LiSTNR welcomes former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his podcast Defending Democracy with Malcolm Turnbull; a new six-part series that examines the threat of democracy around the world.
Each episode delivers compelling and robust conversations with key global and local political figures and commentators including former British Prime Minister Theresa May, former US Republican Party Congressman Adam Kinzinger, veteran Homeland Security official John Cohen, Australian Members of Parliament Allegra Spender MP and Zali Steggall MP, journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, and American author and expert on Russian disinformation Nina Jankowicz.
Listen to the first episode of Defending Democracy below:
Together they question if liberal democracies can prevail against populist authoritarians? Can we stop the madness of the ‘angertainment’ industry without stifling free speech? What lessons can Americans learn from Australian democracy and what warnings can Australians take from America, from Europe and closer to home here in Asia?
External threats have not gone away, but many are now realising that the greatest threats to democracies are not from without, but from within.
Throughout this podcast series, Malcolm Turnbull embarks on a unique exploration of the issues facing humanity across the globe and the potential for solutions.
“Democracy is under more threat than ever, so I have been talking with people, at home and around the world, who are trying to defend it,” Mr Turnbull said.
“We are talking about the honesty and respect that is critical to the democracy’s defence, the electoral systems that can give it resilience against authoritarians and the media which creates the environment in which democracy can either flourish or perish.
“I am an optimist. I believe democracy can survive, but it is not assured. In this podcast series we will examine the forces that are threatening our democracy and what we can do to chart a way out of the chaos.”