4BC Breakfast

Hear all this week's best bits from 4BC Breakfast with Jason Matthews. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Summary Podcast - Every spring, bursts of purple take over Australian suburban streets and social media feeds as jacarandas burst into bloom, marking the approach of summer and university exam season. While they feel like an Aussie staple, these iconic trees are not native to Australia and come with their own mix of folklore, ecological quirks, and street-level chaos. On this episode...

Listen to 4BC Breakfast with Jason Matthews weekdays from 5:30am-9am. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queensland Parliament has officially passed sweeping, nation-leading bail laws imposing a mandatory 12-month jail sentence on repeat offenders who breach their release conditions. Speaking on-air, Lyndy Atkinson from VICTIMS 1st joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast to celebrate the milestone alongside crime victims, expressing hope that the reform will permanently halt the cycle of repeat offend...

Following a sombre start marked by a pledge for civil debate after an attack on MP Helen Haines and security threats at The Lodge, federal parliament quickly descended into bitter fighting over a disputed $6M golf club grant, surging inflation, and broken policy promises. Speaker Milton Dick resorted to ejecting multiple unruly MPs as political editor Michael Pachi joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Bre...

Amid a surge in state road toll tracking at 16-year highs, Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast and RACQ’s Joshua Cooney examine the breakdown of road safety messaging and the urgent need for tougher enforcement, including visible police and point-to-point speed cameras. The conversation also delves into listeners' reactions, highlighting emotional personal stories, debates over lower highway spe...

Marking Australia’s largest child safety initiative on Day for Daniel, Bruce Morcombe joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast fresh off a gruelling 10,000km outback trek where he delivered safety pencil cases to remote school communities. He launched this year’s national child safety education push - featuring tailored lessons on online gaming and artificial intelligence - while urging...

From the Summary Podcast - Four weeks after the ban on card surcharges came into effect, customers and business owners are still dealing with confusion, rising costs, and unexpected price hikes. While the reform was designed to increase transparency at the checkout, many cafes and venues have lifted overall prices well beyond the cost of payment processing. On this episode of  The Summar...

Listen to 4BC Breakfast with Jason Matthews weekdays from 5:30am-9am. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Queensland Opposition has tabled a Private Member’s Bill to overhaul non-fatal strangulation laws, pushing to close loopholes and introduce an aggravated offence carrying up to 14 years behind bars. Shadow Attorney-General Meghan Scanlon joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast and revealed that nearly half of existing choking charges fail to result in convictions, calling on the governmen...

A horrific overnight spate of crashes across Queensland claimed three lives and left several others critically injured, sparking an impassioned on-air plea for urgent driver solutions. Meanwhile, counter-terrorism police continue investigating an alleged targeted 4WD attack that cost federal MP Helen Haines both her legs, despite the accused driver claiming it was a freak accident. See omnystudio....

Following the lower house passage of the federal government’s Digital Duty of Care bill targeting tech platforms, Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast and tech expert Leigh Stark debate whether the new regulations genuinely protect vulnerable users or verge on state overreach. The discussion breaks down the reality of multi-million-dollar fines, potential censorship fears, and how algorithmic opt...

Despite repeated interest rate hikes, Australia’s headline inflation climbed to 4.3%, leaving families feeling immense financial pain for zero return. Finance expert David Koch joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast and warns that out-of-control government spending is fuelling the crisis, calling for strict spending limits on politicians to stop inflation from ruining households. See omnystu...

Aussie mortgage holders face fresh pain after hotter-than-expected September inflation figures locked in expectations of another looming interest rate hike. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast to lay blame squarely on runaway government spending and outline the Coalition’s plan to slash fuel excise to combat surging cost-of-living pressure. See omnystudio.com/l...

Listen to 4BC Breakfast with Jason Matthews weekdays from 5:30am-9am. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a fiery breakdown of recent Senate Estimates and political fallout, commentators Calista Clements and Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast slam Canberra's handling of controversial breastfeeding definitions under the Sex Discrimination Act. The pair also condemn a near-$35 million Pre-COP31 "junket" in Fiji plagued by empty rooms, poor stream numbers, and luxury stays, before offering a brief look a...

Following a delegation to Canberra, registered tax agent Belinda Rasso joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast to reveal that Treasurer Jim Chalmers seemed completely unaware of the damaging consequences the proposed 30% trust tax will inflict on ordinary small businesses. With Senate submissions closing and up to a million jobs potentially on the line, Rasso is urging owners across the nation to l...

Brisbane City Council plans to trial alcohol and snack sales on double-decker CityCats next year, backed by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Powderfinger's JC. However, public health experts, led by Professor Amie Steel, who joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast, strongly oppose the move, warning that trapped commuters and families will be exposed to alcohol-fuelled safety risks on public transpor...

In Israel’s first general election since the October 7 attacks, record voter turnout has produced an exceptionally tight race between Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc and Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition coalition. Nine News correspondent Josh Bavas joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast to break down how the razor-thin exit polls, complex coalition negotiations, and potential king...

Following an 18% surge in Queensland homeschooling registrations, Euka Future Learning CEO Brett Campbell joined Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast to break down why thousands of families are abandoning mainstream classrooms. The discussion revealed that while parent dissatisfaction with school curricula plays a part, severe bullying, classroom anxiety, and an overburdened education system remain the...

From The Summary podcast - Roughly one-third of Australian households have experienced serious strain trying to put meals on the table over the past year, forcing countless families to choose between basic essentials and everyday groceries. On this episode of  The Summary , host Josh Bryant investigates what is driving this unprecedented spike in food insecurity and asks whether relief a...

Ben Davis filling in for Jason Matthews. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following claims by Youth Advocacy Centre CEO Katherine Hayes that a $3 million contract was stripped in retaliation for criticising the Crisafulli Government, Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber joined Ben Davis on 4BC Breakfast to strongly reject the allegations. Gerber maintained the independent tender was part of a major overhaul replacing failed previous policies, citing an alarming 89% repea...

From the Summary Podcast - Described by cybersecurity experts as the digital equivalent of an unexploded bomb, a major vulnerability in the widespread programming language PHP has forced high-profile websites offline and sent network administrators scrambling. On this episode of  The Summary , host Josh Bryant looks into how this critical flaw was discovered and what businesses and everyday i...

Queensland’s Youth Advocacy Centre has accused the Crisafulli Government of political retaliation after losing its $3 million contract and 19 staff following outspoken criticism of strict youth crime laws. While the government cites failing KPIs and high reoffending rates, CEO Katherine Hayes joined Ben Davis on 4BC Breakfast to defend the service’s audited success and warn the new pol...