Like I'm A Six-Year-Old

Comedian Tom Ballard sits down with politicians, activists, thinkers and comedians to try to talk, laugh, cry and argue about politics. You will learn things and get fired up and hear some swearing. Enjoy.

265 - Goodbye 05/11/2023

265 - Goodbye Oh hello. As the title suggests, this is my little way of letting you know that I'm wrapping up Like I'm A Six-Year-Old once and for all. I've loved doing it - and thanks so much for listening to it and supporting it over the years! Bloody hell! - but I feel like after eight years, hundreds of conversations, a bunch of live shows, a pandemic and a book, it's time for me to move on and focus my energies on other things. - that's here to stay, and I'm excited to grow that show as much as possible in the coming years. The LIASYO back catalogue will remain up and available for the foreseeable future, but I'll stop cheekily taking people's money via Patreon effective immediately. You can always come see me live if you like; . Thanks again, team. I love you all! Endlessly! xx /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26786061

264 - Ben Abbatangelo 05/08/2023

264 - Ben Abbatangelo Ben Abbatangelo is a proud Gunaikurnai and Wotjobaluk man and a social commentator. He’s the former deputy CEO of global non-profit AIME, has appeared regularly on The Project and the ABC and has written for The Guardian and The Saturday Paper. Based on some of his recent work, I’ve sensed that Ben’s been going through something of a political shift of late, towards somewhere a bit more radical, and I was keen to talk him about it. In this conversation we discuss what that shift has involved, the naivety he’s left behind and what it means for his politics now. Ben also tells me about the legacy of the Northern Territory Intervention, explains the situation in Alice Springs and lays out the questions he’s asking about the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum and his sympathy for a progressive No vote. To get discounted tickets to Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, BEN'S ARTICLES: Cause of the Week: The Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26772417

263 - Larissa Baldwin-Roberts 05/01/2023

263 - Larissa Baldwin-Roberts Larissa Baldwin-Roberts is a proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung Nations and has been a progressive activist since forever. She's a co-founder of the First Nations climate pressure group SEED Mob and is the current CEO of GetUp!. In this conversation I ask Larissa about where her politics come from and how she thinks about political ideology. She outlines how she views GetUp!'s role under a Labor government, her unique perspective on climate politics and how she thinks (/hopes) the Voice referendum debate is going to play out. To get discounted tickets to Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26699910

262 - Professor John Quiggin 04/19/2023

262 - Professor John Quiggin John Quiggin is a widely-respected economist and professor at the University of Queensland. He's a former member of the Australian Government's Climate Change Authority, and he's written widely about the scourge of neoliberalism and privatisation. I wanted to get John on the show to discuss the essay written by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for The Monthly back in February, "", in which he laid out his vision for "values-based capitalism". In this conversation we discuss what the hell that actually means, whether or not it's a hollow idea, and just how much this Labor government is prepared to deliver anything like it. To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26586237

261 - Alison Pennington Returns 03/15/2023

261 - Alison Pennington Returns She's back! Economist, comrade and now author Alison Pennington returns to the show to discuss her debut book . We discuss how all the good jobs disappeared, our massively cooked housing market, replacing intergenerational warfare with class warfare and how young people can build political power under this "progressive (?)" Labor government. To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26237421

260 - "I, Millennial" Event LIVE in Warrnambool 03/08/2023

260 - "I, Millennial" Event LIVE in Warrnambool This week's episode brings you the conversation I had with some other generational voices at a live event at the public library in my home town, Warrnambool. Alongside Zoomer and journalist Sharna Rogers, Xer and psychologist Dr. Jodie Fleming and Baby Boomer and celebrated aid worker Bob Handby AO, I discussed three big topics I explore in my book : housing, work and the climate crisis, and how these issues play out for Australians of different ages. The conversation was moderated by the brilliant Ailiche Goddard-Clegg, and it was a bloody great chat, with plenty of insights and laughs. Thanks to Collins Booksellers and the Warrnambool Library for making it happen, and to everyone who came along, including my mum and dad. To get discounted tickets to Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26160177

