The Briefing

The state of Alabama is planning to use nitrogen gas to execute prisoners on death row, after a series of botched lethal injections. Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama have all approved nitrogen gas for execution, but none have ever used it. Katrina Blowers sits down with Dr Joel Zivot, an expert on physician participation in lethal injection, to explain why convicted murderer Kenneth Smith might...

It’s been a year since the details of nearly 10 million Aussies were compromised in the Optus data hack. Past and present customers were left confused and frustrated, asking why big companies are allowed to have all our data if they can’t protect it properly. But with what seems like a new breach every few weeks, do we even still care when our information is compromised? In this episode of The Bri...

Popular online dating platforms like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge - are being threatened with government regulation unless they improve safety for users. The federal government is giving the industry until the middle of next year to develop and implement a voluntary code of practice to improve standards. This comes after an investigation last year by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found...

Welcome to this special series of the Weekend Briefing, where Jamila talks to some of her favourite guests - old and new - about a single, fascinating subject. Over the next two months, you’ll hear from singers, writers, models, actors and change makers on topics as diverse as the interview subject themselves. Today you’ll hear from Hugh van Cuylenburg on resilience. You might recognise Hugh’s voi...

Rupert Murdoch has announced he will stand down as head of News Corp and Fox, the media behemoth he created. While his son Lachlan will take over as chair of both companies, Rupert Murdoch will still have some involvement as he takes on the role of “emeritus chairman”.  In this episode of The Briefing, we talk to Professor Rodney Tiffen whose 2014 book “A Reassessment” explored Murdoch’s empire an...

This week more than 40 child and women safety experts have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling for an Australian porn passport trial. Research undertaken by the eSafety Commission has found 75% of 16 to 18-year-olds have viewed online pornography, and a third of those first saw it before they were 13. In this episode of The Briefing, Tom Tilley finds out what’s going o...

Vaping is a growing problem among our youth, with widespread accessibility and a multitude of health and addiction risks facing our adolescents. But it’s not just an issue for kids - it’s also a growing burden on their teachers. So we’ve spoken to educators from around the country, to get an idea of what it’s like dealing with vaping in the classroom, and how it affects their ability to do their j...

New research has found vape residue clings to furniture, car interiors and walls and remains toxic for up to a month- even worse than cigarettes! Kids are particularly affected because they're more likely to put their hands in their mouths and it goes to their lungs. In this episode of The Briefing, Katrina Blowers gets the low-down from The Woolcock Institute’s Professor Brian Oliver about just h...

New research has found the endometriosis crisis in Australia is worsening. Endometriosis is a common, yet painful disease where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of the womb. In 2019, it was found that around 1 in 9 women aged between 44-49 were estimated to have endometriosis. Now, that estimation has risen to 1 in 7. In this episode of The Briefing, Amelia Oberhardt is joine...

Warren Mundine is a Bungulung man and one of those leading the charge opposing the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to parliament. He was the national president of the Australian Labor Party in 2006, before making the switch and becoming a member of the National Advisory Council under Prime Minister Tony Abbott. With just under four weeks to go until the referendum, he sits down with Tom Tilley...

In this extra episode of The Briefing: Comedian, actor, writer, podcaster and conspiracy theorist, Russell Brand, has come under fire. While Brand has been a celebrity for more than twenty years, over the past few days shocking allegations have come to light. While Brand vehemently denies he is guilty and insists all his sexual encounters were consensual, at least four women have accused him of ra...

Noel Pearson is one of Australia's most respected Indigenous leaders - fighting for Constitutional recognition since the Howard era. With just four weeks to go until the referendum, he sits down with Tom Tilley to discuss the Yes campaign's progress so far, and his fight to win over the 'soft no' voters.   Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAU Twitter: @...

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing: Meet the 12,000 people on temporary protection visas who are blocked from the government’s new pathway to permanent residency. That’s because they were processed and refused under the previous Coalition Government’s controversial “fast-track” process - criticised as a rubber stamping machine for refusals. But here’s the thing: all have been in...

