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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...

Australia is already off-track with its emissions targets, just one year after setting them. It’s alarming news, and it’s partly because emissions on our roads are going up. So, why is that happening? And just how harmful are our cars for the environment compared to those elsewhere?  Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on Australia’s love affair with big, dirty cars....

Deep inside Australia’s foreign policy and defence establishment, there are whispers that we should be considering an unsettling thought – we could soon be dealing with a second Donald Trump presidency. He’s facing dozens of indictments and the charges carry the potential for hundreds of years in jail, but none of it is denting his popularity with Republican voters. Today, associate editor of The...

Qantas’s luck has gone from bad to worse.  The airline has had to ditch expiry dates for Covid credits, and faced questions over its prices and tickets allegedly sold for flights that had already been cancelled.  Meanwhile, the government is accused of unfairly propping up Qantas and putting its profits ahead of consumers’ interests.  So will Qantas be pressured into paying back their government s...

Australian workplaces are set to change again – with the Albanese government introducing its second round of industrial relations reform since it was elected. It could change conditions for casuals and gig economy workers like food delivery riders – but not everyone is happy. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on what the government has unveiled – and why it’s pushing ahead wi...

Yesterday in front of cheering “Yes” campaigners in Adelaide, Anthony Albanese announced the date when Australians will vote on the Voice to Parliament.  This is the first referendum to happen in the age of social media and misinformation – making truth in reporting more important than ever.  How information reaches voters will be the responsibility of the media. So will it rise to the challenge?...

China’s economy is in deep trouble and continues to get worse. As the world’s second biggest economy and our largest trading partner, the looming crisis could have massive consequences for Australia.  So how did a country known for lifting millions of people out of poverty go so wrong? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on China’s financial woes – and the impact it...

“Like a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, a Beef Wellington is a tenderloin or fillet wrapped in a layer of mushrooms, inside puff pastry.” That’s how writer Chloe Hooper begins to describe the events that have put a 48-year-old woman at the centre of international attention. The mysterious case of the suspected death cap mushroom poisoning has left three people in regional Victoria de...

A Voice to Parliament would be a first for Australia, but it’s not the first of its kind in the world. Norway has had an indigenous-led Parliament for more than three decades, with local representatives advising on issues that impact their people. Closer to home, New Zealand has a Maori Voice in Parliament, with specially established seats for indigenous MPs. So, what impact have these bodies had?...

A clinic inside Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital is quietly changing lives through the power of tattoos.  The Combined Breast Service offers breast reconstruction, including making nipples anew with tattoo ink. It’s an offering that empowers post-mastectomy patients and breast cancer survivors, who often grapple with accepting their new chests.  Today, author Katherine Wilson will be reading her...

Australia is ageing rapidly, and our country will look very different by the turn of this century. That’s the prediction laid out in the government’s latest intergenerational report, which forecasts the state of the nation.  So, what vision does Labor have in guiding Australia into the future? And how urgently are they addressing these issues?  Today, contributing editor for The Monthly Rachel Wit...

Australia is home to some of the hottest towns in the world.  In the Northern Territory, remote communities with large Indigenous populations know how to live in extreme heat.  But even they say they’re seeing the climate change before their eyes, making their homes less and less liveable.  So what lessons can First Nations peoples impart about surviving the heat? And can their knowledge offer a w...