The Briefing

The hidden wave: why we need to talk about Covid again

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An eighth Covid wave is gripping the country, coming in right before Christmas again! Thousands of people are still getting sick, with this strain bei...

Shaking off music industry moguls one album at a time (Taylor's Version)

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest pop star in the world at the moment, breaking all sorts of records with her new music and re-recorded albums. But...

Why killers and rapists are being released from immigration detention

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last week the High Court ruled that 92 asylum seekers being held in detention indefinitely was unlawful, leading to their immediate release. Since, co...

Doctors describe crisis inside Gaza's Dar al-Shifa hospital

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know what's happening right now at Gaza's biggest hospital?  The Dar al-Shifa hospital is currently on its third day without power, fuel, wate...

650 days in Myanmar jail: Aussie Sean Turnell's survival story

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For 650 days Sean Turnell was held in Myanmar’s terrifying Insein Prison on the trumped-up charge of being a spy. In An Unlikely Prisoner he recount...

The truth on why lying in political advertising is legal

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We expect safeguards for advertisers to provide fact-based information that isn't deceptive or misleading. Sadly, when it comes to political advertisi...

Whistleblower surgeon: why we should be worried about breast implants

12 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when breast implants go wrong? In this episode, we find out about every type of issue from pain and illness to “double bubble” and “...

Who is the real Benjamin Netanyahu?

11 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Benjamin Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel; he's the country's longest-serving and most controversial leader. Currently he is responsible for ...

Jane Lu is the ultimate lazy CEO

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In September 2010, with a handful of clothes to sell and a Facebook page for promotion, Jane Lu founded Show Pony in her parents garage. Fast Forward ...

Who are the young Aussies still living Covid cautiously?

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Australia is entering an eighth wave of COVID, with cases growing by 23.6% in the last reporting period.  Most of us are getting on with life, but di...

How our medications are making fish less sexual and more aggressive

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pharmaceuticals in wastewater has been changing the behaviour of fish. Studies have found some fish are even becoming more aggressive and have a lower...

Why our Miss Universe could be stripped of crown in finance scandal

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A petition calling for Australia’s Miss Universe contestant to stand down, is gathering steam.  Moraya Wilson, who is the current Miss Universe Aus...

What our future looks like without cash

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Australia is rapidly becoming a cashless society. Last year only 16% of transactions in Australia used cash, while notes are increasingly getting take...

The Optus outage has exposed Australia's vulnerable telco network

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been among the millions of Australians unable to make a call, get on the internet, travel into work or operate your business today? The Optus...

How could the Israel-Hamas conflict end?

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the death toll in Gaza pushes past 10,000 this week, what will it take to end the conflict? Western powers have been advocating for a two-state sol...

As rates rise, who is buying and selling houses in Australia?

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Reserve Bank has today once again lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points, up to 4.35%.  It’s the 13th rate rise since last year, with many Aus...

How we are being tricked into believing AI has human intelligence

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

AI today is often about faking human intelligence, but this fakery isn’t a modern phenomenon. It can be traced back to the very beginning of the fie...

Why more Aussies are saying nup to the Melbourne Cup

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Melbourne Cup has long been known as the race that stops the nation. But over the years, crowd numbers at the iconic event have been declining as ...

Recycled water: why we should take the piss

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We live on the driest inhabited continent on earth, so it’s no surprise water security is listed as one of the biggest challenges we’ll face in th...

Rarriwuy Hick is bringing sexy back in her latest role

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rarriwuy Hick is one of Australia’s leading young actors, she can speak seven languages and she’s part of the Home and Away family Rarriwuy is bac...

Here's how to make sure your e-scooter battery doesn't explode

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few years there has been an explosion in the number of e-bikes and e-scooters across the country. But amidst a chain of recent fires lin...

We should say 'why doesn’t he stop': Minister for Women on Lilie James

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The brutal murder of Lilie James at a Sydney high school shocked the country when it made headlines last month - but her killing was just one case amo...

Almost two years on, what’s the latest in Ukraine?

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It once dominated headlines, but almost two years on, media coverage of the war in Ukraine has significantly dropped off. And despite a waning interes...

