Critical Line Item with Tom Ravlic
201 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago -Tom Ravlic FIPA has looked at complex issues in business, finance and politics for a range of publications over two decades. Critical Line Item takes you to the heart of the issues that matter in business and politics with guests who are experts in their field. His book on the Banking Royal Commission, Vulture City – how our bankers got rich on swindles, was released in October 2019 was positively received by prominent journalists, commentators and academics.
Vulture City was published by Wilkinson Publishing and is available for purchase from the publisher online or Booktopia.
Tom also co-edited and wrote an introduction to Warren Mundine's Speaking My Mind, which is a collection of articles and speeches from the prominent indigenous businessman and commentator.
You can join Tom's pod cast mailing list to ensure you are kept up to date with all current developments.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Getting the mechanised sleuths onto online conspiracies
May 19, 2021 00:28 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBThe internet is full of text, images, audio and vision and sorting through it to find specific material related to conspiracies is, well, an impossible task without enlisting some digital assistance. Rand Corporation's Bill Marcellino joins Tom Ravlic in this podcast to explain what machine learning is and how computers are helping humans discover how much material there is on conspiracy theories and in what context posts are being written. This podcast also explores the notions of truth deca...
Public diplomacy on social media - the China way
May 17, 2021 10:23 - 40 minutes - 55.8 MBSocial media has provided state actors with a tool to engage in conflict that that takes the form of digital rhetoric. China's diplomats - also known as 'wolf warriors'- have become a symbol of how a state actor can and will use social media to tackle adversaries and critics. Marcel Schliebs, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, is the principal author of a study that looks at China's public diplomacy operations. The recently released report finds that China plays it tough on socia...
6 News versus Youtube ; the battle over a channel strike
May 16, 2021 06:03 - 21 minutes - 30 MB6 News has a following on Twitter and its chief anchor, Leonardo Puglisi, and his team are seen as honest brokers putting up a straight news bulletin each weekend. YoutTube gave Leonardo and his crew a channel strike for posting a video that was allegedly graphic. The 6 News crew dispute that classification. Leonardo joins Tom Ravlic to explain what on earth happened and how he feels about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Exploring the far right up close, media reportage of extremism and how the heck do we fix things ....
May 11, 2021 07:06 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBResearcher and journalist James Cutler has looked at the far right in Melbourne up close and he has written academic papers based on his studies of the area. James spent some time tracking the progress of various far right identities and in this podcast shares the some observations about his time researching the extremist groups. What does he think about media coverage? And what can people do better? Here is some food for thought for the politicians on the parliamentary committee looking at t...
Looking at the mixed fortunes of our banking sector
May 06, 2021 10:27 - 22 minutes - 31.2 MBEvery six months there is a Melbourne Cup field of analysis on the results of the banking section and accounting firm EY offers a perspective on the fortunes of the behemoths in the financial services space. EY partner Tim Dring explains why the banks results look better at the moment, what banks need to be worried about and why there is such a big focus on environmental, social and governance matters for those in financial services. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
Should constitutional recognition of First Nation peoples come before the creation of a 'voice to parliament'?
May 04, 2021 05:11 - 51 minutes - 70.1 MBThe Australian government is currently involved in a process of consultation that is aimed at designing a voice for indigenous people with the ultimate goal of giving them a more effective way of being heard by lawmakers. There are those like Professor Megan Davis, a prominent indigenous legal expert, who believe the current process puts the cart before the horse. She tells Tom Ravlic it would be better if constitutional recognition came before legislating a voice. Why? Take a listen .... ...
How do data analysts identify the origin of posts from bad actors seeking to influence debate in America?
May 02, 2021 07:58 - 38 minutes - 52.8 MBThe Soufan Center recently published a report that told readers that China, Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia sought to amplify QAnoin conspiracies in order to mess with the minds of Americans just a tad. How did they do this? Data analyst Leela McClintock from US-based research firm Limbik explains to Tom Ravlic what does into finding the digital fingerprints that lead analysts to conclude not every post propagating QAnon conspiracies originates from the keyboard of an American conspiracist. ...
Auditors face changes in audit quality management standards - what are they and why are they important?
