On this episode, Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga look at what was behind the Greens' first truly competitive leadership contest. They discuss why personal relationships carry so much weight in a party room that could fit in a minivan, and whether the Greens are really just a privatised left faction of the ALP.

Is Labor’s managerial, middle-of-the-road style a sensible way to steer through rough seas, or does it leave room on the left for someone selling a bigger vision? If Pauline Hanson can do it to the Coalition, can Shoebridge do it to Labor? Or is Australia simply heading for a multi-party era where every seat is marginal?

Mark Kenny is the Director of the Australian Studies Institute. He came to the Australian National University after a high-profile journalistic career culminating in 6 years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.

Dr Marija Taflaga is a lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations and Director of the Centre for the Study of Australian Politics. 

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

This podcast is produced by the Australian National University on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri and the Ngarigu peoples.

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