Pidgin Politics

Losing control: the House, Dastyari and donations | Wednesday 7 September 2016

Show notes to come.

Omnibuses, Plebiscites and Mandates; a boring new world | Tuesday 30 August

We’re back for the first sitting week of the new parliament. Paula was unavailable, so this week Margo and Wes are joined by Dale Clisby, who mixes and edits the podcast each week and is also one of the co-hosts on Pidgin’s ‘A Troublesome Thought.’ We start by taking in what the government proposes to pass in the next few weeks, namely the $6.5 omnibus bill that springs from its as yet unconsummated budget. Will Labor give it the rubber stamp, or are there some things - like the ARENA cuts ...

Two new cabinets, RC in NT and saying no to Rudd; Please Explain? | Wednesday 3 August 2016

After a short post-election break, Wes, Paula and Margo return to unpack the new government and shadows ministries, Turnbull's rebuke of Rudd's UN pitch, the state of the juvenile detention in the NT and the already bungled Royal Commission into it, and the rise of Pauline Hanson in the wake of the SBS documentary "Please Explain".

I for one welcome our new narrow majority government | Tuesday 12 July

We’re back for our final of this special election series of Pidgin Politics. We start by counting the votes to find that just as we started to record the government hit its majority. But Bill Shorten had already conceded and Malcolm Turnbull has found himself back in government, but narrowly. So why would the independents agree to supply and confidence without a little bit of wheeling and dealing on the side? Is it all in the name of stability or do we imagine we might have seen (and might...

A lack of results, covering the coverage and the rise of the minors | Wednesday 6 July 2016

Predictions: Will we stick to the Liberal plan now the UK will Brexit stage left and has Labor costed itself out of a victory? | Tuesday 28 June 2016

Pidgin Politics is back for the final week of the election campaign! As we enter that final week Margo, Paula and Wes unpack the Coalition “rally” that saw the party finally launch its official campaign - just six days from the actual polling day in an 8 week campaign. There were policies on offer, but the intrigue for many was the elephant in the room - Tony Abbott - and the new slogan that seems to have emerged post-Brexit chaos: “stick to the plan”. We stay on Brexit to discuss what im...

Facebook arguments, launching the good ship Labor, #faketradie and other ads | Tuesday 21 June 2016

As we enter the penultimate week of the campaign, Paula, Margo and Wes get together to unpack the big events defining the playing field as pre-poll votes already begin to flow in. We start with the Facebook Leaders debate, which saw Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull head to what host Joe Hildebrand called the “Facebook bunker” to answer questions from within the room and online, as punters evaluated their responses via “reactions”. It seemed like the loosest we’ve seen both leaders but did ...

Following the preferences, tracking Parakeelia's cash flow and downgrading NBN policy | Tuesday 14 June 2016

This week on Pidgin Politics Paula, Margo and Wes try to follow the flow on preferences, which - after weeks of scolding the Greens for allegedly planning to do the same - saw the ALP make a deal with the Liberal party which would see Labor preferences above the Greens in all seats for the low, low price of preferencing the Libs above the Nats in some regional seats that are sure to cause ructions in the Coalition. Why is it okay for Labor to do deals but not the Greens? And what’s going on ...

Malcolm has a dad, a vote for chaos, and child care on the agenda | Wednesday 8 June 2016

All of the debates, pressing the press gallery and it's the economy, stupid | Tuesday 31 May

Wes, Paula and Margo are back this week for week four of the campaign, still puzzling over what parts of the week were gaffes and what was actual strategy. We start by analysing both of the major debates hosted at the National Press Club by Chris Uhlmann. First the Treasurers’ debate, which saw Treasurer Scott Morrison and his shadow, Chris Bowen, debate who had spotted the biggest black hole, and secondly the Leaders’ Debate on Sunday, which saw both Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull strug...