259 - Polly Hemming 03/01/2023

259 - Polly Hemming Polly Hemming is a Senior Researcher at The Australia Institute's Climate & Energy Program. Just this week she was giving evidence to a Parliamentary committee on the Labor Party's signature climate policy, the "Safeguard Mechanism" - which, I'm sorry to say, stinks. It stinks real bad. Here Polly lays out exactly just how much of a mess this policy is: how it's not designed to reduce emissions that are cooking the planet, but rather protect the profits and interests of the fossil fuel lobby. We also discuss the DEEPLY dodgy world of carbon offsets and the marketisation of the natural world, and wonder how this whole thing is going to play out politically. To get discounted tickets to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/26091138

258 - "I, Millennial" Extract: Privatisation 02/07/2023

258 - "I, Millennial" Extract: Privatisation Oh hello. I am back again. Look at us. This week I’m bringing you another taste of my debut book , which is now out and about in the world. This is an extract from the chapter on privatisation - "From Our Warm, Public Hands" - which lays out just how much of our public shit has been flogged off, goddammit. ALSO: To get discounted tickets to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne & Sydney, use the promo code PODCAST For discounted tickets to my shows in Brisbane, /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/25856802

257 - Craig Foster 12/11/2022

257 - Craig Foster Craig "Fozzy" Foster is a former Socceroo who has become not only one of Australia’s most respected sports commentators and broadcasters, but also one of our most respected social justice advocates and human rights campaigners. This episode is Craig's keynote speech at the 2022 Refugee Legal Annual Dinner, which I happened to MC online. It's followed by a brief Q&A between Craig, myself, and Refugee Legal's Executive Director (and former LIASYO guest) David Manne. Fozzy is extremely dedicated and clear-sighted when it comes to the fight for human rights - for refugees, for women, for workers, for sportspeople, for everyone - and this speech was a great reflection on the various campaigns he's been involved with, and the state of human rights on Australia and across the world right now. It was especially enlightening to hear Craig discuss the human rights issues surrounding the World Cup in Qatar, and how massive sporting events can sometimes provide massive opportunities to advocate for greater human rights protections. Cause of the Week: Refugee Legal () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/25287777

256 - Talking "I, Millennial" w/Osman Faruqi 12/01/2022

256 - Talking "I, Millennial" w/Osman Faruqi My book is out in the world! Gosh. We launched it in Melbourne with a lovely event at the Easey Street Concert Hall in Collingwood, featuring me in conversation with my mate Osman Faruqi. Oz and I discussed the guts of the book and why I wrote it, and I read some bits out and took questions and we all had a great time. I hope you enjoy listening back to our conversation. /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/25188450

255 - "I, Millennial" Prologue 11/22/2022

255 - "I, Millennial" Prologue This week I'm bringing you a taste of my debut book . You'll hear the full prologue from the audiobook that sets the whole thing up and talks about me doing drugs. The book comes out next week - . I'm having book launches in MELBOURNE, SYDNEY and BRISBANE - . /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/25095915

254 - Ben Schneiders 11/16/2022

254 - Ben Schneiders Ben Schneiders is an award-winning investigate journalist at The Age and author of the new book, Hard Labour: Wage Theft in the Age of Inequality. Over the past eight years, Ben's reporting has exposed the scourge of wage theft and worker exploitation in Australian hospitality, fast food, retail and agriculture. In Hard Labour, Ben summarises just how widespread and serious this problem is in Australian capitalism today, and lays out exactly what's been happening over the past 50 years that's seen workers' power dwindle so much. This was a great conversation, in which Ben and I discussed the enraging specifics of the wage theft cases, why the SDA sucks, how much we should blame the ALP for all this and where we might find some hope in the future for Australian workers. Cause of the Week: Join your union () IF YOU WORK IN RETAIL PLEASE JOIN RAFFWU NOT THE SDA () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/25032585

