Saturday Extra - Separate stories podcast

Artists converge in the Snowy Monaro to paint in the great outdoors

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend, hundreds of people will be outside painting and drawing the local landscape of Bombala in the Snowy Monaro region of southern NSW.Lucy ...

What does the Iran war mean for China?

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

America's war against Iran is designed to break the Iranian regime and eliminate its nuclear programme. But what does the Iran war mean for China? ...

The story behind Labor's electoral landslide

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A new book explores the 2025 landslide electoral victory for the Labor Party, and the Liberal Party's worst ever result. And looking forward, where ...

Cheng Lei's stage show recreates 1154 days in Chinese detention

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Cheng Lei was a TV presenter in Beijing with an audience of millions when Chinese state security blindfolded her and drove her to a secret location w...

As Trump spars with the Pope, is MAGA fraying?

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

US President Donald Trump has had no shortage of feuds over the years. His latest is a holy war of words with Pope Leo, the American head of the Cath...

The Strait of Hormuz 'reopens' as the Lebanon ceasefire holds

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There's been the clearest signs yet of a breakthrough between Washington and Tehran.

Should we all be ditching our smartphones?

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Fifty years after its founding in a California garage, Apple has grown into one of the most influential, profitable, and iconic companies in history,...

The Iran war was not a 'quick success' for Trump. So what's next?

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There seems to be a determination from US President Donald Trump to end the Iran war even though the US has not achieved so many of its stated aims.S...

Australia could play a big part in the next space age

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The end of the Artemis II mission this weekend is potentially the start of a much bigger story.The learnings from Artemis II will help pave the way f...

Is the US-UK 'special relationship' faltering?

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

He's regarded as Keir Starmer's right-hand man: A British Labour MP brought into Downing Street when the UK prime minister's leadership looked to be ...

Hungarians head to the polls in a high-stakes election

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This Sunday, Hungary will vote in what is shaping up to be its most consequential election in decades. After 16 years in power, Viktor Orbán faces ...

Will the 'brittle' US-Iran ceasefire fall apart?

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran is under strain, as both sides trade accusations of violating its terms. Peace talks are scheduled t...

Why has Eurovision expanded to Asia?

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Against the odds, Eurovision has been going since the 1950s.This week, plans were announced to expand the spectacle to Asia, where 10 countries will ...

Espionage, subterfuge and revenge in David McCloskey's new novel

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst and co-host of podcast The Rest is Classified, takes us into the world of his fourth spy novel, The Persian.It’...

An epic piece of music for the Easter weekend

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Bach's St John Passion was first performed in 1724 and would have been part of a church service to mark Good Friday.This Easter weekend, the Symphony...

The outback town protecting our fading night skies

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On a clear night in Winton the Milky Way shines so brightly the stars cast a shadow.After a three year push by the local community to reduce light po...

Will Artemis II kickstart a new space race?

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission.It's the agency's first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.So is this a sign of ...

Iran strikes defiant tone and continues attacks after Trump speech

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Iranian officials have warned the US and Israel of “crushing, broader, and more destructive” attacks following President Trump's national address...

The Last Thing: Sita Sargeant

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sita Sargeant is the founder of She Shapes History, which runs walking tours around Australia focusing on the often-overlooked stories of women.She j...

Slow Horses author Mick Herron on his spy megahit

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Slow Horses is a big contender for one of Britain's best recent shows.It focuses on a group of MI5 screw-ups — spies exiled to a stable of misfits ...

Mick Harvey awarded a French cultural honour

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mick Harvey, a founding former member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of ...

Mick Harvey awarded highest French cultural honour

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mick Harvey, a founding former member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of ...

Why the government shouldn't 'waste a crisis'

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There's a saying that a government shouldn't "waste a crisis".So could the Albanese government use the current state of the world to enact reform?

UN declares the Earth is out of balance, as Northern Territory faces five successive disasters

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Earth's climate is more out of balance than any time in observed history. This week, the United Nations sounded the alarm for our climate, this ...

Does the White House have an 'off ramp' for Iran?

27 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This morning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expects operations in Iran will be finished in the "next couple of weeks".How realistic is th...

