Prepared for the Public Sector Innovation Network's 2020 Innovation Month event in July, 'Delivering Differently', this new podcast explores the rapid adaptation of Australia’s federal system to deliver differently in the wake of COVID-19. Professor A.J. Brown (School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University), Jennifer Menzies (Policy Innovation Hub, Griffith University) and Dr Jacob Deem (School of Business and Law, Central Queensland University) discuss how Australia’s federal system managed and adapted in the early stage of the COVID crisis, what worked well, and whether elements should remain as part of our federal structure when the crisis diminishes.

In this episode of the Griffith University podcast A Middle Ground, we look at the fractious relationship between Australia and China. The formal arrest of Australian citizen Yang Hengjun on suspicion of spying, has significantly heightened those tensions, in what some analysts see as a potentially defining moment in the deteriorating relationship between Canberra and Beijing. Director of the Griffith Asia Institute Caitlin Byrne says while the situation is serious, there is much diplomacy happening behind the scenes, the power of which should not be underestimated.

Recent raids by the Australian Federal Police on journalists are raising questions about whether separation of the state, police and judiciary is under threat in Australia. In this episode of 'A Middle Ground' Nance Haxton speaks with Trent Dalton, Hedley Thomas, Adele Ferguson, Hugh Riminton, Peter Greste, Prof. Mark Pearson and Professor Julianne Schultz about press freedom and whistleblowing.

On this episode of Griffith University's A Middle Ground podcast, we look at how the numbers have firmed up for this new term of Australian parliament, and what that means for our democratic process. In the wake of the federal election miracle result, Paul Williams discusses whether we can ever trust political polling again, and we go to Cairns to speak to Warren Entsch, to find that even LNP members such as himself were surprised by the result. He was returned for his eighth term in the far-north Queensland seat of Leichardt, and he tells us what he hopes to achieve.

In this episode of 'A Middle Ground', Griffith University's Nance Haxton speaks with Professor Anne Tiernan about the federal election result, Queensland voters and Australia's 46th parliament.

While much of Australia's prosperity still comes from it's regional heartland, rural issues have received little attention in this federal election campaign. This is despite recent devastating natural disasters across north-west Queensland, where more than 650-thousand head of cattle died in catastrophic floods, causing almost two billion dollars worth of damage. The Rural Press Club recently hosted a fundraiser and discussion on what should be done now to ensure the future of the regions, where we spoke to those affected about the difficult recovery they face. Griffith University's Professor Fabrizio Carmagnani tells A Middle Ground podcast that the implementation of rural policies by all major parties is in desperate need of reform, to stop the overlap of federal, state and local governments and get more help to those who need it most.