The Populist

The Guardian

4.4 (219)
News

Guardian Presents is the home of Guardian Australia’s investigative and longform podcasts

4 Oct

The Populist: Social contract | Episode 4

One Nation was the first Australian political party with a website, and its online game today is recognised as some of the most effective in the business. The party specialises in shareable anti-immigration messaging – and in bypassing traditional media to reach voters directly. ‘She tells it like it is,’ Pauline Hanson’s supporters say. But her tactics come straight from the populist right playbook: harvesting fear and grievance for political power. In the final episode of The Populist, Sarah Martin traces Hanson’s journey from her beginnings as Australia’s first ‘cyber politician’ to her leading role in the rightwing nativist movement that is sweeping the globe
27 Sept

The Populist: Money nation | Episode 3

One Nation receives millions in public funding, but former members have accused the party of leaving candidates out of pocket, ‘funny money deals’ and letting donations get ‘lost in the system’. When senior correspondent Sarah Martin followed the money, she discovered even those on the inside are asking questions about accountability, and why some are saying the man brought in to improve the system might be making it worse
20 Sept

The Populist: The favourite son | Episode 2

Most Australians know the story of Pauline Hanson: the fish and chip shop, the maiden speech, the ‘please explain’. But Hanson’s top adviser James Ashby wields as much – if not more – power over One Nation as Hanson herself. When the party bars media from press conferences, it’s Ashby who makes the call. To understand how One Nation operates, it’s important to understand Ashby’s story, from his beginnings as a PR flack, through a massive parliamentary scandal, to his ascent to political power as the party’s popularity soars
13 Sept

The Populist: Aeroplanes and bulldozers | Episode 1

‘If you’re trying to say I’m being funded by Gina Rinehart, the answer is no.’ That’s what the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, told the Guardian’s senior correspondent Sarah Martin in February. We now know that’s not true. Over months, Martin has pieced together flight-tracking data and expense records to uncover the true extent of financial support flowing from Australia’s richest person to the country’s fastest growing political force. Episode one of The Populist tells the inside story, from the Farrer byelection to the National Press Club, including exclusive new reporting
8 Sept

The Populist: Pauline Hanson’s divided nation

Around the globe, rightwing politicians pushing nationalist and anti-immigration policies are on the rise. The Populist explores the growing appeal of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – a party that has imported the modus operandi of the populist right, including Trump-style attacks on the media. In a new four-part podcast series, investigations correspondent Sarah Martin asks who One Nation really stands for and whether the party has what it takes to achieve power in Australia
17 Apr

Gina: A day in court – episode 8

In this bonus episode of the Walkley-nominated series about Australia’s richest person, Guardian Australia senior correspondent Sarah Martin and producer Joe Koning examine Wednesday’s landmark court ruling that ends a 15-year-court battle between Gina Rinehart and rival heirs
17/11/2025

Broken trust: why police are failing to learn from their own mistakes

Ben Smee, Guardian Australia’s Queensland correspondent, has been reporting on the national crisis of domestic and family violence, as well as the culture and attitudes inside the Queensland police, for years. In the final episode of this special Full Story investigation, Broken trust looks at how police are failing to learn from their own mistakes. Guardian Australia can reveal allegations from a former senior Queensland detective who has accused police of covering up their own failures in cases in which vulnerable women died after seeking police protection, and alleges she was ordered to ‘protect the organisation’s reputation at all costs’
16/11/2025

Broken trust: how police failed Hannah Clarke and her children

Ben Smee, Guardian Australia’s Queensland correspondent, has been reporting on the national crisis of domestic and family violence, as well as the culture and attitudes inside the Queensland police, for years. In the first episode of this special Full Story investigation, Broken trust uncovers exclusive new evidence in the case of Hannah Clarke and her children. It looks at serious police failings in the lead-up to the murders that were overlooked by the coronial inquest and not investigated by homicide detectives

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Trailer

The Populist: Pauline Hanson’s divided nation

Around the globe, rightwing politicians pushing nationalist and anti-immigration policies are on the rise. The Populist explores the growing appeal of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation – a party that has imported the modus operandi of the populist right, including Trump-style attacks on the media. In a new four-part podcast series, investigations correspondent Sarah Martin asks who One Nation really stands for and whether the party has what it takes to achieve power in Australia

Ben Smee

Host

4.4

out of 5

219 Ratings

Excellent journalism. Lacklustre production.

5 days ago

Zahra48

I’ve followed Sarah’s investigative journalism for years and appreciate the threads she pulls on. This was no exception. However, the audio quality was terrible, it sounded cheap. Compounded by the intrusive music which sat way too high in the mix and didn’t compliment the narrative. The sound production and mixing really let down an otherwise solid - and important - podcast.
Exceptional journalism. Thank you Sarah.

17 Oct

sunniocean

Welp, Pauline’s feet would be singed a tad after being held to the fire like that. Sarah unveils just how one nation fans have been duped into believing that Pauline is somehow fighting for them, while in reality she is merely Gina’s pet poli. Exactly the same type of politician the one nation supporter purport to have had it with. The irony is blinding.
Left wing rubbish

6 Oct

ozrum1976

Some good content, but way out there in its bias
Excellent Work Sarah

4 Oct

Cutter Man Mountain

Love this pod. Have a laugh at the semi-literate reviews from the “One Notion” voters below.