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 […]

Squares or Towers? Join economist Will Witheridge, businessman Jordan Shopov and I for a discussion on how networks and hierarchies have worked throughout history and in the modern age. We look at this by basing the discussion around Niall Ferguson’s newest book on the subject. But you don’t need to have read the book. Enjoy and remember to rate the podcast!

For this episode it’s just me ‘running solo’ and talking about my recent article (below) on books that I think young Aussies should read. Please leave a message with your thoughts. Happy listening! I thought I’d share with parents and young professionals some of the books that I wish I’d read sooner. Granted, this list may seem like a slight ‘stretch’ for a school-aged reader, as I didn’t conquer some of these books until my 20s. But I hope it achieves the right mix of self-development with a taste of the historical, economic and political issues that will continue to […]