Why is this a golden age for the Matildas?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight the Matildas will take on Japan in the final of the AFC Women's Asian Cup in Sydney. Japan demolished South Korea this week, but the Tillies...

Do US attacks on Iran signal the end of Trumpism?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

With the Iran war entering its fourth week, President Trump's MAGA base are growing increasingly uneasy.Podcast kings and Trump loyalists Joe Rogan, ...

The SA election: A big moment for One Nation

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of the South Australia state election, the polls are pointing to the re-election of the Labor government under Premier Peter Malinauskas. But ...

How weight loss drugs like Ozempic are changing the world

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The story of weight loss drugs like Ozempic has become global and multi-sided, spanning celebrity culture, public health and major policy debates.

War in the Middle East, consequences in Australia

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The war in the Middle East is continuing to have economic consequences for Australians. Chief among these is higher prices at the petrol pump.The con...

Is the war in Iran becoming an 'escalation trap'?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The US-Israel war against Iran is poised to enter its fourth week with no immediate off-ramps.Now, the US military has deployed a second highly train...

From Adelaide to the Academy Awards

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Guido Wolter is a visual effects supervisor from Adelaide, who's earned an Oscar nomination for his work on the film Sinners.Guido and his team made ...

Exiled Iranian national soccer player speaks out about fate of returning players

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

One person who understands exactly what the Iranian women's soccer team has been going through this week is Shiva Amini.A former Iranian women's nati...

Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie on his next act

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie is about to start a solo tour of Australia. Bret talked to Saturday Extra about New Zealand politics, winning...

Is Melbourne the world's best city?

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this week, Melbourne topped Time Out's 50 best cities in the world in 2026, beating the likes of New York, Paris, London and perennial rival ...

Oil shock: Iran's leaders play hardball with global economy

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly two weeks after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Iran has found a way to inflict pain back on its enemies by stopping international...

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei 'wounded'

13 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is "wounded and likely disfigured", according to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But the regime still...

The world's longest serving TV news anchor duo

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Susannah Carr and Rick Ardon are the world's longest-serving television news anchor duo.Since 1985, they've read the news together at 7 News Perth mo...

Why did America decide to go to war with Iran?

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender", in a dramatic escalation one week into the war he launched with Israel. Is ...

Magda Szubanski remembers comedy legend Ted Emery

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, master of Australian comedy Ted Emery passed away. He was the maestro behind some of Australia's classic TV comedies: Kath and Kim, Fast ...

A 'comeback' after 6,000 years of extinction

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A tiny possum with an extremely long finger and a new kind of gliding marsupial have been identified in West Papua. The two species were only previo...

What's behind Trump's fight with an AI company?

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Anthropic and the Trump administration had a major falling out last week when the leading AI company requested restrictions on how the military uses ...

How Iran's proxies have been degraded

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Iran has spent decades and billions of dollars preparing foreign proxies as part of an alliance system stretching from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria to Yem...

Can the Iranians outlast the Americans?

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As the bombs keep falling on Iran, a big part of the Iranian strategy seems to be based on dragging out the conflict.The regime knows there's no appe...

The Last Thing: Caroline Butler-Bowdon

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The NSW State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon joins Saturday Extra for The Last Thing. She talks about her last great read, last great sporting m...

How Australian policy innovation influences the UK

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Geoff Mulgan, who worked with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, discusses how the Brits have borrowed some of our policy ideas. In a wide-ranging ...

Marianne Williamson on US politics

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Marianne Williamson stood for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and 2024. She rose to national prominence back in the 1980s as a spirit...

A rare look inside North Korea

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The outside world gets few hints at what is actually happening inside North Korea.But this week, the Workers' Party of Korea is holding its congress....

What makes a truly great speech?

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Next week marks the 80th anniversary of one of the most era-defining speeches of the post-war years, which Sir Winston Churchill delivered in Fulton,...

What's behind the rise of political violence in Australia?

27 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the prime minister was whisked away from the Lodge in Canberra in response to a security threat. In the wake of the Bondi terror attack an...

Why are so many people Chinamaxxing?

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

These days, if you want to "become Chinese" on social media, your race doesn't matter.It's all about wearing slippers inside, drinking hot water, usi...

