Socially Democratic
Socially Democratic is your weekly centre-left politics and campaign podcast hosted by Stephen Donnelly, founder of Dunn Street - a campaign agency bringing change by organising from the ground up. Each Friday, Stephen and guests breakdown the issues shaping Australia and the rest of the world and the social democrats leading them. Follow on Instagram at @dunn.street Facebook at @dunnstreetaustralia Twitter at @Dunn_Street_LinkedIn at Dunn Street Website at dunnstreet.com.au
Episodes
347 episodes
Ep. 347: “We’re an Economic Justice Movement” with John Armitage | Australia’s Labor Podcast
This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen speaks with John Armitage, one of the most respected social researchers and communication strategists on the Australian left.As recent polls have shown, the political landscape in Australia is r...
Ep. 346: How to Talk About a Global Crisis & Other Mailbag Questions with Todd Pinkerton and Lissie Ratcliff | Australia’s Labor Podcast
Todd Pinkerton, Campaign Director for Unions NSW, and Lissie Ratcliff, Managing Partner at FMRS Advisory and fmr Chief of Staff to Premier Daniel Andrews, are back this month to answer your burning mailbag questions.This episode of Soci...
Ep. 345: The Australian Economy with Adam Triggs | Australia’s Labor Podcast
Happy long weekend, Social Democrats!In this episode of Socially Democratic, Stephen sits down with economist Adam Triggs, a Partner at Mandala and Non-Resident Fellow at The Brookings Institution and ANU.They discuss the issues...
Ep. 344: South Australia Election - Final Recap with Matt Clemow and Hannah MacLeod
This week on Australia's favourite Labor politics and campaigns podcast:🎉 Congratulations to Premier Peter Malinauskas, the entire SA Labor campaign, and the people of South Australia!🧩 Matt, Hannah, and Stephen analyse the part...
Ep. 343: Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone | Australia’s Labor Podcast
In this episode of Socially Democratic:📊 Another landslide Labor victory in South Australia for Peter Malinauskas. What can the rest of us learn from it?🗞️ Rumours of a leadership challenge in Victoria. The news in Victoria is rif...
Ep. 342: Retrospective on International Women’s Day 2026 – What’s Actually Changed?
It's time for the annual Socially Democratic mic handover! This episode features the return of our favourite stand-in host, Rebecca Thistleton (Executive Director Victoria, The McKell Institute) along with special guests Melissa Don...
Ep. 341: South Australia Election – 1 Day to Go with Matt Clemow and Hannah MacLeod | Australia’s Labor Podcast
In this episode of Socially Democratic:📉 Are the Liberals about to finish THIRD? They remain stuck below 20% primary vote, with One Nation moving into second place.📊 New polling shows Labor holding a commanding lead, but are the...
Ep. 340: Social Cohesion, Working Conditions, and Other Mailbag Questions with Todd Pinkerton and Lissie Ratcliff | Australia’s Labor Podcast
In this episode of Socially Democratic:🫥 How will the Liberals respond to the findings of their 2025 Election Review? Or will they just hide it in a drawer?💸 If we address the housing crisis by favouring owner-occupiers over inves...
Ep. 339 South Australia Election Weekly Recap - 8 Days to Go with Hannah MacLeod and Matt Clemow | Australia’s Labor Podcast
In this episode of Socially Democratic:🍎 Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas announces a policy of 150 minutes per week of ‘Active Learning’ for school aged children, plus free school camp and an expansion of sports vouchers.🧩 South...
Ep. 338: The South Australian Election Weekly Recap - 15 Days to Go!
Hey Social Democrats. We are back with our first of the 4-part series on the South Australia state elections.Stephen Donnelly, along with special guests Hannah MacLeod and Matt Clemow, analyse the state of the race, including: <...
Ep. 337 Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone - February 2026
Hey Social Democrats. It's that time again!📊 February brought fresh polling, a Liberal leadership shake-up, and renewed questions about where the conservative movement goes next.With the opposition searching for economic credibili...
