with new digital technologies working hand-in-glove with the neoliberalism of the last few decades and the mass marketisation of every aspect of our lives.This day-to-day admin burden has become part of the background wall paper of our lives, so Jacques and Jennifer thought it worth highlighting and exposing it, and putting it into the conversations we are having.

Lew Zipin and Jacques have a conversation about the variety of politcal and economic and personal 'troubles' we experience presently and how a different more active, reflective and engaged approach to schooling and education more generally would assist innot only dealing with them but better prepare 'us' for changing the conditions under which those troubles arise...Below a full list of suggestions for further reading provided by Lew..Berlant, L. (2011). Cruel optimism. Duke University Press. Berlant, L. (2016). The commons: Infrastructures for troubling times. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 34(3), 393–419. Boomer, G. (1999). Pragmatic radical teaching and the disadvantaged schools program. In B. Green (Ed.), Designs on learning: Essays on curriculum and teaching (pp. 49–58). Australian Curriculum Studies Association. Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258). Greenwood. Eckersley, R. (2024). The US political system and its capitalist, imperialist agenda has failed. Pearls and Irritations. https://johnmenadue.com/the-us-political-system-and-its-capitalist-imperialist-agenda-has-failed/. Florida’s State Academic Standards – Social Studies, 2023 (2023). https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/20653/urlt/6-4.pdf Freire, P. (1993/1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum. Gramsci, A. (1948/1971). Selections from the prison notebooks (Q. Hoare & G. Nowell Smith, editors and translators). International Publishers. Hall, S. (1988). Gramsci and us. In S. Hall (Ed.), Thatcherism and the crisis of the left: The hard road to renewal (pp. 161–173). Verso. Lowe, K. & Galstaun, V. (2020). Ethical challenges: the possibility of authentic teaching encounters with indigenous cross-curriculum content? Curriculum Perspectives, 40, 93-98. Marx, K. (1869/1991). The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. International Publishers. The Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 (2023). Mandate for leadership: The conservative promise. https://archive.org/details/project-2025-mandate-for-leadership-full_202309-manifesto/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL/ Mayes, E. (2023). Young people learning climate justice: Education beyond schooling through youth-led climate justice activism. In J. Wy, H. Cahill, & H. Cuervo (Eds.), Handbook of children and youth studies (pp. 1–14). Springer Nature. Moll, L. (2014). L.S. Vygotsky and education. Taylor and Francis. Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice, 32, 132–141. Pusey, M. (1991). Economic rationalism in Canberra: A nation-building state changes its mind. Cambridge University Press. Pusey, M. (2003). The experience of middle Australia: The dark side of economic reform. Cambridge University Press. Vygotsky, L.S. (1997/1926). Educational psychology. CRC Press. Wallerstein, I. (1998). Utopistics or, historical choices of the twenty-first century. The New Press. Wallerstein, I. (2013). Structural crisis, or why capitalists may no longer find capitalism rewarding. In I. Wallerstein, R. Collins, M. Mann, G. Derluguian, & C. Calhoun (Eds.), Does capitalism have a future? Oxford University Press. Yeats, W. (1919). The second coming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Second_Coming_(poem) Zipin, L. (2009). Dark funds of knowledge, deep funds of pedagogy: Exploring boundaries between lifeworlds and schools. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 30(3), 317–335. Zipin, L. (2020). Building curriculum knowledge work around com- munity-based ‘Problems That Matter’: Let’s dare to imagine. Curriculum Perspectives, 40, 111–115. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-024-00288-1 (open access) Zipin, L. (2024). Curriculum for living structural crises towards socially just futures: Bringing diverse funds of knowledge into participatory-democratic action around lifeworld problems that matter. Curriculum Perspectives, 44, 249–262. Zipin, L. (2024). Activist educative response to the Palestine crisis: A Jewish anti-Zionist perspective. Curriculum Perspectives, 44, 383-388. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-024-00288-1 (open access) Zipin, L. & Brennan, M. (2024). Opening school walls to funds of knowledge: Students researching problems that matter in Australian communities. In M. Esteban-Guitart (Ed.), Funds of knowledge and identity pedagogies for social justice: International perspectives and praxis from communities, classrooms, and curriculum (pp. 41–46). Routledge.

Jacques and Jennifer do some post-Trump analysis, looking at how Trump's victory in the US elections could even happen.They argue that the rot has been there for centuries, with an individualist ideology embedded in the psyche of the people from the US's inception. Conditions have ripened for the triumph of a cult figure like Trump in more recent times, including a poorly educated populace, struggles with the cost of living, the dominance of neoliberal policies favourable to big business, desertion of the disenfranchised by the Democratic party, and the take over of electoral processes by big money (just to name a few).The Politics of Cultural DespairIt is despair that is killing us. It fosters what Roger Lancaster calls “poisoned solidarity,” the intoxication forged from the negative energies of fear, envy, hatred and a lust for violence. Chris Hedges (https://substack.com/@chrishedges)

Andy Schmulow, Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of Wollongong, talks about the deliberate tax evasion strategies of mega rich corporations, robbing the public purse of much-needed billions of dollars. Meanwhile the Australia Tax Office (ATO) takes a softly softly approach to bringing these corporations to heel. In fact, Andy believes the ATO's approach could actually be encouraging corporate tax avoidance.Senator Barbara Pocock has described the situation as one law for the rich and well connected and another for the battling and intimidated. Certainly a different approach was taken to Centrelink recipients in the government's notorious 'Robodebt' scheme, and we seem to be at the beginning of NDIS 'crackdowns'.At the same time we are told that there are no funds to address the housing crisis, and other social necessities - and the climate crisis for that matter.

Ben Rivers talks about the play he wrote and performs, 'The invaders' fear of memories: A play about the colonisation of Palestine'.The play is based on the diaries of his great-grandfather, Yousef Nachmani, who fled Tsarist Russia in 1907 for Ottoman Palestine. Full of Zionist ideals, he became complicit in the displacement of thousands of Palestinian people.Ben's father (Yousef's grandson) became a peace activist, and Ben continues his father's path with this play, believing that descendants have a responsibility to bring attention to history and tell the truth. As he points out, this history can help us understand what is currently happening in Palestine, and the ideology and conditions that have allowed the State of Israel to attack Palestine with such impunity. THE INVADERS’ FEAR OF MEMORIES: A PLAY ABOUT THE COLONISATION OF PALESTINETo buy tickets for the Melbourne performance, go to: https://www.themcshowroom.com/whatson/the-invaders-fear-of-memoriesDetails:The MC Showroom, Level 1, 50 Clifton Street, Prahran, VICFriday, 15 November 2024, 7:00 pm Saturday, 16 November 2024, 7:00 pm Duration: 75 minutes performance + post-show Q&A. (Doors open 30 minutes before the show).The production is being organised by the Loud Jew Collective with support and endorsement from the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and the Averroes Centre of Arab Culture. Additional note from Ben: I would also like to mention that in each location I perform, there is a guest actor who performs excerpts of a poem called 'On This Land' by the renowned Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish. The title of the play is taken from this poem. The poem is woven into the text towards the end of the play. The person performing this poem in Naarm, is Yousef Alreemawi - a Palestinian academic and musician and founder of the Averroes Centre of Arab Culture. Yousef will also be joining me onstage after the show for an audience Q&A.

Jacques' guest, Suzan Saka, talks about the fascinating history and rich culture of the Alevi people, and their substantial presence in Australia. We wonder why we don't hear more about them!For those who want to learn more and have a good day out, there is an Anatolian Alevi Festival at Coburg Lake Reserve (metropolitan Melbourne) Sunday 17 November from 11am. You can also learn more about the Alevi culture and history here: https://www.alevi.org.au/eng/or go to facebook:https://www.facebook.com/share/12CvucJRtpz/?mibextid=9l3rBW Alevi Federation of Australia (AFA)28-32 Williams Road, North Coburg VIC 3058p: (03) 9354 8154e: alevi.federation@gmail.comw: www.alevi.org.auf: @Alevi Federation of Australia

Jacques and Jennifer ruminate on the state of politics in Australia and the role of independents in disrupting the dominant duopoly of Labor and Coalition.They talk about how community development fits in with this, and they hark back to their very first program on relationality - the idea that we exist and thrive within a living network of relationships. This certainly explains a lot of the success of the grassroots campaigning by the independents.Cathy McGowan (2024 2nd edition) Cathy Goes to Canberra – Doing Politics Differently Melbourne: Monash University Press

Jacques and Jennifer talk about Israel's denial of its genocidal onslaughts on the Palestinian people and the different ways it seeks to mask the truth in strategies of 'occlusion'.Examples include the planting of forests over 'emptied out' Palestinian villages in a mass exercise of 'green washing', the building of a 'Museum of Tolerance' on the site of the largest and most important Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem, and the frequent declaration that Israel is a 'democracy' despite the opposite being obvious to millions around the world (and why 'we' need to support Israel against presumed 'terrorists' and presumed other 'non-democracies'...). ReferencesRashid Khalidi 2024, The hundred years’ war on Palestine: A history of settler colonial conquest and resistance, London: Profile Books.Saree Makdisi 2023, Tolerance is a wasteland: Palestine and the culture of denial, US: University of California Press.

Jennifer and Jacques continue their conversation about the Australian political system as we approach municipal and state elections at the end of this month, and a federal election before May 2025.Our two-party system comes under fire, especially the unrepresentative nature of the two main parties, and their use of power to keep out other players. Jacques and Jennifer also express their disappointment in 'timid Labor' once more.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss the dominance and convergence of the two main parties, and how neither are able or willing to make the substantial changes we so badly need.They give a potted history of bold reformist Labor policies of the past, and they contrast this with the current timid and skittish federal Labor Party, currently in government.

We are meant to be living in a democracy. That means that 'we' the 'people', the 'demos' in democracy are meant to have a say in how we are governed. But, as main political parties in Australia and other western countries align in the interests of ruling elites, and the disparity grows between what the parties agree on and what the people want, we have to question whether we are living in a democracy at all. And we have to ask if we are being hoodwinked with a charade of 'democracy' as a political branding execrcise.

Jacques and Jennifer discuss how the US is an Empire with vast extended territories and has been for a long time, and how we have a collective blindspot about this as we refer to a limited 'logo' map of the US, which in reality was only a true representation of its real shape and extent for a few years in the 1850s. This is certainly a hidden aspect of the US's imperial hegemony and power as Daniel Immerwahr explains in his How to Hide an Empire: A Short History of the Greater United States (2020; London: Vintage).The presenters ask why Australia is so uncritical and meek in following the US lead, supporting its warfare adventures and giving up sovereignty in our own policies. As former PM Paul Keating has warned, we are in danger of becoming the 51st state of the US, if we are not already there.Also, see Don Watson's (2024) Quarterly Essay (95): High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the brink

In this conversation, Daryl and Jacques examine how the professions and their assumed expertise contribute to the systemic failure of institutions to meaningfully respond to the issues and problems they are supposed to 'deal with', particularly also through the ideological and hierarchical power accorded to professional expertise; indeed, how they often aggravate those issue and problems. We are looking at four social/systemic contexts - health, mental health, disaster responses and community development - based on Daryl’s and Jacques' experiences of working in such institutions and their professionals and on witnessing their collective and individual actions and behaviours; and the two of us sometimes being criticised for not ‘being professional enough’.

Jacques and Deb Salvagno have a conversation about Timor Leste and the role and strengths of Women in that country's efforts to create a just and prosperous country for all; Deb is co-founder or East Timor Woman Australia (ETWA), an organisation that has worked in solidarity with women weavers' cooperatives in Timor Leste since the early-2000s. They talk about Timor Leste's (bloody) struggle for independence achieved 25 years ago. Deb talks about the importance of solidarity with the so-called 'developing world' and especially with the women who too often continue to be excluded from power but who have so much to contribute when given the chance to lead.ETWA and their Timor Leste cooperative partners are showcasing their achievements of more than 20 years at an exhibition 'Tais, Culture & Resilience: woven stories from Timor-Leste' at Melbourne University's Trinity College (Professor Sir Joseph Burke Gallery - 100 Royal Parade, Parkville), launching on Thursday 19th of September 6:30 - 8:30 (open till November) and a Symposium on Saturday 21st September at the same venue from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. ($20). For more info: www.etwa.org.auWe also need to correct some info we provided last week...The Multicultural Women’s Spring Bazaar is happening on the Sunday the 22nd September at the North Melbourne Community Centre in 49-53 Buncle StreetFor more information about att events, you can also call Borderlands on 03 9819 3239 or 0466 123 766

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the need to de-grow the economy and change our fundamental way of life to save ourselves and the planet.The capitalist system has us on a downward spiral of mass exploitation and extraction, with the 'global south' supporting our privileged way of life through cheap labour and the devastation of local ecologies. The presenters look to the later Karl Marx (largely unpublished) for inspiration about more communal ways of organising ourselves that are socially and environmentally sustainable.ReferencesKohei Sato 2024, Slow down: How degrowth communism can save the earth, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.Raj Patel & Jason Moore 2017, A history of the world in seven cheap things: A guide to capitalism, nature and the future of the planet, Berkely: University of California Press,Poem: For the land of my birth India, by Nandini Sen MehraInternational Organisation for Migration (IOM), https://www.migrationdataportal.org/resource/decade-documenting-migrant-deaths-data-analysis-and-reflection-deaths-during-migration

Jacques talks about the ways that Australia continues to drop the ball on international justice, while defaulting to the (US) 'might is right' principle, and thus gradually losing its moral standing in the eyes of the rest of the world. It is a shameful contrast to our history of supporting international rules that all are expected to abide by, and forums of justice where errant nations are called to account. And we continue to cede the non-ceded Aboriginal lands to growing establishments of American weaponry and military bases.Jonathan Cook (https://substack.com/@jonathancook) ‘Nothing's changed since 1948 – except now Israel's excuses don't work’Mick Hall in Consortium News (https://mickhall.substack.com/p/change-on-way-abc-reviews-icj-ruling?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1996583&post_id=147507114&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1sqhym&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email)Eugene Doyle solidarity.co.nz. Stuart Rees https://johnmenadue.com/politicians-browbeaten-and-brainwashed-by-zionismpic/ Arthur Neslen Occupied Minds: A Journey through the Israeli Psyche (Pluto Press) Naomi Klein ‘Doppelganger: a trip into the Mirror World’ (2023 – Allen Lane publ.).Henry Reynolds: The military Americanisation of Northern Australia https://johnmenadue.com/the-military-americanisation-of-northern-australia/

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the Palestinian conflict and its wider political and military context, especially the role of the US and the west in general, and the biased and woeful coverage in our news media.As asked by Stuart Rees quoted from Pearls and Irritations: 'Why can't an alleged human rights abiding country such as Australia name Israei policies as grotesque and genocidal?...'

Jennifer speaks with Graham Matthews,Socialist, activist and person with disability, about the proposed reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).In late March Bill Shorten, Minister for the NDIS, introduced a Bill to Parliament, projected to save over $14 billion over the next five years, while giving the government a lot more control over what can be claimed for under the Scheme into the future. The Bill took many be surprise, especially as the government is yet to respond to the NDIS review. Many people with disability are fearful about the proposed changes, and the states are concerned about the lack of arrangements for 'foundational supports' they may be expected to provide for people not eligible for the NDIS.The Bill has not been passed into law, and there is still time to influence the outcome.

Jennifer and Jacques continue their theme of pre-election issues, leading up to the federal election and some state elections.For this program they talk about the history of 'multicultural' policies in Australia and where we are headed with them. They finish with some reflections about what multiculturalism actually means and could mean.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss some international issues merging with domestic ones leading up to the elections.... 'systemic collusion' at work...In particular, they focus on the ongoing genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza, perpetrated by the State of Israel with considerable international support. On the domestic front this has led to the squashing of protest and dissent on a variety of levels. Most recently, Senator Fatima Payman has defected from the Labor Party, to become an independent on the 'cross bench'. This is the Australian two-party system at work in its usual 'lethal triangle' with the mainstream media...And if you would like to understand the Gaza crisis from its very origins, read: Rashid Khalidi (2020/24) The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: a History of Settler Colonial Conquest and Resistance London: Profile Books

Simon Reaves talks with Jacques about his work as a peace and community development activist, including 'love as a force for change and good'.

Jacques has a conversation with Marisa Holmes, one of the organisers of the 2011 Zucotti Park Lower Manhattan 'Occupy Wall Street' protest movement which soon spread to over 1000 other 'Occupy' protests and 'occupations' across the world... She discusses learnings from the organising of these events all questioning and addressing the meanwhile popular inequality-juxtaposition of the '1%-ers' vs the '99%-ers'. Her book and the presentation of her film in Melbourne are detailed below.6 pm Thursday 27 June | Victorian Trades Hall, Carlton – Balit-mil Room, All Day, All Week film and talk by Marisa Holmes | Q&A facilitator Holly Hammond (The Commons Library). Host New International Bookshop (NIBS) 3 pm Sunday 30 June | Black Spark Cultural Centre, 126A Gladstone Avenue Northcote Marisa Holmes in conversation with activist historian Iain McIntyre. Hosts: Black Spark Invisible Committee & The Commons Social Change LibraryMarisa Holmes (2023) Organizing Occupy Wall Street: This is Just Practice (Springer publishers) Film (2024) All Day, All Week: An Occupy Wall Street Story

For this Radiothon fund-raiser special, 11 guests from the past year talk about their work in activism, community development, social analysis and creating a better future.

Heading toward the next election cycle, Jennifer and Jacques lament the state of public discourse, with superficial polarised positions reflected through the lethal triangle of two main parties and the mainstream media.To address this they raise issues of where we are going as a society, including migration, racism, universities, wage-poverty, AUKUS, and the downward spiral of certain 'democracies' worldwide.

Jennifer speaks with Lew Zipin who has had a career in education programs and been a union activist across three Australian universities. He talks about some devastating trends that have taken hold of our universities over the past two or three decades, invoking a few concepts of Karl Marx that seem more relevant than ever.One such concept is the 'alienation' that academic staff experience when the potentially meaningful social contributions of their labours are instead exploited by universities for competitive advantage.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about another scandalous case of neo-colonial excess - the human rights crimes against the population of a newly independent country, Mauritius, and the people of its territory in the Chagos Archipelago. As part of a secret deal between Britain and the US, they were illegally deported to make way for a US military base. The connections with and similarities between 'terra nullius' in Australia, the removal of Palestinians from their lands and the 'empty lands' lie in Chagos/Mauritius are there for all to see.... anticipating AUKUS in another way? ReferencePhiippe Sands 2022, The last colony: A tale of exile, justice and Britain's colonial legacy, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Jacques talks with academic and activist Dr Marty Branagan who is Convenor of Peace Studies at the University of New England.