April 16, 2021 01:07 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBThe Australian taxpayer pays for the development of auditing standards but there is typically little interest in the process unless there is a controversy related to a company or firm. What the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board does is critical in ensuring the standards regulating audits and other assurance services are fit for purpose and designed to ensure auditors are focused on doing all that is necessary to come up with an audit opinion based on sufficient and appropriate evidence. ...
Breaking news on YouTube - 6 News and the digital revolution
April 06, 2021 02:13 - 24 minutes - 33.2 MB6 News host Leonardo Puglisi is now an old hand at getting a bulletin out each week. Leo talks about how 6 News - a project that he fits in around school commitments - came about, the team he has assembled and what stories concern him. Have a listen! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
No radio silence on extremism ....
April 06, 2021 00:12 - 39 minutes - 54.5 MBCam Smith has spent the better part of almost two decades looking at and highlighting the activities of extremist groups. His work and that of Andy Fleming on the 3CR program, Yeah Nah Pasaran, provides a regular lens through which to examine the extreme views held by groups in Australia and overseas. The body of material by Smith and Fleming forms a unique body of evidence about the movements that sit on the fringes of Australian society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...
Looking for free accounting software for a start up or small club? Phillip Wong might have the answer ...
March 31, 2021 06:17 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBPhillip Wong is a long-time academic with a passion for teaching people the ropes in accounting. That passion has him on YouTube with a range of tutorial videos as well as his most recent foray into teaching the numbers game: a way of doing accounts for a small entity using Excel. Phillip talks about accounting education, complexities of business compliance and how people should look for solutions that are designed to cater for what it is they do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for ...
Reducing far right influence involves everyone
March 29, 2021 00:32 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBAustralia is playing catch up with keeping tabs on far right groups and it continues to cause problems for the country's reputation with international think takes focusing on what is Australia's apparent reluctance to proscribe organisations as quickly as our intelligence partners. Labor's Senator Kristina Keneally provides an analysis of the problem through her eyes and talks about the role leaders in the community must play to reduce the impact of extremist ideologies. Hosted on Acast. S...
Iran and the United States - the history and the present day
March 28, 2021 08:09 - 32 minutes - 44 MBIran is a country that for many is couched in mystique. It has had an interesting relationship with the United States and Kenneth Katzmann, an expert on the region, provides an overview of the tensions and challenges that exist between the United States. He is a contributor to the Soufan Centre's recent report on Iran in a personal capacity but works with the Congressional Research Service providing his deep knowledge to the members of Congress in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See ac...
An Indigenous Voice to Parliament - where is it at?
March 24, 2021 23:10 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MBWarren Mundine has been at the cross roads of indigenous affairs and politics for a very long time. We last spoke with him almost 12 months ago just after the killing of George Floyd in the United States. This time the focus is laser like on getting the indigenous voice up and running as well as some of the controversies in Canberra involving poor behavior of politicians and staff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Covering politics through a different lens and what was behind the 'sewer rat' tweet ...
March 08, 2021 07:18 - 22 minutes - 31.1 MBChannel 9 political editor Chris Uhlmann is known for being blunt in his assessment of the game of politics but some of that may just be attributed to his varied life experience before getting a gig at the age of 29 at the Canberra Times. He talks about news gathering, the importance of keeping on the chase, the role of reportage and commentary as well as explaining why he has grown to dislike aspects of social media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Ruby Princess saga, its ramifications and fundamentals of investigations
March 04, 2021 23:51 - 20 minutes - 28.6 MBAuthor Duncan McNab has spent a significant amount of time taking a deep dive into the Ruby Princess saga for his newly released book. He takes a look at the calamity that took place and reflects upon some fundamentals of reporting and investigation that are forgotten all too often. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The War on Terror, terrorism and how we begin to fix things ...
February 28, 2021 04:32 - 46 minutes - 63.7 MBProfessor Greg Barton is the Chair in Islamic Politics at Deakin University, which has meant you have seen him on television and heard him on radio a fair amount over the past two decades. In recent months he has been talking to the media and many others about the growth right wing extremism. This podcast looks at the implications of the War on Terror and how things may play out in regions such as Afghanistan two decades on from the September 11 attacks. What does he think might help fix some...
