RN Drive - Separate stories podcast: Recent Episodes
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RN Drive takes you behind the day’s headlines, with an engaging mix of current affairs, analysis, arts and culture from across Australia and around the world.
Qantas has issued its first-ever apology to workers after the High Court found the airline acted illegally when it sacked 1,700 ground crew staff members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While this part of the country is sparsely populated the blaze is still wreaking havoc on communities.
The move would see Australia join the United States in sanctioning the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank and the Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank.
Some elements of the bill, such as changes to the gig economy and labour hire, have prompted backlash over their cost to employers.
Labor finally has the support of the Greens to get its $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund over the line but it wasn't without a major concession. In fact, to the tune of $1 billion billion in additional funding for housing this year alone.
But is this sweetener for the Greens really that sweet?
Health experts have raised concerns that a focus on weight-centric health solutions could be leading to a rise in eating disorders.
Imagine seeing your first dates and flirtations with your partner play out on national TV. Your romance is a storyline at the whim of editors and producers.
Then imagine your romance, and your personality, being picked apart on the internet, strangers weighing in on you and your actions in forums and social media.
Alisha Aitken-Radburn has written about her time in The Bachelor franchise in her book The Villain Edit.
In Kim Jong Un's 12 years in power, he's only had seven trips away from North Korea and he's preferred mode of transport? A luxurious, slow moving, armoured train.
Japan's Kyodo news agency is reporting Kim's dark green rattler has just arrived in Khasan, a small settlement in Russia's Far East, and he's expected to meet President Vladimir Putin later today to discuss a potential arms deal.
No campaign group Fair Australia has been providing training to its volunteers making cold calls to Australians.
NSW Police are looking to follow in the footsteps of London’s Metropolitan Police and divert mental health incidents to health professionals.
The arrest of a British parliamentary staffer accused of spying for China has prompted alarm about the lack of security screening of staff working at Parliament House.
The Greens say they have agreed to provide their support in return for an extra $1 billion to be spent this year on public and community housing.
No companies took up new offshore windfarms in the United Kingdom after warning the government the auction prices were set too low.
New research has found hundreds of invasive plants and prohibited weeds are being advertised on a popular online marketplace and are being sold without the buyers really knowing what they're buying.
What's the difference between a viola and an onion? No one cries when you cut up a viola.Brett Yang and Eddy Chen of TwoSet Violin, enjoy a joke about violas as much as the next person … maybe more as they combine classical music appreciation and YouTube culture, in a channel that’s had more than 1.3 billion views.They're currently on a world tour having a chuckle at chamber music.
Intermissions are still common in live theatre but it's been a long time since they’ve been built into the program at movie theatres.
India has facilitated a statement which both Russia and the US have praised, with the Kremlin calling it a victory saying the summit didn't end up becoming "Ukrainised".
When you look at photos of the band The Cruel Sea many of them are your typical band picture … what these pictures don’t tell you is how much of a laugh The Cruel Sea loves to have. And while band members have come and gone, The Cruel Sea have been having a laugh and playing tunes for more than three decades and they’re heading off their 30th-anniversary tour for their award-winning album ‘The Honeymoon Is Over’.
You can't make a cake without flour, eggs or a cake tin to bake it in, but scientists in Israel say they have grown cells that closely resemble a two-week-old fertilised human embryo without using sperm, eggs, or a womb.
In Mixed Martial Arts or MMA you win one of two ways - either by punching or kicking your opponent hard enough to render them unconscious or if they tap out … in the ring, there are rules and your enemy and the objective is clear. However, in life, sometimes the lines are blurred and the rules aren’t clear. Sometimes your opponent is you … and the mistakes you make result in more than just losing points.Nigerian-born New Zealander and current UFC middle-weight champion - Israel ‘Izzy’ Adesanya is the subject of Zöe McIntosh’s documentary Stylebender.
The closure of Australia's largest coal-fired power station could be delayed. The Eraring plant on the NSW Central Coast has been given a potential lifeline after the NSW Government accepted a key recommendation in its Electricity Supply and Reliability Check-Up report that "engagement" should begin with Origin Energy on "an extension … beyond 2025″.Former NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean told RN Drive yesterday that there is no case to extend the life of Eraring.
The federal government wants to give new powers to the media watchdog, allowing it to punish misinformation on online platforms. Under the draft legislation, the Australian Communications and Media Authority could impose millions of dollars in penalties on platforms breaching misinformation and disinformation standards.
A conversation about the power of a message, weather it’s the messages of the Yes and No campaigns cutting through, or the PM wearing a hi vis shirt featuring the logo of a mining company that blew up Juukan Gorge.
New research from the Australian Sports Foundation has revealed that some of our top athletes are earning less than $23,000 a year.
In the busy streets of Manilla, you’ll see people getting in and out of what looks like a mix between a Jeep and a Jitney which is a minibus - therefore a Jeepney. Intricately painted and riotously decorated. The Jeepney is a symbol of Filipino art and culture and so Darwin-based artist Kuya James has found inspiration in them for his new album 'Jeepney Rock'
As of Wednesday this week, 22,781 Australians have died from the COVID-19. And hundreds of thousands more will have experienced ongoing symptoms. Today Australia's first conference solely dedicated to long COVID was told that around 14% of people who contract the virus will suffer ongoing symptoms.
“Substantial reliability problems” and an “increasing risk of blackouts” as soon as this summer, that grim forecast comes from the Australian Energy Market Operator latest 10 year forecast.
Today might be the last day of winter, but depending on where you are in the country it's been feeling a lot like Spring for a while and authorities are on high alert for bushfires. Today in the New South Wales Hunter Valler a teenage volunteer firefighter was refused bail, after being charged with deliberately lighting several fires and then returning to help put them out. It's an abhorrent idea but some of the fires that we'll no doubt experience in the coming months will be deliberately lit.
Former Freedom of Information Commissioner Leo Hardiman resigned earlier this year after criticising the chronic delays in the FOI system.
With more than one million Australians affected by an eating disorder chances are that includes someone you know - in your family, work or network of friends. Today, a new 10-year National Eating Disorders Strategy was released to tackle the problem.
David Cossini calls himself an immersive photographer. He prefers to meet his subjects on their level... even going so far as to inhabit a squat with his subjects for his collection on punks in London.
David's work in Uganda has just won the Art Handlers' Award in the National Photographic Portrait Prize. His latest collection 'Business in the Front, Party in the Back!' is a study of the mullet and those who don them.
Once you reach 7000 meters above sea level, your body is never warm. No matter how suitable your clothes are, your body isn't burning enough oxygen to trap and heat and you still have 1000 meters to go.
Firefighters are saying they fear being ‘“overwhelmed” by an increasing number of lithium-ion battery fires after a Sydney man was killed in a house fire on Saturday night that’s being linked to toxic smoke from burning lithium batteries.
Ninety-eight per cent of public schools are still funded below the minimum standard of staffing and resources, despite a joint federal-state commitment to funding that has been in place for over a decade.
Woolworths has been offering free 15-minute "discovery" phone calls with naturopaths through its HealthyLife subsidiary
Who's to blame over a shark attack - is it the shark, the swimmer or the government's deterrents?
This year’s season has been mired in controversy, from allegations of racism and homophobia, class action lawsuits over concussion protocols and questions over the code’s reliance on gambling sponsorships.
Changes means owners and operators of training organisations will have to comply with ‘Fit and Proper Person Requirements’ in order to maintain or obtain their registration.
Thrown under a bus - that's how the MP for Murray says her constituents have been treated by Tanya Plibersek.
New research has found AI-automated attacks on various CAPTCHA schemes have been successful in beating the website security mechanism.
Mass deaths of dolphins in the Black Sea is being linked to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, which has destroyed infrastructure and displaced millions since last spring.
While it's been a wet few years since our last catastrophic bushfire season, Australia's fire preparedness is set to be put to the test.
Despite not supporting water buybacks, the New South Wales Government has signed on to the controversial Murray Darling Basin Plan.
What do you picture when you imagine a poker game?
A dimly lit, smokey room with a green felt table? Stacks of chips? decks of cards? I’m willing to bet, you were imagining a group of men playing poker.
It’s a game often depicted as a masculine - where risk, strategy, assertiveness and financial savviness are key.
Options trader and businesswoman Jenny Just says she noticed a lack of these traits in her daughter and female employees, so she took a gamble and began teaching women to play poker with her company PokerPower.
It may still be winter but if you take a look outside your window, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking spring has already sprung.
China has taken yet another dig at the AUKUS submarine deal, saying the Asia Pacific region should not be turned into a 'boxing ring' for major power rivalry, let alone a battlefield for a cold or hot war.
More than 20-thousand people have been evacuated in Canada's Northwest Territories, where 200 wildfires are raging.
Victoria’s Loy Yang A brown coal power station is set to stay open for more than a decade.
Using a wealth of archive material and interviews with those who worked with her 'MERKEL' the documentary takes a look at the personal and political life of the previous Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel.
Director Eva Weber joins the show to discuss what she found out about the leader and her legacy.
Guest:
Eva Weber, Director
Doctors in New South Wales and Victoria are worried a new interpretation on payroll tax will kill off bulk-billing services.
This week we're asking the tough questions on animal transplants, stealing ancient jewels and Trump's fourth indictment.
The 9-stringed romantic guitar has a particular kind of sound to it... the extra strings provide a balanced blend of the treble and bass giving it a kind of depth… a richness to it.
Guitarist Petra Poláĉková is one of the very few female 9-string classical guitar players. She discusses her influence and listens as she graces our ears with a romantic piece by Johann Kaspar Mertz.
Petra is currently touring Australia performing and running workshops.
The 2023 FIFA women's World Cup was a tournament of tremendous firsts.
It's the first time two nations have co-hosted this global event, the tournament is bigger with eight additional teams, the prize money has tripled and a record 11 million people watched the Matildas make history, becoming the first Australian side - for both women and men - to reach the semi-finals.
Summer is such a part of the Australian national identity. But what if there was no longer a winter to counterbalance summer? What if there was no reprieve from the heat?
What better way to express and process our anger, sorrow, and worry about the inevitable changes climate change will bring through art?
Written in the aftermath of the 2019/2020 bushfires Noëlle Janaczewsk's play The End of Winter grapples with exactly this.
Guest:
Jane Phegan, actor
Skiing in the southern hemisphere has always been a little slushy and then icy and then ... grassy.
But this Winter's higher than average temperatures are severely limiting the offering across the Australian Alps and New Zealand this ski season.
Environmental activists have posted a video of a massive, centuries-old tree being hauled away from a logging coupe in the Florentine Valley - around 100 kilometres north-west of Hobart.
Niger President Mohamed Bazoum - who is under house arrest by the military junta which seized power last month - will be tried for high treason.
National Cabinet has agreed to a new target to build 1.2 million new homes over five years, a boost of 200,000 on the previous target. Leaders also agreed to work towards harmonsing rules that would limit rent rises to once a year.
Just a month ago, American soldier Travis King joined a civilian tour on the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas and then made a dash to the north.
Now North Korean state media is reporting he defected because he was disillusioned with the inequality of American society and racial discrimination in its Armed forces.
For the first time, scientists have been able to successfully decode a recognisable song from recordings of electrical brain activity.
It’s the closest thing to space we have here on Earth; extreme isolation and confinement, limited communication. No plants or animals to be seen. Months of total darkness and only 12 other people to talk to for a year.
It’s the Concordia research station in Antarctica and if you’re feeling claustrophobic, then maybe being an astronaut isn't for you.
But for Dr Meganne Christian spending a year at the research station helped her realise her dream of becoming an astronaut.
Guests:
Dr Meganne Christian, Reserve Astronaut
Real estate valuer Scott Keck says there are millions of rooms that remain vacant across the east coast of Australia. He's calling for a moratorium to lift the tax obstacles stopping people from renting out rooms as Australia faces a housing crisis.
Governments across Australia have agreed to the ambitious target of eliminating family violence against women and children within a generation.
Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart is facing allegations she defrauded her children, Bianca Rinehart and John Hancock, in a civil trial underway in Western Australia.
The pair claim their grandfather Lang Hancock, placed mining assets, including the Hope Downs tenements, in a family trust partly for their benefit.
The case involves multiple parties' claims to Hope Downs.
Concrete and steel imports from countries such as India or Vietnam could be slapped with 'green tariffs' to help Australian companies subject to tighter limits on carbon emissions compete.
The Federal member for Fenner Andrew Leigh argues the factional duopoly within the party suppresses debate and discourages people from joining Labor.
The National Australia Bank has gone beyond market expectations, reporting a third quarter profit of $1.9 billion.
Despite the 12 recent interest rate rises, NAB's boss Ross McEwan says there's been a "modest deterioration" in the quality of the bank's loans with most customers proving "resilient".
Meanwhile the latest wages figures are in, with growth easing to 3.6 per cent over the year to June.
1966 Greenwich Village, the centre of counter-culture. 23-year-old Patricia Field opens her boutique and it would become a hub for creatives for the next five decades.
Today, at 82 years old her costume and styling work has made hit shows like Sex And The City, the Devil Wears Prada and Emily In Paris iconic fashion touchstones.
She is the subject of Michael Selditch's new documentary 'Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field'
Guest:
Michael Selditch, producer/director
If you or your children have gotten married recently then you know that you can be left with a pretty hefty bill after you’ve ridden off into the sunset.
The former US president is facing his fourth indictment and the second to arise from efforts to overturn his 2020 loss.
The Federal Government is being urged to increase the consumer regulator’s power to stop so-called 'subscription traps'.
Former Independent Senator for South Australia Rex Patrick argues that national security claims are trumping the actual delivery of justice in courts and tribunals.
All eyes are glued to the Women's FIFA World Cup at the moment but four weeks from today the Rugby World Cup begins and already we've seen some major shifts ahead of the tournament.
Will Skelton has been named captain for the Wallabies with Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper dropped from the squad.
Coach Eddie Jones is turning to younger players as the Wallabies try to recover from their spate of losses this Winter.
The death toll in Maui has grown to at least 53 people after devastating wildfires, with officials warning that could grow significantly as rescuers comb through what's left of destroyed homes and buildings.
Detroit musician Sixto Rodriguez whose improbable resurgance was detailed in an Oscar winning documentary has died.
Just two months ago it looked like the leader of the progressive Move Forward party, Pita Limjaroenrat, was likely to become Thailand's next Prime Minister.
But if there's something to know about Thai politics, nothing is for certain.
The country's populist Pheu Thai party now says it's forming an alliance with the conservative Bhumjaithai party and will seek to form a new government.
The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has looked at the powers and decided that whilst there’s a need to improve the transparency and accountability of government decision-making, the ultimate decision will still rest with Cabinet.
The blame game has intensified between the NSW Labor Government and the NSW Teachers Federation after negotiations for a new pay deal fell apart last week.
Doctors converged on Parliament House on Tuesday to call on the Federal Government to block gas expansion projects in the Northern Territory.
It's safe to say the Big 4 consultancy firms are feeling the heat following PwC's tax leaks scandal and not to mention the revelations last night on 4 Corners about KPMG's overcharging of government contracts by tens of millions of dollars.
So what's next for these consultancy firms?
The Matildas are through to the quarter-finals after beating Denmark 2-nil and they broke some ratings records along the way.
More people watched the game on free to air television than last year's AFL and NRL grand finals and that's before we even look at the pay-tv ratings.
The FIFA World Cup is expected to attract two billion viewers worldwide and this year's tournament also marks a significant shift in the football world order.
When we think of our culture it’s easy to think of the culture of the big urban cities.
A new study has found taking an afternoon nap could be more effective in combating hot weather than cranking up the aircon.
The Western Australian Government has scrapped its Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Laws, reverting back to the 1972 model with some amendments.
South Korean physicists claim to have created a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor - dubbed LK-99.
Nearly a hundred companies operating on Australian docks and freight terminals are being monitored amid suspicions they’re being used as a cover for organised crime gangs to import record amounts of cocaine.
The ACT government says its examining whether any laws were broken after the head of an inquiry into the prosecution of Bruce Lehrmann leaked it to two media outlets before delivering it to the government.
Plans by the federal government for Australia to generate more than four-fifths of its power from renewable sources by 2030 are coming under pressure amid claims the country is way off track.
Much like hip-hop DJs sample a genre-busting variety of music to create something new in itself Australian artistic duo Soda Jerk does so for video.
Creating a film HELLO DANKNESS, which skewers the farcical nature of American politics using video and audio samples from over 500 tv shows and movies.
A landmark report into loneliness has found almost one in three Australians feel lonely, and the people we are least socially connected to are our neighbours.
The West Australian government could scrap its controversial Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Laws within days and revert back to the 1972 Act.
Commissioner Kershaw has rejected claims he should have declared a conflict of interest over his friendship with a senior PwC partner with whom he discussed a contract for the consulting firm.
The tariffs were introduced in May 2020 after Beijing accused Australia of selling the grain below the cost of production and subsidising farmers, setting off a trade war between the two countries.
Federal politicians are being warned that Australia must prepare for “devastating” climate-fuelled disruption in the Asia Pacific region.
NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson is urging the Federal Greens to pass the Housing Australia Future Fund, which has been reintroduced to parliament after being blocked in the Senate.
Later this month a 45 year old Gold Coast will face the Brisbane Magistrates Court charged with more than 1,600 child abuse offences allegedly committed between 2007 and 2022.
He was a childcare worker and he allegedly abused 87 Australian children across 10 childcare centres in Queensland and one in NSW. He also allegedly abused four more children in child abuse material overseas.
Plans to start mining the seafloor have been put on hold until at least next year after an international meeting in Jamaica failed – for a second time – to come to an agreement on how the industry should be regulated.
Ever wondered what your life might look like if you hadn’t made a particular decision?
The Sydney Theatre Company ‘Constellations’ uses the idea of the multiverse taken from quantum physics to explore the concept of infinite outcomes.
It follows Roland, a beekeeper and Marianne, a physicist through their romantic relationship, depicting moments and possibilities.
As corporations continue making eye watering profits during a cost of living crisis, is it ever ethical to steal from big business?
How was this allowed to happen … and for so long?
They're the question parents, carers and authorities have been left asking after the Australian Federal Police charged a 45 year old man who allegedly abused 87 Australian children across 11 childcare centres in Queensland and NSW.
The Reserve Bank has kept interest rates on hold for now at 4.1% after 15 months of the steepest increase to borrowing costs on record.
Not many people get to control their legacy. Even fewer of those get to do it with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
With wildfires across Canada and Greece and searing temperatures making sightseeing prohibitive in Italy and China, do we need to rethink the season of summer?
A soldier, farmer, diplomat, advocate, father… and politician - he was the leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.
Tim Fischer was one of those rare politicians who was well-liked and respected across the political spectrum by colleagues and constituents.
Peter Rees has just completed a biography on Tim Fisher called ‘I Am Tim: Life, Politics and Beyond’.
Lumpy skin disease. It's not a tastefully named illness but the virus has the unsavoury potential of wiping more than $7 billion from our cattle industry in one year alone.
So far Australia has avoided that but over the weekend the Indonesian government suspended imports of live cattle from four Australian export facilities, following the detection of the virus in livestock recently shipped from Australia.
This week we're asking the tough questions on global warming, cocaine sharks and if we should start shoplifting.
The United State’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken - who alongside Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin - is in Australia for high-level talks with the Albanese government.
The Gulf Stream system — the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to researchers — is one of the most important currents in the ocean.
At this very minute, microorganisms in your gut are impacting your how you think and behave. Think about that before blaming others for being on your nerves.
Bowel health. Probiotics. Faecal transplants; Gut health is certainly not the sexy side of medicine, but it is an increasingly important one, impacting everything from your allergies to obesity.
Sarah Schenck and Steven Lawrence produced the documentary The Invisible Extinction to explore the current research around microbiomes.
Almost 60 per cent of the wine produced in Australia is exported. The industry relies on overseas markets.
But new figures show Australian wine exports declined by 10 per cent in value to $1.87 billion dollars last financial year.
With the news of her death at the age of 56, the recollections of Sinéad O'Connor have been unanimous.
It’s 1993. Paul Keating is the Prime Minister.
Sydney has won the bid to host the 2000 Olympics, Newcomer Shane Warne delivers the ball of the century in the Ashes and on the radio amongst the wall of Oz rock in the Triple J hottest 100 that year, this smooth, Lou Reed-esque tune leaps out at you... it's 'Night of the Wolverine' by Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes.
On the 30th anniversary of the hit record, the band are taking it back on tour.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is New Zealand for defence and economic talks with his Kiwi counterpart Chris Hipkins.
Experts say the failure of successive Government's to meet the water targets in the Murray Darling Basin means tough decisions will have to be made, as the federal and state governments prepare to return to negotiating table.
The top construction Union boss is calling on the Government to tax super profits to fund a 'half-trillion' dollar shortfall in funding for public housing.
At one time considered Australia’s most important book - Nevil Shute’s novel On the Beach follows a group of friends and colleagues in 1960’s Melbourne after the fallout of a short but disastrous nuclear war which has wiped out humanity north of the equator.
The characters are living on borrowed time, speculating wildly about the direction of the deadly radiation clouds, desperately grasping at scientific theories about its toxicity and the possibility of survival.
Australian playwright Tommy Murphy has adapted the novel for a first-ever stage version for the Sydney Theatre Company.
Guest:
Tommy Murphy, playwright
Pet bereavement companies are now offering services to preserve paws, fur or even skulls as a memento of their time in your life.
Their angelic voices belie their rugged and hairy visage.
The Spooky Men are a choir made up of men, but they want you to know they are definitely NOT a men's group.
The Matildas kicked off their FIFA Women's World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win against the Republic of Ireland
Cambodians will vote in an election this Sunday which is being called neither free nor fair and is expected to extend the 38-year long rule of Hun Sen
Looking for ways to cover your extra high energy bill this winter? Have you considered a side hustle as a Tik Tok streamer?
Canberra is a landlocked city. But that hasn't stopped naval ships being named after our bush capital.
There's of course the HMAS Canberra. But this Saturday a new ship will be officially commissioned at Garden Island in Sydney Harbour: The USS Canberra.
It's a US naval ship and to mark the occasion the U.S. 7th Fleet Band - based in Japan - is here to perform this weekend.
VAD laws are about to be reviewd. Some say now is the time to include people with dementia
The federal education minister Jason Clare today gave a grim assessment on how education still remains inaccessible for many young Australians.
It comes as the minister announced what recommendations the federal government will immediately implement from the Universities Accord interim report.
The government is trying to boost the number of university students from regional, poor and Indigenous backgrounds.
Did you know that The Kimberley in WA was at one time seriously considered as an option for the Jewish Homeland?
That’s according to SBS’s new docu-series Who The Bloody Hell Are We, a three-part series uncovering the unknown histories of the Jewish, New Zealand and Chinese communities in Australia.
John Safran discusses delving into Australia's Jewish history in the first episode.
Could Victoria's decision to scrap hosting the 20-26 Commonwealth Games spell the end of the event altogether?
The no pamphlet argues the referendum is a not about recognition, but rather a legally risky, divisive and permanent change to the Australian constitution.
From the harsh cold windswept landscape of Iceland to the heatwave sweeping Europe.
Italian authorities have issued an extreme health warning for 16 cities including Rome and Florence where climate scientists say the mercury could exceed 48 degrees Celsius.
That's prompted some to quip that the eternal city of Rome should be renamed the infernal city.
What does a glacier sound like?