Jennifer talks with Jorge Jorquera who is a Councillor at Maribyrnong Counil and Coordinator of Borderlands Cooperative.Jorge tells how he came to Australia with his family as an infant in the wake of the military coup in Chile in 1973, and the brutal regime that followed. In his early teens he joined the Labor Party for a time, before it took a turn to the right, bringing in various neo liberal 'reforms' in the 1980s. His life of social action since then has included student politics, and work with unions and community organisations.He believes that social change is inevitable, while we still have to work collectively for the form that social change takes. Currently inspiration can be found in the solidarity that young people and university students are showing with the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Jacques and Maree talk about how universities could reinvigorate their work of teaching, learning and researching, following the devastation of 40 years of neo-liberalism, budget cuts and managerialism.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss the systemic and economic effects of internet platforms and social media, especially with power concentrated in a few super-rich companies.Author, Yanis Varoufakis, calls these 'technofeudalists', while most of us are reduced to 'serfs' - producing the products of the 'cloud' for free, and giving away data about ourselves that, in turn, is used to manipulate us. ReferenceYanis Varoufakis 2023, Technofeudalism: What killed capitalism. Australia: Penguin BooksKari Paul 2024, The House passed a Tik Tok bill: Will the US really ban the app? The Guardian, 14 Mar 2024Lily Hay Newman 2024, It's time to get real about Tik Tok's risks WIRED

Jennifer talks with Katelyn Butterss, CEO of the Victorian Public Tenants Association (VPTA) about what is happening with the demolition of public housing towers, and public housing in general.Katelyn begins by explaining the difference between public housing and community housing, While there is a place for community housing as part of the housing mix, public housing is cheaper, more secure and more protective of human rights. Research has shown it is important for housing the most vulnerable and preventing homelessness.Katelyn and Jennifer discuss the folly of selling off public land to private developers to redevelop the public housing towers - evidently for very little gain. Nevertheless the detail of the Victorian Government's plans are vague at this point, giving some hope for activists that it might change course.Links:Victorian Public Tenants Association3CR Raise the RoofSave Public Housing Collective

Jennifer and Jacques discuss how we are constantly distracted by new information coming in from our devices, which is draining our ability to focus, and think deeply and creatively. This has serious implications for collective sense-making and for our capacity to address threats to our wellbeing and survival.ReferencesRobert Colvile (2016) The Great Acceleration: How the world is getting faster, faster. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.Jonathan Haidt (2023) ‘Get phones out of schools now’, The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/ban-smartphones-phone-free-schools-social-media/674304/)Johann Hari (2022) Stolen focus: Why you can’t pay attention. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.Joshua Meyrowitz (1985) No sense of Place: the Impact of electronic media on social behaviour Oxford: Oxford University PressHartmut Rosa (2005/2013) Social Acceleration: A new theory of Modernity. New York: Columbia University PressSoshana Zuboff (2019) The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. London: Profile Books Ltd.New Community Journal (2018) vol. 16 (2) issue 62 Community Development + Social Media (order from ncq@borderlands.org.au; the editorial "the promises+ predicaments of the social media" offers a good overview of critical works discussing this issue)Alan Kohler (The New Daily 4th February 2024) Social Media is Rewiring Humanity's central nervous systemDerek Thompson https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/cell-phones-student-test-scores-dropping/676889/

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the ways Australia is following disastrous paths toward constant war and has been for a long time, and why we need to fight for peace instead.ReferencesAlison Broinowski (2024) ‘Australia’s moment of choice: Illegal war on show in 2003 Cabinet papers’, Pearls and Irritations, https://johnmenadue.com/australias-moment-of-choice-illegal-war-on-show-in-2003-cabinet-papers/Joseph Camilleri (2024) ‘Time to silence the drums of war and give voice to the human spirit’, Disarming Times, 49(1), March 2024. (The journal of Pax Christi Australia)Michael Pascoe (2024) ‘Politics drives poor policy and forsakes principles in Palestine’, The New Daily, 16 March 2024.Naomi Klein on complicity in genocide, believes this is ‘not the first time’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZENYTvibU

Jacques talks with Tim Hollo, author of Living democracy, about how we can rethink, rebuild and reconstruct our world from the grassroots up for a sustainable and hopeful future.This program resonates with a previous one on 24 November 2023 in which Jacques interviewed Jack Manning-Bancroft. The values that Jack consistently promoted, as does Tim Hollo – relationality, interdependence, inclusion, and diversity, strongly resonate with Borderlands and the Think Again philosophy. All look at the social-relational, spiritual, material and systemic damages that our current ways of doing things are inflicting on Mother Earth and her inhabitants, including us!In this interview, Tim offers a vision for a collective way out of the current mess we are in.ReferenceTim Hollo (2022) Living Democracy: An Ecological Manifesto for the End of the World as we know it. Sydney: NewSouth Publishing.

On this special International Women's Day program Jennifer talks with Lida Hazara, founder of Women for Change, which has helped countless Afghan women find their way after migrating to Australia, including meaningful employment.Many Afghan people have evidently settled in well over time, making enormous contribution to Australian society. At the same time Lida reminds us that the situation of girls and women in Afghanistan is desperate under Taliban rule, as they are banned from education and excluded from participation in public life. She implores us not to forget these women and to act in solidarity with them so that their situation is much better on the next International Womens Day in 2025.Take actionRing Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and ask how Australia is advocating for women in Afghanistan: (02) 6277 7500Amnesty International research and campaignUNESCO update - let women and girls in Afghanistan learnIf you have ideas for collective advocacy for girls and women in Afghanistan email Borderlands: borders@borderlands.org.auMusicWala is life, by Allara Briggs-Pattison

Jacques speaks with Hill, who presents an alternative Jewish perspective on the current Gaza crisis, a perspective we don't hear in the mainstream, including its long history starting from the 1800s.Jewish activists like Hill, who 'dare' to raise their voices are often viciously attacked by Zionists who too-often conflate critique of Israeli politics and Zionism with anti-semitism or being anti Jewish....And we certainly rarely hear about the role of the US, the Anglosphere and 'the west' in the destruction and elimination of an entire people... and that for the last 70 - 100 years...

The elimination of Palestinians from their land has been openly talked about and planned by Zionists and Israeli leaders for a long time, dating from the late 1800s and throughout the twentieth century, up to today. That plan ran alongside the earlier imperial British and present US interests to gain and maintain a foothold in that politically volatile but economically vital region.Jennifer and Jacques share some of the words that have come from their own Zionist/Israeli mouths. Such testimony reveals the nonsense put about by the 'West' and its mainstream media - that Israel's current assault on Palestinians is 'mere' self-defence following the Hamas attacks last October.ReferencesThe US and Israel violating the International Court of Justice decision:https://geopoliticaleconomy.substack.com/p/us-veto-un-resolution-gaza-israel-hague?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=457596&post_id=141914246&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1nuipp&utm_medium=email Israel, Les cent pires citations by Michel Collon and Jean-Pierre Bouché https://investigaction.net/boutique/israel-les-100-pires-citations-precommande/ La Propagande d’Israel by Ilan Pappé https://investigaction.net/boutique/la-propagande-disrael/ TAKE ACTION:APAN: https://apan.org.au/events/ Loud Jew Collective: https://www.facebook.com/loudjewcollective/Jewish Voice for Peace (US based) (JVP): https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

Jennifer and Jacques re-visit the devastating situation in Ukraine, which the US and its allies dropped that country in.While the west has now shifted its attention and resources elsewhere, the mainstream media complies and does the same.The US plan to kill more Ukrainians Jeffrey D. Sachs Feb 10, 2024 https://johnmenadue.com/the-us-plan-to-kill-more-ukrainians/How the West Brought War to Ukraine, author Benjamin Abelow https://www.amazon.com/How-West-Brought-Ukraine-Understanding-ebook/dp/B0BG5DRLKL?ref_=ast_author_mpbDe Wereld Morgen, Lode Van Oost: ‘Ukraine is at the edge of the cliff and NATO watches in agreement’…

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Jacques and Jennifer continue their commentary on the escalating crisis in Gaza.The United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that there is a risk of genocide by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza and that Israel has the responsibility to prevent acts of genocide by its armed forces. Meanwhile the United Nations is undermined again, by powers not wishing to comply with international agreements for peace and order. In the latest instance, the UN agency 'UNRWA', which provides support and assistance to 5.9 million Palestinians living across several countries in the nearby Middle East, (more than 2 million in Gaza), has had its funding suspended by several nations on the basis of unproven allegations by Israel against four of UNRWA's 13,000 workers in Gaza. Australia has suspended aid to people in Gaza through UNRWA, even while the ICJ has told Israel to improve the humanitarian situation for civilians in Gaza in the interests of preventing genocide.ReferencesChris Hedges 2024, 'The four horsemen of Gaza's apocalypse', The Chris Hedges report, 22 January 2024.Henry Reynolds 2024, 'Australia's brutal "rules-based international order" is on full display in Gaza', Pearls and irritations, 17 January 2024.Margaret Reynolds 2024, 'Is this what Australia has become?', Pearls and irritations, 12 December 2023. Addtional program notesTrue to form, most of our mainstream commentators and politicians are still not making the connections: that Israel's accusations against UNRWA are part of (1) the long-term attempts of Israel to get rid of the UN agency (because it keeps the Palestinians alive and present in Gaza), and (2) a distraction from the consequences of the ICJ judgment for which Israel will have to justify itself before the end of February. Although Australia has a proud history in the establishing of the UN (as clearly detailed in Frank Bongiorno's recent 'Dreamers and Schemers'), more and more we confirm that we're standing on the wrong side of history. Meanwhile the death toll in Gaza grows to almost 30,000, and the figure for the wounded and incapacitated is moving towards 70,000. About 60 per cent of the infrastructure has been damaged. The intransigence and brutality of the Israeli government and army is clearly on show, aided and abetted by its Anglosaxon (not yet post-colonial) international friends providing them with the munitions, as well as strategic, political and propaganda support.Time for Australia - and the Albo-Wong-Marles bubble - to reconsider its global political stance...?

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the history of the idea and establishment of a Zionist Jewish state.They begin with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, and cover developments in the 1800s and 1900s up to the turbocharging of the idea by a colonialist British Empire looking out for its own interests in the middle east. They cover the devastating developments in 1948 and again in 1967 with Palestinian people cleared off their land to make way for establishment and expansion of the State of Israel.While the colonising parties have changed, the colonial enterprise continues to this day, along with the perennial 'elimination logic' applied to indigenous peoples who get in the way.ReferencesOctober 2023 Interview with Ilan Pappé https://znetwork.org/zvideo/crisis-in-zionism-opportunity-for-palestine/ May 2023 Ilan Pappé https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/palestine-was-destroyed-in-12-months-but-the-nakba-has-gone-on-for-75-years/ https://archive.org/details/ten-myths-about-israel-by-ilan-pappe-2017 https://www.mo.be/en/interview/where-does-violence-middle-east-end-it-form-colonialism-becoming-more-extreme Arthur Neslen Occupied Minds: A Journey through the Israeli Psyche Pluto Presshttps://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024-01-31/ty-article-opinion/.premium/israelis-post-october-7-humility-is-gone-the-arrogance-is-back/0000018d-60b3-d6d3-a98d-ecff5b600000 Catherine L., ‘De Palestijnse kwestie: een koloniaal probleem?’, in Catherine L., Wim De Neuter en Chomsky N., De Palestijnen: een volk teveel?, Berchem 1988Catherine L., Palestijnen. Geschiedenis van een kolonisatie, Berchem 2017Shlomo Sand The Invention of the Jewish People (Verso Books, 2009)

Jennifer and Jacques cast their eye over the 'mess' that was 2023, and how we are managing (or not managing) our affairs in Australia.They reflect on the true reformist, ex-PM Gough Whitlam, and how rare such inspiration and meaningful programs are today in a world of 'hollowed out parties, sound bites, and 24-hour news cycles'.Some insights are drawn from the US predicament as described by Rick Perlstein in an article in Mother Jones titled 'Infernal Triangle', with the points of the triangle being: authoritarian Republicans, ineffectual Democrats and clueless media. In short, neither of these are doing their job, a situation which has broad paralells in Australia: with an 'authoritarian' and conservative Dutton-led Coalition 'opposition', a compromising ALP and the News Corp./Nine Entertainment media - amplified by the 'social' media - demanding 'balance', the real winners are the 1% - 10% most profiting from global corporate capitalism.The presenters end by highlighting that resistance and activism are more important than ever.ReferenceBongiorno, F (2022) Dreamers and Schemers: A political history of Australia, Melbourne: LaTrobe University & Black Inc. (especially the great summary of 1960s-70s activism on pp. 260 - 290...)see also: "The problem with Australian politics? Both sides agree about everything" Alan Kohler (The New Daily Feb 22, 2024)(https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2024/02/22/)

Jennifer and Jacques talk about some stories that may help us understand our times and think about doing things differently as a society, such as: 'The Hare and the tortoise', 'The emperor has no clothes', and 'The story of King Midas'. They finish up by talking about Donald Trump's 'The art of the deal', as discussed by Aboriginal author, Tyson Yunkaporta, in his latest book: 'Right story, wrong story'. To quote Yunkaporta: "... 'The art of the deal' is everywhere now. It's a shameful and shameless process. Flip, lie, contradict yourself, double down and yell until everything is broken, then enjoy your social advancement as you stand upon the smoking ruins of your relationships..." This is part of Yunkaporta's broader critique of the 'scorched-earth' policies of our destructive economic experiment which has been scaled to the planetary level. ReferenceTyson Yunkaporta (2023) Right Story Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking Melbourne: Text Publ.

Jeremy Walker from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) shines a light on the Atlas Network, an internationally coordinated body that has been working behind the scenes for many years to shape public opinion and government policies that favour corporate interests and profits. (We have been referring to the role of the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) played in the NO campaign during the Voice Referendum... the CIS is part of the ATLAS network...)The Atlas Network and its secretive affiliates have been successful in promulgating a neo liberal approach that promotes free trade, deregulation and privatisation - the idea that small government is good and most aspects of our lives should be left to an unfettered free market. In particular, through the Atlas Network the fossil fuel industry has been successful in putting a brake on reforms to cut carbon emissions for decades, hence the climate emergency we find ourselves in today.Much of its 'success' in capturing public opinion and government policy lies in its highly strategic self-interested approach, and the secret nature of its corporate affiliations. Certainly we have been manipulated on a grand scale, thus part of the solution is to bring it all into the light of day.(NB: The Advance network funded the conservative vote in the Dunkley by-election...)ReferencesWalker, J (2023) Silencing the Voice: the fossil-fuelled Atlas Network’s campaign against constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australia, Cosmopolitan Civil Societies,15(2). (Open Access)Walker, J (2022). Freedom to burn: mining propaganda, fossil capital and the Australian neoliberals. In Slobodian, Q & Plehwe, D (eds) Market Civilisations: Neoliberals East and South, Princeton University PressTienhaara, K & Walker, J (6 Apr 2022). Lessons from Australia show CCUS is about capturing public opinion and public finances, not carbon, National Observer.

Jacques interviews Antony Loewenstein, investigative journalist and author of the book, 'The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel exports the technology of occupation around the world' (Published by Scribe - 2023), which meanwhile won the Walkley Award for a 'book written by a journalist'.Trying to gain a better understanding of the Gaza disaster is stifled, on the one hand, by accusations of ‘antisemitism’ when commenting on actions by the present Israeli government or stifled by accusations of justifying this modern form Western neo-colonialism or accusations of Islamophobia when commenting on Hamas’ historical and recent actions… Terms like ‘occupation’ and 'resistance' to this occupation are loaded from the onset because historically-based justifications of the'rightful' possession of Palestinian/Israelite lands are reciprocally rejected.As the hoped-for but rather hypothetical two-nations solution is dissipating into a blur of antagonistic rhetoric, Antony Loewenstein offers some much needed historical and present-day background information. He comments on the global as well as the national Palestine/Israelite context and makes a plea for peace in meaningful terms rather than in the ideologically loaded terms systematically supported by western powers and their associated media.Links:https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/watch-debunking-israels-mass-rape-propaganda https://rumble.com/v26g3um-noam-chomsky-increasing-threat-of-nuclear-war-humanity-about-to-fall-off-a-.html

Many of us worried about what we humans are doing to Mother Earth – and to ourselves, of course - have wondered about the paradox of our continuing dedication to ‘economic growth’ and our knowledge of what this growth is doing to Earth and ourselves… Indeed, the assumed need for ‘growth’ remains a seeming unchallengeable postulate of our economic system, commentators confirming it for all kinds of reasons, like it’s needed to increase our wellbeing, to defeat poverty, to allow for more social justice, but there’s meanwhile a vast body of research documenting that economic ‘growth’ isn’t improving any of these things…Jacques talks with Anitra Nelson about degrowth, and realistic ways we can work together to create a socially and environmentally sustainable future.Links:Degrowth Network Australia –https://degrowth.info/en/blog/degrowth-network-australia Find recordings from the first (mid-2023) Australian Degrowth week webinar series hosted by New Economy Network Australia: https://www.neweconomy.org.au/nena-events/annual-events/degrowth-week/Check out some degrowth publications at Anitra Nelson's site:https://anitranelson.info/A 2022 Scientific American opinion piece on degrowth: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-technologies-help-you-live-lightly-on-a-fragile-planet/Degrowth on Channel 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHY-8juqt1oThis is a link to the 48 min video I have made on Ted Trainer's Pigface Point site which has been introducing visitors to the case for transition to The Simpler Way since the 1980s. It indicates the basic causes of the global predicament, and the form a sustainable and just society would have to take. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9WSfGGdZRs Ted Trainer tedtrainertsw@gmail.com

Jacques talks with Jack Manning Bancroft about his new book: Hoodie economics: Changing our systems to value what matters. (Published in August 2023 by Hardie Grant Books - Richmond/Melbourne)'Hoodie Economics' is not your regular economics book... Jack Manning Bancroft, founder and CEO of te mentoring program AIME pulls apart what 'people in suits' might think of as economics, and presents a revolutionary new value system - one that celebrates relationships over transactions and incorporates Idigenous knowledge and ideas from those on the margins of society' (from Books and Publishing).The values the Borderlands Cooperative has been pursuing – however implicitly that may have been happening - are and remain since our inception‘relationality, diversity and inclusion’ as we reiterated in our program in February this year... in fact, our very first program of Think Again, now 4 ½ years ago in June 2019, was about ‘relationality’ and we have come back to this theme again and again in the course of our conversations and what this might mean in our living practice and the systems we perpetuate… so listening to Jack's responses and reading his book really felt confirming...His links with Deakin University's Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab are revealed all across the interview and the book... really worthwhile investigating!