How do you negotiate a hostage release in the Israel-Hamas conflict?

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than 200 people were taken hostage by Hamas militants when the group staged a surprise attack on Israel on October 7th. Those taken hostage inclu...

Why cops want to silence Australia’s drill rap stars ONEFOUR

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A shortage of opportunity and an excess of crime - artists ONEFOUR have risen from troubled beginnings to become Australia’s first drill rap stars, ...

Is TikTok giving you an eating disorder?

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers have discovered a link between the advent of social media platforms and spikes in eating disorders. Over the last 20 years, people being h...

Day of reckoning for mums whose babies were forcibly adopted

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Victoria has become the first Australian jurisdiction to announce compensation for mothers impacted by the country's brutal historical forced adoption...

What you need to know about the new STI morning-after pill

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s now a morning after pill for men who have sex with men. Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, known as "doxy- PEP" can be taken up to 72 ho...

Matthew Perry - more than Friends

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As sitcom show Friends goes from strength to strength finding new audiences 20 years after winding up, one of its brightest stars Matthew Perry has di...

Exclusive: how a suburban mum became a radical sovereign citizen

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An extreme movement of Australians who reject the authority of our government and believe they’re exempt from laws, taxes and the values of mainstre...

BONUS: A day in the life of an ASMRtist

28 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably come across ASMR content in your TikTok feed recently - content in which you can hear in highly detailed sound of other people eating,...

Australia's most loved author Trent Dalton still reads the critics words

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Trent Dalton is one of Australia’s best known and loved modern authors. Unsure if it would sell, Trent went from book club to book club speaking abo...

Tap, scratch, tingle - why we're so obsessed with ASMR

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a social media phenomenon. From videos of people tapping on objects, to whispering bedtime stories, or ...

What have we learned from the model boycott of Melbourne Fashion Week?

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Melbourne Fashion Week is coming to close, after a week marked with controversy following a dozen Black Australian models boycotting the event to high...

Men rank mental health as #1 - what are we doing about it?

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Australia men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, a statistic that has lead to countless mental health campaigns aimed at blo...

Are you the one in four investing in crypto? It's about to get regulated

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cryptocurrencies are set to be be regulated – with the government announcing plans to bring crypto exchanges under the control of the financial regu...

Is this the end of the big Aussie festival?

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have we seen the end of an era of large-scale festivals in Australia? For a long time music festivals have been a key part of an Australian summer - b...

After the silence, Thomas Mayo has a new voice

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On Sunday Indigenous leaders sent an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after a week of silence was observed by Aboriginal and Torres Stra...

Gimme, gimme more: what we know about Britney Spears' tell-all memoir

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Britney Spears has been in the headlines since she was 16; from global pop princess, to very public breakdown, to a battle in court to free her from a...

Who’s policing war crimes in the Israel-Hamas conflict?

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the recent escalation in the Israel-Hamas conflict, both sides of the war have been calling out the other for enacting war crimes. In this episod...

Behind closed doors: how companies pay to influence our politicians

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every day those who represent some of the country’s largest organisations meet with our politicians and public servants to try and influence governm...

Would you let emergency services hack into your phone?

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

NSW Police are trialling technology allowing them to remotely access Triple Zero callers' phones so they can see what’s happening on the ground in a...

Monique Conti is changing the way we see female athletes

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Monique Conti has taken the sporting world by storm playing for both Richmond in AFLW and the Melbourne Boomers in basketball. But this is something s...

A music legend reveals 50-year love affair with Sydney Opera House

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Sydney Opera House, an iconic building synonymous with Australia, turns 50 today.  Iva Davies is the founder and frontman for Icehouse, one of th...

Why are black models boycotting Melbourne fashion week?

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than a dozen Black Australian models are boycotting Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW) to highlight the fashion industry’s mistreatment of people of ...

Why kids need security at Jewish and Islamic schools in Australia

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Guards armed with guns are an unusual sight in Australian public life - but not if you go to a Jewish school, synagogue or some other faith-based inst...

The dirty little secret hiding in your protein powder

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Australia there’s no requirement for regular testing to confirm what’s inside your protein powder. The protein powder market is mostly unregula...