253 - Leo Puglisi 11/08/2022

253 - Leo Puglisi I'm back! Again! Sorry about the big gap between episodes. I am bad. Leo Puglisi is a digital journalist who just so happens to be 14 years old. He founded what would eventually become the online news service 6 News Australia when he was just 11, and he's since grown it into a respectable independent media outlet that does pretty great journalism, and regularly puts mainstream "adult" media outlets to shame. During the 2022 election, Leo even managed to secure and conduct insightful interviews with Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese. Here Leo talks to me about starting a media outlet so young, what he sees as the mission behind 6 News, the kind of criticism and trolling he's had to face online, his dedicated to fact checking and what he thinks makes for a great political interview. Cause of the Week: Sponsor me in the ASRC's KMs of Compassion /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/24939381

252 - Jim Casey 03/29/2022

252 - Jim Casey Jim Casey is a firefighting unionist, socialist and co-founder of the Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance. He is an anti-capitalist GREENS EXTREMIST who has twice run as a candidate against Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler. As he gears up to run for Greens preselection to be an upper-house candidate in the 2023 NSW state election, Jim took some time to talk to me about his time leading the Fire Brigade Employees Union, the state of the Australian labour movement, his theories on why real political power lies outside of parliament and the controversies he ran into when taking on "Albo". Cause of the Week: Rachael Jacobs, Greens Candidate for Grayndler () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/22602689

251 - Georgia Steele 02/22/2022

251 - Georgia Steele Georgia Steele is a former corporate litigator and now independent candidate running in the NSW seat of Hughes at the upcoming federal election. (The seat's currently held by former Liberal MP, now United Australia Party TRUTH-TELLER Craig Kelly.) In this conversation I discuss with Georgia Kelly's bizarro mind and political career, why she thinks the people of Hughes deserves better, the issues that she's campaigning on, her rejection of political ideology and her thoughts on why the two-party system is failing. Cause of the Week: The Family Co () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/22213148

250 - David Shoebridge MLC 02/08/2022

250 - David Shoebridge MLC David Shoebridge MLC has served in the NSW upper house since 2010, and has been the Greens spokesperson for workers' rights, energy and Aboriginal justice. In 2022 he's running to pick up another NSW Senate seat for the Greens (and it's actually possible!). In this conversation I ask David about NSW politics' love of corruption, how he developed his radical politics, what the Greens could achieve in balance of power and whether Greens MPs should have anything to do with investment properties. Cause of the Week: David Shoebridge's Senate campaign () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/22060457

249 - Palestine Justice Movement Sydney Forum: "Why We Are Boycotting The Sydney Festival" 01/30/2022

249 - Palestine Justice Movement Sydney Forum: "Why We Are Boycotting The Sydney Festival" This week I'm bringing you the audio of a panel I appeared on, discussing the reason behind and ideas around the recent boycott of the 2022 Sydney Festival. I joined dozens of other artists in withdrawing from the Festival to protest its acceptance of $20k in sponsorship money from the Israeli embassy; a sponsorship which guaranteed Israel the honour of being a "star partner" of the festival. Here I'm in conversation with academic Dr. Jumana Bayeh, the Executive Director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy Salem Barahmeh and my fellow boycotters Dr. Mohammed Ahmad (founding director of Western Sydney literacy outfit Sweatshop) and Maissa Alameddine (the Artist Director of the Ensemble Dandana, which is part of the Arab Theatre Studio). Cause of the Week: Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Australia /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21940739

248 - Johann Hari Returns (On "Stolen Focus") 01/20/2022

248 - Johann Hari Returns (On "Stolen Focus") Writer and journalist Johann Hari has returned to the show to discuss why our brains have melted. His new book is called Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention and it is a fascinating, depressing and insightful look at the "attention crisis" we're facing as a society. Johann tells me about just how bad this situation is, how much social media and technology is responsible for it, its social and political implications and what the fuck we can do about it - as individuals, and as a collective. /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21833489

