The Briefing

The film industry was in shock last week when a director of photography was shot dead on the set of a movie in New Mexico.  The shot was fired by Hollywood legend Alec Baldwin.   On today’s Briefing we ask the question everyone wants answered – how could such a thing happen?   Marc Malkin is senior editor at Variety and host of the 'Just for Variety' podcast. ...

The world’s media is comparing the saga surrounding yesterday’s marriage of Japan’s Princess Mako and commoner Kei Komuro to the Harry & Meghan story.  Japanese tabloids have long been obsessed with the country’s royals, but the fact this latest scandal is gathering international attention suggests growing interest in the family.   Dr Tom Baudinette is an expe...

The world is facing a shortage of vital semiconductor microchips.  You might not be able to find the tech gift you were planning on buying for your family this Christmas.    Tech author, Futurist and host of LiSTNR’s The Next Billion Seconds podcast Mark Pesce, tells us the problem will get a lot worse before it gets better.  It’s going to affect just abou...

Today’s Briefing is a deep dive on the politics playing out in Canberra between the Coalition partners.    The National Party has agreed to the government’s net zero targets ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow.  It means Australia will aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.   Annika Smethurst explains exactly what went on behind closed doors; and what it means...

Lawrence Leung is a Melbourne-based comedian, writer and actor who, as it turns out, has a very surprising past!     He was once a teenage goth who wore all white make-up and an origami crow on his shoulder to high school parties. There was also the time he jumped out of a plane and completed a Rubik’s cube before engaging his parachute.   Jamila Rizvi gets to know Lawrence&rs...

Stealthing is the act of removing a condom mid-sex, without the partner’s knowledge.  It’s become an issue of debate since the term was coined in the US back in 2017.   The Australian Capital Territory has become the first jurisdiction in the country to make stealthing a crime.  The ACT’s Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury joins us to talk through his motivation to...

Australian comedian Dan Ilic has started a  crowdfunding campaign to fund Times Square billboards to embarrass Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Commonwealth Government over their inaction on climate change.   The campaign has exploded!  As Dan explains, he started out wanting to raise $12,500 and has now raised more than $200,000!     Dan’s campaign reached...

Everyone’s talking about ‘net zero’.  What does it actually mean?  And …why is the Prime Minister Scott Morrison so reluctant to commit to a net zero policy?   The world’s attention will turn to Glasgow next month when the United Nations COP26 gathers to discuss plans to reduce emissions to protect the planet.  Professor  Will Steffen  i...

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was commander of the International Space Station.  He became famous when he published videos of experiments he conducted in space.   Chris has released his first novel....a murder mystery set in space, against the backdrop of the cold war.    He joins us to talk about his very first day in space, his journey of discovery as a writer and about o...

Today’s briefing investigates the world of psychics and asks the fundamental question - are they dangerous charlatans or do they actually provide some real value.       Writer Gary Nunn investigates his own testing relationship with psychics and reveals their secret and surprising influence over a range of powerful cliques, from business to l...

Dr Yves Rees (they/them) is an award-winning writer, podcaster and historian.      When Yves was 30-years-old, they came to the understanding that they’re trans. After being called Anne for their three decades on this earth, Yves had to not only grapple with their own knowledge that they were not a woman - but other people’s reactions as well.    Jamila Rizvi a...

Simone, a Briefing listener, reached out to ask us to do an episode on the plight of immunocompromised Australians.   Many have terminal illness, or are not able to mingle freely in the community because of their condition.  So what does their future hold?   We invited Simone to join the Briefing panel in talking to Dr Sarah Sasson, a Clinical Immunologist at the Kirby Institut...

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is determined to change Australia’s energy future.   He’s teamed up with mining magnate and billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, to lobby here and overseas for governments to adopt green hydrogen energy.  Mr Turnbull says it’s Australia’s future….and we can lead the way globally in reducing emissions and co...

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is determined to change Australia’s energy future.   He’s teamed up with mining magnate and billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, to lobby here and overseas for governments to adopt green hydrogen energy.  Mr Turnbull says it’s Australia’s future….and we can lead the way globally in reducing emissions and co...

Briefing listener, Laura, contacted us asking for an episode on the commercial space race….and in particular, when Australians should expect to be able to fly on rockets at an affordable price.   Professor  Alan Duffy  is an astronomer at Swinburne and Lead Scientist of the Royal Institution of Australia.  He says there are three main players – Richard Branson&rsqu...

Financial markets are jittery with at least four critical economic fault lines developing across the globe….Covid-19, the Evergrande crisis in China, the US fiscal cliff and concerns over rising inflation.    James Thompson writes the daily Chanticleer column at the Australian Financial Review.  We ask what’s driving the uncertainty…and if average Australians hav...

Harley Breen has graced some of Australia’s most important comedy stages, fronted some of the country’s flagship radio shows and appeared on our screens as a revered host.   He now embarks on a new gig as the co-host of Network Ten’s Making It Australia with Susie Youssef – a reality show that celebrates craftsmanship from pottery to crotchet and more.   Jamila Ri...

Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus and Facebook Messenger crashed Tuesday morning. All the Facebook-owned sites were down for six hours.   It’s been described as the company's worst outage since 2008 and Facebook lost $99.75 million in income during the downtime.  The following day a Facebook whistleblower fronted a US Senate inquiry calling on the US government to do more to re...

Brendan Cowell’s new novel is called “Plum”.  It delves deep into the life of a former NRL player who’s forced to answer questions about his masculinity, his past and his future.   After starring in Love My Way Brendan’s journey as an actor took him to London where he landed parts in Game of Thrones and Avatar 2.  He says the quintessential Australian m...

Professor Peter Doherty is a Nobel laureate …a world-famous immunologist.  He’s been called the David Attenborough of the Covid-19 pandemic.   He’s patron of the Doherty Institute, which publishes predictions on what’s on the horizon in terms of the pandemic.  The Institute operates under his name.   The 80-year-old has not been content to rest on...

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stunned the country in suddenly resigning last Friday.  The state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating grants awarded to applicants in the rural seat held by Ms Berejiklian’s former boyfriend, Darrel Maguire.   We’re joined by the ABC’s NSW state political reporter, Ashleigh Raper to try to understand why Glad...

A microbiologist is sounding the alarm on the germs living on our smartphones, warning the devices we use every day are carrying deadly bacteria that could wreak havoc in our hospitals and with our biosecurity.    The pandemic has made us all hyper conscious about hand sanitising and cleaning surfaces… but one Aussie microbiologist Dr Lotti Tajouri, from Bond University, is soundi...

Journalist and producer Chris Walker learns about today’s world with provocative, inspiring, meaningful, and funny discussions with a ‘Brains Trust’ of notable Australians (and one very captivating American). Featuring Samantha Armytage, Tommy Little, Abbie Chatfield, Tony Armstrong, Jamila Rizvi, Charlie Pickering, and tech entrepreneur Rob Reid, the conversations are woven toge...

Christian Hull has become one of Australia’s most prolific content creators over the past 18 months.     From beginning his expansive career in radio to becoming an online comedy sensation and building a merchandise empire from capitalising on the pandemic sentiment of staying away from people, Christian is a social media chameleon.     Jamila Rizvi discovers the series o...

The northern Rivers area of New South Wales is often described as a hive of anti-vaxxers.   Is it true?  And what’s it like to be PRO-vax in places like Byron Bay?   We’re joined by Marylouise McLaws, an epidemiologist from the University of NSW who is urging us all to get the vaccine….to save lives; Michael Lyon, Byron Bay Mayor who has been criticised for s...