Shrinking leaders and nations

Cultural studies professor Graeme Turner joins Mark and Marija to compare election campaign expectations, media concerns, and ask whether Donald Trump’s return could affect Australian democracy. Can we expect Peter Dutton to adopt a Trump-style for the upcoming election? Could such a campaign ever gain traction in Australia? And if it did, would the government hold it off? Or have portfolio governance changes and an incremental approach to progress left Labor with no defining re-election narrative? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the federal election. Graeme Turner is Emeritus Professor in the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies at the University of Queensland and a founding figure of Australian media and cultural studies. His most recent book is The Shrinking Nation. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations. Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.