This episode of Socially Democratic is the June Mailbag. Todd Pinkerton and Lissie Ratcliff answer your questions on AI, the budget, progressive media, and the future of cheap beer.

🤖 Is Labor seriously game-planning for an AI-driven jobs crisis? 

🏠 A month on from the budget, has it landed with people, and why is One Nation still rising? 

📱 Does Labor need its own media ecosystem, or do we already have one? 

📺 Why authentic, unpolished content beats polished TV ads every time, and why we still can't let go 

📖 The watch list: Tony Blair's big essay, anger and social media, and FIFA's relationship with Trump 

🍺 Should the Labor movement just buy a brewery?

DON’T MISS Socially Democratic LIVE at the New South Wales Labor Conference:

July 4,
4pm
Sydney Town Hall
(https://www.nswlabor.org.au/register_interest_conference26)

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Tony Blair’s Essay (https://tr.ee/fK8o71)

‘Angertainment’ by Ed Coper (https://tr.ee/DxQSu2)

A Yearslong Effort to Woo Trump Culminates With the World Cup - NYT (https://tr.ee/nUx2oq)

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Support the show

Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

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The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au 

In this episode of Socially Democratic, host Stephen Donnelly is joined by senior Democratic consultant and former Obama field organiser Katie Parsons for a deep dive into the state of the Democratic Party.

The DNC finally released its post-mortem of the 2024 Harris presidential campaign. It was, to put it diplomatically, not great. Neither the campaign, nor the post-mortem. So what do we actually know about what went wrong, and is the party any closer to having answers?

This episode of Socially Democratic covers the May federal budget: the politics, the comms, and what it means for Labor heading into the next Victorian election.

David Feeney is away, so Stephen Donnelly and Jessie McCrone are joined this month by Lissie Ratcliff, former Andrews Chief of Staff and regular Mailbag guest, for a cracking Feeney Files sans Feeney.

They cover: 

🏠 Whether the budget's political reception actually matters, and why it's a three-budget plan. 

📱 The influencer lockup strategy: right call, mixed execution. 

🏛️ NSW Labor's budget pushback: tactical positioning or unhelpful noise? 

💧The pros and cons of a formal party structure, and the push to consolidate successful Independents.

📰 Plus all the nominations you know and love. 

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

This episode of Socially Democratic discusses the UK local, Scottish, and Welsh election results, and what Labour's historic collapse means for social democracy.

Reform UK surged across England, Scotland, and Wales. Labour lost its 115-year dominance in Wales. And inside the Parliamentary Labour Party, calls for Keir Starmer to stand down are growing louder.

Host Stephen Donnelly is joined by two insiders who know British Labour politics intimately:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 John McTernan, former senior advisor to Tony Blair and Former Director of Communications for Julia Gillard.

🇦🇺 David Feeney, former federal MP and State Labor Campaign Director.

Together they unpack:

🗳️ Why Labour still can't break through in Scotland, and what Reform's debut at Holyrood signals

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 What 115 years of Labour dominance in Wales falling apart actually means

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 How five-party politics and first-past-the-post are accelerating Labour's fragmentation in England

🔥 The rise of Nigel Farage — political genius or far-right accelerant?

🪑 The Labour leadership race — Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, and who John thinks wins

💬 What social democratic governments must do when the ground shifts beneath them

Don't miss this ep.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

This episode of Socially Democratic discusses the 2026 Federal Budget — Jim Chalmers' most ambitious yet — with Emma Dawson, Executive Director of the Chifley Research Centre, and economist Adam Triggs, Partner at Mandala. 

Is this really the most significant tax reform package in a quarter of a century? Stephen, Emma, and Adam think so. Here's why.

💰 Negative gearing reform and capital gains tax — what's actually changing, who it targets, and why the grandfathering provisions matter more than the headlines suggest

🏡 Housing affordability — how the modelling behind 75,000 new homeowners works, and what the reforms could realistically do to property prices over time

🔁 Trust taxation — the quiet giant of this budget. Why changes to trusts are actually bigger than the CGT and negative gearing reforms combined

📈 Productivity and economic reform — is there enough in this budget for Australia's long-term economic challenges, or are the critics right that Chalmers left too much on the table?

🤝 Winners and losers — young people, aged care, First Nations communities, and the NDIS. Emma and Adam cut through the spin on who this federal budget really serves

🗳️ The political fallout — how will the Coalition, the Greens, and One Nation respond to a Labor budget that just pulled the rug out from under all of them?

