The Briefing

Headlines: Greens to push for 50 cent public transport nationwide, no survivors after Washington plane and helicopter crash, Australians facing long-term homelessness surges 25% in five years and Donald Trump calls for Elon Musk’s Space X to “go get” stranded ISS astronauts.  Deep Dive: By all accounts, Bunnings is a true blue Aussie success story.  What started in 1907...

We’ve all got a butthole, but why are we so afraid to talk about it without making a joke of it? Professor Richard Hillman is one of the few specialists in Australia in anus cancer and he thinks it’s time we open up about the health of our rear ends.  In today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with the professor about anal hygiene, the case for banning toi...

Headlines:  Caravan with explosives found in Sydney allegedly intended for antisemitic attack, lowered inflation rates open the door to April election date and Sweden charges man in first ever drink driving case involving a drone. Deep Dive: Elizabeth Struhs was an eight-year-old girl, living with incurable Type 1 diabetes in regional Queensland. Instead of receiving the insulin she needed to...

Our major political parties each have plans they say will make renting better and home ownership easier for young people. We’ll believe it when we see it. But with a federal election coming up, are Labor, the Coalition and the Greens missing solutions that could save you serious money? On this episode of the Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with McKell Institute Chief Executive Edward Cavano...

Headlines: Australia Day neo-Nazis face court in Adelaide, how Dutton’s promise to cut 36,000 government jobs could affect you, Trump signs orders to halt government grants and Happy Lunar New Year!  Deep Dive:  Has China just won the AI arms race? The United States has been the undisputed leader in the race for global AI domination – that was until this week, where everythin...

Are artists making music just for the algorithm? Alex Burnett is the Australian songwriter behind music with 1.4 billion streams on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. He has worked on no less than 30 songs that have made it into Triple J’s Hottest 100, collaborating with artists like Thelma Plum, Hockey Dad, Alison Wonderland, Dan Sultan, Hayden James, Bliss n Eso and Flight Facilities....

Headlines:  Australia’s road toll hits 12-year high, Aussies pay more for dental care than most OECD countries, Donald Trump to sign order banning trans people from US Military and New York gets in on the stinky flower trend. Listen to our September 2024 deep dive 'The Case for putting dental in Medicare' with Jordan Steele-John on  Apple or Spotify here. Deep Dive: Most of us have...

Did you have a dream last night? Do you remember it? Dreams hold a lot of significance throughout history – but how much should we be reading into them, and is there any science to back up the theories we have for what we experience in our dreams? Dr Manuela Kirberg is a researcher and a lecturer in philosophy at Monash University and part of the Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative St...

Headlines: Italian Jannik Sinner wins the Australian Open, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks on Holocaust Remembrance Day and high temperatures predicted across the country today. Deep Dive: As we mark the Australia Day public holiday, whether you’re working, spending it at the beach or at a BBQ, attending a rally or getting through some chores – we can’t ignore the contenti...

Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, is a proud Bundjalung Widubul-Wiabul woman who’s a survivor of out-of-home care and now a practising lawyer fighting for the freedom of others. She’s the first ACT Commissioner for First Nations children, won Marie Claire’s change maker of the year and is author of Long Yarn Short Long Yarn Short: We are still here. Speaking to The Weekend Briefing for a...

Sometimes sorry is the hardest, and in this case, most expensive word. This week, Prince Harry achieved something many thought impossible – receiving a “full apology” from Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers. The apology was part of a settlement over intrusions into the Duke of Sussex's private life, the use of private investigators, and "phone hacking, surveillance and...

Headlines:  Albo to promise $10,000 cash bonus for apprentices, Southport attacker jailed for 52 years over murder of three girls, Splendour in the Grass cancelled for a second straight year and Aryna Sabalenka one step closer to AO three-peat. Deep Dive: What the hell is going on with petrol prices? Right now in Australia, you can pay $2.26 a litre at one servo, but then drive past another,...