Why are women less likely to be saved by CPR?

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fewer women in Australia are trained and confident to administer first aid than men, according to an alarming survey by St. John Ambulance. Even worse...

Fact or Fiction: the fake Israel-Gaza war posts going viral online

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Misinformation and disinformation about the Israel-Gaza conflict is currently flooding social media platforms. Changes in the verification process for...

A heavy toll: why do we pay to drive on roads?

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A recent report forecasted that this financial year, toll operators will rake in $3.7 billion in toll revenue. What's scary is that over 80% of toll r...

Meet the Australian teen leading the push to go nuclear

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Could a Brisbane teenager have the solution to achieving net zero? 17-year-old Will Shackel launched the ‘Nuclear for Australia’ campaign a year a...

Behind the ballot: why did so many vote no to the Voice?

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Australia has voted on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with the result being firm rejection of the proposal. All states and territories, excluding...

Indigenous No campaigner Warren Mundine reacts to the referendum

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On Saturday the country voted in the first referendum since 1999 on a Voice to Parliament. The country voted with 39.4% saying ‘yes’ and 60.6.% sa...

Tennis nearly broke Jelena Dokic but she’s never staying silent again

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jelena Dokic has had an extraordinary tennis career and why she may have left the tennis court she hasn’t left public life. In this chat with Jamila...

Remembering Cal Wilson: an enigmatic portrait of colour and fun

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sad news broke this week of the passing of beloved comedian Cal Wilson, after a short illness fighting an unexpected and aggressive cancer. Cal, who w...

Can Malarndirri McCarthy convince you to vote yes?

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Malarndirri McCarthy is a Yanyuwa woman from the Gulf country in the Northern Territory. Despite...

It gets better: expert tips on coping with a catastrophic news cycle

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you cope with catastrophic news? The world is reeling watching events unfold in Israel/Palestine. As the death toll climbs on both sides, and i...

Can Peter Dutton convince you to vote no?

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Dutton’s opposition to the proposal for a Voice to parliament has been a crucial factor in its declining support over months of referendum cam...

The scoop on Goop and Australia's wellness industry

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It has now been 15 years since the creation of Goop, the wellness giant established by actor Gwyneth Paltrow. But what exactly is wellness?  And why ...

What you need to know about Hamas

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Israel has formally declared war on Hamas, the militant Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, following the groups attack on soldiers and civil...

From a holiday to a bomb shelter: Aussies stuck in Israel

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The world was horrified at the weekend to learn Hamas militants escaped from the Gaza Strip and wreaked havoc on Israel, killing more than 700 people ...

Hedley Thomas reveals own personal tragedy behind The Teacher's Pet

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The disappearance of Lynette Simms from Sydney's northern beaches in 1982 was the cold case that gripped both Australia and the world. Uncovered by jo...

What does the rest of the world think about our vote on the Voice?

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This year, so much of our national conversation has revolved around whether our Constitution should be amended to include an Indigenous Voice to Parli...

All Out War: the conflict in Israel explained

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Briefing brings you an up to the minute explanation of what has happened in Israel over the last two days. It began on Saturday morning with a sho...

Elise Loehnen went from GOOP to reclaiming her name

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elise Loehnen has achieved a lot! She has ghost written 12 books, was second-in-command at Goop and has now released her first book under her own name...

The dark secrets lurking behind a cult cafe

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

People from all around the world travel to NSW’s Blue Mountains for the serenity. But did you know it’s actually home to a dark secret? The Twelve...

Is the recent Roman Empire obsession harmless fun or toxic male fantasy?

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A TikTok trend created by Swedish influencer Saskia Cort, who told her Instagram followers to ask men how often they think about the Roman Empire, has...

City of Love bites as bedbugs take over Paris

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Paris may be the city of love, but there’s one local you wouldn’t want to share a bed with… Bed bugs. The city and host for the next Olympics in...

What you need to know about going off the pill

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For decades rates of doctors prescribing birth control has remained steady - but figures show that since the early 2000’s, the number of those choos...

Could you handle the heat of being a volunteer firefighter?