Internationally acclaimed visual artist Benjamin Knock went to Iceland with a sound recordist and captured recordings of the glaciers and the surrounding volcanically active areas with bizarre things called hydrophones, Seizmaphones and Geophones for his exhibition Terra-Therma.
He's compiled a multi-disciplinary exhibition to bring the sights and sounds of Iceland to Melbourne.
AM radios in cars could soon be a thing of the past as electric vehicles begin to roll out across the country.
World War Two: That was the first and last time the Commonwealth Games were ever cancelled.
But now the 2026 Games are in doubt after the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced today his state won't be hosting, following concerns the $2.6 billion budget for the games is likely to triple.
While some survivors of institutional sexual abuse have been able to seek reparations through the National Redress Scheme, for hundreds of others, the experience hasn’t been so positive.
Open-plan offices, open-plan apartments and yes, open plan classrooms. It seems you can't escape those wide, vast, echo chambers. But are these spaces good for you?
At least for classrooms, decision makers and professionals don't seem to think so. The NSW department of education has reportedly written to the NSW Teachers Federation in May saying these classrooms will no longer be built.
Almost 600 people have been arrested in NSW and charged with serious offences in a four-day police operation. Dozens of firearms and prohibited weapons were also seized as well as illicit drugs.
But, this is not a crackdown on drug dealers or bikie gangs or terrorism. It's a unique police operation, involving the Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender Teams.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Fran Drescher, the next RBA Governor and Aretha Franklin's last will and testament.
Singer-songwriter Julie Byrne’s folk songs may sound gentle and ethereal, but they carry the weight of immense emotional heft.
Following the sudden passing of her long-term collaborator and producer, Eric Littmann, her new album “The Greater Wings” moves through shared experiences that are both timeless and life-affirming.
Orica has historically been one of that state's largest industrial polluters, accounting for 10 to 15 percent of the NSW's overall gas consumption, and it's looking for new ways drastically cut its emissions.
Volcano survivors gave evidence in the second day of the Whakaari White Island volcano disaster trial in New Zealand.
A United States para-cyclist is suing the International Paralympic Committee in a bid to help athletes address what he says is widespread cheating.
‘The Days Toppled Over’ unravels the complex systems that lead to the exploitation of international students in Australia, through a heartening story about family, success and the migrant experience.
Remote working. Remember when it was being hailed as the future of how we would all be doing our jobs following the Covid-19 pandemic?
After five years of trade negotiations with the European Union, it's crunch time for the Trade Minister Don Farrell in Brussels, with hopes of finally sealing a deal.
On the sidelines of his own meetings in Berlin, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia wants to conclude this agreement but won't be signing up to things that are not in the national interest.
A new film asks if our drive to tell stories is overriding our ability to put the subjects of documentaries first?
Mutti Mutti man Uncle Kutcha Edwards is a highly respected elder and survivor of the Stolen Generations who has been combining songwriting and activism since 1991.
"Robodebt was a crude and cruel mechanism, neither fair nor legal, and it made many people feel like criminals" ... Those are the damning words from the final Royal Commission report handed down today.
Former Queensland chief justice Catherine Holmes' report into the Coalition government's automated debt-collection policy was almost a thousand pages long with 57 recommendations.
In a special sealed section of the report she recommended "the referral of individuals for civil action or criminal prosecution".
GUESTS: Mike, father of deceased Robodebt victim Bill Shorten, Federal Minister for Government Services
In a statement, Scott Morrison says: The Commission has made findings in relation to my role as Minister for Social Services, where I served for 9 months between December 2014 and September 2015. I reject completely each of the findings which are critical of my involvement in authorising the scheme and are adverse to me. They are wrong, unsubstantiated and contradicted by clear documentary evidence presented to the Commission. It is unfortunate that these findings fail to acknowledge the proper functioning of Government and Cabinet processes in the face of not only my evidence as a former Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister for almost 9 years, but also the evidence of other Cabinet ministers.
Aboriginal Elder Uncle Thomas Slockee has spent the last four decades championing his community and advocating for housing justice for Indigenous people.
The old movie scenes where mum or dad packs a suitcase and moves out, is no longer an accurate depiction of divorce as the cost of living crisis keeps separated couples under one roof.
World temperature records have been broken for the second day in a row.
According to the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction, Tuesday's average global air temperature was 17.18 degrees, surpassing Monday's peak of 17.01 degrees.
Did you know that the Southern Cross constellations tells the story of the first man who died on earth?
A new documentary from Indigenous filmmaker Professor Larissa Behrendt, ‘You Can Go Now’ explores Richard Bell's life, art and activism.
Author, filmmaker and proud Wiradjuri woman Brenda Matthews is part of the Stolen Generation. But her story is unlike anything we’ve heard before - she was taken not once but twice from families who loved and cared for her deeply.
For those parents out there with children in daycare there will be an audible sigh of relief come July 10 when more generous childcare subsidies come into effect.
But will the relief last? Childcare centres are expected to also ramp up fees and inflation remains stubbornly high at 5.6 per cent.
The Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education Ann Aly says most childcare operators will be raising their fees between six and eight per cent.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo arrives in Australia tonight, and high on the agenda is a joint agreement on battery production and sharing of critical minerals.
Australian skateboarder Arisa Trew has become the first female skateboarder to ever pull of the extremely difficult 720 move at a major skating tournament in the United States.
What is even more remarkable is Arisa performed this trick in front of a thunderous crowd at a packed stadium in Utah and she is just thirteen years old.
Guests:
Arisa Trew, Skateboarder Trevor Ward, Coach and Founder of Level Up Skateparks
The Sydney opera house is about to launch a new restaurant with a never before seen range of native ingredients on the menu.
Private ambulance crews asked to help on the day of last month's horror school bus crash in Victoria were allegedly directed to do non-urgent private contract jobs instead, according to frontline workers.
Investigative reporter Nick McKenzie's new book ‘Crossing the Line’ details the journey from the alleged war crimes in Afghanistan to the ultimate triumph in the Federal Court earlier this month.
51 per cent of Australians are 'extremely' or 'very' concerned about meeting fresh food and grocery costs in the next year according to the National Farmers Federation.
So what are you doing to save and prolong your groceries?
After the first discovery in 2019, researchers have now found more artefacts, proving the area is Australia's deepest known ancient Aboriginal site.
He's the son of a dictator and his predecessor's 'war on drugs' allegedly claimed thousands of lives, so there was global attention when Ferdinand Marcos Jr came to power in the Philippines.
In a camp set up in a small Greek village, survivors from one of the Mediterranean's deadliest shipwrecks are being treated by international medicos.
Some analysts say the latest data may give the Reserve Bank of Australia room to hold off on another rate rise when it meets next week.
A parliamentary committee has made 31 recommendations on how the gambling industry should be regulated and how people struggling with addiction should be supported.
With science fraud a growing issue, Australian scientists have launched a new online tool to track papers that have been retracted or pulled by peer reviewed journals.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced another military support package for Ukraine worth $110 million.
Australia will send a further 70 military vehicles to Ukraine's military, including 28 armoured vehicles.
Australia grapples with how it will achieve its own net zero targets, how will developing nations grow their economies while reducing their dependence on fossil fuels?
PwC acting CEO Kristin Stubbins apologised for the breaches and promised "severe consequences" for those involved in the tax leak scandal during a parliamentary inquiry.
Lucinda Williams forged her own way through the predominantly male business side of country music, but in 2020, she was dealt not one, but a trio of crises.
Lucinda Williams forged her own way through the predominantly male business side of country music, but in 2020, she was dealt not one, but a trio of crises.
Rugby fans were treated to seeing the Wallabies training up close in Sydney this week . All players hoping to impress Eddie Jones ahead of the Rugby Championship squad announcement on Sunday.
This week we're asking the tough questions on billionaire cage fights, legalising cannabis and protests for saving the environment.
Five occupants of the Titan submersible are fighting against time with the vessel's air supply expected to run out in a matter of hours. But still hope remains over mysterious noises heard in the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Guest:
Frank Owen, former submariner for the Royal Australian Navy and former head of the navy's submarine escape and rescue project.
Coal fired power plants going offline, inflation and of course, the war in Ukraine have all contributed to energy price rises.
But is there more to the extreme price hikes Australian households are about to be hit with?
And is what you'll pay for energy the same as your neighbour?
Guest:
Jacqueline Crawshaw, Interim CEO Energy Consumers Australia
In what's been described as the fiercest day in fighting in years, Israeli military forces have raided a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank overnight, killing at least five Palestinians including a 15-year-old boy.
It's also the first time Israeli helicopter gunships have been sent into the area in decades.
Palestinian health officials say 90 Palestinians were injured while eight members of the Israeli security forces were also wounded in the fighting.
The Greens and Coalition yesterday joined forces to delay a vote on the $10 billion Future Australia Housing Fund until October.
The Reserve Bank of Australia almost left interest rates on hold this month, what changed their mind?
The famous and gruelling 24-hour Le Mans car race has drivers working around the clock, taking turns to push their machines in the ultimate test of endurance and continuity.
Charlie Chan is about to attempt the same on the piano, find out how they plan to do with a little help from some friends and a counterpart called... chAI.
Fifty per cent of Australian workers could be subject to some form of post-employment restraint, according to new research.
Legislation setting up a referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament passed the Senate this week so a referendum must be held before the end of the year. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney says the political debate has ended.
A massive search and rescue effort is underway in the mid- Atlantic off the coast of Canada after a tourist submarine went missing while diving to the wreck of the Titanic.
New bills which would legalise cannabis for personal use have been introduced to the Upper Houses of state parliaments in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia today.
The last few years have seen an explosion in the number of people being diagnosed with ADHD, are our schools coping?
A shadowy 'hacktivist' group known as 'Anonymous Sudan' has claimed responsibility for a serious outage of Office software this month.
The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre has written an open letter to the Australian media, calling it out for its reporting surrounding sexual assault.
Guest:
Chrystina Stanford, CEO of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
A decades long survey of Australian households has found that mortgage and rental stress is at the highest level ever.
Parliament has quickly passed legislation cancelling Russia's lease on a block of land adjacent to Parliament House where it planned to build its new embassy.
Last year Canberra's planning authority terminated Russia's lease on a block of land, leading to legal action by the Russian Government which let them keep the land.
An artificial intelligence Van Gough chat bot has wowed adherences at a Paris Tech show.
Plus Thousands of "subreddits" have gone private to protest the Reddit's decision to start charge third-party developers for access to its data.
Guest:
Lizzie O'Shea, Writer, Lawyer and Founder of Digital Rights Watch
Marriages in China fell by 800,000 in 2022 compared to the year before, causing furrowed brows amongst China's policy makers.
The major concern is the population decline will most likely have a huge negative impact on China's economy and turn world economies.
Guest:
Dr Xiujian Peng, Senior Research Fellow , Centre of Policy Victoria University
Sydney's spectacular Vivid Festival welcomed 1.2 million people this year, causing policing and transport issues - but perhaps more universally alarming, is the ticketing of free spaces.
In Europe, around 1780 there was a bold and wild new idea in popular music which has shaped the concerts you see to this very day. Up until then, orchestras were background music for entertaining in small rooms in private homes salons while everyone tittered, japed and drank.
Along came Joseph Haydn, who wrote music for grander spaces, where a larger orchestra was the main event, in turn, inspiring a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to pen a rapid-fire flurry of ‘Joyous’ and ‘energising’ symphonies all within a five-year period.
Peter Dutton made the decision to remove Senator Van from the party room after further allegations were reported to him overnight and this morning regarding his conduct.
It's been described as one of Europe's deadliest migrant boat disasters in recent years.
At least 79 people have died after an overloaded vessel - believed to be headed for Italy - capsized and sank off the southern Greek coastal town of Pylos.
More than 100 people were rescued and the search continues for hundreds more.
His sentences were “death dealing”, his language “overpowering” according to his critics and admirers.
But despite Cormac McCarthy’s formidable presence in the literary world, the American author was a recluse, preferring to share his explorations of the human condition on paper alone.
Labor has offered to guarantee a $500 million yearly spend on housing in return for crossbench support, but the Greens remain opposed arguing a $2.5 billion yearly spend is needed.
They were the first Australian sports team to ever visit North Korea, they were also the first side to pose nude for a calendar and they're the first Australian team – male or female – to reach the quarter finals of a FIFA World Cup, not once but three times.
This team is the Matildas.
Their journey to global success hasn't been easy. Like women's football around the world, male football associations denied their existence for decades.
With a number of cemeteries across the country running out of room, it’s not just the living who are facing a housing crisis.
A new report reveals the nation's chief executives received an average 15 per cent base pay rise over the last year.
Restless Dance Theatre's latest show is ‘Exposed'. It explores the way we deal with our vulnerabilities and how we react when we are challenged.
Artistic Director Michelle Ryan joins us to discuss the dance company's mission and methods for bringing the concept to life.
Whatever Fatherhood is, it’s not what it used to be. And probably not what it will be in the future. In fact, it largely mirrors what it is to be a man itself. And for some men, the inability to talk about these two factors, we know, leads to much higher rates of suicide.
When Liam Budge, aka “Creswick” became a father in 2018 it was a profound transition and source of creative inspiration. In his first multi-disciplinary live performance, he takes the real experiences of men and combines them with song.
In Pormpuraaw Western Cape York, Far North Queensland, we see a tropical landscape - crystal clear waters, green mangroves and hot sun. A picture of paradise. But in the deep north - the communities are small, remote, and almost impenetrable. When the law breaks, nobody is around to hear it.
The documentary The Cape investigates the life and law of the fisherman, the true story of two family clans- the Gaters, and the Wards - and the disappearance of a father and son in 2003.
Former US president Donald Trump is being prosecuted for violating the Espionage Act and obstruction over documents held at Mar-a-Lago. He has been summoned to court next week.
The opposition has urged the government to "urgently deliver a new and comprehensive package of support to the people of Ukraine in their defence against Russia's illegal and immoral invasion".
After Meta boss, Mark Zuckerberg has spent countless hours and billions of dollars on his Metaverse dream, has Apple just blown that dream out of the water with its new spatial reality headset?
Plus, Google's DeepMind AI group has developed a tool that can develop extremely optimised algorithms without first being trained on human code examples
Guest:
Stilgherrian, Technology journalist and commentator
Kathleen Folbigg's pardon and subsequent freedom this week has once again prompted calls for a criminal cases review commission.
Director, Christoffer Guldbrandsen speaks with Andy about the attraction of the politician for a documentary maker and the man he found behind Trump.
New research from the University of Sydney has found that there are now no LGAs across Sydney or Melbourne with house prices that are affordable to an early career essential worker.
The federal government will introduce legislation next week to ban Nazi symbols, but the ban will not include the swastika or the Nazi salute.
Guest:
Dr Josh Roose, expert on far-right and religious extremism at Deakin University
The Arctic Ocean could be ice-free during the summer months by the 2030s, as much as decade earlier than previously predicted.
The Australian Energy Market Operator is calling for work on five projects worth nearly 13 billion dollars to be sped up, but local community opposition is complicating matters.
A new fund will allow remote communities to find their own solutions to high incarceration rates of Indigenous Australians.
It's not often you hear about the powerful horse racing industry not getting it's way. But that's exactly what's happened in Singapore, where horse racing will officially end next year.
That's because Singapore needs the land used by the Turf Club for housing.
Energy consulting firm Nexa Advisory says opening up the transmission sector to competition could save energy users billions of dollars.
Across this expansive land, our great range of landscapes and environs play host to the buildings in which we live, work, learn, worship, and play.
Self-professed ‘architecture nerd’ Tim Ross explores examples of Australia’s built environment, both historical and contemporary, and how they inform our sense of culture and community in the second series of 'Designing A Legacy'
Research says speeding fines in Australia hit low-income earners disproportionately hard. And a fairer, more equitable way to penalise offender would be to change to an income based model like Finland's.
Guest:
Rod Cambell, Research Director at the Australia Institute
A new scheme will impose a four per cent levy on garment sales to raise funds for textile recycling and sustainability research.
The national audit office has released a review into the Community Health and Hospitals program. The review found the federal health department deliberately breached commonwealth grant rules.
US corporations are pulling their Pride month merchandise and ad campaigns in the wake of right-wing backlash.
There's a school in Queensland with dozens of teaching staff on site, except there are often no students in this school.The classrooms are empty.That's because this school is located inside Townsville's Cleveland youth detention centre and its students, some as young as 13, are being held in solitary confinement for hours on end.
On June 6, 1944, in Normandy, the Allies launched the largest seaborne invasion in history known as D-day or Operation Overlord.79 Years later and another war is still raging in Europe.It can be hard to connect to something that is happening so far away and so long ago. So, what is our connection to war and peace … and why does history repeat itself?
US based Neuralink, a company owned by Twitter boss Elon Musk has received approval from the US Food and Drugs Administration to begin trials of brain implants in humans.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted its official interest rate to 4.1 per cent, a level not seen since early 2012.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recently met with officials in Vietnam and says he is after an international prison transfer.
It is a significant development of the war, with potentially huge impacts to local communities, the environment and the country's nuclear power plant.
Australian Ange Postecoglou is poised to become the next manager of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, after recently leading Celtic to a domestic treble.
Business groups are lobbying against the Labor government's plan to require labour hire workers be paid at the same rate as direct employees
Advocates says child protection notifications are being issued against pregnant Indigenous women against their knowledge for minor reasons.
Our fascination with the intersection of light and nature and rituals around painting the night sky is something that designer, innovator, architect poet, and educator Daan Roosegaarde is delving into - in his latest exhibition SPARK, a new sustainable celebration at Federation Square in Melbourne for Rising Festival.
ACCC report warns lack of competition in domestic airline market leading to higher airfares and poorer customer experiences.
After 20 years behind bars for killing her four children, Kathleen Folbigg has been pardoned and is today a free woman.
The complete 736-page ruling for the defamation case has now been released to the public revealing the court's reasons for the verdict.
Minimum wage and award rates to lift by 8.6 per cent and 5.75 per cent respectively, after a decision by the Fair Work Commission.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has slammed the the Fair Work Commission's decision to lift award rates by 5.75 per cent.
Guest:
Andrew McKellar, Chief Executive, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan is fighting to keep his party together after a series of resignations.
The United States military warned Australia's defence chief that allegations of war crimes from Afghanistan may affect future cooperation with the SAS and Special Operations Command
It's been revealed that Defence Chief General Angus Campbell wrote to a small group of soldiers warning their honours could soon be revoked for failures of command accountability when alleged war crimes occurred in Afghanistan.
A tech start-up side hustle for Kerang mathematics teacher has been acquired for around forty million dollars.
Plus, the UK government will establish an industry working group to address issues around fair pay for artists who have their music played on streaming platforms.
Three Australian newspapers and three journalists have successfully defended their reporting of war crimes allegedly committed by former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith.
Could there be anything more romanticised than the bohemian share houses of your youth, with a cast of random characters, perhaps painters, activists, addicts, the odd petty criminal, all floating around on the philanthropy of couches and begged cigarettes?
Where I Slept by Libby Angel is autofiction, blending autobiography and fiction about living on the fringes of Melbourne society in the 1990's.
What does the former West Australian Premier Mark McGowan, outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern have in common?
They've all cited exhaustion as part of the reason why they've walked away.
These high profile examples have put the spotlight on burn-out and how it affects leaders and the teams around them.
Australia's most decorated war veteran Ben Roberts Smith has lost his defamation proceedings against three newspapers and three journalists.
A free trade agreement signed between Australia and the United Kingdom comes into effect from today, meaning more than 99 per cent of Australia's exports to the UK are now tariff free.Guest:Professor Margaret Young, Director of Studies of Environmental Law at the University of Melbourne
Crown Resorts has agreed to pay $450 million for breaches of money laundering and terrorism financing laws.
A new report reveals the medical industry has the biggest worker shortage in Australia.
Every year, for the past five years, between 2,300 and 2,600 children aged 12 to 15 have sought homelessness services in NSW without a parent or guardian.
A new report by the NSW Ombudsman also reveals 589 children needing shelter last financial year were turned away.
Who knew what and when are some of the questions being asked today at Senate Estimates as investigations into the PwC scandal continue.
The AFP has launched a criminal investigation, after it was revealed a former partner used confidential Treasury tax information to benefit the firm's client base. Since then, the firm's chief executive has quit and the consultancy has sidelined nine partners.
Oral traditions often provide a rich and incontestable foundation for artists … but what do you do if that heritage is a combination of Filipino, Wiradjuri, and European origins, in a family packed to the rafters with musicians?
Mo’Ju uses a mixture of soul, blues, and R&B to explore and make sense of their histories.
Students are turning away from so-called 'dull and difficult' subjects like economics in favour of easier or more job-ready subjects.
Some tech giants have just released reports detailing their actions against misinformation.
The Federal Government will spend $70 million to boost research and health services for people suffering from eating disorders.
A battle between two of Australia's biggest wannabe energy tycoons, Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Twiggy Forrest has been resolved with Cannon-Brookes' Grok Ventures and Quinbrook confirmed as the owners of Sun Cable on Friday, following a six month negotiation.
Could there be any other domain, more male or more Australian, than the barbecue.But Australian born cook, author and influencer Jess Pryles has come to challenge both those stereotypes, and living in Texas, has become a sensation even in American barbecue culture.
Around 400,000 Australians are living with dementia right now, while more than two thirds of aged care residents have moderate to severe cognitive impairment.
The Greens and some independents have written to the Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, calling for urgent intervention in the spiralling cost of student debts.
While we've advanced to include conversations about consent, teens are turning to online sources to fill in the gaps.
In a hurriedly assembled press conference this afternoon, Mark McGowan said he's burnt out, but that he has accomplished what he set out to achieve.
The government has announced the creation of a 'Net Zero Authority' which will hit the ground running from July this year.
Thousands living near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant have been evacuated as fears grow that fighting there could resume.
In 2021, just a few weeks after Brisbane won the bid to host the 2032 Olympics, World Netball and Netball Australia launched a joint campaign. Their agenda, seeing their sport finally make its Olympic debut.Now while the games are still a way off and it's been only forty eight years in the making, the Netball world will be pushing hard to have their case heard and agenda met.Guest: Brittany Carter, ABC sports reporter
The Reserve Bank of Australia has released its Statement on Monetary Policy, which is its assessment of current economic conditions, along with the outlook for Australian inflation and output growth.Guest:Bill Evans, Westpac Chief Economist
This week we're asking the tough questions on the Royal Coronation, the vaping ban and the Met Gala.
Controversial Liberal M-P Moira Deeming has launched legal action against Opposition Leader John Pesutto over his alleged failure to publicly exonerate her of being affiliated with Nazis.
The Pharmacy Guild has admitted supplying anti-government material for it's members to circulate to customers.
The top U-S data privacy regulator has accused Meta of misleading parents and failing to protect the privacy of children on Facebook and Instagram. And Jack Dorsey has backed a new Twitter-esque socal platform to rival Elon Musk's Twitter.
With more than one million houses recorded as empty last census night, state and local governments are looking to disincentivize short-term rentals to offer more homes to those in need.
Intrepid Australian nurse and midwife, Prue Wheelwright has worked in the most remote parts of Australia and around the world, providing help to the sick and injured in isolated, far-flung and sometimes dangerous locations where her personal safety was often on the line.
A "golden age" of tabletop board games in recent years has been supercharged by the COVID pandemic, increasing the industry's global market value to an estimated 13 billion US dollars… and growing.But are board games overrated or naff?
