The Looking Forward Podcast

After two years on air that’s a wrap for the IPA’s Looking Forward Podcast, as least as a weekly panel show. The biggest issues over the journey have been Trump and the populist insurrection on the centre-right, and of course coronavirus and how populations and Governments have responded. CoHosts Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg reflect on what they said and what they learned along the way, as they consider what’s next for the Centre-Right in America and Australia in particular. Will it be the continuing isolation of the libertarians, or will neofusionism take hold; adapting William F. Buckley’s broad church approach to a new era? If it was only the Cold War that held the original coalition together; to what can we look now? Also mentioned is real economics versus the rubbish taught in (most) Universities, the disappointing nature of Australian business leaders and “Chairman’s Lounge Syndrome”, policy making in a risk-averse age, the overreliance on experts, the uses of a conservative disposition as a rational response to societal threats, and why we should (nevertheless) be optimistic about tech and society’s capacity to adapt and innovate. In a final Books and Culture segment the hosts review their favourite picks and reflect on what these picks showed about the value society derives from the explosion of streaming services, the impact of great books, and also the corrosion of our creative culture and the extinguishment of the hero as evidenced by Barry, The Boys, and the proliferation of shows with assassins as the lead character. The host send thanks to their listeners and urge those that aren’t already to join the IPA (ipa.org.au)

Will history’s verdict be that Trump trashed the legacy of Reagan - as some of his supporters delightedly claim - or that there are stronger continuities between the two, sharing records of lower taxes, regulatory reform and a strong military, all built on votes from mainstream Americans. Where has the Trump insurrection left the Republican Party, and what are the lessons for the Liberals in Australia? By disputing the election and frustrating the handover, will Trump drive people away or is he just positioning to be a de facto Leader of the Opposition for the next four years. If he is, what hopes for those like Marco Rubio who want to complete the demographic reversal of the two major parties, let alone “Restorationists” like Nikki Haley who want to walk the Republicans back from the attitude of permanent revolution. If Conservative Populism rules in Australia too, does that just mean Liberal politicians will jettison all philosophy and ideas and praise their own pragmatism whilst doing nothing that is not in their own self-interest? In the Books and Culture segment, Andrew Bushnell pays a deserved tribute to the great Chuck Yeager, dead at 97, and his portrayal in 1983’s The Right Stuff. Chris Berg’s children drive him to watch and praise Disney Plus’ consciously lightweight The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and Scott Hargreaves describes the epic battles of Tories and Whig in the Long Eighteenth Century in a two minute summary whilst reviewing Jonathan Swift: His Life and His World by Leo Damrosch Links: The Republican Identity Crisis After Trump (New Yorker) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/11/02/the-republican-identity-crisis-after-trump

All through the western world Museum Directors have set themselves the task of “decolonising” their collections and exhibits, but what could this become and what does it mean anyway? Do they know, or are they just going woke to protect their own jobs? Is it about appropriately recognising indigenous cultures, or something more? Regular co-hosts Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Bella d’Abrera to look at the latest ructions at the British Museum and also museums and libraries closer to home, as they look for answers. The Panel also looks at the fast-fading opportunity in NSW to finally dispense with the national cross-curriculum priorities crowding out and rendering incoherent what is taught K-10 across Auststralia. Plus in the usual Books and Culture segment, they look at Norsemen, the Norwegian but English language program Berg describes as Game of Thrones meets The Office, the strangely interestingly documentary on the British/Canadian/Indian/American War of 1812, and the gobsmackingly good turns by Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in The Undoing.

The allegations of serious war crimes by Australian special forces contained within the Brereton Inquiry report mean some change is necessary even as justice takes its course. But should Parliamentarians involve themselves more in Defence and military oversight, as Andrew Hastie MP suggests, or could this politicise the military and cast it into the culture wars? Could adverse findings about a ‘warrior culture’ lead to something useless in its place? And could a ‘black armband’ view of our country and its military record imperil the venerated place of the Australian War Memorial in Australian life and remembrance? Co-hosts Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg are joined by former Defence Department employee, Andrew Bushnell, for this discussion. They also revisit the omnishambles that is South Australia’s response to its ‘pizza box’ coronavirus cluster. What does the panic tell us about Governments’ capacity to manage science, public health and known unknowns? The panellists also discuss their culture picks, including the disappointing Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix, Gotham, the monumental history of New York’s early years, and Based on a True Story, the new and brilliant ‘memoir’ by SNL alumnus, Norm McDonald.

