LOOKING BACK

Past Events

A look back at our live Q&As and conversations.

Ben Raue: The Great Expansion Debate

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Q&A with Ben Raue from The Tally Room, looking at what electoral boundary expansion could mean for growth corridors and the wider political landscape.

We appreciated Ben’s insight into how these changes may shape future elections, and thank everyone who came along with their questions and ideas.

Keep an eye on socials for highlights and follow-up notes.

Doug Cameron: Missed Opportunities and the Future of Labor

A conversation with former Labor Senator Doug Cameron on what the legacy of a long-term Labor government should actually be. Labor is in power, the window is open, and the choices made now will shape the country for decades.

We explored the areas where legacy is built or lost:

  • Industrial relations that lift workers up rather than leave them scrambling
  • Climate policy that matches the scale of the problem instead of watering it down
  • A housing system that people can live in, not just invest in
  • A foreign policy that resists creeping militarism and keeps Australia’s independence intact

It was also a chance to speak honestly about where Labor has hesitated, where it has compromised, and where it needs more backbone.

Rex Patrick: AUKUS Q&A Recap — What Can Be Done About It?

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Q&A with Rex Patrick. It was a powerful and revealing session that cut through the fog surrounding the $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal, from the “kill switch” clause in US legislation to the timeline blowouts, secrecy and shifting strategic priorities.

The big question that kept surfacing wasn’t just what’s wrong with AUKUS, it was what can be done about it. People asked:

  • How do we hold the government to account?
  • How can this deal be paused, changed or stopped?
  • Where are the allies in Parliament or civil society?
  • How do we start building pressure before it’s too late?

The session left many of us fired up to mobilise, connect and push for real accountability.

Dof Dickinson & Matt Aldridge

Our conversation made it clear that the rise of the far right here is being driven less by policy disagreements and more by frustration. A lot of people feel pushed to the edges of a fast-changing world, and when that sits unacknowledged, they look for someone who says they get it, even if the message is mostly anger with not much underneath.

Most people aren’t asking for perfection. They want to feel heard, and leaders who can explain the road ahead without talking down to them. Parties built on grievance eventually get tangled in their own promises, and that internal friction cracks these groups open from the inside. It’s slow, but it’s predictable.

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