Aged care workers will receive a 15 per cent pay increase from July following a ruling by the Fair Work Commission that the wage boost is "plainly justified".GUEST(s): Tracey Burton, Uniting Care Executive Director
A blockade of the Kokoda Track has been cleared after protesters were moved on by police last night. Landowners and workers for major trekking company Adventure Kokoda had barricaded road entrances to the track on the weekend.
Crossbenchers are calling for new rules to reveal the people who have gained access to Parliament House's private corridors with sponsored bright orange passes signed by federal politicians.
In what's been described as a blow to the last vestiges of democracy in Hong Kong, there are plans to slash the number of directly-elected seats available on local district councils.
The Northern Territory Government has announced it will give the greenlight to a full-scale onshore gas industry in the Beetaloo Basin, 400 kilometres south of Darwin.
Author Sarah Churchwell argues in her book The Wrath to Come that American life still gurgles with the prejudices and dissonance reverberated from the Civil War mindset.
At the coronation of King Charles this Saturday, all members of the Commonwealth will be invited to utter a private oath of allegiance to the king, his heirs and successors.It's a modern innovation by the Crown that may have fallen flat with his subjects.
The nation's housing ministers have urged the Senate to pass Labor's 10-billion dollar housing fund legislation.
The Apple Isle will finally have its very own AFL team after being formally awarded the league's 19th licence. AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, Tasmanian Premier and other game dignitaries gathered in Hobart for the announcement, the culmination of decades of lobbying by diehard fans.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted its cash rate target from 3.6 per cent to 3.85 per cent, after a one-off pause last month.
The disruptive climate protests have driven many people crazy and have filled some with rage, but do radical tactics of groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil actually work
This week we're asking the tough questions on raising JobSeeker, Baby Sumo competitions and American television hosts.Comedians and siblings Jordan Raskopoulos and Steen Raskopoulos face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The $3.4bn Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator is designed to fast-track new war-fighting technologies for the Australian Defence Force.
It's without a doubt the year for women's football here in Australia. The Women's FIFA World Cup will be on our shores come July and with star players like Sam Kerr, the Matildas have become a household name.
From photography to photoshop, technology has a long history of changing the way that artists approach their work.But is AI part of that same lineage? Or something else entirely?In his new exhibition, GEN, Ry David Bradley combines AI generated fields with a traditional artist's brush, to create something entirely unique.
It's a tricky time to be a Liberal politician right now. After last month's New South Wales election loss, the party is out of government in every jurisdiction across mainland Australia.
More than 400 days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a breakthrough in the war from either side still appears out of reach.
The Greens are calling for a fund to support a two-year rental price freeze, direct building of 225,000 publicly owned properties over the decade and a doubling of Commonwealth Rent Assistance, unless income support payments such as JobSeeker and Youth Allowance are increased.
Australia's inflation rate has fallen from its December peak, with prices rising 1.4 per cent over the March quarter being the smallest quarterly rise in more than a year. But beyond the headline figures, considerable pressures remain on Australian families and businesses and are likely to remain for some time.
Coles, Uber and the Transport Workers' Union have entered into a new agreement as the fight over grocery delivery heats up - but what does it show about the industry attempts to reform itself before the Federal Government steps in?Plus will the Treasurer Jim Chalmers look at adjusting Australia's energy exports in the budget?
Australians have gathered at Anzac Day services and parades to honour those who served their country.It has been 108 years since Australian and New Zealand soldiers first landed at Gallipoli peninsula in Türkiye during the first World War.
He was the most popular host on American cable television news network Fox News, reporting drawing in more than $70 million in advertising dollars. But days after the network's record legal settlement with Dominion Voting Services, Tucker Carlson has parted ways with Fox, a move which seemingly caught him by surprise.
Australia's frontline health providers are locked in a real 'turf war' at the moment, between doctors and pharmacists.They're fighting over a number of issues, including a move to double pharmacy scripts to 60 days' supply, as well as state-based trials to allow pharmacists to prescribe a wider range of medicines.
When you hear astonishing stories of survival you're often left wondering if divine intervention was at play. Especially when the close encounter with death happens not only once but countless times.
The federal government has accepted almost all recommendations from a review into the Australian Defence Force, calling for an overhaul of its defence strategy and ramp up defence spending.GuestAndrew Hastie, Shadow Defence Minister
New analysis from Impact Economics suggests 40,000 Australians could be off work due to contracting long COVID, which affect the nation's GDP to the tune of $5.7 billion. At the same time the federal government's Inquiry into Long COVID and Repeated Infections has made nine recommendations in trying to curb the virus's impact.
Rental blacklists can stop you from being considered for properties.How do they work and are there any protections for people who think they might be affected?
The Government has responded to the release of the Defence Strategic Review, one of the most significant Defence documents since World War II
This week we're asking the tough questions on unemployment benefits, Royal recipes and artificial intelligence.Comedians Josie Long and Mark Watson face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Some Australians are on waiting lists for longer than six years to see crucial specialists in parts of the country, as a prominent doctor warns people could die while waiting for care.
Thousands of people from around the world flocked to the tiny town of Exmouth and its surrounding Peninsula in Western Australia to experience being plunged into total darkness in the middle of the day. For some, seeing a total eclipse becomes a life changing experience.
The 'No' campaign has released the first of its television advertisements ahead of the referendum for an indigenous voice to parliament. Nationals Senator and newly appointed shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and her husband are the sole voices in this advertisement from Advance Australia.
The Albanese government will not substantially increase Jobseeker payments despite a committee describing it as "seriously inadequate".
In a potential first for South Korea, Seoul looks like it could extend its support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and economic aid if it comes under a large-scale civilian attack.President Yoon Suk Yeol made the comments this week, signalling a major shift in his stance against arming Ukraine.
An investigation by Victoria's anti-corruption commission has found the state's government advisors put pressure on public servants to award $1.2m contract to the Health Workers Union ahead of the 2018 state election.
When Netflix began around 25 years ago it was a DVD rental service by mail. Customers could subscribe to receive DVDs by snail mail. This subscription service has been running ever since, until today that is, when Netflix announced it would cancel its DVD rental service. GUEST:Ben Kenny, Proprietor, Film Club (2012 - 2022)
After a remarkable development, for the first time the reasons why Witness J, who has since been released from prison, was charged and jailed in secret in Canberra has been released. In sentencing remarks, the judge described Witness J as grossly reckless and driven by anger when he sent classified information over an insecure email system after he'd been sacked as a military intelligence officer.
The Russian Foreign Minister has met with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia with the Russia-Ukraine war was top of the agenda. Lula has ambitions of establishing a "peace club", comprised of countries not involved in the war, to try and bring about its end - but that hasn't been warmly welcomed by the Ukraine or the US.
From education to the arts, AI has made a splash in many industries. But it's creating ripples in investment markets and regulators are now playing catch up.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says the 'reboot' of the scheme will include more staff, a cost crackdown and longer-term plans.
Since the 1950's lawn bowling clubs have been a prominent part of Australia's cultural landscape.But declining memberships and patronage have led to significant club closures. - so how are some local bowlo's turning their fortunes around?
With cost of living pressures intensifying, have you considered repairing a well-trodden pair of shoes instead of buying a new set - but what about your smart car, television, smart phone or smart washing machine?The EU passed a "right to repair" policy last month but experts say Australia is lagging behind on this issue.
The tales of Bluey Heeler and her family have captured children and parents alike and it isn't just an Australian phenomenon — it's become perhaps the country's biggest cultural export since The Wiggles.In the Drawing Room, the show's executive producer, Daley Pearson, and director, Richard Jeffery, talk about how the show comes to life.
If you or someone you love has dealt with chronic pain, you know how crippling and life robbing it can be.But what if you were able to retrain your brain to turn down the volume of that pain you experience.
Aged care reforms, which require residential aged care facilities to have a registered nurse on site at all times, come into effect from July 1.
This week we're asking the tough questions on trade disputes, Royal carriages and young love.Comedians Alice Fraser and Jeff Green face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
It may have started as an idea borrowed from their NRL rivals, but the crowds have flocked to the AFL's inaugural AFL Gather Round in Adelaide. With all nine matches officially sold out, the question now turns to whether the fixture will become a permanent addition to the AFL calendar, and who will host it in the future.
On the second anniversary of Australian man Robert Pether's detention in Iraq, his wife says his health is dramatically declining. She's calling on the federal government to do more to free her husband and father of three.
Diplomatic moves to end the war in Yemen are underway after Saudi Arabia and Iran — who back opposing sides in the conflict — agreed to resume relations, in a deal brokered by China.Now, a Saudi delegation is in Yemen's capital, Saana, to negotiate an end to the war that has pitted the kingdom and its allies against the Iranian backed Houthi officials.
The decision by Wesley Mission to close its Sydney aged care homes by the end of May has caught many by surprise. It’s blamed rising costs and staffing challenges - but the Federal Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says these issues weren’t brought up with her when she met with Wesley two weeks ago.
The federal government will give employers more support to improve accessibility within their workplace and to pay for Auslan interpreters for existing and future staff.
Among the topics discussed during an exclusive BBC interview overnight,Twitter boss, Elon Musk denied a spike in hate speech and misinformation on the social media platform post his takeover. But anecdotal evidence and in depth studies suggest otherwise. GUEST: Stilgherrian, Technology journalist and commentator
A senate inquiry report into a bill that would freeze $74 billion in student debt is set to be tabled in federal parliament next week.
As state and Federal leaders became a daily feature on our televisions at the start of the pandemic, Professor Brendan Murphy was a constant.The Chief Medical Officer at the time, his role was to answer the tough questions about COVID-19.More recently Murphy has been the Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care, and after announcing his retirement, he talked to RN Drive about the challenges he's faced, and those still to come.
The new NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson has put increasing density and creating more affordable and social housing. She's advised communities who are anti-development to 'get out of the way' - but how can the Minister and her Government turn NIMBYs into YIMBYs?
Cyclone Ilsa is expected to be a Category Five system as it crosses the coast between Eighty Mile Beach and Wallal Downs in Western Australia.That would make it the most powerful cyclone to make landfall in the state in fourteen years.
The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its global economic growth outlook to 2.8 per cent this year, stoking fears of an economic downturn.
Ukraine's government is once again asking the Australian government to provide the country more support. It wants access to a fleet of four-wheel drive patrol vehicles recently built in Victoria.GuestVasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine Ambassador to Australia
The news comes two days after Beijing wrapped its military drills around the self-ruled island, which included "sealing off" Taiwan and simulating targeted strikes.Beijing called the exercises "a stern warning" to Taiwan after its President, Tsai Ing-Wen visited the US and met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Five years since the redress scheme was launched by the Government - in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse - some survivors still don’t know if their application will ever be processed. A Joint Standing Committee examining the implementation of the scheme heard that some organisations are still yet to formally join the scheme despite saying they intend to.
The American plastic food container business Tupperware, has warned it may go bust if it can't secure some emergency funding.Is this the end of Tupperware and all of its fancy plastic parties?
Nearly 100-million years ago, this Titanosaur, weighing in at about 25 tonnes, 20 metres long and as tall as a three-storey building, roamed across Australia. But new analysis of a nearly complete skull found in outback Queensland points to these dinosaurs travelling to and from what's now known as South America.
The latest IMF global economic outlook dedicates an entire chapter to inflation, and wades into the discussion around what will happen when central banks around the world are able to rein it in to their target ranges.
Such is the potency of the illegal black market of nicotine laced e-cigarettes and vapes, the Australian Association of Convenience Stores estimates up to $5 billion could be being stripped from the budget. The Treasurer Jim Chalmers says "all options are on the table" in trying to battle this black market as well as the negative health outcomes.
"My subject is War, and the pity of War. The poetry is in the pity… All a poet can do today is warn"Those are the words of Wilfred Owen that Benjamin Britten quoted on the score of his War Requiem: one of the great pieces of sacred music and one of the great warnings.The British tenor Toby Spence is lending his voice to the requiem when he performs with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and in the Drawing Room he discusses the work, his battle back to the stage, and the importance of sound imagination.
If volunteering at the Olympics was worthy of winning a medal, Australia would have a pretty good chance for gold.Australia's strong record for volunteering has even attracted the attention of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee's director general Etienne Thobois as they try to recruit 45,000 volunteers for the Games next year.
Kate Jenkins became Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner in 2016.During her tenure, the world saw the rise of the #MeToo movement and in 2020 her Respect@Work report was released.
Europe's fourth busiest airport wants to ban private jets in a bid to curb carbon emissions. It's the latest move by the Dutch Government targeting the aviation industry to meet its climate goals.
Hong Kong: where a protest movement has clashed with an increasingly authoritarian regime and a man who claimed to be the King of Kowloon became the city's most collected artist.In Louisa Lim's latest book, Indelible City: Dispossession and Defiance in Hong Kong, she dives back into the history of the Island and her own relationship with the city she grew up in, before returning to the protests and what it means to be an ethical journalist.Indelible City has been shortlisted for the Stella Prize.
It's the life experience which can leave a lifelong impact - your first job.But with some regional areas turning to an increasingly younger workforce, how young is too young to start your first job?
GPs are pushing for reforms to prescription rules saying patients could save hundreds of dollars if the amount of medication a person can collect with one prescription is doubled.The pharmacy sector isn't happy with the idea, and have written to the Prime Minister.
The Liberal Party's decision to reject the government's proposal for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament has been met with dismay by some current and former Liberals.The former Liberal Premier of Tasmania has come out in support of backbencher Bridget Archer, who will campaign for a 'Yes' vote.
Donald Trump is now the first ever President to become a criminal defendant.Today he pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records.Hours later, at Mar-A-Lago he rallied his closest supporters and attacked the justice system.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says while his party supports constitutional recognition and a legislated local and regional Voice, the government's model won't lead to practical change.
Thailand is just six weeks away from an election and if past military coups and youth-led mass demonstrations are anything to go by, this election is expected to be a show-down between the elite establishment and pro-democracy forces.The current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha seized power in a military coup in 2014 and is now running for re-election with a new party.
New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister says many people criticised her for being too sensitive but she proved that you could be a softer leader.
There's new evidence this week suggesting sports betting companies block gamblers who are on a successful run. The bosses of Tabcorp, Sportsbet, The Lottery Corporation as well as the CEOs of the AFL and NRL have been appearing this week at a federal inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.
As we sit in the eye of the housing and cost of living storm, many Australians are having to think outside the square to find ways to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads. For some that means finding cheaper accommodation, which is seeing more and more people living on boats. Guest: Alan Shafto, Aviation Engineer who lives on a boat with his partner Violet.
Universities grappling with the challenge of students using artificial intelligence to write their essays will now have the option of using detection software.
Finland becomes the thirty-first member of the world's biggest military alliance, NATO.
Between $1.5 billion to $3 billion is being lost to Medicare fraud and non-compliance every year, according to an independent review that warns the complex system is out of date and risks costing more taxpayer money.
The federal government will ban social media platform TikTok on government devices following fears the app's security is compromised, and the platform could be used for foreign interference by China.
There are more than 1,300 prisoners in Malaysia who are on death row, but their fate has taken a dramatic turn. Malaysia's Parliament has approved a bill that would scrap mandatory death penalties and limit capital punishment to serious crimes.
In what has been touted as a massive biosecurity breach, it's been revealed this week that 38 tonnes of animal and plant products including chickens, ducks, geese, turtles and frogs were discovered in a Sydney warehouse.It's still unknown where these products are from but the agriculture sector has been following these developments nervously.
The Federal Government is now considering a roadmap to age verification for accessing adult content online, including pornography. But some digital rights groups are alarmed claiming such a move it could create a honeypot of personal data.
It's part pre-Easter reprieve, part Hawkish pause. The Reserve Bank Board has stopped after 10 consecutive rate rises leaving the cash rate at 3.6% but the question is how long will they pause for?
Australian States have been trying to outdo each in enticing nurses to come and fill their respective health workforces which were stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5,000 nurses from New Zealand, or about 8% if the country's entire nurses, have registered since last August to come and work in Australia, but is the grass necessarily greener on the other side of the Tasman?
Gumatj clan leader Yunupingu died in north-east Arnhem Land, aged 74.Note to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners: Yunupingu's last name and image are used in accordance with the wishes of his family.GuestLinda Burney, Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians
With regulators like ASIC and the ACCC cracking down on 'climate washing' claims, the Senate now also has its sights set on the practise through a new inquiry. But the crackdown has seen a worrying trend beginning to emerge in parts of the corporate sector.
A surprise oil production cut by major producers has caught the energy industry off-guard.Led by Saudi Arabia, the bloc of major oil exports, announced they'd slash supply by over a million barrels of crude a day, sending oil prices surging.
NSW is about to follow other states like South Australia and Victoria in banning phones in public high schools.So what's happening in other schools who've already prohibited the devices?
New reports point to house prices rebounding in the major capitals, rental prices continue to rise, all the while there’s a shortfall in housing supply, and that’s coupled with increased migration feeding demand.You’d think it’d be a good time to be a builder, but two more building businesses, headlined by major Melbourne based builder Porter Davis, have gone into liquidation continuing somewhat of a trend over the past 12 months.
A major new study has found 62 per cent of Australians aged over 16 report experiencing childhood maltreatment.
It’s been a week of highs and lows in politics. Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns showed how to a good loser and a gracious winner, respectively. A parliamentary staffer was injured as Coalition MPs scrambled to escape a division in the House of Reps and then came that appalling tweet from One Nation MP Mark Latham.
Mixing wall-of-sound guitars with an ear for a good hook, Melbourne band Flyying Colours have continued the proud tradition of shoe-gaze, and won an international fan base along the way.In the Drawing Room, Brodie J Brummer talks about international tours, opening his own venue, and the band's third album, You Never Know.
The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix returns to Albert Park, Melbourne this weekend. One of the major draw cards for fans will be seeing reigning double world champion Max Verstappen up against seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict former US President Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, his lawyers have said.They include hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. GuestsMartin Pengelly, Breaking News editor at Guardian USRichard Painter, professor of law at the University of Minnesota, former chief White House ethics lawyer
This week we're asking the tough questions on barnstorming politicians, time changes and presidential indictments.Comedians Ray O'Leary and Chris Parker face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Ken Henry says Australia would not be having these difficult conversations - about affording essential government services and transitioning to a cleaner economy - if the government had implemented the recommendations of his 2009 tax review.
The Federal Government is preparing to release the findings of a security review into social media, and government workers could be told to delete the app from their work devices.
Full Stop Australia, a counselling support hotline for victims of sexual, domestic and family violence is warning that without urgent federal funding, it will have to shut down.
It’s an unfortunate part of life that 30% of adolescents report having experienced - bullying. Researchers from Australian Catholic University say that an experiment, run in a South Korean classroom, shows promising results in creating an 'anti-bullying climate' which moves away from much of the conventional thinking on dealing with bullying.
A landmark study published in Nature, finds dramatic changes in ocean circulation could unfold in the Southern Ocean over the next 25 years, with wide reaching impacts to weather and ecosystems in Australia's backyard.
It was once described as a megaphone for democracy after the role it played in the Arab Spring during the 2010s. But since the Elon Musk takeover, Twitter's value and workforce have both been slashed and a raft of popular features are now either behind a paywall or taken down altogether, prompting many to ask if the end is near for Twitter?
The $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund is aimed at broadening Australia's domestic industrial base and reducing the nation's dependence on imports.
Almost half of Australians incorrectly believe women and men equally commit domestic violence, according to a major survey analyses community attitudes towards violence against women.
Incoming NSW ministers, including premier Chris Minns have travelled to the state's far west to witness the impacts of a devastating fish kill on the Darling River at Menindee.
Schools across the country are banning students from drinking PRIME energy drinks on school grounds after expert warnings that the drinks can cause insomnia and heart problems. The beverages, which have been marketed as an alternative to hydration drinks such as Gatorade, contain double the legal amount of caffeine in Australia.
Taiwan's former president Ma Ying-jeou has become the first current or former Taiwanese leader to step foot on mainland China since 1949.Ma's message during the visit was clear. He called for people on both sides of the Taiwan strait to work together for peace, saying quote: "we are all Chinese".
In an era of food that's seen chefs with larger than life personalities arrive as celebrities — in the kitchen and on the screen — Marco Pierre White is one of the biggest names.Marco was, at the time, the youngest chef to ever be awarded three Michelin Stars, and has hosted a range of shows, including Hell's Kitchen.He's set to tour Australia, telling his story in a new show, Out Of The Kitchen, and in the Drawing Room he talks about what makes a good meal and what he's made of his adventures so far.
More Australian's are purchasing sports utility vehicles, in fact, fifty percent of all new vehicles sold in Australia last year were SUVs. A new report from Australia Institute has found that owners of SUVs are spending an extra thirteen billion dollars a year to fuel them and in turn adding enormously to transport emissions. GUEST: Rod Campbell, Research Director, Australia Institute
The latest Consumer Price Index data from the ABS shows the inflation rate has slowed - it's now pegged at 6.8% down from 7.4% in January. But it’s still well over the Reserve Bank’s target rate and economists can't agree whether the RBA should raise rates next week.
With a human being set to step foot on the moon as early as 2025 and with plans underway to establish a permanent lunar base, there's renewed focus on the sources of resources and life-giving elements - like water - that might be found there. New research published today in Nature Geoscience has found that water might be present inside tiny glass beads strewn across the Moon.
The government's election commitment to fund 30,000 social and affordable homes over the next five years is at risk of defeat, as the Greens continue threats to vote against it unless the government significantly improves funding.
Origin, which currently owns Australia's largest coal-fired power station, is set to be bought out and then split up, pending approval from shareholders and regulatory authorities. While Australians brace for the release of the latest inflation data ahead of the Reserve Bank meeting next week.
Business and industry groups have welcomed the news that the federal government has the support it needs to implement its key climate change commitment, legislating changes to the safeguard mechanism.
Showrunners are the figures who guide and build the current age of prestige television — often starting out from the director's chair or the writers' room.But do those opportunities exist on Australian shows? And, when it does, how does it change what audiences see on the screen?A new program, called The Creators, is taking some of Australia's top writers to the US to talk to their American colleagues about showrunningIn the Drawing Room, Suzie Miller and Jane Allen, talk about their experience on the stage and the screen.
After twelve years, Labor is officially back in power in NSW, Australia's most populous state. Chris Minns was sworn in as Premier today, but Labor is still shy of that magical number: 47 seats for majority government.GuestAntony Green, ABC's election analyst
Multiple Hebrew-language media outlets are reporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to announce a halt to the contentious judicial overhaul, citing sources close to the government.It comes after tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in protest last night after Netanyahu fired his own Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, who broke ranks over the judicial reforms.
It's bigger than the Optus hack and now believed to be Australia's largest known financial institution data breach.The consumer lender company told the ASX 7.9 million drivers license numbers were now thought to have been stolen, along with tens of thousands of passport numbers, names, addresses, telephone numbers and birth dates.
The federal government has secured the support it needs to implement its central climate change commitment, after reaching a deal with the Greens following months of safeguard mechanism negotiations. GuestSarah Hanson-Young, Greens Senator
The Greens have secured major amendments that will see it back the government's Safeguard Mechanism bill, a key part of its plan to achieve net zero by 2050 by imposing limits on Australia's biggest polluting facilities. While the Greens' demand to stop all new coal and gas projects wasn't granted, polluters would instead be subject to an emissions cap, which critically includes methane, as well as carbon dioxide.
