Represent

Former US public policy advisor and combat veteran Christopher Rivers is uniquely qualified to give his take on the rhetoric (or lack thereof) around the death penalty shemozzle and how it might or might not affect the upcoming US midterms. Also the kids are NOT okay in Europe and they are making sure their governments know it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Represent National, Benita, Fatima and Nayan look at the alleged attack on independent MP for Indi outside her electorate office in Wangaratta. The team discusses calls from public figures like the Prime Minister to 'turn down the temperature' politically, or whether this conversation should centre on gendered violence.  The Victorian Labor Party has also promised to increase access to abortions if re-elected in the November state election, including covering out-of-pocket costs for pregnancies under 16 weeks. But why wait to lock this behind an election outcome? Why not legislate it sooner? Hmm... Finally, Nayan walks us through the federal government's plans to sell off Defence properties across Australia, at an expected profit of close to $2 billion. As ever in Australian politics, these moves beg the age-old question: is our government prioritising short-term and ignoring long-term costs?  Represent is a Syn Media podcast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Represent National, the whole team is back in the studio as Ashley walks us through the federal government's backflip on banning credit card payments to the tax office. Between that and the credit card surcharge ban, small business owners are reportedly not very happy campers.  Benita then takes us up to New South Wales, where a new 'Armed Response Command' initiative will see police officers patrolling Sydney streets with long-arm rifles less than a year after the Bondi mass shooting that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event. The Represent National team debates whether this will really increase public safety, or create fear and further endanger marginalised people.  Finally, Fatima gives us the rundown on the eSafety Commissioner's plans to block the livestream of a United States execution by firing squad in Australia. Should our government block access to livestreams of executions in the US? Would we even be having this conversation if it weren't in the US?  Share your thoughts with us on Instagram @synrepresent! Represent is a Syn Media podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People have been adapting The Odyssey longer than they've been writing it down. To talk to us about the hold this story seems to have on us and its place in Western colonisation we were joined by Associate Professor Ika Willis, Head of School of Culture & Communication at the University of Melbourne. We also finally reveal Represent International's true political leanings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pre-COP31 wrapped up in Fiji today and Gerard Anapu joined us fresh off his flight from Nadi to give us the low down on how things went down. To celebrate the first Represent International episode with the whole gang in the studio, we decide to take a political personality quiz as a group to find out who Represent International really is in one of the most heated segments in Represent history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.