Post-Growth Australia Podcast

In this episode of PGAP, host Michael Bayliss welcomes special guest Peter Tait, convenor of the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy. Peter discusses the critical importance of citizen participation in the democratic process and how citizen assemblies have great potential in building momentum on issues such as planned Degrowth and population policy. Peter Tait has been a General Practitioner for over 40 years, 30 of them in Aboriginal health in Central Australia. He was 2007 RACGP General Practitioner of the Year and 2017 Public Health Association Australia Sidney Sax medalist. He teaches Population Health at ANU. You can find out more about the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy HERE. Peter represented CAPaD at the New Economy Network Australia (NENA) conference in 2025. Did you like this episode and want to explore more PGAP episodes? We recommend the premiere episode for this season with Marcus Champ, representing Public Money, Public Good, who also presented at the NENA conference. Or listen to the NENA conference coordinator, Tiyana Jovanovic, HERE. For a slightly older episode, our interview with Mark Diesendorf explored issues referred to in this episode such as state capture of government policy. For further reading, you may be interested in Michael’s blog article for Population Media Centre, which argues why large and rapidly growing populations can dilute democracy. This is explored further in my article on The Overpopulation Project: “The Planet Cannot Hold the Weight of 8.2 billion Narratives.” During the interview, Peter explains the concept of Sociocracy and its capacity to achieve consensus even with large and disperse populations. In the episode introduction, Michael reflects on his recent presentation on Degrowth at Perth’s Curtin University. Aiming to engage students emotionally with Degrowth as a moral imperative, the feedback was hugely encouraging, as the below photo hopefully attests. Michael at back centre PGAP will be on a break over the next couple of months. In the meantime, Michael is offering a free Sustainable Population Mug, for every review of PGAP on Apple Podcast. All you need to do – after writing the review – is contact PGAP on our CONTACT FORM and Michael will respond on his return. In the down time, we also encourage you to engage at least one person on the issue of Degrowth, please write to us and let us know how your conversation went. All views, opinions and past legacies of PGAP guests are exclusively theirs and do not necessarily reflect those of PGAP or Sustainable Population Australia. Special Guest: Peter Tait.

This year, the New Economy Network Australia (NENA), launched a new podcast, ‘Voices of the New Economy’ hosted by Dr Tiyana Jovanovic. For this very special episode of PGAP, we catch up with Tiyana to tell us more about this new exciting podcast series, and how podcasting is an important storytelling tool to encourage and facilitate change. Also in this episode: Tiyana explores her journey within NENA over the past three years, including her coordination roles on the board of directors, strategic direction group, coordination hub, and storytelling hub. She also shares her work and advocacy beyond NENA, as founder of the of Humanitarian Changemakers Network and host of the Changemaker QandA podcast. Tiyana discusses her recent PHD work, in which she redefined concepts such as ‘empowerment’, ‘resilience’ ‘adaptability’ and ‘sustainability’. She describes how her work with women and communities in rural India informed her research. We discuss how the broader post-growth movement can benefit from a deeper understanding on the dynamics of empowerment and resilience. Finally, Tiyana shares with us her personal vision for a day in the life in a new economy, post-growth world. Did you know - PGAP host Michael Bayliss was also a recent guest on the ‘Voices of the New Economy’ podcast. You can even watch the conversation on YouTube. In this episode, I invite listeners to hold one face to face conversation with at least one other person who is new to degrowth. Please CONTACT US on PGAP if you would like any tips before your conversation. Otherwise, let us know how your conversation went. It is very important that we all do what we can to make post-growth a mainstream issue, as the world is on brink of disaster. If you can, we would appreciate you taking the time to share this and other episodes of PGAP with your networks, or rate and review us on Apple Podcast. *Links for further exploration: * Tiyana’s non-linear approach to change/growth is discussed in the context of rethinking sustainability at the Australian Earth Laws Alliance conference last year: https://youtu.be/9XvAJyn0Gc0?si=KNiVxCwgLdRLwY8T Tiyana’s empowerment framework (which can be applied to how we think about the role of an economy): https://youtu.be/4z1e6EM2GOk?si=qXI4TXPOP0uqk9Mb You may be interested in the past NENA themed PGAP episodes: Reimagine a Earth Centered Economy with Michelle Maloney PGAP live at the NENA conference: Life After Capitalism PGAP is made possible through the support of Sustainable Population Australia. All perspectives, views and legacies of PGAP guests are exclusively theirs and do not always reflect those of PGAP or SPA. Timestamp: Intro: Start – 05:10 Interview part 1: 05:10 – 32:47 Intermission: 32:47 – 35:05 Interview part 1: 35:05 – 56:46 Special Guest: Tiyana Jovanovic.

Recent events have brought to the surface how vulnerable Australia is to energy shortages with only 30 days of stockpiled oil reserves. Within the context of these tentative times, it is important that we re-explore alternative energy options. Scott Witheridge is an Environmental Engineer and Author of the book "The Post Fossil Fuel Era". The book is a deep investigation into the next frontier of energy—exploring decentralised power, hydrogen innovation, and the intersection of conventional and emerging technologies. In this interview, Scott discusses the possibilities of abundant, perpetual and non-conventional energy. All views, opinions and legacies of guests on Post Growth Australia Podcast are exclusively theirs and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of PGAP. This is especially true for this episode as host Michael Bayliss remains cautiously neutral on this issue. From a post-growth perspective, the idea of abundant energy offers a fascinating hypothetical. If abundant energy is possible, how does this challenge our notion of energy scarcity and our response to this (such as planned degrowth and voluntary simplicity)? On the other side of the coin, does abundant energy give humanity a free pass to continue expanding unchecked and do post-growth principles still apply? All this and more are explored under the hypothetical microscope in this special episode of PGAP. “THE POST FOSSIL-FUEL ERA: A Blueprint for a Boundless Future” is available for purchase on Amazon HERE. You can check out Scott’s videos, including the full length “The Story of the Joe Cell” documentary, on the Post Fossil Fuel Era YouTube channel HERE. If you would like to hear host Michael Bayliss’ most recent interview on Pulse, representing Sustainable Population Australia, link HERE (go to the third chapter starting at 2:00:00). If you enjoyed this episode, please share with your networks. We encourage you to rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast. CONTACT US with your thoughts and suggestions for future episodes and guests. Special Guest: Scott Witheridge.

