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 Mar 04, 2020
Wednesday Mar 04, 2020
As COVID 19 tests key institutions like the WHO, the panel asks whether rate cuts and stimulus packages just further reveal that our central bankers and policy makers have no ideas what our economy really needs? (0:57-19:52) It’s the issue that made the IPA’s Evan Mulholland Twitter famous, so is the push for four-bins recycling and plastics obsessions scheme pushing Australia forward or back? (19:52- 33:17) Taxpayers are funding the ABC while its so-called Media Watch acts as the enforcement arm fighting critics like the IPA to protect its rivers of gold. (33:17-44:50)
Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Dara Macdonald and Evan Mulholland to answer these questions and share their culture picks including Helena Rosenblatt’s The Lost History of Liberalism, Yasmine Mohammed’s Unveiled, the Academy Award winner Parasite and the ABC’s podcast The Eleventh presented by Alex Mann. (44:50-1:02:10)
Show Notes
Speech, National Plastics Summit- Australian Parliament House, ACT; Prime Minister
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/speech-national-plastics-summit-australian-parliament-house-act
Environmentalists Make Good Movie Villains Because They Want to Make your Real Life Worse; Sonny Bunch
The Perverse Panic over Plastic; John Tierney
https://www.city-journal.org/needless-panic-over-disposable-plastic
Scott Morrison’s Recycling Strategy to Grow Green Jobs; Geoff Chambers
IPA v ABC; Media Watch
https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/ipa/12016756
Culture Picks
The Lost History of Liberalism; Helena Rosenblatt
https://www.amazon.com.au/Lost-History-Liberalism-Ancient-Twenty-First/dp/0691170703
Unveiled; Yasmine Mohammed
Parasite; Bong Joon Ho
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6751668/
The Eleventh; Alex Mann
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
Scott Morrison’s religious freedom bill has been labelled confusing, inappropriate, unfair and unloved; so is it finally dead? (1:34-20:07) When Bernie Sanders has a lock on the Democrat nomination, is his support for Castro’s Cuba just the tip of a communist iceberg ? (20:07-34:10) Looking Forward was at the Senate inquiry into nationhood, national identity and democracy, and asks if the High Court hasn’t hijacked the proces? (34:10-50:00) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Morgan Begg and RMIT University’s Dr Aaron Lane to answer these questions and dive into their culture picks including Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, the podcast Verdict with Ted Cruz, Victor Kravchenko’s I Chose Freedom and Clint Eastwood’s Richard Jewel. (50:00-1:09:24)
Show Notes
Unions and employers join forces to oppose religious freedom bill; Dana McCauley
At Cross Purposes; Morgan Begg
https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/at-cross-purposes
Saunders defends comments praising Castro’s Cuba: ‘The truth is the truth’; Paul LeBlanc
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/24/politics/sanders-defends-castro-cuba-comments-cnntv/index.html
Australian Values and the Enduring Importance of the Nation-State; Daniel Wild, Zachary Gorman and Andrew Bushnell
Culture Picks
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood; Marielle Heller
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3224458/
Verdict with Ted Cruz; Ted Cruz
https://www.podcastrepublic.net/podcast/1495601614
I Chose Freedom; Victor Kravchenko
https://www.amazon.com/Chose-Freedom-Personal-Political-Official/dp/B0006AQTT0
Richard Jewel; Clint Eastwood
Wednesday Feb 19, 2020
Wednesday Feb 19, 2020
What does the demise of Holden say about tariff protection and perennial dreams of a domestic manufacturing base? (1:53-25:40) What is the future of Australian identity now that the High Court has decided to make a third category of Australian? (25:40-45:43) Boris Johnson’s Government is looking at taking the BBC to a subscription model, so why not with the ABC and SBS? (45:43-55:14) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Andrew Bushnell and Dara Macdonald to answer these questions and share their culture picks including the award winning 2018 film Jojo Rabbit, Eric Weinstein’s podcast The Portal, William Dalrymple’s The Anarchy, and the 1957 film Sweet Smell of Success.
