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Author Archives: Tom
95 – Kate Ellis MP
Kate Ellis has been the Federal member for the seat of Adelaide since 2004. She was the youngest person ever appointed as a minister in the Australian government, holding a number of portfolios. She’s currently the Shadow Minister for both Early Childhood Education and Development and for TAFE and Vocational Education.
This is a frank, funny and insightful discussion about Kate’s career, the state of politics in this country right now and the changes she’s seen over her 13 years in the job. We talk about everything from Islamophobia and dealing with Neo-Nazis to how Tony Abbott changed the dynamics of politics to the disappointments of the Labor leadership turmoil years. Kate reflects on the purpose of factions, the fracturing of the right side of politics and tells an extraordinary story about the bizarre issue that prompted the most vehement feedback she’s ever received as a sitting member.
PLUS Kate helpfully sets out how she thinks we should talk about debt, early childcare and Labor’s approach to offshore detention of people seeking asylum.
Problematic is coming to Hobart for ONE NIGHT ONLY on Wednesday March 15th
It’s also heading to Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Boundless Plains To Share is coming to Brisbane (2 shows only) and Melbourne (1 show only)
Huffington Post long read on “Gay Loneliness”
A 2008 profile on Kate – Her father’s daughter
Article: Tony Abbott takes aim at Turnbull and lays out conservative manifesto
Cause of the Week: The Zahra Foundation (zahrafoundation.org.au)
94 – Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore
Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore was elected as part of the Nick Xenophon Team in the 2016 election.
Now that she’s 7 months in, she reflects on the job in all its glory and its frustrations. Skye talks about what it means to be in the “sensible centre”, why she moved from political staffer to candidate, working with the likes of Cory Bernardi and Pauline Hanson, gambling reform, her views on offshore detention and the government’s proposed visa lifetime ban for people seeking asylum and she even gives some tips about the best way to get your Senator’s attention.
Problematic is coming to Hobart for ONE NIGHT ONLY on Wednesday March 15th
It’s also heading to Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Boundless Plains To Share is coming to Brisbane (2 shows only) and Melbourne (1 show only)
Guardian long piece on Rachel Dolezal
Skye’s First Speech to Parliament
Cause of the Week: The Carly Ryan Foundation (carlyryanfoundation.com)
93 – Ronny Chieng
Comedian and Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng is back in Australia at the moment and gave me some of his time to talk about a whole many things. We covered offence, racism, interviewing white supremacists, freedom of speech, outrage, satire in the age of Trump and his conservative upbringing and disposition.
Oh, and my Nazi haircut. Apparently.
Apologies for the slightly not great audio quality on this one. Persevere, please: it’s worth it. It’s Ronny Chieng, for God’s sake.
Stand Up For Mehdi at MICF 2017
Problematic is coming to Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Boundless Plains To Share is coming to Adelaide, Brisbane & Melbourne
The Daily Show on Comedy Central
Ronny dismantles Fox News’ stupidly racist “Chinatown” report
Make America Hate Again – Ronny’s undecided voters piece
Cause of the Week: The CNN Freedom Project (cnn.com/freedom)
Stand Up For Mehdi
I’m organising this charity gig during MICF and YOU TOTALLY HAVE TO COME. I can’t tell you the line up but it is A++++ and it’s a bloody damn good cause.
People become refugees for lots of different reasons.
MEHDI SAVARI lived in Iran. His job was to tell jokes. One day he dared to tell some jokes.
Those jokes put him in danger and he had to escape.
Now he finds himself on Manus Island. He’s been there for more than three years.
Meanwhile in Australia, comedians can take the piss out of the government as much as they like. They’re quite inclined to do so, particularly when that government does things like putting Mehdi on Manus Island.
In this extraordinary event, a stellar line up of the best comedians at the Festival come together to perform in solidarity with Mehdi and all the other victims of Australia’s refugee policies.
This secret line up of champions will be (literally) standing up for justice and for not treating people like dicks. Plus they’ll be raising some much-needed cash for the HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRE: an organisation that fights every single day for the rights and protection of refugees and people seeking asylum.
Hosted by award-winning comedian and aspiring sex symbol TOM BALLARD and featuring the finest comedic talent from Australia and across the world (and maybe even a musical treat or two), STAND UP FOR MEHDI is sure to be a stand out event at MICF 2017. Don’t miss it.
Bent Merriment
I loved hosting this panel for The Wheeler Centre with Stephen Oliver, Geraldine Hickey and Demi Lardner on being queer and doing comedy.
92 – Adam Jacoby
Let’s talk about a little thing called democracy.
MiVote is a new political movement that launches next week and it’s all about direct democracy. It’s an online platform and political party that enables its members to directly influence their elected representatives: representatives that will be committed to enacting the people’s (informed) will.
Founder Adam Jacoby kindly gave me a lot of time to talk through the idea and answer my annoying questions. He sets out just how fucked the system currently is and why he believes this might just work.
Problematic is coming to Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Boundless Plains To Share is coming to Adelaide, Brisbane & Melbourne
Stan Australia announces One Night Stan
Article: Our democratic operating systems aren’t working: here’s how to upgrade them by Jon Barnes
Article: Mob rule: Iceland crowdsources its next constitution
Fast Company story: Can direct democracy be revived through new voting apps?
Cause of the Week: MiVote.org.au
91 – Charlie Wood
Charlie Wood is the Campaigns Director at 350.org, an international climate action organisation that are fighting for a future that’s free from fossil fuels.
Here she describes where climate politics is at in these troubling times, how divestment is changing the game, climate scepticism, just how much the fossil fuel industry influences our politics, fear-mongering, how she manages to maintain hope. Charlie explains why Trump might actually be a good thing for the movement and whether or not, actually, for real, we (the human race) are fucked.
Problematic is coming to Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Boundless Plains To Share is coming to Adelaide, Brisbane & Melbourne
RISE Refugee’s #BlockTheBill campaign
#BlockTheBill Snap Rally this Saturday in Melbourne
Cause of the Week: 350.org
90 – Nakkiah Lui
Playwright, Black Comedy writer, tweeter and Aboriginal not-activist Nakkiah Lui joins me for a chat ahead of that ugly date, January 26th. Nakkiah reveals how she and her family mark Invasion Day and we discuss the merits of even having a national day at all.
We also touch on ideological diversity within Indigenous Australia, the “personal responsibility” narrative, deconstructing whiteness, the myth of multiculturalism, Bill Leak and the new TV series we’re now going to pitch all over town, Blackfulla Mirror.
Reconciliation Comedy Gala at at the Malthouse Theatre on Invasion Day
Invasion Day Melbourne Event on Facebook
My Work in Progress show starts at Perth Fringeworld next week
Article: Why are we fighting Islamaphobia at the expense of Indigenous Australians? by Sara Saleh
Nakkiah on The Osher Günsberg Podcast
Article: It’s not racism that Australia needs to get rid of – it’s the privilege of whiteness
Article: As an Aboriginal teen I thought about killing myself every day
Article: Australia Day is a time for mourning not celebration
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Black Is The New White coming to Sydney Theatre Company
An Octoroon coming to Queensland Theatre Company
Cause of the Week: Butucarbin Aboriginal Corporation (butucarbin.org.au)
Sofie Hagen’s Made of Human Podcast
I had a delightful chat with the delightful comedian Sofie Hagen back in August and she’s just now posted it.
It’s a chat about Boundless Plains, why I’m a comedian, trying to be a good person and aliens. I hope you get something out of it; listen to the full thing here.