My guest today is Peter Varghese AO who amongst other things served as the former head of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and who currently serves as the Chancellor of the University of Queensland. Today we discuss:

• How to determine what is important and not in foreign affairs
• How diplomats generally missed the rise of Donald Trump and failed to properly understand the pressures that propelled him to the Presidency
• Whether our trade relationship with China needs to be readjusted
• Why did Australia get involved in many of the foreign interventions over the last 30+ years and whether places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere should be considered successes?
• Whether foreign student numbers are too high in Australia
• Whether he is optimistic for the future

And much much more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Varghese

My guest today is Drew Hutton, who was one of the founders of the Australian Greens political party.

Today we discuss:

• The origins of the Green political party in Australia and how it has changed over the years
• His current dispute with the Greens regarding gender ideology and what explains the differences between baby boomers and younger generations on this issue
• Whether there are potential commonalities between a particular type of traditional "crunchy con" conservatism and the anti-corporate left
• Where he sees the Greens going in the years ahead both in Australia and elsewhere in the West

And much more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Hutton

My guest today is Leah Blyth, federal Senator for South Australia and President of the Liberal Party of South Australia.

Today we discuss:

• What explains the decline in the Liberal Party's fortunes in her state?
• Whether the voters blame the Liberal Party for the deindustrialisation and loss of the car industry?
• Her views on trade policy, Andrew Hastie's comments on "neoliberalism", and what a new policy framework for the centre-right might look like
• The resurgent defense industry in South Australia
• Why current child care policy is not working and what to do about it?

And much more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leah_Blyth

https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=315170

https://www.spectator.com.au/2025/10/protectionism-free-trade-and-small-government/