News Fighters

This week: Scott Morrison observes the G7 in Cornwall, keeps loving coal and can’t get a solo meeting with Biden. Then he signs a biscuit-based free trade agreement agreement with Boris Johnson in London.   Also Dylan shares covid jab stories with renowned Aussie TV comedy writer Dave Bloustien.    Follow Dave Bloustien on twitter at https://twitter.com/i_before_e   Donate a Co...

This week we have an update on Australia’s evolving and increasingly strained relationship with China and we chat to Michael Smith, one of the last remaining Aussie journos in China who fled last year amid a tense diplomatic standoff. He tells us all his time covering President Xi, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Uighurs in Xinjiang, and his new book, “The Last Correspondent: Dispatches from the frontline...

This week: Melbourne goes into lockdown number four! Scott Morrison tells everyone to get vaccinated despite not having vaccinated our aged care residents NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay resigns after an expectedly bad Upper Hunter by-election result Watch this episode on our Youtube here:  Part 1 Melbourne Lockdown: https://youtu.be/CjN8LRobbWI Part 2 NSW Labor: https://youtu.be/xb-jZii3oMg News...

This week I briefly cover Anthony Albanese’s budget reply speech before taking a deeper diver into Australia’s weird vaccine hesitancy and why we should be worried about all the lockdowns now happening on our doorstep in Southeast Asia. Then I chat to accomplished Singaporean comedian Rishi Budhrani about the latest covid measures there and his new online news comedy show, The Rishi Report. Follow...

It’s our annual quick turnaround, late night Budget Wrap episode! Child Care, Aged Care, Pretending to Care.... we break down the Coalition's Labor Budget in case you fell asleep from too many low tax craft beers (valid!) You loved the 2019 “Back in Black Budget” and the 2020 “Cushion The Blow Budget” - 2021 is the “Blow the Budget Budget”. Tune in as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg steals Labor’s mojo...

Happy Beef Week everyone! It’s been a big week for news too. We look at the Morrison government threatening to jail anyone returning from India, then backing down while Andrew Bolt only just realises Australia might be racist. Then we recap the thrills and spills of the Tasmanian state election campaign. And finally Bec Melrose drops by to look at Biden’s first 100 days and discuss Scott Morrison’...

This week we take a quick look at the covid crisis unfolding in India. Then we take a deep dive into Scott Morrison’s fossil fuel powered hydrogen fever dream he revealed at Joe Biden’s Earth Day Climate Summit last week. My interview guest is Dr Monica Barratt from RMIT and co-lead researcher for the 2021 Global Drugs Survey, who talks about what’s stopping psychedelics being used to treat mental...

This week we take a deep dive into the crisis of the third wave of Covid-19 in Canada, where a battle is raging between vaccinations and variants, and the leader of the biggest province of Ontario, Doug Ford, is seemingly asleep at the wheel. Our interview guest is Jonathan Goldsbie, news editor at the website Canadaland and co-host of the monthly podcast all about Doug Ford, Wag The Doug. Follow...

irst this week we say “cheers” to Prince Philip who passed away at age 99 last week and answer the big question of “Who is Prince Philip?”. Then jump to the front of the queue as we do a deep dive into the messy history of Australia’s botched vaccine rollout… and why putting all our eggs in one (or so) baskets has meant you won’t be getting jabbed anytime soon! Watch this episode on Youtube here:&...

Taking a week off so thought I'd replay some stuff from earlier this year you may have missed. From Episode 56 (February 10, 2021):  A Year of COVID-19: What Australia got right and wrong about the pandemic, and why the state premiers should get the credit for keeping Australia safe, not the Prime Minister. And my interview with comedian Tom Ballard (from Episode 52anuary 11, 2021) who is als...

This week we have an in-depth look at Scott Morrison trying to fix his “women problem” by reshuffling his male-dominated cabinet around so hopefully you lose track of who’s currently scandal plagued and who isn’t. Also we look at the end of Jobkeeper, the Brisbane outbreak and the fumbling vaccine rollout. Then RAW Comedy Winner Bec Melrose joins us to talk the Suez Canal blockage, the H&M Chi...

Episode 61 for March 25, 2021. THIS WEEK: After a “rain bomb” leaves TV reporters gasping for superlatives, Canberra then becomes inundated with a flood of crocodile tears as Prime Minister Scott Morrison attempts to revilatise his image with Australian women and fails spectacularly. Also guest Michael Chamberlin, head writer for Tonightly and co-host of the Junktime AFL podcast, stops by to talk...

