For this episode I’m joined by Sam Rebecchi – a Melbourne-based communications adviser and part-time writer for the Spectator Blog. I saw his recent Spectator article – ‘Shock News: politics and consumer goods are two different things‘ – as a good opportunity to talk about the elevation of consumption politics, the evacuation of values from public life, and the perceived lack of distinction between the two major Australian political parties.  Politics, he concludes, has sadly been reduced to nothing more than the goods on our shelves.  Tune in to hear how we can turn this around, the path to good […]

For this episode I’m fortunate to be joined by Bastion CEO Jack Watts (www.bastioncollective.com). Jack and I met over a decade ago on a leadership course in China, and he has since grown a small sports marketing opportunity into a firm with global reach and employing hundreds of people. We talk about the importance of experience, taking on risk, avoiding bad decisions, managing people and dealing with growth. I enjoyed Jack’s principles – design the life you want to live, tap into your ‘thrill of the chase’, fail fast, ‘corterize’ it, get the bad news out, and move on with […]

On this episode economist Will Witheridge and I discuss the philosophy behind privatisation, the wisdom of Adam Smith, and cartels and monopolies. We also talk about the challenges of the privatisation journey in the West (Australia’s Two Airlines Policy for example), some of the areas where privatisation doesn’t entirely work and the balance between government regulation and ‘nationalisation in new clothes’ – excessive green and red tape. Show Highlights How Papua New Guinea’s telecommunications industry is an example of a government monopoly ‘taking a back seat’ and private enterprise, competition, lower prices and greater access coming to the fore. How […]

To start 2019 we are putting an ‘older head on younger shoulders’ with Richard Krohn – author of The Parallel University: Create A Balanced Life And Have It All. From superannuation to resilience, we talk about the importance of creating a plan, avoiding binge television and surrounding yourself with positive people. We also cover how individuals should respond to the allure of progressive politics, the hefty fees from planet finance, and test general assumptions around inequality and globalisation. Now is a time when a lot is being asked of individuals. Not all are answering the call, which only underlines the […]

From bitcoin to Australian federalism, I like to think The Jacobs Podcast, which I started in early 2018, has been a very small contribution to good old fashioned ‘long form’ discussion. Jordan Shopov, Will Witheridge and I reflect on our favourite podcasters of the year, which includes heavies like Tyler Cowen and Russ Roberts to Dave Rubin and, of course, this year’s big sensation – Jordan Peterson. We also talk about our favourite books and our thoughts on 2019, where we predict the ‘values and capitalism’ debate will re-emerge as planet finance revolves back into earth’s orbit, laying bare the […]

Who are your role models? Who are your anti-role models? We all have both. Join Will Witheridge, Jordan Shopov and I as we discuss economists, politicians, writers, sports stars, financiers, military leaders and many others.  Sometimes the best role models are the people right in front of you. Let us know who yours are by dropping a comment below!

On this episode I’m joined by Gerard Benedet for a very brief chat on Advance Australia – a new organisation challenging the dominance of progressive advocacy groups like Get Up. This is a shorter episode but it comes at an informative time. Hope you enjoy the listen. For more on Advance Australia please go to www.advanceaustralia.org.au.

A dollar today, a dollar tomorrow. Join Whig Capital’s Jordan Shopov and economist Will Witheridge for a discussion on the state of housing in Australia. From lending practices to the Banking Royal Commission, and the difference between ‘value’ and ‘price’, we cover some pretty heavy terrain. Regardless of where you sit, it’s well worth a listen. The episode is based on Jordan’s recent memo, available from Whig Capital here.

My guest is former Australian Ambassador and regional trouble-shooter James Batley, who has taken on some of our most challenging foreign policy roles – from Bougainville and East Timor to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Batley now serves as a Distinguished Policy Fellow in the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University. The piece we mention in the podcast is titled “Getting realistic about the South Pacific”, which was recently published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Getting realistic about the South Pacific

After meeting for the first time at the recent Liberty Fest 2018, Dr Dillon and I thought a podcast would be a good idea. We discuss a range of topics, from symbolism and Aboriginal history to building better capabilities and thriving in the modern world. We also get a chance to talk about some of our favourite figures, from Martin Luther King Jnr and Shelby Steele to Booker T Washington and Thomas Sowell. Anthony’s recent pieces I reference in the podcast are available here: Racism notes, The Spectator, 22 September 2018 Blind to their own racism, The Spectator, 16 June […]