<![CDATA[Change the System]]>If there was one thing you could change about how government works in Australia, what would it be?

Each episode, Will Salkeld invites a politician, academic, or activist and asks them about their ideas to change the system.

]]>https://williamsalkeld.com/podcastRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:27:56 GMTThu, 30 Jul 2026 04:40:15 GMT60Will Salkeld<p>If there was one thing you could change about how government works in Australia, what would it be?<br /><br />Each episode, Will Salkeld invites a politician, academic, or activist and asks them about their ideas to change the system.</p>episodicWill Salkeldwilliam.clifford.salkeld@gmail.comno<![CDATA[S1: EP03 Sortition: choosing political candidates by lottery - with Dr William Bosworth]]>In 2024, about 1 in 5 MP's in Australia had a background as a lawyer, and just under 1 in 3 had worked for a politician before.

This overrepresentation of lawyers and political staffers is partly caused by how parties pick their candidates, which usually involves either branch voting or political elites making a 'captain's' call.

What if, instead, parties picked their candidates by lottery?

Dr William Bosworth argues that 'sortition' would not only make candidates more representative of the general population, but it might make people more involved in party politics and actually boost votes for parties that use the lottery system.

We discuss the problems with how sortition would work, how it went for the Morena party in Mexico (who actually used this method!), and whether it could actually solve the problems it's trying to solve.

]]>55919949-2b27-43c3-aa00-f93e71dbaac9Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:20:34 GMT<p>In 2024, about 1 in 5 MP's in Australia had a background as a lawyer, and just under 1 in 3 had worked for a politician before. </p><p></p><p>This overrepresentation of lawyers and political staffers is partly caused by how parties pick their candidates, which usually involves either branch voting or political elites making a 'captain's' call.</p><p></p><p>What if, instead, parties picked their candidates by lottery?<br /><br />Dr William Bosworth argues that 'sortition' would not only make candidates more representative of the general population, but it might make people more involved in party politics and actually boost votes for parties that use the lottery system.</p><p></p><p>We discuss the problems with how sortition would work, how it went for the Morena party in Mexico (who actually used this method!), and whether it could actually solve the problems it's trying to solve.</p>no00:34:2513S1: EP03 Sortition: choosing political candidates by lottery - with Dr William Bosworthfull<![CDATA[S1: EP02 A Minister for Disability with lived experience - with Charlotte Young]]>Who gets to represent people with disabilities when the government makes decisions about their lives, and what is life in Parliament like from a disabled perspective?

In this episode, youth and disability advocate and 2024 Young Asian Australian of the Year, Charlotte Young, argues that we should aim to have a Minister for Disability with lived experience.

We discuss empathy and curiosity in disability leadership, why we need a Minister and department just for disability, and what it's like having a disability in Parliament House.

]]>9a67446c-6289-4827-a9d7-5eec9383f4e2Fri, 28 Aug 2026 02:07:38 GMT<p>Who gets to represent people with disabilities when the government makes decisions about their lives, and what is life in Parliament like from a disabled perspective?<br /><br />In this episode, youth and disability advocate and 2024 Young Asian Australian of the Year, Charlotte Young, argues that we should aim to have a Minister for Disability with lived experience.<br /><br />We discuss empathy and curiosity in disability leadership, why we need a Minister and department just for disability, and what it's like having a disability in Parliament House.</p>no00:33:1012S1: EP02 A Minister for Disability with lived experience - with Charlotte Youngfull<![CDATA[S1: EP01 A future generations act with Thomas Emerson MLA]]>How do we get governments to think about the wellbeing of young people and future generations?

In this episode, I sit down and talk with Thomas Emerson MLA, an Independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, about his idea for a Future Generations Act.

We discuss what politics would look like if we thought beyond winners and losers, if we reimagined what wellbeing and productivity looked like, and trying to build a vision for the future.

]]>7cd93212-c0c3-4d06-b249-4ff6a1ae10bbFri, 14 Aug 2026 04:25:41 GMT<p>How do we get governments to think about the wellbeing of young people and future generations?<br /><br />In this episode, I sit down and talk with Thomas Emerson MLA, an Independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, about his idea for a Future Generations Act.<br /><br />We discuss what politics would look like if we thought beyond winners and losers, if we reimagined what wellbeing and productivity looked like, and trying to build a vision for the future.</p>no00:31:0911S1: EP01 A future generations act with Thomas Emerson MLAfull