Centre for Independent Studies

On Liberty Ep73 | Paul Fletcher | Governing In The Internet Age

We talk to Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. We'll discuss Paul's recent book Governing in the Internet Age (Monash University Publishing).
Over the past thirty years, the internet has transformed virtually every area of human activity, presenting enormous boosts to economic activity. For ordinary Australians, the internet provides an unprecedented opportunity to shop, work, and communicate online. It has become fundamental for daily life. Yet, digital platforms can also be forums for the wide circulation of abusive, defamatory material, for scammers to access sensitive data, and they disrupt many traditional forms of economic activity and business models.
All this presents a rich set of policy challenges for governments. So, should we be concerned about the many unproductive hours spent scrolling through social media? What has been the impact of the internet on our sovereignty? Moreover, how to do we ultimately protect our citizens?

On Liberty Ep72 | Dr James Kierstead | How Democratic Was Athenian Democracy?

This week as we talk to classicist Dr James Kierstead about the pasts and futures of ancient Athenian democracy. The Western world likes to trade its democratic institutions to ancient Greece, but the Greek model of citizenship was very different from our own, and Athens was far from the only democracy in the Greek world. We'll be asking Dr Kierstead about the Athenian constitution, how it operated in practice in the era of high democracy, the meaning of ancient Greek citizenship, and what it meant to be ostracised in a world without refugee conventions.

On Liberty Ep71 | Natasha Kassam | Taiwan Should Be Allowed To Join The CPTPP

We talk to Natasha Kassam, director (Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program) at the Lowy Institute, about China's military pressure, economic coercion, diplomatic isolation on Taiwan in recent years. In most international fora, China’s participation is a given, and Beijing has the upper hand. Australia and other countries advocate Taiwan’s inclusion on the margins. Yet this time Taiwan may actually be a better candidate for the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) than China.

On Liberty Ep70 | Peter Jennings | AUKUS, AUSMIN, And The

We talk to Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), about submarines, China, and the future of the Australia-UK-US security partnership.
Hot on the heels of the AUKUS announcement and the nuclear-powered submarines deal, Scott Morrison hitched a ride with Marise Payne and Peter Dutton to attend the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Washington, DC last week. While the foreign and defence ministers met their US counterparts Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, Morrison was in close conference with Joe Biden, discussing the future of US-Australia relations. What was on their agenda? What decisions were made? And what does AUKUS really mean for Australia?

On Liberty Ep69 | Sean Jacobs | What Would Neville Bonner Make Of Identity Politics Today?

This month marks 50 years since the first Indigenous Australian delivered a maiden address to federal parliament. This was a great achievement for Neville Bonner, who served as a Liberal senator from 1971 to 1983.
Bonner, according to a new biography, understood the tension, even chasm, between protest and compromise. “If you want to beat the system, you do it in a sensible, quiet way,” he argued. At a time when we are becoming accustomed to outbreaks of acute racial sensitivity – trigger warnings, micro-aggressions, the need for safe spaces – what would Neville Bonner make of identity politics today?

On Liberty Ep68 | Richard Alston | The EU And Its Flaws

We welcome Richard Alston former Liberal Senator for Victoria and senior cabinet minister in the Howard Coalition government. He is also author of recent CIS paper Reflections on the EU Project and its Flaws: A fatal conceit about markets and the real world. With worthwhile intentions, The EU, and its predecessor bodies, were set up with the aim of ending the long history of frequent and bloody wars between European neighbours. Its fundamental purpose was to promote greater social, political and economic harmony among the nations of Western Europe. Yet nowadays, nothing in its founding documents is advocated or even aspired to. Indeed, The European Union shows all the signs of worsening economic, social and political decline — from tepid economic growth and chronically high unemployment to social unrest and rising political extremism.

On Liberty Ep.63| Jordan Williams | What Lies Ahead For An Isolated New Zealand?

We welcome Jordan Williams, executive director and co-founder of the New Zealand Tax Payer's Alliance. Buoyed by the support of the vast majority of voters, New Zealand had managed to shield itself from Covid-19, but what lies ahead for an isolated New Zealand? With a housing crisis playing out, an imminent interest rate rise and excessive government spending on vanity projects, how is the Ardern Government faring?

On Liberty Ep 67 | William Coleman | Was Federation A Bad Idea?

We welcome William Coleman, Reader at the Research School of Economics at ANU. He is the prize-winning author, or co-author, of eight books including recently, Their Firery Cross of Union; A Retelling of the Creation of the Australian Federation (Connor Court). Recently writing in The Sydney Morning Herald, Chris Uhlmann wrote 'Scott Morrison now cannot travel through the country he governs. The Prime Minister is a prisoner in Canberra and his political fortunes in the run-up to the next election will rise and fall on the whims of premiers and chief ministers.' Until recently, Australians were seemingly indifferent or even unaware of some of the powers that states hold. COVID has changed that. With domestic borders closed, restrictions and avail of our liberties, are we seeing the fracture of the Federation?

On Liberty Ep66 | Scott Prasser | Royal Commissions And Public Inquiries In Australia

We welcome Scott Prasser, senior policy advisor and CIS scholar. In his recent book, Scott argues hardly a day passes in Australia without a public inquiry or royal commission being appointed, a report being released, or someone calling for an inquiry to be appointed. Since federation, the Commonwealth alone has appointed nearly 140 royal commissions and some 500 other public inquiries. Some inquiries last for years and cost over $300million – others are more focused and economical. So what do all these commissions really do? What are their powers, and importantly what are their impacts?.
Scott's recent book, Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries in Australia (LexisNexis) can be purchased here: https://store.lexisnexis.com.au/categories/practice-area/jurisdiction-827/royal-commissions-and-public-inquiries-in-australia-2nd-edition-skuroyal_commissions_and_public_inquiries_in_australia_2nd_edition

On Liberty Ep.65 | Senator Bridget McKenzie | The Legacy Of John ’Black Jack’ McEwen

We welcome Bridget McKenzie, Nationals Senator for Victoria since 2011. Senator McKenzie has held ministerial office in the Turnbull and Morrison Governments and has served as her party's Senate leader since 2019. In late 2020, McKenzie authored 'John McEwen: right man, right place, right time' (Connor Court), in this book she argues that his policies, known as ‘McEwenism,’ forged the nation’s post Second World War economic boom ushering in an era of unprecedented full employment and prosperity for all Australians. Does McEwenism, derided by the Right and dismantled by the Left have any relevance today.