Constitutional lawyers are divided over the potential for the Voice to Parliament to lead to government decisions being challenged in the High Court.
Labor has claimed victory in the New South Wales election, coming into power after 12 years in opposition. But the speeches by Premier-elect Chris Minns and now former premier Dominic Perrottet on Saturday night were respectful, and well, extremely civil.
As the Sydney 2000 Olympics came to a close, the then IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch declared those Games the best ever, leading to a gushing moment of national pride. Australia gets the chance to better that effort when Brisbane hosts the global sporting event in 2032, but the Australian Olympic Committee says the Federal Government needs to create a national sporting strategy, and new Federal Sport Department and kick in $2 billion to ensure more Australian success.
This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the final wording of the Voice referendum question, for which the Australian public will vote on later this year.All on the backdrop of New South Wales voters preparing to go to the ballot in a crucial State election, and a battle brews over the Government's safeguard mechanism.
This week we're asking the tough questions on international visitors, zoo escapees and state elections.
World Athletics has voted to ban transgender women from competing in elite female competitions.The new rules will also affect athletes with what is known as "differences in sex development" or DSD.
Constitutional lawyers remain divided over the potential for the Voice to Parliament to lead to government decisions being challenged in the High Court.GuestProfessor Emerita Anne Twomey, University of Sydney
NASA boss Bill Nelson says Australia plays a vital role in the United States' space program, and wants to see Australian astronauts in space.
The federal government will introduce legislation with the question wording to parliament next week and it will be voted on by the parliament in June.
There has been another glitch in the ChatGPT matrix. This time user conversation histories have been leaked.Plus, amid growing suspicion that Tik Tok could be weaponised, the United States have threatened a full ban on the platform if it's Chinese parent Bytedance doesn't sell it's stake in the company. Guest :Angus Kidman, Global editor at large, Finder
With less than 48 hours until polling day in New South Wales, the latest polls suggest the field is narrowing - a Resolve poll for The Sydney Morning Herald, has the Coalition and Labor with 38% each of the primary vote each. Throughout the campaign the opposition leader Chris Minns has been focusing on the Government's track record with privatisation, but the Premier Dominic Perrottet says there will be no further assets sold in the next term of government.
How much sleep are you getting and how much sleep do you need?British doctor and broadcaster Dr Michael Mosley is seeking Indigenous knowledge and putting Australian politicians to sleep in the search for answers on how to reset our relationships with our beds and improve our sleep.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the proposed question Australians will be asked at this year's referendum and the draft constitutional amendment that would enable an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Whether it's films depicting a dystopian future or school teachers pulling their hair out over cheating students using ChatGPT, artificial intelligence often gets a bad wrap.But a trial underway in the Northern Territory is showing how AI is being used for good. In fact it's helping health practitioners detect heart problems.
Human Rights Watch believes that would make Uganda the only African country to make just identifying as LGBTQ illegal. All but two of the country's 389 lawmakers voted for the legislation - which also introduces capital punishment for "aggravated homosexuality."The bill will now go to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni for assent, who last week disparaged gay people as "deviants"GUEST: Eric Ndawula, gay activist based in Kampala, Uganda's capital, Executive Director of Lifeline Youth Empowerment Centre
In the past week Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has hosted delegations from Japan, China and the United States.
As Russia waged its war against Ukraine, the French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first leaders to visit Kyiv and meet the Ukrainian President. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese followed suit in July and the US President Joe Biden went last month.Overnight, it was the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's turn to meet Volodymr Zelensky.
Donald Trump made history when he became the first president ever elected without military or political experience.And, it's possible he could soon lay claim to another first - being the first president in US history to be criminally indicted.Guest: Steve Schmidt, former Republican campaign strategist, co-founder of the Lincoln Project
The Ring Cycle is one of the great events of opera - performing any one of the four pieces that comprise Wagner’s master work requires skill and commitment.So what does it mean to take on the whole thing at once?Antoinette Halloran is about to find out. She’s taking on the role of Brunnhilde in Melbourne Opera’s production of the Cycle.
Does your heart skip a beat when you go to your local supermarket and avocados have gone from $2 to $5? And when was the last time you saw grapes for less than $10 a kilo.As the cost of living continues to soar many Australians are finding their green thumbs to grow their own fruit & veg.
As the fallout from the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank rolls on, local tech businesses are concerned that they could shut out of banking services because of the perception they aren't a safe bet.
It's been described by the federal government as the single biggest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade. But with the ten billion dollar Housing Australia Future Fund legislation now heading to the Senate, the Government is getting some push-back from the cross-bench.
The Nationals want to ease rules around nicotine vapes in Australia, to provide access to them as a tool to help adults quit smoking, while tightening rules around young people accessing them.It is a position that is at odds with the current health approach in Australia, which only allows access to nicotine vapes with a prescription.
The Greens are putting forward a change to the referendum machinery bill, to allow incarcerated people to vote in the referendum to allow an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
One morning in 2017, a 33-year-old Iraq War veteran, Brian Brown-Easley, walked into a bank in the US state of Georgia and informed the tellers that he had a bomb.But Brian wasn't robbing the bank.He had two demands: he wanted the Department of Veterans Affairs to return his paycheck and he wanted people to know his story.Abi Damaris Corbin is making sure the second part comes true. She's the director and co-writer of a new film Breaking, starring John Boyega, which takes audiences into the bank that day.
The Queensland government is considering a cap on private rentals, with new research showing that soaring rents are causing critical housing stress. But key economic minds in Australia say the idea could cause significant problems and exacerbate the already serious problem of homelessness.GUEST Brendan Coates, Grattan Institute economic policy program director
According to the latest latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, between 3.3 and 3.6 billion people are living in places "highly vulnerable" to climate change.
The Darling-Baaka River in western NSW is like an aquatic war zone, with dead fish floating for kilometres in what is being touted as one of the worst fish-kills the region has ever seen.
The Australian Multiple Birth Association and their families were in parliament house today to deliver a report calling for more financial assistance for families welcoming twins, triplets and higher order multiples.
It has been twenty years since Australia joined the coalition of the willing and the US President, George W Bush, launched Operation Iraqi Freedom.The choice drew mass protests around Australia and, while the war itself was relatively brief, it was years before troops were permanently withdrawn.Donna Mulhearn is a writer and activist, and in 2003 she traveled to Iraq as a human shield.Mulhearn has written about her experiences in two books, and in the Drawing Room she looks back on her experience and on the lessons she feels still need to be learnt two decades later.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, scammers have robbed Australians of more than $2 billion the last financial year alone. Columnist and broadcaster Jon Faine shares his story of being preyed on by a scammer. GUEST Jon Faine, Columnist and broadcaster
A new survey has found that school principals have stress levels so high that nearly half triggered a "red flag" warning in 2022
This week we're asking the tough questions on parliamentary nicknames, Academy Award winners and punishments for Latvian drink drivers.Writer, actor and singer Michelle Brasier faces off with comedian Chris Ryan in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Over his ten albums, Billy Bragg has been a voice of conscience, of anger, and of empathy.He's merged politics with music in a way that very few artists have managed and become a voice that's connected generations of fansIn the Drawing Room, Billy talks about his latest album The Million Things That Never Happened.
A financial boost ahead of the Women's FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the world football governing body has announced a 300% increase to the prize money - which now stands at $152 million US.FIFA's president Gianni Infantino also confirmed that none of that money will be coming from Saudi Arabia's tourism authority, as initially reported in January.
Changes to Australia's education system, migration laws and expanding the government's key climate policy are among the recommendations outlined in a report by the Productivity CommissionGuestCraig Emerson, economist and former senior Labor minister
The energy market regulator has flagged possible shortfalls in gas this winter if extreme weather strikes and says the federal government's intervention to impose a price cap has fuelled investment uncertainty.
The Australian Council of Social Service has more than 60 recommendations ahead of the May federal budget, outlining how it thinks the government should collect more money for health, aged care and low-income households.
The federal government's sweeping review of the Privacy Act has Australia's online advertising executives scrambling to oppose privacy protections recommendations. Plus academic analysis out of the Australian National University and Flinders University shows advancement in detection technology could see newly ordered AUKUS submarines rendered useless by the 2050's.
The Dark Side of the Moon catapulted Pink Floyd to heights that very few bands have reached, but it didn't come out of nowhere.This was a group that had already put out seven albums and set a standard for progressive and psychedelic music that would inspire generations of artists.Nick Mason, the band's drummer and one of the founding members, was there from the beginning, and it's those early days that lie at the heart of his latest project, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets.On the Drawing Room, Nick talks about heading into Abbey Road Studios, the joys of improvisation, and getting back on the road.
Research shows that families who eat together more frequently have better diets and family relationships, plus children have higher self-esteem, but in reality we know this is a nightly challenge to meet this expectation. So how can we navigate family meal time to make it a meaningful and quality experience despite the time and cost of living pressures we're often up against?
When you get submarines that are nuclear powered, you also need a lot of brain power to build them and keep them running.The Group of Eight is acutely aware of this and in the coming weeks will meet their US and UK counterparts to work out how to get Australia's leading Universities up to scratch and provide the courses needed for this new frontier.
Global squid fishing has increased by 68% between 2017 and 2020. Most of the increase has occurred in unregulated areas of the high seas where fishers think they can't be seen, except, to attract the squid they have to use giant lights that can be seen from space.GuestQuentin Hanich, Professor at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of WollongongProducerJessie Kay
In the upcoming NSW Election, the seats in Western Sydney, and the votes of young people and women will be vital.
The Australian Energy Regulator has today revealed draft power price increases of between 20 and 22 per cent across South Australia, New South Wales and south-east Queensland.Guest:Ted O'Brien, Chris Bowen, Australian Energy Regulator, Cost of Living, Energy Prices
China has criticised the AUKUS submarine deal, saying Australia, the UK and the US risk sparking an 'arms race'.Now Canberra has turned its focus to the Pacific today in a bid to shore up relations and allay any concerns about the new deal with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visiting Fiji today.
The International Criminal Court is reportedly poised to open two war crimes cases targeting Russia officials over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The court will allege that Russia abducted Ukrainian children and teenagers and sent them to Russian re-education camps, and that the Kremlin deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure.
The sculptures of Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran are bright, colourful, sometimes provocative, and always recognisable.It's seen him collected by some of Australia's top institutions and selected as GQ's artist of the year.In the Drawing Room, he talks about leaving the mark of humanness in his art, the melting pot of history, and his new exhibition, Undergod.
Researchers are looking at how to re-train some people's brains, particularly insomniacs, to better associate their bed with sleep - with some experts urging people to keep their bed purely for sex and sleep. So what's best practise to maintain a healthy relationship with your bed?
Despite the national campaigns, advertisements and funding, a new report by The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows only modest decreases in violence against intimate partners. Kristin Diemer, Associate Professor, sociologist and principal research fellow, University of Melbourne
The Federal Opposition has offered bipartisan support to pass budget savings the Albanese government will need to fund the massive submarine program, expected to cost up to $368 billion for at least eight submarines.
Between albums, EPs, collaborations, documentaries, and tours, Kurt Vile sets a relentless pace for someone who sounds so laid back.In The Drawing Room, Kurt talks about his love for lo-fi instruments, covering The Boss, and his latest album (watch my moves).
If re-elected on March 25, the NSW Coalition has promised to create savings funds for every child and kick in the first $400, plus match up to $400 deposits per year from family. Once the child turns 18, they can withdraw the money to use it on education or housing, but critics say the scheme to line the pockets of the wealthy with taxpayer money.
"Complex", "fractured", "inaccessible", "expensive" and "at crisis point". Those were the words used by frontline workers in the latest survey on the NSW mental health system. With the state election less than two weeks away, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists is hoping this survey of more than 1,300 workers will serve as a wake-up call for the next government.
Port Kembla in the NSW Illawarra region is shaping up to be a firm favourite for a new naval base to house nuclear submarines.But is it the best site for the job?
As the world moves towards net zero, capital markets and investors are demanding better quality and internationally comparable information on how companies and businesses are tackling climate change. But should Australian Treasury force companies to disclose climate-related financial risk in their own reporting?
Many Australians grew up in an city or town in a suburban home with a decent backyard, close to shops, schools, sports grounds, medical facilities and public transport. But as we tackle the issue of housing affordability, high costs of living and environmental concerns, is it time to re-imagine the great Australian suburban dream?
Queensland's remote Gulf of Carpentaria has been transformed into an inland sea, and 96 residents of a small town have been evacuated by helicopter.Some Burketown residents have chosen to stay, despite the threat of crocodiles and sharks in the floodwaters.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is selling AUKUS as a new dawn for Australia's defence policy. But experts are cautioning that we'll need to urgently train and upskill our workforce to operate, maintain and build this fleet.
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, a significant tech lender and the bank of choice for many startups, is the second biggest bank failure in US history, after Lehman Brothers in 2008.The US Treasury, Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation say depositors will be able to access all their cash on Monday (US time), but is it enough to calm jittery markets?GuestKevin Gosschalk, founder and CEO of Arkose Labs and Silicon Valley Bank customer
With Chris Minns snapping at his heels, yesterday's transport standstill couldn't have come at a worse time for Premier Perrottet.
Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has criticised the Conservative Political Action Conference Australia for using pictures of her in Facebook advertisements against the voice to parliament, without her permission.
Meta, Atlassian and Xero are among the major technolgy companies letting go of hundreds and thousands workers. However not all redundancies are related to profits and share prices being down. And Tik Tok's Australian born, chief operating officer, Vanessa Pappas says, crticism of the social media platform Tik Tok and calls for it to be banned are xenophobic. Guest: Sarah El-Atm, General Manager, August
Reports suggest Australia will buy two types of nuclear submarine – the US-designed Virginia-class and a future British-designed submarine.The acquisition plan is set to cost hundreds of billions of dollars.
Australian and New Zealand researchers have discovered an enzyme, nicknamed Huc, that converts hydrogen in the air to electricity. Found in soil dwelling bacteria, it has the potential to create a sustainable and steady supply of clean electricity and can be used to detect hydrogen leaks.
Have you ever been sucked into a headline promising to save you $150 on your grocery bill with "13 clever hacks"?Clickbait headlines about money hacks contribute to a harmful narrative for people living at or below the poverty line. Budget meal preparation videos on social media have given audiences a hands-on, and less disingenous, way to take control of their budgets.GuestJasmin Weston, social media influencerProducerJessie Kay
Large parts of the world's most populous countries could become uninhabitable.That's the stark warning behind Gaia Vince's new book, Nomad Century, which looks at what could happen if temperatures rise to four degrees above pre-industrial levels, a possibility that she says is far more likely than we want to believe.That would mean billions of people affected, and many of them on the move — an era of climate refugees.But Vince believes that migration can be a solution instead of a problem, and that beginning to plan now will prevent much worse upheaval in the long term.
Economists believe that the RBA isn't done yet, after raising rates for the tenth straight meeting.
China's economic growth target has been set at five per cent.Why is the country aiming for a modest figure when it was expected to see rapid growth, and what are the ramifications for Australia?
Scientists have discovered the area of sea ice around the Antarctic continent is the lowest since satellite measurements began. This year and the last are the only recorded times that Antarctic sea-ice area has dropped below 2 million square kilometres.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised interest rates for the 10th consecutive meeting, taking the cash rate target to 3.6 per cent.
The case of Sally Rugg, the former Chief of Staff to Independent MP Monique Ryan, who launched legal action against her former employer and the Commonwealth over a refusal to work unreasonable hours, will now go to trial. The case has brought into focus the demands on professions where a 60, 70 or even 80-hour working week are seen as a necessity.
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn are two of the world's greatest banjo players.Both Grammy Award winners, who have worked across many different styles and collaborations.In the Drawing Room they talk about the history of the banjo, their different styles, and how working together has impacted their relationship.
A private member's bill designed to end 'jobs for mates' has been introduced by Independent MP Sophie Scamps.
Labor's superannuation policy comes into effect after the next election, and doubles the tax rate on earnings in super accounts with more than $3 million.
It was little more than a year ago that Origin Energy announced it was planning to bring forward the closure of Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, Eraring, by seven years to 2025. But with energy bills soaring and alarm bells sounding about potential power shortages, the New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean has flagged the possibility of an intervention to keep the lights on at Eraring.
Young people addicted to online gaming, waking in the middle of the night to play; or children becoming violent when they're told to stop are the stuff or parenting horror stories that are becoming increasingly common.New research has shown that gaming can change the brains of teenagers, but, fortunately it’s not irreparable. GuestDr Philip Tam, Child Psychiatrist, researcher and educator
The war in Ukraine has opened a door for South Korea’s arms exports, with their weapons sales jumping a record 140%.Countries arming Kyiv - like Poland, and even the US - are turning to Seoul to replenish their own supplies, but South Korea is refusing to send lethal assistance to Ukraine itself, despite pleas from Kyiv and NATO.
New figures from the Actuaries Institute show nearly 20,000 more people died in Australia in the first 11 months of last year than expected, the highest number of excess deaths in decades.Half of those deaths were due to COVID-19, while the virus was a contributing factor in thousands more. GuestKaren Cutter, COVID-19 Mortality Working Group at the Actuaries Institute
Macquarie Bank is one of Australia's great success stories, with thousands of employees around the globe and a position at the top of the field when it comes to infrastructure asset management.And it's a company known for rewarding its employees.In their new book, The Millionaires' Factory, Joyce Moullakis and Chris Wright, talked to more than a hundred people to bring together an examination of the company's past and its future.
This week the government opened up a new frontline with the Coalition announcing its plan to increase the concessional tax rate for superannuation balances of more than $3 million, meanwhile the Coalition isn't covering itself in glory as the Robodebt Royal Commission roles on.
This week we're asking the tough questions on superannuation, lunar time zones and rewriting the classics.Comedian and actor Nikki Osborne and fellow comedian Luke Heggie face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.GuestsNikki Osborne, actor and comedianLuke Heggie, comedian
The NRL season has officially kicked off which means the AFL season is just around the corner and once again you will have the luxury of following four football codes at the one time. There's also been a riveting third cricket test between India and Australia.
An independent panel will advise the government on how to end live sheep exports.The government has promised to phase out the industry after the next federal election.
A new report from US intelligence agencies has found that a foreign adversary or adversaries were not responsible for health episodes - dubbed Havana Syndrome - at US embassies around the world.
Andrew Leigh has tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with looking at the prevalence of non-compete clauses in worker contracts over fears they are driving down wages growth.
This week Canada joined the European Union in banning TikTok on government-issue mobile devices. US lawmakers are pushing for their government to do the same amidst concerns China could weaponize it. While the ChatGPT artificial intelligence technology is still being refined it's not stopping big business and investors.
Christopher Makos first made his name capturing New York's music scene in the 1970s, as glam rock and punk brought a visual kick to the city.That scene led him to a long friendship and collaboration with Andy Warhol, and to a body of work that's been exhibited everywhere from the Guggenheim to the Whitney.Makos' work is part the Art Gallery of South Australia's exhibition, Andy Warhol and Photography: A Social Media, and in the Drawing Room he talks about Warhol, candlelit blackouts with Debbie Harry, and how he creates a sense of intimacy in his images.
Over the past five years 30 per cent of Australia's bank branches have shut.That's the focus of a federal inquiry which has begun today in Sale, in Victoria's Gippsland region.
The inclusion of Australian band Sticky Finger in this year's festival line-up prompted widespread criticism with two acts pulling out of Bluesfest over their inclusion.Initially the festival stood by the band's inclusion but now Bluesfest says it "cannot, sadly, continue to support Sticky Fingers by having them play our 2023 edition".
Former minister Stuart Robert has told the Robodebt royal commission he takes "absolute responsibility" for the implementation for the illegal scheme.The robodebt scheme ran between 2015 and 2019, and sought unlawful debts from approximately 443,000 people worth $1.76 billion.
You'd be forgiven for wondering if there's actually an election campaign underway in NSW. That's because unlike federal parliament, election terms are fixed in NSW, so there tends to be little fanfare when campaigns begin.But there have been plenty of headlines in this election including controversies and tight polls.
The federal government plans to double the tax rate on the nation's largest super accounts from 15 per cent to 30 per cent, which it expects to affect about 80,000 people.But the opposition says it will repeal those changes if they win the next election.
In the town of Salem, a madness has swept the village and allegations of witchcraft, born of greed and vengeance, see the townsfolk brought before the court and hanged.The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a classic of the stage, both a telling of history and a parable for Miller's time, and perhaps our own.In the recent production of The Crucible by the London's National Theatre, Brendan Cowell takes on the role of John Proctor, and, in the Drawing Room, Cowell shares his own feelings on authority and the madness of the mob.
Many Australians are heading to the country, with the latest Regional Australia Institute's Movers Index showing regional hotspots all conspicuously distant from Melbourne and Sydney. One of those is the regional, industrial town of Port Pirie in South Australia, which has seen a dramatic influx of people moving to the town, flying in the face of perceptions of the town.
Central Australia's remote football competition has been dealt a major blow after the Alice Springs council withdrew its support for this season amid concerns about crime rates and social issues in the town.
US President Joe Biden might not have fired the starter's gun on the race to become an 'electrostate', but his Inflation Reduction Act worth $369 billion USD has awoken the field. A new report from independent think tank Climate Energy Finance says six months since that announcement, Australia faces a critical juncture to seize the moment and its place at the forefront of the 'new economy'.
The US President Joe Biden wants Ajay Banga to be the next World Bank President. But who is he and how did he come to the attention of Washington?
US President Joe Biden was in Ukraine a week ago pledging support in the fight to repel Russia.A week later he’s sent the US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen to Kyiv to reaffirm America’s support, and she's brought the first instalment of an almost $10 billion US economic assistance package.
The one year anniversary of the floods that swept through the Northern Rivers and towns like Lismore, has exposed a glaring problem. Many residents are still living out of tents and caravans while they wait for approval to either rebuild or be bought out despite assurances they would know by now.
Earnings on super balances above $3million will be taxed at the concessional rate of 30% instead of the current 15%. The government intends to legislate the changes but they won't come into place until July 2025, and won't be retrospective.
The latest retail data from the Bureau of Statistics, alongside earnings figures from some of Australia’s largest consumer companies, paints an interesting picture.On the backdrop of consecutive rate rises from the Reserve Bank and a wage rise that's not comparable with inflation, what's driven retail spending up in January?
For more than a decade, the people of Roeburn, a small town in the Pilbara, have been coming together to create songs, stories and theatre.That work has led to a new album, Songs For Freedom, which is also a call to end the disproportionate levels of incarceration of Indigenous children.In the Drawing Room, Fred Ryan and Lucky Oceans talk about the lead single, prisons as a part of the community, and how they became part of the project.
Merely weeks away from the federal government releasing its defence strategic review; the Chief of Air Force is pushing for low cost killer drones to boost the RAAF’s capacity.Air Marshal Rob Chipman has told foreign counterparts and defence leaders that the war in Ukraine demonstrated the importance of air superiority, with a new lethal drone set to be unveiled at this week’s Avalon airshow.
State and territory workplace, health and safety ministers have met in Canberra to discuss a potential ban on the domestic use of silica in the wake of reports of silicosis spreading among workers.One Union-commissioned study predicts more than 100,000 workers could be diagnosed with the incurable lung disease.
Australia's growing population is predicted to reach 31 million by 2040.While the government is keen to maintain the flow of new migrants to fill a yawning skills shortage, a new survey has found that just 18 per cent of Australians support a return to pre-pandemic levels of immigration.
