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Victoria has been plunged back into lockdown after a new strain of Covid-19 escaped from hotel quarantine into the community. In recent weeks leaks have occurred across the country, leading to lockdowns in Brisbane and Perth. Today, Rachel Withers on whether our key defence against the virus is working as well as it should.   Guest: Contributing editor for The Monthly Rachel Withers. Background re...

The Prime Minister is trying to calibrate his climate policy to better fit into a post-Trump world, but he faces a conservative revolt on his own backbench. On the other side, Australia faces trade sanctions if it doesn’t implement serious emissions reduction targets. Today, Paul Bongiorno on the Coalition’s climate standoff.    Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno. See acast.com...

Eddie McGuire’s resignation as the President of Collingwood is the culmination of a decades-long story of racism at the club. But the story isn’t just about Collingwood, the AFL or even sport. Today, Daniel James on how racism in sport can’t be divorced from racism across our society.   Guest: Yorta Yorta writer and contributor to The Saturday Paper Daniel James. Background reading: Collingwood an...

The Coalition’s surprise win at the last federal election is largely attributed to a relentless campaign targeting Labor’s key economic policies, led by Liberal MP Tim Wilson. Now Wilson has launched a new campaign to reshape the four trillion dollar superannuation industry. Today, Rick Morton on the Liberal vision for our retirement savings, and how it would impact all of us. Guest: Senior report...

While Australians grapple with shocking allegations of war crimes levelled against our armed forces, the federal government is moving ahead with a $500 million redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial. Today, Mark McKenna, on what our preoccupation with war tells us about who we are.  Further listening: Brendan Nelson’s gravy sandwich Guest: Historian and writer for The Monthly Mark McKenna. B...

Myanmar’s democratically elected leader, Aung Sun Suu Kyi, was arrested last week as part of a military coup. The country is now back under complete army control. Today, Jonathan Pearlman on what led to the coup, and what happens next in Myanmar. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Morrison’s attempt to restart the political year was blown off course after one of his backbenchers was criticised for promoting misinformation about Covid-19. Today, Paul Bongiorno on the problems rogue Liberal MPs are making for the Prime Minister, and why it took him so long to reign them in.   Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o...

Diplomatic and trade tensions between Australia and China are at an all time high, and China’s president has even warned against the risk of a new cold war. Today, Rick Morton on where Scott Morrison is getting his advice from when it comes to our relationship with China, and whether his strategy will work.    Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton. Background reading: Exclusive...

Financial analysts and investors are scrambling to understand what is actually going on with GameStop, Reddit and the sharemarket. But in this battle between the internet and Wall Street, who are the good guys? Today, Ariel Bogle on what happened to GameStop, and what it could tell us about the future of our economy.   Guest: Journalist and analyst, Ariel Bogle. See acast.com/privacy for privacy a...

All over the world governments are abandoning fossil fuels like coal and gas, and embracing renewable energy, leaving Australia isolated and economically vulnerable. Today, Mike Seccombe on the new climate policies sweeping the globe and how Australia is already being left behind.   Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe. Background reading: 2050 net zero: Australia lef...

Right now hundreds of ships carrying Australian coal are stranded in Chinese ports. More than 1,000 sailors have been trapped on board for months now because of one reason: Australia’s escalating trade war with China. Today, Anna Krien on the men trapped at sea and the question of who is responsible for them.   Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper Anna Krien. Background reading: Sailors caught...

Labor’s Anthony Albanese has been facing growing criticism over his political strategy and there’s renewed speculation over his leadership. With 2021 shaping up as an election year, what is Albanese’s plan? Today, Rachel Withers on how Labor is placed to take on Scott Morrison. Guest: Contributing editor for The Monthly Rachel Withers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See...

While thousands of Australians are still stranded overseas, 1,200 tennis players, officials and support staff have flown into Melbourne to take part in the Australian Open. Today, Ben Rothenberg on the debate over the decision to go ahead with the tournament, and what it could mean for the future of global sports.   Guest: Journalist and writer for The Saturday Paper Ben Rothenberg. Background rea...