Now it’s South Australia's turn for lockdown hell for at least six days, and Daniel Wild joins the panel live from Adelaide to report on the chaotic decision making behind the Government’s draconian measures.  Apparently the coronavirus spread by failure in Hotel Quarantine - who would have expected THAT! Seriously, are our Governments incapable of learning and preparing, and delivering a decent test and trace system? Meanwhile, the Fatwa issued by Kevin Rudd against Rupert Murdoch gained support from Malcolm Turnbull and the ABC, and now the Senate has launched yet another inquiry into ‘media diversity’. How real are the claims made about Murdoch’s influence, and what does that really have to do with the state of media in Australia? Is this just setting us up for Finklestein Mark II, with government licensing of media outlets and journalists? We then move on to discuss our culture picks for the week including Daniel’s Australian Prime Ministers by editor Michelle Grattan; Chris’s Netflix original TV series Stranger Things by Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer, which he recommends to anyone looking for an absurd, high quality production with amusing cliches; and Scott’s TV series The Crown by Peter Morgan which Scott enjoys but critiques for its pushing of political agendas and subtly supporting the aristocrats' snobbish view of Margaret Thatcher.   Culture Picks: Australian Prime Ministers; Michelle Grattan https://www.booktopia.com.au/australian-prime-ministers-michelle-grattan/book/9781760792091.html Stranger Things; Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/ The Crown; Peter Morgan https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4786824/

It's a global High Vis vest frenzy, because whether or not he’s President going forward the global legacy of Trump is a realignment of politics, with heartland conservatives switched on and centre-right parties around the world looking for blue collar voters. To what extent can this be said about Australia and can it explain what's happened this week in the ALP as the Shadow Cabinet dissolved into a brawl over climate versus coal? This realignment in the USA brought populist policy change on trade, taxes and social security, but  could anyone other than Trump have withstood enormous media pressure surrounding the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as getting through the deregulation and massive tax cuts that he did? Can we ever imitate this in Australia or is our political system too dissimilar to America’s? Did State LNP organisations blow themselves up chasing populist positions? What will the Biden administration look like for the future of the USA and the rest of the world? Joining Scott and Chris in this week’s episode to discuss these riveting questions is IPA Director of Communications, Evan Mullholland.    Culture Picks this week include Chris’ Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price about Vikings; Scott’s podcast, Noise Before Defeat by Senator Jim Molan about Australian national security; and Evan’s pick of the American, deep-state action-thriller series, Condor by Tom Katzberg, Ken Robinson and Jason Smilovic.

There’s some grieving from Gideon on the Podcast as indications are that Joe Biden will be sworn in as President, though his fabled ‘blue wave’ failed to eventuate. Trump confounded the polls and energised a mass base of Americans in a way that suggests his political legacy will live on. Is this at the expense of the right’s traditional free market values - or was there a fusion? Did Trump really divide America, or was he just the first to be honest about the social and economic division and the nature of the ruling elite?  How can the claim still be made that Trumpism is all dog whistle racism when the GOP made further gains amongst Latinos and other minorities? Trump has permanently flipped the world’s view of China but what now is the future for trade and tariff policies? Will Biden have Australia’s back during any further bruising retaliations by China?  Guests Gideon Rozner and Morgan Begg join Scott and Chris to answer these questions and also share their culture picks, which include Chris’ highly recommended Netflix TV series, The Queen's Gambit by Scott Frank and Allan Scott; Morgan’s documentary series on Netflix, High Score, stemming from his interest in the history of video games; and Gideon’s rerun of his favourite childhood TV show, 7th Heaven by Brenda Hampton.