168 years ago, not far from the Goldfields of Victoria, 13 men stood trial for treason over a bloody rebellion, known as the Eureka Stockade.The first of the stockade leaders to be acquitted by a jury was African American man John Joseph, whose life has been honoured.GuestCaroline Kennedy, US Ambassador to Australia
Sophia Hamblin Wang and her company MCI is powering the carbon economy with carbon dioxide taken from the atmosphere. Her work has propelled her company from being a tech startup to becoming commercialised with global partners, and she's been recognised by the World Economic Forum who named her as a young global leader.
Behind the imposing walls of Colditz Castle, during the second world war, hundreds of foreign officers were kept under lock and key.But despite the impressive facade, it wasn't the most successful prison: dozens of successful escapes were made by the prisoners there, and many more were attempted.The myth around the camp is of British derring-do, but the people in the camp were far more diverse than the legends suggest.In his new book, Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle, Ben Macintyre sets out to widen the narrative.
Big businesses are recording record profits, and yet consumers are forking out more and more for their goods and services. While there is a lack of market competition in Australia, could this be impacting prices and how consumers are treated?
The Prime Minister has unveiled the government's new cybersecurity strategy, to be led by a new national coordinator.The government will consult experts on ambitious policies so Australia can become a global cybersecurity leader by 2030, including banning ransom payments.
The Federal Government wants to discuss changing the superannuation system, and it is looking at reining in tax concessions for people with large super balances above $3m.The Federal Opposition says it will block any changes, arguing they'll amount to new taxes on super.
According to Respect@Work recommendation 25, the risk of ending up with a huge legal bill can act as a disincentive to people who may have considered taking their sexual harassment case to court.But working out a way that balances removing hurdles for people who want to take action and making sure people don't drag out claims is a tricky balance.
The federal government has announced it will start a new round of water buybacks to help it achieve a key target under the $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan.The new round of buybacks will help achieve what's known as the 'bridging the gap' water target.
Microsoft's effort to integrate AI into its Bing search engine didn't go quite to plan. Not-for-profit research group Reset has found Twitter accounts pushing Russian political propaganda are using Twitter's new verification system to make their posts more prominent.Plus new research suggests the movements we make when using virtual reality could be used to sell to us.
Reggie Watts is a beat-boxer and musician, using loops of his voice to craft live improvised works that sound like tracks from the best album you've never heard.He's also a comedian, one half of the electronica group Wajata, a television host, actor, and the bandleader on the Late Late Show with James Cordern.In the Drawing Room, Reggie talks about putting a band together, the power of absurdism, and how improv allows him to surprise everyone — even himself.
In a bid to remedy Queensland's thin blue line, its police service is looking abroad to try and attract hundreds of officers to its ranks.
Twitter, TikTok, Google, Twitch and Discord have been hit with legal threats from Australia's eSafety commissioner, who is demanding information on what they are doing to combat child exploitation material on their platforms.They face mammoth daily fines if they don't comply.
Climate 200 was hoping to continue the march of electing teal independent candidates in last year's Federal election into the Victorian State election, but it didn't eventuate, with no Climate 200-backed candidates winning a single seat. Despite this Climate 200 is hoping to help candidates get elected into NSW Parliament in next month's state election.
Byron Bay Bluesfest director Peter Noble doubles down on his decision to include Australian band Sticky Fingers on the festival bill.
There are many many reasons why women choose to freeze their eggs, but a prohibitive factor is often cost, with the procedure costing up to $10,000 per cycle and the procedure is generally not covered by Medicare.As the NSW state election approached, the State Government is promising a $2,000 rebate.
The Federal Cabinet has been held in Western Australia for the first time.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Port Hedland, and announced $565 million to support common user port upgrades in the Pilbara.
President Joe Biden paid a surprise visit to Ukraine yesterday, walking the streets of Kyiv with Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelenskyy, even as air raid sirens rang out in the capital.The trip has been hailed as a defiant display of solidarity and was also met with an extra half a billion dollars in weapons support and comes as the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine looms.But a former US Ambassador to Ukraine thinks the US should be offering far more weapons to Ukraine.
If you are one of the millions of people who watch sport or use social media, you will have noticed a continuous cascade of advertisements for alcohol, gambling and junk food - and conincidentlaly some of the biggest sponsors of the world's biggest sporting events fall into these categories.Independent Senator David Pocock wants reform on gambling, alcohol and junk food marketing on children and vulnerable communities.
When was the last time you enjoyed a meal and a drink at a nice restaurant?Mark-ups on wine at alcohol at bars and restaurants are common place - but at what point are they sustaining a hospitality business, and when do they become excessive?
Police say they will use lethal force if necessary to secure the release of a professor at an Australian university who was taken hostage in a remote area of Papua New Guinea while conducting a field study. A special police operation is now underway to rescue the group which consists of the professor, an Australian permanent resident and New Zealand citizen, as well as a Papua New Guinean program coordinator, and two University of PNG graduates.
If you have to put aside more than a third of your income for your rent or mortgage, you're in housing stress. There are increasing reports of working families now resorting to couch surfing or living in cars across Australia, an issue explored by the Senate reference committee inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia in Lismore, NSW, where many communities are also struggling after major flooding last year.
North Korea has fired a pair of missiles off its east coast making it Pyongyang's second test in three days.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants to safeguard Australia's retirement savings by embedding a definition for superannuation into law.The government has released a proposed objective which states superannuation is about preserving savings "to deliver income for a dignified retirement."
The NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has announced $8 million will go towards supporting world first pilots of community electrification. What effect will this have on inflation and reducing carbon emissions?
From The Go-Betweens to his own solo albums, Robert Forster is one of the great figures of Australian music.His latest album, The Candle and the Flame, is another triumph. It's also an intensely personal record, recorded in the wake of his wife's diagnosis with ovarian cancer.
Roald Dahl has been hailed as "one of the greatest storytellers of the twentieth century," but the publisher behind Roald Dahl's works has hired sensitivity writers to remove and rewrite language they deemed offensive.Puffin says it's to ensure classics like Matilda and The Twits can continue to be enjoyed by all today - a move which has been labelled as censorship by other writers like Salman Rushdie.
The ACT Government is investigating how one of its most photographed tourism sites is being marketed and presented on social media after two deadly incidents, a week apart.While there is no suggestion that the two men who died in these tragedies were seeking a thrill-seeking selfie, the popularity of Gibraltar Falls on social media is showing the difficulty in managing risk and balancing personal responsibility.
The Federal Government has contributed to $5 million dollars in grants, which is going towards research collaboration between the US National Science Foundation and the CSIRO towards using artificial intelligence for good.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political marches, the "Easter Bunny" robbery and superstar singers.Award winning ABC journalist Mon Schafter and ABC weather presenter Nate Byrne face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The master of Australian Americana, Henry Wagons, has just released a new solo album, South of Everywhere, and is heading off to stages around the country.On RN Drive, Henry talks about finding inspiration after lockdown, LA writers rooms, and whether we need a better term for international flavours of Americana.
Ash Gardner has led the Aussie cricketing contingent cashing in at the Women's Premier League auction. But who's behind the injection of money into the women's game and where is it leading? Plus the Matildas kick off the Cup of Nations, and Formula One's new Academy getting women behind the wheel.
90% of our brain development is squeezed into the first few years of life but there's growing consensus that the nation's current approach to early childhood development needs a rethink.The Federal Government has brought together parents, community organisations, academics and representatives from the government sector for a summit in the nation's parliament with the aim of tackling challenges in the sector.
This week we take a trip down memory lane, with the Greens being warned not to repeat history by voting against the Albanese government’s Safeguard Mechanism and Coalition leader Peter Dutton apologising for not apologising to Stolen Generations back in 2008.
Senate Estimates has heard that potentially up to 30 partners and staff from respected accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) were involved in or at least knew about a 2016 scheme to help multinationals avoid paying tax using confidential information obtained while advising the Federal Government on anti-avoidance tax laws. Former PwC partner Peter-John Collins was investigated by the Tax Practitioners Board and his registration was terminated, but is a further investigation warranted and what powers should the TPB be given to sanction breaches?PwC has been contacted for comment, but in a statement previously provided to the ABC, CEO Tom Seymour said steps had been taken to prevent confidentiality breaches occurring in future.
Adelaide Writers' Week organisers have been criticised for their decision to include author Susan Abul-Ha-Wa in next month's event.The Palestinian-American writer has been an outspoken critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the conflict began, accusing him of seeking to start World War III.
A new right to have personal information collected by companies erased are among the key recommendations of a sweeping review of the nation’s privacy laws.Plus why is Elon Musk tinkering with the Twitter algorithm to boost his own posts?
Sport is meant to be the healthiest thing in the world, and professional athletes operate at the top levels of fitness.So why do women at the top level face stress fractures at three times the rate of their male peers? And why is disordered eating so common among this cohort?Lauren Fleshman was a professional runner: a college phenomenon and a multiple-time National Champion in the 5000m race. Now, in her new book, Good For A Girl: A Woman Running In A Man's World, she looks back on her career, and examines what needs to change so that sport is healthy for women: in body and mind.
A new cryonics facility, the first in Australia, has opened in regional New South Wales, making it more accessible for Australians to freeze their bodies for a chance to be reanimated after their death. But how much does it cost for a chance to see what the future holds?
More than 41,000 people are now known to have died following last week's earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria. With Turkish authorities issuing 100 arrest warrants over collapsed buildings, a video has resurfaced of Turkiya's President Recap Tayyip Erdowan boasting of having issued an amnesty to developments that didn't meet earthquake building standards during a campaign rally in 2019.
Kids with autism don't need to be cured, they need to be embraced.That's according to new national guidelines, launched today by the federal government which outline the best ways to ensure there's effective and consistent support for children up to the age of 12.
Death Valley, California is one of the hottest places on earth. It's also the place where the extreme Badwater 135 ultra marathon will be held in July this year.Newcastle, New South Wales emergency nurse, Maree Connor is one of the one hundred invitation only participants who will push her body to extremes as she run the two hundred and seventeen kilometre track.
Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe has defended the board's nine consecutive interest rate rises since May during a Senate estimates grilling, warning there's a risk inflation is yet to be controlled.Those monthly rate increases have seen annual repayments on a $600,000 dollar mortgage rise $13,500
A professor of English at Harvard, a Pulitzer prize winner and a staff writer at The New Yorker, Louis Menand brings a careful eye to the big picture of history.In his latest book, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War, he's looking back at a time when the US became the cultural force in the world — and at the figures who helped to shape that timeA professor of English at Harvard, a Pulitzer prize winner and a staff writer at The New Yorker, Louis Menand brings a careful eye to the big picture of history.In his latest book, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War, he's looking back at a time when the US became the cultural force in the world — and at the figures who helped to shape that time
Have you ever pondered over if you should ask your children who are still living at home and the workforce to pay board and keep.With the cost of living ever increasing, is nowthe time?
The latest report card on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan has found some significant failings, and only minor gains in the past six months.It’s likely to heap political pressure on the Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek as important elements of the plan are unlikely to be achieved by next year's deadline.
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders remain without power following Cyclone Gabrielle's deadly lashing. As many communities prepare to rebuild, should authorities invest in the costly exercise of putting overhead power lines and cabling underground to better prepare for the next extreme weather event?
Australian Olympian Peter Bol says his B-sample clears him of doping allegations, after the runner was provisionally banned for returning a positive result for synthetic EPO this year. But Sport Integrity Australia says the Atypical finding is not the same as a negative result, and the investigation is ongoing.
He's been making headlines for years for his incredible surgeries, but this week celebrity neurosurgeon Charlie Teo is fronting a week-long disciplinary hearing.
A centrepiece of the Federal Government's plan to boost social and affordable housing supply has been dealt a hurdle with the Coalition and Greens raising concerns over the 10-billion-dollar fund. The government aims to use up to $500m a year in returns from the fund to build 20,000 social and 10,000 affordable homes in the first five years of the program.
The future of the Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe remains in the spotlight as Australia braces for more interest rate rises. Plus why is consumer sentiment pessimistic but business confidence up?
This is meant to be an age of amazing potential for artists. Global streaming promised access to huge audiences and self-publishing the potential for personal control.So why are artists earning less than they used to? And how have a smaller and smaller number of companies come to control the distribution of books, movies, and music?Rebecca Giblin is a professor at Melbourne Law School and the Director of the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia.Cory Doctorow is a best-selling author and activistTogether they're the authors of Chokepoint Capitalism, which looks at why these promises have never been realised, and what we can do to change the system.
Growing anecdotal evidence suggests couples across all demographics are increasingly sleeping in separate beds. And some couples say sleeping separately makes the overall relationship better
There are intense scenes of destruction in Aotearoa New Zealand today with Cyclone Gabrielle sweeping through the country causing mass damage and widespread flooding. People have been trapped in cars, homes and on roof tops, while access to some communities in the country's north has been cut off with roads washed away and telecommunications down.
Leaders from some of Australia’s top law firms have urged the industry to adapt to use artificial intelligence like ChatGPT and see it as an opportunity, rather than shy away from a perceived threat. But what are the implications for an industry that often uses special privilege; and what are the legal realms lawyers are now dealing with as a result of this technology?
The Albanese Government's delivery of its election commitment to provide a pathway for temporary protection visa holders has been welcomed by advocates, bringing to an end a decade of limbo for refugees.While delivering long awaited certainty for some, refugee support agencies say the future of another 12,000 people including the bridging visa class is less sure.
Hannah Arendt was one of the foremost political theorists of the 20th Century.Perhaps best known for the phrase 'the banality of evil', Arendt wrote extensively on power, freedom, and the importance of individual action, and she remains a key figure of moral philosophy.In her book, Hannah Arendt, Samantha Rose Hill has taken a fresh and fascinating look back at Arendt's life and work. She's also published a collection of Arendt's poetry.Ahead of her appearance at Adelaide Writers Week, Hill talks about the importance of experience, the meaning of 'understanding', and Arendt's significant sense of humour.
Australian researchers are trying to find a way to bring back the extinct carnivorous marsupial the Tasmanian Tiger.But is everyone actually on board with this idea?
The US has shot down a fourth floating object in the skies over North America. The first is a suspected Chinese spy balloon, but it's unclear where the other three have come from, or what they are.Australia, apparently, doesn't have the same problem, but is Australia still being spied on, and how?
For 10 years they've worked, paid taxes and become part of our communities while living in limbo.A decade later, certainty with permanent visas for 19,000 visa Temporary Protection and Safe Haven Enterprise visa holders who arrived in Australia before Operation Sovereign Borders in 2013.
As Australian motorists pay more than $2.00 per litre for petrol, big oil has been making mega profits. The world’s five biggest oil companies: BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and Total Energies; collectively made almost USD $200 Billion in profits last year. But what are they doing with these riches?
This week we're asking the tough questions on voices to Parliament, awkward animal deaths and GOATs.Comedian Kevin Kropinyeri and fellow comedian ABC presenter Greta Lee Jackson face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
With decades in the business and multiple Grammy nominations, Eric Bibb is one of the enduring voices of the blues — and what a voice.Over his latest two albums, Dear America and Ridin', he's looking at America and what it means to be a part of the history of that country.
Home to the densest known concentration of rock art in the world, Western Australia's Burrup Peninsula, or Murujuga in the local language, has been nominated for United Nations World Heritage listing.The federal government nomination coincides with renewed calls from the break away traditional owner group, Save Our Songlines, to delay large fertiliser and gas projects to allow for the UN World Heritage Committee to investigate the region's heritage value and potential threats.
There's an intense glare on the world's number one ranked test cricket team as it visits India. Amid accusations of pitch-doctoring, ointments being used near the match ball, and some baffling team selections, Australia has badly faltered early.
The federal Communications Minister is facing calls to step down from the role over allegations she accepted significant donations from gambling company Sportsbet in the lead up to last year's federal election.Nine Newspapers is reporting the gambling giant donated almost $19,000 to support the then shadow minister's election campaign between March and May last year.Minister Rowland says she made all required disclosures.
Former federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg could soon be on his way back to parliament with growing speculation he will contest a by-election brought about by the expected resignation of former cabinet minister Alan Tudge.Frydenberg's return is not assured with the Liberal Party holding the seat in Melbourne's outer east on a margin of just two-point-eight per cent.
Chinese state-aligned actors are using AI-generated deepfake news broadcasters to peddle pro-China propaganda videos for social media platforms. Meanwhile, ChatGPT is showing itself to be adept and mimicking humans, producing sexist and racist job posts.GuestLizzie O'Shea, founder of Digital Rights Watch
What makes for a good ending? Of a work of art; of a career; of a life? And does the ending matter, if what's happened before it has been a grand success?Geoff Dyer has written about photography, jazz, travel, cinema, service and anything else that captures his attention, and taken home a bushel of prizes along the way.And in his latest work, The Last Days of Roger Federer, he's turned his eye to endings.
As the fifth dose of COVID vaccination is made available to Australians, the Federal Government says its been surprised by the severity of the latest COVID wave.Department of Health data shows the spike has claimed more than 600 lives in aged care since Christmas. Researchers have also used Department data to track where the lowest areas of unvaccinated people are in Australia, with some surprising results.
Astrophysicists have proposed a novel solution to curb global warming, using moon dust to create a "solar shield" around the earth. They say firing tonnes of moon dust from a gun into space can help deflect the sun's rays away from us.
Imagine paying off the mortgage on a vacant home that's not just empty but unliveable? Four years after being given their marching orders when structural cracks were discovered in their building, residents of the Mascot Towers are still waiting for a resolution while still paying their mortgages and strata fees
Authorities in New Zealand have found a record-breaking amount of cocaine, floating in international waters, which they say was headed for Australia. The amount was so large authorities believe it would be enough to supply Australia for a year, and New Zealand for 30 years.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed four Australians are missing, and a further 37 are receiving assistance after this week's deadly earthquake in southern Turkiye and northern Syria.Up to 72 Australian search and rescue specialists are expected to land in Turkiye this week to help with the rescue effort.
Indonesia is continuing to flex it's diplomatic muscle as chair of ASEAN announcing that a senior military general will be sent as President Joko Widodo's envoy to try and influence Myanmar's ruling junta.Meanwhile, millions of Indonesian Muslims are in limbo after learning that they may have to fork up more cash if they want to make their pilgrimage to Mecca.
Aurora Mardiganian became a surprising sensation in America in the late 1910s. A survivor of the massacre and exile of the Armenian people, her story became a cause celebre and was turned into a movie: Auction of Souls.Following the first World War, President Wilson sought an American mandate for Armenia, but his plan was defeated in Congress and, shortly afterwards, copies of the film vanished.A new documentary, Aurora's Sunrise, uses recovered scenes from the film, archival testimony, and animation, to tell Aurora's story.Inna Sahakyan is the film's director and co-writer and in the Drawing Room she explores the story around the film, which won Best Animated Film at the Asian Pacific Screen Awards, and was the Armenian entry for the Oscars this year.
Under the various state donor systems, there are various databases and ways of tracking formal donor conceptions - but there aren't consistent measures across the country. Advocates are calling on the Government for a National register of all donations used for donor conception, including sperm, egg, and embryo.
Biden has set the tone for the first period of divided since taking office, calling for bipartisanship.But, Republicans have consistently rejected his call for cooperation.Amid a cost of living crisis, the economy remains the sticking point for Republicans and voters.
An unforgivable oversight that risked national security or a missed opportunity to end offshore processing?The federal government yesterday set aside other matters to urgently renew the designation of Nauru as an offshore processing country after the previous designation lapsed without being renewed.
It's official - in line with the expectations from analysts and experts, the Reserve Bank has raised the cash rate for the ninth consecutive time. The 25 basis point rise sees the benchmark rate now stand at 3.35% which is expected to squeeze borrowers even further.
The Senate has met today with a few changes, as Lidia Thorpe took up her new seat on the crossbench.She claims her former Greens party hindered her from her key focus of growing and amplifying the Black sovereign movement.But what is the movement and how would it work?
For an increasing number of us, urban density is choking up local green spaces, to the point where councils are looking for creative solutions to unlock more of these spaces. One inner-city Mayor in Sydney has taken the request to private schools in her local area as one way to try and unlock more green space for her community. GuestZoe Baker, North Sydney Council Mayor
Rescuers continue to search for survivors in the rubble amid freezing temperatures in Türkiye and Syria, with the earthquake claiming more than 4,300 lives in a death toll that's expected to rise dramatically.Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has now committed $10 million in humanitarian aid.
The South Australian Government hopes the introduction of legislation to create a First Nation's Voice to the state's parliament will bolster the case for a federal body.The state voice would allow Aboriginal people to elect 40 representatives from their geographical area, with 12 able to speak on all bills before parliament.
It was in dawn raids two years ago that 47 politicians and activists were arrested, accused of conspiracy to subvert state power for organising an unofficial public ballot.31 have pleaded guilty, 16 not guilty, and today face the first day of what is being described as Hong Kong’s largest security trial.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced his sweeping plan to overhaul the state's gambling industry.Top of the list is getting cash out clubs to curb money laundering and problem gambling.Venues will have five years to transition to cashless gaming and are being offered financial support.
Victorian Greens Senator and the party's Indigenous affairs spokeswoman Lidia Thorpe has resigned from the party, ending months of speculation and internal upset over her position on the Voice to Parliament.Her resignation paves the way for the Greens to unanimously support the Yes campaign at this year's referendum.
It's the element you're probably using right now to read this. It's estimated Australia produces 60% of lithium in the world, yet it only retains about 1% - a substance deemed so valuable it's been dubbed 'white gold'.The race is now on to shore up supplies of this crucial element commonly found in batteries, and these starts ups are trying to keep Australia at the forefront of the industry.
What would you rather: trying to buy a home with record high interest rates, or taking record low interest rates to tackle record house prices? With interest rates expected to continue to rise, the generational divide over housing has never been clearer.
Tina Turner is a true superstar, with decades of hits, so what's it like to take to the stage and become the legend?Ruva Ngwenya has be playing the role of Tina Turner in the Australian production of the musical, Tina, and in the Drawing Room she talks high school musicals, training regimes, and channeling the spirit of Tina Turner
Some travelled on foot for ten days from Melbourne to Canberra, to make an impassioned plea to the Federal Government to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.The campaign for additional action has gained the support of a growing number of politicians, even though the federal Attorney-General’s department says it does not have the ability to designate the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist entity under the nation’s Criminal Code.
The United States remains the most powerful country in Asia, according to the latest Asia Power Index from the Lowy Institute think tank.But while the pandemic has contained China to second place, the report notes China’s military might is quickly closing the gaps against its American counterpart.
Simone Young is a world-renowned conductor who has led symphony orchestras and opera companies across the globe and shattered more than a few glass ceilings along the way.She's returned home as the chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and is the centre of a new documentary, Knowing The Score.In the Drawing Room, Simone discusses music, Tár, and what real life is actually like for one of the world's elite conductors.
Australia's health system is under immense strain with a 50 per cent increase in the number of Australian's delaying or skipping GP visits last year due to the cost.The celebrated Medicare universal public health care system is in its worst shape in 40 years but a much anticipated review has left some stakeholders underwhelmed, with funding decisions delayed until May.
Adani, the parent company behind the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, has sensationally called off its planned multi-billion dollar share sale. That sale was set to ease pressure on the Indian conglomerate which has been accused of fraudulent behaviour by the Hindenburg Research group, and comes as the company and its owner see a significant drop in value and worth.
