The Briefing

The latest gender pay gap report has been released, and while there is some good news, there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to inequity at the CEO level. The pay gap still stands at just over 20 per cent, with overall numbers showing men still earn almost $30,000 more per year compared to women.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Mary Woolridg...

Thursday Headlines: AUKUS submarine deal to be examined by secret government committee, at least 36 people killed in high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong, teens launch High Court challenge to social media ban, Trump’s final criminal charge abandoned, and the TikTok awards were on in Sydney last night. Deep Dive: Black Friday is no longer a single day, rather a month-long reta...

The federal government has introduced a major change to social security payments, which allows financial support to be cut off if recipients with outstanding warrants, even before they’re found guilty. The government says the new powers will only be used in exceptional circumstances based on expert advice from law enforcement. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Kr...

Wednesday Headlines: Experts warn food delivery could become more expensive’ after ‘world first’ deal, Sea World employee breaks down at inquest into deadly helicopter crash, Labor to squeeze public service, new research finds our brains have ‘five eras’, and Trump pardons two turkeys, rambles about ‘fat slob’ governor.  Deep Dive: AI-generated c...

Former My Kitchen Rules judge Pete Evans once was one of the highest rating Australian celebrity chefs, but after rebranding himself as an outspoken wellness crusader, he found himself in a series of public feuds with the TGA, medical experts, and health professionals.  Dubbed ‘Paleo Pete’, he's been back in the headlines, this time sporting a MAGA hat and releasing a new cookbook...

What happened to Gus Lamont? The 4-year-old has been missing for almost 8 weeks after vanishing from his family’s property in outback South Australia. Now, authorities say they are searching disused mine shafts in the area, as they desperately search for any new clues.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by forensic anthropologist Xanthe Mallet, who explains wha...

Tuesday Headlines: Pauline Hanson’s facing criticism over recycled burqa stunt, US and Ukraine edge closer to a peace deal, Aussie house prices have surged almost 50% since COVID, more than half of us regret Black Friday buys, and Joey from Secrets We Keep joins us to chat his new ep ‘ Unmasking Australia’s most corrupt cop ’. Deep Dive: Australia’s second-largest foo...

A breakthrough new fertility treatment is giving new hope to thousands of parents to be. Often when IVF isn’t working, there are few viable options available, but now PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma is showing promising results for couples struggling to conceive. In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Scott Pearce, the Clinical director of Create Fertility to explain ho...

Monday Headlines: Coalition polling at record low as government looks to pass enviro laws, Trump accuses Ukraine of being ungrateful as officials meet in Geneva for peace plan, BoM ordered to review whopping $96 million price tag for website revamp, Lando and Piastri disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Matcha and Acai dominating Australian Uber Eats orders. Deep Dive: A major crackdown...

Bonnie Blue has been making national headlines again over her return to schoolies. The controversial OnlyFans star's visa was cancelled last year, but she told media 'I’ve got good lawyers and I will be doing schoolies this year.' In this Bonus episode of The Briefing from 2024, Helen Smith is joined by Bonnie to discuss her schoolies plan to invite “barley legal” young men atten...

Marcia Hines is a music icon - 22 albums, more than 2.6 million sales, and a career that made her a household name as a judge on Australian Idol. She moved to Australia when she was 16 to star in Hair, the anti-Vietnam war musical, and ended up building her life here after discovering she was pregnant with her daughter, Deni. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Marica shares what stardom looks l...

Half of what Australians eat is ultra processed and now a damning new international report has revealed how these everyday foods are putting us at greater risk of serious chronic disease and mental health issues.  In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Priscila Machado from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin Univ...

Friday Headlines: Third Coalition leader ousted from top job this week, neo-Nazi leader reportedly charged over alleged harassment of federal MP, coroner to hand down findings into Australia’s first Christian terror attack today, Anthony Albanese touches down in South Africa for G20 summit, and an Aussie surprise as the world’s coolest streets are named.  Deep Dive: After 13 long...

