Demographer Liz Allen and social policy expert Ben Phillips join us to discuss the budget's impact on struggling Australians and the politics of the population debate.

What impact will the modest increases to the JobSeeker payment and other benefits have on the lives of people who are doing it tough?

Is the federal government doing enough to build the case for more substantial increases in social security spending? And should people be concerned about the impact of a growing population on infrastructure?

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Liz Allen and Associate Professor Ben Phillips join Professor Mark Kenny to discuss the politics of population and the case for a stronger safety net.

Liz Allen is a demographer and social researcher at the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences and the author of The Future of Us: Demography gets a makeover.

Ben Phillips is an Associate Professor and a Principal Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods.

Mark Kenny is a Professor at the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on 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.

You may also like

Article Card Image

Democracy Sausage: Divided nation — the Voice vote explained

Researchers Nicholas Biddle and Valerie Cooms join the show to discuss new research on the referendum and why it was rejected at the polls.

Article Card Image

Voters rejected Voice due to fears of division: ANU study

Two-in-three Australians who voted ‘no’ to a Voice to Parliament said they rejected the proposed constitutional change because it would divide the nation.

Article Card Image

Vast majority of voters still think First Nations Australians should have a voice

Almost nine-in-10 voters, 87 per cent, think First Nations Australians should have a voice or say over matters that affect them, despite the defeat of the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Subscribe to ANU Reporter

Anu Logo

+61 2 6125 5111

The Australian National University, Canberra

CRICOS Provider: 00120C

ABN: 52 234 063 906

EDX Logo
APRU Logo
IARU Logo
Group of eight Australia Logo