After weeks of repeated demands for more detail on the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton today committed to continued engagement with the government's Referendum Working Group.The group advising the government on this year's Voice referendum says it's close to finalising the wording of the proposed change with legislation required to deliver the referendum to be introduced to parliament next month.
It's been revealed, Elon Musk has lost one hundred and forty million US dollars of Tesla money invested in crypto currency. Plus. the possibility of Japan and The Netherlands following America's lead to ban the export of microchip making tools to China in a bid to disrupt Beijing’s expansion of its microchip industry and enhance its military capabilities.
In 2022 justice was finally served in the case of Elizabeth Johnson Jr, who was formally exonerated of the crime she'd been sentenced to death for - the crime of wiitchcraft.Johnson Jr was one of the women accused during the infamous Salem witch trials, 329 years ago. Her pardon is part of a growing movement in America, and in Europe - to reverse the convictions of thousands of women and men who falsely accused during the 17th and 18th Centuries.
It started off as a COVID-induced lockdown project which spawned a year - sitting down every day to watch the 1993 movie 'Groundhog Day'. But what Dr Adam Daniel from the Western Sydney University discovered surprised him.
It's been described as one of the biggest money laundering investigations in Australian history. Nine men have been charged after 20 properties in some of Sydney's most affluent suburbs were seized, after allegedly acquiring the properties through shadow banking.
The Minister responsible for the illegal 'robodebt' debt recovery scheme in 2017 has faced questioning at the Royal Commission into the scandal.Christian Porter's time in the witness box follows former human services minister Alan Tudge's repeated attempts to deflect responsibility at yesterday's hearing.
The National Returned Services League has agreed to back a proposal by the New South Wales government to introduce cashless gaming cards, in a bid to help problem gamblers and prevent money being laundered through pokie machines.
Days out from the first sitting of the Federal Parliament for 2023, Greens MPs and Senators have set out on a two-day policy retreat, amid internal division over the constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.The policy retreat coincides with the release of political donations data which reveals the Party continues to receive donations above its proposed $1,000 per donor, per year cap.
Cardinal George Pell's funeral won't be the only large gathering of the Catholic faithful this week.The Australasian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform will also meet in support of Pope Francis's commitment to a more inclusive and participatory church.
Exactly two years on since Myanmar's military staged a coup, ousting the government and arresting its de facto leader, Aun San Suu Kyi, Australia has imposed sanctions on 16 officials from the ruling junta. It's a significant move for Canberra which until now has been reluctant to join international sanctions against the country's leadership.GuestChristopher Lamb, former Australian Ambassador to Myanmar
At the upcoming Women's World Cup, being hosted by Australia and New Zealand, sitting alongside major sponsors could be the Saudi Arabian tourism arm 'Visit Saudi'. Former Socceroo, football commentator and NSW Australian of the Year Craig Foster says any deal is unacceptable given the country's human rights record and treatment od women.
On January 20th running star Peter Bol was provisionally suspended after a sample taken in October last year, returned a positive result for EPO. But now a group of Norwegian scientists has cast doubt on the World Anti Doping Agency’s testing method saying it remains subjective.
A former minister responsible for the robodebt scheme has told a Royal Commission into the program he was not responsible for its legality.The 2015 program used an algorithm to work out whether Centrelink recipients had been overpaid, but unlawfully claimed almost $2 billion in payments from 433,000 people.Alan Tudge, who was human services minister from 2016 to 2017, says despite potential issues with the automated debt recovery scheme he did not raise questions.
When Michael Fabiano's music teacher, the legendary tenor George Shirley, told him he had a moral duty to share his voice, everything changed. Michael abandoned his plans for business or law and went home to map out in extraordinary detail what it would take to become one of the world's premiere opera singers.Now he's performing on the world's biggest stages, with a foundation that brings music education to a new generation.
It was a suggestion made this week by indigenous leader and former ALP president turned Liberal candidate Warren Mundine as part of the campaign against an indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Australians are losing millions of dollars to increasingly sophisticated scams every day, to the point where some say we now have a scam epidemic. But the true figure of how much is lost is likely to be much higher given the shame associated with being a victim - something the Consumer Action Law Centre wants to change.
Should the government compensate residents who live in Alice Springs to the amount of $1.5 billion?That's what was put forward last night at a community meeting in the town with one business owner calling for a class action against the NT Government over the surge in alcohol-fuelled violence and property crime in town.
The Federal Government will invest $8.5 million to engage people with lived experience of mental ill health in the development of policy and programs.A recent review of services revealed a lack of access for people from low socio-economic backgrounds in Australia's major cities.
Electric vehicles are marketed as the green option but there's an argument EV's aren't always better for the environment than conventional vehicles. Plus why marketing around EVs can be misleading.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the IOC to outright ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from next year's Summer Olympics in Paris, threatening to boycott if the sanction isn't applied. But do such bans have the desired effect and is it the place of sport to underscore political lines?
The musical talent of Australian artist Frank Sultana has wowed crowds in one of the world's biggest Blues music comps, taking home the title place for the solo / duo division.
The Federal Government is trumpeting the release of its five-year $286 million arts and cultural policy, the first in a decade.Arts Minister Tony Burke says it's a first step to restoring funding to the sector but the nation's cultural institutions will have to wait until May to find out if they too will receive much needed investment.
We're finding out whether it's been a good week in the news as writer, comedian, and broadcaster Mikey Robins faces off against broadcaster, MC, and advocate Julie McCrossin in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week
Named as the Americana Music Emerging Act of the Year in 2021 — about the same time as his 8th release — Charley Crockett has built a career on his own terms.With a sound that recalls the greats of blues, folk and country music, and a personal story better than any song could contain, it's no surprise that he's getting people's attention.
The Victorian government says it’s considering banning the Nazi salute following a series of incidents in recent weeks where white supremacists performed the gesture in public spaces across Melbourne.
Russian forces have fired a deadly barrage of missiles across almost a dozen of Ukraine's provinces, killing at least 11 people.
Being one of the best in the world at what you do is an almost impossible goal. And maintaining that position is the work of a lifetime.Australian born Connor O'Leary is one of the top surfers in the world, but he's had to prove his skill many times, fighting for qualification to the sport's Championship TourHis journey is one of the stories at the centre of a new documentary series, Chasing Waves, which explores the Japanese connection to surfing, in the wake of the 2021 Olympics.
Beginning life as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, then an Oscar-winning film, The Hours tells the story of three women, separated by time, but connected by Virginia Woolf's book Mrs Dalloway.Now, the story has its own third life: as an opera.Presented by New York's Metropolitan Opera, the production was composed by another Pulitzer Prize winner, Kevin Puts, and is now heading to screens as part of their HD Live series.
She's photographed the rich and famous, worked with Nick Cave over the decades and even taken Queen Elizabeth's portrait.But after stepping away from commercial portraiture, Polly Borland has produced her most interesting work, exploring the human body in abstract and sometimes unsettling ways that have seen her exhibited around the world.In her latest collection, Nudie and Blobs, Borland has turned the lens on herself, with abstract selfies of her own body taken with a mobile phone and a selfie stick.
Across Australia, down suburban alleyways or in the heart of the cities, are dozens of small theatres.They work without the budgets or the recognition of the big state companies, but that means they can take risks and give a home to unusual and emerging Australian voices.For five decades, Liz Jones has been working with the legendary La Mama Theatre in Melbourne, and for most of that time she's been the artistic director. Now, she's finally calling time on the role, leaving a thriving theatre and a remarkable legacy.
It's the time of year that can bring out the best the worst of us but what happens to our brains during the festive season?Guest: Dr Lila Landowski, Neuroscientist, University of Tasmania
This week we're asking the tough questions on the news cycle of 2022: from Federal Elections to viral songs, from iconic sporting moments to blockbuster entertainment and everything in between. Comedian and podcaster Dan Ilic faces off against fellow comedian Gabbi Bolt in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The Federal Government will abolish the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and replace it with a new body with stricter appointment criteria.
A long and complex investigation is now underway into the fatal police shooting in Queensland's Western Downs and authorities are expected to look closely at the online activities of the attackers in the lead up to the ambush. Two police officers, aged in their 20s, were shot dead while they were doing a routine welfare check at an isolated property near Tara.A neighbour was also fatally shot.The offenders, brothers Nathaniel and Gareth Train and Gareth's partner Stacey Train, were later killed by police and now there are reports one of them at least harboured extreme views and beliefs in conspiracy theories.
Summer holidays are within cooee and for many of us they can’t come soon enough. Have you ever contemplated taking a holiday that lasts the whole year. Our guest packed up her husband, four children under 15 years and hit the road to travel Australia GuestD'nelle Lemon
The Royal Commission into the illegal 'Robodebt' debt recovery scheme has heard former prime minister Scott Morrison did not seek an explanation from his department when advice on its legality changed.
The federal government's promised energy market intervention will pass through parliament tomorrow after gaining the support of the Greens and several senate crossbenchers.
Fijians have voted today in what is the Pacific Island nation's third democratic election since 2013.Incumbent prime minister Frank Bainimarama has been in power since leading a military coup in 2006. His nearest rival is former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who is also a former coup leader.
The fallout from the collapse FTX crypto empire FTX continues, after the company's 30 year old founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas and now faces deportation to the US.It comes after the former billionaire filed his company for bankruptcy last month, leaving many users unable to withdraw their funds, and a day before Bankman-Fried was due to speak with US lawmakers about the company's spectacular collapse.
The federal government is defending its energy market intervention ahead of a vote in Parliament on Thursday, as a major gas producer halts its participation in a national supply agreement.
Football bosses in Australia are facing widespread fan backlash following a decision to award Sydney the right to host the next three A-League Men's and Women's grand finals.Historically the highest-placing team has gained the right to host the A-League decider, which has, over the league's history, taken place in all five major Australian state capitals.
The agreement between the Federal and State Governments for a new energy capacity mechanism has been broadly welcomed by the renewable energy sector. But how will it work and when will it bring down your energy bills?
The New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet says bidding rental properties will end on December 17th. But given other states attempts to stamp out the practice, will his Government eradicate it completely?
Yugoslavia-born Darko 'Dougie' Desic is expected to be released from gaol later this month but he faces the prospect of being deported to Croatia but he is pleading to stay. GuestPaul McGirr Jnr, Lawyer (for Darko Desic)
A bipartisan Australian parliamentary delegation has arrived in Vanuatu, a nation hit by devastating recent cyberattacks which crippled critical infrastructure, government agencies and hospital systems.
The Federal Government's energy market intervention is facing another hurdle with the Greens and the Coalition opposing aspects.
Federal, state and territory governments have agreed to intervene in the market and cap wholesale gas and coal prices in an attempt to ease soaring energy costs for households and businesses.
The RSPCA is expecting more than 27,000 animals in their shelters across the nation during the festive period.The cost of living is biting meaning there are fewer people adopting animals and likely means more cats and dogs in shelters.
Have you checked your letter box to find a pamphlet for a Christmas street party? Or perhaps the invite was posted on a social media community page. But are you tempted to go? How well do you know your neighbours? And what's the etiquette around these soirees? Does someone host it in their house? Or do you all just deck it out on the footpath? Guest:Nadja Edwards, Coburg resident who attended a local street Christmas party
The Minister for Home Affairs says the face of terrorism and radicalisation is changing with many more lone wolf actors and more young people in the case load. Just two months ago the AFP expressed concerns that extremist groups are targeting young people - and exposing them to dangerous content - across online gaming platforms. Clare O'Neil has today told the National Press Club two years of a pandemic has seen children spend a lot more time online.
Australia's environmental laws are ineffective, not fit for purpose and prevent good outcomes.
A flood crisis is slowly building in the South Australian Riverland.Thousands of properties are set to be inundated by floodwater along the SA section of the Murray River, but communities are proving exceptionally resilient.
More than 600,000 Fijians are heading to the polls next week but ahead of the elections, allegations have emerged involving the country's attorney-general.An opposition party is claiming Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum visited an election printing centre and ordered the CCTV cameras to be turned off.The election supervisor has now accused the National Federation Party of spreading "misinformation".
It's been described as the first test of new consumer protection laws introduced in October last year.The corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, is taking legal action against American Express in the Federal Court over the way it allegedly distributed a David Jones credit card to customers. ASIC says a lot of these department store customers mistook the product for a loyalty card and that the product did not match the needs of customers.
How can it be that Australia has more statues of animals than it does of women?Melbourne City Council is looking to address this issue at its meeting next week, moving to ensure at least three new statues of women are commissioned.
Joint military operations with the US are set to get larger, with more US rotations heading to Australia and Japan invited to join too. But questions remain about Australia's submarine capability, despite a pledge from the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin there won't be a gap.
Pressure continues to mount on the federal government to reveal the shape of its energy market intervention with electricity and gas prices forecast to grow 56 and 44 per cent over two years.
While there's much discussion about the nation's use of coal and gas, the Australian Energy Market Operator has released a report into how long it will take to convert the national grid to 100% renewable power.At the same time New South Wales has topped a national renewable energy scorecard for the first time.
A child being born into the world is supposed to be a joyous occasion, especially for the parents. But a new survey of 8,800 women in Australia has found more than one in ten women have experienced treatment that amounted to obstetric violence while giving birth.
Sex outside of marriage, adultery and cohabitation will now be criminal acts in Indonesia and foreign visitors will not be spared by the new laws.In a significant development today lawmakers approved the new criminal code and it now has to be signed by President Joko Widodo. The code also says the promotion of contraception and religious blasphemy are illegal and it also restores a ban on insulting a sitting president and vice president.
It's the gift borrowers were dreading - an eighth consecutive rate rise from the Reserve Bank of Australia. The cash rate now stands at 3.1% - a full 3% rise since April - so is this enough to rein in inflation, which the Federal Government is desperate to halt?
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has given a significant apology to a Māori tribe for the government's history of "warmongering" and two centuries of breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.In addition to the apology, there was also NZ$165 million of financial and commercial redress to the the Ngāti Maniapoto tribe, and the return of 36 sites of cultural significance.
Indonesia won a lot of praise for its commitment to climate action while hosting the G20 meeting in Bali.But several weeks later, the country’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry has been accused of silencing environmental researchers, who have spoken out about the iconic and endangered species, the orangutan.
It has been an unforgettable World Cup for the Socceroos, where we equalled our best performance of reaching the Round of 16 before the heartbreaking loss to Argentina.Now the sport looks to harness the energy of the fan support for the Socceroos into support for our domestic A-Leagues and the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
There’s a looming crisis for volunteer run organisations.... they’re running out of volunteers.On International Volunteer Day, how can we entice more volunteers to sign up to help out, especially our younger generations?
We trust them behind the wheel of a car, we agree that they are old enough to decide whether to have sex and we demand that they pay taxes. So why aren't 16- and 17-year-old Australians allowed to vote?That is the question that will be put before the federal parliament early next year, when the Greens introduce a private members bill to lower the voting age.
It's no secret that it's getting harder to get in to see a GP as overworked and underpaid general practice doctors close their books or their practice doors. A new Grattan Institute report on Medicare says the system is broken, failing both GPs and patients alike and suggests ways make Medicare fit for purpose. GuestDr Danielle McMullen, Vice President, Australian Medical Association
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants the states to cap the price of coal.The states want compensation, but will consumers get cheaper energy?
New research suggests Viviscal, Nourkrin, Nutrafol and Lamdapil, are among a list of supplements that could help people experiencing hair loss. And could you estimate your blood alcohol content without using a breathalyser? GuestDr Joseph Milton,The Australian Science Media Centre.
A very naughty cockatoo has been caught on video this week dropping pot plants from an apartment on Melbourne's Flinders Lane.But why would a bird do something so mischievous?
"The first rule of a cult is that you are never in a cult. It's always them, not us."So writes Daniella Mestyanek Young: former military intelligence officer; combat veteran; and survivor of a childhood spent growing up in the Children of God: isolated from the outside world in compounds across South America.In the Drawing Room, Daniella shares her remarkable story and why she decided to tell it in a new memoir, Uncultured.
Now picture this: you're on an island and the sea level is slowly rising. You have no choice but to retreat and climb to higher ground. Suddenly you find yourself perched on the last bit of dry ground with nowhere to go.That's exactly what's happening to two precious mountain frogs in the Gondwana Rainforests across north-east NSW and south-east Queensland. Climate warming is drying out their habitat, forcing them to retreat higher, onto so-called Sky-islands. Scientists say at the current trajectory they could be on the brink of extinction by 2055.
The Premiers for New South Wales and South Australia moved quickly to announce new live sites for fans after the Socceroos qualified for the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Green and Gold next face the South American powerhouse Argentina on Sunday morning.
For the first time the Kremlin has directly addressed allegations by the Australian Federal Police that Russian hackers were behind the theft of millions of personal health and identification records of Medibank customers. Speaking through a translator, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakahrova accused Australia of not using proper diplomatic channels to investigate the origins of the data breach. The statement came as the cybercriminals behind the hack, dumped what appears to be the remainder of the stolen customer data on the dark web.Up to this point the attackers were drip-feeding the sensitive customer information, in the hope of being paid a ransom, which Medibank has refused to pay. According to them the case is now closed with all the information now readily accessible. But is this really the end of it?
Australia is not on track to reach the government's 43 per cent emissions reduction target by the end of the decade.
With sumptuous design and a clever use of modern pop songs, Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge was a tremendous success, consolidating his reputation after Romeo and Juliet.
Almost two decades later, the stage musical, based on that film, created its own legend: packing out its Broadway theatre and winning 10 Tony Awards.
Justin Levine is the show's music supervisor, orchestrator and arranger, and in the Drawing Room he explains how he put the pieces together.
Have you recently seen a photograph of gangrenous toes or perhaps an image of a face with a missing jaw? Or maybe you've seen a dissected lung? You certainly would have if you're a smoker - or if you know a smoker - because they're the very images printed on cigarette packages here in Australia.
Tomorrow will mark ten years since Australia became the first country to roll out plain cigarette packaging and to mark the occasion the Federal Government has flagged even more changes to these products.
A growing body of research points to trigger warnings having little to no impact on helping people when presented with potentially harmful content.
How did they become so prevalent and can their use be improved?
Close to half a decade since it was first seriously debated, an independent anti-corruption commission will be established next year after passing its final political hurdle.
A leader in the work that led to the detection of gravitational waves, Distinguished Professor Susan Scott is one of the world's leading physicists.
A childhood interest in mathematics and gravity has led to remarkable discoveries around black holes and neutron stars.
Distinguished Professor Scott has become the first Australian to win the prestigious Blaise Pascal Medal, and the first Australian to be elected as a Fellow of the International Society on General Relativity.
In the Drawing Room, she shares her path to science and what it felt like to see the result of decades of work.
The federal government is finalising the shape of its energy market intervention, including giving serious consideration to a price cap on wholesale gas.
The Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says the Federal Government's new attitude towards climate change should prevent UNESCO from formally listing the Great Barrier Reef as 'in danger' next year.
She says that if the Great Barrier Reef is listed then that should mean many other world heritage sites should also be given the same classification.
Have you been thinking about your next holiday but been shocked at the cost of a return flight? Would you ditch air travel for rail travel?
Guardian Australia reported that bookings for journeys between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have more than doubled, as travellers are turning to cheaper train travel to reach their destinations.
There could be massive disruptions to domestic and international flights next week, with aviation firefighters set to walk off the job on Friday.
The United Firefighters Union says understaffing is putting passenger safety at risk. But Airservices Australia say they are confident airports can keep operating safely.
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has resigned as party chair of the Democratic People's Party following some poor results at the local midterm elections.
Meanwhile Chiang Wan-an, the grandson of one of Taiwan's most revered political figures, has been elected as the youngest Mayor of Taipei which could see a resurgence of the KMT (Chinese Nationalist Party).
The formation of the loss and damage fund is being hailed as one of the most significant outcomes of COP27 but did the G20 more significant outcomes overall?
Guest
Toby Phillips, Sustainable Economy Program Director at the Centre for Policy Development
Forty countries have petitioned the UN’s international civil aviation body to consider allowing single pilot flights, with a proposed take-off date of 2027.
Do you think sunscreen is accessible enough for everyone? Would you use it more if it was free?
A new opinion piece argues for exactly that.
An emphatic defeat, thumping loss and a stinker have each been used to describe the Victorian Liberal Party's support at Saturday's state poll.
The Seekers were perhaps the first Australian band to truly capture the world stage, even dislodging The Beatles and The Rolling Stones from their positions at the top of the charts.
In the Drawing Room, founding member Keith Potger looks back on the last sixty years, the personal losses of 2022, and the band's final song together, Carry Me.
It's do-or-die for the Socceroos as they face Tunisia in a must-win match at the Qatar World Cup.
Australia can still make the knockout stage of the tournament if they get at least a win and a draw from their two remaining matches and other results go their way.
Sir Andrew Davis is one of the most highly regarded conductors in the world, with a career spanning decades and taking in a number of the leading opera companies and orchestras.
He's so well regarded in fact, that orchestras just can't let him go: he's the conductor laureate at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
In the Drawing Room he talks about crafting his own take on Handel's Messiah and finding comfort in translating Virgil's Aeneid.
After days of airstrikes, Turkey has vowed to follow through with threats of a land invasion into northern parts of Syria.
It’s a dramatic escalation in Turkey’s response to a deadly bombing in Istanbul, which killed six people and wounded dozens more, earlier this month.
In the last census there was a significant increase in Australia's Indigenous population - it jumped from 2.8% of the population in 2016 identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to 3.2% in 2021.
South Australian Liberal Senator and Arrente woman Kerin Liddle has raised this very issue in the Parliament and says there is little to no accountability when it comes to self-identification.
For some time the Unification Church faced little scrutiny in Japan and beyond north Asia, very few people even knew about it.
But the public assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this year has changed all that.
The assailant says he shot the former Liberal Democrat leader - with a homemade firearm - because he believed the politician was a supporter of the church, which he blamed for bankrupting his family.
Now the Japanese government has launched an investigation into the Church itself.
Have you missed a dinner with your family because you didn't go home on time, instead you stayed back in the office? Or perhaps you decided to skip that morning gym session and get to work early instead? Or even when you were at home sitting on the living room couch, you suddenly found yourself scrolling through work emails?
That's a lot of overtime. If you're not counting, we know someone who is.
From the classically chic to completely common, items at celebrity auctions often fetch a fortune.
Just last week someone paid US$35 thousand for a desk clock that belonged to the late writer Joan Didion, and it didn’t even work.
The Federal Parliament's Speaker and Senate President are investigating why high profile political activist and Chinese Government critic Drew Pavlou was ordered to leave Parliament House in Canberra this afternoon.
The Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe says Australia needs to avoid a price-wage spiral, meaning it wants to avoid raising wages while trying to rein in inflation.
His message comes as many Australians look to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales as a way of obtaining everyday items instead of planning ahead to Christmas.
We all know the classic pieces of orchestral music, the Stravinskys, the Beethovens, and the Bachs; music that has stood the test of time and been performed on stages across the world.
But how does a composer, working today, begin to join those ranks and hear their work come to life on stage?
In the Drawing Room, composer Leah Curtis and conductor Jessica Cottis talk about their paths to music and the debut of Leah's new composition, Infinite Possibilities.
A day after Beijing announced the country’s first COVID-19 related death in almost six months, the major southern city of Guangzhou locked down it's largest district, and millions of residents.
The country’s quest to achieve COVID-zero had seen frustrations from residents boil over into various forms of public protest.
