The Briefing
Episodes
Can the government force supermarkets to lower their prices, and should it?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Grocery prices have been sky-rocketing. A brief trip to the supermarket for just a handful of items can cost a small fortune. The Federal Government h...
How 'sponge cities' could help us reduce the destruction of floods
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With parts of the Northern Territory experiencing the ongoing impacts of devastating floods across summer, Far North Queensland is again bracing for h...
Why King Charles' prostate is a reminder to check your balls
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Buckingham Palace has announced King Charles will have a procedure on his prostate. The news prompted an 11-fold increase in internet searches for 'en...
The reality of being Australia’s best new radio talent
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Breakfast radio is brutal. The 4am wake ups, the competition, trying to stay at top of the ratings and unpredictable talkback callers. But Laura O’C...
Behind the unexpected rebirth of the magazine
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the term ‘print is dead’, but is it? Turns out the magazine sector continues to have a loyal consumer base, in fact seeing growt...
Can Australia ever stop drug overdoses at music festivals?
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this month, nine people were hospitalised with hyperthermia (extreme overheating) after taking MDMA in the sweltering heat at Hardmission Fest...
Former Human Rights Watch head on journalistic censorship and the ABC
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the middle of a short backfill contract on ABC Radio Sydney late last year, journalist Antoinette Lattouf was abruptly sacked for sharing a Human R...
The rise and rise of ketamine
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ketamine use is growing among young Australian party and festival goers as a cut-price alternative to drugs like cocaine and ecstacy. National wastewa...
Meet Sonny Rennison, Australia's first wheelchair ballkid
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With all eyes on Melbourne as the Australian Open takes off, now is the time when so many of us go into tennis fever. But this year, get ready to see ...
Who are the Houthis and why is Australia getting involved?
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ships in the Red Sea are increasingly coming under attack from Houthis rebels. The Iranian-backed, Yemen-based group has threatened to continue the at...
How could we better look after those with dementia?
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dementia is the second leading cause of death of all Australians, with more than 400,000 people currently living with the disease in 2024. It can be a...
Inside the first day of Donald Trump's race for the White House
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 2024 race to the White House begins today in lowa. The upper mid-west state hosts the first Caucuses of the Presidential election campaign. Donald...
Why does Taiwan's election result matter to the rest of the world?
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The recent election in Taiwan has made headlines all over the world and has made China very, very unhappy. It's expected that the new President-elect,...
All hail Queen Mary, the first Australian-born Queen Consort
14 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Donaldson was born and raised in Tasmania, and has today become Queen of Denmark. It's a remarkable story of a girl living in a share house in Bo...
Nazeem Hussain on keeping mum and performance anxiety
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Nazeem Hussain has done a lot of things – he created a TV show on SBS, made the Grand Finals of I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here, and he'...
How to set up for retirement in 2024
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chances are that if you aren’t closely approaching retirement, you might not be thinking too critically about it... but should you be? How much ex...
The genocide case against Israel
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The International Court of Justice has held its first public hearing in the genocide case against Israel, over its war in Gaza. Israeli PM Benjamin Ne...
How to buy a house in 2024
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the Great Australian Dream: buying a property of your own. But in a real estate market blighted by rising prices and high interest rates, getti...
Why crazy rent hikes are about to end
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's housing crisis is marching on: house prices across the country went up by 8.1% last year, while rents have gone up by a whopping 8.3%. But...
How to get rich in 2024
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us got poorer in 2023, amidst a cost of living crisis that saw grocery prices, interest rates and rents surge. But there’s a group that stil...
From prison to praise: Who is Gypsy Rose Blanchard?
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After nearly nine years Gypsy Rose Blanchard has been released from prison. The now 32-year-old was convicted for her role in the murder of her mother...
How to get a promotion in 2024
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is 2024 the year you take your next step forward in your career? Getting a promotion makes many a New Year's resolutions list - but if you're hoping f...
Inside the program deradicalising Andrew Tate's teen fans
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A year ago the Raising Awareness and Prevention (RAP) project in the UK was inundated with phone calls from boys' schools. The reason: Andrew Tate. Th...