Last year Scott Morrison announced Australians would be first in line for the Covid-19 vaccine. But with 50 million people now vaccinated around the world, the rollout here is yet to begin. Today, Rick Morton on when Australians can expect to be vaccinated, and if it’s happening fast enough.   Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno. Background reading: Did Australia put its money o...

On Invasion Day, Wirlomin Noongar author Claire G. Coleman discusses how tokenistic gestures from our federal government have replaced the real change demanded by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and the inability of Australians to acknowledge the legacy of colonialism.   Guest: Writer for The Saturday Paper Claire G. Coleman. Background reading: How political fear erodes Indigen...

As Joe Biden takes the reins in the US, the legacy of Donald Trump continues to cast a shadow across the world. Today, Richard Cooke on how the ideas and policies that came to define Trump found a welcome home in Australia.   Guest: Writer for The Monthly and The Saturday Paper Richard Cooke. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

After five years on Manus Island, Imran Mohammad was resettled in Chicago. He says arriving in America was one of the happiest days in his life. But the coronavirus shutdown has brought back memories of detention and isolation. Guest: Writer and Rohingya refugee Imran Mohammad. Background reading: Resettled refugees in Covid-19 lockdown  in The Saturday Paper See acast.com/privacy for privacy and...

From thunderstorm asthma to the increasing prevalence of infectious disease, a warming planet is already making us more sick. In the final part of this series, we investigate how climate change puts us more at risk of disease. Today, Climate change will kill you, part three: sickness.  Guest: Contributing editor to The Monthly, Paddy Manning. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informati...

Australian author Heather Morris has made millions selling books about the Holocaust. But the people she writes about are in many ways unrecognisable, to their families and the historical record. Investigative journalist Christine Kenneally on the dangers of falsifying history. Guest: Author and investigative journalist Christine Kenneally. Background reading: The fabulist of Auschwitz  in  The Mo...

In 2011 the Queensland town of Grantham was inundated with rain, causing flash flooding. It had a devastating impact on the town’s residents. But events like this are predicted to become more common, as the planet warms leading to more extreme weather events. Today, Climate change will kill you part two: flood. Guest: Contributing editor to The Monthly, Paddy Manning. See acast.com/privacy for pri...

For decades, students in Footscray in Melbourne’s West, have been taught in Vietnamese alongside English, in line with the suburb’s long-standing heritage. But now, the program is under threat. Today, André Dao on why we value some languages more than others, and what it says about where Australia sees its place in the world. The audio of Professor Alan Crookshank in this story is from the Earshot...

From bushfires and heat, to floods, and the increasing severity of disease, Australians are already feeling the impacts of a warming planet. In this new series, journalist Paddy Manning investigates the link between climate change and human health, and tells the stories of those who have become some of the first casualties of the climate crisis. Today’s episode is part one: heat.  Guest: Contribut...

Four times as many questions plus two times as many guests equals more laughs than it’s possible to quantify. In this final episode of The Saturday Quiz, two teams of returning guests - Zoë Coombs Marr and Kate Jinx, and Sarah Snook and Dave Lawson - go up against each other in the ultimate battle of general knowledge. How does Dave’s expert category of “colours” fare against Zoë’s encyclopedic ma...

Twelve months ago the eastern half of the country was blanketed in smoke and our Prime Minister was nowhere to be seen. Since then the pandemic has seen a big bounce in Scott Morrison’s approval ratings. But with an election predicted for next year, will it be enough? Today, Paul Bongiorno on how federal politics played out in 2020, and what’s coming next.   Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper...

The federal government has proposed new laws that would give federal police the power to spy on Australian citizens. But the decision contradicts the government’s own review into national intelligence. Today, Karen Middleton on the controversial expansion of national security laws.   Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton. Background reading: AFP’s new power to...