Wet conditions around the country have caused a boom in mosquitoes and a rush for insect repellent.
It's being likened to the panic buying of toilet paper early in the COVID pandemic.
What age should we be allowed to vote?
New Zealand’s top court has ruled the 18-year-old threshold discriminates against young people and is inconsistent with the country’s Bill of Rights.
The Socceroos kick off their World Cup campaign with a tough match against reigning champions France.
It's deja vu for the Socceroos, who met Les Bleus four years ago for their opening match.
More than eight years after they were first detained in Nauru under Australia's offshore processing regime, six refugees have today been resettled in New Zealand.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has used parliamentary privilege to accuse coal companies of lying about the quality of their export coal to maximise profits.
Most of us know about leap years, but how about leap seconds?
Like their famous sibling, leap seconds are periodically added to our clocks to make up the difference, but they're set to be scrapped after a meeting of scientists and government representatives called timeout by 2035.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been mired in controversy for well over a decade.
Reporter Eleni Psaltis takes a look at how the competition was awarded to the nation, and the scandals that have gripped football leadership in the years since.
Have you heard the terms bachelor's handbag, neppo baby or yassify? These words, amongst others are on the 2022 shortlist for the Macquarie Dictionary word of the year.
Wondering what the others are?
Guest:
Tiger Webb, ABC editorial language advisor
Five days from election day, the untimely death of Nationals candidate Shaun Gilchrist has prompted questions about the Coalition's vetting processes in Victoria.
The grim discovery comes as the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese make a fleeting visit to the campaign trail, a rare visit from a national political heavyweight during the campaign.
For more than a decade, Sharon Van Etten has been winning over fans across the world with her beautiful voice and raw, emotional songs.
Her journey has taken her from New York to California, with a stop at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks along the way and her new album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, is music for our times: reflecting on the darkness, but with a spark of hope.
In the Drawing Room, Sharon talks about finding a community in California, reflects on the joys of touring with friends, and pays tribute to Low's Mimi Parker.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political whispering, footballing ambassadors and turning a goodbye into a welcome back.
Comedians and performers Shane Dundas and David Collins from 'The Umbilical Brothers' face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
It's been a week where our gaze has been very much on events overseas, with the Prime Minister doing the Asia round, firstly at the ASEAN summit in Cambodia and then jetting over to Bali for the G20.
Meanwhile a very ‘low energy’ Donald Trump made his biggly announcement, declaring he is running to be President again in 2024.
The football World Cup is set to begin in Qatar, amid controversy over its human rights record and unresolved allegations around its tournament bid.
Simon Hill, Channel 10 commentator and host of SEN's The Global Game, joined to preview Australia's chances and discuss the political concerns surrounding the competition.
The release of Australian economist Sean Turnell, who today returned to Australia after 650 days in a Myanmar jail, has renewed calls for Australia to impose sanctions on country's the military junta.
Is money a means to an end for you or a goal in itself?
And, if you're worried that you might not always be making the best decisions when it comes to your finances, is it possible to change?
Evan Lucas is the chief market strategist at InvestSMART, and in his new book, Mind Over Money, he's looking at how we can learn about ourselves and our investments.
In the Drawing Room, Evan talks about the nature of time, the challenges of envy, and why it's important to see the whole elephant.
The Home Affairs Minister says nearly 500 letters telling asylum seekers "settlement in Australia is not an option for you" were sent accidentally and without her approval or knowledge.
With just two days left, and having just been welcomed back into the room, Australia has found itself negotiating an agreement between rich and poor countries at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
The sticking point is money, specifically payments for climate loss and damage and clean energy finance.
You may have noticed it's been a pretty shocking year for natural disasters.
Up and down the east coast of Australia our emergency service workers haven't gone a day without having to respond to a flood or storm, or help a community prepare for an impending disaster.
Suffice to say they're exhausted.
This week for the first time in its history the NSW State Emergency Service has requested international assistance to help with the ongoing flood emergency in the state's Central West.
A New Zealand Fire and Emergency team has arrived in Parkes and specialist flood rescue operators from Singapore have touched down in Sydney this morning.
Remember when a lot of people were trying to convince you cryptocurrencies were the way of the future, often through dubious social media ads featuring a celebrity who never even endorsed the product in the first place?
For a moment there, it seemed impossible to get rid of the hype around cryptocurrencies. But now a lot these players are in a house of falling cards. Cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy last week, leaving a million customers and investors facing total losses in the billions of dollars.
The collapse reverberated across the crypto world and sent bitcoin and other digital assets plummeting.
Ukraine's crippled energy and communications networks are the focus of a new green-focused, recovery fund that Australia's richest man has launched.
Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has put almost $750million AUD as seed funding, which he's hoping will grow to almost $150 billion, and transform Ukraine's economy into Europe's fastest growing - once the war is over.
Australian economist Sean Turnell is set to be released from prison in Myanmar today, almost two months after he was sentenced to three years jail for violating the official state secrets act.
In May last year, the Taliban once again took control of Afghanistan, following the withdrawal of US military forces.
The regime promised to respect women's rights, but the reality has been a return to earlier restrictions: on jobs, study and basic human rights.
In 2001, the Canadian author Deborah Ellis wrote the first book in her Breadwinner series, which introduced readers to Parvana, a young Afghan girl, and her struggles to overcome her place in society.
This year, Deb is taking us back to Afghanistan where an adult Parvana and her family must escape once more.
With all eyes focused on Anthony Albanese's meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, it's largely been forgotten that the G20 is actually the second international summit that Australia has attended in recent days.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations came together in the Cambodian capital, Pnom Penh, over the weekend.
Among the topics on the agenda was the bloody conflict in Myanmar which has been raging for nearly a year now after the military junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government.
Like everyone right now you are probably examining the line items in your household budget.
Have you been wondering if private health insurance is worth the money you spend on it?
Guest:
Jodi Bird, Manager of Choice’s Money and Travel team
Now think about this: you're standing where a house should be at number 8 on your street but that house is now at number 28 and it only stopped being completely washed away by floodwaters because a telegraph pole was in its tracks.
That's the reality facing the town of Eugowra in the NSW Central West right now after floods this week forced one in five residents to evacuate via helicopter or boat. Police have even likened the devastation in this town to the flood damage in Lismore.
A 60 year old woman has also been found dead in the town and the search for an 85 year old man - who is believed to be missing in floodwaters - continued today.
The US President Joe Biden has led a chorus for calm after a suspected Russian-made missile landed in Poland, killing two Polish citizens, near the Ukrainian border.
But the findings of an investigation into who fired the missile and from where could trigger NATO invoking two key articles.
The success of the teal independents in unseating major party MPs in Liberal heartland seats was one of the stand-out stories of the May's federal election.
The role of migration in securing Australia's economic prosperity has gained renewed attention amid gaping skills shortages across the nation.
Indonesia's president Joko Widodo has opened the G20 meeting in Bali by urging world leaders to do more to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Former US president Donald Trump is set to announce his campaign for the 2024 election at an event at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Tuesday.
But after an underwhelming Republican performance in the midterm elections, especially among his endorsed candidates, analysts are questioning whether Mr Trump can take the nomination once again.
"I have too much work on my plate that is for sure," said the tech billionaire to the G-20 business summit in Bali.
You may just as easily roll your eyes at Elon Musk's comment as you empathise with it, given that psychologists are saying we are approaching the festive season burned out earlier than usual.
Picture this: What were your paddocks, is now thick brown floodwater. What was your next season's crop that will keep your family fed next year, is underneath it and gone. You've been mostly cut off for two weeks with four children under seven. Their school could be gone too, you just don't know yet. And guess what? All this may happen again in two weeks, before you get time to even start cleaning up.
The town of Forbes, in central west NSW, was told early this morning to evacuate with the state emergency service warning the Lachlan River is rising much faster than anticipated.
Holed up on her property, 30 kilometres south east of Forbes, is Rachel Wythes. This is her experience right now.
Governments across Australia are beginning to recognise that young people who've had a harder start in life, spending childhoods in foster or out-of-home care, need support well beyond the age of 18.
The first meeting of its type between an Australian Prime Minister and China's President in six years took place on Tuesday night, and it's gaining more attention than the agenda of the G20 Summit itself.
An icon of the art world, and the creator of the now famous Secret Garden at Lavender Bay in Sydney, Wendy Whiteley has led a remarkable life.
The former wife of Brett Whiteley, she inspired and influenced his work and became responsible for his legacy.
But in his new book, A year With Wendy Whiteley, Ashleigh Wilson is interested in Wendy's life and legacy, captured over hours of intimate conversations at her home.
Golf's civil war will land on Australia's shores next year, after confirmation the Saudi-backed LIV golf tour will hold an event in Adelaide next April.
Australian Cam Smith is expected to lead the playing contingent after leaving the PGA tour - but will the sporting public follow?
It’s fast approaching crunch time at COP27 in Egypt, where world leaders are looking to advance the Paris climate accord in the second and final week of the annual summit.
But doubt is emerging over a key target of limiting the average rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees which could possibly be softened.
Twenty-five Victorian MPs will retire when the state goes to the polls on November 26, among them 15 from the governing Labor Party, including Jill Hennessy.
Have you ever experienced a random act of kindness?
Sam Tucker from the Sunshine Coast, has been paying it forward by cashing in cans to refurbish and gift cars to people down on their luck.
Guest: Sam Tucker, President, Cans for Cars
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has this afternoon confirmed he will have a one-on-one meeting with China's President Xi Jinping on Tuesday afternoon.
A new trial will allow chemists in New South Wales to administer six additional vaccines, and from early next year, certain medications, including antibiotics for UTIs, the contraceptive pill, and repeat scripts in some cases.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political cricket matches, regal driver's licenses and recycling gone awry.
Comedians Jennifer Wong and Suren Jayemanne face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The Prime Minister has departed for three summits with regional and world leaders over nine days, focusing on regional security, the economy and the war in Ukraine.
This week researchers claim to have uncovered the oldest known sentence written in the first alphabet. If you missed it, the phrase, written on a comb, was: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.”
The Australian Federal Police say that Russian criminals are responsible for the devastating cyber attack on health insurer Medibank, which has seen the release of private medical records of millions of Australians onto the dark web.
Spencer Tunick's artwork is a mass event, drawing together thousands to pose unclothed in the public space.
And whether it becomes an almost abstract landscape or a very human statement of defiance, the end result is a remarkable collection of photographs that outlive that initial moment and are displayed in galleries across the world.
In the Drawing Room, he talks about his latest work, a collaboration with Skin Check Champions on a beach in Sydney, which is using fine art to draw attention to skin cancer.
Ukrainian officials are worried Russia's announcement that it will withdraw from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson might be a Trojan horse.
They're refusing to celebrate just yet. But if the withdrawal does happen, it could be a significant turning point for the eight month war.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet's signature housing policy has passed through the state's upper house without amendment.
But could this inflate property prices negating savings and will first home owners pay more in the long-term?
Guests:
Damien Tudehope, NSW Finance Minister
Eliza Owen, Head of Research, Core Logic
If you're in Sydney and by chance you're walking in the Woolloomooloo area, you'll notice a strange type of naval vessel anchored there at the moment at the Royal Australian Navy base.
It's hard to miss the US navy ship. It's decorated with a lot of bunting and flags along the decks and despite the fanfare it's here on a very important mission.
It's the first time a US Navy survey ship has come to Australia in 11 years. These vessels have scientists - including oceanographers - on board collecting critical data for the US and its partners.
The Federal Attorney-General says a unanimous cross-party report into the government's National Anti-Corruption Commission strengthens the likelihood of the legislation passing both houses of parliament this year.
What do the objects of our past tell us about Australia and the way in which we saw each other? And how can art change our perspective on those objects and on our shared history.
Tony Albert is a leading contemporary artist, who has used his collection of 'Aboriginalia' as the foundation for much of his work, reclaiming those depictions and engaging with the complications of the past.
Tony was a founding member of the proppaNOW collective, which was recently awarded the Jane Lombard Prize for Art and Social Justice, and his work appears in major galleries across the country.
In the Drawing Room, Tony speaks about his path to art and his latest exhibition, Remark.
Counting is continuing in the US midterms, showing the Senate race will likely be too close to call by the end of the day.
Voting projections show Republicans are on track to gain control of the house, wresting a few seats away from the Democrats.
The timing couldn't have been worse: in National Recycling Week, Redcycle has paused its soft plastics recycling program at almost 2,000 major supermarkets.
Where does this leave people who have been recycling their soft plastics and keeping them out of landfill?
Guest Rebecca Gilling, co-CEO of Planet Ark
There are reports former Australian personnel may have been approached by China to train its military.
Defence Minister Richard Marles has ordered a detailed examination of laws that apply to members once they leave the ADF after it emerged British pilots were being recruited by Beijing.
Australian Ministers have refused to be drawn on whether their support for a Loss and Damage Fund goes beyond discussion at COP 27 to the establishment of the fund.
A group of experts is calling for a crackdown on companies and governments that greenwash their climate credentials.
The "high level expert group" appointed by UN secretary general Antonio Guterres says carbon offsets can't be relied upon to mask pollution and that companies cannot commit to cutting emissions and pursue fossil fuel exploration.
The friends we make in childhood can remain with us for life. They become the people who have known us through thick and thin, and lift us up when things are down.
But, in a world of polarised politics, is it possible to hang on to friendships that are based on the innocence of youth?
Best Of Friends, the new novel by Kamila Shamsie follows Zhara and Maryam across two parts of their lives: the end of the dictatorship in Pakistan, when the girls are 14, and the adult women they become in London, decades later.
We've heard countless times from car manufacturers that electric vehicles are the way of the future.
But one company took a step further this week. Volvo says it will stop selling petrol-powered cars in Australia by 2026. So will other manufacturers follow suit? And what will convince Australians to buy an EV today?
More than 120 heads of state and governments attending the COP27 in Egypt have been met by strengthened calls for a loss and damage fund.
In a matter of hours, polls will open in the United States for the crucial midterm elections.
The vote will decide control of Congress and could detail President Joe Biden's agenda for the remaining two years of his term
Bryce Courtenay was one of the most successful writers Australia has ever known, a high-profile ad executive who turned to fiction late and became synonymous with the term best-seller in this country.
But how did a man who grew up struggling and once said, in a letter to his mother, that "Writing to me means mostly slow drudgery and hard work", become a force of fiction?
His wife Christine Courtney is telling his story in a new biography, Bryce Courtenay: Storyteller.
With temperatures beginning to plummet in Ukraine, citizens in the capital Kyiv have been warned that they might have to leave the city due to rolling power outages.
Millions of Ukranians have been left without electricity, water and sewage in recent weeks as Russian air strikes target vital infrastructure.
There's been a significant uptick in the old fashioned medical treatment of using maggots to heal wounds, find out why.
And in Antarctica, a four hundred and sixty kilometre river has been discovered underneath four layers ice.
Guest:
Dr Merryn McKinnon, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
This week we're asking the tough questions on the Tooth Fairy, shrines to fictional characters and escapist lions.
Comedians and founding members of The Chaser Dom Knight and Charles Firth face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Jon Faine, columnist for The Age and former ABC Melbourne presenter and former Australian senator and leader of the Democrats now academic Cheryl Kernot Wrap up the week's news.
The transparency or lack thereof of the federal government's decision to repatriate a group of Australian citizens from Syrian detention camps has again fuelled political debate,
"Whatever feeling Beethoven is expressing, he is expressing it with all of his being."
So says Jonathan Biss about the 'phenomenal intensity' that first drew him to the composer as a young boy.
These days, Biss is a celebrated pianist, performing across the world and commissioning work inspired by Beethoven.
In the Drawing Room, he shares the joys and the tribulations that music has brought him throughout his life.
Whether it's the US presidential elections, the Boston Marathon or the Sandyhook massacre, fake news has become a label often used by people who are unwilling to accept a basic fact or even a series of tragic events. Instead, they prefer to go down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories like the alleged assailant who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband.
Now as US voters prepare to cast their ballots for the midterms next week, misinformation is again a pressing issue.
It's become a whack-a-mole exercise for authorities. So how do you get on top of it?
A slow moving mass of water is inundating vast stretches of inland New South Wales, with evacuation orders current for twenty-two communities across the state.
When Josh needed to move in Brisbane, it took him eight weeks and dozens of viewings and applications before he was finally accepted, which included paying for a background check.
He says the rental market has become 'diabolical'.
All eyes will be on the Qantas AGM this Friday as the board starts to face tough questions about its succession plan, with the business's embattled CEO Alan Joyce expected to step down sometime in 2023.
It's been a turbulent few years for the once impeccable carrier, which last night picked up a Shonky Award for its controversial flight credits scheme, months of lost luggage, long call wait times and cancelled flights.
Leadership speculation is also swirling around energy giant AGL, which will have its AGM in just under two weeks.
Billionaire activist Mike Cannon-Brookes now holds an 11.3 per cent stake in the business and is seeking to purge the board with four hand-picked directors.
Political tensions are growing within the NSW Coalition over the prospect of introducing cashless gaming cards for the state's pokie machines amid crossbench calls for an inquiry into the political influence of clubs and pubs.
Between pandemics, politics, inflation and the daily stresses of life, there can be a lot to worry about these days.
But why is a particular situation stressful for some of us, and easier for others?
And how do we look after our mental well-being?
Professor Ian Hickie and James O'Loghlin share their expertise in a new book, Minding the Mind.
Between pandemics, politics, inflation and the daily stresses of life, there can be a lot to worry about these days.
But why is a particular situation stressful for some of us, and easier for others?
And how do we look after our mental well-being?
Professor Ian Hickie and James O'Loghlin share their expertise in a new book, Minding the Mind.
For past political leaders, it seems to be the week of Lazarus Rising.
First it was Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva making an astonishing comeback to become the country's next president, defeating right-wing nationalist Jair Bolsonaro.
Meanwhile in Israel former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his right-wing religious bloc is on the cusp of a great election win.
But the official results won't be published until later this week and no political party has ever won an outright majority in Israel, so it could take weeks before we know if Netanyahu's Likud party can secure a new coalition.
For past political leaders, it seems to be the week of Lazarus Rising.
First it was Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva making an astonishing comeback to become the country's next president, defeating right-wing nationalist Jair Bolsonaro.
Meanwhile in Israel former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his right-wing religious bloc is on the cusp of a great election win.
But the official results won't be published until later this week and no political party has ever won an outright majority in Israel, so it could take weeks before we know if Netanyahu's Likud party can secure a new coalition.
Paul Wertheimer is a world-renown crowd safety expert who has spent decades studying crowds, from inside the mosh-pit.
His first thought when he heard of the tragic crowd crush in South Korea: "here we go again".
Paul Wertheimer is a world-renown crowd safety expert who has spent decades studying crowds, from inside the mosh-pit.
His first thought when he heard of the tragic crowd crush in South Korea: "here we go again".
With only eight scripted series to screen across the commercial free-to-air television networks in 2023, one critic has labelled that level of scripted Australian content 'an embarrassment'.
Where does that leave the free tv industry in its fight against streaming services in producing scripted Australian stories?
With only eight scripted series to screen across the commercial free-to-air television networks in 2023, one critic has labelled that level of scripted Australian content 'an embarrassment'.
Where does that leave the free tv industry in its fight against streaming services in producing scripted Australian stories?
If you hurt one you hurt all of us - those are the words of Indigenous Australians tonight as they mourn the death of 15 year old Noongar boy Cassius Turvey.
Vigils are being held across the country and abroad this evening after the teenager was allegedly beaten with a metal pole while he was walking with friends after school in Perth last month.
"As a father and as an indigenous man I've been losing sleep, I've been sitting up late at night thinking about his life and I think we all should," said country singer Troy Cassar-Daley, who is attending the vigil in Brisbane at King George Square
"Whether you're indigenous or not we should be thinking about this little kid who's going to be 15 now in everyone's memory for ever," he said.
If you hurt one you hurt all of us - those are the words of Indigenous Australians tonight as they mourn the death of 15 year old Noongar boy Cassius Turvey.
Vigils are being held across the country and abroad this evening after the teenager was allegedly beaten with a metal pole while he was walking with friends after school in Perth last month.
"As a father and as an indigenous man I've been losing sleep, I've been sitting up late at night thinking about his life and I think we all should," said country singer Troy Cassar-Daley, who is attending the vigil in Brisbane at King George Square
"Whether you're indigenous or not we should be thinking about this little kid who's going to be 15 now in everyone's memory for ever," he said.
A week since the Treasurer first flagged possible intervention in the market to regulate rising electricity and gas prices, the shape of that intervention is becoming clearer but the details remain scant.
A week since the Treasurer first flagged possible intervention in the market to regulate rising electricity and gas prices, the shape of that intervention is becoming clearer but the details remain scant.
Gamble responsibly, the two words that are tacked on to the end of gambling ads and delivered at rapid speed will be replaced from next April with phrases like "chances are, you're about to lose" and "you win some, you lose more" to take their place.
Gamble responsibly, the two words that are tacked on to the end of gambling ads and delivered at rapid speed will be replaced from next April with phrases like "chances are, you're about to lose" and "you win some, you lose more" to take their place.
From the summits of Australia to some of the remotest peaks in the world David Neilson has spent his life exploring and capturing photos of natural beauty.
His work has appeared in books and museums and even on a set of stamps.
In his latest book, Chasing the Mountain Light, he's taking a look back at his own life and adventures.
From the summits of Australia to some of the remotest peaks in the world David Neilson has spent his life exploring and capturing photos of natural beauty.
His work has appeared in books and museums and even on a set of stamps.
In his latest book, Chasing the Mountain Light, he's taking a look back at his own life and adventures.
For Zookeeper Chad Staples, the birth of a baby gorilla at the Mogo Wildlife Park was a big deal - so much so he put several local doctors on stand-by to help in his zoo's breeding program first birth, just in case.
Little did he realise that they would be called upon in an emergency, and little did he realise that it wouldn't be the only drama.
For Zookeeper Chad Staples, the birth of a baby gorilla at the Mogo Wildlife Park was a big deal - so much so he put several local doctors on stand-by to help in his zoo's breeding program first birth, just in case.
Little did he realise that they would be called upon in an emergency, and little did he realise that it wouldn't be the only drama.
Ocean swimming, rock climbing, hang-gliding or rock-fishing we all take calculated risks to do the things we love but perception of risk, factual or not plays a huge part in risk analysis.
Ocean swimming, rock climbing, hang-gliding or rock-fishing we all take calculated risks to do the things we love but perception of risk, factual or not plays a huge part in risk analysis.
The Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says he's working with members of the crossbench who are asking for more time before voting on his Government's "Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill".
The Minister says its passage would help boost wages by Christmas, but there are key elements which have business groups concerned that the legislation could ultimately cost jobs.
Guest Andrew McKellar, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke says he's working with members of the crossbench who are asking for more time before voting on his Government's "Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill".
The Minister says its passage would help boost wages by Christmas, but there are key elements which have business groups concerned that the legislation could ultimately cost jobs.
Guest Andrew McKellar, CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Reserve Bank has today increased its target cash rate by 0.25 of a percentage point, lower than some economists had expected.
The Reserve Bank has today increased its target cash rate by 0.25 of a percentage point, lower than some economists had expected.
From attacks on voters rights to tobacco companies denying responsibility for their products, every controversial lawsuit has one thing in common: lawyers, fighting on their client's behalf.
After all, the right to counsel is a central plank of the legal system. If you are accused of a crime, you will be represented by someone who knows the law.