Show Notes
Holden closing down, to be axed from Australia by the end of 2021
ScoMo Yet to Learn His ABC’s; Justinian the Great
http://catallaxyfiles.com/2020/02/17/scomo-yet-to-learn-his-abcs/
Insane Obsession: Australia’s Auto Industry Waste; Chris Berg
http://chrisberg.org/2013/05/insane-obsession-australias-auto-industry-waste/
No 10 could scrap BBC licence fee in favour of a subscription model
Against Public Broadcasting; Chris Berg and Sinclair Davidson
Culture Picks
Jojo Rabbit; Taika Waititi
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2584384/
The Portal; Eric Weinstein
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-portal/id1469999563
The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company; William Dalrymple
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-anarchy-william-dalrymple/book/9781408864388.html
Sweet Smell of Success (1957); Alexander Mackendrick
Wednesday Feb 12, 2020
Wednesday Feb 12, 2020
How does the wreckage left by the High Court’s decision to create a new category of Australian affect our nation’s political and social future? (2:20-22:33) In the new age of money, what are the consequences of a digital currency amidst a public backlash over cash bans? (22:33-36:57) The MAdE Establishment group of George Calombaris has gone under taking 400 jobs with it, and the panel asks how much the longer hospitality sector can last as an award system of obscene complexity and a relentless union campaign on ‘wage theft’ poison the well? (36:57-50:20) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Gideon Rozner and Kurt Wallace to answer these questions as they celebrate the Looking Forward Podcast’s 50th episode! They then explore their culture picks for the week including the dramedy series Succession, Milton Friedman’s classic Capitalism and Freedom, Wilhelm Ropke’s The Humane Economist, and David Brooks’ landmark essay from The Atlantic, The Nuclear Family Was A Mistake. (50:20-1:18:42)
Show Notes:
Love v Commonwealth of Australia; Thoms v Commonwealth of Australia [2020] HCA 3 (11 February 2020)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA//2020/3.html
Radical High Court Divides Australia By Race; Morgan Begg
https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/media-releases/radical-high-court-divides-australia-by-race
Age of Currency Disruption is Here; Chris Berg
http://chrisberg.org/2020/02/age-of-currency-disruption-is-here/
George Calombaris: Unions Under Fire Over Empire Collapse; Ewin Hannan
George Calombaris: now all too many of those underpaid workers will also soon be unemployed; Charles Pier
Culture Picks:
Succession; HBO
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7660850/
Capitalism and Freedom; Milton Friedman
https://www.amazon.com.au/Capitalism-Freedom-Anniversary-Milton-Friedman-ebook/dp/B006JP11HQ
The Humane Economist; Wilhelm Röpke
https://shop.acton.org/products/the-humane-economist
The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake; David Brooks
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
This week the panel tackles the latest victories for unelected bureaucrats, as Bridget McKenzie takes a hit for the sin of ignoring Departmental advice, and the failed Foreign Interference laws licence snooping and partisan point scoring. Meanwhile the panel wonders how the federal government comes to be funding footy club change rooms in the first place (federalism anybody)? (1:50-10:55) And how Shadow Attorney-General seems to be the only one in Canberra who can get the bureaucracy to act with alacrity (10:55-25:15) And where do the Ministerial changes leave the National Party? (25:15-33:00) Also Scott Morrison shutting the border with China has economic implications for our massive tourism and education sectors; even as the Leninist state in China struggles to contain the crisis. (33:00-46:03) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Morgan Begg and Zachary Gorman to answer these questions and dive into their culture picks. This week’s picks include the horror film Doctor Sleep, Peter Seamer’s Breaking Point, Netflix’s new docuseries on the NFL star Aaron Hernandez, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, as well as Amanda Hollis-Brusky’s novel on The Federalist Society’s modern American political history movement, Ideas with Consequences: The Federalist Society and the Conservative. (46:03-1:09:07)
Show Notes:
Announcement of Grants; Australia National Audit Office (ANAO)
https://www.anao.gov.au/work/request/announcement-grants
Culture Picks:
