The Briefing

R U OK? What you should say if someone isn’t

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: Everyone knows the impact of mental health on our wellbeing, our families, our jobs and our futu...

The summer ahead: Group therapy for scientists with climate anxiety

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Constant exposure to dire forecasts and extreme weather events is taking its toll on climate scientists. It's meant scientists are now trying group th...

Caught with coke? Why Canberra thinks it's no big deal

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: The ACT has passed laws that decriminalise illicit drugs. This means you’ll get the equivalent...

Are you using AI at work? If not, your colleague is

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

AI is here: already a third of employees are using AI for work, and in two-thirds of those cases, their manager doesn't know. Sectors like media, fina...

Jewellery, World Cup tix & VIP Lounges: What politicians get for free and you don't

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of The Briefing: What exactly are our politicians being gifted for free, and who takes the most? While gifts rang...

Chanel Contos: How an instagram post ignited a revolution on consent

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chanel Contos shot to fame when she uncovered thousands of horror stories about sexual abuse and coercion in Sydney’s elite private schools. Since t...

Rubiales resigns: the kiss that kicked off a revolution in women's sport

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing:  After three weeks of intense pressure, Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has...

How Morocco is dealing with its biggest earthquake in 120 years

10 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At least 2,012 people have died with at least 2000 more injured in the most powerful earthquake Morocco has suffered in 120 years. The 6.8 magnitude q...

Flex Mami on influence

08 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...

Can the Wallabies do a 'Matildas' and save rugby union?

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this headlines-free extra episode of the Briefing:  Tom Tilley's secret passion!! The Rugby World Cup begins in France this weekend – and the Wa...

Why South Korean teachers are at breaking point

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

15,000 people dressed in black attended an illegal rally on Monday in Seoul.This massive protest was triggered after three teacher suicides happened i...

Don't F**k with cats: Plibersek's plan to protect native species

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this extra, headlines-free episode of The Briefing: the federal government's plans to declare war on feral cats. Today is National Threatened Speci...

Is the honeymoon over for Labor?

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Anthony Albanese’s personal approval has dropped under the 50 per cent mark for the first time since he was elected Prime Minister. It’s as Labor ...

Can democracy in the US survive another four years of Trump?

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this extra, headlines-free episode of The Briefing:  Donald Trump refuses to acknowledge he lost the 2020 election, so would his re-election lead ...

The Summer Ahead: Can our power grids stand the heat?

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're facing down the prospect of rolling blackouts this summer, with temperatures expected to break records. To find out about just where we’re at ...

Will Alan Joyce's early departure save Qantas from a crash landing?

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this extra, headlines-free episode of The Briefing: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce was due to retire in November, but made the stunning announcement this mo...

Behind the Farnham hit that's become the 'Yes' campaign's anthem

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As John Farnham’s anthem becomes the theme song for the Yes campaign we reveal the story behind the song. Turns out it was written by a British musi...

Emptying your wallet to fill up the tank: Why is petrol so expensive?

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Around the country, drivers are forking out an average of $2.05 a litre for petrol, while some unlucky Aussies have had to pay prices as high as $2.38...

The dirty little secret lurking in your eco-friendly straws

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Across Australia paper straws, wooden cutlery and cardboard tubs have replaced plastic in a bid to protect the environment, but new research shows the...

Milo Hartill on body

01 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...

We’re all angry at Qantas, and the backlash seems to be working

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Skyrocketing ticket prices, massive profits and soaring pay packets. What’s with Qantas? Qantas boss Alan Joyce faced a parliamentary grilling this ...

BONUS: We have a date to vote on the Voice - what can we expect next?

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, has officially announced that the country will go to the polls on Saturday, October 14th to vote on...

The truth about domestic violence: What you should do if you see it

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode The Briefing continues our focus on what you might not know about domestic violence. Today’s episode is more about you and what...

The truth about domestic violence: Do our support services actually work?

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, The Briefing continues our focus on what you might not know about domestic violence. Antoinette Lattouf sits down with the Assis...

The truth about domestic violence: When police become perpetrators

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve may have noticed there’s been more of a push in recent years to help people better identify domestic violence in all its forms, and in part...

The truth about domestic violence: Teens, porn and choking

27 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to crime trends in Australia – domestic and sexual violence tops the list. This week on the Briefing Antoinette Lattouf leads a specia...