In a world where Artificial Intelligence seems to be intruding into so many aspects of our lives, Jennifer and Jacques challenge common notions of what AI is, especially the idea that it is 'intelligent' at all. (Clue - it just fakes intelligence).They explore the myriad dangers of delegating decision-making affecting humans to the computational power of AI. ReferencesKohler A 2023, 'AI's dangers: Like fixing the climate, it's another mission impossible'. The New Daily, 5 November.Milmo D 2023, 'AI could cause 'catastrophic financial crisis says Yuval Noah Harari', The Guardian 10 November.Walsh T 2023, Faking it: Artificial intelligence in a human world. Collingwood: La Trobe University Press.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss how the tide is turning against neoliberalism, the discredted doctrine that what is good for big business is good for everyone.Part of the neo-liberal 'package' introduced in the early 1970s, was a conservative reaction against the cost of welfare and a push for greater accountability and evaluation of outcomes. While Jacques and Jennifer are in favour of evaluation in principle, too often it is based on countable indicators that allow companies and organisations to milk the public purse while providing no benefit to the people the programs are for. They argue for more meaningful and democratic forms of evaluation such as 'Participatory Action Research' and 'Developmental Evaluation'. ReferencesMichael Quinn Patton 2011, Developmental evaluation: Applying complexity concepts to enhance innovation and use. The Guilford Press, New York.Yoland Wadsworth 2011, Everyday evaluation on the run. Allen & Unwin, SydneyYoland Wadsworth 2011, Do it yourself social research. Allen & Unwin, Sydney

Jacques and Jennifer pull together some reflections on the failure of the Voice referendum, which proposed an Aborginal Voice to Parliament.What does it say about Australia, and where do we go from here?

Jordy Silverstein, Jewish historian, writer, and Executive Member of APAN, provides some history and context to help us understand the current unfolding tragedy in Gaza.Her reflection and analysis takes us beyond the one-sided, 'goodies and baddies' narrative provided in our mainstream media, and she provides some ideas for standing up for Palestinian civilians who are currently under siege and subject to Israeli bombing. LinksStay informed and take action: Australia Palestine Advocacy NetworkFree Palestine Melbourne

Marie Brennan and Lew Zipin talk about their research and action-research projects with schools and universities.They present a direction for education that is intertwined with commmunities - with students researching issues that matter to them, while drawing from a range of sources and 'knowledges', and forming relevant relationships in the process.This is contrasted with the current top-down, command-and-control approach of our schools and universities, within a Neoliberal, corporatised model. Certainly, Marie and Lew's approach is much better suited to meet the many challenges facing us, such as economic disadvantage, global warming, and the effects of colonisation. ReferencesBerlant, L. 2011, Cruel Optimism, Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Boomer, G. 1999, ‘Pragmatic radical teaching and the disadvantaged schools program’. In B. Green (Ed.), Designs on Learning: Essays on Curriculum and Teaching (pp 49–58). Australian Curriculum Studies Association.Bourdieu, P. 1984, ‘The forms of capital’. In J. Richardson (Ed), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education, New York: Greenwood, pp 241–58.Bourdieu, P. 1993, The Field of Cultural Production: Essays on Art and Literature, New York: Columbia University Press.Brennan, M. 2019, 'Scholarly activism in and for renewed Australian universities', Social Alternatives 38(3), pp 56-62.Bunda, T., Zipin, L. & Brennan, M. 2012, ‘Negotiating university “equity” from Indigenous standpoints: A shaky bridge’, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 16(9), pp 941–957.Freire, P. 1993/1970. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, trans. M. Bergman Ramos, New York & London: Continuum.Marx, K. 1967, Capital Volume 1, trans. S. Moore & E. Aveling, New York: International Publishers.Moll, L. 2014, L. S. Vygotsky and Education, New York & London: Taylor and Francis.Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neffe, D., & Gonzalez, N. 1992, ‘Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms’, Theory into Practice 32(2), pp. 132-141.Pignarre, P. & Stengers, I. 2011, Capitalist Sorcery: Breaking the Spell, trans. A. Goffey, London: Palgrave Macmillan.Santos, B. de Sousa 2018, The End of the Cognitive Empire: The Coming of Age of Epistemologies of the South, Durham & London: Duke University Press.Thomson, P. 2002, Schooling the Rustbelt Kids: Making the Difference in Changing Times, Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.Zipin, L. 2019, ‘How Council-Management Governance Troubles Australian University Labours and Futures: Simplistic assumptions and complex consequences’, Social Alternatives 38(3), pp 28-35.Zipin, L. 2020, ‘Building curriculum knowledge work around community-based “Problems That Matter”: Let’s dare to imagine’, Curriculum Perspectives 40(1), pp 111–115.Zipin, L. & Zipin, L. & Brennan, M. 2023, ‘Affective labour pains of academic capitalism in crisis’. In D. Nehring & K. Brunila K. (Eds), Affective Capitalism in Academia (pp 21-46), Bristol: Policy Press, imprint of Bristol University Press.Zipin, L. & Brennan, M. 2023, 'Opening school walls to funds of knowledge: Students researching problems that matter in Australian communities'. In M. Esteban-Guitart. (Ed), Funds of Knowledge and Identity Pedagogies for Social Justice: International Perspectives and Praxis from Communities, Classrooms and Curriculum (pp 41-56), London & New York: Routledge.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about some of the big money forces and secretive arrangements behind the right-wing No campaign, agitating against an Aboriginal advisory group to the Australian Parliament.Neoliberal 'think tank' Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) has played a key strategic role in the No campaign, to maintain the pro-business (as usual) status quo. CIS is part of a global network of conservative organisations and networks "to a secretive U.S. organization called the Atlas Network that’s received support from oil, gas and coal companies and operates in nearly 100 countries'. Both Aboriginal 'NO' campaigners are involved in CIS ... Jeremy Walker from UTS has more; go to https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/mcs/article/view/8813

Jacques talks with Dr Kate Shaw, an urban geographer at the University of Melbourne, about the 'bombshell' announcement for an overhaul of social housing by outgoing Premier Dan Andrews.Again: lots of tinkering at the edges of the 'problem'... trying not to antagonise the real estate industry and those who really benefit from the 'crisis' ... and even get the 'Murdoch-cracy' and Nine-Entertainment and 'Domain' echo-chambers up in arms... So, no additional public housing... but selling off public land to 'developers'... no real attempt to control or even moderate rent increases... big talk about the 'inadequacy' of the removal and replacement of the existing public housing towers (which will momentarily worsen the availability of public/social housing...) An end to Neo-liberalism delayed for a few decades... again... ReferencesRachael Dexter & Cara Waters 2023, 'Community reels at tower knockdown plan', The Age, 21 September 2023.Bianca Hall 2023, 'Experts warn over Public Housing plan', The Age, 22 September 2023.

Troy McDonald is a Director on the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, which provides a representative Aboriginal Voice to the state government, that is creating pathways for Treaties and Truth-telling.Troy describes how the Assembly works, and how it might show the way for a Voice to Parliament at a national level. This is particularly relevant for the upcoming referendum for a national Voice on the 14th of October.LinksFirst Peoples' Assembly of VictoriaYes23 concert in Shepparton 6 October

While a lot of people are apparently worried about tampering with the Australian Constitution in enshrining an Aboriginal Voice to parliament, Jennifer and Jacques discuss how we don't actually follow our Constitution for the most part. It is an anomolous document that embeds our subjection to a distant monarch and says nothing about democratic processes.Alongside our Constitution we have the Westminister system from Britain - of following principles that have been developed over time and embodied in precedents. At the time of federation, 1901, both our Consititution and governing principles and precedents were fundamentally racist.A 'Yes' vote for an Aboriginal advisory group to Parliament would just be the beginning. The ongoing work would be in ensuring its representation of local Aboriginal communities around Australia, and making sure that Parliament respects the advice and puts in place policies that improve Aboriginal lives on the ground. With this in mind, Jennifer and Jacques believe a Voice to Parliament would release a world of possibilities for a better future - not just for Aboriginal people, but for all Australians.

Marie Brennan has been Professor at several universities and has researched and written about the dire changes in our university system since the 90s. She outlines the moves to a more commercialised, top-down management model, in which academic staff have less say, and many have become demoralised and burnt out. This is a gender equity issue, as many of the casual staff left carrying the load are women.The quality of the education being provided by our universities has been greatly diminished in the process of all the economic rationalist restructuring over the last few decades.On a positive note, Marie shares her ideas about how universities could be re-directed. Action on the Yes voteApologies for the 'minute of silence' when Jennifer spoke about the Walk on Sunday, 17th of September, 12:00 at the State Library in Melbourne. This is to support a Yes vote for the referendum in October to have an Aboriginal advisory group to parliament.More details can be found here: https://www.yes23.com.au/walk_for_yes

Jay Coonan from the Antipoverty Centre talks about the research report he co-authored, Punishment for profit. The report highlights how billions of government dollars are paid to corporate entities, supposedly to help unemployed people into work. Instead they punish and bully people they are meant to support, and force them into meaningless activities under the threat of losing Centrelink payments. In general, the 'Mutual Obligations' scheme (as it is known) impedes people from finding their way into paid work, traps them in poverty, and worsens their health and future life prospects.The report offers a range of recommendations, including the government taking back responsibility for supporting people who are unemployed, rather than outsourcing the job to profiteers.

Jacques and Jennifer revisit Africa and the centuries-long pilfering of its goods and resources by western nations (presumed to be more 'developed'). They expand on this, and talk about the use of certain African nations as a 'tip' for consumer rubbish from the west.To keep their advantage, western nations exercise deep (anti-democratic) interference in local African politics.

Jacques interviews Lucinda Holdforth about her book: 21sr-Century virtues: How they are failing our democracy.

Jacques and Jennifer revisit the centuries of vicious exploitation of Africa by western powers, and how Africa has been rubbed out of history to this day - except when African nations are blamed for their own struggles, rather than blaming the interference and skulduggery of western countries which would be much more accurate.

Jennifer and Jacques speak with Simon Bradshaw from the Climate Council.Reflecting on the extreme weather events and heatwaves across the world, Simon talks about what is happening with climate change. Importantly he explains that it is not too late to take action to avert the worst catastrophe. Indeed, not only can action at all levels still bring benefit, it is paramount that such action be taken.

Dr Charles Livingstone from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, talks about the proposed reforms to reduce harm from poker machines in Victoria. He begins with a history of the computerised version introduced in the 1990s, and explains why these machines are intrinsically hazardous, and an improper source of tax revenue. Charles supports the proposed reforms and urges listeners to contact their local state MP to tell the government to implement them (and not drag its feet).Charles also supports national regulation of gambling in Australia, and treating it like a drug of addiction in a health promotion approach, rather than as an industry to be protected.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the militarisation of our foreign policy, and they ask why we seem to be aiding and abetting the US and NATO military expansion into our region.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about Robodebt, the federal government's immoral and illegal scheme to reclaim phony debts from Centrelink recipients.The Robodebt Royal Commission has just released its findings, and they are pretty scathing. There was no legal basis for the scheme, and Ministers and top bureaucrats were aware of this early on and actively covered it up and hid the truth. Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of innocent people suffered, with some even taking their own lives. Key Ministers and public servants were unmoved and acted with sociopathic disregard.

Om Dhungel tells his story as recounted in his book; Bhutan to Blacktown: Losing everything and finding Australia, written with James Button.Brought up in a remote village in southern Bhutan, Om is a gifted student and becomes a senior civil servant overseeing Bhutan's first modern telecommunications system. But things change with government crackdowns on southern Bhutanese people of Nepalese ancestry. Eventually he and others are forced to flee, becoming refugees in Nepal.Om tells the story of how he and his family and community made their way to Australia and recreated a hopeful and flourishing community in Blacktown. Love and care for each other, and focusing on people's strengths and talents were key to their success.

Jennifer reports back from the recent World Community Development Conference in Darwin (on Larrakia country), and Jacques and Jennifer discuss some of the conference themes about ways of doing community work. Drawing from the conference, they also talk about what community work can and should be aimed at. Examples are given of different community projects, including indigenous-led and rural-based ones.

In this Radiothon special, we hear from past guests about the value of 3CR and Think Again, and listeners are asked to help keep the radio station on air through donations.Your support enables 3CR to provide alternative analysis, and ideas for social change. Because of your support, 3CR can keep bringing people together who are working toward a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world.

Jacques has a conversation with Tuffy Morwitzer, an activist from the Goongerah Environment Centre, about their reaction to the Andrews Government decision to stop logging old-growth forests by the end of the year - 6 years earlier than originally planned. Whilst that it a big relief for the 30 year old activist group - with whom Borderlands cooperated in the late 90-s during to Goolongook tree-sits which lasted five years - they are very much watching the 'fine print' of the legislation for loopholes which are always sitting in such documents... The logging industry has a long and sorry story about finding - or even creating - loopholes.GECO is at present cooperating with First Nations elders to prepare for Aboriginal controlled regeneration, rehabilitating water ways, creating an economy of care and creating a commons which may be offering healing for nature and wildlife - especially threatened species - for local humans and visiting humans alike.

Jennifer and Jacques move from talking about traditional slavery to modern slavery.They cover the ongoing legacy of invasion and colonisation in Australia, and some of the ways that our immigration laws support practices of slavery.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the colonial legacies of racism in the US, and the reverberations in Australian racist policies from federation in 1901.Their discussion continues from the previous program about slavery in the Americas.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about slavery in the Americas - how the enslaving of millions of Africans and their transport to the Carribean and the early US has played into colonial practices and narratives to this day, and has become integral to the global political-economy of capitalism. Indeed, without the 'labour resource' of slaves, capitalism would probably not have been as 'successful' in the US as it has ... And the traces of slavery in Australia are discussed with more to come next week...References:A terrific book has been a major source of information for this and the following program:French, Howard (2021 ) Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World (1471 to the Second World War) New York: Liveright Publishing CorporationAnd those who prefer a more narrative approach to this issue can read Isabel Allende's Island Beneath the Sea (2010) London: Fourth Estate (Collins); it depicts the last 30 years of the 1700s in Saint-Domingue, as it was to become Haiti thanks to the Toussaint Louverture rebellion. Many of the French colonists then moved to Louisiana just as it was to be sold to the growing US, where the cotton plantations took over the lead from the earlier sugar plantations in the West Indies... but always based on slave labour... A strong historical novel!

Jacques talks with Matt Lloyd-Cape from progressive Think Tank Per Capita about the latest federal budget and what it prioritises and provides for. Our assessment is mixed... we do think that the Government could be a bit braver and risk some more deliberate changes in many areas of policy making... especially housing, taxes and - of course - return to sanity in terms of the AUKUS madness...

Jennifer interviews Tiffany White from Yarra Valley Water, and Bec Moore, who is co-owner of the cafe,Tinker.They talk about an initiative of YVW in partnership with cafes that offer free refills of water bottles to the public ('Choose Tap Refiller' initative). The idea is that people can get free water when they are 'out and about' so they don't have to buy bottled water.The aim is to reduce plastic pollution, while offering convenience, savings and the opportunity to protect the environment along with others.

Jennifer speaks with Elsa Tuet-Rosenberg who is a queer, multi-racial Jewish and Chinese woman of colour, and co-founder of anti-racism organisation, Hue.Elsa talks about her experiences in the community service sector that led to the setting up of Hue - from training as a Social Worker to stints in community organisations that practiced racism and various forms of oppression.She describes how Hue does things differently for the benefit of both workers and communities, with a core focus on building and honouring relationships, while drawing on the wisdom and knowledge of people experiencing racism and exclusion.

John Falzon from PerCapita discusses how the illusions of neoliberal capitalism are dismantling, such as the idea that everyone gets what they deserve and those who are struggling have only themselves to blame. In fact, many of the settings in our system manufacture poverty and inequality. Examples given are wage suppression, rate rises that disproportionately hit the workers, escalating cost-of-living largely due to increasing profits, the dismantling of social infrastructure isuch as housing and social security, and our unequal tax system that favours the rich.John talks about ways we can fight for a better and fairer system in solidarity with others.

Jacques speaks with Denise Budge who shares her insights from her past 37 years in the community sector, most recently with Knox Infolink.Denise talks about the issues affecting communities and people, and how the community sector is struggling to address the escalating need. Systemic factors behind this need include the lack of affordable housing, and Centrelink payments that are way below the poverty line.Meanwhile, agencies like Knox Infolink that are 'picking up the pieces' are often highly dependent on volunteers, and this is becoming unsustainable.

Jacques and Jennifer continue discussion on US strategies for world domination and why we shouldn't get caught in its vortex.They offer some hope in examples of resistance - in our own media and politics, but also by nations internationally who don't want to 'take sides'. There are certainly cracks appearing in the assumed consensus about the 'rightness' of US dominance, offering some hope for activists.

Jacques and Jennifer continue their critical look at the dangerous drumming up of war with China, while focusing on the intersecting vested interests (which they call 'system collusion'). In particular, the media has been a reckless player and has failed to interrogate the decision to spend huge sums on nuclear submarines way into the future, in support of the US imperative to maintain world dominance.

Jacques and Jennifer look at who is benefitting from the drumming up of war with China, and the plans for mammoth spending on nuclear submarines.They begin with a critique of the hysterical one-sided reporting in Nine Entertainment's papers, The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, which cites 'experts' with close ties to arms producers and the US government. Media companies, like Nine Entertainment, benefit from this war-footing propaganda too, with ties to the conservative (pro-business) side of politics, and with extreme reporting attracting lucrative advertising dollars. Jennifer and Jacques name this 'systemic collusion' (as discussed two weeks ago), and will continue this analysis in future programs.

