Hack

A new report found a bunch of phone companies have been denying customer requests when they're experiencing financial hardship. So, what can you do when you're struggling to pay your phone bill?  And Tassie had an election, a hung Parliament, a no-confidence motion, an election, a hung Parliament, and now... a no-confidence motion. What?  Plus, Dave's chat with Jacinda Ardern: on being optimistic,...

Jacinda Ardern has become an iconic figure. And at 45, her political career is already behind her.  She became the leader of her party just weeks before she was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand, and a few months after that she gave birth. In office, she got noticed way beyond New Zealand, from her response to the terrorist attack in Christchurch to her decision to lock down and seal the count...

Nearly 1,000 jobseekers had their payments cancelled over a 2 year period, even with laws in place to stop it happening. Here's what went wrong, and why the federal watchdog is calling it a "catastrophe".   And is Donald Trump's war on DEI coming here? We ask Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner.  Plus: lost luggage, ski injuries, scooter accidents. Ever thought you were covered by your tr...

"Not just a bad headache": new research has revealed Australia has a big migraine problem, and women have it way worse than men.  And what should Parliament do about an MP convicted of rape? We explain the court fight in NSW to expel a former government minister who's refusing to go. Plus, an activist group's campaign has ended in thousands of adult games being taken offline. So why are payment co...

Dr Mohammed Mustafa has gone from being a junior doctor in Perth to saving lives and meeting world leaders, urging them to do more to end the war in Gaza.  As tens of thousands of people rally in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Dr Mo joins us in the studio to talk about what he's witnessed, and what the world needs to do. Also, is a TikTok campaign the reason why sign-ups to the Australian Defence...

Most of the world recognises Palestine as a state, but Australia and some of its closest allies have refused to. Until this week. A growing list of Western countries — including Canada and the UK — have announced plans to recognise Palestinian statehood.  And pressure is mounting for Australia to do the same. But what does statehood recognition mean? And will it lead to peace in Gaza?  In this ext...

There are calls to ban strip searches after new data revealed almost 9 out of 10 searches by NSW police didn't find anything illegal at all.  And woman-only 'dating safety' app Tea seems to have been hacked, exposing personal details and messages from thousands of users.  Plus, the first Australian-made rocket to launch on home soil has crashed shortly after take off. But the company says that's a...

Increased rates of incarceration, suicide, and children in out-of-home: with only 4 targets on track, here's what you need to know about the latest Closing the Gap report.  And is the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia holding?  Plus, 43% of young people feel lonely. So what can we do about it?  Listen now:  01.30 - Update on Closing the Gap 09.47 - What's going on with Cambodia and Thailand?...

The Australian government is being pressured to recognise Palestinian statehood after the UK gave Israel an ultimatum. So what is statehood? And how would recognising Palestine change Israel's bombardment of the region?  Plus, the under-16 social media ban list has been announced, and YouTube is not happy.  Listen now:  01.56 - Why the conversation around statehood is changing 05.23 - What recogni...

The coalition is arguing about whether to drop its net zero commitment, as the CSIRO releases a report on the cheapest way of generating electricity. Spoiler: renewables did well.  Plus, ever heard of the partner income test? Some people who rely on the DSP reckon it's outdated, and is putting people living with disability at risk.  And do you skip your breaks at work? It could be impacting your h...

Palestinian health authorities say 133 people have died from starvation in Gaza in the last week, and 87 were children.  As Israel begins military pauses and airdrops of supplies, it's denying the reports of starvation.  Plus, Uber passengers could be paying up to 3 times the true cost of their trip because drivers are gaming the system. We speak with a driver about how it works. Listen now:  01:1...

You expect to see a few clubs trying to recruit at uni O-week. Maybe it's a sport team, or an arts group. But what about a cult?  Students across the country are experiencing "walk up evangelism", and it's not just mainstream religious groups using the tactic.  In this deep dive, hack explores how South Korean church Shincheonji uses campuses to recruit, and why cult-like groups prey on uni studen...

Albanese has called Gaza's humanitarian crisis "beyond the world's worst fears", but is a statement on Instagram enough as Palestinians in Gaza starve?  And colleagues yelling at each other, MPs snubbing a Welcome to Country, Bob Katter nodding off — we unpack the big moments as parliament resumes for the first time since the election.  Plus, while tinned fish is having a moment online, a tinned l...

