The IPA's Looking Forward Podcast - A weekly podcast of debate and discussion about politics and ideas hosted by Scott Hargreaves, Editor of the IPA Review and Chris Berg of RMIT University and Fellow of the IPA
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 30, 2020
Wednesday Sep 30, 2020
Victoria has been electrified by the prospect that politicians and public servants from the Premier down could be charged and even jailed for deaths attributable to the Hotel Quarantine fiasco, under tendentious new industrial manslaughter laws only recently enacted by the Andrews Government. Governments must be held to account, but is this the job of the courts, or Parliaments and voters? If we start jailing politicians for incompetence, where will it end? (33:25-44:59).
Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg are joined by Research Fellow Morgan Begg to discuss this and also the litany of civil rights violations justified in the name of pandemic. Where have been the institutions meant to defend our freedoms, and what precedent does this rampant State create for our future? (1:50-17:59).
The latest concern in Victoria is an “Omnibus Bill”, allowing government appointed ‘authorised officers’ to arrest and detain individuals just on the suspicion of intent to break rules. Is this necessary or just a left-wing Government’s adaption the Police State/‘law and order’ playbook formerly used by the right? (18:00-33:25).
Culture picks this week include the new Netflix film, Enola Holmes by Harry Bradbeer; Karl Ove Knausgaard’s book on Edvard Munch, So Much Longing in So Little Space; and a Netflix documentary by Jeff Orlowski, The Social Dilemma (44:59-1:04:55).
Shownotes:
Letter to WorkSafe Referring Ministers for Investigation; Ken Phillips
Four Victorian ministers, 16 public servants may face prosecution over alleged OHS law breaches; Robert Gottliebsen
Picnicking rule-breakers face $5000 fines with police to blanket parks; Simone Fox Koob
Regulate? Innovate!; Chris Berg on social media regulation
https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/regulate-innovate
Covid Totalitarianism; Morgan Begg
https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/covid-totalitarianism
Culture Picks:
Enola Holmes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7846844/
So Much Longing in So Little Space
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/so-much-longing-in-so-little-space-9781787300545
The Social Dilemma