247 - Van Badham Returns (on #QAnon) 12/23/2021

247 - Van Badham Returns (on #QAnon) Van Badham is a playwright, author and activist, and she's returned to the show to discuss her latest book, QAnon: A Short and Shocking History of Internet Conspiracy Cults. Here Van lays out precisely what the QAnon conspiracy theory actually is, how it came into existence and how much it has shaped - and continues to shape - politics in the US and here in Australia. We discuss the most bonkers beliefs involved in all this and what the theory's success tells us about the internet and the failures of the modern Left, and we disagree about what happened to JFK. Merry Xmas everyone! See you in 2022, when everything will be fixed forever xx Cause of the Week: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21583349

246 - James Button (on Cancel Culture) 12/14/2021

246 - James Button (on Cancel Culture) James Button is a freelance journalist, ALP member and former speechwriter for the former prime minister Kevin Rudd. He recently wrote a three-part, in-depth series for Nine/Fairfax on "cancel culture": what it is, why it exists and what it means for the Australian Left. In this conversation James and I go deep into his argument and the three pieces and try to clarify how this social phenomenon manifests itself when it comes to issues of race, gender, art and politics. On some fronts we agree, on others I try to push back and challenge some of the common arguments that are wheeled out on this stuff. It's long, but (I hope) really worthwhile. TL:DR - class politics is GOOD and we need MORE OF IT PLEASE. (though he rarely tweets!) Read James' three-part series on cancel culture: Cause(s) of the Week: Savannah Pride (); Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21480716

245 - Nyadol Nyuon (Refugee Legal Dinner 2021) 12/06/2021

245 - Nyadol Nyuon (Refugee Legal Dinner 2021) Nyadol Nyuon is a former refugee, lawyer and passionate advocate for human rights and anti-racism. This is her keynote address at the 2021 Refugee Legal "Not The Annual Dinner" (held via Zoom), which I MC'ed, followed by a Q&A session with Nyadol and Refugee Legal Executive Director David Manne. It's a passionate address about why human rights are important to her (and why they should be important to you), the realities of race in this country and the ongoing legacy of the War on Terror on our society and politics. Cause of the Week: Please support Refugee Legal's work () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21389429

INTRODUCING: Serious Danger 11/21/2021

INTRODUCING: Serious Danger NEWS: I have a brand new podcast to share with youse. It’s called Serious Danger, it’s about the Australian Greens and green politics in Australia generally and I’m doing it with my cool friend Emerald Moon. Also it’s going to fix everything. Have a listen to hear the trailer and find out why I wanted to make the show in the first place. (Also don’t stress: I’ll still be posting episodes of LIASYO for the time being.) Find out more and subscribe to the show by heading to Find us on twitter, Instagram, Patreon and YouTube on @SeriousDangerAU Get to know Emerald more by . <3 u /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21233171

244 - Luke Hilakari 11/18/2021

244 - Luke Hilakari Luke Hilakari has been the Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council since 2014. He's been a Labor member since he turned 18 and has played a key role in electing (and re-electing) the Andrew Labor government and fighting for marriage equality and workers' rights. In light of all the BATSHIT anti-vax protesting that's been going on in Melbourne of late, I wanted to ask Luke about the presence of anti-vax organising within the labour movement, why some workers might be attracted to this ideology and what can be done about it. We also discuss the class war that the pandemic has shone a light on, solidarity, why strikes are beautiful, spanking the Labor Party and how the union movement will be approaching the upcoming election. Cause of the Week: Australians For A Murdoch Royal Commission () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21206414

243 - Professor Megan Davis 11/07/2021

243 - Professor Megan Davis Professor Megan Davis is a Cobble Cobble woman from Queensland and is the current pro Vice-Chancellor and Balnaves Chair in constitutional law at the University of New South Wales. She's worked for the United Nations and has been intimately involved in the campaign for meaningful constitutional recognition for Australia's First Nations people, and had the honour of first reading out the Uluru Statement From the Heart publicly in 2017. Four years on from the creation of the Statement - with its call for Voice, Treaty & Truth - Megan updates me on where the campaign for a constitutional First Nations Voice to Parliament is at, the roadblocks that remain, designing a model and searching for bipartisanship ahead of a possible referendum. Cause of the Week: Uluru Statement From The Heart Campaign () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/21070310