Don't miss this ep.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

In this topical, fully-loaded episode of Socially Democratic , Stephen, Todd, and Lissie convene to answer our most pressing Mailbag questions - and add a few thoughts of their own. 

Our listeners asked:

🏡 If the Treasury scraps or reduces negative gearing and capital gains tax benefits in the next federal budget - will it actually help younger generations? 

🤑In focusing almost exclusively on concrete gains like worker protections and cost-of-living relief, is the ALP missing an opportunity to speak to the broader disaffection of Australian workers with an economy that appears to be leaving them behind?

🕵️How exactly does the Labor Party recruit candidates in pre-selection? Stephen shares a few anecdotes from his time as a party official. 

💡Where do Lissie, Stephen, and Todd stand on Future Made in Australia? Is the program aimed at making Australia a global energy superpower - or is it simply about energy sovereignty?

🗳️Plus, the Nepean and Farrer by-elections, Liberal’s disastrous One-Nation preferences, and a new segment: The Watchlist - our culture picks of the month. 

Don’t miss this ep. 

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Mentioned in the show:

👉 The Rest is History

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/britain-in-the-70s-the-rise-of-thatcher-part-1/id1537788786?i=1000761089927

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2yFqDJovxWNpfSKsaMd0NM?si=ptghMRssRQ6BJRWVoXM6sQ

👉 Pike River

https://youtu.be/1YOnuqAzTj4?si=UDoj7S5IWm1pF_TN

👉 Tucker Carlson

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV6ear0jdy9/?igsh=MXRrOXl5eWl1MDFoNg==

Support the show

Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Street and Socially Democratic.

Access ad-free episodes and send in questions by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SociallyDemocratic

If you like the show, rate and review us on your favourite podcast app.

Follow Us on Socials:

Facebook (https://tr.ee/9jGIOy)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sociallydemocratic)
LinkedIn (https://tr.ee/YxyYJh)
X (https://x.com/SocialDemPod)
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@DunnStreet)

The presenting sponsor of the Socially Democratic podcast is Dunn Street. For more information on how Dunn Street can help you organise to build winning campaigns in your community, business or organisation, and make the world a better place, look us up at: dunnstreet.com.au 

This episode of Socially Democratic brings Stephen, David, and Jessie back together to discuss Labor news and politics over the past month - and envision what’s to come.

They cover:

💰The May Federal Budget announcement: What sort of scenarios must be planned for with the ongoing fuel crisis? Which potential cost-of-living reforms are likely to unfold, and how should the government communicate those decisions to the Australian public?

⚖️ The High Court Decision on Election Donations: How this decision to strike down Victoria’s donation cap laws has national implications, and how this might open the door for a “billionaire’s picnic” in election campaigns.

🗳️ The Looming By-Elections in Farrer and Nepean. Labor is not contesting either by-election, but should they still be concerned about the rise of grievance politics? And in Victoria, what are the implications of a Liberal Party preference deal with One Nation, and why would they make one so soon?

Plus, all the categories and nominations you know and love.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

How did the well-oiled machine that built the historic Obama campaign in 2008 fail so catastrophically in 2024?

--

This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen speaks with Josh Cook and Greta Carnes about their report ‘The Future of Democratic Organizing’.

Greta is a political campaigner and researcher, while Josh is an expert in digital strategy and engagement. Both are U.S.-based ‘Obama for America’ alums with over a decade of experience in national campaigns.

We ask:

🤝 What is “relational organising” and why is it so critical now?

📐 How do we measure impact in a way that truly aligns with strategy, and what’s the harm in being too metrics-focused?

🦖 How did the Democrats unwittingly work against innovation in their campaigns?

🤖 How does digital organising interact with traditional field work and why do some campaign leaders still resist it?

--

This is a vital and fascinating conversation for both organisers and anyone who relies on the impact of organising. Tune in to hear more.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen speaks with John Armitage, one of the most respected social researchers and communication strategists on the Australian left.

As recent polls have shown, the political landscape in Australia is rapidly shifting. So what's next? Where to now for the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and One Nation?

They cover:

🔴 How should State Labor and the ALP position themselves if they want to continue being seen as the natural party of government?

🔵 What will become of the Liberal Party? Who are they today, and why have they so badly failed to address voter concerns?

🟠 What drives Australians to One Nation? Of all the minor and fringe political parties to choose from, why them?

🎯 The need for a bold policy change to address economic unfairness and appeal to drifting voters.

