The Briefing

Tax reform and working from home are top of the agenda at this week’s Productivity roundtable in Canberra. But will the expensive get together just be a waste of time, or will Australia’s business, economic and union leaders show courage and enact much-needed reforms?  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Crikey’s political editor Bernard Keane to u...

A newly announced ban on greyhound racing in one Australian state has divided the public but left animal welfare advocates celebrating. Last week the Tasmanian Premier told those in the sector, the sport would be phased out by 2029, leaving many in the industry furious and questioning his true motives. In part two of this two-part deep dive, Tara Cassidy speaks with TasRacing CEO Andrew Jenkins an...

Monday Headlines: Trump's NATO-style deal with Putin, shootings in Sydney and Melbourne nightlife precincts, fresh push to extradite Chinese man over baby burning incident, young Australians may have a tougher life than their parents, and a major scientific discovery that could re-write history. Deep Dive: The Australian greyhound racing community is reeling after news last week that the sport wil...

Bonus episode: The Voice Australia is back for its 14th season. But in all those years, no contestant has made an impact quite like shows very first winner,  Karise Eden. Today, we’re bringing you Karise’s full-length interview from LiSTNR’s  The Moment It Changed: Touchdown podcast . Music journalist Cam Adams sits down with Karise as she opens up about her meteor...

Claudia Karvan is a screen legend who grew up in the iconic Kings Cross nightclub district and became one of Australia’s most admired (and drama-free) stars. She first stepped in front of the camera at just 10 years old and hasn’t looked back... creating iconic moments in film and TV from The Secret Life of Us to Bump on Stan. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Claudia reveals what...

The Australian Defence Force is getting smarter, savvier, and more strategic in its recruitment, with it’s highest annual intake in 15 years, and you might be surprised by what’s causing the trend. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Behavioural Economist, Professor Robert Hoffman, to unpack the psychology behind a surprising global surge in military enlistme...

Friday Headlines: US warns Australia must meet with Trump over ‘critical’ AUKUS deal, chilling footage revealed of accused Melbourne double murderer, UTS staff facing job loss told to 'do some laundry' to manage stress, the average Aussie is earning more than ever but we still feel broke, and your thoughts on property millionaires, the Denmark Zoo saga and Insta's controversial map fea...

New Australian research has uncovered a dangerous new trend on TikTok, with a growing number of unqualified influencers spreading misinformation about female contraception. Despite having no medical qualifications, these social media stars are giving harmful advice to women about sex, leading to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and STIs.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Bell...

Thursday Headlines: The coalition has slammed Anthony Albanese for his decision to recognise a state of Palestine, Commonwealth Bank urged to repay fees of 2 million low-income customers after recording $10b profit, Netflix star Matt Wright’s trial will hear from more witnesses today, young men Australia's biggest phone addicts, and an Aussie teen chasing his NFL dream has gone viral for a t...

Real estate agents underquoting is back in the headlines with authorities cracking down on the illegal practice. But now there are calls for the dodgy agents who often make millions of dollars in commission to face tougher penalties.   In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by buyer’s agent Julie DeBondt-Barker, who explains how underquoting is preventing...

Wednesday Headlines: Julie Bishop labelled a hostile bully at uni senate inquiry, Apple and Google lose landmark court case to Fortnite developer over anti-competitive conduct, WA is overhauling the states surrogacy and IVF laws, one in five Aussies carry incurable parasite from cats, and Freddo Frog shrinkflation! Deep Dive: Distraction politics take place nearly every day - in an attempt to stee...

An investigation into the ankle monitoring of accused criminals on bail has exposed a shocking flaw in the system. A private company who was supposed to monitor the alleged offenders in our community stopped operations without notifying authorities. Now, at least two state governments are abolishing ankle monitoring altogether, with a flawed system with concerning loopholes set to take over. ...

Tuesday Headlines: Kathleen Folbigg speaks out after ‘slap in the face’ wrongful conviction payout, mourners gather for funeral of media workers murdered by Israeli military, woman charged with foreign interference has hundreds of thousands in unexplained wealth, new road tax for EV users, and Harry and Meghan have penned a new multi-year TV deal with Netflix! Deep Dive: Vitamins and s...