Scott Morrison’s mid-year plan for a COVIDSafe economy is back on track having been derailed by Victorian bungling, but with vaccines uncertain and international borders closed, what is the outlook for Australia’s coronavirus Endgame?  Can services like education and tourism ever rejoin king coal and iron ore as the foundations of our prosperity, at least any time soon? Why would any business invest when Governments can shut you down at any time? Scott and Chris are joined by Andrew Bushnell to answer those questions and also focus on our first COVID State election in Queensland, which also looks like a post-economics election, with ballooning debt and public service payrolls barely even mentioned (except by the IPA!). It’s the clerisy’s business model at work… And the other election coming up is in the USA - and it seems Trump’s comeback has made it once again too close to call (except by the panellists). The call is made on Florida and the Latino vote. Both candidates played to their strengths and strategy but only one can be vindicated.  Culture picks (53:28-1:05:43) look at streaming services La Révolution and the disappointing Brave New World, while the coverage of the AFL Grand Final gives Bushnell a chance to wax lyrical about Richmond FC.   Show Notes: 'Enough is enough': Gladys Berejiklian calls for states to open borders, pull their weight on hotel quarantine; Jodie Stephens https://www.sbs.com.au/news/enough-is-enough-gladys-berejiklian-calls-for-states-to-open-borders-pull-their-weight-on-hotel-quarantine   Budget 2020: When will Australia re-open its borders?; Mosiqi Acharya https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/budget-2020-when-will-australia-re-open-its-borders   Still the Sunshine State? (IPA Review) https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/still-the-sunshine-state   New IPA Research Proposes Models For A Queensland Upper House https://ipa.org.au/ipa-today/new-research-proposes-models-for-a-queensland-upper-house   Culture Picks: Brave New World (TV Series 2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9814116/   La Révolution (TV Series 2020)  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13044528/

Gideon Rozner joins the panel to compare world leaders’ various responses to coronavirus and how this links to politically polarised ideals of “leadership”. If leadership for progressives just means technocracy and more lockdowns, is that why Gideon’s labelling of Jancinda Adern as “incompetent” saw much frothing and outrage across domestic and global media? We highlight the various leadership styles of Saint Jacida, Chairman Dan, the Donald and others, and ask what can be made of their approaches to gaining followers or popularity through the crisis? And we explain the difference between the errors of State leaders Daniel Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian. The big question is why should performative leadership’ be rewarded while sheer managerial incompetence is ignored; and whether leadership and management can even be meaningfully separated?  In the USA President Trump aims to buck the media and the consensus of negative polls; but are those polls really reflective of the likely Electoral College outcomes? Will Americans vote on the virus, or economics and other themes that favour Trump? (37:06-52:40)   Culture Picks this week include American historical legal drama film, The Trial of the Chicago 7, written by Aaron Sorkin; Sally Rugg’s book, How Powerful We Are: Behind the Scenes with One of Australia's Leading Activists; and Apple TV series, Ted Lasso, Created by Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence. (53:00-1:06:24) Show notes    From ‘beacon of hope’ to ‘incompetent’: world media on Jacinda Ardern’s big election win; Toby Manhire https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/19-10-2020/from-beacon-of-hope-to-incompetent-world-media-on-jacinda-arderns-big-election-win/   Thirteen Days – A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis; Robert F. Kennedy https://www.amazon.com.au/Thirteen-Days-Memoir-Missile-Crisis/dp/0393318346?tag= The Pollster Who Thinks Trump Is Ahead; The Editors/National Review https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-editors/id1150237453?i=1000495152748 Culture Picks 2020 American historical legal drama film, The Trial of the Chicago 7, written by Aaron Sorkin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_of_the_Chicago_7   2020 TV series, Ted Lasso, Created by Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10986410/   Book by Sally Rugg, How Powerful We Are: Behind the scenes with one of Australia's leading activists https://www.hachette.com.au/sally-rugg/how-powerful-we-are-behind-the-scenes-with-one-of-australias-leading-activists  