Long gone are the glory days of television when we’d be handed 20+ episode seasons of our favourite shows, enough to keep us going and satiated for the year before a new run of episodes dropped. Now, good tv shows are sometimes rolling out just six episode seasons with gaps as long as two years between them. We know COVID and the 2023 writers’ strike had an impact - but what we&rs...

Headlines: Dutton gains ‘significant lead’ over Albanese as preferred PM, Trump threatens Putin with tariffs and demands apology from 'nasty’ bishop, cost of a Melbourne to Sydney flight has jumped since competition collapse and no Aussies left in the singles at the Australian Open.  Deep Dive: How would you rate Labor on its environmental record? After sweeping to power in...

Donald Trump says US astronauts will be planting an American flag on Mars within the next four years. But how about an Australian flag? In 2019 the then-PM Scott Morrison committed 150 million taxpayer dollars to get Australia a seat at the table for Project Artemis. Australia may not have anything of the scale of NASA, but we do have a national space agency. So could we see an Australian flag pla...

Headlines: Trump’s first day back in office wrapped, AFP says foreign influence may be behind antisemitic attacks, mental health wards shut down in NSW as hundreds of psychiatrists resign and Novak Djokovic is through to the AO semi-final. Deep Dive:  In November 1978, more than 900 people died in what’s become one of the most notorious mass murders in history; the Jonestown Massa...

Two of Australia’s richest people – Gina Rinehart and Anthony Pratt - were on the invites list to Donald Trump’s inauguration, as he was sworn in as US President for the second time today. It was the latest example of Trump collecting some billionaires from around the world to be part of the new president’s inner circle. So what does this mean for Australia? Could these rel...

Headlines: Donald Trump returns to the White House, new polling shows Aussies are more optimistic in 2025 and Alex de Minaur is through to the AO quarter-finals! Deep dive: We have a lot to be thankful to Australia’s trade unions for; the five-day work week, annual leave entitlements and protections against unfair. Since the 1800s, the movement has been working hard to protect workers’...

Novak Djokovic has made global headlines for opting out of a customary on-court interview following comments made by broadcaster Tony Jones, who chanted “Novak, he’s overrated... Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”  Djokovic said Jones’ comments “made a mockery of Serbian fans” and that they were “insulting and offensive” with member...

Headlines: First hostages freed in Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal Peter Dutton promises tax-free lunches for small businesses TikTok back online for American users after Trump promises to save it Djokovic skips post-match AO interview awaiting apology from Nine Deep Dive: Who decides what beer is served on tap at your local bar, pub or club?   It might not be obvious from all the brands and style...

Kris Fade was told he wasn’t made for radio - now he’s one of the biggest media personalities in Dubai. The Lebanese-Australian presenter has become a household name in the Middle East and is gaining fans around the world after appearing in drama-packed reality show Dubai Bling. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Kris reveals why he’s stepping back in season three, how fame ha...

Gen Z has been dubbed the most 'unserious generation' - but is it true? Viral social media posts of young creators dancing in front of LA's fires and storm damage in Sydney have prompted the theory that the generation can't seem to take anything - CEO's being shot, natural disasters, a cost of living crisis - seriously. But what's behind the behaviour, and is it a fair generalisation? In this epis...

Headlines: Israel stalls on signing Gaza ceasefire deal, Trump could save TikTok, the AO has a new villain and new study shows older siblings and girls are their parent's favourites. Helen Smith's deep dive on TikTok is available now on  Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Deep Dive:  When you think of hot days, you might think of iced drinks, flicking on the AC or rushing to your nearest beach....

After 15 months of violence and bloodshed, a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel has finally been reached. While there have been celebrations in the streets of both Gaza and Tel Aviv, the road to peace in the region will be long and is far from guaranteed. So, what happens now an initial deal has been struck and what hurdles stand in the way of a permanent end to the war? Professor Greg Barton...

Headlines: Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire deal, Bill Shorten to leave politics nine days early, Coles to ban the sale of knives after staff stabbed and Vukic and de Minaur through to round three of the AO, Kokkinakis and Tomljanović crash out. Deep Dive: Casinos are usually synonymous with high rollers and high stakes. But running a business of the size and scale of a casino comes with big risks...