Show Notes
This week we speak to Chanel Contos about misogyny and the algorithm that is helping drive its rise amongst Australian boys and young men. Chanel and the team at Teach Us Consent have been a driving force behind Australia’s consent curriculum overhaul and are now turning their attention to algorithms through their Fix Our Feeds campaign. She explains how social media algorithms profit off outrage and can funnel a blank-slate profile for a young male into extreme, overtly misogynistic content in less than half an hour. The Fix Our Feeds campaign is calling for a world-first, opt-in feature that allows people to have a chronological feed of people they follow rather than a feed curated by an algorithm. The aim is to restore individual choice and control to our social media experience.
More from With David Pocock
In this episode, we sit down with Australian adventurer, YouTuber and filmmaker Beau Miles to chat about how you don't need to cross oceans or climb mountains to find genuine adventure. After a terrifying near-death encounter with a rogue wave while kayaking off Africa, Beau decided to walk away from ego-driven "hero" expeditions to focus on what he calls backyard adventuring. He says stepping just 500 metres off your usual beaten track can reveal hidden gullies, forgotten local history, and the quiet magic hiding right under your nose. We chat about connection with nature, why degraded local rivers need our care, and how everyday curiosity can change the way we raise kids and handle life's biggest hurdles. Beau reminds us all what an incredible place we live in and how the world right outside your back door is probably far more wild and surprising than you think.
In this episode, we explore the growing cost-of-living pressures on Australian households dealing with interest rate rises while major corporate profits and multinational tax loopholes remain unaddressed. We talk about the rapid expansion of AI and data centres, exploring the trade-offs for housing construction, energy resources, and creative copyright protections. We also share key parliamentary updates, including a proposal to mandate 30% social and affordable housing on federal land sales, a big Senate win against caps on veterans' health care, momentum on lobbying reform, and the launch of a suburb wide electrification pilot projects.
Luke Bateman recently fronted a Senate Inquiry into the Government's gambling reform bill. I caught up with him while he was in Parliament House to discuss his experience of gambling addiction and recovery, his love of fantasy books, and the role reading can play in young men’s lives. Luke is a former professional rugby league player, writer and booktoker and talks about masculinity, vulnerability, and professional sports culture, and why strength doesn’t have to mean shutting down your emotions. Luke’s book recommendations: Fantasy: Ice Station and Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly; The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett; and Magician by Raymond E. Feist Romance: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons; and Into the Blue by Emma Brodie Dave’s book recommendations: Fiction: Greenwood by Michael Christie, Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson, The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. le Guin, Dirt Music by Tim Winton and Where'd you Park your Spaceship by Rob Bell Nonfiction: The Will to Change by bell hooks
In this episode we speak with Dr Nick Chartres, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and co-lead of the Center in Corporate Harm. Nick explains how corporate interests and industry-sponsored research influence government regulators and distort public health policy. We discuss the key regulatory flaws in Australia, including the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority's (APVMA) decision on Paraquat, a herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease that is banned in 70 countries, and proposed increases to insecticide residue limits on berries. Dr Chartres exposes the systemic biases in relying on unpublished industry safety data, outdated uncertainty factors, and non-transparent "weight of evidence" evaluations. We then turn our attention to Australia's Health Star Rating system, detailing how food industry involvement created an algorithm that rewards ultra-processed foods while ignoring harmful cosmetic additives. And last but not least, practical steps individuals can take at home while advocating for systemic political reform.
This week we’re bringing you a discussion between David and Genevieve Jacobs at the 2024 MensLink Business breakfast. It covers everything from his family moving from Zimbabwe and adjusting to life in Australia, to his rugby career and transition into politics, as well as reflections on what it’s like putting your hand up and asking for help as a man. Menslink is an amazing organisation that’s now in their 24th year of supporting boys and young men and their families in the Canberra region through their counselling, mentoring and education programs. They’re all free and their Business Breakfast is one of the ways they raise money to deliver their programs. If you would like to know more about Menslink or even make a donation to support their work, you can do so here: https://menslink.org.au/