“By disaster or design a Post Growth world is coming…because if we don’t do anything, the systems we depend on will collapse. Let’s not let that happen, let’s design our way to a better system.” In this episode of Post Growth Australia Podcast, we welcome special guest Matt Orsagh, from the Arketa Institute for Post Growth Finance, and author of the blog ‘Degrowth is The Answer’. Matt and his colleagues at Arketa have been working to align to financial sector with environmental and wellbeing needs, culminating in the 2025 research paper: “By Disaster or Design: How finance can evolve to avoid the worst of the ecological challenges we face and enable the transition to a better economic mode.” The paper proposes many degrowth solutions to the finance sector, to which Matt explores further in this interview. We also explore Matt’s own written work at his Substack blog, 'Degrowth is the Answer'. Big themes include wealth inequality, the loneliness epidemic, and collapse. These articles exemplify Matt’s storytelling skills. While describing our current predicaments with unflinching realism, Matt reminds us that the future remains hopeful if our global society transitions toward practical, planned Degrowth solutions. This episode of PGAP is dedicated to the memory of Tristan Sykes, co-founder of Just Collapse, who recently passed away Change the World through Changing Economics with Marcus Champ: The premiere episode of season 8 is a great companion episode, as it similarly explores economics and finance. Planning for a Just Collapse with Kate Booth: Our interview with ‘Just Collapse’ co-founder remains one of our most listened to episodes. This interview explores the following three articles from Matt’s Substack Blog ‘Degrowth Is The Answer’: Americans Don’t Know How Good They Don’t Have It Collapse: Don’t Look Down Everyone I Know is Lonely You can find the Arketa institute publications HERE, where you may read the report ‘By Disaster or By Design.’ _Enjoyed this episode? Please feel welcome to show your support for PGAP by sharing this and other episodes with your friends, family and networks. Leave a review for us on Apple Podcast or your favourite podcast platform. Contact us anytime with your thoughts and suggestions. _ Time stamp Introduction: Start – 00:04:19 Interview Part 1: 00:04:19 – 00:32:06 Intermission: 00:32:06 – 00:34:27 Interview Part 1: 00:34:27 - End Special Guest: Matt Orsagh.

“The foundational elements of neoliberal economics is false” – Marcus Champ Welcome to 2026 and a brand-new season of Post Growth Australia Podcast! With co-host Mark Allen on travel leave, host Michael Bayliss - with his degrowth cap on - opens the episode with some mixed feelings in welcoming the new year. Since 2025, humanity has breached planetary boundaries, shifted more of our collective wealth into the hands of oligarchs and added 70 million to the population. Each new year brings a new appreciation of the magnitude to the scale of the human enterprise, which makes turning things around that more difficult (we keep trying, however!) Our first special guest to open Season 8 of PGAP is Marcus Champ. With a professional background in psychology, Marcus is studying at the one-of-a-kind Masters of Economics of Sustainability degree through Torrens University. Along with fellow students, Marcus has started an economics advocacy group called “Public Money. Public Good.” Marcus was also a presenter at the 2025 New Economy Network Australia (NENA) conference. His presentation was titled: “Pathways through a crisis: wartime experience and lessons for the coming climate catastrophe.” In this episode, Marcus draws from his presentation to compare Australia’s economy during World War II to that of our economic system today. In his words: “It’s amazing how much our understanding of economics and finance has changed in the last 50 years or so.” With panache and passion, Marcus shares a new economic vision for Australia. Informed from the achievements of the past, it eschews the current neoliberal paradigm to create a future where social and environmental wellbeing are prioritized over the GDP, profits for the few and endless growth on a finite planet. Post Growth Australia Podcast (PGAP) is made possible with the support of Sustainable Population Australia (SPA). All opinions and legacy of PGAP guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of PGAP or SPA. Enjoyed this episode? Please feel welcome to show your support for PGAP by sharing this and other episodes with your friends, family and networks. Leave a review for us on Apple Podcast or your favourite podcast platform. Contact us anytime with your thoughts and suggestions. Want to explore more episodes on this theme? Links below: Finding The Money with Maren Poitras PGAP live at the NENA conference: Life After Capitalism MMT for Activism with Gabrielle Bond Ecological Economies and MMT with Steve Williams Time stamp: Intro - 00:06:20 Interview part 1 - 00:06:20 - 00:27:20 Intermission - 00:27:20 - 00:29:05 Interview part 2 - 00:29:05 - 01:00:55 Special Guest: Marcus Champ.

In this final episode for Season Seven, co-hosts Mark Allen (https://holisticactivism.net/)and Michael Baylis (https://michaelbayliss.org/)s catch up for a short, freewheeling conversation to wrap up a busy year. In June 2025, Michael and Mark participated in a community consultation weekend on the future development of North Albany. Michael later presented his observations at the Albany Community Environment Centre forum ahead of the City of Albany elections in September. His presentation explained to prospective councillors and fellow environmentalists why urban planning matters for both social wellbeing and ecological resilience. It also invited attendees to reflect upon the long‑term consequences of unchecked growth for the city’s future. For this episode, Michael reads out this talk for posterity, which can also be read on the PGAP blog HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/articles/northalbany). This prompts an open discussion with Mark around issues such as: Albany’s growth pains and the impact this has for future planning, housing security and the natural environment; How face to face community consultation, including Citizen Assemblies, can encourage cooperative debate and discussion, in contrast to the divisiveness which is so common in online or social media debates; How holistic approaches to debate (https://holisticactivism.net/) can ensure that everyone can find common ground and navigate difference of opinion across many critical issues, including overpopulation; The importance of including post-growth thinking into our conversations, to encourage people to think about the bigger picture and act proactively as well as reactively; Finding the time to be in a space outside of language and narrative. An article, written by Michael in 2023, argues why the pursuit of growth makes this all the more difficult. Link HERE (https://www.populationmedia.org/the-latest/population-growth-and-wealth-inequality); Election fatigue in which it seems to be a case of the trees voting for the axe at federal, state and local levels, and: Finally, on a darkly humours note, we imagine what kind of apocalypse we face when world coffee stocks run out. As we draw a close to season seven, we reflect on a very good year for PGAP. This has been our longest season to date, beginning as far back as November 2024, when we broadcasted the radio documentary ‘Rethinking Sustainability (https://pgap.fireside.fm/7rethinksustain)’. Since then, Season Seven has covered many topics across fifteen episodes, such as steady state economics, techno dystopia, regenerative agriculture and a panel discussion on Degrowth at the University of New South Wales. This year, PGAP was recognised by the site MillionPodcasts (https://www.millionpodcasts.com/overpopulation-podcasts/) as being in the top ten global podcasts that covers overpopulation and in the top fifty podcasts on Sustainable Living. This is very encouraging news to hear as we take a break over the festive season and plan for season eight. While we are on our break, we encourage you to share this and other episodes of PGAP with your friends, family and networks. We are grateful to anyone who takes the time to review and rate us on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099)or your favourite podcast platform. We are also appreciative when people take the time to contact us directly (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with feedback and suggestions for future episode topics or guests. Many of our interviews this season came about from community suggestions or from prospective guests who emailed us. Reaching out is so important, not just for building connection but for helping us to broaden our range of episode topics and guests. Last, but certainly not least, we extend our gratitude to Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), which has supported PGAP since its inception in July 2020. This season, we also bid farewell to John Coulter...

