Hack

It's our last show on the radio for the year. So from Labubus and a heist at the Louvre to a court trial in a small Victorian town that captivated the world, we're unpacking the biggest moments of 2025.  From the fun moments to the intense, we hear your Ins and Outs from this year, and what you're looking forward to next year. Host Dave Marchese is joined by comedian Anthony Locascio and Gemma Don...

Albo stayed but Dutton and Bandt were booted, as Aussie voters handed Labor more control than ever: 2025 was a big year in politics.  And it's been fiery: from cost-of-living rage to heated fights over immigration, government spending and political stunts, punters have been questioning whether politicians are actually acting in their best interest.  And in the US, the assassination of Charlie Kirk...

When Big Brother contestant Abiola introduced herself on the show as a "fat black lesbian", she instantly gained fans around Australia for her disarming honesty.  And with cameras, microphones and even a 24/7 TikTok live stream capturing the contestants' every move, Abiola found herself at the centre of some big conversations inside the house.  From discussing the meaning of "pretty privilege" to...

From Gout Gout's meteoric rise to Sam Kerr's big return to the Matildas and Oscar Piastri's F1 saga, it's been a massive year in sport. But it wasn't just huge achievements: 2025 was also the year a lot of sporting codes were forced to grapple with tough questions on everything from gambling and misogyny, to homophobia and racism. For this special episode of The Shakeup, we upack the highlights an...

Australia's world first social media ban for teens under 16 is kicking in tomorrow. So how are teenagers prepping, and what will they turn to instead?  Plus, do Anika Wells' travel expenses pass the pub test?  And spotted a walking stick prop at a festival this summer? We get into why disability advocates are concerned about risks to accessibility.  Also, with revamped Big Brother wrapping up, we...

The first week of summer has already seen deadly bushfires raging from WA to Tassie and NSW. So what's it going to take to get more young volunteers to sign up to spending their summer fighting fires? And a WA coroner examining the death of Cleveland Dodd in a notorious youth detention facility has handed down his findings, recommending Perth's Unit 18 be closed 'as a matter of urgency'. Plus, it...

In most of Australia, people using medicinal cannabis can't legally drive - even if they're unimpaired.  But now the NSW government is thinking about bringing in a medical exemption to change that. So, how does cannabis affect your ability to drive? And do you think the laws need an update?  On this week's hack deep dive, we hear from young people trying to navigate medicinal cannabis use and driv...

It's Spotify Wrapped time. But with all the controversy surrounding the music streaming giant this year, are attitudes towards this cultural tradition changing?  And TikTok has apologised after several Black creators reported racism at its awards event. What does this all say about how the media treat people of colour?  Also, we're asking if arguing is a healthy part of a relationship after Travis...

The live music scene is in trouble, with Park Waves this week becoming the latest festival to announce its Australian cancellation. So why does this keep happening? And is the federal government's main plan to fix it working? And if you're getting served up stuff in your social feeds that you never asked for, this one's for you: Chanel Contos from Teach Us Consent has a plan, and she wants Austral...

If you could quit your own algorithm and start again, would you be happier? And if everyone could do it: would it make the world a better place? Chanel Contos thinks so, and she wants Australia to do something nobody else has tried yet: make algorithms opt-in. A petition she's set up already has the names of some of Australia's most powerful people on it. So can we fix our feeds?  And what would a...

It's the biggest fight in the smallest state. So how do people in Tassie feel about the new AFL stadium, now it has the votes in the Parliament to happen? And Bruce Lehrmann's had another loss, this time in trying to challenge his failed defamation suit. So with the full federal court now backing the original ruling that on the balance of probabilities he raped his then colleague Brittany Higgins,...

Getting a mate a job is great for the mate, obviously. But what if the mate isn't the best candidate, and the job is on a government board that pays $300k? A report into nepotism in Australia was finally released today, and its findings are scathing. Plus, Australia is getting an inquiry into sexual assaults in the defence force. We speak with victim-survivors. Also, what can artists do to make mu...

Almost 10 years after medicinal cannabis was legalised in Australia, driving laws in many parts of Australia haven't changed. So how does cannabis affect your ability to drive, and do laws need an update?  And we hear from tourism operators on WA's Ningaloo Reef who feel forgotten and "out of sight" after mass coral death from this year's marine heatwave.  Plus, we unpack how weight loss drugs are...