How bad actors get money to do bad things
February 19, 2021 04:05 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBTerrorist organsations need to resource their operations and history shows us that they use varying methods to get their hands on money to aid them in planning and executing acts of extreme political violence. Terrorism financing expert Jodi Viittori helps us decipher the world of shady financing used by the practitioners of political violence. Her 2011 book, Terrorist Financing and Resourcing, remains one of the landmark texts in the area of terrorism financing, This podcast covers the simp...
Grappling with terrorism's new realities - the far right and its adherents
February 10, 2021 00:44 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBThe January 6 capitol insurrection reminded people that there are a range of groups that have the potential to create havoc in the United States that are classed as domestic terror threats. Who are these people? How do they differ from the global jihadists that have occupied intelligence, national security and military resources over the past two decades? Colin Clarke is the Director of Policy and Research at The Soufan Group and he provides some useful insights into the phenomena that we a...
Innovating in times of Crisis
January 20, 2021 23:09 - 30 minutes - 42.4 MBConsultant and author Ben Kehoe has spent many years talking to businesses about how to improve what they do but the coronavirus has made it more challenging. What wisdom does Ben have for businesses and individuals struggling through this time? Listen up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How do you fix the ills of the world? Steve Killelea offers insights ...
January 12, 2021 06:55 - 33 minutes - 45.5 MBSteve Killelea is a businessman and philanthorpist who believes the world can be a much better place if we better understood how to help people in need. Steve talks to Tom Ravlic about his business career, his charitable work in various parts of the world and the Institute of Economics and Peace. His book, Peace in the Age of Chaos, looks at his perspective on some of the things political leaders and others need to consider in order to help make the lives of people better across the globe. ...
How the accounting world has coped during COVID
December 02, 2020 03:22 - 25 minutes - 35.3 MBThe accounting world has had a range of challenges this year and Amir Ghandar, the auditing and accounting expert for the Chartered Accountants - Australia and New Zealand, talks about what has been a tumultuous year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rorts and Rip-offs - Lisa Greig interviews Tom Ravlic
November 10, 2020 12:28 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MBThe shoe is on the other foot in this podcast as Lisa Greig, tax trainer and tax agent, interviews Tom Ravlic about the underlying themes and issues that come up in his new book aimed at consumers called Rorts and Rip-Offs. The book offers tips to consumers about the questions that must be asked to get things right. The book, released on November 10, is available in electronic and hard copy format from www.wilkinsonpuboilshing.com.au . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...
Some tips on choosing an adviser
November 09, 2020 22:00 - 8 minutes - 11.6 MBThere are some simple things people can do to prevent themselves from getting a dud adviser. Tom Ravlic gives you some tips from his new book, Rorts and Rip-Offs, that should should assist in sorting out the wheat from the chaff in the financial services advice space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Where are the banks at right now?
November 06, 2020 02:11 - 20 minutes - 28.1 MBThe banking sector has been hit like everyone else by the coronavirus. Listen to EY partner Tim Dring as he takes Tom Ravlic through the key trends and issues facing our financial services sector now and in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Should there be a cut down version of auditing standards for auditors dealing with simple entities?
November 04, 2020 00:30 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBThere is a project that is somewhat controversial in auditing circles about the best way to deal with complicated guidance. An international body called the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board is in the midst of considering whether a 'mini me' auditing standard for people dealing with what are commonly called less complex entities is a good idea. Professor Roger Simnett, the chairman of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, explores the issues with Tom Ravlic . What mig...
Reporting requirements in focus - Dr Keith Kendall, the new chairman of the Australian Accounting Standards Board
November 01, 2020 11:15 - 32 minutes - 44.5 MBThe accounts of companies written about by journalists must comply with standards for reporting. These are set by the Australian Accounting Standards Board. New chairman, Dr Keith kendall, talks about his background and the hot topics that currently keeping him busy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What does the recent Federal Budget mean for small business?
October 20, 2020 04:40 - 26 minutes - 36.4 MBReckon Limited's chief executive officer, Sam Allert, talks during this podcast about the implications of the coronairus and what the latest Federal Budget means for small business. He touches on what Reckon had to do to help its clients during the pandemic and what he sees as issues in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lifting the lid on the power of gun lobbyists in the United States ...
