Per Capita Podcasts
Per Capita is the independent, progressive think tank, dedicated to fighting inequality in Australia. Join us each week as we share our research and insights into some of Australia’s most prevalent issues. Home of Re:Cap, Per Capita’s research and analysis podcast, our JCL and Webinar series, and Homes Not Houses - the series where we dive into the Australian housing crisis. To learn more about our research, events, or content, please visit https://percapita.org.au/
Episodes
In his new book "From Resistance to Reform: Case studies of long term social justice advocacy in Australia", Prof Philip Mendes presents a comprehensive historical and political analysis of four policy areas where reform was achieved after many years of neglect. Including:
- Young people transitioning from out-of-home care - Medically supervised injecting facilities - Social security payments for the unemployed, and - Compulsory in...
Political skills are the skills to build trust, influence, and persuade others to support a decision within a political context. These abilities underpin effective political leadership, advocacy, and decision-making, yet they are often invisible and difficult to define.
This is especially true for people from minority backgrounds who may not be as familiar with Australian cultural and political norms. As the Executive Director of P...
Power is the only measure of a politician that matters. How they win power. How they wield power. How they lose power. This new edition of an Australian classic features a new introduction by the author taking into account the latest developments in Australian politics.
Catch and Kill is an inside account of the beguiling and nomadic nature of that unholy trinity of politics. Taking us into the inner sanctum of state and national p...
The Federal Government recently announced a Productivity Roundtable, indicating that broad tax reform will be part of the discussion to tackle the economic pressures our country faces today, to boost national prosperity, to reduce growing inequality and to improve living standards for future generations.
Following the popularity of her keynote speech at the Community Tax Summit in February 2025, Professor Miranda Stewart provided...
Unions are making a comeback. Labour disputes around the world have hit the headlines as unions take action to challenge inequality. But while media coverage has increased, understanding of unions has not.
Liam Byrne seeks to illuminate what unionism means, exploring why successive generations of working people organised unions and nurtured them for future generations.
Liam spoke at Per Capita's John Cain lunch in June 2025.
Visit ...
Welcome back to Re:CAP!
On this episode, acting Executive Director, Sarah McKenzie is joined by the Executive Director of the Chifley Research Centre, Emma Dawson, to chat about how the upcoming federal parliament will be the first gender-equal parliament in Australian history.
Read Sarah’s blog on this historical achievement: “A Question of Quotas”
If you’re a young policy student or professional looking to network or learn more...
Is big policy reform still possible? Does Australia have the political will to tackle generational issues such as climate change, the housing crisis, rising inequality and Closing the Gap?
Legendary Labor policymaker Jenny Macklin believes that if Australia wants to remain prosperous and fair, big policy reform is not just possible, it's essential.
Listen to our May John Cain Lunch, with Labor’s Jenny Macklin and co-author Joel De...
Gippsland has proudly powered Victoria for generations. Now it’s forging a new energy future, powered by abundant resources of offshore wind and community spirit. Senator Jess Walsh details her experience with Gippsland’s community driven energy shift, the critical role of government in making it happen, and how to cut through the nuclear noise to focus on real, sustainable solutions.
Jess spoke at Per Capita's monthly John Cain Lu...
An inside look at effective policy making, realised through hard-won public policy battles. What does successful public policy look like, and how has it been achieved in Australia?
John Brumby and Stuart Kells, co-authors of "In A Better Australia" joined Per Capita for their March John Cain Lunch.
Visit www.percapita.org.au for more on our research and events.
Per Capita's podcasts are recorded and produced on Wurundjeri land.
In the latest episode of Re:CAP, Emma Dawson is joined by professor Miranda Stewart to unpack her keynote address from the Community Tax Summit, as well as discuss some of the other takeaways from the summit.
Join our new early career policy network for policy professionals, students and anyone interested in learning more about how they can influence policy and politics to build an Australia based on fairness, shared prosperity ...
All our lives, we’ve been told that hard work leads to economic security and a good life. For many younger Australians, particularly those without family wealth, this now feels like a lie.
Instead of being able to set up their lives, young people are loaded up with increased education and housing debt, or stuck paying unaffordable rents to grow the wealth of others, all while real wages decline.
Hear from Think Forward’s Thomas...
An idealist as well as a pragmatist, and someone who believes passionately in equality, democracy and empowerment, Race Mathews has inspired and mentored many.
Drawing on a memoir Race began, but did not finish, and interviews, articles, speeches, books and her own diaries, Iola Mathews, journalist, author and Race’s partner for over fifty years, provides personal insight into the life and work of one of our most highly respected...
Housing affordability is one of the defining issues of the Australian political landscape today. Our housing market and housing policy are failing a significant proportion of the Australian people. This crisis has been long in the making; the result of decades of deliberate choices.
Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, delivers the John Cain Oration for 2024 at the State Library of Victoria.
Re...
Re:CAP returns this week with a new episode that looks at Per Capita’s new report, The Way In 2024.
Emma Dawson is joined by Emeritus Redmond Barry Professor Janet McCalman to help us unpack our findings around education pathways into the 47Th parliament.
Check out our latest blog post "How the Federal Government Represents You."
Read the full report, The Way In 2024, here.
Visit www.percapita.org.au for more on our resea...
This month's John Cain Lunch sees the Hon Kevin Bell reimagining ‘the great Australian dream’ of housing as ‘the great Australian right’ to housing.
Almost everyone in Australia is feeling the impact of the national housing crisis, which is traumatising individuals, families and communities.
Housing: the Great Australian Right argues that governments have the capacity and the power to resolve this national plight. The first step is...
Kosmos Samaras, one of Australia’s leading experts in political campaigns and polling, addressed our August John Cain Lunch on the electoral challenges facing the ALP due to the changing nature of Australia’s socio-economic demographics.
Kos specialises in compiling and interpreting research, statistical data and polling to provide a unique insight into the cause and effects of social and political issues impacting communities acro...
A lot has happened in the past few months, since we started writing and recording this podcast. It’s lot to catch up on. So, before we end this series, we thought we’d tell you a thing or two about it.
Join Emma Dawson, Executive Director of Per Capita, home of the CEH, as she breaks down the latest policy announcements pertaining to housing and what they mean for Australians.
Visit www.percapita.org.au for more on our research...
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