The Briefing

What does Donald Trump returning to the White House mean for Australia? One man with a deep insight into this question is former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who Trump in during his first term. Speaking with the Briefing’s Bension Siebert, Turnbull gives his advice on how current PM Anthony Albanese should deal with him, reveals what Trump is like behind closed doors, and explains w...

Donald Trump is the 47th President of the United States. While it will take days to finalise the vote count, the Republican nominee currently holds 292 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’ 224. He is also on track to win the national popular vote. It's being lauded by key Republicans as "the greatest political comeback in the history of America."  But how will another Trump presidency impact global c...

The results have been streaming in as voters deliver their verdict on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, as they battle to become the next president of the United States. Trump and Harris have been doing everything possible up until the final moments urging people to get out and vote. Meanwhile, there have been bomb threats in the key swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona, and fake FBI ac...

Headlines: Voting is underway in the US election, WA Premier fails to disclose Qantas Chairman’s Lounge membership, Prince William and Robert Irwin team up for the environment and 87% of Briefers said they weren’t participating in Melbourne Cup day. Deep Dive: Politicians and their free memberships to the Qantas Chairman's Lounge have been in the news all this week. But what actually goes on insid...

The US election might look batshit crazy from afar – but what does it feel like if you’re witnessing the madness unfold live on the ground? On this episode of the Briefing, we take you away from the polls, campaigns and the candidates, and into the homes of three different Australians living in US battleground states right now. Each of their lives will be directly affected by the outcome. As milli...

Headlines: Kamala Harris promises to end the war in Gaza, Independent MPs hand back their Qantas memberships, Australia's first commercial rocket to launch into space and tributes flow for Quincy Jones. Deep Dive: Should we still be racing horses? As the warmer spring weather rolls in, it also brings on a major series of events in the country’s sporting calendar – the Melbourne Spring Racing Carni...

The race for the White House is almost over - but how does it all work again? This week, millions of Americans will cast their vote in the country’s election. The result will be historical and is likely to shape democracy for the US and the world.  Before the counting begins, The Briefing brings you the first part of this week’s special US election coverage. Today, Chris Spyrou is joined by Matt B...

Headlines: Kamala Harris’ SNL appearance may have violated TV political rules, Anthony Albanese’s promise to young voters and Sydney hosts the world premiere of Wicked. Deep Dive:  A network of volunteer doctors in Australia are stepping up to provide free medical care for Palestinians who have fled Gaza. From performing surgeries on patients with amputated limbs to treating chronic illness, they...

Craig Foster is a massive overachiever. He was Australia’s 40th Socceroos captain, he’s been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and is a fierce human rights advocate. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Craig reveals why he declined an invitation to meet the King, what his nightmare blunt rotation is and how he chooses what human rights causes to champion. Weekend List TO LISTEN: Coldp...

Most Australians agree that consent is key to healthy sexual experiences. But what does consent mean? What does it look like in action? Before we can talk to our kids about consent, we need to talk to each other. In this special series, made in partnership with the Australian federal government as part of its Consent Can’t Wait campaign, The Briefing invites iconic Australians to unpack how they f...

Headlines: Over 1000 large companies didn’t pay tax in Australia last year, 60 million Americans have already voted, and Russia has fined Google more money than there is in the entire world. Deep Dive: Is it possible that there’s a serial killer wreaking havoc along the NSW coast? That’s the question that’s been raised by Jeremy Buckingham, Legalise Cannabis Party MP and member of NSW legislative...

Do you know what to do if a snake bites you? Snake season is upon us, and Australia is living up to its international reputation for alarming wildlife in unexpected places. An unusually high number of snakes are being spotted in suburban homes in Australia right now – so if you come into contact with one over the coming months, what should you do? And if you’re bitten, what’s the steps you need to...

Headlines: Anthony Albanese says he never called Alan Joyce for flight upgrades, UN Security Council warns Israel against banning UNRWA, and Harris and Biden walk back ‘garbage’ comments. Deep Dive: Are Australia’s mortgage wars back? After a period of corporate coordination, banks have started making moves and competing hard for your money – happy news for mortgage holders, and people hoping to e...

