Subscribe

PODCAST

The mindless menace of violence

Tue 16 Sep 2025 08.00

Democracy & Accountability
The mindless menace of violence

Photo: The White House/Flickr

BlueskyFacebookLinkednxThread
Listen on appleListen on spotify

On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Elon Musk’s latest foray into global far-right politics, and the devastating impact of Robert F Kennedy Jr’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda.

This episode was recorded on Monday 15 September.

After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis and Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss are available now via the Australia Institute website.

Host: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Host: Angus Blackman, Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB

Show notes:

Charlie Kirk Didn’t Shy Away From Who He Was. We Shouldn’t Either by Jamelle Bouie, The New York Times (September 2025)

On the Mindless Menace of Violence, Robert F. Kennedy (1968)

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s impact on Americans’ health, Fresh Air, NPR (September 2025)

RFK Jr. says COVID may have been ‘ethnically targeted’ to spare Jews by Jon Levine, New York Post (July 2023)

RFK Jr. says he’s “not familiar” with all health program cuts in exclusive interview, CBS News (April 2025)

Photo: The White House/Flickr (U.S. Government work)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Related Articles

EXPLAINER

Five times freedom of information shone a light on secretive government processes

The Government is proposing to make the FOI process lengthier, more expensive, and more secretive. These examples demonstrate why that's bad news.

Democracy & Accountability
Five times freedom of information shone a light on secretive government processes

OFF THE CHARTS

Whistleblower protections are an opportunity, not a cost‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Government’s delays on whistleblower protections could be leaving millions of dollars on the table

Democracy & Accountability
Whistleblower protections are an opportunity, not a cost‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

FACTCHECK

Factcheck: Does Labor owe its parliamentary majority to preferential voting?

Democracy & Accountability

EXPLAINER

If the Opposition is not the alternative government, what is the point of it?

With Victoria on its third Oppostion Leader in a year, and speculation about pressure on the Federal and NSW Liberals, we're left wondering: what makes an Opposition Government?

Democracy & Accountability
If the Opposition is not the alternative government, what is the point of it?