We may look back on this as the week when the global wave of coronavirus lockdown hysteria recedes, as more sensible voices and experts come to the fore, including a key WHO adviser condemning the use of lockdowns as a primary means of control for the coronavirus. The historic Great Barrington Declaration led by Professor Sunetra Gupta (Oxford) and Jay Bhattacharya (Harvard) replaces lockdowns with “focused protection” to protect the most vulnerable people from the virus, while allowing those at much lower risk to work and/or return to school and life generally. How well does this map in Australia’s unique context to IPA Research calling for a strategy based on “Medical Capacity”? Report co-author Asher Judah joins regular panellists Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg to discuss. For months the IPA has been pointing to harm and suffering caused by the lockdowns yet the Victorian government is only beginning to admit this, and that “roadmap” goals are unachievable.  As we survey the destruction of the State’s once great health system, its economy, and its people’s mental health, is there finally scope for a U-turn? This week’s culture picks include four-part docuseries, Before the Web by Jim Epstein; The IPA’s Climate Change: The Facts 2020; and George Friedman’s novel, The Storm Before The Calm. (45:08-59:15)     Show notes: The Great Barrington Declaration https://gbdeclaration.org/   Reaching Immunity | A Private Summit of Epidemiologists Against Lockdowns; AIER https://youtu.be/jtiInz1DWuA   Medical Capacity: An Alternative to Lockdowns; Daniel Wild and Asher Judah https://ipa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Medical-Capacity-An-Alternative-to-Lockdowns-IPA.pdf   Support for eased restrictions grows as Melburnians reach breaking point (IPA Research), Shannon Deery https://www.heraldsun.com.au/coronavirus/support-for-eased-restrictions-grows-as-melburnians-reach-breaking-point/news-story/ddcdfbf189ee8c8cf330753546bb3dad   The Australian Century, Asher Judah https://www.connorcourtpublishing.com.au/The-Australian-Century-_p_14.html     Culture picks: Before the Web: The 1980s Dream of a Free and Borderless Virtual World, Jim Epstein https://reason.com/video/before-the-web-the-1980s-dream-of-a-free-and-borderless-virtual-world/   Climate Change: The Facts 2020 (Chapter 19); IPA https://climatechangethefacts.org.au/   The Storm Before the Calm, George Friedman https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/252382/the-storm-before-the-calm-by-george-friedman/

Trump has tested positive for COVID-19 less than one month before the US election. What will this mean for the politics surrounding the upcoming election and could this revelation play for or against Trump’s faltering campaign? (1:59-21:45) Trump has also received a kind of ‘cocktail’ of medication in response to contracting the virus, not all of which is available to the common American citizen. In the spirit of Right to Try, should this accelerate clinician’s access to beneficial drugs rather than just waiting for a vaccine? And are lockups and the wait for a vaccine just making people’s health worse? (21:45-35:59) We discuss last night’s budget and our sudden emergence as a big-State social democratic country with a small state low(er) tax revenue base. Will this Keynesian but pro-business budget lift us out of recession, or is it time to look at productivity? (36:00-50:31) Culture picks this week include Musical label, Cryo Chamber; Aeschylus’ play, The Eumenides; and a two-part TV series by Billy Ray, The Comey Rule. (51:29-1:04:21)   Show notes: “Effect of calcifediol (Vitamin D treatment; M Castillo, et al https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764?fbclid=IwAR0Cl-D-Qx9g7YqbesGxjzQYGJ7-o5s7VY144QDyqLpHRZ4ffPTKXIlpoko   Is it wrong if I ask for the same?; Tyler Cowen https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2020/10/is-it-wrong-if-i-ask-for-the-same.html   Donald Trump takes zinc. Maybe you should too; Allysia Finley https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-wall-street-journal/donald-trump-takes-zinc-maybe-you-should-too/news-story/79c7e91c0476d0f44e3dd62cbdea3f02   Why Human Challenge Trials Will Be Necessary to Get a Coronavirus Vaccine; Alex Tabarrok https://nationalinterest.org/blog/coronavirus/why-human-challenge-trials-will-be-necessary-get-coronavirus-vaccine-152786   All the president's medicine: How doctors are treating Donald Trump; Sascha Pezenik, Sony Salzman and Dr. Divya Chhabra https://abcnews.go.com/Health/presidents-medicine-doctors-treating-donald-trump/story?id=73423761   Debt To Hit $2.05 Trillion, 60 Years To Pay Off; IPA https://ipa.org.au/ipa-today/debt-to-hit-2-05-trillion-60-years-to-pay-off   Culture Picks: Musical label, Cryo Chamber https://www.cryochamberlabel.com/   Play, The Eumenides, written by Aeschylus https://www.ancient.eu/The_Eumenides/   ‘Ah, how miserable! Three New Oresteias’; Emily Wilson, LRB https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n19/emily-wilson/ah-how-miserable   TV series by Billy Ray, The Comey Rule https://www.stan.com.au/watch/the-comey-rule?gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1263226&gclid=CjwKCAjwq_D7BRADEiwAVMDdHt6ubXjhrdoUrrt45l3kabCA6giFROEhPY2VgHiqr7CE97modqG0QRoCXqoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

