Also this week, with the NSW election just a month away, aside from the Abbott factor, what impact will Mike Baird’s commitment to electricity privatisation have on the poll? We talk with Matt Grudnoff, senior economist at the Australia Institute, on the impact of privatisation, particularly with a natural monopoly like electricity distribution.

That plus our regular contributors: Richard Kazimer in the US, John Dobbie in the UK and David Campbell updating us on New Zealand.

Listen to the full show below.

This week's running order

00:00 Show Intro

01:45 Brian tries to get in early

02:45 David Campbell’s NZ report

13:02 Alan Jones comes out of the closet

17:30 Richard Kazimer’s US report

27:10 Touchy conservatives

31:10 John Dobbie’s UK report – Boris for PM

40:55 Steve Keen on Australia’s government debt

56:02 Tiny Abbott’s unity problems

1:01:45 Obama sending in the troops

1:14:10 Reasons behind Sydney’s house price problem

1:18:52 Matt Grudnoff - tackling Australia’s rising unemployment

1:31:15 Britain’s ugly politicians

1:37:13 The NSW Liberal Boys Club

1:38:52 Brian Haverty – how to improve the Oscars

1:48:45 Hate crimes Amish style