Did you know that in 2024/2025, 3.4 million solar panels were decommissioned? Did you also know that up to 99% of solar panel material is recyclable? In this episode, we welcome Darren Johannesen (https://smartenergy.org.au/our-team/), Executive General Manager of Sustainability at Smart Energy Council (https://smartenergy.org.au/). We discuss the recent success of Smart Energy Council’s Solar PV Recycling and Products Stewardship Program (https://smartenergy.org.au/reuse-recycle/) as an example of urban mining and go on to examine how this could be rolled out on a national scale. The Solar PV Recycling and Products Stewardship Program is one working example of how a ‘circular economy model’ would work. Darren however cautions that circular economy models are limited in light of the loss in energy and resources that are implicit with recycling. We at PGAP argue that this is all the more reason why a circular based economy must go hand in hand with a post-growth economic system. Finally, Darren shares his personal vision for a possible post-growth future and what it might look like. Co-host Michael Bayliss is joined by Mark Allen for the introduction and outro for this episode, where they reflect on this great initiative from Smart Energy Council. They also discuss the imperative for a planned degrowth transition in a world that is drowning under ever growing piles of aggregate consumer waste. Mark and Michael also discuss some recent developments and current affairs as ‘post-growth’ and ‘collapse’ enters mainstream discourse. Did you enjoy this episode? Feel free to show your appreciation by rating and review PGAP on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099) or your favourite platform. Or write to us through our contact form (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback and any ideas you might have for future episodes. We also appreciate guest recommendations! Please feel free to share this and other episodes of PGAP within your networks. We rely exclusively on word of mouth. PGAP is made possible with the support of Sustainable Population Australia (https://population.org.au/). Please check out SPA on their website and consider signing their position statement (https://population.org.au/sign-the-spa-position-statement/)or even signing-up (https://population.org.au/support/)as a supporter or member. Want to explorer deeper into the themes raises by this episode? Here are some links: The following webinars explore the Smart Energy Council ‘Solar PV Recycling and Products Stewardship Program’ in detail: Solar Recycling & Material End Markets – Stewardship Webinar I Smart Energy Council (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxHZ6PCY0g0) slides here (https://smartenergy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/stewardship-webinar-1-solar-recycling-material-end-markets.pdf) Webinar Renewable Sector Stewardship Enablers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xDDL9Q6IIk) slides here (https://smartenergy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/webinar-2-renewable-sector-stewardship-enablers.pdf) Solar Panel Reuse I Stewardship Webinar Series - Smart Energy Council (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQfYmFvzFtM) slides here (https://portal.smartenergy.org.au/hubfs/assets/webinar-presentations/2025/October/2025-10-21-stewardship-webinar-3-solar-panel-reuse.pdf) The episode refers to two past episodes of PGAP. These include: “Save our Soils: Regenerative Farming with Louis De Jaeger (https://pgap.fireside.fm/sos)” and; “Working Toward a Circular Economy Future in Australia with Phil Jones (https://pgap.fireside.fm/circulareconomycasse)”. One of our previous guests, Kate Booth from Just Collapse, was a panellist in the ABC debate: “We’re F'ed! It’s too late to avoid civilisational collapse (https://www.beakerstreet.com.au/beaker-street-x-big-ideas-were-fed-its-too-late-to-avoid-civilisational-collapse/)." Kate Booth was special guest on the PGAP episode “Planning for a Just Collapse”...

The clock is ticking as we face an imminent agricultural crisis. It is likely that we only have around sixty global harvests left until the world's top soils are depleted. Regenerative agriculture offers many potential and practical solutions toward a more sustainable relationship between food production and environmental stewardship. However, sustainable farming is a broad church with many different and sometimes contradictory methodologies, from mob cattle grazing to veganic farming practices to precision fermentation. Which ones do we choose? Louis De Jaeger, author of “SOS: Save Our Soils”, asked this question as he travelled the world to explore the whole gamut of regenerative farms and land management practices. Louis’ holistic, non-judgemental and open-minded approach is very refreshing. As far as we’re aware, he is the only person who has managed to endorse veganic farming while also enjoying an enthusiastic introduction to his book by Allan Savory, figurehead of the holistic grazing movement. Louis concludes that all regenerative farming methods have their place, depending on context, so long as the soil is kept healthy with its precious microbiome intact. Louis de Jaeger is a Belgian based eco-entrepreneur, landscape consultant, speaker and author. You can find out more at his WEBSITE (https://louisdj.com/en/). “SOS: Save Our Soils”, launched in June 2025, is an impressive blend of research told through a conversational, easy-to-read style which makes it an essential addition to the growing wealth of regenerative literature. To purchase your own copy of SOS, visit HERE. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FF3R1NKK) Industrial agriculture is a top global driver of environmental change. A post-growth future requires us to completely reimagine how we approach agriculture, not only with regard to methodology, but also to the size and scale of our food growing enterprises. Following the interview with Louis, co-hosts Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss engage in a ‘panel discussion’ where Louis’ book and interview are discussed (along with the broader regenerative movement) from a post-growth perspective. We encourage you to stick around to the end of the interview. Many thanks to West Australian permaculture band ‘Formidable Vegetable’ for the inclusion of their song ‘Earthworm Bill.’ You can find out more about Formidable Vegetable at their Bandcamp page HERE (https://formidablevegetable.bandcamp.com/album/micro-biome). Michael recently made a short video on a Johnson Su method composting workshop which also includes this song. It may be watched HERE (https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19YEcXSJAP/). We highly recommend watching the debate between George Monbiot (precision fermentation advocate) and Allan Savory HERE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FihlOvsVkY&t=1382s). If you would like to listen to more episodes on the theme of regenerative agriculture, you may enjoy PGAP’s interview with Charles Massy HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/fenner). We also recommend several episodes on permaculture, including special guests David Holmgren HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/holmgren) or Shane Simonsen on Zero Input Agriculture HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/zeroinput). In other news, we are pleased to share an online trophy awarded to us by Million Podcasts (https://www.millionpodcasts.com/), an aggregate podcast site. PGAP sits in the top 50 of global ‘Sustainable Living’ podcasts, which is very encouraging. This is made possible by the PGAP community and word of mouth. Please consider sharing this and other episodes of PGAP with your networks. Alternatively, you can rate and review us on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099)or your favourite podcast platform. You can find out more about co-hosts Mark Allen HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/) and Michael Bayliss HERE (https://michaelbayliss.org/) Time stamp - Introduction with Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss 00:00:00 to 00:05:28...