How to financially re-set in 2024
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's a new year, you're a new you, let's get your finances sorted! Our bank accounts often take a major hit during the holiday season - so how do you ...
How your work spaces could change in 2024
07 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 4-day work week, flexible working and co-working are all going to be major buzzwords this year. There's also coworking, where we're seeing moves t...
Summer Weekends: Elise Loehnen went from GOOP to reclaiming her name
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our summer series of the Weekend Briefing featuring some of your favourite interviews from 2023! Elise has achieved a lot! She has ghost wr...
Aussie rescue hero on Japan's gold standard earthquake plan
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dozens of people have died, hundreds have been injured– and tens of thousands of homes destroyed after Japan’s massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake ea...
Why we can now take the Mickey out of Disney
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time, one of Disney’s marquee characters — Mickey himself — has entered the public domain 95 years after his creation. But it will...
Boomer breakups: why are our parents getting divorced more than us?
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know every generation is seeing a decline in divorce stats, except for boomers? It turns out Hugh Jackman’s split from his wife Deborah Lee ...
The truth behind ‘manifesting’ and why it might not be right for you
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know google searches for 'manifesting' soared by 669% from late March to mid-July last year? In this episode of The Briefing Katrina Blowers i...
A futurist explains what the big trends will be for 2024
31 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the first day of 2024, and some big trends are on the cards for this year. Democracies will be tested; AI will lead to major changes in our wor...
Summer Weekends: Dilruk Jayasinha was never going to be an accountant
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our summer series of the Weekend Briefing featuring some of your favourite interviews from 2023! Dilruk Jayasinha is one of Australia’s m...
The Briefing’s 2023 Pop Culture Wrap
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Britney Spears and Prince Harry’s bios took the world by storm in 2023; Taylor Swift became a billionaire; and the Barbie movie got us going to the ...
The Briefing’s 2023 Sport Wrap
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s one word for Aussie sport in 2023 and that is: Matildas! But that wasn’t the only big news in sport: we also saw a massive year in cricket...
The Briefing’s 2023 International News Wrap
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing has made international news more in the last few months than the conflict in Gaza, but do you remember some of the other big stories that hit ...
The Briefing’s 2023 National News Wrap
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
2023 has been a big year for Australia. In this episode of The Briefing Katrina Blowers and Tom Tilley take us through all the big moments from the fa...
A powerful description of what it’s like living with adult ADHD
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There has been a rise of well-known Aussies, particularly females, announcing that they have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Due to this rise th...
Synthetic "forever chemicals" found in popular cosmetics brands
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We took six well known cosmetics to an independent laboratory for testing. The results show that two of the brands contain PFAS, which are dangerous s...
Wonka, Mean Girls or Aquaman? The Briefing wraps your summer movies
25 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Boxing Day and that means there’s a good chance you’re heading to the movies. In this episode of The Briefing Sacha Barbour Gatt wraps of s...
Tree pickles, live carp and KFC: Christmas foods around the world
24 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Christmas and that means there’s a good chance you’ll spend most of today in a food coma, even if you’re not religious. In Japan, there’...
Summer Weekends: Maria Thattil from Miss Universe to the Jungle
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to our summer series of the Weekend Briefing featuring some of your favourite interviews from 2023! Maria is a queer, South-Asian woman, the d...
How to look after your mental health during the holiday period
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this morning's episode of The Briefing, we looked into how to manage difficult conversations with family members over Christmas. In this afternoon'...
How to navigate awkward conversations at the Christmas dinner table
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With Christmas just days away, plenty of us are feeling a bit of trepidation (or perhaps a lot) at the prospect of spending time with family members w...
Will you join the Coles and Woolworths boycott?
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As public anger mounts over Coles and Woolworths’ super-profits during a cost of living crisis, Brisbane local Dylan Fragomeni is pushing for a boyc...
Why are we rewatching Aussie kids' shows?