In this weeks episode we have an in-depth look at what lead to the Liberal bloodbath in the WA state election and what it means for Federal politics in the upcoming federal election. At the top I also have a quick look at the historic Womens March 4 Justice this week and recent vaccine delays. And finally our showbiz correspondent Stefan Pazur stops by to talk the Grammy Awards and the Oscar nomin...

This week we look at Dan Andrew’s recent fall, the Pope’s visit to Iraq and the media reaction to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle going on Oprah’s Sook Club. Then we have an in-depth look at relations between and Australia and China since the start of the pandemic. Is it a just trade war or the start of something more sinister? Also why does China hate us and more importantly: what do we do with al...

In this special episode on the Future of Work in Australia we look at Labor’s controversial industrial relations policy proposals that includes (shock horror!) minimum wages and sick leave. Then we chat to political economist Ben Spies-Butcher, head of sociology at Macquarie University about a recent study he did into Universal Basic Income (UBI) in Australia and how the pandemic may have given us...

This week: the first coronavirus vaccines have landed in Australia, Health Minister Greg Hunt accuses the ABC’s Michael Rowland of being a massive leftie and Melbourne enters its third lockdown (of how many?). And then joining us to talk about his interactive Perth Festival play Whistleblower and preview the upcoming March 13 W.A. election is ARIA award winning comedian Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd. Also sti...

This week marks exactly a year since COVID-19 was officially named by the World Health Organisation. To mark the occasion I thought I’d look back on a year of predictions to see exactly what Australia got right and wrong about the pandemic. And why Scott Morrison shouldn't get the credit! And joining me for a chat about the past week is RAW Comedy Winner and former Tonightly writer Bec Melrose. Al...

In this episode: we have the latest front line report from the dangerous Australia Day culture wars. Also we look at the Western Australia lockdown, Liberal MP Kevin Andrews losing preselection and the ABC’s billionaire Boyer lecturer! Joining us for a chat is Dan Ilic discussing the history and the humour of his satirical incubator podcast, A Rational Fear, celebrating its 100th episode this...

This week we have an in-depth look at the Australian news coverage of the Joe Biden inauguration and how it may wind up impacting American democracy more than you think. We also have a quick look at Google’s PR campaign against the government’s news media code, the Dutch government resignation and the U.S. vaccine rollout.  Then joining us to talk twitching and sans pantsing is award winning...

In the mono: With Scott Morrison on holidays, Nationals leader Michael McCormack became acting Prime Minister for a week, and he wound up acting like a fool: attacking black lives matter protestors and job seekers while also standing up for his misinformation posting backbenchers in the name of free speech. And joining us for a chat during Presidential Inauguration week is Planet America’s Chas Li...

We’re back for 2021 and still talking about the damn pandemic! In this ep we look at the Brisbane lockdown, the Victoria lockout and Sydney’s infected bottle shop. Also Albo’s car crash and ScoMo’s tone deaf New Years message. Hey and joining me for a chat about the year ahead is comedian (and my old boss) Tom Ballard. Check out Tom’s podcast Like I’m A Six Year old here: http://tomballard.com.au/...

From Brexit to Black Lives Matter. From Coronavirus to COVID-19 to... well... more Coronavirus stuff, we look back at the year and all the funniest and wackiest news clips we enjoyed, and some of the Australian political hypocrisy you may have forgotten about. ALSO SOME NEWS: We're joining Aussie indie comedy podcast distributors Sans Pants Radio and doing weekly episodes starting January 11! Keep...

In honour of our 50th episode we’ve cobbled together a very special episode of our favourite bits from past episodes, covering everything from the 2019 Australian federal election through to the COVID 19 pandemic and Scott Morrison’s Black Lives Matters protest reactions. Includes highlights from guest hosts Mark Humphries and Michael Chamberlin. RUNDOWN:  01:50 - Bill Shorten’s deft performance i...

It’s US election time and even though Joe Biden is on track to win, Donald Trump appears to have picked up at least an extra 7 million votes compared to 2016. Why did this happen and what does the left have to learn from now eternal Trumpism? Also we look at Australia’s top US election commentary from Karl Stefanovic, Alan Jones, Joe Hockey and Malcolm Turnbull. Watch this episode on Youtube here:...

Jobs, tax cuts, record deficits, zombie businesses, irresponsible lending, axing kids TV shows, blow cushioning - the 2020 budget really has something to confuse and annoy everyone! We break down the big night and look at all the ideologically driven policies designed to turn Australia into a nation of nothing but tradies and landlords. Also: an update on paid pandemic leave! Watch this episode on...