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Those who imagined, designed and delivered robo-debt put their personal ambition above the wellbeing of the people they were meant to serve. But there were some on the frontline who knew from the very beginning that this government shakedown was wrong. One, Colleen Taylor, came forward at the royal commission. While senior leaders failed to recall, or refused to say how robo-debt happened, she tol...

At certain times of the year, a group of volunteers can be found roaming Canberra’s bush reserves bearing raw chicken carcasses – all in the name of saving and studying the small local population of goannas. Of particular interest to the volunteers is the Rosenberg’s monitor – only seven are known to be living in the area, and their survival in an environment so close to Canberra’s city is uncerta...

When Behrouz Boochani first wrote about life on Manus Island for The Saturday Paper in 2016, he described it as an island of the damned. Writing through WhatsApp, he documented the horrors of everyday life as a subject of Australia’s policies towards asylum seekers. Behrouz is now free, after being granted refugee status in New Zealand. Despite being told he would never step foot in Australia, las...

Former radio host Alan Jones was once the most influential broadcaster in the country. Now, he’s been accused of indecent assault by six men who revealed their allegations of abuse, which Jones denies, in reporting by the Nine newspapers.  This isn’t the first time Alan Jones has dealt with a scandal. In fact, his career has been defined by controversy, and his reputation is something he’s spent d...

The defamation trial between Bruce Lehrmann and Network Ten is nearing its end.  More than two weeks of the hearing has revealed emotional evidence from witnesses, exposed lies and shed new light on the culture inside Parliament House.  Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the attitudes, behaviour and personal feuds in the lead up to the events in Canberra in March of 2019....

This time last year, the government was confident, popular and getting its agenda through without controversy. But a year later, the Labor government has slumped in the polls, lost a historic referendum and is now facing stronger opposition – both inside and outside the parliament. So, is this all a temporary blip, or an urgent warning? And does the Albanese government need to change course, or is...

The world’s biggest climate change summit, COP, is held every year with a bold vision: to bring nations together to negotiate and find solutions for the climate crisis. But COP28 faces criticism for becoming a corporate wasteland filled with lobbyists. So has the summit strayed from its purpose?  Today, climate leadership expert from the University of Melbourne , Linh Do, who is in Dubai at COP28,...

Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire is in decline - yet, as Malcolm Turnbull tells Paddy, he was still able to roll a sitting prime minister and be invited into cabinet. In this series finale, Paddy investigates Rupert’s relationship with Donald Trump and his ongoing impact on democracies around the world. Finally, with Lachlan taking over from his father, he explores how much longer the empire w...

A High Court decision ruling indefinite detention unlawful – leading to the release of 148 immigration detainees, some of whom are criminals – has sparked weeks of toxic political debate about refugees. In the last few days, the government raced to pass new immigration laws that will put an end to it, but the style of debate has already caused damage. So, what have we learned from the debacle, and...

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is well and truly over, with the war expanding to include southern Gaza, where many have already fled to escape the destruction in the north. Meanwhile, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself in disagreement with Israel’s biggest supporter, the US, over what should happen after the war ends.  So how significant is tension between the US and Israel? A...

It had been over 10 years since anyone in the state of Tasmania was sentenced to prison for protesting. But that all changed when Colette Harmsen faced court this year. After racking up 22 arrests, a magistrate put her behind bars. Even as an increasing number of climate protestors face prosecution, Colette’s story shows that some activists aren’t backing down.  Today, contributor to The Saturday...

In Australia, where a person went to school increasingly tells a story about their privilege, class and academic opportunity.  While the majority of Australians go through the public school system, pending research reveals that the majority of our politicians did not. So, which politicians went to private schools, and is their lack of lived experience in public education holding back reforms to th...

In searching for the truth, the defamation trial between Bruce Lehrmann and Network Ten has been defined by the discovery of lies.  In the witness box, Lehrmann admitted to lying multiple times over the course of the saga. Lehrmann says the lies don’t change his biggest claim – that he did not sexually assault Brittany Higgins – but the evidence has revealed new insights into that night in Canberr...

A 14th century monastery in Bhutan might be the least likely place to find a hive of busy Wikipedia editors, but for Bunty Avieson, it was the perfect setting for a project in improving media literacy among local nuns, and preserving an under-documented culture online.  The rigours of editing Wikipedia offered a new path of enlightenment for both the teacher and her class of Bhutanese nuns, as the...

Around the turn of the century, Rupert’s empire hits a peak. But he’s about to face two of the biggest crises of his career - the phone hacking scandal and the downfall of Roger Ailes. To survive them he'll use his two most loyal assets - his sons, Lachlan and James.  Paddy investigates the fraught relationship between Rupert and his two potential heirs. He explains how Lachlan ultimately won out,...

Over the past few years, Australia’s immigration detention policy, which was once the feature of political debates and elections, has stopped making front page news. That’s until a recent high court decision deemed Australia’s indefinite detention policy unlawful, leading to the release of over 140 people who had been in indefinite immigration detention. It’s a decision that has sparked a scramble...

Australia has one of the most expensive housing markets in the world, with values soaring much faster than wages. This has altered Australian society, increased inequality and profoundly changed the relationship between generations. So, where did things go so wrong, and can we ever go back to normal? Today, finance journalist and author of the latest Quarterly Essay, ‘The Great Divide on Australia...

Critics say Australia may be the world’s most secretive democracy, with a patchwork of laws and obstacles standing in the way of transparency and press freedom. The Albanese government has recognised this, releasing a review to clean up Australia’s secrecy laws.  So, will it fix them, or is it just a band-aid solution?  Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, o...

The first brief ceasefire has taken effect in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. As the shooting stops, families are being reunited, as hostages are freed and civilian prisoners are released from behind bars. But meanwhile, decisions are being made about when and how the fighting will resume. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper and Middle East correspondent for The Economist Gregg Carl...

At the shareholders meetings for News Corp and Fox Corporation this month, for the first time, Rupert Murdoch wasn’t the star of the show.  The meetings signified that the transition of power from the 92-year old mogul to his eldest son, Lachlan, is complete.  So, how has Lachlan used his first moments of power? And what were Rupert Murdoch’s parting words to end his 70-year-long media career? Tod...

By the 1990s, Rupert is cemented as one of the world’s most powerful and divisive men, but his unrelenting drive is beginning to take a toll. As Rupert makes his home in America, Paddy takes a closer look at two of his most consequential relationships.  There is his alliance with the man behind Fox News, Roger Ailes. Then there is his 30-year marriage to his second wife, Anna Murdoch. One will lif...

As climate change threatens to sink small and vulnerable countries, large and powerful ones are seeing an opportunity. The climate crisis is giving them the chance to increase their influence, access to valuable resources and military reach. As Australia enters a new agreement with one of our pacific neighbours facing climate disaster – are we really helping them, or are we just helping ourselves?...

Israel’s government has agreed to a four-day ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza – but promises to push ahead with military operations after the pause ends. The agreement falls short of the total ceasefire that protesters have been calling for. In Australia, the government has found itself delicately balancing its support for Israel with its concerns over t...

David McBride is the first Australian who could face jail in relation to alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. But McBride isn’t who committed these crimes, he’s just the person who leaked documents containing allegations to journalists. Last week, after a dramatic attempt to keep his legal defence alive, McBride ultimately decided to plead guilty. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper...

The royal commission into the robo-debt scheme delivered 57 recommendations to the government in July. Four months later, the Albanese government has given its response, insisting it is acting to ensure that nothing like the "shameful" robo-debt scandal ever happens again. The government says it has accepted, in full or in principle, “all 56” of the commissioner’s recommendations. So why has the g...