Ep. 336: Is This Labor’s “Now or Never” Moment? with Emma Dawson
This week on Socially Democratic, Stephen is joined by policy expert and Executive Director of the Chifley Research Centre, Emma Dawson.Emma joins the show to talk about what Labor's clear majority actually means, what they can still ach...
Ep. 335: Capital Gains Tax, The Epstein Files and Other Mailbag Questions with Lissie Ratcliff and Todd Pinkerton
"Politics is about choices—who do you stand with and for, and who are you against?"⭐ The debate over the capital gains tax discount is here to stay. Many Gen Z's and Millennials are fully aware that they will be unable to affo...
Ep. 334: Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone - January 2026
Hey Social Democrats, Happy 'Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone' Day!🧐 One Nation leads the Coalition in the polls, and even the recent acquisition of Barnaby Joyce can't fully explain it...🤪 ... sending the Coalition into interna...
Ep. 333: How Long will Keir Starmer Last? with John Mcternan
Note: This month’s Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone will come out next week, due to a scheduling conflict (a.k.a Stephen's globetrotting). But not to worry, we have an equally formidable guest for you this week.John Mcternan is ...
Ep. 332: The Mailbag Episode with Lissie Ratcliff and Todd Pinkerton
This week, regular guests Lissie and Todd answer listener questions from Patreon:⭐ What has the Federal Labor Government done well? Our pro-Labor bonafides are called into question!💪 Is the Victorian Government in good shape for t...
Ep. 331: Courage Under Fire: Iran’s Tipping Point with Zahra Amanpour
Hey Social Democrats. Welcome to a new season of Socially Democratic. Mass protests in Iran are entering their third week. Go behind the headlines with Iranian-American entrepreneur Z...
Ep. 330: Pop Culture Year in Review 2025 with Tess Farrell
Happy New Year Social Democrats! This week, Stephen and resident pop culture expert Tess Farrell discuss the Netflix political thriller, 'The Diplomat'.Stay tuned for some non-political recommendations for what to watch and read in 2026...
Ep. 329: State Politics Year in Review 2025 with Minister Harriet Shing
Another year in The Garden State has come to an end.In keeping with tradition, Minister Harriet Shing is here to help us review the past 12 months.💜Drawing from her own family’s experiences, Harriet brings warmth and clarity to ...
Ep. 328: After Bondi: Has the Left Failed Jewish Australians?
Socially Democratic is an opinion-based political and campaign podcast that facilitates discussion on a range of topical issues. The opinions of guests are not an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff at Dunn Str...
Ep. 327: International Politics Wrap with Katie Parsons
Viktor Orbán, HungaryNetherlands, the PVVSanae Takaichi, Japan and the LDPCanada is quoting ReaganUK Labour’s badly shakenGermany. AFD.What’s wrong with democracy?We didn’t start the fire, But...
Ep. 326: What Does Labor Believe In? with Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly started with a basic question: What does Labor believe?Drawing on his experience as a former press secretary for both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, and over a decade covering politics, he pursues the question through the lens...
Ep. 325 Feeney Files with Jessie McCrone: Tory Story
Seven months post-election, Federal Labor is still going strong, while the Liberals seem hopelessly mired in conflict.🤔 Sussan Ley’s decision to dump net zero targets aren’t doing them any favours with suburban voters. And, Labor is poll...
Ep. 324: The Mailbag Episode with Lissie Ratcliff and Todd Pinkerton
This week, Lissie Ratcliff and Todd Pinkerton are back to answer more questions from Patreon. If you’re not a Patreon member, not to worry - this episode is for everyone. In this conversation:❓With flagging party membership a...
Ep. 323: Serving Justice: The Fight for Fair Work at Macca's with Josh Peak
"You wouldn't know the half of it."🍔 What happens when McDonald's - a corporate behemoth so vast, so rich, so omnipresent that its logo is synonymous with globalisation and capitalism - is asked to compensate hourly workers for unp...
