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Today on the show, writer and historian Robyn Annear, with her piece from the September edition of The Monthly.   While researching the opening of the Yan Yean reservoir in the 1800s, Robyn followed a thread, unravelling the history of sewage and sewerage in Victoria. From cast-iron pissoirs and open-air urinals, to robo-dunnies and the National Public Toilet Map app, our local history of public t...

Australia will vote in the historic Voice to Parliament referendum in just over a week. While the “Yes” camp has lost support throughout the campaign, polls show it’s making a comeback and has even flipped some outspoken “No” voters. So, what’s behind the change, and will the “No” camp be able to maintain its lead? Today, contributing writer for The Monthly Rachel Withers on how Voice supporters a...

Barely a decade ago the NDIS, the scheme to support Australians living with a disability, was called the social reform of a generation. Last week it was called out the Disability Royal Commission report as a system in desperate need of attention.  Disability advocates say that despite its good intentions, the NDIS isn’t living up to its bold vision.  Today, writer of the latest Quarterly Essay , ‘...

Over the weekend, 85 fires blazed across New South Wales. Fires remained out of control in Victoria’s Gippsland yesterday, and more threatened homes in rural Queensland. It’s a frightening start to bushfire season, and summer isn’t even here yet. For many, it conjures fears about a repeat of the 2019 Black Summer. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper and former commissioner of Fire and Rescue...

The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is hoping to be the next president of the United States. To become the Republican nominee, Ron DeSantis knows who he needs to win over: religious Americans who oppose things like abortion and gay rights. He’s called upon an unlikely figure for help – an Australian preacher known for his outspoken conservative views. Today, author of Beyond Belief: How Penteco...

Australia has a new Sex Discrimination Commissioner. Anna Cody will be tasked with tackling discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation and gender, as she continues implementing the remainder of her predecessor Kate Jenkins’ Respect at Work project. Today, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody discusses how her work establishing a domestic violence legal service that helps First N...

One of Australia’s top-paid public servants has been accused of trying to pull the strings of senior federal politicians.  Texts from Mike Pezzullo, the secretary of Home Affairs, to a Liberal Party powerbroker appear to show a bureaucrat who wasn’t adhering to his duty of impartiality. The messages show a senior public servant bad-mouthing ministers, attacking political decisions and attempting t...

Dan Andrews was a premier like no other. As Labor’s longest-serving Victorian leader he provoked outrage, conspiracies and adoration beyond his state’s borders. Andrews became a symbol for lockdowns across Australia, but within Victoria he had an unusual ability to write his own narrative and win elections.  Today, associate editor of The Saturday Paper Martin Mckenzie-Murray on the duality of Dan...

Rupert Murdoch changed the face of global media – and now he’s stepping down from his empire and giving it to his son, Lachlan.  Only a few years ago, it would have been an unthinkable succession, as father and son were estranged. But those deep wounds healed, and at 92, Rupert is ready to let his son’s vision take shape. So, what is that vision? And how will Lachlan’s views influence the media in...

When US President Joe Biden was looking at how to make the largest economy in the world switch to electricity, he turned to an Australian… Dr Saul Griffith had a seat at the table as the future of American industry was sketched out. So how will America’s plan affect Australia? Are we adapting fast enough? And what’s the cost if we don’t?  Today, former advisor to the Biden administration on climat...

Today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins us for a special conversation about the Voice to Parliament.  In this episode, the prime minister shares what makes him so personally invested in the Voice, whether he got the timing of the referendum wrong and what he thinks Australia will look like if we vote “Yes”.  Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: The Prime Minister of...

Today’s episode is a very special edition of Weekend Read .  Patrick Dodson is a respected Aboriginal elder, a federal Senator, and widely known as the Father of Reconciliation. He is a fierce advocate for the Voice to Parliament, but Patrick Dodson has spent most of the campaign out of the spotlight, while he undertakes cancer treatment for his recent diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Recently, Se...