October 17, 2020 01:56 - 41 minutes - 57.2 MBAl Jazeera funded a three year investigation into the National Rifle Association that provided a rare insight into the way in which the NRA and similar groups frame policy arguments and responses to critical issues such as gun control. Journalist Peter Charley, who chronicles the investigation in his book, How to sell a massacre, is an Australian news veteran with a career spanning print, radio and television. He found the revelations that emerged from the covert operation disconcerting. The...
Media organisations and social media site - your comments can get news organisations into trouble
October 11, 2020 09:28 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBWeb sites and social media pages of media companies are almost full of comments and not all of them nice. Who is at fault when not nice comments go to far? Steven Brown from Lynn & Brown Lawyers in Perth talks through a contentious case and what media companies themselves need to be careful of if they let comments run wild and free on web sites and social media accounts they look after. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sunday morning reflections: education is the cure for extremist thinking.
October 10, 2020 07:19 - 12 minutes - 17 MBTom Ravlic shares some observation on right wing extremism and notes that as a society we had better get our education system right - no pun intended - in order to deal properly with some of the perspectives that challenge us now and will continue to challenge us in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
looking at FBT - Budget 2020 preview
October 05, 2020 09:17 - 29 minutes - 40.4 MBThere are a range of things being spoken about regarding the Budget and one of those has been the Fringe Benefits Tax. Lisa and Tom unravel some of this stuff as they look more closely aspects of FBT and other issues kicking around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Sunday morning reflection - how do we tackle prejudice and suspicion in life?
October 04, 2020 00:00 - 9 minutes - 13 MBTom Ravlic wears hearing aids and there was a time when he had to tell off a father of two kids because the father thought they were intruding on Tom's privacy by asking about the hearing aid, how it works and what it was designed to do. That incident forms the foundation for this Sunday's reflection on transparency and educating people to avoid growing up with unjustified prejudice and suspicion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sunday reflection: what I would tell a parliamentary committee on audit if it would let me ...
September 27, 2020 01:00 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MBThe is a parliamentary committee looking at audit regulation and they have not had a hearing for a rather long time. Tom Ravlic offers some observations on audit and accounting regulation for the committee even though they haven't bothered asking for them. Let's see whether anybody on that committee bothers to take any notice .... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
deadlines and compliance - a necessary evil
September 25, 2020 11:22 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBDeadlines for taxation issues occur across the years and this podcast touches on critical points for individuals and companies to keep in mind. Get up to speed! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
interest and tax - when is interest deductible?
September 14, 2020 10:37 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBPeople will be evaluating what to do with home loans and business loans and this podcast explores a range of issues related to the taxation of interest and when it is likely to be tax deductible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
FBT and small business - should the government stop collecting it for a time?
September 06, 2020 10:33 - 36 minutes - 50.1 MBPeople are suggesting the fringe benefits tax should be suspended for a period of time to stimulate the economy. Lisa Greig and tom Ravlic explore this and other issues in tax and compliance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Right wing extremists: ideology, recruitment and the global threat they pose
September 01, 2020 15:49 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBAustralia's security agencies are warning that far right extremism is on the rise and that the threat is real. Groups such as the Atomwaffen Division are spreading across the globe using technology as a networking tool and Mollie Saltskog, a senior intelligence analyst with the Soufan Center, tells Tom Ravlic that the groups pose a threat that must be taken seriously. Mollie also highlights the fact that people need to be aware of the threats posed by right wing extremists and to have strate...
IT revolutions, superannuation and .. do professional organisations speak for their members?
August 28, 2020 02:57 - 28 minutes - 38.8 MBRon Lesh has been at the cutting edge of software product development for several decades and in this podcast he talks through the development of software products, his perspective on regulators overstepping the mark when providing advice on what certain financial products may cost to invest in as well as a frank assessment of professional associations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When can you claim education expenses for tax?
August 28, 2020 01:57 - 25 minutes - 34.6 MBCOVID pandemic lock down has resulted in some people taking on new study. It is important that people understand the tax consequences of training. Not everything you assert is self education will be claimable and Lisa Greig advises caution in this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How are self managed super fund auditors regulated?