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 https://icau.worldsecuresystems.com/Downloads/Corona-Virus/Victoria/SEA-letter-to-WorkSafe-29Sept20.pdf   Four Victorian ministers, 16 public servants may face prosecution over alleged OHS law breaches; Robert Gottliebsen https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/four-victorian-ministers-16-public-servants-may-face-prosecution-over-alleged-ohs-law-breaches/news-story/20ace50f6e620fe3be9953e6b8dd2290   Picnicking rule-breakers face $5000 fines with police to blanket parks; Simone Fox Koob https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/picnicking-rule-breakers-face-5000-fines-with-police-to-blanket-parks-20200928-p55zxj.html   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 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11464826/

This week saw the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and immediate controversy about who will replace her on the United States’ Supreme Court, as the Democrats invent reasons to stall the process. The panellists reflect on the career of a remarkable advocate and jurist, and examine how the Republican push in the Senate to confirm a Trump nomination as replacement will affect the election. If even Mitt Romney wants to do it, what’s stopping them? (2:12-35:50). Likewise, Australia’s High Court also has some looming vacancies, due to the 72-year age of ‘statutory senility’ enforced on Justices of the High Court, with Justice Nettle soon to step down. Why aren’t Australians more interested in the choice of replacement shortly to be made by the Morrison Government, and – in light of controversial decisions such as Love/Thoms - do we need more scrutiny of the process for nomination? (35:50-56:32). Culture picks this week include BGG cold war board game, Twilight Struggle; Elena Ferrante’s novel, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay; and Taylor Sheridan and John Linson’s TV series, Yellowstone season 3 (56:41-1:08:02).   Show notes Courting Calamity; Morgan Begg (IPA Review, Winter 2020) https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/courting-calamity Porter kicks off search for next High Court judge; Robert Pelly, AFR https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/porter-kicks-off-search-for-next-high-court-judge-20200714-p55bvj Save the Vote, Save the Court; Adam J White, The Bulwark https://thebulwark.com/save-the-vote-save-the-court/ Looking Forward Ep 74 Review of RBG biopic, On the Basis of Sex; Scott Hargreaves https://youtu.be/yBBO_wat60Q?t=3480   Culture picks Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay https://www.booktopia.com.au/those-who-leave-and-those-who-stay-elena-ferrante/book/9781925240023.html Twilight Struggle https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12333/twilight-struggle Yellowstone; Season 3 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4236770/

There are hard borders with no sign of let up across Australia, as State Premiers spuriously justify all decisions as being on the basis of medical advice while enjoying the populist support for supposedly keeping out the virus. But they can only do so because in our crazy fiscally frazzled federation the Feds pick up the bill for the economic costs. And why can actors and footballers cross borders when ordinary people can't? What will be the effects on our economy and indeed our nation; as we revert to self-contained colonies and the ties of family and work across borders are severed? And for that matter, what of the tens of thousands of Australias stranded overseas because State Government failures mean they cannot be safely returned, as Australia joins North Korea in banning travel from Australia without a permit? Evan Mulholland joins Chris Berg and Scott Hargreaves to discuss problems and possible solutions, and also look at the battle being waged by tech giants Google and Facebook as they fight moves by Australia's relative media minnows to grab a share of revenue, egged on by the ACCC (33:38-46:06). Just one part of a global war in which Australian consumers could be the loser. In the regular Books and Culture segment (46:07-58:33) they look a Tim Wilson’s new book on Australia's social contract, the Netflix series Away, and the latest surrealist escapade form Charlie Kaufman, I'm Thinking of Ending Things.   Show Notes: A big decision is due today in the Clive Palmer vs WA border row — here's why it matters https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-25/how-clive-palmers-wa-border-challenge-affected-by-court-decision/12589552 This is why it is so difficult for Australians to get home https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-17/why-is-it-so-hard-for-australians-to-get-home/12669902   Culture Picks The New Social Contract; Tim Wilson https://www.connorcourtpublishing.com.au/THE-NEW-SOCIAL-CONTRACT-Renewing-the-liberal-vision-for-Australia--Tim-Wilson_p_377.html Away; Andrew Hinderaker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Away_(TV_series) I’m Thinking of Ending Things; Charlie Kaufman https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7939766/