242 - Sean Kelly (Returns) 10/31/2021

242 - Sean Kelly (Returns) Sean Kelly is a writer and journalist, who's a former adviser to Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. His new book is The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison and it's great/scary/infuriating. With great insight and wit, Sean really tries to get at who our Prime Minister is, what drives, what (if anything) he believes in and what his political success says about us a country. We discuss how Morrison plays the "game" of politics, why he won in 2019 and whether he can be beaten again by the ALP in its current state. Cause of the Week: The Indigenous Literacy Foundation () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20979914

241 - Sylvie Ellsmore 10/24/2021

241 - Sylvie Ellsmore Sylvie Ellsmore is the Greens mayoral candidate for the City of Sydney in the upcoming NSW local elections. She's running a campaign to make Sydney a city for everyone, not just the rich, with a particular focus on housing and grassroots democracy. This was a fantastic conversation about the state of local Sydney politics, the legacy of independent mayor Clover Moore and the Greens' vision for how the local city council can play a much more activist role in fixing the truly cooked Sydney housing market. I think you'll find Sylvie's passion ideas inspiring and cool. Go team. Cause of the Week: Welcome Merchant (); book for the Greens for the City of Sydney Dinner Party /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20916968

240 - Christiaan Van Vuuren (Big Deal) 10/21/2021

240 - Christiaan Van Vuuren (Big Deal) Christiaan Van Vuuren is a comedian and YouTube star who you know from Bondi Hipsters, Bloom and At Home Alone Together. He's the presenter of a great new documentary about money in Australian politics called Big Deal, which was directed by the Chaser's Craig Reucassel. This issue drives me (and I'm sure you) crazy, and it was great to get stuck into a similarly-outraged Christiaan. We touch on just how much money is washing around our politics, how much anti-democratic influence that money has, why "transparency" simply isn't enough and why Christiaan is optimistic about the possibilities of change and fixing this shit. Cause of the Week: /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20887595

239 - Dr. Helen Haines 10/10/2021

239 - Dr. Helen Haines Dr. Helen Haines is a former nurse and midwife who now serves as the independent member for the Victorian seat of Indi. Since she entered the parliament Helen has been fighting for the establishment of a federal anti-corruption / pro-integrity body that will actually do what we want it to do: justly hold our public servants to account and root out the shitty corrupt behaviour that is rife in our politics. In the wake of Gladys Berejiklian's resignation as NSW Premier after ICAC announced it was investigating her (because that it's job), Helen and I discuss what an effective federal body would look like, the Morrison government's scaremongering about accountability, the chances of Helen's bill getting passed and the corrosive influence of political donations. Cause of the Week: UNICEF's CoVax Appeal () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20764574

238 - Felicity Ruby 10/04/2021

238 - Felicity Ruby Felicity Ruby is a former Greens staffer, current PhD candidate at the University of Sydney and longtime friend and supporter of Julian Assange. In the wake of revelations from Yahoo! News that Trump's CIA floated plans to kidnap and kill Assange after Wikileaks' "Vault 7" revelations in 2017, I wanted to talk to Flick about Assange's plight and its political ramifications. We discuss what kind of a person Julian Assange is, his mission, his trial, the misconceptions that continue to swirl around him and the insane paranoia of Western intelligence agencies (aka our lovely allies). Juice Media's Honest Government Ad about AUKUS Cause of the Week: The Courage Foundation () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20692844

237 - Generations Apart (CIS event with Tom Switzer and Satya Jeetmarar) 09/27/2021

237 - Generations Apart (CIS event with Tom Switzer and Satya Jeetmarar) This week's episode is from an event I took part in with the Centre for Independent Studies, hosted by Tom Switzer and featuring academic Satya Jeetmarar. Together we discussed/debated intergenerational inequality in the face of the COVID pandemic. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I think capitalism is the problem, while Satya and the CIS holds a different view. See wot u reckon lol Cause of the Week: Youth Projects () /episode/index/show/likeimasixyearold/id/20607200

Like I'm A Six-Year-Old

TOPICS