The Fifth Estate: The Numbers Game

In The Fifth Estate’s debut event, and in the wake of Kevin Rudd’s challenge to Julia Gillard’s leadership, Lindsay Tanner, former Finance minister and ALP heavyweight, talks with Sally Warhaft about the state of the democratic process in Australia.

Together, they explore the challenges of the nation’s political climate. What does a vote count for? Has it all just turned into a numbers game? Does it matter who’s in charge, anyway? And is our democratic process in peril?

Tanner offers his always candid, insightful opinions on how political parties can (and must) diversify their membership, the nature of politics' uniquely competitive environment, and the novelty-hungry media culture surrounding his former colleagues. Taking questions, he reflects on same-sex marriage, the implications of ruling by plebiscite and his own interest in Middle Eastern politics in light of recent events in Syria.