The State of the Nation

Bob Carr is an Australian retired politician and journalist who served as the 39th premier of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005. He later entered federal politics as a NSW senator and served as minister for foreign affairs from 2012 to 2013. 

Rebecca Huntley is Director of Research at 89 Degrees East and a fellow of the Research Society of Australia. She has authored several books, including How to Talk about Climate Change in a Way that Makes a Difference and, most recently, her memoir Sassafras. 

Rick Morton has been a journalist and writer for over 15 years. He is the winner of the 2013 Kennedy Award for Young Journalist of the Year and the 2017 Kennedy Award for Outstanding Columnist. Rick regularly appears on panels across both the ABC and commercial networks discussing politics, the media, writing and social policy. His latest book is Mean Streak, on the Robodebt scandal. 

David Marr is an author whose books include Patrick White: A Life, The High Price of Heaven, Dark Victory (with Marian Wilkinson) and Killing for Country. He has also written six Quarterly Essays and articles for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Saturday Paper and The Guardian, and worked as a reporter for Four Corners and presenter of Media Watch and Late Night Live.