Elias Colabrianos talks about his upbringing in Greece, his arrival in Australia at the age of 18 in 1972 (when Whitlam was PM), and his experience and passion for community radio.Elias was brought up in a political family, and naturally found his way to community activism in the 1970s in Australia, in the context of the anti-Vietnam war protests. His broadcasting career started with 3ZZ in the early 70s, then 20 years with 3CR when that station's license was withdrawn in 1978. He currently coordinates Greek programs for the newer 3ZZZ (the Ethnic Broadcasting Association of Victoria), which has been operating since 1989.Elias explains the vital importance of community radio, saying if you want to create change, get involved!

Jennifer and Jacques talk about three ways that class war is being waged through 'systemic collusion' (between people, corporations, government, media and other parties benefitting most from the system). Their three examples are superannuation, inflation + wage depression, and the business of gambling.While attempts to more equally distribute our common wealth are decried by conservatives as 'class warfare', the best reply comes from one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffet: 'There's class warfare all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning'.

Jennifer and Jacques explore the meanings of ownership and property in western thought, and how concepts of land use and productivity have been used to justify the dispossession of first nations people.Gnuse, Robert (1985) You Shall Not Steal: Communiy and Property in the Biblical Tradition New York: Orbis BooksThe Nature of Property by Paul Jurczak Emmanuel Kant in 1795 'Zum ewigen Frieden, ein philosophischer Entwurf" (Towards an eternal Peace: a philosophical proposal): "America, the black countries, the spice islands, the Cape, etc. were for them, as they were discovered, lands which were not owned by anyone; because they didn't consider their inhabitants to be anything."

In Think Again we regularly illustrate how society’s and the community’s response to matters of addiction, of poverty or disadvantage is too often one of blaming and stigmatising those who have fallen victim to these influences and of the systems that have caused them. Just think about Robodebt for a moment which is in the news right now...One addiction we have often talked about is gambling and we have shown how governments allow pokies and on-line gambling corporations, hotels and clubs to continue their harmful practices and make billions out of the victims… Just a few weeks ago, Melbourne-based publishers Scribe came out with another example of the ambiguous ways in which addictions are dealt with … this time, drug addiction, its consequences for those who depend on them and for the communities in which drug taking occurs and indeed, for the whole of society. The book You Talk We Die: the battle for Victoria’s first Safe Injecting Facility has just been publsihed by melbourne publisher Scribe; it's written by Judy Ryan who has been central to the community action process in Richmond to get this facility up and running and she has been talking with me in the studio...A community development process that is really examplary and combines many features of the approach and should be required reading in all community development and social welfare and social work courses...

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the social malaises and illnesses that capitalism generates, and how corporations then profit from an array of 'remedies' like alcohol, gambling, junk food, pharmaceutical products, and a wide array of consumer products. Often these 'remedies' are addictive,leading to a deepening of ailments and problems.According to Gabor Mate, in his book The Myth of Normal, political and economic processes and systems translate into a 'toxic normal' that we inhabit and suffer from.Just as the goods and opportunities of capitalism are not distributed fairly or equally, ill health is not distributed equally either. For example, while the capitalist system generates stress which has an adverse effect on our bodies over time, the stress is felt disproportionately by those with least economic power.Mate, G & A (2022) The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture London: Vermillion/PenguinAlbrecht, G. 2012, March 10. The Age of Solastalgia. The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/the-age-of-solastalgia-8337.Isabelle Stengers (2015) In Catastrophic Times: Resisting the Coming Barbarism Translated by A. Goffey. London: Open Humanities Press.Blaser, M., and M. de la Cadena. 2018. “Pluriverse: Proposals for a World of Many Worlds.” In A World of Many Worlds, edited by M. de la Cadena, and M. Blaser, 1–23. Durham: Duke University Press

Jennifer and Jacques talk about three values that guide thinking and organising by Borderlands Cooperative, and conversations on Think Again. These values are: (1) relating and dialogue, (2) diversity and difference, and (3) the practice and nature of inclusion. Firstly, they argue that we need to recognise that we are relational beings - in ongoing relating with other people, systems, and the natural world we are part of.Diversity and difference are essential and necessary for life itself. (Just think about extensive agriculture specialising in just one crop and needing lots of fertilisers and pesticides to survive). Similarly we try to homogonise societies and pressure people to conform to a dominant 'norm' at the expense of individual and societal health.The concept of inclusion is said to be particularly fraught, with a troubled history, and closely related to the language and practice of exclusion. The English exported a radical form of exclusion to Australia (dispossession from land and way of life) starting from the first penal colony at Botany Bay in 1788. To paraphrase Angela Davis (speaking on the program Alternative Radio) we can't just ask excluded people to assimulate into a flawed, elitist democracy as a form of 'inclusion'. We need to change the system itself to have genuine inclusion.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the worldwide trend toward government austerity measures, and cutbacks to the spending necessary for people's wellbeing. They compare Australia with the Nordic countries, with Australia being a much lower taxing country, and needing to invest considerably more on social housing, Centrelink payments, and high quality education for all.The good news is that hundreds of anti-austerity protests have occurred in over 100 countries over recent years, with many reversing the intended austerity measures.Take action:International:https://endausterity.org/Australia:https://raisetherate.org.au/Extent and nature of poverty Inquiry

Jennifer talks with Andrew Scott from the Australia Institute Nordic Policy Centre about how Finland manages its affairs so well in quite a few domains like wellbeing, education, equality, gender fairness, and corruption. Andrew discusses why we would be better off learning from Finland than going down the US road.Reference:Here is a link to the book Andrew co-edited, The Nordic Edge: Policy Possibilities for Australia, which further covers some of the matters discussed in the program. This book is available in bookshops and direct from the publisher here: www.mup.com.au/books/the-nordic-edge

Jennifer and Jacques revisit the notion of class, which seems to have come back into fashion and is more relevant than ever. Similarly, critiques of capitalism are becoming more common in public discourse, along with escalating crises like growing inequality, environmental devastation, and the undermining of democratic processes by concentrated wealth.

The mainstream media presents the war in Ukraine as a simple contest between goodies and baddies, or heroes and villians - with the good guys, led by the US and the west, portrayed as champions of democracy. However, this is far from the truth. Jennifer and Jacques draw on a range of sources to explain how the US actively works against democracy to ensure its own ongoing world dominance.To start with, the US played an active role in destabilising and overthrowing a democratically elected government in Ukraine in 2014. The US and NATO has baited Russia with militarisation up to its borders, and stirred up internal conflicts in Ukraine, all leading up to the current war.On a global level, US strategising to maintain its own dominance has been the opposite of democratic for a long time now. For example. according to John Pilger, the US has overthrown, or attempted to overthrow, more than 50 governments since the 1950s, mostly democracies. And it has interfered in democratic elections in 30 countries.In addition, one only needs to look at the parlous state of its own country, to see that the US is not a great exemplar of democracy even at home. Jennifer and Jacques suggest that own mainstream media 'catch up' and provide proper analysis about what's happening in Ukraine. In any case, thank goodness for alternative media like 3CR, to break through the propaganda!

Today we're talking about health – again; Jacques has a conversation with Doctor Hung The Nguyen, a general practitioner who has been working in primary health for long years, applying a community development approach to primary health; Hung is also active in medical-cultural educational work and shares his learning based especially on his work in Aboriginal Controlled Health Services in the Northern Territory and at present in the Dandenong area in Melbourne - Naarm. They also discuss the on-the-ground meanings of the 'social determinants' of health and Hung ends with some suggestions for an approach to health care which is relational, culturally respectful and that recognises the living context and the wisdom and experience of communities and individuals. http://www.cdinhealth.org/documents,php is the archive of a number of publications of the Community Development in Health movement.Go to http://www.nc.org.au the website of the New Community journal; the last issue (vol. 20(3) #79 - October 2022) is dedicated to 'Getting Community (Development) back into health - and not just because of COVID-19/20/21/22...'; it includes Dr Hung The Nguyen's article 'Reflections on Community Development in Primary Health Care'(https://www.who.int/teams/primary-health-care/conference/declaration) is the last example of the work of the WHO promoting localised health services.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about class - how it has gone out of fashion to talk about it since the 1950s, and especially since the 1980s with neoliberalism and the denial that there is serious wealth and income inequality. Nevertheless, the concept of class seems to be having a revival, with several books on the topic being recently released.

Jacques interviews David Legge, a long-time activist in the community and public health movements; they together recall the 1970s and 1980s when Community Development in Health in Victoria was a powerful movement establishing preventative health programs and linking Community Development approaches to the on-the-ground work in local community health centres.

Jennifer interviews Mark Boulet from BehaviourWorks Australia at Monash University. Mark talks about the magnitude of the food waste problem world wide, and how over half of food waste happens at the household level.Mark talks about his multi-layered, whole system framework for understanding and addressing the problem. While BehaviourWorks focuses on helping people with behaviour change, it takes into account influences from different parts of the system. As an example Mark talks about a successful program that involved households and schools, with children providing leadership by choosing and preparing their own food to take to school.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about 'freedom', starting with how the west pinched the notion from indigenous people in present-day Canada during the Enlightenment, some centuries ago.After discussing different concepts of freedom, they apply it to the workplace. Specifically, under hierarchical, command-and-control 'managerialism', are workers really free? - or are they forced to trade their freedom for a wage in order to live?

Jennifer talks with Mark Zirnsak from the Tax Justice Network Australia about wellbeing budgeting as championed by the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers. They discuss the questions: What is a wellbeing budget?, and To what extent is the latest federal budget a wellbeing budget? Aspects of the budget that come under scrutiny include tax breaks for the wealthy (known as Stage 3 tax cuts), and Centrelink payments that remain way below the poverty level.Overall, there is a danger that genuine efforts to budget for people's needs, while safeguarding planetary health, may be sidetracked by an obsession with measurement rather than the required shift in values.

Jacques and Jennifer continue discussion about the United Nations, and the best approach to building international peace and cooperation.Instead of earlier hopes and promises of the UN as a vehicle for international cooperation on a range of issues like human rights, ecology, peace, and health, the last thirty years have seen a resurgence of nationalism, populism, and violence.With this in mind, the presenters offer an alternative notion of 'sovereignty' that goes beyond individual national interest and military defence, to a notion of sovereignty that recognises our essential inter-dependence and responsibility to other nations and people. https://johnmenadue.com/b-52s-at-raaf-tindal-commits-australia-to-americas-nuclear-war-plans/https://johnmenadue.com/with-nuke-capable-b-52s-coming-albanese-is-now-the-new-deputy-sheriff/https://johnmenadue.com/extraordinary-intervention-by-jeffrey-sachs-at-the-athens-democracy-forum/ Jean Bethke Elshtain (2008) Sovereignty: God, State, and Self New York: Basic Books

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the United Nations and its vital role in global matters relating to human rights, climate, economics, peace, and health and well-being.

Tony Moore talks about the Conviction Politics project which shares information and stories about the resistance and activism of convicts, who were exploited as free labour to build the colony. 3,600 convicts were political prisioners and they brought their movements for political change to Australia. This paved the way for reforms such as the right for working class people to vote, and the right for workers to organise. Links to Conviction Politics project:Conviction Politics videos and infographicsDeath or Liberty film

Jennifer talks with Noongar author Claire G Coleman about the meaning of the death of the queen for Aboriginal people, reflecting on a range of views reported in the mainstream media.

Jennifer and Jacques discuss what's really going on with the conflicts in Ukraine and the Pacific, beyond the fog of one-sided propaganda. This includes US and NATO military expansionism, as well as some major economic interests in play.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the outsourcing of things that are traditionally done by government on the people's behalf. This has escalated over the last few decades with the neoliberal idea that the market does everything best. The consequences are corrosion of our democracy, and the incapacity of our government to respond to urgent issues of the day like pandemics, fires and floods. Meanwhile a few private consultancies grow fat on the public purse. Take action:Disrupt landforcesReferences:Julianne Schultz 2022, 'How Morrison killed the public service', The Saturday Paper 12 FebruaryRosie Collington & Marlana Mazzucato 2022, Beyond outsourcing: Re-embedding the state in public value productionRick Morton 2021, 'Government outsources aged care reform to management consultants', The Saturday paper, 27 NovemberRick Morton 2021, 'How private managment consultants took over the public service', The Saturday Paper, 9 October

We have heard about the long-term effects of COVID, the mental health effects especially on children and those living on their own and we heard A LOT about how COVID affected businesses and the economy… less, of course, about the humongous profits made by some businesses BECAUSE of the COVID crisis – as we showed in our programs on the billion dollar profits of the vaccine ‘inventors’ and producers. Within that cacophony of voices, the past and ongoing effects of the pandemic on the disdadvantaged members of our communities and in society more generally attracted less attention, so we invited Kerri Wellington, Coordinator Partnerships, Programs & Impact at Diamond Valley Community Support to tell us more about this from the frontline of welfare and community service work. She especially makes a point of demonstrating that volunteers need much more support and additional training to deal with the sometimes deeply affected community members or with complex cases of mental health of domestic violence. This certainly needs to be addressed more broadly and systemically as well as in terms of resources.

Jacques and Jennifer compare ways of thinking about democratic participation in decision-making - one from the more radical and more critical 1960s (Arnstein's Ladder), and the other from the neo-liberal present (the IAP2 scale). They discuss how Arnstein's Ladder takes power into account, particularly the lack of it in certain groups. In contrast, the current IAP2 scale presents itself as politically neutral, and has become popular as a management tool. Ref:Gabriele Bammer, Learning from Arnstein's Ladder and IAP2 scale

Jennifer and Jacques talk about our formal system of government and the Australian Constitution and what it means for democracy - if anything.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about our formal system of government and the Australian Constitution and what it means for democracy - if anything. Ref:Howard Zinn speaking on Alternative Radio

As Australia seems to be readying itself to - again - have a go at becoming a Republic, Jacques interviews Sandy Biar, National Director of the Australian Republic Movement. The conversation winds through some of the purposes of the ARM, some reflections on why the last attempt at becoming a Republic went awry and some beginning discussions about how our democracy could become a more genuine one as we prepare to become a republic.For more information go to: Australian Republican Movement

As counter to the one-eyed, drumming up of war in the mainstream media, Jennifer and Jacques talk about peace. What would peace look like? What would it take? They talk about a common security where people have jobs and wages they can live on, social protections, and a fair sharing of our common wealth. Jacques and Jennifer also also look at 'sovereignty' - moving from territorial notions used to justify war, to a new definition from the Uluru Statement that is unifying and life-enhancing. Action:Sign/ donate to the peace effort: https://antiaukuscoalition.org/Reference:Stuart Rees 2022, Uluru statement and Makarata message redefine sovereignty

Jacques and Jennifer wonder why we're lock-stepping with the US down its war-mongering path - not just relating to policy, but having US military operations on our shores and in our waters, and having interchangeable defence hardware. It seems that we are all hoodwinked by US propaganda with its supposed higher moral ground - and our mainstream media have completely dropped the ball.To provide some balance, Jennifer and Jacques challenge three pillars of US propaganda: (i) that the US is a beacon and promoter of democracy, (ii) that China is the main aggressor in the current conflict (and implicitly that the US is not militarily aggressive), and (iii) that the US is interested in the international 'rule of law'. Action:Sign and donate to peace effort: https://antiaukuscoalition.org/Reference:Menadue J, 2022, The US lectures us about a ‘rules based international order’ but ignores rules when it suits...

Jennifer talks with Pat McCafferty, Managing Director of Yarra Valley Water, and Kim Nguyen, a participant on YVW's Citizen's Jury. The guests tell how YVW entrusted big decisions about the future of water management to a representative sample of community members. Aboriginal elders spoke to the jury several times about their relationship with water, which had a profound effect on jury members. Following recommendations from the jury,'Care for Country' was adopted as a guiding principle for YVW.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about ex-PM Scott Morrison's astonishing declaration that we shouldn't put our faith in governments - or the United Nations for that matter! They explore some of the implications of this, not least dropping the ball on climate change while he was in government.

Jennifer and Jacques re-visit the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and look at basic assumptions underpiniing the design of the scheme that set it on the wrong course from the beginning. They also argue for a type of evaluation that brings people who are involved together at key points to review how the program is going and make the necessary changes. Reference:A lost Opportunity…? Disability, the NDIS and lots of couldabeens…https://www.ourcommunity.com.au/images/ourconsumerplace/ocp_ndis_resource.pdf For the two NDIS Per Capita reports, put the following in your search engine:NDISContracting-Care-V2.1.pdf NDS_031121_per-capita-report.pdf

Jennifer interviews Patrick O'Connor from the Committee for Public Education about the new wages and conditions deal for teachers in Victoria, brokered by the Australian Education Union. Among other things, Patrick explains how the wage rise is really a wage cut, as it is set way below the inflation rate. Apparently many teachers feel their interests have not been represented, and their widespread opposition to the deal has been muzzled.

Matt Lloyd Cape from Per Capita talks about some of the findings from two recent studies of Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). He looks at the (economic) foundational model of the NDIS, which has had some dire consequences for people with disabilities, and for support workers participating in the scheme.

Consititutions have been in the news a lot lately, with the need to review our own one to enshrine a First Nations Voice to Parliament, and the recent decision by the US Supreme Court that laws supporting abortion rights are unconstitutional. Also, as discussed in the last program, Australia needs to change its constitution to become a republic.With all of this in mind, Jennifer and Jacques give a potted history of constitutions, and discuss some of their surprising characteristics.

The new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has re-opened the conversation about Australia becoming a republic, with the appointment of an Assistant Minister for the Republic.Jennifer and Jacques have a look at our current system of constitutional monarchy, and they comment on how different it is to the system we think we have. In our constitution, the monarch (the queen), represented by the Governor General, certainly presides over our government, with ministers (who we vote for) positioned as advisors.The republic can't come too soon!

