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Last weekend, India hosted the 20th iteration of the BRICS summit with the theme being 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove gives us the rundown for what this summit entails, particularly with rising global tensions. Following our endangered swift parrots from last week, we talk to MP for Drummoyne Stephanie Di Pasqua to see what loca...

The New South Wales Department of Education has announced restrictions on take-home assessment tasks for Year 11 and 12 students starting later this year in response to the rise of generative AI use to complete assessment tasks. But is this change going to help, and what does the presence of AI mean for education at large? We hear from producer James de Fraine-Murphy, who spoke with Dr Matthew Hil...

One of the most distressing aspects of the alleged sexual assault incident involving Sydney Swans players earlier this month is that we’ve heard it all before. What does that tell us about the culture of elite mens sport in Australia? Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove spoke to Professor Catharine Lumby about the overlap between patriotism, sport and misogyny. In the last few weeks, incidences of...

We’ve got a story about the expanding surveillance state and where our government is spending its money. A series of anti-transgender Women’s Rights Rallies will reach Sydney this Sunday at Martin Place, calling for the removal of transgender protections from the Sex Discrimination Act. In response to this, Pride In Protest are organising a counter-protest set to take place at Town Hal...

Last Thursday, thousands of students across Australia stepped out of classrooms to protest against Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party. Producer James de Fraine-Murphy reports from  the ground at the Say No To Hanson Protest at Town Hall. The NDIS cuts are set to go ahead after a Senate inquiry report recommended that the proposed reforms be passed in full, despite hearing that people wit...

With the upcoming census, Australians are finally seeing some big changes to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, however, whether or not these new questions fill all the gaps is still up for debate. Whilst a landmark moment, producer Bec Cushway breaks down for us who still isn't included and why census inclusion is so important. What do Mary's Underground, Divine Playhouse, and Lazy Thinking all have in common?...

Commuters, drivers and Western Sydney students were among the state budget's winners... but what about the losers? Producer Rebecca Cushway dives deep on where the money is flowing.  On a related note, UNSW has just announced plans to expand their presence in Parramatta by building a new campus. Over ten years the University will invest over $65 million in a multi faculty campus that can acco...

On April 26, eleven Australians set sail from Sicily aboard the second Global Sumud Flotilla with the mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. Among the activists was 22-year-old community organiser Ethan Floyd. Following the interception of their vessel in international waters, Ethan and five fellow activists were detained by the Israeli Occupation Forces. After re...

Palantir Technology is in the news, and not in a good way. Tech reporter at Crikey Cam Wilson dives into the controversial tech company's growing influence on global politics, including how it's become entangled with Australian surveillance and international conflict.  Is conservatism making a comeback among young people? A new report from IPSOS and the King’s College London suggests Ge...

Were you one of the hundreds of thousands gathered at Melbourne’s Albert Park to bring in the 2026 Formula One season last week? Producer Nyaboth Chuol breaks down F1's newfound popularity and diversity in the sport. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson joins to discuss the risks associated with Operation Shelter, a controversial new police operation initially designed to combat anti-semitism and isl...

Have you been keeping up with the Heated Rivalry craze? Producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis breaks down why women in particular are loving the show, and our obsession with the gay romance genre. NSW’S first queer ice hockey club, Harbour Lights Hockey Club, celebrated Mardi Gras with the Pride on Ice Tournament. Producer Jess D’Souza speaks to Harbour Lights’ president Brigitta Slinn...

A terrorism charge has been laid over an attempted bombing at the Invasion Day rally in Perth, nine days after the attack. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to Roxy Moore, Noongar organiser of the Boorloo Invasion Day rally, about the aftermath of violence on a day of mourning and solidarity for the First Nations community. Anti Cop founder Tom Raue joins to break down the heavily criticised po...