For part two of our conversations with the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE) we welcome special guest Matthew Washington, co-director of CASSE NSW INC. This episode is a freewheeling conversation across a variety of post-growth issues, most pertinently how we can advocate for Steady State Economies in a time of global instability and tension. This episode refers to an honours the past legacy of both the late Herman Daly and the late Haydn Washington, two leading figureheads of the steady state movement. Matthew and Michael discuss a spectrum of topics in under an hour, and we felt that some of the issues discussed only brushed the surface. If you would like a 'deeper dive' into the issues discussed, Matthew has kindly contributed to a guest blog on the PGAP website, where he provides substantial written responses to each of the question topics of the interview. You can read Matthew's guest blog HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/articles/mattw). Liked this episode? Check out our previous episode with Phil Jones, Treasurer/Secretary of CASSE NSW Inc., discussing the progress toward the Circular Economy in Australia. (https://pgap.fireside.fm/circulareconomycasse) Sign the CASSE NSW Inc. petition (https://www.casse-nsw.org.au/post/casse-nsw-s-petition-to-parliament) to establish a Federal government inquiry into the steady state economy. You can also support PGAP by sharing this or other episodes with your networks. Encourage the online community to listen to PGAP by rating and reviewing us on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099). On the PGAP website, (https://pgap.fireside.fm/) you can subscribe or contact us, as we appreciate your invaluable feedback and suggestions. PGAP is supported by Sustainable Population Australia. (https://population.org.au/) You can sign their position statement, (https://population.org.au/sign-the-spa-position-statement/) calling for an end to population growth policies in Australia. All perspectives of PGAP guests, including legacy past, present and future, are exclusively theirs and do not always reflect the perspectives or working of PGAP or SPA. Special Guest: Matthew Washington.

Across the next two episodes of PGAP, we will be showcasing the good work from CASSE NSW Inc (https://www.casse-nsw.org.au/)., who are advocating for the steady state economy in Australia. For this episode, we interview Phil Jones, Treasurer and Secretary, as he shares with us the progress of government reports and inquiries into the Circular Economy. Furthermore, why it is crucial that we encourage the government to take serious action in implementing the circular economy, rather than letting their reports gather dust in Canberra. We discuss two reports in particular: The Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group (https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/circular-economy/ministerial-advisory-group), established in 2023, and: The Productivity Commission “Opportunities in the Circular Economy (https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/circular-economy/interim)” interim report The circular economy is defined by Wikipepdia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_economy#Critiques_of_circular_economy_models) as: “a model of resource production and consumption in any economy that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.” Phil is positive with the potential for the rollout of the circular economy in Australia, especially in its capacity to catalyse existing initiatives such as recycling programs, repair cafes, second hand exchange initiatives, etc. However, he cautions that the circular economy is alone insufficient in achieving true sustainability unless it is coupled with the Steady State Economy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steady-state_economy). That is, "an economy made up of a constant stock of physical wealth (capital) and a constant population size, which does grow over the course of time". The episode concludes with a call to action to get some real and action in response to these reports. A good place to start is by signing the CASSE NSW INC petition (https://www.casse-nsw.org.au/post/casse-nsw-s-petition-to-parliament) to establish a Federal government inquiry into the steady state economy. Did you like this episode and want to explore further? You may be interested in PGAP’s first ever episode with Steady State ACT (https://pgap.fireside.fm/steadystate), or with CASSE’s international director Brian Czech (https://pgap.fireside.fm/brianczech). We also discussed the New Economy Network Australia on the episode, so you may be interested in PGAP’s coverage of the 2023 NENA conference (https://pgap.fireside.fm/nena2023) (sadly, I didn’t get around to recording Phil’s excellent talk). You can find out more about Phil and CASSE NSW in the Sustainable Population Australia Newsletter November 2024 (https://population.org.au/newsletters/spa-newsletter-157-november-2024/). Speaking of SPA, who proudly support PGAP, please consider signing their position statement (https://population.org.au/sign-the-spa-position-statement/), calling for an end to population growth in Australia. You can also support PGAP by sharing this or other episodes with your networks. Encourage the online community to listen to PGAP by rating and reviewing us on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099). On the PGAP website, (https://pgap.fireside.fm/) you can subscribe or contact us, as we appreciate your invaluable feedback and suggestions. All perspectives of PGAP guests, including legacy past, present and future, are exclusively theirs and do not always reflect the perspectives or working of PGAP or SPA. Special Guest: Phil Jones.