In the big cities, they deliver everything from pizza and pad thai to booze and groceries, but are delivery riders and drivers earning enough to make it worth their while? A lot reckon no — but could that be about to change? This week, two of Australia's biggest apps, Uber Eats and DoorDash, announced they'd agreed on a minimum level of pay. So what could this mean for drivers? On this week's hack...

From sandwich press steaks and the burka stunt to last-minute laws, we unpack the serious and silly moments of the last week of Parliament for 2025.  And has flight etiquette gone out the window? A US transport official who is asking flyers to "dress with respect" seems to think so.  Also, 'tis the season... for taking things too far — we hear your Christmas party horror stories.  Host Dave Marche...

Labor has done a last-minute deal with the Greens to overhaul the nation's "broken" environmental laws, on the last sitting day of Parliament for 2025. So what changes? And the findings of an inquest into the murder of 21-year-old Sydney woman Lilie James were handed down today. We get into what the coroner's recommending. Plus, what would you do if you inherited $50 million? Hear why one woman's...

When Marlene Engelhorn inherited tens of millions of dollars from her grandma, she felt she had two choices: do something about it, or confirm she was "full of shit".  Marlene lives in Austria and inherited some of the Boehringer Mannheim fortune, but she's also a campaigner against wealth inequality, calling for higher taxes on wealthy people like herself.  Now, she's giving it away, redistributi...

A historic deal could transform Australia's gig economy, with UberEats and DoorDash agreeing to minimum pay rates. So what's a day in the life like doing deliveries?  And oysters are known as the kidneys of the ocean. Could they help address the major ecological disaster off South Australia? Plus, young men struggling with body image are increasingly turning to a radical option: limb-lengthening s...

Pauline Hanson got suspended from the Senate today, and she's being condemned by all sides. But Muslim Australians say the damage from yesterday's burka stunt has already been done. And anti-gambling advocates want the government to completely ban betting ads. Now, one Labor MP says there's a way to do it: give MPs a conscience vote.  Plus, calls for help to 1800RESPECT have risen by 3,000%. Why?...

Ukraine might have to reduce its armed forces and hand over territory under a US plan. Is Russia about to get what it wanted?  Also, are you driving around with Russian oil in your tank? There are reports that Australia may be indirectly supporting the war by importing 'blood oil' through third countries.  And Darwin is cleaning up after Cyclone Fina hit on the weekend — and it's heading towards W...

Do you know a Kiwi in Australia?  Chances are good that you do, because young Kiwis are coming here in record numbers. It's being called a "brain drain", and with the median age of people leaving 29 experts are worried about what it means for New Zealand's future. So why do so many young Kiwis leave? And are they planning on staying away for good? In the hack deep dive this week, we speak to young...

From changing his mind on the release of the Epstein files, to lashing out at reporters, there's been a bit on for Donald Trump.  And the Sky Sports TikTok channel for female sports fans has collapsed after massive backlash for being patronising and misogynistic.  Plus, we hear your solo adventure stories after a UK bar banned drinkers drinking alone. Host Dave Marchese is joined by political repo...

When it comes to contraceptives, we aren't opting for methods like the IUD or implant in Australia anywhere near as much as people in other countries are.  The federal government's made IUD insertion cheaper and added the NuvaRing to the PBS — but what stops people from using alternatives to the pill?  Plus: after 12 years of addiction, Dylan is exposing the strategies betting companies used to ke...

Dylan's gambling started at school, and it just got worse from there. To fuel his bets, he reckons he started borrowing money from friends, but as the addiction spiralled out of control he resorted to stealing. Gambling cost Dylan a lot, in terms of both money and opportunities. Now, he's trying to quit, and he's documenting the journey on TikTok and Instagram. In this longer interview cut for the...

Has an AI investment frenzy created a "bubble"? And if so, is it going to burst? Google's boss has weighed in with a warning: if AI stocks go bust, no company will be safe.  Also: scientists are asking questions about the future of research and innovation in Australia, after CSIRO announced hundreds of job cuts.  And for the first time in decades, there's no hip hop in the Billboard Top 40. Is the...