Thomas Mayo on the Voice

25 Aug 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...

Equity Mates reveal simple tips on how to grow your money

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is an episode future you will thank you for. Investing in the stock market seems too complicated and risky for many young people, but the founder...

The Summer Ahead: What the heat does to your body

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

July 2023 was the hottest month on the planet in 120,000 years. In this episode of The Briefing, we speak with Jeff Goodell whose new book is The Heat...

Why I met the neo-Nazis who firebombed my family's restaurant

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Crispian Chan is a Chinese-Australian who grew up in Perth. His parents ran a Chinese restaurant until it was firebombed in the late 1980s. It turns o...

Have the Greens forced the government into rental caps?

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Greens are putting lots of pressure on Labor about housing. The party is demanding a cap on rental increases. Are they reading the room or proposi...

Modern slavery: Hiding in plain sight

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you hear the word ‘slavery,’ you probably get images in your head of pre-civil war America. But it’s happening right now here in 21st centu...

Elly Desmarchelier on access

18 Aug 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...

What role should brands like Qantas play in politics?

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Qantas has thrown its weight behind the Yes campaign for an Indigenous Voice to parliament. We saw it with marriage equality, Black Lives Matter and n...

Sam Kerr's big call after the match

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Matildas have missed out on the World Cup final. We speak with Johnny Keko who’s been on the ground about all the twists and turns of the tourna...

Matilda-nomics: How celebrity and money will change the game

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matildas v France World Cup match on Saturday night was watched live by 4.17 million Australian TV viewers. Eclipsing NRL and State of Origin finals, ...

Secrets We Keep: How Amelia uncovered her mum's hidden past

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist, Amelia Oberhardt, thought she knew her mum, until she died. At her mum’s wake, Oberhardt discovered a photo of her mother as a teenager,...

History revised: Women were warrior hunters, not homemakers

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sharpen your spears ladies! Research has debunked the hunter-gatherer theory finding a high number of our female ancestors used to hunt too. A group o...

Kemi Nekvapil on power

11 Aug 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...

Death cap death trap: Why wild mushrooms can kill

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Australia has been gripped by a story out of Victoria where three people died after eating a meal of wild mushrooms. Police investigations are continu...

The Summer Ahead: What you need to know about this bushfire season

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

July 2023 was Earth's hottest month on record - almost all of Australia was 2-6°C above average temperatures. Australia has battled with bushfire sea...

"Darwin may become unliveable in the next fifty years"

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Forty-five paediatricians have signed a letter warning the government about the risks of fracking to child and infant health. On Tuesday morning healt...

Did you know female football was banned? The rise of the World Cup

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 As the Matilda’s progress to the quarter finals, we take a deep dive on the history of women’s football with Moya Dodd, a former Australian play...

The explosion in Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

States are throwing millions of dollars to reign in outlaw motorcycle gangs – why are they on the rise? We're told regularly that bikie gangs rule t...

Em Rusciano on neurodiversity

04 Aug 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...

The truth about the 4 million guns in Australian homes

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how many guns are in your community? There are more than 4.3 million guns scattered across Australia. With a population of almost 26 milli...

Is this a big deal? Trump stolen election charges explained

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former US President Donald Trump has been indicted for his role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the January 6 Capitol riots. ...

Billionaire bust ups: Why mega rich marriages break down

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Two of Australia’s biggest billionaire power couples are breaking up, the Forrests and the Cannon-Brookes. That follows the Gates, the Bezos, Elon M...

Expanding access to abortion pills seems like a no-brainer, but is it?

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s becoming much easier to access the abortion pill MS-2 Step (RU486 overseas.) All doctors and some senior nurses will be able to prescribe it, a...

It was teeth, now it’s hair: The boom in Turkey’s cosmetic industry

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a new tourism boom. It’s all about cosmetic surgery, dentistry – both remedial and cosmetic – and hair transplants. Aussies are flying...

The Kates are teaching Americans how to swear

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the early days of their careers, Kate McClennan and Kate McCartney never got booked for the same TV shows. At the time, women were few and far betw...

The US Government’s UFO hearings: Are we alone....?

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The US Congress has held hearings this week to try to determine, once and for all, what the US Department of Defence knows about UFOs or UAPs, unident...