August 25, 2020 11:45 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBSelf managed superannuation funds are incredibly important investment vehicles and trustees are required to have their funds audited. A new version of a guidance statement was recently released by the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. This podcast brings together Marina Michaelides from the AUASB and Kellie Grant from the Australian Taxation Office to demystify what exactly goes on in the regulation of auditors that are paid to the important job of auditing the financial statements. ...
How does a character like Caleb Zelic come to be?
August 20, 2020 07:21 - 41 minutes - 57.3 MBCrime novelist Emma Viskic is in the middle of writing the fourth novel in her Caleb Zelic series. The deaf character has interesting origins, which Emma explains in this discussion with Tom Ravlic. She also talks about the impact of COVID on writing and how this fourth novel of the series is intended to be the last. It is clear from the discussion that Caleb Zelic deserves a holiday! The chat also explores origins and ethnicity and how a character can be created unwittingly from life experi...
Why is NOW a good time to get your tax return in?
August 13, 2020 11:37 - 39 minutes - 54.1 MBTax expert Lisa Greig strip back the mystique and tells you why it is a good time to lodge your tax return in now. Tom and Lisa also discuss circumstances in which amendments to tax returns might occur. Lisa and Tom also discuss how people can improve record keeping to keep themselves organised for the next tax period. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Getting a feel for the human cost of climate change
August 13, 2020 07:15 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBAustralians are focused on the global coronavirus pandemic right now but a longer term threat to the planet seems to have taken a back seat. Journalist and author Paddy Manning has written a book called Body Count , that explores the very real and human stories that illustrate the fact that politicians, policy makers, lobby groups and other people should never eliminate the possibility that climate change plays a role in natural disasters. He advocates for a nuanced discussion about climate r...
Do not try these tax things at home ....
August 07, 2020 11:12 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MBLisa Greig has seen many things over the years in dealing with tax and she has seen some shockers. This podcast is about Tom and Lisa exploring things you most definitely should not try at home when it comes to tax matters. Get advice ... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Unmasking the challenges involved in protection against COVID
August 07, 2020 06:53 - 31 minutes - 43.3 MBVictorians must wear masks and people in other states are being encouraged to wear them to minimise the spread of the coronavirus. David Clarke, the chief executive officer of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety, points to concerns his organisation has with the risks posed to medical staff and practitioners that have inadequate protections in the workplace. He explains why higher level protection is necessary in medical environments and also offers some ways of thinking about ensuri...
How do conspiracy theorists weave their web?
August 04, 2020 07:33 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MBYou have heard much about conspiracy theories and the folks that peddle them during the COVID 19 pandemic. Ullrich Ecker, an associate professor in cognitive science at the University of Western Australia, has studied the way conspiracy theorists work and what techniques they use to put out their version of the world. He points out things people can do to protect themselves from being caught out by conspiracy theories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Was it a scam or not? The mystery e-mail ....
July 31, 2020 04:25 - 42 minutes - 58 MBLisa Greig and Tom Ravlic received e-mails from the ATO this week and both of them were perplexed. Both of them were aware that the ATO does not normally send e-mails at a particular time and treated the e-mail sent with ATO livery as a scam. But was it? Listen up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The psychology of mask wearing in the era of COVID
July 31, 2020 00:54 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBMask wearing is now law in Victoria and is gradually being adopted by people in other areas as a measure to place an obstacle between infection. We have seen resistance to the wearing of masks by people in hardware stores and protests about the wearing of them on Facebook and Twitter. Psychologist James Collett form RMIT takes us through the issues and also how to think about mask wearing. he even offers some tips to people with children who might be curious about the wearing of masks. Host...
Ethical challenges, auditors and things SMSF trustees might want to think about
July 28, 2020 01:04 - 29 minutes - 41 MBAudit and compliance consultant Justin Reid has been ticking, flicking and providing consulting services to accounting firms and other clients needing assistance with complex compliance issues in the audit and financial reporting space for some years. Some changes in ethical standards have tightened rules that will cause some challenges for people involved in dealing with SMSF irrespective of their capacity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.