Corruption in Politics - Ben Pennings

Beyond The Rona

This week we're joined by environmental activist Ben Pennings. Ben has spent the last 30 years serving others through community work, grassroots activism, political campaigning and running a family-owned Psychology practice in Brisbane.

His work with the Galilee Blockade group and #StopAdani movement triggered a long running court case with international mining conglomerate Adani (now Bravus) in the Supreme Court. You can read updates and help support Ben's legal fund here: https://www.benpennings.com/adani-vs-pennings/

Ben Pennings works in the space of environmental activism, particularly around thermal coal & gas and is focused on climate change as the “existential crisis that it is” he says. Ben tells us about his “David & Goliath” style battle with mining giants Adani which started following several successes in community organising for environmental justice, with fellow group members from Galilee Blockade - although he was singled-out and personally sued. Ben tells us the strategic litigation, a “slap suit”, is the biggest in 20-30 years, litigation against public participation. It’s been going on for 15 months in the Supreme Court and he has been forced to crowd fund $450,000 from 8500 people to be able to defend himself against the billionaires, while the corporation have had operatives follow, film and harass his family members. Meanwhile, Galilee Blockade have been able to continue their valuable work in environmental activism.

Tim, Ben and I discuss Corporate donations to political parties and the influence they then have on politics. We discuss the movie Big Deal, (directed by Craig Reucassel) - https://makeitabigdeal.org/ - on the same topic, as well as cash for access meetings with political ministers. Ben believes the public have become so used to corporate influence in politics that people are not even expected democracy anymore.

We then discuss that democracy is not on an equal footing for everyone - especially for those less privileged. Members of the community are able to organise, but they are unable to afford the large sums of money it costs to have any influence in politics.

We discuss the differences in accessing politics for minority groups, people with disabilities, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, people who didn’t happen to go to “elite” private schools, people from other cultural backgrounds. Ben suggests that once a person enters politics, the sexist and racist culture in politics is a further barrier to a disadvantaged person.

A political party that doesn’t take corporate donations will find that a financial barrier too. Ben’s solution to this? To take corporate money out of politics so that it doesn’t affect decision making.

We then go on to discuss the political infiltration of community groups, community Facebook groups, school P&Cs, business councils, corporate boards. The community needs transparency on these memberships and to gauge what is the motivation? Political Gain? Or Community Service?

Ben says change has happened but slowly over time and only through direct action of the people. He feels a personal responsibility to lead that social change.

Ben’s 3 Big Ideas:

1. We need a Federal ICAC

2. Get Corporate Donations out of politics

3. The Ability for the Community to Organise (without being sued!)

Beyond the Rona Podcast is recorded in Logan, Queensland on Yuggera country. We acknowledge the traditional owners past, present and emerging.

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