Ahead of Israeli president Isaac Herzog's state visit to Australia, producer Gabriella Accaria breaks down his political background and the reception of his visit by politicians and activist groups.  The findings from the coronial inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbing were recently handed down, highlighting the importance of housing for people living with a mental health condition. Habilis...

We're back for 2026! The Australian Open is one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, so how did it turn into a spectacle of everything but tennis? Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the social, cultural, economic and geopolitical issues at the Australian Open with Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Technology Sydney.  Pride in Protest members...

Producer Pongyada Sootthipong breaks down the drama at last week’s TikTok Awards in Sydney following allegations of racism against its Black creators. Zee Feed founder Crystal Andrews unpacks the discussions kicked up around Australia’s media diversity. Would you swim in the Cooks River again? Backchat speaks to Brooke about her ventures diving in the river, amidst council plans to cle...

The City of Parramatta Council believes it has done its "fair share" in building housing, and will write to the state government to ask to be exempt from the Housing Development Authority. Backchat producer and local council head Holly explains what this means for development in Western Sydney.  The Albanese government increased funding for 1800 RESPECT by 40% in light of the International Da...

Producer Euan Kielly breaks down the beef between pharmacists and GPs after a proposal to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to include medicine prescriptions.   Demolition work has begun on a 35-year-old public housing estate in Glebe. Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the fight to defend public housing against privatisation with ACP member Dan Miller and Socialist Alliance seat f...

Who is putting up, and now tearing down, the Greek anarchist posters in Sydney’s suburb of Earlwood? Producer Gabriella Accaria talks to Dr Sky Croeza to investigate.   Producer Euan Kielly joins to break down the uptick in triple-zero outages and telecommunications failures in Australia.   Have you stumbled upon the ‘Cairo Takeaway needs our help’ posts on your social...

Pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with police outside the recent Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney. Dani Zhang takes us through how the government's support of the defence expo contradicts its public statements about Australia's role about the war in Gaza.  Producer Jessica D'Souza chats to NSW Treaty Commissioner Naomi Moran about the process towards a treaty with Abo...

Host Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis speaks about the controversial opening of a kebab shop by notorious Sydney influencer and outspoken homophobe, Spanian, in Sydney's queer capital, Newtown. Executive producer Bec Cushway gives an update on the recent highs and lows of trans healthcare policies in Queensland. Eva and Bec discuss the Labor Party's leaked talking points on Israel and Palestine and it's poli...

The Good Food Guide has announced that they are no longer recommending Merivale venues due to allegations made against the company, shortly after dropping Swillhouse venues late last year. Producer Bec Cushway joins to explain the impact on venues and food media. Producer Gabriella Accaria investigates why Orthodox Christianity is seeing a revival among young people. Have you wrestled with a chatb...

EDIT: This episode has been edited after broadcast to accurately reflect the input of the author of the petition to Mandate Trauma-Informed Training for All NSW Police Officers, Claudia Kuper. Over ten thousand people have signed a legislative assembly petition calling for mandated trauma-informed training for NSW Police. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to lead petitioner Claudia Kuper and so...

A new report from market research behemoth Roy Morgan has shown that, while fewer people think homosexuality is immoral than they did 20 years ago, the rate at which that is changing has slowed dramatically. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine joins the show to break down the findings.  As neo-nazis become increasingly visible on streets all around Australia, we're rerunning producer Emilios Kwasne...

Are numbers and statistical data as objective as people think they are? Producer Nyaboth Chuol and journalist Madi Chwasta get into why understanding how stats work could stop you (and your middle aged relos on Facebook) from falling down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole.  Dani and Bec also chat with Estelle Grech, head of planning and policy at the Committee for Sydney, about whether Parramat...

To break down the recent news that Melbourne University Press is closing Meanjin, Australia’s second-oldest literary journal, Holly explains why this is about much more than just finances or literary snobbery. A major conversation is unfolding in New South Wales following the state’s first drug summit in 25 years, with growing calls to reform driving laws for medical cannabis users. To...