This program is part of 3CR's annual radiothon, to keep the station going without having to depend on corporate dollars or government favour. Past guests tell us why this is important through their various testimonials.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the economy and how it is controlled by sets of very powerful and wealthy monopolies and oligopolies. Examples of the dominance of a few wealthy corporations can be found in a range of sectors e.g. energy retailing (notably gas!), banking, social media, supermarket chains, mobile telecommunications, and internet provision. The presenters ask whether the concentration of economic power and wealth in the hands of a few is inevitable under capitalism - and whether democracy is even compatible with capitalism.

Noongar author, Claire G Coleman, talks about creating change in Australia for Aboriginal people. She begins on an optimistic note with the ousting of the Liberals from federal government, and the rejection of policies and campaigning based on hate. On a hopeful note, the new PM has committed to a First Nations Voice to Parliament, to be enshrined in the constitution. While some think a treaty should come before this, Claire believes that truth telling should come before both treaty and a voice to Parliament. She talks about the confusing range of Aboriginal days, that may distract from the most important task of truth telling. CORRECTION: The Victorian electorate of Batman was renamed to Cooper in 2019, after the 20th century Aboriginal leader and activist, William Cooper.

Jacques and Jennifer reflect on the recent federal election – a win for local grassroots democracy and diversity in parliament, and hope for doing something about climate change and government corruption. It was great to see the Murdoch press stranglehold on our democracy loosened too. Despite its blatant bias against Labor, the voting public made up its own mind. Jennifer and Jacques speculate that the cracking open of old two-party habits, might lead to expanded possibilities for change and a better world.

Jacques talks with Melissa Willard and Tessa Stellar, members of the Harcourt Organic Farming Cooperative operating in Central Victoria; they revealed how they came to cooperative and organic farming, what it means for them, how they approach the 'community supported farming' practices they developed and what their hopes are for their local work and for the future of farming, food production and food security worldwide.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the war in Ukraine, particularly how the west has generated it as a proxy war with Russia - or at least as a ploy to deplete Russia as a force. This program is intended to remedy (to some extent) the outrageously one-sided account from our mainstream media. Refs:Jacques Baud - The military situation in the UkraineRAND Corporation - Extending Russia: Competing from advantageous groundAaron Mate - Siding with Ukraine's far right, US sabotaged Zelensky's mandate for peace

Jennifer and Jacques look at Australia’s fake two-party system of government (which has no formal or legal basis), and why we need to break out of it. This is especially relevant in the run-up to the federal election, with Liberals becoming increasingly hysterical as independents gain favour in their electorates. If no political party gains a majority in the House of Representatives (without agreement with independents or minor parties), this may bring hope for real change on issues like climate change and government corruption. Resources:Preferential voting explained hereFind your electorate hereFind your candidates here

Jacques and Jennifer look at the history of nuclear arms and nuclear strategy from the end of WW2 to the present, including US policies of ‘mass retaliation’, limited strike (SIOP), and ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’. They refer to the current war in Ukraine, and criticise Australia’s strategy of following the US into global conflict rather than planning for peace. NB: Listeners may also be interested in this 3CR program:Radioactive

Jennifer talks with Jack McLean from Equity Generation Lawyers who represented eight young climate activists taking a case to the Federal Court. The activists argued that the Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has a duty of care not to cause climate harm to young people when making decisions about fossil fuel projects. Jack spoke about the initial decision in their favour on Think Again in early June 2020, and he gives an update in this program. While the initial decision was recently reversed, he explains why there are grounds for optimism in the bigger picture.

Jennifer and Jacques revisit the conflict in Ukraine, and some of the things that have led to it, including the roles of the US and NATO.They look at US policy relating to Russia and China, and question why we are following the (US) leader rather than investing in multilateral, cooperative arrangements between nations. Refs:Youtube - examples of racist reporting by western mediaJohn Pilger - western democracies as propagandists for war Mike Davis - commentary on Ukraine and ruling class brain failure UN - Our Common Agenda University of Melbourne - resolving global crises through multilateralism

Jennifer interviews Mark Zirnsak from the Tax Justice Network Australia, about the federal budget just handed down. While there are some positives, such as extra refugee visas for Afghan people, and funding for the ATO to target multinationals avoiding tax, in the main it is a regressive budget. Tax breaks for the wealthy will be continued well into the future, despite some tax offsets for low and middle income earners in the short term.The one-off payment of $250 for people on certain Centrelink payments will do little to help those on JobSeeker and Youth Allowance, who need an additional $483 per week just to survive. Beyond short term pre-election cash splashes, or even fiscal (low spending) conservatism, budgets need to be aligned with our values and the sort of society and environment we want to work toward. NB: Mark refers to 'doughnut economics', which we talked about in a previous program:An economy for humans and for the planet (June 2019)We also talked about the problem of economic growth in past programs:Economic growth: when impotent daydreams meet noxious nightmares (August 2019)Exploring de-growth (September 2019)

Jacques and Jennifer talk about how corruption has taken over national politics, with the open brazenous of politicians misusing and misdirecting funds, and being bought over by big money to further their own ends. On the whole, ‘plutocracy’ would seem to better describe our current system than ‘democracy’, meaning government for and by the wealthy. Sign the 'our democracy' petition:https://www.hrlc.org.au/our-democracy-petitionCharles S. & Williams C. 2022, Keeping Them Honest - the case for a genuine National Integrity Commission and other vital democratic reforms, Melbourne: Scribe Publishers.Boisvert A. L. Dent P. & Quraishi O. B. 2014, Corruption in Canada: Definitions and Enforcement, Canada, Prepared by Deloitte LLP. Ottawa, ON: Public Safety.

Jennifer talks with Kate Colvin from the Everybody’s Home campaign about the housing affordability crisis in Australia, which has very much gone mainstream as more and more people become homeless. The Everybody's Home campaign is asking the federal government to commit to building 25,000 new social homes every year. Kate invites listeners to join the campaign for everyone to have a home: Everybody's Home campaign Other campaigns:Housing for the Aged Action GroupPublic Housing for Victorians (VPTA)Save Public Housing Collective (Victoria)Friends of Public Housing (Facebook) 3CR housing programs:Raise the RoofCity Limits (urban development)

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the massive displacement of people due to global heating and international conflict, and how this is set to accelerate if we don’t take preventive action. Starting with the floods in Queensland and NSW and moving 15,000 K North West to Ukraine and the Russian invasion, yet another two examples and instances of the millions of people displaced by the growing number of 'natural' and other human-induced disasters ... In so many ways, 'displacement' as a feature of the Anthropocene... and we're all watching it on our screens... fiddling while we're burning and flooding ourselves...Ref:Three ways the US and the west helped create this crisis - Jose Ramos

Jennifer talks with Ashlie, who became unemployed after being in the paid workforce for about 40 years. She has applied for hundreds of jobs and desperately wants to work. Despite this, she is forced to live on punishingly-low ‘Jobseeker’ payments. These don’t cover the basic costs of living and, as a result, Ashlie has been homeless for two years. Join the campaign to raise Centrelink payments: https://raisetherate.org.au/And join the call for a basic income for all...

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the international system of trade rules and agreements, and they give a bit of its recent history from post-WW2 to the establishment of the World Trade Organisation.... Lately, China has been accused of breaking the rules and undermining the system for its own advantage – especially in the US (and of course, echoed in the US's faithful follower, Australia), but is this true? What is really going on?

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border and the drumming up of war by western leaders, particularly by the US and via the systematic expansion of the NATO now virtually encircling Russia. There's more behind all of this than meets the eye... and looking at recent history does indeed help! And some of the below alternative bits of information will offer a rather different view to that of the western and Australian media...(with the exception of the New Daily and the Guardian...)https://www.counterpunch.org/author/alfred-de-zayas/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/23/putin-narrative-ukraine-master-key-crisis-nato-expansionism-frozen-conflict?utm_term=6216d896452db0f1c927a290d24e1d96&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayAUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTAU_emailhttps://www.investigaction.net/fr/lembargo-qui-tue-le-peuple-syrie-le-monde-vu-den-bas-41/https://www.fridayeveryday.com/author/seth-mallick/https://www.workers.org/2022/01/60942/file:///G:/3CR%20materials/The%20Crisis%20in%20Ukraine%20is%20not%20about%20Ukraine.%20It's%20about%20Germany,%20by%20Mike%20Whitney%20-%20The%20Unz%20Review.htm

Jennifer speaks with Brendan Coates from the Grattan Institute about his report: A place to call home: It’s time for a social housing future fund. The proposal is for a $20b future fund for the federal government to deliver 3,000 extra social housing units a year into perpetuity – 6,000 per year if matched by state governments.Seems like a good idea, but would it be enough? Could it create real systemic change?

Jennifer speaks with Noongar author Claire G Coleman about the meaning and implications of Invasion Day (officially also known as 'Australia Day'). Claire exposes some of the myths and ‘clangers’ Australians hold about the origins of Invasion Day and Australian history in general. She places responsibility on the colonists themselves to dismantle colonisation, suggesting they can first inform themselves about Australia's true past. Recent article by Claire G ColemanThe forever war, 2022, The Saturday Paper, 22-28 January 2022Link: https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/the-forever-war/Books by Claire G ColemanNon-fiction:Lies, Damned Lies, 2021, Ultimo PressNovels:Terra Nullius, 2017, Hachette AustraliaThe Old Lie, 2019, Hachette Australia(And also have a look at Chelsea Watego's 2021 Another Day in the Colony (Queensland University Press))

Jacques and Jennifer talk about US global dominance, the various tactics used to maintain this dominance, and how we’re all kept in the dark. The price of this dominance in human and financial terms is enormous... not to speak about the damage to Mother Earth... (and it doesnt mean that other world powers are not doing a bit of the same... but we're kept mostly blined and unaware of what our 'great friend and ally' is doing to the world and to other nations and peoples...) https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_bernice_king_the_us_needs_a_radical_revolution_of_values?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social&utm_content=2022-01-17 https://truthout.org/articles/noam-chomsky-gops-soft-coup-is-still-underway-one-year-after-capitol-assault/ https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-01-03/Xi-an-s-COVID-19-response-Preserving-human-life-is-preserving-freedom-16w8bNBLNrW/index.html (https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/six-fold-increase-people-suffering-famine-conditions-pandemic-began)(https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/)https://www.dewereldmorgen.be/

Jennifer speaks with Andreea Lachsz from the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service about the UN anti-torture protocol (OPCAT). This follows their initial discussion on this topic in mid July 2021. Australia signed the Protocol several years ago but has failed to fund and organise for its implementation – even though the extended deadline is 20 January 2022. The Protocol would establish a system of visits by independent bodies to places of detention, to prevent torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Andreea explains the importance of Australia meeting its OPCAT obligations, especially given the high level of incarceration of Aboriginal people, and their pervasive ill treatment while in custody. She tells us what we can do to get OPCAT implemented. Contact the Attorney General:Australia: Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash T: (02) 6277 7300E: senator.cash@aph.gov.auVictoria: Ms Jaclyn Symes MLCT: (03) 8684 1111E: jaclyn.symes@parliament.vic.gov.au

Returning to Freire’s work for a follow-up program, Jacques explores with some more depth some of the principles underlying his approach as well as some of the sources of his thinking and several of the areas in which his approach has been and continuous to be applied. As so often in Think Again, there’s an argument to reconsider some of the ways in which education and other community programs and approaches have historically been applied – before they became ‘outcomes’ to be ‘delivered’ after the neo-liberal genie has been let out of the ideological bottle of our late-capitalist political-economy.Some resources:Freire, P. (1972) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Harmondsworth: Penguin. Freire, P. (1995) Pedagogy of Hope. Reliving Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York: Continuum. Freire, P. (1996) Letters to Cristina. Reflections on my life and work, London: Routledge. Gadotti, M. (1994) Reading Paulo Freire. His life and work, New York: SUNY Press. Clear presentation of Freire's thinking set in historical context written by a close collaborator.Torres, C. A. (1993) 'From the "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" to "A Luta Continua": the political pedagogy of Paulo Freire' in P. McLaren and P. Leonard (eds.) Freire: A critical encounter, London: Routledge.Lesley Bentley - Paulo Freire. Brief biography plus lots of useful links.Paulo Freire Institute - a wide range of material available about current work in the Freirian tradition. Click for the English version. Daniel Schugurensky on Freire - consists of a collection of reviews of his books and links to other pages.

Jacques remembers one of the most influential educational thinkers of the last 60-or-so years; Paulo Freire, who was born 100 years ago in recife in Brazil, influenced two generations of development and emancipation activists. This started with his literacy work in Brazil in the early 1960s and after his exile from his country under the military dictatorship in 1964, spreading right across Latin America and working with the World Council of Churches, all over the world. The publication of his 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' in 1970 inspired large numbers of educators both in the formal and informal sectors and his writings became obligatory inclusions in the curricula of social work, community development and social change across the world. Jacques has personally worked with Freire and remembers his 'conscientisation' approach vividly as well as its integration in many formal university courses he has taught in. It would be very useful to go back to this work and reintroduce it during the rather troublesome times we live in at present. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York, Continuum. Freire, P. (1970). Cultural Action for Freedom. [Cambridge], Harvard Educational Review. Freire, P. (1973). Education for Critical Consciousness. New York, Seabury Press. Freire, P. (1975). Conscientization. Geneva, World Council of Churches. Freire, P. (1976). Education, the Practice of Freedom. London, Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Freire, P. (1978). Pedagogy in Process: The Letters to Guinea-Bissau. New York, A Continuum Book: The Seabury Press. Freire, P. (1985). The Politics of Education: Culture, Power, and Liberation. South Hadley, Mass., Bergin & Garvey.Freire, P. and I. Shor (1987). Freire for the Classroom: A Sourcebook for Liberators Teaching. Freire, P. and H. Giroux & P. McLaren (1988). Teachers as Intellectuals: Towards a Critical Pedagogy of Learning. Freire, P. and I. Shor (1988). Cultural Wars: School and Society in the Conservative Restoration, 1969–1984.

Jennifer and Jacques return - again - to the concept of relationality, and how we are all part of a living web of inter-relating and intra-relating. Our western thinking since the 1600s has set us in a bind that makes it hard to understand this, without some fundamental shift in our perception or ‘metanoia’. Ignoring this perceptional shift has led and continues to lead to widespread destruction of the natural environment, and human isolation and alienation. Nevertheless, understanding of the sacred web of connections between people, nature and all living things is central to Aboriginal and Indigenous world views. Meanwhile, alongside shifts in philosophy of science, branches of theoretical physics and biology, botany and zoology have also come to a more relational view of reality as have recent developments in social science and in approaches to the human services professions. Music Credits (in order played) Mountain Pass - The String ContingentAlleluia 7 - Adam Simmons & Nick TsiavosBreathe In, Breathe Out - Thelma PlumMilkumana - King Stingray

Jacques and Jennifer continue discussion from two weeks ago about the Religious Discrimination Bill being proposed by the federal government.They discuss how it would legalise discrimination and nastiness by religious institutions, based on rather arbitrary Statements of Belief they draw up themselves.Leading up to a federal election, it seems the government thought there was some political advantage in pressing the Bill, however this has spectacularly backfired with revolt in the PM’s own ranks. While this has slowed down the process, and the Bill may not go to a parliamentary vote before the election, the battle is far from over and Jacques and Jennifer urge listeners to keep up the pressure.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the Religous Discrimination Bill being presented to Federal Parliament. This Bill would expand the powers of religious insititutions to discriminate - not just on the basis of faith affiliation, but on aspects of identity and lifestyle deemed by the institution to be incompatible with their particular brand of faith. Jacques and Jennifer look at the particular instance of schools and their power to hire and fire on the basis of things like gender, and sexuality. They place this in the context of the inequitable funding arrangments for education in Australia, wherein private religious schools take the lions share of funding from the public purse, to the detriment of public schools. This makes the push by these private schools to be able to discriminate even more outrageous, pointing to a certain sense of elite entitlement. Refs:Stop all government funding for private schools. (Why and how we could do it), by David Zyngierhttps://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=5056OECD lays bare Australia’s public education investment inequity, by Australian Education Unionhttp://www.aeufederal.org.au/news-media/media-releases/2020/september/090920The instrumentation of public subsidies for private schools: Different regulatory models with concurrent equity implications Adrián Zancajo, Antoni Verger, Clara Fontdevila (June 17, 2021) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14749041211023339 NO AUKUS, NO Nuclear Submarines, NO War - National Days of Actions around the country9 - 11 December Melbourne Rally Saturday 11 December 1.00pm on the steps of State Library Speakers at Saturday 11th December rally include, Jenny Ground (Medical Association for Prevention of War), Scott Ludlum (former Greens Senator), Colin Long (Just Transition Organiser, representing Victorian Trades Hall Council), and other peace and community organisations' representatives.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the blatant infiltration of military agendas in our education system, with resourcing from the federal government. This is in the context of the de-funding of our universities, particularly many humanities departments and subjects that involve critical thinking. Most recently, the ‘culture wars’ have been reignited, as the government wants a white, imperialist triumphal version of history to be taught in schools, which garners support for future wars as well as the weapons industry. Jacques and Jennifer propose that, as a nation, we would do better to resource social and environmental sustainability and public health, rather than weaponry and war mongering. Ref:Minors and missiles: Weapons companies in schools Activism:Australian Living Peace MuseumRaucous anti-AUKUS caucus - convened by Renegade Activists

Linda Bennett and Rodney Sparke from Scaleitdown talk about their campaign against eight and ten-story developments in the midst of Brunswick parklands. They describe how the developers , Stocklands and Mirvac, have by-passed local government and taken their proposals straight to the Victorian Government. This means that community members opposing the developments have to take their case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), a highly legalistic and technical process requiring expensive specialist expertise. Linda and Rodney describe the gross power imbalance in this process, and how the community has come together nevertheless to stave off the developments. Campaign link: https://www.scaleitdown.org/

Jennifer speaks with Liz Turner from Renegade Activists about the various campaigns coming together to oppose AUKUS, (the new military pact between Australia, the US and the UK). Very quickly, this pact has brought a range of groups together across Australia, including anti-nuclear, environmental and peace activists. This may be a positive upside of AUKUS, generating a groundswell of activism in a movement for change. Listeners are given ideas for joining in. Campaign links:https://renegadeactivists.org/ https://ipan.org.au/Ref from Liz:Jeff Sparrow in The Guardian 19 October 2021:Climate change is a national security issue...