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Seven out of 10 Aussies are rewatching TV shows from their childhood and it’s all part of a nostalgia trend. A recent study by Swinburne, RMIT Unive...
Is today's court ruling the beginning of the end for Donald Trump?
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Colorado Supreme Court have just disqualified former US President Donald Trump from being listed in the ballot for the next election. They claim...
Why Malcom Turnbull says King Charles' visit can't stop republic by 2026
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
King Charles and Queen Camilla are coming down under next year, making it their first visit to Australia as monarchs. But will it lead to a resurgence...
Step inside the house with no power bills
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us have been hit with record power bills this year – and a predicted hot summer ahead is not going to help with keeping costs down. But what...
It's hot, and that's bad for domestic violence rates
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australia is known for its hot summers and because of climate change we’re in for more frequent and intense heat waves going forward. An Australian ...
What really works to stop people dying on our roads?
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
A witness tells what life is really like for kids in Gaza
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 human...
Why Marc Fennell won't share his opinion anymore
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 h...
Festive not festy: how to avoid food poisoning this season
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fe...
Was this year’s climate conference, COP28, a success?
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Now she's cleared of killing her kids, what's next for Kathleen Folbigg?
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Previously referred to as Australia's worst female serial killer, Kathleen Folbigg has finally had her convictions for killing her four children dismi...
As the last of the pandemic premiers steps down, what will their legacy be?
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Queensland’s long-serving leader Anastasia Palaszczuk announced her resignation, signalling the end of the reign of Australia’s pandemi...
FNQ bunkers down and prepares for Cyclone Jasper
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 la...
Want to understand our society? Look at the history of eyebrows
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People have been doing things to their eyebrows for millennia; whether it’s plucking them, shaving them, colouring them or getting rid of them compl...
How First Nations cultural knowledge helps prevent bushfires
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
Are people taking revenge on Coles and Woolies at self-serve checkouts?
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Why #FoxEyes, #BarbieBotox and #LipFlip could be banned
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
They’re the non-surgical cosmetic procedures that get spruiked and glamorised with hashtags like #BarbieBotox, #FoxEyes and #LipFlip by influencers ...
How Ruby Sait got into the 1% of foster care leavers who make it to uni
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many young people are struggling with the rising cost of living: rent, bills, groceries and transport. But imagine you’re doing it all alone, withou...
How to be an accidental influencer with Kath Ebbs
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. Kat...
This Christmas, will you be carrying the mental load?
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 wond...
How you are being tricked by dishonest influencers and fake reviews
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is cracking down on our online space. Two new reports flag major concerns when it comes to social...
The link between 'premillennialism' and the Wieambilla massacre
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 civ...
Is your company in crisis? Make a woman CEO
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 whe...
Why Neil the 600kg elephant seal decided to invade human habitat
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. ...
China: the world's biggest polluter is undergoing a renewable revolution
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Will you ditch fast fashion to save the planet?
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 e...
President or prisoner: Chas Licciardello on Trump's '24 presidential run
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
This hand-held drug testing device could save lives across Australia
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you think more accessible drug testing would change illicit drug use in Australia? A handheld device called the MicroNIR is currently being u...
Will the world follow Australia in resettling climate change refugees?
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa is teaching you how to live a bad ass life
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 supp...
Has Spotify got the music industry 'wrapped' up?
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone’s talking about Spotify ‘wrapped’, but is Spotify – and streaming in general – killing off the music industry? Subscribers receiv...
Mark’s life was 24/7 pain. Why couldn’t he end it in Australia?
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Voluntary assisted dying is now legal in Australia, after NSW passed laws earlier this week. There are some differences between states; NSW has a diff...
Why you're less fertile than your grandparents were
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Despite our population across the globe exceeding 8 billion, several reports say that the fertility of both men and women has been decreasing since th...
What it's like to live in the nightmare world of OCD from the age of six
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The stereotypes of OCD are hand washing and checking door locks, but for many people it’s the underlying thoughts that derail their life and steal t...
How much should we blame Coles and Woolies for surging grocery prices?