Doctor Sleep; Mike Flanagan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/
Breaking Point; Peter Seamer
https://www.booktopia.com.au/breaking-point-peter-seamer/book/9781760641290.htmlKiller Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez; Netflix
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11475228/
Ideas with Consequences: The Federalist Society and the Conservative Counterrevolution (Studies in Postwar American Political Development); Amanda Hollis-Brusky
https://www.amazon.com/Ideas-Consequences-Conservative-Counterrevolution-Development/dp/0199385521
Thursday Jan 30, 2020
Thursday Jan 30, 2020
The Looking Forward Podcast welcomes the new year with the first show of 2020! In the Books and Culture segment the panel discusses the legacy of the late great British Conservative Philosopher, Sir Roger Scruton, who addressed a symposium of the IPA's Foundations of Western Civilisation Program in 2014. Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Andrew Bushnell and Dr Bella d’Abrera to explore Scruton's Uses of Pessimism, his commitment to the ideals of truth and beauty, and his place in the conservative pantheon. (54:07-1:03:00) At the top of the show the panel examines whether the nation has locked in behind Australia Day, as the left rebels against Tanya Plibersek's idea for schoolchildren to recite the pledge of citizenship (1:35-19:58) Also, the factors that contributed to the disasters of the fire season and why even the greens should be focussed on adaptation and prevention. (19:58-35:11) And finally, China has released a stream of misleading information regarding the coronavirus. What can we trust and what does it mean for Australians? (35:11-43:51). The other staff picks are the contemporary novel Fleishman is in Trouble, and the science fiction film Ad Astra starring Brad Pit (spoiler alert) (43:51-54:07).
Show Notes:
Tanya Plibersek calls for Australian children to take pledge of allegiance; SBS News
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/tanya-plibersek-calls-for-australian-children-to-take-pledge-of-allegiance
Roger Scruton on Liberty and Democracy in Western Civilisation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INKsy_vujTg&feature=youtu.be
Left Behind; IPA Review
https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/left-behind
Culture Picks:
Fleishman Is in Trouble; Taffy Brodesser-Akner
https://www.amazon.com.au/Fleishman-Trouble-Taffy-Brodesser-akner/dp/0525510877
Ad Astra; James Gray
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935510/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Uses of Pessimism; Roger Scruton
https://www.amazon.com/Uses-Pessimism-Danger-False-Hope/dp/0199968977
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
This week continues The Looking Forward Podcast’s Christmas Special! IPA staff discuss their favourite books of the year with Chris and Scott, giving the titles you cannot miss. Today’s podcast features Zachary Gorman and Renee Gorman as they discuss The American Counter Revolution (3:06-20:52) and The Madness of Crowds (20:52-33:02), followed by Gideon Rozner and Daniel Wild on Corkscrewed (33:41-44:22) and The Rise of Victimhood Culture (44:22-58:49). The episode then finishes with Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg reviews of Escape from Rome (59:05-1:16:16) and Rebooting AI (1:16:16- 1:26:47). Chris Berg also recommends Understanding the Blockchain Economy (1:27:11-1:27:27) and Cryptodemocracy (1:27:27-1:27:40).
Books discussed:
The American Counter Revolution
https://www.amazon.com/American-Counter-Revolution-Favor-Liberty-Americans/dp/3030037320
The Madness of Crowds
Corkscrewed
https://www.amazon.com.au/Corkscrewed/dp/1925642127
The Rise of Victimhood Culture
Escape from Rome
Rebooting AI
Understanding the Blockchain Economy
Cryptodemocracy
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
Thursday Dec 12, 2019
It’s The Looking Forward Podcast’s Christmas special! For the next two weeks IPA staff will be sharing their must-read book recommendations of the year for your summer reading with Chris and Scott. Today’s podcast has Andrew Bushnell and Dr Bella d’Abrera discuss Madame Bovary and Serotonin (1:46-25:08), followed by James Bolt and Peter Gregory on Catch & Kill and 12 Rules For Life (25:08-44:48), and then Theodora Pantelich and Kurt Wallace finish with The House of Government and My Father Left Me Ireland (44:48-1:11:13). We apologise for the delay of this week’s episode as we fell victim to nationwide internet outages.
