The Briefing

Tuesday Headlines: Parliament back today with a split Coalition, Australia's political donors revealed, Trump threatens to sue Grammy host Trevor Noah, millions lost in daytime spending during recent heatwave, and nuggets revealed as the top Aussie canteen food. Deep Dive: Anthony Albanese is weighing an invitation to join a group integral to Donald Trump’s plan to permanently end the war in...

Another crazy day in Australian politics... The National’s Leadership spill fell over, the Coalition is apparently getting back together and now Pauline Hanson is Australia’s most popular leader. A growing number of Australians are fleeing the major parties as support continues to soar for One Nation. In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by 7News political editor...

Monday Headlines: Leadership spills and poor polling for the Coalition as parliament resumes, Clive Palmer responds to mention in Epstein files, Gaza’s Rafah crossing has reopened, Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, and The Grammys are on today.  Deep Dive: The Reserve Bank will hand down its first decision of 2026 on the official cash rate tomorrow...

You might know him as the conviction politician who speaks out on issues like poker machines, euthanasia and war. But independent MP Andrew Wilkie first made national headlines as a whistleblower who took a very big risk in the name of truth. As Australia geared up to join the US in the Iraq War in 2003, he was working as an analyst for an intelligence agency that reported to the Prime Minister. H...

Ilai Matangi was crowned Australia’s TikTok creator of the year in 2025, becoming the first man and first Pacific Islander to win the gong.  Under his username, Havea676, he’s been dubbed Australia’s favourite girl dad and creates hilarious relatable content for his 1.8 million followers on Insta and nearly 3 million on TikTok.   In th...

Birdwatching isn’t just for dads anymore; it’s booming, addictive, and drawing a new generation into nature.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by wildlife vet and host of Death by Birding, Dr César Puechmarin. Cesar reveals how spotting birds can connect us to nature, spark curiosity, and even transform the way we see the world around us.  He...

Friday Headlines: Health funding and gun reforms set to dominate today’s National Cabinet meeting, Albanese defends Israeli president’s visit, Australia spends more on tax breaks for investors than affordable housing, health authorities closely monitoring Nipah virus, and the women’s finalists are locked in at the AO! Deep Dive:  The Australian Open has long been the most en...

Australia’s political landscape feels bleak at the moment. From the coalition consumed by infighting to the brutal realities facing women in leadership, voters are frustrated. As trust erodes, support for protest parties like One Nation is rising, fuelled by cost-of-living pressure, culture-war politics and a growing sense that no one is actually listening. In this episode, Natarsha Belling...

Thursday Headlines: Perth bomb scare investigated as a potential terrorist act, PM to push states on gun buyback scheme, Trump threatens Iran as US fleet arrives in the Gulf, Telstra phone update leaves some customers unable to access Triple 0, and Djokovic and Sinner set up semifinal clash at the Australian Open Deep Dive: OpenAI is introducing advertising into ChatGPT.  The company say...

What happens when a trusted surgeon doesn’t listen to his patients?  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by investigative journalist and author of Duty to Warn, Charlotte Grieve. Charlotte takes us inside her explosive investigation into one of Australia’s most controversial medical cases, and the powerful doctor at the centre of it. What began wi...

Wednesday Headlines:  Bushfire threatens homes in Victoria after record-breaking heat, Perth man remanded in custody after allegedly throwing homemade bomb at Invasion Day rally, support for One Nation continues in latest poll, ABC reviewing security controls after news account hacked, and Alex De Minaur is out of the Aus Open. Deep Dive: When Meghan Trainor announced the birth of her third c...

Bail laws are under the spotlight after the alleged murders of three people, including a young pregnant mother in rural NSW. The alleged gunman, who is still on the run, was on bail at the time for domestic violence related offences.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Professor Julia Quilter, who breaks down how the bail system works and explains what magistrates...

