Centre for Independent Studies

S3E8 | Roslyn Fuller ’That’s not democracy, this is democracy!’

On this episode Rob chats to author Roslyn Fuller. Liberals believe in the value of democracy, but Roslyn tells Rob there is truly little of it in the world today. This is because there is little direct power given to people in our system of government. Drawing on the example of ancient Athens, Roslyn outlines her preferred model of direct democracy. Her critique of the current representative democracy is that it is open to corruption and devoid of what the people actually want. Roslyn argues for a more direct engagement of people in decision making.

S3E4 | Steven Schwartz ’Liberalism: the winner in the battle of ideas but the loser on the ground’

On this episode Rob chats with former university vice-chancellor Steven Schwartz. Steven understands liberalism as an attitude that gives everyone an opportunity to flourish — an attitude of ‘live and let live’ so long as you do not interfere with others living their lives. He believes liberalism has won the big battle of ideas, but that it keeps on being undermined in the narrow world of practical politics.

S3E5 | Mike Bird ’A theologian who thinks secularism is a very good thing’

Rob talks to Mike Bird, the Academic Dean at Ridley Theological College Melbourne, on the importance of secularism in contemporary Australian life and about his recent book Religious Freedom in a Secular Age (Harper Collins, May 2022). Mike contends that with a secular government religious bodies do not control the state and the state does not control religious bodies—to the benefit of both. They also discuss the threats to a secular government, which come surprisingly not from religious bodies but from those opposed to religion. The possibility of a peace between LGBTQI+ rights and religious freedom is canvassed.

S3E6 | Claire Lehmann ’Against tribalism. Take an empirical not emotional approach’

Claire Lehmann, founding editor of Quillette sits down with Rob. Claire explains the philosophy of the Quillette project in promoting Enlightenment values of reason, the use of evidence, and free thought which first arose to confront unconscious left-wing bias in psychology. She believes ideological diversity is helpful in any search for truth because everyone has blind spots. Rob and Claire discuss the nature and dangers of tribalism in thought. She believes that while liberalism is not under threat in Australia there is the danger of importing populist movements of both left and right from the US.

S3E7 | Sabine Beppler-Spahl ’Challenges and opportunities for liberalism in Germany’

Speaking from Berlin, Sabine speaks with Rob about why she set up the Freiblickinstitut (Free Vision Institute) to promote open freedom of discussion and tolerance in public debate. They discuss some of the tragic moments of lost opportunity for liberalism in Germany history. Sabine explains why there is no German word for ‘Cancel Culture’ in German, even though the phenomenon exists in a country that has always had some form of censorship. She describes the unusual powers of the courts in Germany to decide matters of public debate as well as the unhelpful role of political consensus in stifling debate. Nonetheless she is hopeful for the future of liberalism in Germany.

On Liberty EP97 | Mark Latham | We Must Increase The Size And Skill Of Our Teacher Workforce

We welcomed Mark Latham, Member of the NSW Legislative Council and Chair of the NSW Parliament’s Education Committee.
There are important challenges facing teachers across Australia, resulting in significant attention from federal and state policymakers.
Mark argues that teacher shortages are a serious problem impacting on the learning of children in very real ways – resulting in merged classes, out-of-field teaching, and the scrapping of some school support programs.
He points to results of a recent survey of NSW teachers showing many are burnt out, overworked, and dissatisfied – leaving many to consider leaving the profession. The solution to address teacher shortages – according to the survey – is to reduce administrative burden, increase pay, and improve working conditions.
Where are our teacher shortages? How can teacher supply challenges be resolved? Are we doing enough to build up and sustain an effective teacher workforce?

On Liberty EP98 | Peter Gregory | The Territory Gap

We welcomed Mark Latham, Member of the NSW Legislative Council and Chair of the NSW Parliament’s Education Committee.
There are important challenges facing teachers across Australia, resulting in significant attention from federal and state policymakers.
Mark argues that teacher shortages are a serious problem impacting on the learning of children in very real ways – resulting in merged classes, out-of-field teaching, and the scrapping of some school support programs.
He points to results of a recent survey of NSW teachers showing many are burnt out, overworked, and dissatisfied – leaving many to consider leaving the profession. The solution to address teacher shortages – according to the survey – is to reduce administrative burden, increase pay, and improve working conditions.
Where are our teacher shortages? How can teacher supply challenges be resolved? Are we doing enough to build up and sustain an effective teacher workforce?

On Liberty EP96 | Eliza Owen | Is The Property Bubble Bursting?

On the show this week, Salvatore Babones returns to discuss the future of housing and rental prices with Eliza Owen of CoreLogic.
Many Australian homeowners and renters will be nervously waiting to see what effects the RBA's interest rate increases will have on their home loans and rent payments. While increases to the cash rate may help ease house price pressures, and stem inflation, many first home buyers know this represents an increase to their monthly repayments.
According to Eliza Owen's research these rate hikes have slowed the property market as property values in Sydney are down almost 5% since mid-February’s peak. In fact, Owen reports that monthly sales volumes across Australia have generally been trending lower since November 2021."

On Liberty EP95 | Simon Breheny | No Harm Done From Harm Reduction

We welcome Simon Breheny, Public Policy Manager at Philip Morris International and former Policy Director at the Institute of Public Affairs.
Simon argues that it’s more humane, less costly, and more effective to focus on reducing harm caused from consumption of lifestyle products, like tobacco and drugs, rather than only seeking to prevent use entirely.
Choking supply of potentially harmful drugs doesn’t prevent access to, or use of, drugs. But it can unnecessarily result in riskier conditions for users.
The goal should be to reduce potential harm, not prevent drug use itself. Harm reduction is not pro- or anti-drug use, but it is pro-user – meaning that it directs unconditional support to individuals without judgment or persecution.
Has the ‘war on drugs’ failed? Are we too heavy-handed in regulating use of drugs? How can policymakers reduce harm for users?
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On Liberty EP94 | Pamela Snow | Early Literacy Important For Later Success

Glenn Fahey speaks with Professor Pamela Snow to discuss the correlation between poor literacy education and later disadvantage in life. Professor Snow has undertaken extensive research into how people end up in the youth justice, out-of-home care systems and factors leading to non-participation in mainstream education.
Currently, 30-40% of students aren’t meeting minimum literacy benchmarks, the task is to ensure every teacher in every classroom in the country teaching K-2 has access to the best knowledge and practice on how to teach literacy. Disadvantaged young people who don’t get good early literacy opportunities fall out early from mainstream education because they are not coping. Her research uncovered alarmingly high levels of unidentified oral language difficulties and high rates of very low literacy in these prisons and out-of-home.