Books discussed:
Madame Bovary
https://www.amazon.com/Madame-Bovary-Classics-Gustave-Flaubert/dp/0553213415
Serotonin
https://www.amazon.com/Serotonin-Novel-Michel-Houellebecq/dp/0374261024
Catch & Kill
https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Kill-Conspiracy-Protect-Predators-ebook/dp/B07TD413RV
12 Rules For Life
https://www.amazon.com.au/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021
The House of Government
https://www.amazon.com/House-Government-Saga-Russian-Revolution/dp/0691176949
My Father Left Me Ireland
https://www.amazon.com/My-Father-Left-Me-Ireland/dp/0525538658
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Why did Pauline Hanson sink the bill to crack down on unions, and what good would it have done? (1:48-15:29) Ten years on since Tony Abbott rolled Malcom Turnbull over climate change, are we still being haunted by his political ghost? (15:29-27:51) Do the worrying signs in our economy justify calls for stimulus, or is it time to get back to the basics of wealth creation? (27:51-44:03) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Director of Policy, Gideon Rozner and Research Fellow Kurt Wallace to answer these questions as well as dive into their culture picks including Ted Gioia’s Music: A Subversive History, Llewelllyn Rockwell’s Against the Left, the late Clive James’ collection of essays Cultural Amnesia and the right-wing self-help book You Are the Message (44:03-1:06:02).
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill 2019
Anatomy of a defeat: how a thaw between unions and One Nation doomed the 'integrity' bill; The Guardian
Statement on the Conduct of Monetary Policy (1996)
https://www.rba.gov.au/monetary-policy/framework/stmt-conduct-mp-1-14081996.html
Culture Picks:
Music: A Subversive History; Ted Gioia
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43886050-music
Against the Left: A Rothbardian Libertarianism; Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr
Cultural Amnesia – Necessary Memories from History and the Arts; Clive James
You Are the Message: Getting What You Want by Being Who You Are; Roger Ailes
https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Message-Getting-Being/dp/0385265425
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
The Federal Attorney General has proposed we treat social media companies as publishers. Will this punish Silicon Valley lefties or silence Australia’s conservative voices for fear of our crazy defamation laws? (1:59-24:04) As the CEO of our wokest bank, Westpac, taps the mat, what should we make of its bruising encounter with regulator Austrac’s over money-laundering claims? (24:04-37:12) Political parties are declining as social institutions so what does this mean for our democracy? (37:12-48:57) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Dr Chris Berg are joined by IPA Research Fellow, Andrew Bushnell and National Manager of Generation Liberty, Renee Gorman to discuss these questions as well as divulge their culture picks including the new documentary Rise of Jordan Peterson, a new book on the sorry state of our Universities, Season 3 of The Crown and the movie that launched film director Michael Mann (48:57-1:05:21).
Show Notes:
Christian Porter's defamation reform would be a catastrophic mistake; Dr Chris Berg and Dr Aaron Lane, Sydney Morning Herald
The Woke Bank Asleep at The Wheel; John Roskam, IPA Executive Director
https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/the-woke-bank-asleep-at-the-wheel
Get out of your own way, Unleashing productivity; Deloitte
https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/building-lucky-country/articles/get-out-of-your-own-way.html
Regulatory Dark Matter; Kurt Wallace, IPA Research Fellow
John Howard warns of 'existential challenges' for Liberals and Nationals; Sydney Morning Herald
Culture Picks:
The Rise of Jordan Peterson; Patricia Marcoccia
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10469384/
Melbourne screening of the Rise of Jordan Peterson
https://ipapeterson.eventbrite.com.au/
CAMPUS MELTDOWN The Deepening Crisis in Australian Universities; William O. Coleman
The Crown Season 3; Peter Morgan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4786824/
Thief; Michael Mann