PM Anthony Albanese has announced Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. The move involves a number of conditions, including not allowing terror group Hamas to play any role in future governance.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by political expert Josh Roose from Deakin University to unpack what this historic...

Deep Dive: French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte are suing right-wing podcaster Candace Owens over bizarre allegations that the First Lady is a man who has stolen an identity and committed crimes including fraud and forgery.  The legal action comes after the conspiracy exploded on social media worldwide.  So where did these claims come from and why are they getting tract...

Monday Headlines: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has labelled Australia “shameful” over Gaza, the Reserve Bank is set to hand down their latest cash rate decision tomorrow, greyhound racing is set to finish up in Tasmania by 2029, we’re in for a soggy rest of winter and spring according to the weather bureau, and Instagram has a controversial new map feature that allows users to s...

Music reality TV promises to turn ordinary singers into national icons — but what’s the secret formula behind these shows?  In this bonus episode of The Briefing, former judges Ian “Dicko” Dickson and Mark Holden reveal the controversies, iconic moments, and impact that reality TV had on Australia’s music industry.    Plus former contestants r...

Alex Lee is a face you'll recognise from TV, whether it's from The Feed, Saturday Night Rove, Celebrity Mastermind, Spicks and Specks, The Checkout, Win the Week or What the FAQ. And as the journalist-turned-comedian points out, not ALL of those shows got axed. Alex recounts how shock jock and alleged sexual predator Alan Jones once tried to sue her over a comedy skit she made making fun of him. T...

Lured from a Canberra supermarket into the grip of a dangerous cult, Liz Cameron’s life spiralled into captivity, starvation, and a desperate fight to survive. In this episode, Liz reveals to Natarsha Belling how she was brainwashed, how her family staged a daring intervention, and why she’s speaking out to warn others about the hidden dangers of coercive control. Headlines : Israel&rs...

Here's the evidence the jury in the mushroom triple murder trial wasn't allowed to hear. In this special update to The Briefing's coverage of this case, Tara Cassidy reveals allegations that murderer Erin Patterson had tried to poison and kill her estranged ex-husband Simon multiple times before. Until today, this information was under a strict non-publication order by the Victorian Supreme Court....

Friday Headlines: Kathleen Folbigg calls for inquiry into ‘insulting’ $2m wrongful conviction payout, Netenyahu plans full occupation of Gaza, 6yo girl discharged from Sydney hospital twice before dying of influenza, men outearn women in 98% of jobs, and a millionaire donates $100m to Aus vet school! Deep Dive: When you’re socializing in a group, are you the life of the party, a...

It’s the government rort ripping off millions of Australians that could be the next Robodebt disaster. We explain how a broken government payment system is seeing job and support payments cut off or cancelled, in many cases unlawfully.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by anti-poverty campaigner Kristin O’Connell, who explains how some of our most vulner...

Thursday Headlines: Lawyers for sex offender Gareth Ward argue against his expulsion from NSW Parliament, Donald Trump says JD Vance is the next likely Republican candidate for 2028, the trial of Outback Wrangler TV star Matt Wright is underway, WhatsApp's deleted over 6.8 million accounts linked to scams, and we're in the 'Golden Age’ of swimming, better than Thorpe and O’Neill. Deep...

The government’s excise freeze on draught beer is being hailed as a win for pubs, but how much is it really saving us?   In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Mick Gibb, CEO of the Nighttime Industries Association, who unpacks how this move has created a two-tier tax system that penalises small bars, live music venues, and cocktail lovers.  Headlines : A Sy...

Wednesday Headlines: OceanGate Titan sub disaster was a 'preventable tragedy', DOJ orders investigation into Obama administrations Russian political interference probe, The Great Barrier Reef has recorded the largest mass bleaching event on record, Kmart denies sourcing products from factories linked to forced labour, and a Danish zoo is asking for unwanted animals to feed its predators. Deep Dive...