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bushfires are already creating havoc and hardship across Australia. With the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a dry, hot summer, things are expected ...

Attention: what we can do to fix it

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So you’re having trouble paying attention - scrolling has replaced daydreaming, TikTok has replaced reading a book or watching a movie, and focusing...

How gender-affirming surgery could soon be free under Medicare

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gender affirming surgeries reduce suicide, depression and gender dysphoria among transgender and gender-diverse people who need them. But they cost pa...

Attention: why it matters

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are you having trouble paying attention? Studies show most of us are increasingly feeling more distracted and less attentive - but if we’re all in t...

Property porn - how you could buy your own island

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Private islands have always been fascinating for Australians and popular with celebrities. With several small islands in Tasmania and Queensland recen...

Attention: why we don’t have any

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you noticed your attention waning? Texts, emails and notifications; podcasts, meetings and social media - while everyone is fighting for it, it f...

Hannah Ferguson on feminism

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Stranded in Bali: Why your travel insurance may not cover you

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Going on holiday is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s a chance to let your hair down and blow off a bit of steam. While it usually pays to h...

Join the rat race with a tour of NYCs secret rat hotspots

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kenny Bollwerk has built over 240,000 TikTok followers and amassed millions of views of his livestreams showing some of the most rat-infested streets ...

Young donors, where the bloody hell are you?

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The top blood donors in Australia are older men – but young blood and plasma are needed to keep saving lives. Data shows young people are sporadic d...

You can now join a national revolution calling out shit rentals

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jordie van den Berg (known by his influential social media alias PurplePingers) and Lauren Michaelides (known as Toilet Paper Australia on X) have lau...

How a brutal murder sparked the Canada vs India conflict

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Canada and India are at loggerheads, with both nations in a diplomatic storm that looks like it’s going to get much worse before it gets better.  C...

Dan Andrews, the Victorian Premier who ruled from the left and survived

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Andrews, Labor’s longest reigning Premier in Victoria, has announced he will resign from the top job. What was the reasoning behind his decision...

Dan Andrews resigns. What will Victoria make of his legacy?

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has announced he’ll retire at 5pm tomorrow. He says he has no plans, and will take time to spend with his family. He l...

Inside the sinister new experiment to kill death row inmates

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The state of Alabama is planning to use nitrogen gas to execute prisoners on death row, after a series of botched lethal injections. Oklahoma, Mississ...

Why are we so blasé about privacy a year after the Optus hacking breach?

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 confus...

Cracking the whip on dating app safety

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Popular online dating platforms like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge - are being threatened with government regulation unless they improve safety for users. ...

Hugh van Cuylenburg on resilience

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

What the end of Rupert Murdoch's reign means for us

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

Why parents are asking the PM for porn passports

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 pas...

Invisible poison: The vaping epidemic in our schoolyards

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Vaping is a growing problem among our youth, with widespread accessibility and a multitude of health and addiction risks facing our adolescents. But i...

Invisible poison: Vaping residue is the new secondhand smoke

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Why endometriosis is a big problem with little help

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New research has found the endometriosis crisis in Australia is worsening. Endometriosis is a common, yet painful disease where tissue similar to the ...

No campaigner Warren Mundine lays out his case against the Voice

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 nation...

Russell Brand: Celebrity, power, sex and what's next

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this extra episode of The Briefing: Comedian, actor, writer, podcaster and conspiracy theorist, Russell Brand, has come under fire. While Brand has...

Yes leader Noel Pearson on winning the soft No

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Noel Pearson is one of Australia's most respected Indigenous leaders - fighting for Constitutional recognition since the Howard era. With just four we...

10 years in limbo: The 12,000 refugees still waiting for residency

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Allergy nation: Why your risk is predicted to explode by 70%

17 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s spring, so let’s talk allergies!Australia is considered the allergy capital of the world. Allergic disease currently affects more than four m...

BONUS: Are we ready to vote? On the road with those saying 'Yes'

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Sean Kelly on politics

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 singl...

Are influencers really influencing fashion?

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing: How are social media influencers shaking up Australia's fashion industry? Content creators are c...