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How can Coles and Woolworths claim to keep prices down while recording record profits? Our two supermarket giants have recorded rising profits, each n...
Why the government is apologising to thalidomide survivor Trish Jackson
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The government is making a formal apology to the victims of thalidomide today. Thalidomide was a drug given to pregnant women in the 50s and 60s to tr...
The Albanese government is banning Nazi salutes. Here's why
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Albanese Government will introduce legislation to the federal parliament tomorrow officially banning Nazi salutes. It follows a decision in June t...
What really went down with reinstated ChatGPT boss Sam Altman?
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sam Altman was fired from his position as CEO of OpenAI and then four days later was reinstated. Altman is the darling of Silicon Valley, with Open AI...
With the sky-high cost of living, has Albo's popularity paid the price?
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s Newspoll figures show Anthony Albanese is on the nose with voters. If an election were held this weekend, the ALP would lose six seats and f...
Meet the Aussie bringing CCTV into space to tackle real-life star wars
26 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An Australian start-up called HEO is bringing CCTV into space. The technology HEO uses is world-first and works at phenomenal speeds; doing everything...
BONUS: An expert's warning about the future dangers of AI in dating
25 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the near future, experts predict everyone will have a personal AI assistant that'll be able to perform all sorts of tasks for you - potentially eve...
Genesis Owusu is 25 years old and already has seven ARIAs
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Genesis Owusu is an award winning musician and artist, taking home 3 ARIA's just a couple of weeks ago including album of the year. Moving from Ghana ...
Cash and Carols: The surprising impact of music on your spending habits
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What was once an American tradition has now come to signal the start of the busy festive season in Australia: the Black Friday sales, which are now un...
Will you need to make a TikTok video for your next job application?
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been asked to send a resume via TikTok? Hilton Hotels Australasia has announced they will be accepting TikTok CVs in a bid to stay relev...
Could AI pick your soulmate?
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know most of the dating apps Australians swipe through every day are using artificial intelligence? From safety features to enhancing match ...
Horrific war images on social media could be giving you PTSD
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The war in Gaza has seen tens of thousands of graphic images and videos proliferate across the internet. Overconsumption of this type of media can lea...
"Earn or burn": why dozens of Melbourne businesses have been firebombed
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Melbourne is in the grip of a crime war over the illicit tobacco market. Cheap imported tobacco, known as ‘chop chop’ is flooding the market and...
One in six Australian men have sexual feelings towards children
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One in six Australian men have reported sexual feelings towards children in the world's largest ever child sexual abuse perpetration prevalence study....
Boomers are spending big while the rest of us suffer
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The cost of living is an issue affecting Australians right across the board, whether you're young or old, renting or buying, working or unemployed. ...
$20,000 Sneakers: What Melissa Caddick's family has to give back
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Melissa Caddick is the infamous financial adviser who orchestrated a multi-million dollar investment scam, and then disappeared in 2020. In the latest...
Yoga over booze: the changing face of schoolies in Australia
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since the 1970s, young Aussies have marked the end of their schooling career by descending on beaches across the country for a week of drinking, party...
Inside Australia's vape addiction crisis: a 19-year-old’s story
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Federal Government has announced it will ban the importation of vapes and cut permitted nicotine levels under reforms set to be phased in from Jan...
Why Clementine Ford is telling you not to get married
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Speak now or forever hold your peace! Australian feminist writer, broadcaster and public speaker Clementine Ford makes the case against marriage. In t...
Resurrecting the Tasmanian Tiger: the science behind de-extinction
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered if extinct species could make a comeback? The Tasmanian Tiger became extinct in 1936, but an Australian researcher is working on bringin...
Real life Succession: who is Lachlan Murdoch?
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the man who is becoming one of the most powerful Australian’s in the world, Lachlan Murdoch. The Murdoch family are the owners of the huge glob...
Why you shouldn't just delete the spam in your inbox
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been sent a marketing email that didn’t have an unsubscribe button? Or maybe you’ve received a message from a company you’re sure ...