In the lead up to World Population Day (WPD) 2025, we welcome back Val Allen, who was previously a panel guest for the PGAP episode “3 Women 2 Countries 1 Message: World Population Day 2022 (https://pgap.fireside.fm/wpd2022).” Three years later, Val has a new book out – “HOW MANY IS ENOUGH?” -just in time for World Population Day 25. She is also in the process of finalising a new documentary “TICK TOCK BOOM BANG” due later this month, which she has produced along with Nick Bohle of HatChap productions. In this mini episode, Val shares her recent very busy journey in creating content across multiple media and her reflections on a world that has changed immensely in the three years since Val was last guest on PGAP. Valorie Allen has been an activist for 35 years in the environmental, population and animal rights movements, receiving the Canadian Volunteer Award. Her first award-winning book “Growing Pains—A Planet in Distress” was published in 2010. A trailer for ‘Tik Tok Boom Bang’ may be watched at the HatChap productions website HERE (https://www.hatchapproductions.com/portfolio?wix-vod-video-id=d6fc4b7922194493b7332559c132d13f&wix-vod-comp-id=comp-lx0rmxvz) Valorie Allen’s latest book ‘How Many Is Enough?’ is available from Amazon for Kindle HERE (https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Valorie-Allen-ebook/dp/B0F7D4RMPC). You can keep up to date with Val’s latest projects from her website Population In Sync (https://populationinsync.net/). Sustainable Population Australia, who support PGAP, have launched a media release in anticipation for World Population Day, which may be read in full from the SPA website (https://population.org.au/). It includes quotes from SPA patrons Prof. Anne Poelina and Dr. Paul Collins, both previous guests on PGAP. During this episode, Val refers to the chilling article from the Independent, “There could be billions more people on Earth than previously thought (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/population-earth-world-billions-un-estimate-b2721808.html)” which could be a consequence as a result of under counting rural populations. PGAP will never run ads and our success depends on word of mouth from our dedicated community. Please consider sharing this and other episodes of PGAP with your networks. Or rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099). We welcome you to subscribe (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe) or to contact us (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact)with your feedback, opinions and topic recommendations for future episodes. Special Guest: Valorie Allen.

In this episode of PGAP, we’re joined by Michael D.B. Harvey, author of "The Age of Humachines: Big Tech and the Battle for Humanity’s Future." Harvey offers a sobering perspective on the trajectory of modern technology - not towards a Star Trek-style utopia but into a hyper-neoliberal, corporate-driven dystopia shaped by Big Tech. His analysis strikes a chord with the Post-Growth community, which has long challenged the illusion that technology alone can rescue us from our social and ecological crises. Yet, Harvey is not fatalistic. He envisions a radically different future that is grounded in degrowth, steady-state economics, and a shared commitment to equity and ecological sustainability. The Age of Humachines explores how today’s tech revolution increasingly shapes every aspect of our lives, introducing critical concepts like the Technocene (the possible successor to the Anthropocene), Smartheid societies, and CIMENT, a term Harvey uses to describe the dominant values of Competitive Individualism and Materialist Entitlement. In contrast, he proposes a new framework: SEWP (Sustainable, Equitable Wellbeing Planetwide), offering offering a hopeful lens through which we might transition toward an Ecocene future. _ Cover of 'The Age of Humachines'. You can purchase your copy, or find our more, HERE (https://steadystate.org/steady-state-press/the-age-of-humachines/). _ This conversation also provided PGAP co-hosts Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss the opportunity to reflect on their personal relationships with technology over the past three decades, from the optimism of the 1990s to the increasing unease of today’s digital world. Michael D.B. Harvey holds qualifications in English Literature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Organizational Psychology. He is also the author of Interactional Leadership: The Art of the Choice-Focused Leader and Utopia in the Anthropocene: A Change Plan for a Sustainable and Equitable World. Harvey’s connections include the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE (https://steadystate.org/)), who helped make this interview possible. If this episode resonated with you, we highly recommend picking up a copy of The Age of Humachines [HERE] (https://steadystate.org/steady-state-press/the-age-of-humachines/), and checking out Harvey’s engaging talks and interviews on YouTube, e.g. [HERE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjJxC7_8qI0)]. Michael is also a musician, performing solo (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwq4vV4poPmHrw6ARQggkKg) and withhis band Bridges of Sound (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmzPivX_cWkVB-zVQB0Wdw). This episode features a sample of his song “Standing Up for Being Huma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI1nKpWTdNs&list=RDrI1nKpWTdNs&start_radio=1)n.” We’d love to hear your thoughts on the future of technology. Reach out to PGAP through our contact form (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact), rate and review us on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099), and share this episode with your networks. You can find out more about PGAP co-hosts Mark Allen [HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/)] and Michael Bayliss [HERE (https://michaelbayliss.org/)]. Episode Timestamp: 00:00 - Introduction with Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss 11:40 - Part 1 interview with Michael D.B. Harvey 40:56 - Interlude with Michael Bayliss and excerpt from “Standing Up for Being Human.” 43:06 - Part 2 interview with Michael D.B. Harvey Please note: The views expressed by PGAP guests are their own and may not necessarily reflect those of PGAP or Sustainable Population Australia (SPA (https://population.org.au/)), who support this podcast. Special Guest: Michael DB Harvey.