Jacques remembers one of the most influential educational thinkers of the last 60-or-so years; Paulo Freire, who was born 100 years ago in recife in Brazil, influenced two generations of development and emancipation activists. This started with his literacy work in Brazil in the early 1960s and after his exile from his country under the military dictatorship in 1964, spreading right across Latin America and working with the World Council of Churches, all over the world. The publication of his 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' in 1970 inspired large numbers of educators both in the formal and informal sectors and his writings became obligatory inclusions in the curricula of social work, community development and social change across the world. Jacques has personally worked with Freire and remembers his 'conscientisation' approach vividly as well as its integration in many formal university courses he has taught in. It would be very useful to go back to this work and reintroduce it during the rather troublesome times we live in at present. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York, Continuum. Freire, P. (1970). Cultural Action for Freedom. [Cambridge], Harvard Educational Review. Freire, P. (1973). Education for Critical Consciousness. New York, Seabury Press. Freire, P. (1975). Conscientization. Geneva, World Council of Churches. Freire, P. (1976). Education, the Practice of Freedom. London, Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Freire, P. (1978). Pedagogy in Process: The Letters to Guinea-Bissau. New York, A Continuum Book: The Seabury Press. Freire, P. (1985). The Politics of Education: Culture, Power, and Liberation. South Hadley, Mass., Bergin & Garvey.Freire, P. and I. Shor (1987). Freire for the Classroom: A Sourcebook for Liberators Teaching. Freire, P. and H. Giroux & P. McLaren (1988). Teachers as Intellectuals: Towards a Critical Pedagogy of Learning. Freire, P. and I. Shor (1988). Cultural Wars: School and Society in the Conservative Restoration, 1969–1984.

Jacques Boulet interviews Dan McKinley, CEO of B-Corporation Dog and Bone Dan and Jacques have a conversation about a kind of ‘in-between’ space between the ‘normal’ capitalist ways of running business and the more ‘radical’ alternatives we often pay attention to in Think Again. In B-corporations real transformational relationships, processes and structures are actually being experimented with, in a space where central elements of the existing system are not only being talked about but are radically changed whilst at the same time continuing to operate with elements of the existing system… and many of these experiments – and certainly in the case of Dog and Bone - are making a real difference… https://bcorporation.net/about-b-corps THE B CORP DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCEWe envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good. This economy is comprised of a new type of corporation - the B Corporation - Which is purpose-driven and creates benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.As B Corporations and leaders of this emerging economy, we believe:That we must be the change we seek in the world.That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

Given the PM’s struggles in public oratory and inspiring leadership, Jacques and Jennifer have written a speech for him and they deliver it in this program. The PM shares his belated insight and thanks Victorians for the sacrifices they have made during COVID, thereby saving thousands of lives - not just in Victoria but also in NSW and Australia. The PM also reveals his new astonishing insights around climate change, and then admits to the folly that is AUKUS and his government's love of nuclear submarines. Refs:Aisha Dow 2021, Victoria’s sacrifices are not in vain, The Age, 3 September 2021, p.6. Thank-you Victorians. Your sacrifices have not been in vainBurnett Institute 2021, Victoria's community effort helps avert around 6000 COVID-19 cases, Burnet modelling showsBurnet modellingJames Schloeffel 2021, Eight of the PM’s most 'powerful' quotes, The Shovel, reprinted in Australian Financial Review 1 October 2021.Honest government ad/ AUKUS

With COVID exposing the cracks in our health system and the marginalisation of certain groups who are vulnerable to the virus, Jacques and Jennifer talk about a different approach led by the World Health Organisation that seems to have gone out of fashion.The WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, not just the absence of disease. Health and ill health are seen as happening in the communities where people live and work, and within the economic systems and natural ecosystems they are part of.Jacques and Jennifer suggest we properly resource a community-based, empowering approach to health, as developed by the WHO, that considers the environments and systems people are part of.Most immediately we need to work with marginalised communities to increase COVID vaccination before we open up. Otherwise the virus will certainly ‘rip through’ these communities.

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the abrupt turn in Australia’s defence policy, with the decision to develop nuclear submarines, and enter into a new security agreement with the US and UK. Simultaneously we have sent out war signals to China, and offended the French by duplicitously breaking a submarine contract without notice – and France isn’t the only power we have put offside. Jacques and Jennifer argue we need to do address the climate crisis, and invest in people, jobs, education, health, and housing , rather than in military waste and the nuclear industry. Campaign links:Raucous Anti-AUKUS Caucus, webinar, Thusday 7 October, 7pmhttps://renegadeactivists.org/The Independent and Peaceful Australia Networkhttps://ipan.org.au/

Jennifer talks with Lida Hazara, founder and president of Women for Change In Melbourne, an organisation empowering Hazara people in Afghanistan and Australia through education and employment.Lida talks about her life growing up in Afghanistan, fleeing to Pakistan in her teens, and then settling in Australia.We learn what motivated her to establish Women for Change and the difference the organisation is making in the lives of girls and women. Contact Women for Change:https://www.facebook.com/hazarawomenforchange/https://www.hazarawomenforchange.com/Sign the petition:http://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au

Matthew Rimmer, Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation Law at the Queensland University of Technology and Jacques talk about the 'medical apartheid' which is confirmed (yet again) and made worse by the maldistribution of the COVID vaccines between the rich and the poor nations.Yet again, a political and economic collection of (i) economic powerholders (read: the pharmaceutical industries and those who derive their personal wealth from their operations) and (ii) developed nations (the EU, the Trump-US and, till a few days ago, Australia) want to protect the developed nations by protecting the 'Intellectual Property Rights' ('TRIPS') of vaccines made by companies who developed and then 'own' the vaccines and make money out of them. (This is the case even when public money has contributed to their development, as discussed in previous programs). These companies and a number of rich nations have been refusing to waive the TRIPS and allow the vaccines to be produced and distributed more fairly. We're a long way off anything resembling 'global health justice' it seems... ACTION: You can let the Trade and Investment Minister, Dan Tehan, know that you support Australia signing the 'TRIPS waiver' so that poorer nations can produce and distribute COVID vaccines: (02) 6277 7420, or (03) 5572 1100.Fpr an update...see The New Daily 11/10/2021https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/10/11/donate-vaccines-end-covid-for-all/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20News%20-%2020211011

Jennifer interviews Diana Sayed, who is CEO of the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights. Diana describes the work of the Centre that supports and advocates for Muslim women in Australia in all of their plurality and multiple ethnicities, sects and beliefs.Diana discusses the situation In Afghanistan through a pro-woman, feminist and human rights lens. Given Australia’s 20 year presence in Afghanistan, she highlights our country’s obligation toward Afghan people, and she provides some practical ways that we can influence our government to do the right thing by them.Sign the petition:http://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au

Jacques and Jennifer look at the botched and devastating withdrawal of the US and its allies from Afghanistan and try to make sense of it through the lens of history.They look back to the carve-up of the old Ottoman Empire by colonial powers after WW1 (creating divisions that last to today), the US-Soviet competition for influence in Afghanistan leading to endemic corruption and a coup in 1978, the Soviet invasion from 1979 to 1989, following civil war, and the rise of the Taliban in the 90s, which was enabled by US money and weapons.Then in 2001 the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Towers culminated in the US ‘War on Terror’ directed at al-Qaeda and the Taliban who were based in Afghanistan. This ‘War on Terror’ has spread to surrounding countries and led to a proliferation of new ‘terrorist groups’, while costing US$320 billion per year. An overarching trend in Afghanistan’s history has been the self-interest of major foreign powers and associated vested interests, with the US invasion and withdrawal a recent example.Jacques and Jennifer end with a quote from Tariq Ali: ‘At the very least, refuge is what the West owes (Afghani refugees): a minor reparation for an unnecessary war’. Sign the petition: Action for Afghanistan: https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/ The Conversation article referred to: https://theconversation.com/profiles/ali-a-olomi-1263471 (https://icct.nl/app/uploads/2021/07/SALW-as-a-Source-of-Financing-in-Post-Qadhafi-Libya.pdf) The Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University US (https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/

Monique Hurley from the Human Rights Law Centre talks with Jennifer about the abuse of many people in our prison system, as reflected in a recent IBAC report: ‘Special report on corrections’. Among the routine abuses are: unjustified use of force, strip searching and social isolation.Monique outlines what needs to happen to change this situation. This includes Australia implementing the UN anti-torture protocol (OPCAT) it has signed, by January next year.Monique also tells us what listeners can do to advocate for the human rights of people in prison.

Matt and Jacques have a conversation based on Per Capita’s last Discussion Paper ‘Generation Stressed’: House Prices and the Cost of Living in the 21st Century.It became clear based on research comparing the cost of housing across three generations – in the 1970s, mid- to late-80s and early 2000s - the latter - Gen X people - who bought their homes around the turn of the Millennium, suffered from a 130% increase in the lifetime cost of owning a home compared to 30 years earlier (i.e. compared to those who bought their homes in the 70s). The Discussion Paper (see link below) then explores some of the consequences for individual households and for the Australian economy as a whole. https://percapita.org.au/our_work/generation-stressed-house-prices-and-the-cost-of-living-in-the-21st-century/

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the scandalously unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the world, while a few people and companies make billions by charging exorbitant prices (US$16 to $24 a dose, with the cost of production estimated US$1.18 to $2.85 a dose). Meanwhile the more reasonably-priced AstraZeneca vaccine has fallen flat.While richer countries seem happy to pay the higher prices to stay ahead of the queue, poorer countries are left mostly unvaccinated.'The People's Vaccine Alliance' is campaigning for a COVID-19 vaccine that is freely available to everyone everywhere ... Go to www.peoplesvaccine.org Refs:Anna Marriott and Alex Maitland, The Great Vaccine Robbery: Pharmaceutical corporations charge excessive prices for COVID-19 vaccines while rich countries block faster and cheaper route to global vaccination. via ‘The People’s Vaccine’ www.peoplesvaccine.org or directly : file:///G:/3CR%20The%20Great%20Vaccine%20Robbery%20Policy%20Brief%20final.pdf Jillian Deutsch and Ashleigh Furlong ‘How AstraZeneca threw away its shot’. The subtitle is: ‘AstraZeneca and the EU might have ruined Africa’s best chance out of the pandemic’. from POLITICO https://www.politico.eu/article/how-astrazeneca-threw-away-its-shot/ Edward Luce (Financial Times) Covid has shown up Western Democracy’s childish tendencies https://www.ft.com/content/b7e1438c-95a2-44a6-9677-74d945a741b5And for a good summary of the national COVID vaccination schamozzle, see Farrah Tomazin and Clay Lucas inthe Saturday Age of July 31st pp. 23/28-9 How Vaccine Rollout went off the Rails

Having held conversations about Human Rights in several previous Think Again programs, we now propose to widen our purview, wondering whether other species and things might have 'rights' as well...'Western Enlightenment' thinking has located the 'me' and the human - the 'Anthropos' - right in the centre of all there is, everything and everybody else... the 'other'... Jacques talks about a more recent 'awakening' to the rights of nature, especially in light of the destruction humans continue to inflict on all other species-persons and things in the ecology they are part of.He invites listeners to start dipping into 'posthuman' thinking, trying to 'think' humans out of the centre of everything, reflecting on the fact that we are so relationally connected with what we destroy mindlessly that we may make life on mother earth quite impossible for humans.Refs:Burdon, Peter (ed.) (2011) Exploring Wild Law: The Philosophy of Earth Jurisprudence Kent Town (Adelaide - SA): Wakefield PressAustralian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) www.earthlaws.org.auNew Economy Network Australia (NENA) https://www.neweconomy.org.au/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/16/new-zealand-river-granted-same-legal-rights-as-human-beingKimmerer, Robin Wall (2013) Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants Minneapolis: Milkweed PublicationsStone, C (1972) “Should Trees Have Standing – Toward Legal Rights for Natural Objects” in 45 S. Cal Law Rev. 450 Stone, C (2010) Should Trees Have Standing? Law, Morality, and the Environment. Oxford: Oxford University PressBraidotti, R (2014) The Posthuman Cambridge: Polity PressGhosh, Amitav (2017) The Great Derangement; Climate Change and the Unthinkable Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Jennifer interviews Lucie Krahulcova from Digital Rights Watch about the Australian Government's increasing powers to surveil us, with minimal transparency and accountability. Australia compares badly with other jurisictions in the protection of human rights (such as the UK and even the US), and Lucie talks about the need for a Human Rights Charter or Bill of Rights. She urges us to contact key politicians and tell them not to expand digital surveillance powers and the serious encroachments on our human rights.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about human rights, including a bit about their history and how their focus has changed over time. There have been three generations of human rights in modern times: (i) civil and political, (ii) economic and social, and (iii) cultural and collective. In recent 'neo-liberal' times the focus has been highly individualistic and commercial.While Jacques and Jennifer consider human rights to be an important basis for agreements about how we are to live together, they also acknowledge their current use and capture by those in power - both internationally and within-nations.

Andreea Lachsz explains the UN anti-torture protocol (OPCAT) which Australia has signed but is dragging its feet on implementing. OPCAT would help prevent torture and abuse happening in our places of detention. It is a unique opportunity to address human rights abuses on the most powerless in our society, including Aboriginal people in police custody.Under the Protocol, independent inspectors could enter places of detention, but Andreea explains that Aboriginal representatives need to be consulted to ensure that inspection processes are culturally safe. But time is running out. Before January 2022 (!) our governments need to make a real commitment to implementing OPCAT, including inter-governmental agreement, legislation, substantial funding and the creation of inspection bodies and processes.Yet another example of our federal system NOT working... and creating a space where state and federal governments can blame one another for their inaction....

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the federal government's various ways of deflecting attention and responsibility away from itself toward 'outsiders' and those most disadvantaged by the system. This is led by our own PM, commonly known as 'Scotty from Marketing' who has developed it to a fine art level... but more and more of us start to notice that not all is well in advertising heaven...

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the expanding underclass in Australia and our growing inequality - and how our leaders are distracting us with phony statements about how well we're going, while they conjure up enemies abroad. In particular there seems to be a complete absence of diplomacy in aggressive public statements aimed at China. Ref:Robinson, I W 2021, What are the real reasons behind the cold war? Roar, 6 May 2021https://roarmag.org/essays/new-cold-war-crisis-capitalism/

Jacques has a conversation with Meagan Skehill from CISVic, the peak body for the community information and support sector in Victoria. Evidently the much-hyped post-Covid economic recovery is a very one-sided affair, leaving growing numbers of citizens and disadvantaged groups worse off, and in gradually deteriorating situations. This is exacerbated by stagnant wages, lack of meaningful and sustained support from government programs, diminishing numbers of volunteers, and decreasing support from donations.There is an obvious need to make our political and economic system more redistributive as inequality continues to rise in Australia and worldwide. It seems that the government’s often repeated and hyperventilated claims of a burgeoning economy mask a lot of distress… and it leaves us wondering why the regular media – with some exceptions - really don’t tell us the truth of the matter.

In this special fundraiser program, past guests tell us why 3CR and the Think Again program are so important.Amongst the testimonials, Jacques and Jennifer explain what they are intending to do through the program – like ‘joining the dots’ amidst all the fragments of information bombarding us, and providing a platform for views and voices not heard in the mainstream media.Music played on this episode of Think Again was 'Violet's Etude' by Elena Kats-Chernin, performed by Claire Edwardes

In conversation with Jacques, Claire explores her growing desire to discover nature in the middle of what we have come to think about as its opposite: the city.Given that about 3/4 of humanity will soon live in macro-cities, and given that these occupy only 4% of the world's surface, and given that most of the environmental damage humans cause is connected with these facts, we do need to explore and experiment with alternative ways of living in cities.Claire's book Rewilding the Urban Soul is a perfect guide to discovering what it would take to heal our urban living bases and ourselves and to start experimenting. Dunn, Claire (2021) Rewilding the Urban Soul: searching for the wild in the city Scribe Publishers, Brunswick, London and MinneapolisDunn, Claire (2014) My year of Living without Matches Black Inc. - Nero, Melbourne

In a landmark decision, the Federal Court decided that the Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, has a duty of care to protect young people from harm in her decision making.Jennifer discusses this with one of the eight activist students who brought this case to the Federal Court, Bella Burgemeister, and a lawyer representing the students, Jack McLean from Equity Generation Lawyers.They talk about the decision and its importance, and Bella shares some ideas for others to take action to stop catastrophic climate change. You can read the judgment here: Judgment: Sharma vs Minister for the Environment

Jacques and Jennifer cast a critical eye over the recent Australian Government budget, looking past the theatre of media announcements and the low expectations of ‘business as usual’.They analyse the budget within the broader context of what’s happening to ‘ordinary’ people in Australia and worldwide in the latest version of neo-liberal capitalism trying to turn to a Keynesian spending frenzy in a presumed response to COVID.... but this one is also a bag of tricks...

Jennifer talks with Richard Evans, a criminologist at Deakin University, about the history and role of the police.They discuss in whose interests police operate, and if they are really necessary.Inevitably the program presents more questions than answers, and is hopefully the start of a longer conversation on Think Again

Borderlands is deeply interested in community, in cooperatives, in localisation and ecological responsibility and how to promote and create living conditions that are mutually beneficial for all, including the non-human species and relationships on which our continued existence depends.Jacques' conversation with Jose Ramos looks across a series of historical and recent attempts at 'experimenting' with possible future scenarios for a more responsible and sustainable world and how humans could be involved in such experiments.

Jacques and Jennifer continue their discussion from two programs ago about five intersecting predicaments facing us: (1) the COVID-19 pandemic,(2) late capitalism and its gross and exponentially growing inequality and destructiveness,(3) racism and how ‘whites’ both socially and culturally seem incapable to acknowledge their racism,(4) the onslaughts our ‘civilisation’ inflicts on our planet’s ecology, and(5) the careless and wilful promotion of war. They float some ideas about the directions we need to take to avert catastrophe.

