The Briefing

2023 has seen a 6% rise in the deaths on our roads, with over 1,250 lives lost - and we're yet to wrap up the notorious Christmas and New Years period. So while we’ve all heard the safety messaging and seen the campaigns, why are we seeing an increase in driving-related deaths? And are we missing something when it comes to lowering the road toll?  On this extra episode of The Briefing, you'll hear...

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder is an Australian who has been working in conflict zones for the last 20 years and has most recently been part of humanitarian efforts Gaza. He says has never seen the level of intensity and severity of suffering by children before. In this episode of The Briefing, Katrina Blowers finds out what life is like for children on the ground in Gaza. Headlines: Major floodi...

Marc Fennell is excellent at asking questions. From hosting Stuff the British stole and the Feed on SBS to a podcast series about finding the worlds hottest chilli, he can tell a captivating story. In this chat with Antoinette, Marc gets really honest about why he doesn’t want to share his opinion anymore and the moments in his career that changed his trajectory. Weekend List:  Christmas wrapping...

Did you know that one in five of us will face the risk of food poisoning during this festive season? While this makes sense given the large festive feasts and seafood platters often served on a hot summer day, what can you do to ensure you don't give the unwanted gift of Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria to your nearest and dearest? In this extra episode of The Briefing, we explore the do's and don...

The UN climate summit in Dubai has culminated with almost 200 countries agreeing to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels. It’s been a hard-fought win after much back-and-forth over the precise wording with some countries refusing to sign on to ‘phasing fossil fuels out’. COP28 has also been mired in controversy with the president of the conference saying a phase-out of coal, oil and gas would take...

Previously referred to as Australia's worst female serial killer, Kathleen Folbigg has finally had her convictions for killing her four children dismissed.  In 2003, she was convicted of murdering her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura and of the manslaughter of her son Caleb. Though she spent 20 years in prison, she always maintained her innocence.  In this extra episode of The Briefing, we explai...

This week, Queensland’s long-serving leader Anastasia Palaszczuk announced her resignation, signalling the end of the reign of Australia’s pandemic premiers. Leaders of the states and territories became household names during the height of the COVID years between 2020 and 2022. People tuned in daily for their press conferences, their policies (and personalities) were the topic of dinner table conv...

We cross to far north Queensland as locals prepare for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Jasper. The category two system is expected to hit the coast later today, somewhere between Cairns and Hope Vale. The region is expected to receive 250mm to 300mm of rain in just six hours – and up to 500mm over 24 hours. We're joined by Helen Reed from the Bureau of Meteorology and Georgina Hill from Network Te...

People have been doing things to their eyebrows for millennia; whether it’s plucking them, shaving them, colouring them or getting rid of them completely! But did you know eyebrows tell us a lot about society; from perceptions of beauty to socio- economic status to even reproduction! In this episode of The Briefing, Antoinette Lattouf and makeup historian Sara Long dissect why we’re so obsessed wi...

Already this summer season is proving to be dry, hot and dangerous for the risk of bushfires. And the future is looking bleak, with predictions that our bushfire season will increase in both length and intensity. But while we already undertake hazard reduction burns each year to reduce the fuel for fires to feed off, could we learn more from the cultural burning practices of Australia’s First Nati...

Coles and Woolworths are witnessing a surge in theft, which is being put down to the cost of living crisis. Despite this, the two big supermarkets are raking in profits and facing an inquiry into alleged price gouging. In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert asks Fleur Brown from the Australian Retailers Association whether this spike in theft could be shoppers trying to get revenge again...

They’re the non-surgical cosmetic procedures that get spruiked and glamorised with hashtags like #BarbieBotox, #FoxEyes and #LipFlip by influencers on social media.  These procedures can be performed by non-medical practitioners like nurses, dental practitioners and pharmacists, and include injectables and fillers, cosmetic dentistry, hair transplants, fat freezing, and thread lifts (to only name...