The campaigning around the Voice to Parliament has been heated, but this week figures in the “No” camp threatened to turn that negativity on each other. Leading “No” campaigner Warren Mundine claimed that defeating the referendum would make treaties between governments and First Nations people more likely. Fellow campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price declared “you can’t have a treaty with your own c...

Earlier this year, climate activist Joana Partyka illegally spray-painted Woodside Energy’s logo on a painting in the Art Gallery of Western Australia, to call for an end to the company’s controversial Burrup Hub project.  Behind plexiglass, the artwork wasn’t harmed, but the action drew plenty of criticism. Joana was charged and found guilty of criminal damage. But her interaction with the police...

Transgender people in Australia are facing rising levels of hate and discrimination – and according to advocates, irresponsible media reporting is partly to blame.  Some outlets have focused on stories of transgender people transitioning back to the sex they were assigned at birth, despite this being an extremely rare and complex experience among the trans community.  Today, chief executive of Tra...

A month out from the Voice referendum, according to the polls, the ‘Yes’ campaign is struggling.  Across the board, they show a big lead for ‘No’ advocates and already many in the media are all but calling the outcome of the vote. But beneath the headline numbers there’s a glimmer of hope for ‘Yes’. The number of undecided voters, those not fully locked in to either side, is sitting in the million...

When companies take advantage of consumers by misleading them, selling faulty products, or breaking promises, there’s a body that steps in – the ACCC. Its chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, has launched cases against some of Australia’s biggest corporations. The latest, targeting Qantas, is seeking a record-breaking penalty from the airline. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the...

It felt like only a matter of time before we’d begin to hear allegations of dirty tricks in the lead up to the referendum. This week, leaked documents and warped headlines have exposed the tactics that are being used to push the “No” vote. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on how the strategies to reject the Voice are reverberating through the halls of power. Socials: Stay in...

A secretive journey aboard an armoured luxury train has transported North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un into Russia for a meeting with Vladimir Putin. It’s a trip with a high-stakes agenda, as North Korea has something that Russia wants: weapons and ammunition to help in its fight against Ukraine.  So, what could this deal lead to in Ukraine, and could it threaten security in Australia’s region? Toda...

As the founder of one of the world’s biggest mining companies, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest has done more to advance global heating than some small countries. But Twiggy has more recently become an advocate for climate action, and is betting the future of his empire on a green transition. His approach has rattled investors and his own executives, with a string of resignations and turmoil in the company...

The government says its key policy on affordable and social housing will pass the senate this week – after securing the support of the Greens yesterday. The Greens had hoped to force the government to impose a cap on rents, but after months of tense debate, the bill will pass without a rent freeze. So how did rent caps become such a sticking point? Are they even possible in Australia? And do they...

Speaking up when you see something wrong is too hard in Australia. People who’ve spoken up about corporate fraud and dodgy government deals, and even those who’ve exposed war crimes, have faced life-altering consequences. Now, for the first time, there’s a service dedicated to whistleblowers, to offer them support as they bring the truth to light for the rest of us. Today, senior lawyer at the Hum...

Today on the show, Mark Mordue reads his piece from The Saturday Paper . MRI scans are infamously claustrophobic and anxiety-inducing procedures. During his own MRI, the author was surprised to find solace and inspiration in the barrage of sounds he was subjected to lying within the machine. The cacophony of the equipment presented an opportunity to expound on the musical genres that are its antec...

The first week of the referendum campaign started with an unmistakable voice: John Farnham. His iconic hit is now the anthem for “Yes” voters, who say their vote is about being on the right side of history.  For “No” voters, the ad is superficial – pandering to emotions rather than giving concrete reasons to support the Voice. Meanwhile, tactics from the opposition have included pitching a second...

The royal commission into veteran suicides is probing the ugliest parts of the Australian defence force. Putting the spotlight on accountability and leadership, the commission has cast doubt on defence’s ability to protect the wellbeing and safety of its people. One former military chaplain shared the story of the abuse she experienced, and says when she sought help, she was told to deal with it h...