In this latest episode we speak with scientist, researcher and author George Tsakraklides about the deeper roots of humanity’s many crises. Drawing on his rich scientific background and corporate insight, George explores how our evolutionary wiring, societal structures and cultural narratives hinder meaningful change. We unpack the psychological forces driving self-destruction, the limitations of rational thought and the need to reconnect with a deeper sense of being. From the inherited challenges of activism in a world of algorithms to the quiet strength of grounded action and grief, this conversation offers a powerful lens on navigating despair and cultivating meaning in a collapsing world. George Tsakraklides is author of The Unhappiness Machine, In The Grip of Necrocapitalism, Beyond the Petri Dish, Frankenpolitics and other works exploring the deeper drivers of civilisational collapse and humanity’s self-destructive trajectory. With degrees in molecular biology, chemistry, food science, and Earth sciences, George spent two decades in social research, data analytics, and global brand strategy, working with major multinationals, gaining insight into the inner workings of profit-driven systems. After leaving the corporate world, George turned his focus to humanity’s broken relationship with nature and the repeating patterns of societal failure. This work has featured on Radio Ecoshock, Collapse Chronicles, Post-Doom Conversations and other platforms addressing environmental and civilisational crises. In this episode, we dive into the intersection of science, philosophy and ecological activism, as explored in George’s latest book, Beyond the Petri Dish. We examine why rational thinking alone falls short and the importance of reconnecting with the expansive Infinity State, a realm beyond reason, to achieve full embodiment. The conversation also delves into the psychological and societal forces steering humanity away from ecological wisdom, including the role of social media in fuelling addictive, reactionary behaviours. We critique the environmental movement’s entanglement with growth-based paradigms and explore the need for a more honest, existential reckoning with what it means to be human in an age of collapse. From the pitfalls of call-out culture in activism to the quiet power of tending a conservation garden, we reflect on the value of small, grounded acts in a world that often feels overwhelming. Finally, we explore the role of grief, acceptance and grounded hope in moving beyond paralysis, offering insight for those struggling with eco-anxiety and despair. For those who want to explore George’s work further, you can check out his website HERE (https://tsakraklides.com/). You can also find George on Substack here: (1) The George Tsakraklides View | Substack (https://georgetsakraklides.substack.com/) George’s latest articles on Substack are all recommended and highly pertinent to this episode. Some examples include: A Brief History of the Dopamine Dystopia (https://georgetsakraklides.substack.com/p/a-brief-history-of-the-dopamine-dystopia) Finding Meaning in An Increasingly Absurd World (https://georgetsakraklides.substack.com/p/finding-meaning-in-an-increasingly) The Meta Terror State: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Aspiring Dictators (https://georgetsakraklides.substack.com/p/the-meta-terror-state-a-do-it-yourself) George also has an Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/george_tsakraklides/?hl=en) where you can view his garden restoration among other things. In this episode we also discuss how George’s work connects with Holistic Activism. You can read/download the 2025 edition of the Holistic Activism booklet HERE (https://holisticactivism.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/holistic-activism-booklet-2025-update-1.pdf). Please feel welcome to support the work of PGAP through subscribing (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe), through sharing this and other episodes with your networks, or by rating and leaving...

Susie Russell is a long-time activist and campaigner for protecting Australia’s forests who holds committee positions in The North East Forest Alliance (https://www.nefa.org.au/), the North Coast Environment Council (https://www.ncec.org.au/), 4Nature (https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/e62f6142-3aaf-e811-a963-000d3ad244fd/profile) and The Rainforest Information Centre (https://www.rainforestinformationcentre.org/). Susie was awarded the Miles Dunphy Award in 2024 and soon after was arrested as part of the Save Bulga Forest (https://savebulgaforest.org/)movement for obstructing logging in endangered glider habitat. In this episode we explore several critical issues including the persistent effects of growth-driven capitalism on the natural environment as well as the urgent need for deep, systemic change to avert impending ecological collapse. Drawing on decades of experience in environmental and social justice activism, Susie goes on to offer a distinctive and holistic vision for a post-growth future where humanity can thrive in harmony with the natural world. • For further reading, we recommend Susie’s interview with the Finding Courage publication: “Standing Up (Even When All Seems Lost) (https://findingcourage.online/stories/susie-russell).” • PGAP was introduced to Susie through John Seed, who we interviewed in the season 5 finale: “Going deep into Deep Ecology with John Seed (https://pgap.fireside.fm/deep-ecology).” Many thanks to all of our listeners for your support. You are welcome to support PGAP further by sharing this episode with your friends, family and networks. You are also welcome to rate and review us on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099)or your favourite podcast platform. You can send us your feedback, thoughts and suggestions on the PGAP Contact form (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact). You can find out more about your PGAP co-hosts Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/)and HERE (https://michaelbayliss.org/). Special Guest: Susie Russell.

In 2024, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) held a panel discussion on Degrowth as part of their Centre for Ideas series. The panellists were Tommy Wiedmann (Professor of Sustainability Research), Bronwen Morgan (Professor of Law and member of NENA), and Sabrina Chakori (CSIRO researcher). The discussion was hosted by former Deputy Lord Mayor and author of Glimpses of Utopia, Jess Scully. The panel explored sustainability and the urgent challenge of ensuring human needs are met without compromising a sustainable and inclusive future. With the kind permission of UNSW Centre for Ideas, the recording of this panel discussion is now available to listen to on the Post-Growth Australia Podcast (PGAP). Tommy Wiedmann has been a supporter of PGAP since our early days in 2021, so it was great to hear him in his element, sharing his research, knowledge, and ideas on Degrowth. We really appreciate Tommy and panel host Jess Scully giving PGAP a shout-out towards the end of the talk. We hope to return the favour by sharing this insightful discussion, which serves as an excellent introduction to Degrowth for those new to the topic. It is encouraging to see Degrowth becoming an openly discussed subject in Australian universities. Tommy also wrote a very encouraging review for PGAP on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099). We warmly invite you to add your review. This will help to broaden our outreach and encourage new listeners. Please also feel welcome to contact us (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback or suggestions for future episode topics. Co-hosts Mark Allen (https://holisticactivism.net/) and Michael Bayliss (https://michaelbayliss.org/)share their thoughts on the panel discussion in the introduction and conclusion. For the most part, we align with the perspectives of the four panellists, but we also provide additional thoughts on how the Degrowth movement can incorporate concerns around population, which we briefly touch on in our commentary. For a more in-depth analysis, we encourage you to read the PGAP blog: “To populate or not to populate? How we can come together around the eternal debate of everyone’s favourite vexed issue. (https://pgap.fireside.fm/articles/population)” We also encourage listening to two recent PGAP episodes on population, including Anne Poelina (https://pgap.fireside.fm/annepoelinapatron), who brings a First Nations’ perspective to the debate, and Isaac Kabongo (https://pgap.fireside.fm/isaaceco), who brings a Ugandan/Global South perspective. Regarding the discussion on population, Tommy cited two particularly relevant scientific articles, which are well worth reading: Lamb, W. F., Wiedmann, T., Pongratz, J., Andrew, R., Crippa, M., Olivier, J. G. J., Wiedenhofer, D., Mattioli, G., Khourdajie, A. A., House, J., Pachauri, S., Figueroa, M., Saheb, Y., Slade, R., Hubacek, K., Sun, L., Ribeiro, S. K., Khennas, S., de la Rue du Can, S., Chapungu, L., Davis, S. J., Bashmakov, I., Dai, H., Dhakal, S., Tan, X., Geng, Y., Gu, B. and Minx, J. (2021) A review of trends and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions by sector from 1990 to 2018. Environmental Research Letters, 16, 073005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abee4e (. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abee4e) Kikstra, J. S., Mastrucci, A., Min, J., Riahi, K. and Rao, N. D. (2021) Decent living gaps and energy needs around the world. Environmental Research Letters, 16, 095006. https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac1c27 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac1c27) We would like to thank UNSW, the Centre for Ideas, and all four speakers for allowing PGAP to re-release this outstanding panel discussion. The original podcast of this discussion is available to listen to on the Centre for Ideas website HERE. (https://unswcentreforideas.com/article/degrowth) All views, opinions, and legacies—past and present—of the panellists and UNSW Centre for Ideas are their own and may not...