The Deputy CMO says to Victorians "make your bed", but they're fraying at the edges as their Premier loses credibility for refusing to admit he is pursuing a virus eradication strategy - something achieved literally nowhere in the world. How diabolical is the combination of political spin and ceaseless nudging from the army of "public health" advisers? And how much longer can Victorians be expected to trust the very politicians and ‘health experts’ who have consistently lied and obfuscated? (2:01-22:16). New IPA research shows a "K-Shaped recovery", with public sector employment trending upwards while the private sector slopes violently downwards. Are we really ‘all in this together’ or is the divide between the public and private sector more apparent than ever? (22:16-32:46). Victoria Police arrested a heavily pregnant Zoe Lee Buhler for a Facebook post about a peaceful protest. With civil liberties, Parliament, and Cabinet Government all suspended; what does this brave new world of Castro-length speeches from the Premier, unchecked police surveillance and a cowed and frightened population look like? (32:46-41:55). What can we expect of our media when the Dan Andrews drip feeds a compliant press gallery via daily press conferences, and keeping people scared seems part of the business model? (41:55-57:03). Culture Picks this week include TV series, Schitts Creek, by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, Righteous Gemstones, by Danny McBride and Raised by Wolves, by Aaron Guzikowski (57:03-1:05:13).   Show notes: Victorians struggling to cope with lockdown have been told to make their bed in the morning; 7 News, https://www.facebook.com/363623854300/posts/10159153769824301/?vh=e   A Public Choice Warning About Media; Peter Boettke https://www.aier.org/article/a-public-choice-warning-about-media/   Daniel Andrews hits his 50th straight coronavirus update today — is it time he took a break?; Patrick Wood https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-21/daniel-andrews-hits-50-daily-coronavirus-updates-for-victoria/12565048   Culture picks: Netflix TV series by Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, Schitts Creek https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3526078/   TV series by Danny McBride, Righteous Gemstones  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8634332/   TV series by Aaron Guzikowski, Raised by Wolves https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9170108/

The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has announced new legislation to ensure agreement the States, councils and universities have with foreign governments are consistent with Australian foreign policy. What does this mean for the relations with China and are there any risks with giving the Federal Government further powers? (2:05-15:48). What are the risks with the Victorian Government’s Belt and Road agreement as it relates to expensive plans for infrastructure projects that Victoria doesn't want or need? (15:48-27:33). The Democratic and Republican conventions took place in the US with their speeches demonstrating vastly different views of the USA. What does Trump’s post-convention poll bounce and focus on burning cities mean for the November election? (27:35-50:23). Culture picks for this week include Christopher Caldwell’s Age of Entitlement, Leder Games’ new boardgame, Root and Federico Fellini’s 1960 film, La Dolce Vita (51:18-1:04:52).   Show notes: Scott Morrison vows to cancel state-foreign agreements if viewed to be against national interest; Brett Worthington and Stephen Dziedzic https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-27/scott-morrison-china-belt-and-road-cancel-state-agreements/12596184   Ensuring a Consistent Australian Foreign Policy; Prime Minister Scott Morrison https://www.pm.gov.au/media/ensuring-consistent-australian-foreign-policy   Poll – Victorians Oppose Belt & Road Scheme https://ipa.org.au/publications-ipa/poll-victorians-oppose-belt-road-scheme   Tunnel Vision: Scott Hargreaves and Daniel Wild https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/tunnel-vision   Culture picks: Age of entitlement, Christopher caldwell https://www.amazon.com.au/Age-Entitlement-America-Since-Sixties/dp/1501106899   New type of boardgame - Root https://ledergames.com/products/root-a-game-of-woodland-might-and-right   1960 film, La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053779/