It’s one of the oldest, pettiest, and most iconic sporting feuds on earth: Australia vs England, fighting over a tiny terracotta urn. From England’s full-blown 1882 meltdown at The Oval, to the chaos of Bodyline, Bradman’s god-tier dominance, ball-tampering scandals, this rivalry isn’t just cricket -  it’s the biggest beef in sporting history. In this episode of...

The CSIRO, Australia's peak science agency, has cut 350 researchers in their latest round of redundancies.   But experts are warning this is just the tip of the iceberg, with various Federal Governments over the years not properly funding or supporting our world-leading scientists and researchers.  In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by the CEO of Sc...

Thursday Headlines: Australia accused of censoring US citizens, Tropical Cyclone Fina is heading toward the NT, calls for governments to step up action to fight chips and soft drinks, The Louvre announces 100 new security cameras, and Amyl and The Sniffers clean up at the ARIAs! Deep Dive: AI anxiety is fuelled by warnings that artificial intelligence could replace jobs, upend industries, and even...

The ARIAs are on tonight... and we find out why the music industry’s night of nights is more important than ever. As local artists struggle to cut through in a content-overloaded world, we unpack why the ARIAs are a vital showcase for the superstars of the future.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by podcaster and music expert Alex Dyson.  Headlines : The...

Wednesday Headlines: Outage takes down popular apps and Aussie airport sites, US lawmakers to vote on Epstein files, skilled migrants and international students could be slashed under Libs, Roblox to roll out age-verification checks in Australia despite social media ban exemption, and Eminem sues Aussie swim company.  Deep Dive: A new claim for native title rights has been filed with the Fede...

Pauline Hanson and Mehreen Faruqi’s long-running feud has turned into a legal showdown, with Hanson's tweet telling Faruqi to ‘pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan’ at the centre of the battle.   The two senators' politics sit at complete opposite ends of the spectrum, Faruqi a senator for the Greens and Hanson the leader of One Nation.   In this episo...

The Coalition implosion continues... while the focus has been on the Federal infighting... now the state parties in both NSW and Victoria are falling apart. Victoria has a new Opposition leader, the NSW Nationals boss has resigned, and now speculation is rife that the NSW Liberal leader will also go. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Liberal Party strategist turned pol...

Tuesday Headlines: Visa revoked for Neo-nazi who attended Sydney rally, Sussan Ley says she will lead the Coalition to the next election, jail time for Aussie man who ambushed Ariana Grande on red carpet, more schools to close over asbestos contamination and Joey takes you inside another undercover investigation in the new episode of Secrets We Keep: Uncovered .   Deep Dive: The Church of Sci...

Sussan Ley is under siege. Faced with selling the Coalition’s new energy policy, the Opposition Leader is fighting for survival with renewed leadership speculation and the party again recording plummeting polling numbers.  In this special edition of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Sussan Ley for a revealing conversation about net zero, values over votes and her late mother&r...

Monday Headlines: Coalition releases energy plan with immigration up next, almost 70 schools closed due to asbestos fears, ‘traitor’ congresswoman hits out at Trump ahead of Epstein file vote, phone use linked to skyrocketing rates of dementia in young people, and a Labubu movie is on the way!   Deep Dive: The first generation raised with AI woven into daily life and instant commu...

Wicked: For Good  is hitting screens this week, and whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t deny the absolute juggernaut that has been the Wicked movie press tour.  Headlined by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the press tour last year copped some flak for being cringey and over the top, amid viral videos of reporters crying in interviews to ridiculous platitudes about “...

Zoe Terakes made history as Marvel’s first trans actor and you might also know them from Wentworth or the Netflix hit Nine Perfect Strangers, starring alongside Nicole Kidman. The trans masculine actor and newly minted author’s new book, Eros: Queer Myths for Lovers, explores reclaiming voice, desire and autonomy. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Zoe shares for the first time how...