Jennifer interviews Nikki Marshall about how community members got together to bring about true participatory democracy in the Hepburn Shire in central Victoria. In the last council election Community Voice had four local people elected out of seven. This grassroots initiative aimed at systems change and the active ongoing participation of community members in key decision making. Nikki shares a bit about the process and some tips for other people and communities wishing to do something similar. Website: https://communityvoice.group ( Democratic renewal in the Hepburn Shire) TENANCY ADVICEAs promised in our community announcements, here is information about where to get help if threatened with eviction or other tenancy issues. (Although this was not our main topic this week, the escalating housing crisis prompted us to share this). Tenants Victoria's Renter Advice Line(03) 9416 2577, Monday to Friday 10.00 am – 2.00 pmhttps://tenantsvic.org.au/contact-us/ Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program (TAAP)TAAP is funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria and provided by community agencies across 17 areas.TAAP services help tenants dealing with issues in private tenancy, to avoid homelessness. The agencies provide a range of services, including information and referral to other services, negotiation with landlords or real estate agents, and assistance in preparing for and attending hearings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).TAAP information & contacts HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS CAMPAIGNShttps://everybodyshome.com.au/https://chp.org.au/https://www.oldertenants.org.au/https://www.savepublichousing.com/https://vpta.org.au/homes-for-all/

Jacques and Jennifer talk about some of the interconnected global-to-local predicaments we’re facing: the pandemic, ecology, racism, and the destructive political-economy of late capitalism. They talk about some of the directions we need to take to deal with these predicaments. The discussion is based on a book chapter Jacques has recently written in a volume also edited by him and by Linette Hawkins; the title of the book is: Practical and Political Approaches to Recontextualizing Social Work IGI Global Publishers. The book has 14 Chapters, six of which have been written by Borderlands Cooperative members and researchers, several others by Australian social and community activists and academics and other chapters deal with critical social and community practice globally, in Africa, Latin America and the Pacific. The book is available on line, in hardcover and papercover... it's not 'cheap' but we are allowed to offer 50% reductions for individuals connected with Borderlands and the New Community... just let us know! If interested, go to www.igi-global.com

Jacques has a conversation with Matt Lloyd-Cape from the Per Capitathink tank about their research regarding the allocation and distribution ofFederal funds to victims of the 2019-20 bushfires.Barely half of the promised billions was spent by the end of 2019 and - as we're now gettingaccustomed to with the present LNP federal government - 3/4 of all fundswent to NSW and of that only 1% to Labor electorates...Rorting and pork-barrelling seem to have consistently been operative principles ofthe distribution of grants and other funds by the present government.

Amidst the raging scandals of sexual abuse and discrimination against women at a federal government level, Jennifer and Jacques look at ideas of self-entitlement held by an elite group in positions of power.Where does this notion that they are ‘born to rule’ come from? Jennifer and Jacques take a close look at the role of elite schools in generating a culture of misogyny and deep disrespect for women, and a notion of self-entitlement to power, privilege and influence

Lately the news has been full of women’s stories of sexual assault and harassment, and the dominant culture that normalises and promotes it.This follows 2020, the year of the Me Too movement, when thousands of women shared their stories of sexual harassment and abuse in shows of solidarity.So it was strange to read about the ‘not guilty’ verdict on the Craig McLachlan case in December, relating to charges of indecent assault.Jennifer interviews Professor Jeremy Gans from Melbourne Law School to help us understand the reasoning behind this decision and some of the implications.

With the COVID supplement to JobSeeker set to finish at the end of March, the federal government announced it would increase the ongoing weekly payment by a measly $25 per week, leaving people to live on about $307 per week.Meanwhile more than 60 publicly listed businesses became wealthier during COVID while receiving JobKeeper and other government handouts.These handouts to the higher end of town contrast with the punitive approach taken to unemployed people struggling on below poverty-line payments.Jennifer interviews an unemployed man, Cliff, who was a full time truck driver til having a heart attack ten years ago.Cliff talks about what it is like living on JobSeeker and the challenges of making ends meet and finding work. (NB: While he works 12 hours per week cleaning, he is only $70 per week better off).

Jacques reflects on the double arrival of reports of two Royal Commissions, a federal one about 'aged care' and a Victorian one about 'mental health services'... What both clearly reveal is two 'systems' absolutely and disgracefully dysfunctional and – in reality – harming those who are supposed to be cared for. If we do need so many reviews and commissions about so many 'symptoms' of our society's workings, will we ever try and figure out whether the entire caboodle probably needs some reviewing...? Just wondering....'Care' for the 'aged' needs more than caring for their health... The place and role of elders in our society needs consideration... and mental 'health' needs the prevention of illness first and foremost and that requires a bit more that just more psychiatrists and psychologists and pills... and let's make sure that both commissions have not been 'delaying tricks' as their 'findings' have been knowns for a very long time! Paul Verhaeghe (2014) What about me? The struggle for identity in a market-based society Melbourne: Scribe

Continuing our investigations of the background to the production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, Jacques has a conversation with Dr. Deborah Gleeson, Co-convenor of the Political Economy of Health Special Interest Group of the Public Health Association Australia.Deborah documents the extraordinary arrogance and selfishness of the wealthy countries pre-ordering the bulk of the billions of vaccine units being produced, condemning the poor countries to only receiving sufficient and affordable access in years to come.A scandal of global proportions…

Jennifer and Jacques talk about the big steal by pharmaceutical monopolies that are restricting access to the COVID vaccine for massive private profit - even after being gifted the research and development for the vaccines which has been paid for from the public purse.Jacques has recently translated an article about this from Dutch by Vincent Navarro, and he shares some of the insights from this. Dean Baker in On Beating Inequality & COVID-19: Tackle Patent and Copyright Monopolieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z43-mrk7Ws&feature=emb_title Thomas Cueni, president of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries in an opinion piece in the New York Times of 10th December 2020 (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/opinion/coronavirus-vaccine-patents.html)

Jennifer interviews David Hayward, emeritus professor of public policy at RMIT University, about the need to invest in caring work, the support sector and the common good.David describes the failure of privatisation in areas such as aged care and childcare, with many private companies using government revenue for property development rather than good quality support!In addition, investment of public money in the private profit model has led to under-investment in caring and support work, and precarious, casualised and underpaid work.This work is mainly done by women. David finishes the interview with some ideas about what we need to do to remedy this situation

Jacques and Jennifer talk about cooperative housing and its shape and history. They aim to open up our thinking and imagination about better and alternative ways of living, together beside the usual private ownership or renting, or social and public housing.This also has implications for the organisation of our work, and the common need to sell the best of ourselves in the market place in exchange for a wage. And it leads to profound questions about nuclear family living and our consumerist addictions.

Jacques speaks about housing - public, social, community, cooperative -with Abigail Lewis from local Think Tank Per Capita. Abigail (and PerCapita) make a strong argument for the inclusion of a strong proportionof public housing in the 5 Billion Dollar injection in the 'social'housing sector by the Victorian Government, as it is the most effectiveway to combat homelessness. She also points at the need to build housingof good quality responding to ecological criteria and to the varyingneeds and capabilities of intended groups of residents, for example,ageing groups or people with disability.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about recent events in the US, especially with the storming of the Capitol.They argue that what happened is no aberration or surprise but the culmination of long term inequality and racism, as well as some pretty immoral strategising by Republicans – something for us all to take stock of…

Jennifer interviews Donna Stolzenberg about The Kala Space, which is an Op Shop and social enterprise that employs homeless people. Donna explains how people become homeless through circumstances beyond their control. They may have been homeless since their teens, or increasingly with COVID, they may be newly homeless after losing their job and normal income.The Kala Space offers flexibility to employees in recognition of difficult life circumstances they may be navigating.Donna urges people to support The Kala Space by shopping there.

Jacques and Jennifer pull together themes from past programs and look at new evidence showing how our system is rigged in favour of the wealthy and the powerful.They suggest some of the paths we need to take together if we are to find our way out of this.Piketty, T. (2020) Capital and Ideology Cambridge (MA): Belknap Press (Harvard Uni. Press_

Jacques and Jennifer reflect on the year 2020 and how it was covered in the program, including COVID-19 and all of its effects and revelations.We certainly learnt a lot about ourselves as a society, and had pause to think about better ways of organising ourselves and caring for each other and all living things.

Jacques and Jennifer revisit the theme of 'relationality' from their very first program i.e. the idea that we do not really exist as separate individuals, but as part of living networks of relationships with each other and nature.We need to rid ourselves of the western notion that people are the centre of creation, who can exploit nature with impunity.Instead, for our very survival, we need to nurture healthy relationships - between men and women, between people, and with all living things on this planet.Articles and books referred to: Haraway, D. (2016). Staying with the trouble: Making kin in the chthulucene. Durham: Duke University Press.Kimmerer, R.W. (2013). Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teaching of plants. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions.Boulet, J (2021) “Restorative and Regenerative Relational Praxis must include the Non-human” in Bozalek, V & Pease, B (eds.) Post-Anthropocentric Social Work: Critical Posthumanist and New Materialist Perspectives London: Routledge pp.46 - 57

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the widespread crisis of violence against women – where it comes from and whom it serves.They look at how we can move to a world of co-caring, gender equality and respectful, violence-free relationships

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the latest scandals around the 19 SAS soldiers in allegedly committing murders in Afghanistan - whether this can be put down to 'a few bad apples', or whether it is a natural extension of our military's ways of doing things...?

Jacques and Jennifer look at the recent US election, and the dirty electioneering tricks that reached a new low under Trump. Can we learn anything about power and politics in general, and are there parallels with the situation in Australia?

Jacques and Jennifer look at our PM’s faux horror that the recent head of Australia Post gave four Cartier watches worth 20,000 dollars to executives, and they contrast that with all the other ways that billions of dollars of our common wealth are funnelled up to the higher end of town and to corporate mates, not to mention blatant pork barrelling – much of this by the PM’s own government

Jacques talks with two community services workers who have been involved in making sure that hundreds, if not thousands, of international students are getting the basics for their survival, housing, food, health...They and their families paid huge amounts of money to come and study here and then got stuck because of COVID-19.And there has not even been one attempt by the government to include them in the anyway meagre payments for jobseeker/keepers...And the silence around this is deafening... To donate to help international students go to: Give Now for international students

Jacques and Jennifer give a potted history of public housing in Victoria, including the trend to privatise public housing as discussed the previous week. As the 'Great Australian Dream' of home ownership becomes impossible for many, the presenters look at other forms of social and cooperative housing that are more prevalent in other countries. They suggest the time is ripe to consider and promote them here in Australia.CORRECTION: Under Liberal PM Robert Menzies (after 1956) about 90,000 public housing properties were sold (as policy bolstered private home ownership). Jennifer overzealously added a zero and said 900,000! We think 90,000 is still an astonishing figure.

Jennifer interviews Kate Shaw from the School of Geography, University of Melbourne. Kate explains the difference between public housing and community housing, and she makes the case for more state-built public housing in Australia. Kate also explains why Australian governments, peak housing bodies, and research centres fail to champion public housing.Once more, the neoliberal trend toward privatisation of public services is a culprit

Jacques and Jennifer dissect the recent Federal Budget, taking us beyond the spin and lies.They argue it is set to entrench long term inequality and disadvantage, and it fails to address the urgency of climate change.They finish with a call for resistance and to become more informed about what's really going on...

Jacques and Jennifer look at what we can learn from mistakes made in Victoria that led to COVID-19 spreading from hotel quarantine into communities.It seems that certain problems have been in play long before the pandemic. These include the outsourcing of essential public services, the loss of expertise in management of the area being managed (such as health), and the inability of bureaucracies to address the challenges we face holistically. Refs.Ros Gittens in the Age 30 September 2020, p.20.Sarah Russell in the Age 8/9/2020 ‘Aged care tragedy years in the making.’Jan Carter in the Age 8/9/2020 Ideological tide swamped state

Jacques talks with Bill Genat who is involved in movements to resist the plans of energy giant AGL to establish a massive Liquid Natural Gas import facility with Floating Storage and Regasification Unit at Crib Point and a gas pipeline to Packenham in Melbourne’s south-east. Apart from its gruesome size (300m long, 50 m wide, 50m high the size of the Ruby Princess cruise ship) is intrudes and endangers wetlands of global important (Ramsar designated in 1982) and risks to cause several other ecological disasters. (23rd of May:) Some weeks ago, the Victorian Government rejected the AGL application... a victory for good xense - but why did it have to take so much time and effort???? Jacques Boulet)References:Google AGL Crib Point EES to read AGL's take on the project;Go to the Crib Point IAC website to read about the hearing processRead the passionate submissions of those who wish to protect beautiful Western Port Bay, French Island Marine Park and French Island National Park and the thousands of gorgeous waterbirds, marine creatures and microscopic miracles who create that wonderland; go to the Save Westernport website and donate so the best legal minds are available to defend this precious natural heritage.Also, for a look at what happens to tye industry in the US, go to:Can You Pitch in $280 Billion for the Oil and Gas Industry? editor@desmogblog.com via cmail19.com

Jennifer interviews Mark Zirnsak from the Tax Justice Network Australia about the federal government's proposal to bring forward tax breaks for the wealthy in the time of the pandemic. Not only would these tax breaks go to the most well-off, according to the experts, they would not stimulate the economic recovery anyway. Moreover, these tax gifts to the high end of town would mean less funding for services and for adequate Centrelink payments.Shane Wright, Jennifer Duke (2020) The Age, 18 September 2020, p.8.Tax cuts for COVID ‘naive’, former Liberal leader John Hewson says in new budget campaign 21 September (together with the Australia Institute https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2020/09/21/tax-cuts-covid-john-hewson/ Morrison's tax cuts are not temporary or targeted – they are ideological and inequitable Richard Denniss in the Guardian 16/09/2020 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/16/morrisons-tax-cuts-are-not-temporary-or-targeted-they-are-ideological-and-inequitable?utm_term=771ecdfe9ad32660354a1df0d29fca5e&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayAUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTAU_email Thomas Piketty (2020) Capital and Ideology Harvard University Press

Jennifer interviews Pauline Galvin who is standing for election for Moreland Council. Pauline proposes a holistic approach to social, environmental and economic wellbeing. She advocates for a 'public health' model that is preventive and locally embedded. In addition she believes that communities should be truly involved in decision making on an ongoing basis.

Jacques and Jennifer look at the inequities in our health and overall system and how the most disadvantaged people and groups bear the brunt of the coronavirus. At the same time they support the Victorian government's precautionary approach to keep us all safe from the virus, and they finish with some good news for people living alone.

The bHive Cooperative in Bendigo: one example of creating sustainable social and ecological change at the 'bottom'; Jacques has a conversation with Ian McBurney, one of the initiators of Bendigo's bHive Cooperative. Their website: www.bhive.coopLeadership and Change Blog Series: http://ianmcburney.com/blog/2019/2/4/where-leadership-began-the-campfire-blog-series-part-1 Talking ecoLogical Card set: http://ianmcburney.com/talkingecological Sustainability Street iBook (free!): http://ianmcburney.com/sustainability-street-ibook Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

Jacques and Jennifer talk about what is happening with the economy and the climate under COVID-19, and what we can learn to create a sustainable future. Liegey, Vincent & Nelson, Anitra (2020) Exploring Degrowth: An introduction to the Degrowth Movement London: Pluto PressNew Economics Foundation (2020) Beyond the Gig Economy: empowering the self-employed workforce www.neweconomics.orgBollier, David & Helfrich, Silke (2012) The Wealth of the Commonds: A World Beyond Market & State; Amherst: Levellers PressSocial and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, the local media have been waging a strident campaign against the Victorian premier and his government. Certainly, the likes of Murdoch's press, the Herald Sun, and Nine Entertainment's Age have not let the truth get in the way of their stories. Jacques and Jennifer discuss some of the low points, and the problematic concentration of Australia's media in a few (right wing) hands.

Jacques and Jennifer look at how are society is created on a day to day basis, how everyone is involved in this, and how everything in the universe is interconnected - including us with the surrounding ecology. They suggest it is important to think about this so we can best direct our efforts toward beneficial social change.Ref: Bohm, D. (1980) Wholeness and the implicate order. London: Routledge.Barad, Karen (2007) Meeting the Universe Halfway: quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning. Durham: Duke University Press

Homelessness can happen to anyone, as explained by Gavin O'Dee. He describes how he found himself homeless after a long career and many years in private rental. Gavin also tells how he found his way back into secure housing and who helped along the way. Jacques and Gavin agree that we need to build much more public and social housing.

Jacques and Jennifer explore the idea of a world divided into 'goodies and baddies' - whether this describes the world we live in, and whether this thinking is useful for social change.

Jacques and Jennifer revisit the concept of relationality from their first program, and the idea that we only exist as interdependent beings. They look at current events with COVID-19 through this lens and discuss the implications for doing things better for a healthy and sustainable world. Ref. Godbout, Jacques with Caillé, Alain (1998) The World of the Gift Montréal & Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.

Jacques talks to Kate Wheller, Executive Officer of Community Information and Support Victoria, or CISVic for short. CISVic is the peak body for community information and support services in Victoria. The discussion centres on the need to raise Centrelink payments like Jobseeker permanently.

Jacques and Jennifer discuss how local governments answer to higher levels of government rather than communities, and operate like factories delivering products in the market place. They first talk about universities and proposed defunding of the humanities. The program finishes with a look at the long-term winding back of preventative public health that works with local communities, (which has had dire consequences for the spread of the coronavirus). Overall, the managerialist, neoliberal approach siphons power from communities and from ordinary people. Garland, C. (2020) "Changing Behaviour:" The Hierarchical and Bureaucratic Imperative of Instrumental Reason in the Corporatized Universityhttps://www.academia.edu/43288760/Garland_C._2020_Changing_Behaviour_The_Hierarchical_and_Bureaucratic_Imperative_of_Instrumental_Reason_in_the_Corporatized_University

Jacques and Jennifer talk about proposed changes to university funding, with attacks on the humanities, arts and social sciences to make people ‘job-ready’ and create docile citizens. Meanwhile, having lost the 'lucrative' international trade in students, things can only get worse... especially as it seems that it's all directed to privatisation of what needs to remain a public 'duty' to educate (rather than 'train') the next generation of citizens!

Jacques and Jennifer wonder why certain media outlets are focusing so much on branch stacking in the Victorian Labor party, but ignoring all the other serious things that are happening – like the federal government’s outrageous rorting of various community funds for its own electoral advantage.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the treatment of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Australia comparing some of the past policies andpractices, from disaenfranchising the locals, rejecting non-whites, accepting 'other' Europeans, then the breakthrough of the Vietnamese to the present terrible treatment of asylum seekers.... And the story is rather abysmal...