Isaac Kabongo is the CEO of the Uganda-based Ecological Christian Organisation (ECO (https://ecouganda.org/)), a faith-driven initiative dedicated to fostering environmental stewardship at the grassroots level. ECO works to integrate sustainability with community-led action, including raising awareness about family planning and contraception. By reframing the relationship between Christianity, family planning, and discussions around population, the organisation provides an important bridge between faith and sustainability. In addition to his leadership at ECO, Isaac has represented Sustainable Population Australia (SPA (https://population.org.au/)) at each international COP talk since 2012, playing a key role in shaping discussions on how the Global South and Global North can collaborate to address population related issues. A committed advocate for Degrowth and Ecological Sustainability, Isaac’s insights are a vital contribution to the post-growth movement. Isaac speaking on a panel at a recent COP As we are all aware, population sustainability remains a contentious issue. However, it is too often that the voices of experts from Global South communities remain unconsulted. In this episode, PGAP asks Isaac several pertinent questions relevant to the population debate, including: "As a Ugandan citizen, how would you reassure the international community that it is a good thing that organisations within Australia and Uganda work together to address overpopulation in Uganda and other countries in the Global South?" While Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) campaigns strongly on the domestic population issues facing Australia, less is known about the organisation’s commitment to the global stage. We hope this episode will be an inspiration on global partnerships in response to delivering on basic human rights such as access to family planning and reproductive healthcare. Issac was interviwed for the SPA February 2025 Newsletter, which can be downloaded here. (https://population.org.au/newsletters/spa-newsletter-158-february-2025/) Isaac Kabongo representing SPA at a COP exhibition stall, photographed with fellow exhibitors. For more PGAP episodes that explore Global South perspectives on population, we recommend our interviews with Women for Conversation (https://pgap.fireside.fm/w4c) (Colombia) and Florence Blondel (https://pgap.fireside.fm/smallfamilies) (who is also from Uganda). Please share this and other episodes of PGAP (https://pgap.fireside.fm/) with your friends, family and networks. Also, feel welcome to rate and review PGAP on Apple Podcast, (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099) subscribe to PGAP, (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe) or contact us (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback. During this episode, we play the latest single from new West Australian band ‘Mobile Zebra’. You can find out more about your co-hosts Michael Bayliss and Mark Allen here (https://michaelbayliss.org/) and here (https://holisticactivism.net/). Special Guest: Isaac Kabongo.

In late 2024, Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) proudly welcomed Professor Anne Poelina as its newest Patron. This mini-episode features the audio recording from a video interview that co-host Michael Bayliss conducted with Anne as part of SPA's Meet the Patrons series. An abridged version of this interview is available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wQjr0Gk6Uo). As a Nyikina Warrwa Traditional Owner from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Professor Poelina brings a profound commitment to integrating Indigenous First Australian wisdom into discussions on degrowth, population, and immigration policies. At PGAP, we strongly believe that First Nations perspectives are essential in shaping a collaborative path toward a more equitable and sustainable future. Prof. Poelina's invitation to be Patron for SPA was partly inspired by her past interview on PGAP: "Saving the Martuwarra-Fitzroy river with Professor Anne Poelina (https://pgap.fireside.fm/martuwarra)". You can read more about Anne at SPA's patron page HERE (https://population.org.au/about/people/prof-anne-poelina/). Anne is also the chair of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council (https://www.martuwarra.org/) and her work on water security aligns with SPA’s most recent discussion paper: “Big thirsty Australia: how population growth threatens our water security and sustainability (https://population.org.au/discussion-papers/water/).” We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode of PGAP! CONTACT US HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback, ideas for future episodes, or suggestions for potential guests. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with your networks, leaving a review on APPLE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099), or SUBSCRIBING (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe). You can find out more about your co-hosts Mark Allen HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/)and Michael Bayliss HERE (https://michaelbayliss.org/). Special Guest: Prof. Anne Poelina.

In late 2024, Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) proudly welcomed Professor Anne Poelina as its newest Patron. This mini-episode features the audio recording from a video interview that co-host Michael Bayliss conducted with Anne as part of SPA's Meet the Patrons series. An abridged version of this interview is available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wQjr0Gk6Uo). As a Nyikina Warrwa Traditional Owner from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Professor Poelina brings a profound commitment to integrating Indigenous First Australian wisdom into discussions on degrowth, population, and immigration policies. At PGAP, we strongly believe that First Nations perspectives are essential in shaping a collaborative path toward a more equitable and sustainable future. Prof. Poelina's invitation to be Patron for SPA was partly inspired by her past interview on PGAP: "Saving the Martuwarra-Fitzroy river with Professor Anne Poelina (https://pgap.fireside.fm/martuwarra)". You can read more about Anne at SPA's patron page HERE (https://population.org.au/about/people/prof-anne-poelina/). Anne is also the chair of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council (https://www.martuwarra.org/) and her work on water security aligns with SPA’s most recent discussion paper: “Big thirsty Australia: how population growth threatens our water security and sustainability (https://population.org.au/discussion-papers/water/).” We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode of PGAP! CONTACT US HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback, ideas for future episodes, or suggestions for potential guests. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with your networks, leaving a review on APPLE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099), or SUBSCRIBING (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe). You can find out more about your co-hosts Mark Allen HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/)and Michael Bayliss HERE (https://michaelbayliss.org/). Special Guest: Prof. Anne Poelina.

