Are policymakers unethical?

A lawyer, an economist, and a philosopher sit down at a table to discuss ethics. This might sound like the start to a joke, but the topic of this week’s podcast is no laughing matter. When it comes to public trust in leaders to tell the truth and do the right thing, Australia tends toward the bottom of the rankings.On this episode, Nicky Lovegrove and Sharon Bessell hear from legal expert Associate Professor Vivien Holmes, Economics Professor Ngo Van Long, and Philosophy Professor Christian Barry about how to improve the ethics of public policy, and how our leaders can help build a better moral landscape.Vivien Holmes is Associate Professor at the ANU College of Law. She teaches and researches in the fields of legal ethics, legal education and the legal profession.Ngo Van Long is James McGill Professor of economics at McGill University, Canada, and Honorary Professor at Crawford School. Recently he delivered the F.H. Gruen Public Lecture at the ANU Research School of Economics, where he spoke on the topic of ethical motivation and economic behaviour.Christian Barry is Professor of Philosophy at the ANU Research School of Social Sciences, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Political Philosophy. His research focuses on ethical theory, philosophy of action, and international justice.ShownotesThe following were referred to in this episode:Will life be better in the saddle when no-one’s behind the wheel? by Craig RichardsUsing children in border control and political brinkmanship by Sharon BessellPolicy Forum Pod is available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.