🎭 Recommendations for state and federal Labor on developing a clear message of contrast to One Nation - as well as exposing the hypocrisy of their "ordinary person" narrative.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Todd Pinkerton, Campaign Director for Unions NSW, and Lissie Ratcliff, Managing Partner at FMRS Advisory and fmr Chief of Staff to Premier Daniel Andrews, are back this month to answer your burning mailbag questions.

This episode of Socially Democratic discusses:

📺Prime Minister Albanese’s National Address. What did he do right, and how could he have used that time to bring the nation together in a time of crisis?

⛽Despite the ceasefire, the war in Iran and the resulting fuel crisis aren’t going away any time soon. How are states responding to ease the shock for their constituents? And how can the federal government improve their communication with the public?

⚓The Royal Australian Navy in the Strait of Hormuz? What is Opposition Leader Angus Taylor on about? Plus, how our relationship with the United States and the global order is changing - and why it’s so important that we steer our own ship (pun intended).

⏰Now is the Time! Lissie, Todd, and Stephen discuss why the field is now wide open for the ALP to get serious about tax reform.

This and more listener questions. Listen in to hear them all.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

Happy long weekend, Social Democrats!

In this episode of Socially Democratic, Stephen sits down with economist Adam Triggs, a Partner at Mandala and Non-Resident Fellow at The Brookings Institution and ANU.

They discuss the issues that are top-of-mind for many Australians, including:

⛽The Fuel Crisis - How does the war in Iran impact things like GDP, inflation, and unemployment? What can we do to reduce the demand for oil in Australia?

😫Inflation - Why the Reserve Bank of Australia should not be the first port of call for keeping inflation under control, and how Albanese’s Federal Government can exert downward pressure without triggering a recession.

🐹Productivity - Australia has a problem with low productivity, but what does that mean? Adam shares insights from his time at Jim Chalmers’s Economic Reform Roundtable (i.e. the productivity roundtable).

🔥Tax Reform - Chalmers sought to create a “burning platform” around tax reform, and despite the spectre of elections past 👻, he might now be closer than ever.

💰Regulatory Reform - How small changes in some simple places (like medications and EVs) could make a big difference for working families.

Tune in to find out.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. New episodes every Friday.

This week on Australia's favourite Labor politics and campaigns podcast:

🎉 Congratulations to Premier Peter Malinauskas, the entire SA Labor campaign, and the people of South Australia!

🧩 Matt, Hannah, and Stephen analyse the party's historic win, seat by seat.

📈 Plus, we look at the benefits of winning with such a large margin, particularly with regard to campaign funding and the "freedom to lead".

⚠️ But - One Nation has a strong showing, even winning a seat in the lower house. How can Labor ensure they don't gain more ground?

📉 The Liberal Vote sees large negative swings across the state. How will they respond?

Socially Democratic is a Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests and new episodes every Friday.

In this episode of Socially Democratic:

📊 Another landslide Labor victory in South Australia for Peter Malinauskas. What can the rest of us learn from it?

🗞️ Rumours of a leadership challenge in Victoria. The news in Victoria is rife with speculation on the future of the Allan government. Jessie, David, and Stephen break it down.

⚠️ The fragmentation on the right and the rise of One Nation is not a one-off. What can Victorian Labor do to shore up their base in the 2026 election?

🔥 Plus, a robust debate on the Kos Samaras article: The Death of the Brahmin Left. Did he get the diagnosis right?

And much more from David Feeney and Jessie McCrone. 

Socially Democratic is a Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests and new episodes every Friday.

It's time for the annual Socially Democratic mic handover! 

This episode features the return of our favourite stand-in host, Rebecca Thistleton (Executive Director Victoria, The McKell Institute) along with special guests Melissa Donnelly (National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union), and Benita Kolovos (Victorian State Correspondent, Guardian Australia). 

Together they unpack:

📢  The highs and lows of this year's International Women’s Day: a day which advances meaningful conversation, but also traffics in empty symbolism.

🏛️ How the Federal Government and the Opposition are approaching women’s policy, and why structural challenges don’t get solved overnight.

🧠 This Victorian State election, all the major party leaders are women. What will it mean for campaign commitments and messaging?

👶 Plus, "just have more babies", the minefield of social media, and the year's best policy reforms.

Socially Democratic is a Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests and new episodes every Friday.

In this episode of Socially Democratic:

📉 Are the Liberals about to finish THIRD? They remain stuck below 20% primary vote, with One Nation moving into second place.