A long-awaited and lengthy report by an inquiry looking into Australia’s COVID response was handed down yesterday. It found that while state and federal governments nailed the early response to the threat of the virus, tough restrictions, poor communication and a lack of consideration of our human rights eroded public confidence and trust. On today’s episode of The Briefing, we’re digging deeper i...

Headlines: Key takeaways from Australia’s first COVID response inquiry, 90% of federal pollies are members of Qantas’ Chairman’s Lounge and 50 Cent knocked back $3 million USD to perform at Trump's New York rally. Deep Dive: Would you take MDMA to help your mental health?  In this two-part special, The Briefing is taking an exclusive step into one of the only clinics in Australia offering MDMA-ass...

Youth crime has been in the spotlight nationally in recent years, with stories of teenage offenders dominating mainstream news bulletins. It’s sparked a groundswell of support for political parties that are promising to be tough on the issue, and it’s worked, with the Liberals having decisive wins in the Northern Territory and Queensland in recent weeks. With promises of locking up kids at younger...

Headlines: The fallout from Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, calls grow for Senate inquiry into Albanese-Joyce relationship, NATO confirms North Korean troops deployed in Russia and a new survey reveals the sexual diversity of Aussie students. Deep Dive:  Today, The Briefing is doing MDMA. In this two-part special, we take an exclusive step into one of the only clinics in Australia offe...

Moving mountains isn’t meant to be an easy feat. But did you know that mountains can, and are currently, getting taller? It's true – and researchers have found Mount Everest is one mountain which makes that list. The mountain has risen an extra 15 to 50 meters over the last 89,000 years. This works out to be around 2 millimeters per year – which might not sound like much. But what impact could thi...

Headlines: David Crisafulli claims victory for LNP in Queensland, Anthony Albanese defends Qantas upgrades, US politics wrap and American Airlines are trialling new tech to bust line cutters at airport gates.  Deep Dive: Since Israel’s assault on Lebanon has escalated, schoolteacher Nahed Mawassi and her daughter Zainab have been anxiously clinging to hope for their family’s safety, while enduring...

Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott first meet as grid girls and connected immediately, but little did they know their friendship would turn into one of the most popular podcasts in Australia.   The duo is behind the podcast Happy Hour , where they chat about everything from relationships, to sex, running a fashion brand and being a woman in your 30s.   Lucy and Nikki have described their friendship t...

Most Australians agree that consent is key to healthy sexual experiences. But what does consent mean? What does it look like in action? Before we can talk to our kids about consent, we need to talk to each other. In this special series, made in partnership with the Australian federal government as part of its Consent Can’t Wait campaign, The Briefing invites iconic Australians to unpack how they f...

Headlines: Australia in spat with China over racism and climate change, BRICS leaders call for ceasefire, Revelations about Rudd and Gillard deal in new political memoir, and what are the top Halloween costumes for 2024 according to Google? Deep Dive: Israel claims the number of people killed in Gaza – the steadily rising and horrific number we hear on the news just about every day – is inflated....

Senator Lidia Thorpe made international headlines when she shouted at King Charles, rejecting the monarch’s sovereignty and accusing him of genocide, in Parliament House this week. The Gurnai Gunditjmara and Djab-Wurrung woman has since claimed she did not really swear allegiance to the late Queen Elizabeth’s heirs, as in King Charles, but to the Queens’ “hairs”. Senator Thorpe has rejected calls...

Headlines: Lidia Thorpe says she didn’t swear allegiance to the King, terrorist attack in Turkey leaves four dead, Xi and Modi hold first formal talks in five years, Coles and Woolies deny tricking customers with dodgy sales, and the sun has hit peak solar energy! Deep dive: International intelligence last week revealed North Korea had sent between 10,000 and 30,000 of its own troops to Russia, to...

Sometimes, what happens in one part of Australia says lot about the direction of the country as a whole. Right now, that’s exactly what seems to be happening in Queensland, as the state’s voters head to the polls this weekend. Will the state be the latest in a swing towards more conservative politics in Australia? Archie Milligan is a LiSTNR journalist based in Queensland. He joins Bension Siebert...