What to do if you come face-to- face with a dingo

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There have been a string of dingo attacks on K’gari off the coast of south east Queensland in the last month. In one attack, a 10-year-old boy was d...

Why radical new laws are sparking angry protests in Israel

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Laws passed in Israel overnight allow the Netanyahu government to overhaul the judiciary and prevents the Israeli Supreme Court from vetoing decisions...

An insider's view on Hollywood's crippling strikes

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood has ground to a halt after the the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists – the biggest union represe...

Why we don't like MAMILS - The dehumanisation of cyclists

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ground-breaking Australian research reveals why there is so much distain for road cyclists. Drivers see cyclists in lycra as less than fully human. To...

Weekend Briefing: How Jeremy Franco's childhood impacts his comedy

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Franco is everyone's fave TikTok and Instagram star. He exploded during Covid and is now one of the most popular Australian creatives on social...

Yumi Stynes: why her Sex book was ripped off shop shelves

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Sex: Your no-silly-questions guide to sexuality, pleasure and figuring it out, a book written by Melissa Kang of "Dolly Doctor" and TV pers...

The Barbie movie: Overhyped or Oscar-worthy?

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Barbie Movie seems to be absolutely everywhere! With a marketing budget that dwarfs how much it was to actually film it, we’ve seen burger buns ...

How Daniel Andrews got the Commonwealth Games so wrong

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will not be hosted by Victoria. Premier Daniel Andrews has said the reason is due to its cost. The original price tag was ...

FIFA Women's World Cup: inside the mindset of a Matilda

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is kicking off in Sydney this Thursday night; with the next month set to see the world’s best soccer played in Australi...

"A soul-crushing experience": The renters forced to move home

16 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows someone with a rental horror story. Rents are skyrocketing across the country and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find somewher...

Marta Dusseldorp and the character closest to herself

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Marta Dusseldorp is one of Australia’s best known and loved actors. From stage to screen, and now with production credits to boot.  Dusseldorp’s ...

The real cage fight: Musk's Twitter v Zuckerberg's Threads

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone's talking about Threads, the new social media platform launched by Mark Zuckerberg's Meta last week. Jan and Tom signed up immediately, as th...

White Island volcano: how three brothers are on trial for 22 deaths

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A 16-week trial over the Whakaari/White Island volcano tragedy has begun in New Zealand after an eruption killed 22 people, including 17 Australians i...

Fukushima: why is Japan releasing radioactive water into the Pacific?

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Should Japan release millions of litres of radioactive waste water into the Pacific Ocean?   Everyone remembers the Fukushima nuclear plant being sw...

Living forever just got easier: Australia’s first cryonics lab

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a pretty sci fi concept – being stored upside down in a giant thermos full of liquid nitrogen in the hope that some day, maybe hundreds of ye...

What will change if the RBA governor is sacked

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A decision on who will be the next RBA Governor is expected mid-July. So will Philip Lowe remain in the job? Who are the candidates? Will it change ho...

From pole to parliament - meet MP Georgie Purcell

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

30-year-old MP Georgie Purcell was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in November last year - and she’s already shaking up the House. Geor...

The case for keeping phones in schools

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Queensland has announced plans banning smartphones in state schools from next year bringing them into line with the rest of the country except ACT. Wh...

YouTube’s worst apology: unpacking Colleen Ballinger

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Colleen Ballinger, otherwise known as Miranda Sings, has been a YouTuber for over a decade and has recently had some serious allegations made against ...

Diet coke: why does the WHO keep saying everything causes cancer?

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The World Health Organization's recently announced that aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum, will be list...

Shit Rentals: meet the TikToker shaming dodgy landlords

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jordie van den Berg has become TikTok famous for his videos documenting shit rentals around Australia as the country’s rental crisis continues. His...

Is altitude training the new F45?

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It used to just be endurance athletes who trained at altitude, but now gyms are popping up everywhere with the promise you can burn double the calorie...

Dami Im didn’t think she could sing

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dami Im is good at competitions. In 2013 she won X-Factor Australia and in 2016 placed second in the Eurovision Song Contest, becoming the highest sco...

Getting cosmetic surgery and injectables just got harder

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Regulations for cosmetic surgery and injectables are about to change from July one. With GP referrals, psychological assessments, cooling off periods ...