It’s spring, so let’s talk allergies! Australia is considered the allergy capital of the world. Allergic disease currently affects more than four million Australians and that number is expected to rise. By 2050, the number of people affected by allergic diseases in Australia is predicted to increase by 70 per cent to 7.7 million. In this episode of The Briefing, Antoinette Lattouf speaks with Prof...

2023 Australian of The Year Local Hero and founder of Turbans 4 Australia , Amar Singh, is six weeks into his roadshow around Australia to promote the Voice. Travelling around Australia, he is hoping to to promote the Voice to Parliament to multicultural, culturally diverse, religious, and ethnic groups. Why does he care, and what has the reception been like? In this bonus episode of The Briefing,...

Welcome to On Topic with the Weekend Briefing, a special series where Jamila Rizvi talks to some of her favourite guests - old and new - about a single, fascinating subject. Over the next two months, you’ll hear from singers, writers, models, actors and change makers on topics as diverse as power and influence, mindset and money, bodies and brains. Today you’ll hear from Sean Kelly, on politics. S...

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing: How are social media influencers shaking up Australia's fashion industry? Content creators are certainly making a name for themselves in this space - from releasing collections with big-name brands to even creating their own fashion label. And their followers are eating up everything they're putting out. We're joined by LISTNR journalist Loren...

Should I have a baby? That’s the big question Gina Rushton grapples with in her new book, The Parenthood Dilemma. She delves into some of the existential issues: whether it’s responsible to have children while our climate continues to heat up at a rapid rate; as well as the personal: why, when faced with the potential of her own infertility, she found herself questioning how she thought she felt a...

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: Everyone knows the impact of mental health on our wellbeing, our families, our jobs and our future. So today, we ask 'R U OK'? While we’re more acutely aware of the tell-tale signs and how and why we need to seek help, it can be hard to know how to check in with those around us, or for those struggling to know what to do. Asking if someone’s OK...

Constant exposure to dire forecasts and extreme weather events is taking its toll on climate scientists. It's meant scientists are now trying group therapy to deal with their fear and anxiety. In this episode of our Summer Ahead series Tom Tilley breaks it down with ANU scientist Joe Duggan.   Headlines: Qantas loses over sacking baggage handlers Multimillionaire wants unemployment to rise  US cra...

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: The ACT has passed laws that decriminalise illicit drugs. This means you’ll get the equivalent of a speeding ticket if found in possession of 1.5 grams of cocaine, meth or 1 gram of heroin. So why has the ACT gone down this path? Will it become a target market for gangland criminals? And what can the ACT learn from countries like Portugal that...

AI is here: already a third of employees are using AI for work, and in two-thirds of those cases, their manager doesn't know. Sectors like media, finance and education will see the biggest changes; with experts saying companies need to come up with an AI strategy as soon as possible. In this episode of The Briefing, Katrina Blowers speaks with Dr Kellie Nuttall from Deloitte about how much AI has...

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: What exactly are our politicians being gifted for free, and who takes the most? While gifts range from bicycles to sports tickets, and many aren't accepted, each year the accumulated worth runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And currently they’re under scrutiny. Just today a survey from Nine newspapers revealed that 70% of Australia...

Chanel Contos shot to fame when she uncovered thousands of horror stories about sexual abuse and coercion in Sydney’s elite private schools. Since then she’s successfully pushed for consent education to become part of the school curriculum. In this episode of The Briefing, Tom Tilley speaks with Chanel about her new book Consent Laid Bare.    Headlines: Labor’s $10b housing fund after deal with th...

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing:  After three weeks of intense pressure, Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has finally succumbed and announced he will resign. Rubiales has dominated news after kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent, after Spain won the FIFA Women’s World Cup last month.  We’re joined by Bonita Mersiades, a former...