#16. Australian politics, Duopoly, Crossbench, Welfare, Immigration, Scare Tactics | Vern Hughes

Vern Hughes is the Convenor of Democracy First and a prominent figure in Australian civil society reform movements. Hughes emphasises "sensible conservatism" and civil society empowerment, positioning Democracy First as a balance-of-power alternative to major parties. His work critiques career politicians and promotes institutional accountability.https://democracyfirst.org.au/ #Democracy #TwoPartySystem #LiberalLabor #CrossBench #Independents Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Democracy First and Historical Context05:04 The Decline of Major Political Parties10:05 The Rise of Minor Parties and Political Polarisation14:45 Challenges of Minority Governments and Cross-bench Influence19:30 Cost of Living Crisis and Housing Solutions29:18 Sustainability of Government Spending and Welfare Expenditures45:16 The Challenges of Disability Support Funding49:25 Economic Growth and the Care Economy52:15 Australia's Economic Complexity Crisis55:24 Immigration and Social Cohesion Issues01:07:14 Navigating Global Relations and Tariffs01:11:41 Political Campaign Tactics and Scare Tactics01:16:33 Reforming Political Funding and Representation==============================================Perth Dialogues is a platform to celebrate migrant success in Australia, bringing Australian and migrant communities closer and helping understand Australian issues (https://perthdialogues.au/)Join and Subscribe to Perth Dialogues on our channels 👇Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@perthdialoguesSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5xtPxMoU7ley1kiqYUt90xAmazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a5bb32f6-862c-43c3-8214-6cea11f035a0/perth-dialoguesApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perth-dialogues/id1792572402 Copyrights © All Rights Reserved with Perth Dialogues.