AFP raids, illiterate and innumerate dead cats and political donations | Tuesday 24 May 2016

It’s the third week of what has become an incredibly contentious campaign and Paula, Margo and Wes are back again this week to unpack just what is going on in between the raids and gaffes. We start by examining Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s call on Peter Murray’s Sky News show that increasing the refugee intake to 50,000 people would open the doors to “illiterate and innumerate” refugees who would both steal our dole and our jobs. Was it a gaffe or was it a little bit more calculated?...

The People's Forum, Greens envy, and at sea on asylum seeker policy | Tuesday 17 May 2016

Paula, Margo and Wes are back for week two of the election campaign, wiping their brows after a slog of a week that somehow included a leaders debate, a national press club appearance from the shadow treasurer and a week’s worth of media coverage of a single question on Q&A. First up we go over the entrails of the People’s Forum: the first debate of the campaign and an open forum for 100 (allegedly) undecided voters to ask questions of the two leaders. The room called it for Bill Shorten, a...

Turnbull calls the 2016 Election and we call the odds

Pidgin Politics is back for a special election series to take you through right up to the closing of the polls. New panelists Margo Kingston (@margokingston1)and Paula Matthewson (@Drag0nista) join host Wes Mountain (@therevmountain ) this week to talk about the state of play for Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and the new senate micro-parties following Malcolm Turnbull calling the election on Sunday 8 May, what we can expect in the coming weeks and where our own personal biases and prefer...

Inflating and deflating the GST, political donations and the Iowa Caucus |

A little late for this week due to some significant technical issues (thank you copper network - a topic for another week!). Wes and Ed take the reigns for Tim and look this week at the proposed GST changes which have state support but in the end, it seems no support from the government. Why put it up? Why not? Is there another solution to our revenue problem? Next we look at political donations and ask why it takes so long to get our hands on this data in Australia and what it means to ha...

Cleaning Up the Mess, Predicting the Future

We're back! After what seems like ages, Tim and Wes are back to give you some auditory political stimulation. However the status quo only remains for about 13 seconds as Ed Butler joins the gang this week, and will be doing so for the next six months while Tim turns his hands to other Pidgin-y projects.  In actual substance, the boys deal with the ensuing period between the last show and this one, and turn their hands to predicting the future both in Australia and abroad.  Links can be fou...

MYEFO, Macfarlane and Federal Reserve Rate Hikes | Wednesday 16th December 2015

In the last Pidgin Politics for the year, Tim and Wes discuss the MYEFO statement released on Tuesday, the shennanigans and back room dealing surrounding Ian Macfarlane's unsuccessful defection from the Liberal Party to the National Party and Wes Widmaier joins us to discuss the US Federal Reserve interest rates decision.  Links to the things that we spoke about are available at pidgin.net.au

Climate Change Edition: Government, Opposition and the view from Paris

As world leaders descend on Paris for the United Nations Climate Change talks, Tim Clare and Wes Mountain are joined by Tim Dunlop to devote this week's episode of Pidgin Politics to the politics of climate change. We start off by discussing the government's approach to the issue, and the talks, and how Malcolm Turnbull is handling tensions with the conservatives in the party. Secondly, we examine how the Labor Party is seeking to score political points from the government's division and h...

Media ownership reform, the fear of Muslim refugees and talks between North and South Korea

This episode of Pidgin Politics comes a little later in the week due to some heartbreaking technical difficulties, so please excuse some of the audio quirks.  Wes Mountain and Tim Clare discuss the possibilities around media ownership reform, the rising fear of Muslim refugees in the wake of the attacks on Paris, and Robert Kelly from Pusan University helps us understand the latest talks between North and South Korea.   (Yes the Gomez music toward the end is deliberate)

Taxing family benefits, cutting Citizenship and Mr Netanyahu goes to Washington Wednesday 11 November 2015

It’s just Tim and Wes on Pidgin Politics this week, as we say farewell to Gaby D’Souza who has had to leave us due to other commitments. You will be missed, Gaby!  We start by discussing the proposed changes to the family tax benefits system, including Family Tax Benefit A and B, and what impact this could have on various family types. Next, we pause to consider the attacks on Paris and the impact they may have on the citizenship legislation the Turnbull government hopes to pass in the next...