Many young people are struggling with the rising cost of living: rent, bills, groceries and transport. But imagine you’re doing it all alone, without the support of your parents or family. That’s the reality for young people who have grown up in care. And it’s a key reason so few make it into higher education. If you’re working all the hours you can just to get by, you don’t get the opportunity to...

Kath Ebbs is an accidental influencer, they was scouted on Instagram when they were just 17 and since then has dominated the social media scene.  Kath is a queer artist and actor and they grew up on the internet and their relationship with social media like many of us has changed throughout the years.  In this chat with Helen Smith, Kath explains the importance of pronouns, how we can make the fil...

For those who celebrate Christmas, this time of year is sold to us as being all about togetherness, joy, gift giving and family – it's the most wonderful time of the year after all.  While we all love opening pressies and sitting down to a Christmas feast, there aren’t magical elves running around organising everything – it usually falls on the shoulders of women. Ask any woman in your life how lo...

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is cracking down on our online space. Two new reports flag major concerns when it comes to social media influencers disclosing advertising; and businesses commissioning and collating their own reviews. In this episode of The Briefing ACCC Acting Chair Catriona Lowe takes us through what we should be looking out for online. Headlines: New industr...

A man has been arrested in the US over links to the deadly Wieambilla massacre almost a year ago, which saw two Queensland police constables and a civilian shot dead on a remote property.  Their murderers; Gareth, Nathaniel and Stacey Train were killed in the resulting standoff with officers.  Detectives will allege the Trains had been radicalised after discovering the idea of “premillennialism” -...

If you’ve been thinking there are have been a lot of female leaders under fire lately, you might have noticed the glass cliff phenomenon; it’s when a woman is put into a position of leadership during a company crisis. Fortescue Metals chief executive Fiona Hick and the Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate have both had to resign after relatively short tenures and major issues at their companies. N...

Last month, a 600-kilogram seal made himself at home in front of a woman’s car in Tasmania’s south, giving her the best excuse not to go to work. Affectionately known as Neil, the elephant seal routinely causes havoc when he comes back to the coast. And this isn't the only example of how urbanisation has necessitated changes in the behaviour of the animals around us - just think of the rebranding...

With the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference underway in Dubai, the world’s focus is once again turning to whether we’re doing enough to tackle global warming. China is the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, but the country is also making strides towards hitting 2030 climate targets. In this episode of The Briefing Katrina Blowers speaks with Dr Michal Meidan, head of China energy r...

How much do you spend on clothes, and how much of your wardrobe do you throw out each year?  The average Aussie bins ten kilograms of used clothing every year, with the expectation that the fast fashion industry and a status quo of ‘quantity over quality’ will continue to push this number even higher in the future. But is there any hope that this trend could change in favour of more sustainable an...

We’re set to be spending a lot of 2024 talking about US elections, with President Biden and likely Donald Trump going head to head again. Polls are hinting at a Trump victory, but with legal battles, bureaucratic clashes, and a dash of political intrigue, the path to the White House is anything but predictable. In this episode of The Briefing, Planet America’s Chas Licciardello explains to Katrina...

How do you think more accessible drug testing would change illicit drug use in Australia?  A handheld device called the MicroNIR is currently being used overseas to identify drugs and assess their purity. It’s efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, and it could be a game-changer at festivals, clubs, and supervised injecting facilities here in Australia. But will it be used here?  In this extra e...

Australia is the first country to offer climate refuge, after signing a new treaty with Tuvalu. The agreement could set an example for the rest of the world ahead of 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. In this episode of The Briefing Katrina Blowers speaks with Tamara Wood from the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law about exactly what this deal means. Headlines: 1.8 million peo...

The world of self care is growing and behind the products and marketing push, are actual experts, who are building big followings as people crave support and direction -- and in some cases sweary entertainment. Enter neuroscience whiz, author and host of hit podcast Do You F*cking Mind, Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Alexis shares her tips on how to live a bad ass...