📊 New polling shows Labor holding a commanding lead, but are the figures even underselling it?

🧨 Ashton Hurn stumbles on a net zero question in the Leaders debate. But does this matter to voters?

🗳️ Plus, we break down the key seats to watch on election night.

Socially Democratic is a Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests and new episodes every Friday.

In this episode of Socially Democratic:

🫥 How will the Liberals respond to the findings of their 2025 Election Review? Or will they just hide it in a drawer?

💸 If we address the housing crisis by favouring owner-occupiers over investors, where will that investment money go? Does Australia have other attractive assets to keep that money in the lucky country?

🌴 The ACTU is campaigning for 5 week annual leave for all workers, nationwide. Do they stand a chance? 

Plus, we ask: which work perk would you prefer?

🌎 “Social Cohesion” has entered the chat once more, this time on The Rest is Politics. That conversation prompted our listener Paul to ask: 

Should we be concerned that our representatives are taking foreign policy positions based on their constituents, rather than Australia’s best interest?

👔 Finally we discuss Kos Samaras’s latest essay: ‘The Death of the Brahmin Left’. Did Australian Labor intentionally drift away from the working-class outer suburbs in favour of inner-city knowledge workers? The hosts discuss.

Socially Democratic is an Australian Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests. 

In this episode of Socially Democratic:

🍎 Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas announces a policy of 150 minutes per week of ‘Active Learning’ for school aged children, plus free school camp and an expansion of sports vouchers.

🧩 South Australia Liberals struggle to get airtime and squander their opportunities with scattered policy announcements. Plus, how is Ashton Hurn’s leadership holding up?

🚑 A man’s tragic death brings renewed attention to the problem of long waits during ambulance ramping. How will it impact the remainder of the campaign?

🫣 How To Vote preferences deals were announced - and we ask, did the Liberals deal away metro Adelaide seats?

🔮 Will we ever see the end of AusPol’s corflute obsession?

🤡 Carston Woodhouse’s outrageous comments on feminism and homosexuality surfaced from a podcast last year, leading Hannah to question - do Liberals even bother to vet their candidates?

Plus all the category nomination you know and love.

Hey Social Democrats. We are back with our first of the 4-part series on the South Australia state elections.

Stephen Donnelly, along with special guests Hannah MacLeod and Matt Clemow, analyse the state of the race, including: 

✅ Peter Malinauskas's record as Premier, 

✅ Political messaging from the major parties, 

✅  The three cornered contests between independents, One Nation, and the Liberals in the crucial regional seats.

✅ The new campaign finance laws that are shaking up the election,

✅  and how South Australian Labor is adapting their strategy to this new climate. 

Plus all the categories you know and love. 

Socially Democratic is a Labor politics and campaigns podcast with expert guests and new episodes every Friday. 

📊 February brought fresh polling, a Liberal leadership shake-up, and renewed questions about where the conservative movement goes next.

With the opposition searching for economic credibility and flirting once again with culture-war politics, what does the path back to government actually look like for the Liberal Party of Australia?

🏗️ We also unpack the CFMEU controversy — including the media’s rush to amplify a back-of-the-envelope $15 billion figure — and what it means politically for the Victorian Allan Labor government. How can Labor get back on the front foot and tell a powerful, persuasive story about the infrastructure Big Build that resonates with voters?

All that, plus the month’s biggest narratives and category nominations.

This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen is joined by policy expert and Executive Director of the Chifley Research Centre, Emma Dawson.

Emma joins the show to talk about what Labor's clear majority actually means, what they can still achieve in their second term, and whether this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for structural reform.

Emma brings her wealth of knowledge to the vital questions of 2026, including:

📈 Can we ease the cost-of-living crisis without spiking inflation?

🤏  What is the difference between incremental reform and timid reform?

🧩 How has the fragmented media environment affected our ability to make lasting change?

🍎 🍊  What is the difference between “popular” policy and “populist” politics?

🥸 Does the Albanese government have a coherent political identity, and if so, what is it?

#AusPol #AustralianPolitics #LaborGovernment #AustralianLaborParty #ALP #AnthonyAlbanese #PublicPolicy #PolicyReform #EconomicReform #SocialDemocracy #Democracy #PoliticalStrategy #ProgressivePolitics #ThinkTanks #Chifley #Emma Dawson #AustralianEconomy #FutureOfDemocracy #MediaAndPolitics #ReformAgenda #PoliticalPodcast