Raising (or broadening) the GST and lancing Knights, Dames and Boils

Tim, Wes and Gaby discuss the rumoured changes to the GST and how the Knights and Dames reversal is just another in a long list of clean-up jobs by the Turnbull government of Tony Abbott’s policies.

Pidgin Politics Special: Peter Garrett on Nuclear and Renewable Energy

Peter Garret was an outspoken oponent of nuclear energy - during his time as front man for Midnight Oil, as head of the Australian Conservation Foundation and even while in government.  He joined Tim Clare for this extra episode of Pidgin Politics to discuss the recent views about nuclear power from Australia's new chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel.

Hockey's Goodbye, Super Reforms and Canada's New Prime Minister

In this week's Pidgin Politics, Tim, Gaby and Wes discuss Joe Hockey's valedictory speech to the Parliament, reforms to the superannuation industry as recommended by the Murray Inquiry and the Canadian election with senior Canadian lawyer Noble Chummar.

Counter-terror Laws, Penalty Rates and John Lawrence on #demdebate

Gaby and Wes are back this week to discuss the government's proposed counter-terror laws, whether Sunday and Saturday penalty rates should come in line and special guest John Lawrence joins Tim Dunlop to discuss the Democrat's first debate.

Australia's supposed Muslim problem, the Philippine solution and the TPP

Tim Clare is joined by Tim Dunlop to discuss this week's political news including Australia's supposed Muslim problem, the new "Philippine" solution and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Sniping Abbott, no Visa for you and the latest American shooting

Tim Clare and Wes Mountain have to make do without Gaby d'Souza on this week's Pidgin Politics as they discuss Tony Abbott's media appearances, anti-abortionist Troy Newman and the latest mass shooting in America.

Turnbull's cabinet, Higher Education and Mr Xi goes to Washington

This week on Pidgin Politics Gaby, Tim and Wes cast their eyes over the new Turnbull cabinet, higher education policy and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the USA

#Returnbull, the Effects test and Debating Republicans

This week on Pidgin Politics we return to our regular programming. Tim, Gaby and Wes examine the fall-out of the Liberal party leadership ballot, possible changes to section 46 of the Trade Practices Act and Wednesday night's second Republican debate.

Pidgin Politics Special: Our New Prime Minister

Tim, Wes and Gaby get together in the aftermath and dissect the extraordinary events over the past 24  hours that saw another sitting Prime Minister challenged.

The #Syria Special: Civil War, Refugees and Airstrikes

Well, Syria was in the news a lot this week. Because of this, we decided to dedicate this week’s Pidgin Politics to all things Syria.

Pidgin Politics Special: The Luck of Politics with Andrew Leigh MP

In this special extra episode of Pidgin Politics, your favourite panelist Gaby D’Souza sat down to talk with Andrew Leigh, Labor MP for the seat of Fraser and Shadow Assistant Treasurer, about his new book “The Luck of Politics”.

Border Farce, Taxless Banks and Peter Greste

Pidgin Politics is our weekly conversation about the big issues in Australian and international politics. This week Tim Clare, Gaby D'Souza and Wes Mountain discuss the aborted Operation Fortitude "Border Farce" debacle that played out in Melbourne last week, the axing of the Bank Deposit Tax by the Abbott Government and turn our eyes to the international stage as we discuss the sentencing of three Al Jazeera journalists (including Australian Peter Greste) to three years in prison b...

Taxes, #turc and the European refugee crisis

Pidgin Politics is our weekly conversation about the big issues in Australian politics. Join us each week as Tim Clare, Wes Mountain and Gaby D’Souza chat about two topics that have driven the political media cycle in Australia and then look abroad to a topic from the international sphere.