Controversy surrounds incoming Northern Territory administrator

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the Northern Territory government will swear in a new administrator — it is the highest office in the territory, and the equivalent of a...

Gisele Pelicot seeks to reverse the onus of shame for assault victims

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is one of the most shocking sexual abuse trials the world has seen.Dominique Pelicot drugged his wife and invited at least 70 men into his home to...

Cricket legends stand up for imprisoned Imran Khan

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A group of former international cricket captains are calling for better treatment of Pakistan's imprisoned former prime minister — and cricket lege...

Gisele Pelicot seeks to reverse the onus of shame for assault victims

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It is one of the most shocking sexual abuse trials the world has seen.Dominique Pelicot drugged his wife and invited at least 70 men into his home to...

After Andrew's arrest, what now?

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested this week, so what's next for the former prince and the monarchy?

Trump considers initial limited military strike on Iran

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is considering committing the United States to another military campaign against Iran, telling reporters this week that he would deci...

Supreme Court strikes down Trump's tariffs

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The US Supreme Court has deemed President Donald Trump's global tariffs illegal. Trump responded by attacking the court's justices and vowing to res...

Reimagining A Winter's Journey for Australia

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Acclaimed tenor Allan Clayton and pianist Kate Golla are touring A Winter's Journey, a reimagining of Schubert's Winterreise for Opera Australia and ...

A turning point for protest in Australia?

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The police response to those protesting the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog may have marked an inflection point in Australia.But has this bee...

Building Zac Efron's zero-waste home

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Joost Bakker has been a zero-waste campaigner for more than two decades.His latest task is building an eco-wonderland home for Hollywood actor Zac Ef...

A big, messy week for the Liberals

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's out with Sussan Ley and in with Angus Taylor, the Liberals' eighth leadership change since John Howard's 2007 defeat.Fiona Scott looks at the bi...

What the Japanese election means for Australia

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Last Sunday's Japanese election may be one of the most consequential in decades, for Japan, the region, and also for Australia.It was a stunning land...

At Munich, big questions about the rules-based world order

13 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

At this year's Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that the rules-based world order "no longer exists". So where ...

Behind the massive lay-offs at The Washington Post

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Washington Post has made widespread lay-offs that will drastically shrink the size of the storied newspaper.Australia correspondent Michael Mille...

Why One Nation is surging in the polls

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Pauline Hanson's One Nation is enjoying the kind of public support it hasn't seen since its formation in the 1990s.Is this a blip or a more permanent...

Voguing performers ready to strike a pose

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight, dancers will battle it out on the runway in a voguing competition in Melbourne.Emerging in New York City in the 1980s, the underground ballr...

US politics roundup with Katty Kay and Jon Sopel

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A big week in US politics has been capped off by Donald Trump sharing a racist post about Obamas.Katty Kay and Jon Sopel join Nick Bryant to talk thr...

The impact of Isaac Herzog's Australia visit

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Israel's President Isaac Herzog is about to arrive in Australia. He will meet with bereaved families and members of the Jewish community following th...

The Last Thing: Sam Koslowski

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sam Koslowski, the co-founder of the social media news company, The Daily Aus, joins Nick Bryant on The Last Thing.

A messy January in Australian federal politics

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

January used to be a pretty quiet time in Australian politics, something of a partisan ceasefire. But not anymore.

The women drivers breaking up a boys' club

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Old Girls On The Road is a women-led community of classic car owners in Brisbane. Classic car culture is very male-dominated, so this group offers i...

Will Iran strike a deal with the US?

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump is amassing US military forces in the Gulf, as Tehran seeks a deal to ease tensions.Meanwhile, this week doctors inside Iran r...

What is Donald Trump's endgame in Minnesota?

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Amid the turmoil in Minnesota, President Donald Trump has given conflicting statements on whether or not he will pull back immigration enforcement ef...

The downfall of China’s top military general

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

China's top military general, Zhang Youxia, has been put under investigation and accused of "grave violations of discipline and the law."The purge is...

Bush poets, buskers and big stars takeover Tamworth

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's that time of year — when die-hard country music fans make their annual pilgrimage to the New South Wales town of Tamworth.For ten iconic days,...