Taylor Swift’s Eras tour: Shameless’ Michelle Andrews breaks it down

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Swift's Eras tour has taken over the globe and getting your hands on a ticket has become a hot commodity, with general sale tickets being relea...

Nick McKenzie: Meet the man who brought down Ben Roberts-Smith

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last month Ben Roberts-Smith lost one of the biggest defamation trials in Australian history and was found to be a war criminal to a civil standard. T...

How your next prescription could be mushrooms or ecstasy

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The psychedelic drugs psilocybin and MDMA, commonly known as magic mushrooms and ecstasy, are being downgraded from prohibited to controlled drugs in ...

Putin's nightmare explained: what happened in Russia over the weekend

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Over the weekend a former friend and head of a private Russian military wing pulled his troops from the Ukrainian frontline to confront the Russian go...

Why Maz Compton called last drinks

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been eight and a half years since Maz Compton’s last drink and yet drinking is probably what she talks about most. You’ll likely recognise ...

Don't have ADHD? Why "study drugs" like Ritalin won't help you focus

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out so-called ‘study drugs’ like Adderall (which is sold in Australia as “Vyvanse”) and Ritalin could be making you less productive i...

Inside the search for the missing Titanic sub

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rescue teams are continuing to frantically search for a missing Titanic tourist submersible with oxygen expected to run out today. The missing sub los...

As debate on the Voice rages, Victoria has another solution

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Federal parliament has voted on the legislation for the Voice Referendum which has to happen within six months. While this is a national Voice, Vi...

4 day work week: how it's gone in Australia

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

26 organisations across Australasia have been trialling the four day work week and the results are in. The idea is employees get 100% of the pay for w...

Jan Fran's sister shares her best tax hacks for max cash back

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost the end of the financial year and that means lodging a tax return. But before you do, Jan Fran takes us through five tax hacks with her ac...

Montaigne is sceptical of fame

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Alyssa Cerro was born and raised in the Hills District in Sydney. The child of an Argentinian, professional football-playing father and a Fili...

BONUS: Why DC stuck by controversial star Ezra Miller as The Flash

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ezra Miller's appearance on the red carpet of The Flash has caused controversy, with everyone continuing to ask why someone with such a chequered hist...

Have trolls killed drag storytime in Australia for good?

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drag storytime events have been targeted by far-right groups with violent threats and protests forcing over ten events in the past six months to be ca...

Berejiklian and Higgins: the spyware retrieving deleted phone texts

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you wondered how we're getting access to all these personal text messages, recordings and detail from the Brittany Higgins and Bruce Lehrmann cas...

BONUS: What's in your botox?

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Botox is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures on the planet, but did you know it contains the most toxic compound on earth? If it's so dangerou...

Inside the Hunter Valley's horror bus crash

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On Sunday night a horror bus crash in the Hunter Valley took the lives of ten people with 25 more being transported to hospital. The community is in s...

Fad or revenge: why are killer whales sinking boats?

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Orcas have been sinking ships off the coast of Portugal and Spain—with at least three attacks happening in the last month. Scientists believe it cou...

Maria Thattil from Miss Universe to the Jungle

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Thattil has always felt like an outsider looking in, despite being very much immersed in the world of modelling, television, writing and influen...

Matt Agnew on our space junk problem

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since the dawn of the space age in the 1950s, we have launched thousands of rockets and sent even more satellites into orbit, with many still circling...

Brad Guy fell 15,000 feet and survived

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Brad Guy fell 15,000 feet and somehow survived. As he navigated a brutal recovery, he initially shut his whole family out of his life, until he realis...

Under fire: who is policing the police?

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s been a worrying rise in police killing and injuring people in the line of duty. Including the recent tasering of 95-year-old great grandmoth...

Addicted to porn? This is what to do

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Porn addiction isn’t a clinical diagnosis, but psychologists are seeing more and more people whose lives are dictated by when they can get their nex...

Explained: the science that led to Kathleen Folbigg’s release from jail

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kathleen Folbigg has been released from prison after serving 20 years for murdering her four children. Yesterday, she received the pardon she’s be...

Why there could be no male primary teachers by 2050

04 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The number of male teachers in Australia has been steadily declining for decades. In Queensland for example, in the past two decades, the number of fe...