Saturday Extra - Separate stories podcast

The Last Thing: Victoria Falconer

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Victoria Falconer is the co-artistic director of Hayes Theatre in Sydney's Kings Cross, a tiny venue known for almost entirely putting on musicals.Sh...

How Charlottesville became the frontline of an American history war

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In August 2017, during the early months of the first Trump presidency, hundreds of white supremacists and neo-Nazis descended on the small Virginian ...

Canberra: love it or hate it?

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, an unlikely stoush broke out on X after one user maligned the design of Australia's Parliament House. Criticism of Canberra (and its inst...

Can Australia be a leader in sustainable data centres?

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman declared Australia could be a world leader in AI data centres.While Pope Leo XIV laid out a sweeping vision an...

Amid heavy losses, Russia looks to next stage of Ukraine war

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On Friday, a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania, a NATO member state.And earlier in the week, Russia pummelled Kyiv with drones and u...

Is it 'deal or no deal' for Iran and the US?

29 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Hours after President Donald Trump concluded a Situation Room meeting with his national security team on Iran, the White House has not indicated whet...

Is mahjong having a moment?

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mahjong is being revived by a younger generation who want to reconnect over the game they grew up watching their families play.And they've taken matt...

Tasmania's budget: a fiscal precipice?

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week in Tasmania, the minority Liberal government has delivered a budget to cut the state's debt and deficit.Tasmanian budgets don't usually mak...

Australian activist claims of abuse while attempting to deliver aid

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Israel's security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself waving a large Israeli flag and appearing to taunt activists, who are...

Tenant Creek home offers a solution to Indigenous housing crisis

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In Tenant Creek, a new bespoke home designed by its occupants is the envy of town.With wide balconies, solar panels, and architecture that accommodat...

Will President Trump's Republican primary wins undermine their midterm chances?

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week President Trump demonstrated that his grip over the Republican party is tighter than ever.In Republican primaries, Donald Trump's hand-pick...

How did Putin's summit with Xi compare with Donald Trump's visit?

22 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Russian national anthem rang out across Tiananmen Square in Beijing this week to welcome President Vladimir Putin back to the Chinese capital.T...

The ABC's new AI reporter on how this tech is changing the world

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Depending who you ask, AI could be pushing humanity towards its downfall or helping to create some sort of tech utopia.Whatever you think of AI, it's...

Is the budget as historic as the government claims?

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week Jim Chalmers claimed that the federal budget is the most ambitious in decades, and the one to end generational inequity. From across the g...

National recognition for trio of Sydney architects

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Durbach Block Jaggers Architects won the Australian Institute of Architects' highest honour – the Gold Medal.Neil Durbach, Camilla Block...

What happens if international students stop coming to Australia?

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

International students have been a boon for Australia's higher education institutions and the Australian economy more broadly.But amid changing migra...

Trump Xi summit concludes

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

US President Donald Trump left Beijing after a two-day summit with President Xi Jinping, saying he had struck "fantastic trade deals, great for both ...

Latest on UK leadership struggle

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Westminster is witnessing the kind of prime ministerial instability which Canberra went through not so long ago, with Sir Keir Starmer facing yet ano...

Is One Nation set for a big by-election win?

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The major political parties in Britain are reeling from nationwide local election results which have underscored the rise of the populist right, and ...

Sarah Wilson on giving up hope and living truthfully in a collapsing world

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Wilson has a knack for tapping into the mood of the times.With headlines dominated by climate catastrophe, fertility decline, nuclear threat, a...

India becomes Australia's top source of migration

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time since records began, England is no longer Australia's top overseas country of origin.New figures from the Australian Bureau of Sta...

Donald Trump heads to Beijing for a high-stakes meeting

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing next week, where the two leaders will discuss trade and technology.The Middle East conflict wi...

Thomas Wright on great power rivalries in this volatile historic moment

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas Wright, one of the Biden administration's top national security advisers, explains how great power rivalries are playing out during the Iran w...

Anthony Albanese on his second term in a turbulent world

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This weekend marks one year since Anthony Albanese defied expectations and won a second term in a landslide.In this time, both Australia and the worl...

PNG artist Ngaiire building bricks and mortar music school for emerging artists

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Moving between the mountains of Papua New Guinea and Sydney, musician Ngaiire leads a kind of double life - cooking by fire and living off grid one d...

As the US turns 250, is it time for a reset?

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Opening our series on 250 years since American independence, we feature historian Jill Lepore, an expert in the US Constitution who tells the stories...

How King Charles became a 'Trump whisperer'

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Charles III became the first British king to address a joint meeting of US Congress.It was one part of his trip across the Atlantic, comin...

The Last Thing: Tim Ayliffe

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Ayliffe is a journalist-turned-thriller writer.He joins Saturday Extra for The Last Thing, where he talks through his last great reads and a book...

Do we need a more diverse Anzac Day?

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The significance and meaning of Anzac Day has waxed and waned over the decades.In the late-1960s and 1970s, many thought they were witnessing the dem...

Deborah Mailman finds her 'happy place' in Warwick Thornton's new film

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

One of Australia's most loved actresses is back on the big screen with the release of Warwick Thornton's latest feature, Wolfram.The film tells the s...

Who wants 'the most impossible job in the world'?

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It's been called "the most impossible job in the world".Amid wars, the threat of climate change, and other global crises, who wants to be the next Se...

What's it like on the ground in Lebanon right now?

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington have resulted in a three-week extension to the ceasefire. But what is the situation on the ground?Rich...

Hope and doubt around prospective Iran peace talks

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are poised to leave Washington for Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.Bu...

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...

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...

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...

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...