Tuesday Headlines:  Australia Day and Invasion Day events marred by bomb threat and antisemitism, heatwave hits large parts of southeastern Australia, Trump says his administration is ‘reviewing everything’ after ICE shooting of Alex Pretti, calls to tradie mental health hotline soar, and the quarter finals of the AO get underway! Deep Dive: Hackers are promising to release tens o...

Monday Headlines:  Australian of the Year named, dingoes involved in Canadian backpacker’s death euthanised. calls for a full investigation after second fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis, heatwave to hit millions of Australians this week, and Alex De Minaur is through to the AO quarter finals. Deep Dive: Patriotism in Australia is shifting, with once‑common symbols of national pride now...

The Beckham family feud has reignited after Brooklyn Peltz Beckham posted a damning statement addressing his fractured relationship with his parents.  In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Alexandria Funnell breaks down the timeline of events and the swirl of rumours, unpacking how one of the world’s most famous families went from picture-perfect to fractured. From public absences to w...

Wil Anderson (not to be confused with Adam Hills) is one of Australia’s most enduring and influential comedians - with a career that spans radio, television, podcasting across generations. You might remember him from Triple J Breakfast, hosting Gruen or more recently from one of his hugely popular podcasts which reach hundreds of thousands of listeners.  In this chat with Sacha Barbour...

It’s the multi-billion-dollar industry that’s preying on the insecurities of young men with dangerous consequences. The MANOSPHERE is fuelled by social media and is now playing out in the real world, with major impacts on mental health, behaviour, and relationships.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by extremism researcher Vivian Gerrard to explain what...

Friday Headlines:  PM apologises to Jewish community at Day of Mourning service, regional NSW town in lockdown after three people shot and killed, Victorians told to brace for another heatwave, the Special K's crash out of the AO doubles, and the 2026 Oscars nominations have been revealed Deep Dive: The Beckham family feud has dominated headlines all week, after Brooklyn Peltz Beckham&nb...

Prince Harry is back in court, giving emotional testimony as part of a High Court lawsuit against the publishers of The Daily Mail. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Journalism Professor Andrew Dodd, who explains this latest court case and what it means for Harry’s ongoing war with the media.  Headlines : Speculation is rife once again that Sussan Lee’...

Thursday Headlines:  Coalition’s future in doubt after mass shadow cabinet walkout, Australia to mark National Day of Mourning for Bondi victims today, Trump rules out using force to acquire Greenland, Gen X overtake Baby Boomers as richest landholders by generation, and Alex De Minaur becomes the first Aussie through to round three of the AO. Deep Dive: The ACT government has reopened...

The Coalition is again in crisis, as three Nationals MPs quit after opposing the Coalition’s stance on hate crime laws. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by 7News Political Editor Mark Riley, to unpack today’s unprecedented developments and what it means for Sussan Ley and the future of the Coalition.  Headlines : Leaders of both France and Canada have ta...

Wednesday Headlines:  Hate speech and gun laws pass parliament, new restrictions on MP travel expenses, tributes flow for Midnight Oil drummer, shock as Maya Joint knocked out of AO, and David Beckham 'responds' to son's explosive family feud reveal. Deep Dive: Sydney has been rocked by three shark attacks in a little over 24 hours this week, plus a fourth in Northern NSW, sparking beach clos...

A new landmark report has found there is no link between pregnant women taking paracetamol and a child developing autism and/or ADHD. The Lancet study contradicts the US administration’s advice last year when they warned women to stop taking paracetamol because of risks to their unborn child.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling, is joined by leading child disability exper...

Tuesday Headlines:  Labor’s Bondi bills set to pass today, Sydney beaches closed after three shark attacks in 24 hours, Police ‘traumatised’ after 19-year-old found dead on Queensland beach, Donald Trump declines to rule out seizing Greenland by force and Aussies advance through at the Aus Open in day two action. Deep Dive: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is polling higher...

The collapse of key parts of the federal government’s legislation on hate speech is now raising serious questions about the Prime Minister’s leadership. Concerns have already been raised about key aspects of the proposed overhaul, with the Greens and Coalition stating they will not support it.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Crikey’s...