In this episode of Post-Growth Australia Podcast (PGAP), we pay tribute to Dr. John Coulter, who sadly passed away in September 2024. John Richard Coulter (3 December 1930 – 6 September 2024) was a trailblazer in the conservation movement, most notably serving as Leader of the Australian Democrats in the early 1990s. In 1971, he organised an open letter published in The Australian newspaper, addressed "to those who shape Australia’s destiny," urging them to recognise the limits to growth. (This episode is in memory of Dr John Coulter) John remained an executive member of Sustainable Population Australia (https://population.org.au/) (SPA) until the end of his life. Through SPA, he fearlessly challenged mainstream media for neglecting critical issues such as overpopulation and the limits to growth. In 2021, PGAP had the privilege of interviewing John at his home in the Adelaide Hills. Unfortunately, a bushfire had swept through the property a few months earlier, leaving much of the land scarred. Walking through the devastated bushland was a sobering experience and a stark reminder of the profound changes occurring as society’s growth experiment entered the "decade of consequence." This interview was originally broadcast in 2021 as part of the episode World Population Day 2021 (https://pgap.fireside.fm/wpd2021). For this memorial episode, we are re-releasing that conversation, as John’s thoughts, perspectives, and reflections resonate even more powerfully in retrospect. Co-hosts Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss share their reflections on the interview and John’s legacy, particularly his pioneering work in the early 1970s for the broader post-growth movement. (The 1971 Newspaper open letter) A heartfelt tribute to John Coulter was penned by Dr Bob Brown: "I was sad to hear of John Coulter’s death, but that sadness was quickly replaced by a celebration of John’s remarkable, life-long advocacy for the environment. In his time as the Democrats’ spokesperson, he was the major Australian political voice for protecting this nation’s wildlife, wild regions, and oceans, as well as promoting greener living for us all. He was a gentleman but unswerving in his devotion to life on Earth. South Australia and the nation are indebted to John for a long, caring, and actively eco-saving career." One of John’s final articles, "The Guiding Criminal Lie in Economics (https://johnmenadue.com/the-guiding-criminal-lie-in-economics/)", was published in Pearls and Irritations in 2024. A moving tribute in the same publication, "Vale Dr. John Coulter (https://johnmenadue.com/vale-dr-john-coulter/)", was written by former SPA President Jenny Goldie. In April 2024, John was invited to become a Patron of SPA (https://population.org.au/about/people/john-coulter/)—a role that he very much cherished during the brief months before his passing. The Post-Growth Australia Podcast will take a short break over the festive season before returning to Season Seven in January. In the meantime, we warmly encourage you to share this and other episodes of PGAP with your friends, family, and networks. You can rate and review us on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099), and we welcome your feedback, thoughts, and suggestions for future episodes. You can contact us HERE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact). Remember, podcasts are rapidly becoming a key medium for mass communication and influence in the modern age. It is vital that we work together to ensure the message of Degrowth reaches a wide audience. To learn more about your PGAP co-hosts and their broader work, visit the respective websites for Mark Allen (https://holisticactivism.net/) and Michael Bayliss (https://michaelbayliss.org/). PGAP is made possible by the kind support of Sustainable Population Australia (https://population.org.au/). Special Guest: John Coulter.

The aftermath of the US election has left many of us in a state of shock. Voters were faced with a stark choice between more growth-based neoliberalism or alt right extremism, choosing the latter. It was a great day for billionaires either way. As Australia looks to face a very similar choice in mid-2025, it is clear that activists must take stock, recalibrate and work together effectively to advocate for a third alternative that celebrates people and planet. PGAP co-hosts Mark Allen and Michael Bayliss discuss their responses to the election and their recent engagements toward a Degrowth future. In this episode, Michael shares the speech that he gave on Degrowth at the Torbay Festival, Western Australia in late October – just before the election. A quote from the talk: “What can we do as Davids against the Goliaths of psychopathic multinational corporations and the politicians who serve time as their apologists for a few years in the promise of a cushy job in the gas industry? This is where I invite you to think about where from here and let’s have the conversation.” This is a conversation that needs to happen with greater urgency as humanity lurches towards an increasingly dark future. A transcript of Michael’s talk can be read on the PGAP BLOG (https://pgap.fireside.fm/articles/torbaydegrowthnotes). Mark shares his most recent posting on Holistic Activism following the US election. As Mark explains, “this message isn’t a call for optimism or hope…instead, it’s a call to hold space and to serve both human and non-human futures, with an awareness of our profound interconnectedness.” The post may be read at the Holistic Activism website HERE (https://holisticactivism.net/upcoming-events/). You can be part of the Holistic Activism movement today by joining the HA FACEBOOK GROUP. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/211194752603900) PGAP is also proud to be the first to play Mark’s new song ‘Ballad of Yakamia’ performed by his occasional and ongoing musical project ‘Counting Backwards.’ You can download or purchase the song from BANDCAMP (https://countingbackwards.bandcamp.com/track/ballad-of-yakamia). One take away from the US election is that podcasts have now overtaken mainstream media as public informers. However, did you know that the top 10 performing podcasts tend to lean more towards right wing populism? It is time that podcasts that offer genuine solutions – planned degrowth, steady state economics, wellbeing societies, and stabilising populations start to make a bigger splash in the mainstream media. We have been very happy with the performance of PGAP’ Season Seven opener, “Rethinking Sustainability (https://pgap.fireside.fm/7rethinksustain)” which is looking to break PGAP download records. We invite you to help us to build this momentum. Please SUBSCRIBE (https://pgap.fireside.fm/subscribe) and share PGAP (https://pgap.fireside.fm/) with your friends, family and networks. You can rate and review us on APPLE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/post-growth-australia-podcast/id1522194099). CONTACT US (https://pgap.fireside.fm/contact) with your feedback and recommendations for future episode. This episode is made possible by the kind support of Sustainable Population Australia. (https://population.org.au/) SPA is the only population organisation in the world, that has demonstrated unequivocal support from the broader public, for a sensible and rational population policy. With 17,500 signatures to their position statement (https://population.org.au/sign-the-spa-position-statement/), SPA has demonstrated that the issue doesn’t have to be ugly or divisive to win popular support (someone should have told the Republicans). SPA has also released a sobering report on Australia’s water security: “Big thirsty Australia: how population growth threatens our water security and sustainability (https://population.org.au/discussion-papers/water/)”. A couple more links: This blog piece from CASSE, A Steady Stater’s Response to...