Jacques and Jennifer talk about political discourses and polices in Australia over the last few decades, providing some context to the current Black Lives Matter protests. They finish with the Aboriginal ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’, proposed as a way forward in 2017.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about biased public discourse and the current focus on China as a diversion from failings in our own system. These failings are substantial and are economic, social and ecological. As a case study, Jacques talks about the deterioration in journalism from The Age newspaper, since being taken over by Nine Entertainment with its right wing Board.

Jennifer asks Tim Kennedy, National Secretary of the United Workers Union, to share some of his ideas about the future of work and what directions it could and should take. Amongst other things, Tim talks about fairer sharing of our country’s wealth, having a universal basic income, public ownership of essential services, and worker-owned businesses. Jennifer and Tim agree that union membership is important for worker solidarity and creating change for a better future. Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

Jacques interviews Michael Hamel Green about the online Australian Living Peace Museum, and his experience with peace activism from the Vietnam war to the present. Michael tells us how we can visit the museum online and make submissions for peace exhibits to be included.New exhibits on the Museum webaite:Doris Blackburn, by Carolyn RasmussenAustralian Conscientious Objectors to War, by Geoffrey SandyJim Cairns by Paul StrangioAustralia at Federation in 1901, by Joy DamousiThe Australian Peace Movement 1914-18 by Val NooneDeadly Legacies: Gallipoli, WW1 and the Continuing Belief in Military Security, by Marianne HansonProject Albany and the Centenary of the Great War, by Bruce ScatesAll of these exhibits can be seen on the website at http://www.livingpeacemuseum.org.au/omeka/ by navigating through ‘Explore galleries in the Museum’.

Jacques interviews David Hall about community development in the 70s and what we can learn from it for today. In particular, David talks about the Australian Assistance Plan introduced by the Whitlam government 50 years ago.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the directions we are taking as a society, and where we need to re-direct ourselves and our systems to create healthy places where we can all live, work and thrive. Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

This May Day, Jacques and Jennifer discuss the nature of work, its history and possible future directions of work in Australia and internationally, bringing us to the current time of the coronavirus and associated 'work-less-ness'....They wonder whether 'work' is indeed the solution for all welfare problems...? and why would the conservatives be so adamant about 'creating' jobs and suggesting the unemployed should just try harder...? And why should we 'love' our jobs for goodness sakes...? For example cooking greasy burgers in an unhealthy industrial kitchen and being abused by drive-in bogans...????

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the shifting of financial risk in our system in a variety of ways, from those at the top to those at the bottom. They discuss examples of this including recent proposals for the tax payer to rescue airline Virgin Australia and to wear the financial risk that has come to fruit with the coronavirus.

Jennifer interviews Marcella Brassett from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre about the desperate situation of asylum seekers living in the community in the time of the coronavirus. Many have no income at all from the government and have lost the casual work they were dependent on just to survive. Marcella tells us what the ASRC is doing to support asylum seekers, and how we can support its work and its campaigning for change. Details are provided here:1300 692 772 - donations to support the ASRC’s emergency relief. Email Anne Ruston MP.Call Anne Ruston. Lodge a complaint with Health Minister Greg Hunt that detention is a public health risk.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about the coronavirus pandemic and the western bias in the way it’s being reported. They look at the devastating effects of disease introduced by Europeans on Aboriginal people in Australia and on First Nation people elsewhere. Why is no one talking about this? They also discuss the anti-Chinese bias in media reporting of the coronavirus, and the excesses of capitalism on all sides.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about what’s happening with the coronavirus and how public policies and discourse have suddenly changed, as well as people’s everyday lives. They begin a discussion about possibilities for lasting change.

In this program Jacques interviews Kate Wheller, Executive Officer of Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic) about the effect of the coronavirus on the community welfare sector. CISVic is the peak body for community information and support services in Victoria, including emergency relief. Kate talks about the effect of the coronavirus on volunteering, especially as many volunteers are older and are particularly vulnerable. Despite this, most member agencies continue to provide assistance for community members, but not face-to-face

The coronavirus has taken us all by surprise and revealed certain fault lines in our health system and all the other parts and processes connected to and sustaining that system. These fault lines include the systematic cuts in the resourcing of our public health system and the shift to privatisation, the casualisation of our workforce, and the neoliberal focus on people as 'mere' individuals rather than social in nature and therefore fully connected and related with one another and with the nature that surrounds us and of which we are part - indeed, an increasingly damaging part as the Anthropocene concept suggests.

This is the third program focusing on community development (with some initial discussion about the federal government's economic stimulus package). An overview of trends in international community development over the last 60 years is provided, along with the impacts of these changes. Finally a brief overview is given of current community development initiatives.

Jennifer continues her interview with Jacques about community development and its relevance today. What is it? Is it something inherently conservative, such as helping people make friends, or does it offer possibilities for systemic change? Does the idea of healthy 'relationality' (with each other and nature) form a basis for doing both?

Following previous programs on community participation in the directions we are taking as a society, this program explores community development as an approach. Jennifer interviews Jacques about his thoughts and experience with community development, starting in the 60s. System-change and the fostering of healthy relationality are both seen to be important in community development.

In this program, Moreland Councillor Sue Bolton shares her perspective on the capacity for democratic participation through local government.

Many people have experienced or witnessed the devastating top-down, command-and-control approach of our 'democratic' governments, where the views and interests of ordinary people are often treated with disdain or disregard. This program begins an exploration of different types of attempt to integrate the views of the people - or at least to give the appearance that this is happening.

While governments use Public Private Partnerships (known as PPPs) to provide infrastructure, companies run off with the profit and the government and the people wear the risks and costs. This is certainly the case with the Westgate Tunnel, with builders threatening to walk away from the project due to the cost of disposing contaminated soil (which they knew about well in advance). The history of PPPs is provided in this program and some more democratic and economic alternatives are suggested. Social and Solidarity Economy: Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

If passed by Parliament, the Religious Discrimination Bill would privilege concerns about religious discrimination over concerns about other forms of discrimination, for example against women, people with disabilities, and gay people. It would 'sustain nastiness and hostility that [Australia] can well do without', [former high court justice Michael Kirby] with provisions that 'appear to be motivated by a desire to allow people to be nasty to others' [Professor of constitutional law, Luke Beck]. The Pentecostalist beliefs of our PM and conservative religious beliefs of other Federal Ministers seem to be inappropriately influential in putting forward such a Bill.

While bushfires rage across Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison prays for rain and waits for the Rapture - but he doesn't 'hold the hose' he said as he was leaving for a Hawai holiday.... This program explores the scary ways in which Australia's public policy is being guided - or simply put on hold - by our PM's Pentecostalist faith. Most serious is the federal government's inaction on climate change closely followed by welfare and social security legislation and policies... .

While bushfires ravage large areas across several Australian states, our federal leaders deny that climate change is happening and that they have anything to do with the fires. Fake news spread by the Murdoch press and social media offer a range of phony reasons for the disaster, all of which have been debunked by climate scientists and fire chiefs in the relevant states. And meanwhile, our PM declares that he's 'not holding the hose, mate...!' Talking about arrogance and ignorance!!!

James Conlan talked about a local campaign to bring about the community's vision for redevelopment of the Upfield railway line in Coburg, in the inner north of metropolitan Melbourne. The railway line is being raised to do away with railway crossings, however the community wants to have a real say in what happens in the spaces below, and to improve bike paths and public transport linkages.

The commons as an approach offers a way to better organise our lives for the common good and the sustainability of our planet. In this program the history, meaning and practice of the commons is discussed, including a need to look to Aboriginal knowledge to deal with climate change and the current fires in Victoria and Australia.References:Bauman, (1998) Work, Consumerism and the New Poor. UK: Open University PressBollier, D. (2014) Think like a Commoner Gabriola Island: New Society PublishersBollier, D. & Helfrich, S. (2012) The Wealth of the Commons. Amherst: Levellers PressGoodall, J.R. (2019) The politics of the common good: Dispossession in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Ltd.Raygorodetsky, G. (2017) Archipelago of Hope. New York: Pegasus Books.Yunkaporta, T. (2019) Sand talk How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World. Melbourne: Text Publ.Web resources:International Association for the Study of the Commons: International Journal of the Commons (www.thecommonsjournal.org)P2P Foundation (Peer to Peer Foundation)Shareable: people-owered solutions for the common good (www.shareable.net)Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

Jennifer interviews Jacques about the global inequities in access to food, and the associated disempowerment of people in relation to food production and distribution (as featuring in the latest edition of New Community, # 67). While half the world is 'stuffed' and obsessed with food, the other half is 'starving'. Jacques talks a bit about some of the root causes, as well as the sort of projects that might offer some solution.Refs:Moore, J. and Patel, R. (2017) A history of the world in seven cheap things. US: University of California Press.Yunkaporta, T. (2019) Sand talk: How indigenous thinking can save the world. Melbourne: Text.Patel, R. (2009) The value of nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy New York: PicadorVivero-Pol, Ferrando, De Schutter & Mattei (2018) The Routledge Handbook of Food as Commons London: Routledge... and everything written by Vandana Shiva... Several issues and articles in the New Community Vol. 17 (3)

Jennifer and Jacques talk about climate change and the absolute abrogation of responsibility by our leaders. And their dedication to fossil fuels is really astounding... or is there a more plausible reason behind it...?The spectacle of governmental shennanigans around all aspects of global warming, climate change and anything 'ecological' is just astaunding...

Pablo Gimenez talks about his work in setting up and running social enterprises, and he shares some of the challenges and enablers.Refs:Mansfield, C. and Gregory, D. (2019) Capitalism in crisis? Transforming our economy for people and planet. UK: Social Enterprise UK (www.socialenterprise.org.UK)Social Enterprise UK (2019 The hidden revolution: Size and scale of social enterprise in 2018. UK: Social Enterprise UK (www.socialenterprise.org.UK)Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

David Craig from VALID talks about his work in the disability field, especially with peer action groups.

In this episode, Bob Pease talks about men, gender, family violence, and developments in the men's movement over the last few decades. Bob was one of the founders of the White Ribbon campaign in Australia and offers some interesting insights.Ref: Pease, B. (2019) Facing patriarchy. London: Zed Books.

This program continues the teme of 'sociogeneic' and governogenic' mental illness - with addiction being generated by the design, proliferation and regulation of high-intensity poker machines for private profit and government revenue.Refs:Borrell, J. (2008) Understanding problem gambling: the interaction of personal and stuctural processes. Germany: VDM Verlag.Costello, T. & Millar, R. (2000) Wanna bet?: Winners and losers in gambling's luck myth. NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Jacques and Jennifer have a conversation about mental illness, particularly those generated by and within current social circumstances. Some of the misguided notions about causes and remedies are explored, with a focus on one man's journey.Ref:Hari, J. (2018) Lost connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression - and the unexpected solutions. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

The presenters explore how narcissism as a 'disorder' is the perfect fit for our current version of capitalism: greed is still 'good'... and 'I' deserve all I got and still can get... and 'wealth is god's gift (to me)'...Refs:Manne, A. (2015) The Life of I: The new culture of narcissism. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.Also see references for previous program: 'Psychopathic behaviour and power'.

Why has psychopathic (or sociopathic) behaviour taken root in the upper and middle levels of management in the community sector in recent times, a sector where we should least expect this to happen? This is explored, with some reference to neoliberal ideology and managerialism.Refs: See previous program on psychopathic behaviour and power.

Jacques and Jennifer talk about socio- and psychopathic behaviour and power, and how psychopathic behaviour is encouraged and rewarded in our society.Refs:Clarke, J. (2005) Working with monsters: How to identify and protect yourself from the workplace psychopath. Sydney: Random House Australia.Manne, A. (2015) The life of I: The new culture of narcissism. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.Ronson, J. (2012) The psychopath test: A journey through the madness industry. London: Picador.Verhaeghe, P. (2012) What about me: The struggle for identity in a market-based society. Brunswick: Scribe Publications.

The economist Manfred Max-Neef died in August 2019. He was referred to as the 'barefoot economist' - a title conferred on him when he received the Alternative Nobel Proze for economics or the Right Livelihood Award. He received this for 'revitalising small and medium-sized communities through "Barefoot Economics"'. There is evidently much we can learn from his work and thinking.Ref:Max-Neef, M. (1992) From the outside looking in: Experiences in barefoot economics. Zeb Books.

This episode looks at the fragmented and uncoordianted way in which we are governed and how our lives are organised. The consequences for our personal and social wellbeing and for the health of the planet are serious. In particular, consumerism as a solution to bolster a flagging economy is in direct contravention of what is needed for environmental sustainability. The episode ends with information about movements and strategies to foster a healthy environment, community and economy holistically.Patel, R. (2008) Stuffed and starved: Markets, power and the hidden battle for the world food system. London: Portobello BooksPatel, R. & Moore, J. (2017) A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things Berkeley: Uni. of California Press

In this program public and societal values are discussed. What values are promoted by our public figures? What values are rewarded? What values do we think are important in our lives? Are these changing?

We discussed the undesirability and impossibility of continual economic growth in a previous program. In this program we explore the 'degrowth' movement as a more hopeful alternative.Ref:Meadows, D., Randers, J., Behrens III, W.W. (1972) The limits to growth. Creative Commons attribution non commercial license.Web search for:Local Futures NetworkNew Economy Network Australia (NENA)Michael Bauwens P2P (Peer to Peer network)Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

In this program Kate Wheller, mother to two children with a disability, speaks about her experience of the NDIS.

In recent times the Morrison Government's credentials for managing the economy have come into question with the slowing of its growth. This program looks at how we measure economic growth and what it means. Is continual economic growth even possible or desirable? And who and what are the winners and losers of all that presumed growth...?Refs:Raworth, K. Doughnut economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st century economist. London: Cornerstone.Stiglitz, J.E. (2019) People, power and profits: Progressive capitalism for an age of discontent. UK: Allen Lane.Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

Are programs to improve resilience in children the best way to go? Perhaps we need to look at what is reducing resilience in the first place. This program refers back to the first program on relationality, making the argument that our individual and collective wellbeing relies on the health of the living network of relationships that we live and breathe within. Many of our mental health problems can be traced to the fracturing of this living network, in our hyper-individualised society. "Rather than compliment people about their resilience, society should make them less vulnerable!"Ref:Deveson, A. Resilience (NB: book details to follow)

This episode explores the usefulness of Royal Commissions. What are they? Why are we having so many? Are they effective or are there better and more economical ways of spending our common wealth for the better?

This program explores and compares the organisation of some cooperatives in Australia and in Argentina. Some of the challenges and success are explored in the context of different social, cultural, economic and governance contexts. The program finsihses with ideas and resources for people interested in more cooperative approaches to organising ourselves and living together.Ref:Borrell, J. and Boulet, J. (2019) 'Cooperatives across systems and cultures... Exploring possibilities and struggles in Argentina and Australia'. New Community, 65, pp.82-86. Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

For this program Jennifer continues her interview with Jacques about a book chapter he has written on populism, social media and community development.Ref:Boulet, J (2021a) “Social-media-weaponised Populism and Community Development” in Kenny, S, Ife, J & Westoby, P (eds.) Populism, Democracy and Community Development Bristol: Policy Press pp. 89 - 108

We've heard a lot about populist movements sweeping across the world, amidst the disenchantment of the marginalised. Todays populist movements seem to be turbo charged by social media which has co-opted the most initmate areas of our lives. For this program Jennifer interviews Jacques about a book chapter he has recently written, which includes some suggestions for a countering community development approach.Ref:Boulet, J. (2019) 'Populism and the lure of social media. Wherre to for community development?' (NB: book details to follow)

The scams and frauds of the banking industry, exposed by the Royal Commission, have been enabled by loose or (pretty much) self-regulation. Meanwhile the federal government wants to tighten the screws on unions. The differential treatment of banks and unions is pretty stark, with successive governments clearly aligning themsleves with the interests of those holding wealth and power.Ref: Ziffer, D. (2019) A wunch of bankers. Brunswick: Scribe Publications.

Tax breaks for the wealthy, and squeezing those on the lowest incomes and struggling to survive on poverty-level Centrelink payments... how brazenly our politicians increase the divide between the haves and have-nots.Ref:Stiglitz, J.E. (2019) People, power and profits: Progressive capitalism for an age of discontent. UK: Allen Lane.

How has it come to pass that corporations, enabled by digital technology, can now spy on us in the most initmate areas of our lives, and use or sell this information for commercial profit? How can this happen without our real knowledge or consent? This program poses and discusses these questions and presents a challenge to the current status quo.Refs:Richmond, B. (2019) A day in the life of data. Removing the opacity surrounding data collection, sharing and use environment in Australia. Melbourne: Consumer Policy Resource Centre (CPRC).Zuboff, S. (2019) The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. London: Profile Books Ltd.

Managerialism refers to the spread and legitimacy of a certain approach to management that has taken over all aspects of our lives without any real critique. Disguised as something technical, it is really an ideology and a practice of power, in which the whole world is treated as a type of factory.Refs:Culbert, S.A. (2010) Get rid of the performance review. How companies can stop intimidating, start manaaging and focus on what really matters. NY: Business Plus.Klikauer, T. (2013) Managerialism: A critique of an ideology. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

We talk a lot about the economy, but do we really know what an 'economy' is? How is its' success calaculated? Who or what is it for? Has it got anything to do with the wellbeing of people and the planet? This program answers these questions and poses a few challenges.Ref: Raworth, K. Doughnut economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st century economist. London: Cornerstone.Social and Solidarity Economy Is There a New Economy in the Making? Peter Utting, Nadine van Dijk and Marie-Adélaïde Matheïfile:///G:/various%20materials/UNRISD_Occasional_Paper_Social_and_Solid.pdf

For this episode we had a bit of fun while inviting donations to keep 3CR going. We discussed how certain words and phrases can be used by those in power to consolidate and extend their power, and to legitimise the harms inflicted on people in the name of efficiency and profit-for-the-few.Ref: Watson, D. (2004) Weasel words. Sydney: Knopf.

What does it mean to be a human being? Are we isolated individuals interacting or 'transacting' with other individuals - or are we more interconnected than that?Refs:Gergen, K.J. (2009) Relational being. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Spretnak, C. (2011) Relational reality. Topsham: Oxford University Press.