After six months of COVID19 in Australia the panel discusses whether it’s time to say this is the new normal, and that we can neither wait for a vaccine nor indefinitely extend emergency powers. Australian PM Scott Morrison announced a deal with AstraZenica for provide a coronavirus vaccine for all Australians in 2021, but is that even feasible or just an announcement driven by politics? And isn’t it too early for the PM to discuss mandating a vaccine before it even exists? (2:10-37:45). Daniel Andrews is pushing for an extension to Victoria’s state of emergency powers for an additional 12 months. What will this mean for democracy in Australia and do the current circumstances really warrant such infringement on our civil liberties (hint: no)? (37:45-51:25). Culture picks this week include the new Microsoft Flight Simulator; Conversations with John Anderson, and The Mandibles by Lionel Shriver (-1:03:40).   Show Notes:   COVID19 and the Path to Pragmatic Acceptance; Scott Hargreaves https://ipa.org.au/ipa-today/17130   Revolt over Daniel Andrews’ coronavirus power grab: Rebecca Urban, Damon Johnston and Nicola Berkovic https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/revolt-over-daniel-andrews-power-grab/news-story/88673d2c726d75477bf2cbbdb95d7f8a   State of Emergency Must Be Extended But It’s No Blank Cheque For Andrews: Derryn Hinch https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/state-of-emergency-must-be-extended-but-it-s-no-blank-cheque-for-andrews-20200825-p55p6v.html   Victorians cannot keep sacrificing liberties without a safety net https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victorians-cannot-keep-sacrificing-liberties-without-a-safety-net-20200825-p55p7i.html     Culture Picks: the new Microsoft Flight Simulator https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/p/microsoft-flight-simulator-standard-preorder/9nxn8gf8n9ht   Lockdowns, Vaccines and Debt (Conversations with John Anderson), with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYSEGViOnb7k8ezUaWUww   The Mandibles by Lionel Shriver https://www.amazon.com.au/Mandibles-Family-2029-2047-Lionel-Shriver-ebook/dp/B0152XGO18/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Mandibles&qid=1598424125&sr=8-1&tag=

On this special episode of the IPA’s Looking Forward, co-host Chris Berg interviews Russ Roberts from the Hoover Institution, known to most as the long-standing host of Econtalk, and also Professor Mike Munger from Duke University, who is well known as a libertarian economist and political candidate. Is the Pandemic just the perfect example of Hayek’s Knowledge Problem, that knowledge is dispersed and no “expert” can be across it? And how do politicians, epidemiologists and economists approach the problem of decision making under uncertainty – and do epidemiologists know as much as they say? As the Pandemic both creates and exposes ridiculous nanny state regulations preventing us living our lives and making a living, is this the Golden Age of Libertarian Scepticism? Does the Pandemic change the way you communicate the ideas of Liberty? How does a libertarian approach the wearing of masks, where voluntary or mandated? What are wider lesson of liberty? When power is centralised what is the vision of human flourishing based on freedom and personal responsibility? How is this an optimistic vision of civil society, of voluntarism, of the role of markets and people in building trust and a better society? And how did Mike Munger go when he ran for Governor of North Carolina on the Libertarian Party ticket, telling voters “what can you do for me?” was the wrong question? The interview was conducted recently as part of the Friedman8 digital conference, hosted by the Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance & Australian Libertarian Society.   Econtalk; Russ Roberts https://www.econtalk.org/ How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness; Russ Roberts https://www.amazon.com.au/Adam-Smith-Change-Your-Life-ebook/dp/B00INIXQA2?tag= Tomorrow 3.0: Transaction Costs and the Sharing Economy; Mike Munger https://www.amazon.com/Tomorrow-3-0-Transaction-Cambridge-Economics/dp/1108447341?tag= The Knowledge Problem: We must stand humble before complexity and order without planning; Hayek Frideman8 https://www.alsfc.com.au/