How other countries deal with their contested days

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For many, Australia Day is a time to celebrate the very best of this country. For others, it's a day of reflection, mourning or protestBut this annua...

Is another interest rate hike on the way?

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There's been a January surprise for economists, with an unexpected drop in the country's unemployment rate.According to figures released by the ABS t...

Malcom Turnbull on Coalition chaos

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After the Coalition split, Malcolm Turnbull examines how it all went so wrong. The former prime minister also discusses a major week in international...

How will conservative parties reform after the Coalition's rancorous split?

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When hate crime legislation was tabled in parliament this week, few predicted the rancour and division it would unleash on the conservative side of p...

Where do transatlantic relations go from here?

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Greenland issue has underscored America's determination to challenge the international order as part of its "America first" vision.Where do trans...

Geraldine Brooks on love, loss and ghost writing for Kamala Harris

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Geraldine Books is a Pulitzer Prize winning author whose work spans foreign affairs, fiction and politics.Her most recent books bring readers somewhe...

Behind the scenes of journalist Gary O'Donoghue's exclusive interview with Trump

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gary O’Donoghue is the BBC's North America correspondent who made headlines due to an sudden, exclusive interview with President Trump, he was also...

David Gonski reflects on 20 years as Chancellor of UNSW

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

David Gonski is one of Australia's most respected and connected leaders — known as the "chairman of everything". After 20 years at UNSW as its lon...

Rifts between Europe and America as intense talks on Ukraine war continue

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The struggle between the US and the Europeans over the Ukraine war and the security of the continent is at a historic turning point — for the first...

Did Saturday Extra fulfil its promises to you?

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the start of this year, we said we would bring you the best commentators, the biggest brains, and people with lived experience on the ground. We p...

Overland from England to Adelaide for the Ashes

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

18-year-old Tommy Lamb has been on the road for over 100 days, making his way from Manchester in England through Europe and Asia in the hope of makin...

Australia's biggest social experiment: a ban on social media for under-16s

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Next week, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban social media accounts for users under 16, a rare bipartisan move, with both si...

Governor-General Sam Mostyn "there is so much good in this country."

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sam Mostyn took up the role of being the Governor-General in Australia in July last year, and she’s only the second woman to perform the role. Nic...

Mass prisoner release in Myanmar ahead of sham elections this month

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Myanmar's late-December elections are unfolding in what UN rights officials describe as an atmosphere of fear, violence.Ahead of that poll, which has...

Military build-up off Venezuela as US security strategy pledges "lethal force to defeat drugs cartels"

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration has released an updated National Security Strategy, which warned, among other things, that Europe faced what it called "the ...

The Rest Is History podcast back in Australia

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a chart topping podcast with millions of downloads around the world. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland are distinguished historians — Oxford...

What political trends are revealed in the 2025 Australian Election Study?

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week saw the eagerly anticipated release of the Australian Election Study (AES), compiled by academics at the Australian National University and...

Rising death toll in Hong Kong’s ‘avoidable’ fire

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At least 128 people have died and 200 people are still missing. It's the city's deadliest fire in 70 years, and it ripped through a housing complex w...

Washington attack and Trump's America with David Frum

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To discuss the Washington attack and the broader trajectory of the Trump presidency we’re joined by one of the most influential observers of Americ...

Is peace finally possible? The new Russia–Ukraine deal explained

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As US negotiators head to Moscow next week, doubts are mounting over what - if anything - Russia is willing to concede in a Ukraine peace deal. New ...

How China is ruled by engineers and America is run by lawyers

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China is an engineering state, obsessed with building megaprojects, while America is a lawyerly society, reflexively blocking everything, good and ba...

Australia and India seal major film Industry pact as Bollywood booms down under

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the popularity of Indian films surge in Australia,  a new era of bilateral film collaboration is being cemented through a cultural trade deal in ...

Jamal Khashoggi's widow devastated by President Trump's defence of Saudi Crown Prince

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The widow of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi says she is hurt and disappointed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcom...

One Nation surges in the polls as the Liberal Party searches for meaning

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As we enter the final parliamentary sitting week of the year Sussan Ley seems to have just survived the political killing season. The Liberal Party ...