WTF2050 asks its guest to pick an idea they would like to see come to life by 2050. In Series 1 we spotlighted Tasmanian change makers and gave a platform for the future ideas that can transform this State. Tasmanians of the Year Rosalie Martin and Scott Rankin shared their ambitious goals, a prison free Tasmania and the North West re-imagined as an arts laboratory. McLeod’s Daughters / hi5 creator, author Posie Graeme-Evans talked about the power of story and the unique place Tasmania holds in the nations story. Our first series though not yet threatening to take the top spot on the podcasting charts was listened to by a broad range of Tasmanian influencers including those in government and policy. Our aim is to create a platform where big ideas and sometimes small ones can be explored and imagined.

In Series 2, hosts Leanne Minshull and Anna Bateman have changed the T of the title to stand for the future. We asked our guests – be they from Amsterdam, Melbourne or Derby – to share a bold idea that could transform our future. Insect farming, primary schools without skirts and parenting programs in prisons as a matter of course all form stories within our second outing. Also in S2 we spend a morning in Risdon prison meeting male inmates learning how to parent and reflect on their own childhoods. The programs are yielding great success and give context to the rehabilitation vs punishment approach to correction.

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Season 1

Big ideas from Tasmania, a stunning island on the edge of the world.

What’s Tasmania’s Future 2050 is an initiative of The Australia Institute and some of Tasmania’s best and brightest thinkers.

And, it’s a podcast!

“In each episode of our podcast we sit down with one of our inaugural ambassadors and challenge them to look forward a generation and pick a big hairy goal for Tasmania” says Leanne Minshull, Director of The Australia Institute Tasmania,

“Then we talk through the strengths Tasmania already has that will make that goal possible”

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Episode 1: Saul Eslake

WTF2050 Hosts Leanne Minshull & Anna Bateman drop in on independent economist and proud Tasmanian, Saul Eslake. In this, our first episode, Saul gives us a tour of his home, originally built by convicts in 1820. While sharing his WTF2050 goal Saul provides some fascinating insights into Tasmania’s economic & social history, and finds time to tell us what really gets his goat!

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Episode 2: Jo Cook and Jess Robbins

Dark Mofo’s Winter Feast attracted 100K people last year, Curator Jo Cook and friend Jess Robbins, from the Global Island Partnership, have a WTF2050 goal that is a perfect fit for an island that is fast becoming the center of the Southern Hemisphere’s foodie trail.

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Episode 3: Scott Rankin

Raised on a Chinese Junk in Sydney Harbour, Scott Rankin came to Tasmania as a idealistic 22yo & went on to found Big h’Art , one of the world’s most acclaimed Community Art’s Companies. Big h’Art runs projects all over the world and Scott likes to think about Tasmania as an arts laboratory, given Tassie’s current place on the world art map, Scott’s WTF2050 goal is ambitious and we think, perfectly timed.

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Episode 4: Posie Graeme-Evans

Posie Graeme-Evans first came to Tasmania at the age of 14 after WW2. One of Australia’s most acclaimed TV producers (McLeod’s Daughters & Hi5) Poise is also a best selling historical novelist. As a master storyteller, her WTF2050 goal is in part, inspired by her belief in the power of narrative.

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Episode 5: Robin Banks

Robin Banks was Tasmania’s anti-discrimination commissioner for six years. In this episode Robin muses on her own career path and shares great examples of conflict resolution how we can get conflict out of the room and solve problems while rejecting the often adversarial landscape.

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Episode 6: Kirsha Kaechele

Kirsha Kaechele is perhaps, better known the partner of David Walsh founder of MONA. That is, however, the least interesting thing about her. Kirsha is an American contemporary art curator, artist, and founder of KKProjects and the Life is Art Foundation. Her WTF2050 goal would place Tassie at the center of the Internet Economy.

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Episode 7: Rosalie Martin

Rosalie Martin is a criminologist, speech therapist, Tasmanian of the Year 2017 & Founder of Chatter Matters. Rosie has been running literacy and parental attachment programs in Risdon prison and has been getting extraordinary results. Her WTF2050 goal is one that will initially shock and then inspire.

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