Joe Biden has decided Kamala Harris is to be his pick as vice president based on the fact she is an African-American woman. Should identity politics have a place in the presidential campaign, or should people of power be chosen rather on merit? (3:27-25:20). Dan Tehan has announced a review into Robert French’s freedom of speech on campus model. Should we be concerned about the issue of free speech rights on Australian campuses and should we be pushing further for a more in-depth review of this issue? (25:38-47:19). JK Rowling has been long under pressure to give in to the woke left whose failure to deal with the lessons of the Harry Potter Books and has subsequently faced the wrath of cancel culture. Does Harry Potter belong in the ‘woke left basket’ and are identity politics being taken too far by the cancel culture mob? (47:20-1:00:35). This week’s culture picks include Netflix’ series The Umbrella Academy, 2008 Australian movie Lake Mungo and 2019 film The Lighthouse (1:00:40-1:14:07)   Show Notes:   How Kamala Harris or Tammy Duckworth as VP could impact the Asian American and Pacific Islander vote: Deepa Shivaram https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/two-women-biden-s-vp-list-have-little-known-advantage-n1236073   Biden picks Kamala Harris as VP nominee: Christopher Cadelago and Caitlin Oprysko https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/11/joe-biden-vp-pick-kamala-harris-393768   Kamala Harris Got So High Smoking Weed in College She Thought She Was Listening To Snoop Dogg and Tupac: Nick Gillespie https://reason.com/2019/02/12/kamala-harris-got-so-high-smoking-weed-i/   The Real Reason Cancel Culture is Rejecting “Harry Potter”: Renee Gorman https://areomagazine.com/2020/08/07/the-real-reason-cancel-culture-is-rejecting-harry-potter/   Culture Picks:   The Lighthouse (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7984734/   the 2008 Australian film Lake Mungo. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0816556/   the Umbrella Academy on Netflix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrella_Academy_(TV_series)

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews is seemingly delighted to have brought Victoria to an unprecedented standstill as he pursues eradication of the runaway coronavirus. But what will be the economic costs and how confident can we be that it will actually work, especially as second, third and fourth waves are reported across the globe? Where is accountability for past and present maladministration, when the Andrews Government seeks to shut down or obfuscate Parliament at every opportunity? (2:55-34:39) Donald Trump has announced that TikTok will be banned in the United States raising national security concerns. Are concerns valid or is the ban simply an attack on freedom of speech and/or a chance to extort the owners for Microsoft’s benefit? (34:39-46:30) Your hosts Scott Hargreaves and Chris Berg are joined by the IPA’s Cian Hussey to answer these questions and share their culture picks. This week’s picks include Camila Russo’s The Infinite Machine, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex and Yuval Levin’s A Time to Build. (46:30-1:04:43)   Show Notes   Madness in Melbourne; Jeffrey A. Tucker https://www.aier.org/article/madness-in-melbourne/   If New Zealand’s the coronavirus role model then we’re in strife; Adam Creighton https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/if-new-zealands-the-coronavirus-role-model-then-were-in-strife/news-story/0dd4f1b0fbd5b1fcb9e969f5bc626da9   Coronavirus: Victoria stopped using the COVID app before virus spike; Olivia Caisley https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/victoria-stopped-app-use-before-spike/news-story/31a3928d308b9d96dae199b2922ab92d   The Coronavirus Is Never Going Away; The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/coronavirus-will-never-go-away/614860/?fbclid=IwAR027V4IY-Eysv5rl8kjLd1HTX_agvA9DOhQJyZurk5_PSHA3KHXztzP0nU   Trump Wants U.S. Government To Get ‘A Lot Of Money’ For Allowing Microsoft-TikTok Deal; Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/08/03/trump-wants-us-government-to-get-a-lot-of-money-for-allowing-microsoft-tiktok-deal/   Culture Picks   A Time to Build; Yuval Levin https://www.amazon.com.au/Time-Build-Community-Recommitting-Institutions/dp/1541699270   The Infinite Machine; Camila Russo https://www.amazon.com.au/Infinite-Machine-Crypto-hackers-Building-Internet-ebook/dp/B07X8HS2WC   On the Basis of Sex; Mimi Leder https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4669788/