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Curate Your Festival | Politics

We know that the Festival has a lot of events to choose from so we’ve curated a selection of events to help you decide what to see based on your interests.

We also have multipack discounting available for when you book 4 events, 5 events or 6 or more events. Book all or some of the events in this selection to receive your discount.

For the politics curated events, we’ve rounded up a selection of events exploring local and international politics. Whether it’s war zones, the US and Australian federal elections or institutional corruption, these writers and journalists are working to keep you up to date with the world around you.

Past and Future of Indigenous Recognition | Thursday 22 May, 4pm

Thomas Mayo was a prominent voice in the campaign for the Voice Referendum in 2023 and he speaks with historian Clare Wright about the history of Indigenous movements for recognition in Australia and the possible plan for future work.

China Past, Present, Future | Friday 23 May, 10am

China has dominated global conversations about international politics in recent years as countries like Australia attempt to negotiate with the superpower. In this panel discussion with Linda Jaivin, Louisa Lim, Edward Wong and host Peter Hartcher, they trace the events over the 20th century that made China to what it is today.

Turmoil and Tyranny | Friday 23 May, 7pm

Get the stories behind the headlines as this group of politics experts, including award-winning journalist Peter Greste and political scientist Marcel Dirsus, discuss what it’s like reporting on the biggest world stories from the inside.

The End of the West?: Global Roaming LIVE | Friday 23 May, 5pm

With democracy on shaky ground and leaders like President Donald Trump dismantling alliances left and right, is ‘the West’ the powerhouse we once imagined? And, if these are the final years of Western power, what does that mean for countries like Australia? Global Roaming hosts Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald discuss the ever-changing world with guests Philippe Sands, Bec Strating and Edward Wong.

Barrie Cassidy and Friends: State of the Nation | Saturday 24 May, 6pm

This Festival favourite event will have plenty to discuss following the Australian federal election. Barrie Cassidy and his panel of award-winning journalists Waleed Aly, George Megalogenis, Amy Remeikis and Niki Savva assess the state of the nation and what we can learn from the latest election results.

Trumpocalypse Now | Sunday 25 May, 10am

Speaking of elections, what’s going on with the United States? Experts in US politics Peter Beinart, Nick Bryant and Emma Shortis join Barrie Cassidy for a compelling conversation about what Trump’s second term in office will mean for the rest of the world.

John Lyons: A Bunker in Kyiv | Sunday 25 May, 11am

One of Australia’s leading journalists, four-time Walkley Award winner and ABC Global Affairs Editor John Lyons recounts his experience on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine amongst the civilian soldiers leading the fight to defend their country against Russian invasion.

Rick Morton: The Story of Robodebt | Sunday 25 May, 3pm

The Robodebt saga dominated headlines for years and Rick Morton’s reporting on the Robodebt Royal Commission won him a Walkley Award. In Mean Streak, Rick outlines what went wrong with the scheme, how it was covered up and what the whole ordeal tells us about Australia as a nation.

Plestia Alaqad: The Eyes of Gaza | Sunday 25 May, 4.30pm

Palestinian journalist and poet Plestia Alaqad’s reporting on the 7 October attacks garnered global attention before her family was forced to flee to Egypt, then Australian and now Beirut. In this memoir manifesto, Plestia details her experiences and issues a call for hope for her Palestinian home.

Consider some of the greatest conflicts of our time or the most shocking political scandals with these international and Australian perspectives.