Author Archives: Tom
263 – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts
Larissa Baldwin-Roberts is a proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung Nations and has been a progressive activist since forever. She’s a co-founder of the First Nations climate pressure group SEED Mob and is the current CEO of GetUp!.
In this conversation I ask Larissa about where her politics come from and how she thinks about political ideology. She outlines how she views GetUp!’s role under a Labor government, her unique perspective on climate politics and how she thinks (/hopes) the Voice referendum debate is going to play out.
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
I’m currently touring my new stand up show IT IS I all over the country: SYDNEY | CAIRNS | TOOWOOMBA | BRISBANE
To get discounted tickets to Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST
For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, click here
Later in the year I’ll be coming back to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!
WATCH: Larissa Baldwin-Roberts delivers the 2022 Dr. Charlie Perkins Oration
Direct download | iTunes | Spotify | libsyn
262 – Professor John Quiggin
John Quiggin is a widely-respected economist and professor at the University of Queensland. He’s a former member of the Australian Government’s Climate Change Authority, and he’s written widely about the scourge of neoliberalism and privatisation.
I wanted to get John on the show to discuss the essay written by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for The Monthly back in February, “Capitalism After The Crises“, in which he laid out his vision for “values-based capitalism”. In this conversation we discuss what the hell that actually means, whether or not it’s a hollow idea, and just how much this Labor government is prepared to deliver anything like it.
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
I’m currently touring my new stand up show IT IS I all over the country: MELBOURNE (now!) | SYDNEY | CAIRNS | TOOWOOMBA | BRISBANE
To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST
For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, click here
I’m performing my comedy lecture YES/NO at the Melbourne Comedy Festival – BOOK HERE
John’s response to Chalmer’s essay in The Conversation
Direct download | iTunes | Spotify | libsyn
Serious Danger LIVE in Brisbane
Excited to announce that my filthy vulgar Leftist podcast about The Greens will be live on stage in Brisbane in May!
It’s happening on Sunday May 21st at 2pm at the brilliant Good Chat Comedy Club, with brilliant guests.
Come join comrades TOM BALLARD and EMERALD MOON for this special Greensland live edition of their podcast about Australia’s broken political system and its biggest threat: the Australian Greens.
There’ll be laffs with award-winning comic GERALDINE HICKEY and Greens member for Griffith MAX CHANDLER-MATHER will help us celebrate the one-year anniversary of the break-through 2022 election. Good stuff!
Book now!
IT IS I 2023 Tour
My new stand up show is called IT IS I and I’m talking it all over the joint in 2023.
After writing a book, filming a TV show, becoming an uncle, surviving the plague and going slightly mad, Tom Ballard is back with a hot new hour – just for you.
“Brave, biting, ballsy and ultimately, brilliant.” ★★★★★ Time Out
“An absolute comedy masterclass.” ★★★★★ Beat Magazine
“Has a frankly ridiculous ability to hit all his marks and deftly detonate every punchline.” ★★★★½ The Age
“Unrelenting and uproarious.” ★★★★½ Chortle
“Much of his stand-up is about as funny as listening to a recording of one of Joe Stalin’s four-hour rants.” Gerard Henderson, The Australian
“[The audience’s] laughter was to Ballard’s jokes what applause and chants are at a Trump rally.” Holly Lawford-Smith
Book here!
10 Funniest Things I Have Ever Seen (On The Internet)
261 – Alison Pennington Returns
She’s back! Economist, comrade and now author Alison Pennington returns to the show to discuss her debut book Gen F’ed? How Young Australians Can Reclaim Their Uncertain Futures.
We discuss how all the good jobs disappeared, our massively cooked housing market, replacing intergenerational warfare with class warfare and how young people can build political power under this “progressive (?)” Labor government.
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
My show IT IS I is on at the Adelaide Fringe right now!
Then IT IS I heads to: | GOLD COAST | CANBERRA | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | CAIRNS | TOOWOOMBA | BRISBANE
To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST
For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, click here
I’m doing just 2 shows of my comedy lecture YES/NO at the Melbourne Comedy Festival – BOOK HERE
Alison’s last appearance on the show in 2020
Direct download | iTunes | Spotify | libsyn
STAND UP FOR REFUGEES: A BENEFIT FOR THE ASRC
For more than 20 years, the good eggs at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray have been providing material and legal support for people seeking asylum and refugees, as well as exposing and fighting back against Australia’s cruel immigration policies. They’re real good.
Now, thanks to crappy inflation and a surge in demand for their services over the pandemic, these folks are in a spot of bother – and we figure the least we can do is raise them an absolute sh*tload of cash with the power of jokes.
Don’t miss this special night of A-grade comedy excellence, featuring a super-awesome-super-secret line-up of the very best comedians performing at this year’s Festival – all of them donating their time and talents to support the ASRC during this financially critical time.
Co-hosted by Wil Anderson & Tom Ballard.
Get in quick – this will sell out.
You can donate directly to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre via this link.
Kindly supported by Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Book tickets here!
260 – “I, Millennial” Event LIVE in Warrnambool
This week’s episode brings you the conversation I had with some other generational voices at a live event at the public library in my home town, Warrnambool.
Alongside Zoomer and journalist Sharna Rogers, Xer and psychologist Dr. Jodie Fleming and Baby Boomer and celebrated aid worker Bob Handby AO, I discussed three big topics I explore in my book I, Millennial: housing, work and the climate crisis, and how these issues play out for Australians of different ages. The conversation was moderated by the brilliant Ailiche Goddard-Clegg, and it was a bloody great chat, with plenty of insights and laughs.
Thanks to Collins Booksellers and the Warrnambool Library for making it happen, and to everyone who came along, including my mum and dad.
Join the LIASYO Facebook group here please and thank you
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
I’m currently touring my new stand up show IT IS I all over the country: ADELAIDE | GOLD COAST | CANBERRA | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | CAIRNS | TOOWOOMBA | BRISBANE
To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST
For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, click here
I’m doing just 2 shows of my comedy lecture YES/NO at the Melbourne Comedy Festival – BOOK HERE
ARTICLE: Read my interview with Jacobin about Millennial socialiast RAGE
Direct download | iTunes | Spotify | libsyn
Jacobin Article on “I, Millennial”
I had a chat to my mate Daniel Lopez at Jacobin Australia about my book and being a Millennial socialist.