For a lot of young parents, childcare is a necessary part of life. But how do you rebuild that trust when allegations of neglect, misconduct and sexual assault come to light?  Also, thousands of vulnerable people may go without crucial care as Australia's largest private hospital operator closes the majority of its psychology clinics.  And we're always told: don't mix money and friends. But shouti...

Do you have debt from an apprenticeship, a TAFE course or a uni degree? A bill introduced to parliament today will slash it by 20% and also change how you repay it. Plus, a series of recent assaults against women who were out jogging has sparked new worry from runners about their safety.  And Tup Forge went from being a ranch bronc riding rookie in regional Victoria to winning the world champs wit...

Is uni worth it? The people in charge are getting paid big bucks, while huge cuts are coming on campus. We're chatting to people impacted.  And Australia has joined 27 other countries to condemn Israel's "inhumane killings" in Gaza. So does this joint statement mark a shift in Australia's approach to the war?  Plus: is the changing climate going to change the way we play sport?  Listen now: 01:08...

Religious cults are allegedly using uni campuses to recruit new members, and some of the unis are trying to crack down. So does walk-up recruitment need to get banned?  And health officials in Gaza say Sunday was the deadliest day for civilians in the war, with more than 80 people killed while trying to get food. Now, humanitarian agencies are warning the starvation crisis is getting even worse. ...

Brain zaps, increased anxiety, confusion: these are just some of the symptoms people report when they're getting off antidepressants.  So why is coming off antidepressants such a taboo topic?  And why are researchers arguing about what actually happens during withdrawal?  In this extended episode, we unpack the withdrawal symptoms you're experiencing, look into the massive debate about a recent st...

You can pay taxes and join the army. So should 16-year-olds also be able to vote?  And after Jack Graham was banned for 4 weeks of play, we get into the AFL's homophobia problem. Also, has cringe culture stifled art?  Plus, it's the kiss cam that has (potentially) sunk two marriages. So what should you do if you get caught in 4K?  Host Dave Marchese is joined by Mamamia's Gemma Donahoe and content...

Dead sharks, dead dolphins, dead seadragons: the scale of SA's algal bloom crisis is hard to imagine. So why hasn't it been declared a national disaster?  And Anthony Albanese's on his way home from an official trip to China. What did he achieve? Plus, a footy stadium, a billion dollars in debt, or a vote of no-confidence for the Premier: this is what's influencing young voters at the Tasmanian el...

Donald Trump's campaign once promised to release the Epstein list. Now, he's saying it doesn't exist. So what's true? And could the backflip cost him the MAGA base that got him into the White House in the first place?  And is antidepressant withdrawal worse than the depression you had to get on it? We're getting into some research around withdrawal symptoms. Listen now:  01:08 - The latest on the...

Does the Australian government have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait communities from the impacts of climate change? We look into why the Federal Court's decided... nah. Plus, Donald Trump has given Vladimir Putin a 50-day deadline for a peace deal after promising Ukraine a rapid weapons boost. Is Trump going cold on Russia? And a third of workers under 30 experience workplace exploitation,...

What caused the Air India crash that killed 260 people last month? A preliminary report has some answers, but also brings up more questions.  Plus, German backpacker Carolina Wilga has made her first public comments since being rescued from the WA outback on Friday. So what does it take to survive such an ordeal?  And it was one of the most astonishing golfing fightbacks in history, and at the rig...

Now the mushroom trial has wrapped up... can the world move on?  And is this the season of public crash outs?  Plus, did ketamine kill the dancefloor?  Host Dave Marchese is joined by NRLW sideline commentator and sports journalist Marlee Silva and culture writer at Guardian Australia Michael Sun.  Get the whole story from Hack: Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to the hack podcast Listen on the tr...

Deep and troubling: that's how Anthony Albanese is describing the rise in antisemitism in Australia. So what's his government planning to do about it, and do young Jewish Australians back it?  Also, who will the next Dalai Lama be, and what's the deal with reincarnation? Plus, we're heading out to hear from young First Nations people about what NAIDOC week means to them.  Listen now: 01:17 - The 1...