But as the world's biggest law firms have grown larger and more powerful, has their success changed their relationship with politics and the law?
David Enrich is the business investigations editor at the New York Times, and in his new book, Servants of the Damned, he looks at the power these firms wield and explores how they came to wield it.
From attacks on voters rights to tobacco companies denying responsibility for their products, every controversial lawsuit has one thing in common: lawyers, fighting on their client's behalf.
After all, the right to counsel is a central plank of the legal system. If you are accused of a crime, you will be represented by someone who knows the law.
But as the world's biggest law firms have grown larger and more powerful, has their success changed their relationship with politics and the law?
David Enrich is the business investigations editor at the New York Times, and in his new book, Servants of the Damned, he looks at the power these firms wield and explores how they came to wield it.
The original and subsequent run off presidential campaigns were dynamic however marred by violence and misinformation. Jair Bolsonaro has said previously he wouldn't accept defeat.
Guest: Dr Deborah Barros Leal Farias, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of New South Wales.
Guest: Dr Deborah Barros Leal Farias, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of New South Wales.
The original and subsequent run off presidential campaigns were dynamic however marred by violence and misinformation. Jair Bolsonaro has said previously he wouldn't accept defeat.
Guest: Dr Deborah Barros Leal Farias, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of New South Wales.
Guest: Dr Deborah Barros Leal Farias, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of New South Wales.
Is it time Australia started thinking seriously about nuclear energy to help us keep the lights on? Or do the negative aspects of nuclear outweigh the benefits?
The UK, US and Canada are all preparing to build next generation small modular reactors but there seems little political appetite here in Australia.
Guest: Barry Brooks, Professor of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Tasmania
Is it time Australia started thinking seriously about nuclear energy to help us keep the lights on? Or do the negative aspects of nuclear outweigh the benefits?
The UK, US and Canada are all preparing to build next generation small modular reactors but there seems little political appetite here in Australia.
Guest: Barry Brooks, Professor of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Tasmania
The first day of public hearings in the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme has heard the former federal government was warned of potential legal issues two years before the automated debt recovery system was rolled out.
The first day of public hearings in the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme has heard the former federal government was warned of potential legal issues two years before the automated debt recovery system was rolled out.
Jacob Boehme has been a dancer, a writer, and an artistic director, creating everything from intimate theatre to the opening ceremonies for major sporting events.
But what role does a garden play in his latest work? And how has Australia's appetite for First Nations stories changed during his time in the business?
Boehme is the inaugural director of First Nations programs at Carriageworks in Sydney, and in the Drawing Room he discusses his new event: Party | Protest | Remember.
Jacob Boehme has been a dancer, a writer, and an artistic director, creating everything from intimate theatre to the opening ceremonies for major sporting events.
But what role does a garden play in his latest work? And how has Australia's appetite for First Nations stories changed during his time in the business?
Boehme is the inaugural director of First Nations programs at Carriageworks in Sydney, and in the Drawing Room he discusses his new event: Party | Protest | Remember.
Billionaire, Elon Musk is now calling himself Chief Twit after his $44 billion dollar takeover of Twitter was finally completed.
He's reportedly changed the leadership team and tweeted, “the bird has been freed,” a reference to Twitter's logo. So what now for Twitter, under Elon Musk?
Billionaire, Elon Musk is now calling himself Chief Twit after his $44 billion dollar takeover of Twitter was finally completed.
He's reportedly changed the leadership team and tweeted, “the bird has been freed,” a reference to Twitter's logo. So what now for Twitter, under Elon Musk?
This week's Budget includes an additional $75 million to prepare for delivering it.the referendum on a first nations voice to parliament expected to be held next financial year.
This week's Budget includes an additional $75 million to prepare for delivering it.the referendum on a first nations voice to parliament expected to be held next financial year.
"When people ask: how did you go from that to this? I want to say: I knew how to forget."
So says the critic, writer and academic, Shannon Burns, who details the neglect, violence of poverty of his youth in his memoir, Childhood.
In the Drawing Room, Shannon talks about the desire for escape and what it means to forget or to remember our past.
"When people ask: how did you go from that to this? I want to say: I knew how to forget."
So says the critic, writer and academic, Shannon Burns, who details the neglect, violence of poverty of his youth in his memoir, Childhood.
In the Drawing Room, Shannon talks about the desire for escape and what it means to forget or to remember our past.
First it was the England captain, Harry Kane, pledging to wear an anti-discrimination armband for World Cup matches then it was Denmark with its colour of mourning jerseys to shed light on Qatar's human rights record.
But the Socceroos have taken a step further than any national side today.
16 players, with Professional Footballers Australia, have published a three-minute video acknowledging the human rights reforms that have taken place in Qatar but also calling on the country to do more.
First it was the England captain, Harry Kane, pledging to wear an anti-discrimination armband for World Cup matches then it was Denmark with its colour of mourning jerseys to shed light on Qatar's human rights record.
But the Socceroos have taken a step further than any national side today.
16 players, with Professional Footballers Australia, have published a three-minute video acknowledging the human rights reforms that have taken place in Qatar but also calling on the country to do more.
Across Australia there are a multitude of major projects underway - from Westconnex in Sydney, to the Melbourne Metro tunnel and rail link, to Brisbane's Cross River Rail project among many others.
But at the same time building and construction companies are going bust and some Australians are seeing their housing dreams evaporate, prompting the question have we hit the 'Steel Ceiling'?
Across Australia there are a multitude of major projects underway - from Westconnex in Sydney, to the Melbourne Metro tunnel and rail link, to Brisbane's Cross River Rail project among many others.
But at the same time building and construction companies are going bust and some Australians are seeing their housing dreams evaporate, prompting the question have we hit the 'Steel Ceiling'?
This week we're asking the tough questions on political zingers, school hats and AACTA nominations.
Comedians, podcasters and internet detectives Alexei Toliopoulos and Cameron James face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political zingers, school hats and AACTA nominations.
Comedians, podcasters and internet detectives Alexei Toliopoulos and Cameron James face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
With two thirds of Australians now deemed overweight, scientists grapple to find ways to reverse these trends.
But is weight always controllable and what else is going on that could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
With two thirds of Australians now deemed overweight, scientists grapple to find ways to reverse these trends.
But is weight always controllable and what else is going on that could be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Tuesday's budget forecast electricity prices would soar 56 per cent in 18 months with gas bills to rise 44 per cent in the same period.
Tuesday's budget forecast electricity prices would soar 56 per cent in 18 months with gas bills to rise 44 per cent in the same period.
The Federal Government has introduced its contentious industrial relations package to parliament, arguing it will deliver long-awaited wage rises, particularly to feminised industries.
The Federal Government has introduced its contentious industrial relations package to parliament, arguing it will deliver long-awaited wage rises, particularly to feminised industries.
With two thirds of Australians now deemed overweight, scientists grapple to find ways to reverse this upward trend.
But is weight always controllable and what else is going on that could be contributing to the obesity epidemic?
With two thirds of Australians now deemed overweight, scientists grapple to find ways to reverse this upward trend.
But is weight always controllable and what else is going on that could be contributing to the obesity epidemic?
Climate change, and what to do about it, has been a central political debate in Australia for more than a decade.
The election of the Teal candidates, alongside Labor and the Greens, at the last Federal election, suggest that voters want action, but what will action mean for the country and the economy.
Ross Garnaut is a distinguished economist and a key advisor to previous governments on climate change policy.
And in his latest book as contributing editor, The Superpower Transformation, he explores the possibilities that exist for Australia as it transitions to a net-zero economy.
Climate change, and what to do about it, has been a central political debate in Australia for more than a decade.
The election of the Teal candidates, alongside Labor and the Greens, at the last Federal election, suggest that voters want action, but what will action mean for the country and the economy.
Ross Garnaut is a distinguished economist and a key advisor to previous governments on climate change policy.
And in his latest book as contributing editor, The Superpower Transformation, he explores the possibilities that exist for Australia as it transitions to a net-zero economy.
Professor Patrick Humbert has just returned to Australia after an extraordinary research trip to the arctic tundra in remote Sweden, three years in the making.
He's the lead researcher from La Trobe University, who's involved in an international collaboration sending ancient, microscopic animals known as Trichoplax, into space via the German space agency, all in the name of cancer research.
Guest Professor Patrick Humbert, Director of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences
Professor Patrick Humbert has just returned to Australia after an extraordinary research trip to the arctic tundra in remote Sweden, three years in the making.
He's the lead researcher from La Trobe University, who's involved in an international collaboration sending ancient, microscopic animals known as Trichoplax, into space via the German space agency, all in the name of cancer research.
Guest Professor Patrick Humbert, Director of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences
Resilience, restraint and responsible were the three r's dominating Labor's first federal budget.
In fact 'responsible' featured more than 50 times in papers one and two as the government warned of tough economic times ahead. But is it a responsible budget and why did Labor decide to hand it down now?
Resilience, restraint and responsible were the three r's dominating Labor's first federal budget.
In fact 'responsible' featured more than 50 times in papers one and two as the government warned of tough economic times ahead. But is it a responsible budget and why did Labor decide to hand it down now?
After a spate of playground related injuries experts are asking for the removal or modification of dangerous of playground equipment including large slippery dips.
After a spate of playground related injuries experts are asking for the removal or modification of dangerous of playground equipment including large slippery dips.
Whitehaven Coal had a record year to the point where Chairman Mark Vaile proudly told shareholders it had paid Australian governments $1billion in taxes for the 2022 financial year.
But at today's AGM, a growing group of shareholders voted in support of a Market Forces motion, urging the company to change direction on its coal plans.
Whitehaven Coal had a record year to the point where Chairman Mark Vaile proudly told shareholders it had paid Australian governments $1billion in taxes for the 2022 financial year.
But at today's AGM, a growing group of shareholders voted in support of a Market Forces motion, urging the company to change direction on its coal plans.
The Albanese Government has described its new Housing Accord as an aspirational plan to deliver one million new, affordable homes over five years but it doesn't start until mid 2024.
The Albanese Government has described its new Housing Accord as an aspirational plan to deliver one million new, affordable homes over five years but it doesn't start until mid 2024.
It's budget night tonight: the night when the treasurer reveals the full picture of the Australian economy along with proposed tax hikes and concessions, funding commitments and indeed cuts to funding.
In the United States, part of this process is out of the control of politicians. In fact tax code adjustments are automated there.
With inflation in the United States higher than at any time in the past four decades, the largest adjustment to standard tax deductions in decades is about to come into effect.
It's budget night tonight: the night when the treasurer reveals the full picture of the Australian economy along with proposed tax hikes and concessions, funding commitments and indeed cuts to funding.
In the United States, part of this process is out of the control of politicians. In fact tax code adjustments are automated there.
With inflation in the United States higher than at any time in the past four decades, the largest adjustment to standard tax deductions in decades is about to come into effect.
With the federal budget about to be handed down tonight, the treasurer has been warning Australians that inflation will be above eight per cent for fruit and vegetables in the coming months.
That's in part because of the widespread flooding across the eastern states.
In Victoria's north, authorities believe the Murray River has peaked at Echuca but flood levels are expected to remain high for a number of days.
There are also concerns the floods will drive up the cost of rentals in the region. But in the budget tonight, the federal government is announcing a new scheme to build one million new homes in a bid to address housing affordability across the nation.
With the federal budget about to be handed down tonight, the treasurer has been warning Australians that inflation will be above eight per cent for fruit and vegetables in the coming months.
That's in part because of the widespread flooding across the eastern states.
In Victoria's north, authorities believe the Murray River has peaked at Echuca but flood levels are expected to remain high for a number of days.
There are also concerns the floods will drive up the cost of rentals in the region. But in the budget tonight, the federal government is announcing a new scheme to build one million new homes in a bid to address housing affordability across the nation.
From a retailers points of view, Halloween provides a pretty handy bump to the bottom line - this year's it's expected to help generate a $430million spending boost.
So does that mean Australians have come around to the idea yet and embraced the Americanised-Gaelic tradition?
From a retailers points of view, Halloween provides a pretty handy bump to the bottom line - this year's it's expected to help generate a $430million spending boost.
So does that mean Australians have come around to the idea yet and embraced the Americanised-Gaelic tradition?
When David Farrier heard about a parking dispute at an antiques store in Auckland, he thought it would result in one quirky article and then he'd be on to the next story. Instead, it consumed 5 years of his life.
The final result of that time is Mister Organ, an unusual documentary about a man who has claimed to be royalty, pretended to be a lawyer, and appears to have left a trail of damaged people in his wake.
In the Drawing Room, David talks about how the film ended up taking on a life of its own.
When David Farrier heard about a parking dispute at an antiques store in Auckland, he thought it would result in one quirky article and then he'd be on to the next story. Instead, it consumed 5 years of his life.
The final result of that time is Mister Organ, an unusual documentary about a man who has claimed to be royalty, pretended to be a lawyer, and appears to have left a trail of damaged people in his wake.
In the Drawing Room, David talks about how the film ended up taking on a life of its own.
Did you know that after water, concrete is the most widely used substance on earth and conventional cement production creates more than seven percent of annual global emissions.
Did you know that after water, concrete is the most widely used substance on earth and conventional cement production creates more than seven percent of annual global emissions.
The shortfall of social and affordable housing in Australia is predicted to exceed 728,000 dwellings by 2036.
The shortfall of social and affordable housing in Australia is predicted to exceed 728,000 dwellings by 2036.
Not for the first time this year, floods in New South Wales have turned deadly, as multiple regions battle flooding events.
Lismore is bracing itself for a possible third major flooding event this year, as Sydney breaks another rainfall record, in an already record breaking and sodden year.
Not for the first time this year, floods in New South Wales have turned deadly, as multiple regions battle flooding events.
Lismore is bracing itself for a possible third major flooding event this year, as Sydney breaks another rainfall record, in an already record breaking and sodden year.
New data suggests the next pandemic may come from matter in melting glaciers rather than bats or birds.
And recent research has uncovered adult incontinence products currently out number the amount of baby nappies that end up in landfill in Australia.
New data suggests the next pandemic may come from matter in melting glaciers rather than bats or birds.
And recent research has uncovered adult incontinence products currently out number the amount of baby nappies that end up in landfill in Australia.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Government rebranding, hostile corporate acts and military service.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Government rebranding, hostile corporate acts and military service.
Medibank has revealed that the hackers who invaded their databases earlier this month stole more private information than previously thought, with ahm and international student customers also impacted.
Medibank has revealed that the hackers who invaded their databases earlier this month stole more private information than previously thought, with ahm and international student customers also impacted.
Long before the Lonely Planet writers, long before missionaries, adventurers, or even the Crusaders — the Muslim travelers of the Islamic Golden Age, traveled the roads of the early kingdoms, holding to the Quranic commandment "Go about the earth and look".
They were curious, prized practical geography but also embraced storytelling in the most wonderful way: the poet and traveller Abu Dular said "My adventurous soul finds peace in alien things, not in the comfort of the known world".
When broadcaster Richard Fidler was himself unable to find peace in alien things due to the pandemic, his adventurous soul took him into these historical records, piecing together a picture of that lost world.
And in the Drawing Room, Richard talks about his resulting book, The Book of Roads and Kingdoms.
Long before the Lonely Planet writers, long before missionaries, adventurers, or even the Crusaders — the Muslim travelers of the Islamic Golden Age, traveled the roads of the early kingdoms, holding to the Quranic commandment "Go about the earth and look".
They were curious, prized practical geography but also embraced storytelling in the most wonderful way: the poet and traveller Abu Dular said "My adventurous soul finds peace in alien things, not in the comfort of the known world".
When broadcaster Richard Fidler was himself unable to find peace in alien things due to the pandemic, his adventurous soul took him into these historical records, piecing together a picture of that lost world.
And in the Drawing Room, Richard talks about his resulting book, The Book of Roads and Kingdoms.
United Nations inspectors have reportedly been denied access to Queanbeyan's Court Cells in New South Wales, amid criticism from Australia's Human Rights Commissioner.
United Nations inspectors have reportedly been denied access to Queanbeyan's Court Cells in New South Wales, amid criticism from Australia's Human Rights Commissioner.
Just six weeks after replacing her predecessor, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss's position is becoming increasingly untenable.
Just six weeks after replacing her predecessor, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss's position is becoming increasingly untenable.
With just over a month to go before the Victorian state election, Premier Daniel Andrews has promised to return the state's energy generation to public hands, if re-elected.
With just over a month to go before the Victorian state election, Premier Daniel Andrews has promised to return the state's energy generation to public hands, if re-elected.
Medibank Private has today confirmed a group - holding it to ransom - claims to have stolen 200 gigabytes of personal data including names, Medicare numbers and phone numbers.
Medibank Private has today confirmed a group - holding it to ransom - claims to have stolen 200 gigabytes of personal data including names, Medicare numbers and phone numbers.
In Dos Estaciones, the new film by Juan Pablo González, a tequila factory in the highlands of Mexico becomes the scene of a slow moving crisis.
Maria, the owner of the factory, battles plagues, floods, and debts as she attempts to hang on to the business and her place in society.
But against the power of nature and big business, is there any chance for history to survive?
In the Drawing Room, Juan talks about his own family's history with Tequila, the impact of NAFTA, and how his background in documentary shaped this film.
In Dos Estaciones, the new film by Juan Pablo González, a tequila factory in the highlands of Mexico becomes the scene of a slow moving crisis.
Maria, the owner of the factory, battles plagues, floods, and debts as she attempts to hang on to the business and her place in society.
But against the power of nature and big business, is there any chance for history to survive?
In the Drawing Room, Juan talks about his own family's history with Tequila, the impact of NAFTA, and how his background in documentary shaped this film.
Hundreds of Iranians have flocked to Tehran's international airport to cheer and chant the name of Elnaz Rekabi, the 33 year old Iranian competitive climber.
But what did she do for such a hero's welcome? She says she inadvertently forgot to wear her hijab during competition.
Hundreds of Iranians have flocked to Tehran's international airport to cheer and chant the name of Elnaz Rekabi, the 33 year old Iranian competitive climber.
But what did she do for such a hero's welcome? She says she inadvertently forgot to wear her hijab during competition.
Over one million birds are killed by feral and domestic cats per day in Australia. It's a startling figure isn't it?
Well in a bid to protect endangered bird species a ban has been placed on cats roaming free in what'll be one of the biggest housing developments in Tasmania.
Over one million birds are killed by feral and domestic cats per day in Australia. It's a startling figure isn't it?
Well in a bid to protect endangered bird species a ban has been placed on cats roaming free in what'll be one of the biggest housing developments in Tasmania.
What did the strategists, the analysts and the political leaders make of the 2022 Federal election?
And what did the result mean for the country, and for the future of our major parties?
In the Drawing Room, Peter Van Onselen shares some of the conversations he's had with the key players since the election, and talks about his new book, Victory.
What did the strategists, the analysts and the political leaders make of the 2022 Federal election?
And what did the result mean for the country, and for the future of our major parties?
In the Drawing Room, Peter Van Onselen shares some of the conversations he's had with the key players since the election, and talks about his new book, Victory.
Israel woke up this morning to some unexpected news from Australia.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced that the Labor Government will reverse the Morrison Government's 2018 decision to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Israel's Foreign Ministry says it will summon the Australian ambassador over the decision.
Israel woke up this morning to some unexpected news from Australia.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced that the Labor Government will reverse the Morrison Government's 2018 decision to recognise West Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Israel's Foreign Ministry says it will summon the Australian ambassador over the decision.
The Bureau of Meteorology no longer want us to refer to it’s BOM acronym.
And they’ve paid consultants around $70,000 to work out a way in which they could stop people calling them BOM!
The Bureau of Meteorology no longer want us to refer to it’s BOM acronym.
And they’ve paid consultants around $70,000 to work out a way in which they could stop people calling them BOM!
Israel's Prime Minister has issued a stinging assessment of Australia's decision to no longer recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Israel's Prime Minister has issued a stinging assessment of Australia's decision to no longer recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
If you've learnt anything from this La Niña event that's kept most of eastern Australia soggy in the past 12 months, it's this: dams are at capacity, rivers are overflowing and soils are saturated.
But the water still has to go somewhere and sadly communities along major river systems are being flooded yet again.
In Victoria, there are 12 emergency warnings for towns including Echuca, Kerang, Charlton, Murchison and Rochester.
There's going to be little reprieve this week because parts of Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne are likely to be soaked by more than 50mm of rain during the next seven days.
If you've learnt anything from this La Niña event that's kept most of eastern Australia soggy in the past 12 months, it's this: dams are at capacity, rivers are overflowing and soils are saturated.
But the water still has to go somewhere and sadly communities along major river systems are being flooded yet again.
In Victoria, there are 12 emergency warnings for towns including Echuca, Kerang, Charlton, Murchison and Rochester.
There's going to be little reprieve this week because parts of Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne are likely to be soaked by more than 50mm of rain during the next seven days.
An independent review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been brought forward a year with the government forecasting an $8.8 billion dollar increase to costs over the next four years.
An independent review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been brought forward a year with the government forecasting an $8.8 billion dollar increase to costs over the next four years.
Founded in New Zealand at the end of the 1960s by an Australian preacher, the Gloriavale Christian Community is home to around 600 people.
Led by a small group of 'shepherds', members are isolated from outside society and ex-communication means exile from the community, and your own family.
Allegations of exploitation, sexual abuse, corruption and human rights violations have led to multiple lawsuits against the community, which—at this point—remains a registered charity.
In the Drawing Room, director Fergus Grady talks about his new documentary, Gloriavale, co-created with Noel Smyth, and introduces the community and the people fighting back against it.
Founded in New Zealand at the end of the 1960s by an Australian preacher, the Gloriavale Christian Community is home to around 600 people.
Led by a small group of 'shepherds', members are isolated from outside society and ex-communication means exile from the community, and your own family.
Allegations of exploitation, sexual abuse, corruption and human rights violations have led to multiple lawsuits against the community, which—at this point—remains a registered charity.
In the Drawing Room, director Fergus Grady talks about his new documentary, Gloriavale, co-created with Noel Smyth, and introduces the community and the people fighting back against it.
The federal government has commissioned a report into Medicare compliance after suggestions of widespread fraud and rorting.
The federal government has commissioned a report into Medicare compliance after suggestions of widespread fraud and rorting.
Thousands of homes across northern Victoria are inundated by floodwaters with emergency services receiving just as many calls for help.
Echuca is one of the centre points of the floods, which is now also facing the prospect of an even worse second wave of flooding in the coming days.
Thousands of homes across northern Victoria are inundated by floodwaters with emergency services receiving just as many calls for help.
Echuca is one of the centre points of the floods, which is now also facing the prospect of an even worse second wave of flooding in the coming days.
Would you believe an Australian led team of scientists have taught brain cells living in a dish to play an arcade game?
And a ‘spider web’ star baffles astronomers and triggers speculation it might be evidence of aliens.
Would you believe an Australian led team of scientists have taught brain cells living in a dish to play an arcade game?
And a ‘spider web’ star baffles astronomers and triggers speculation it might be evidence of aliens.
This week we're asking the tough questions on so called 'fart taxes', vase evaluations and problematic artworks.
Comedian Luke McGregor and improv actor Brenna Glazebrook face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on so called 'fart taxes', vase evaluations and problematic artworks.
Comedian Luke McGregor and improv actor Brenna Glazebrook face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Three months and a new president after protesters stormed Sri Lanka's presidential palace amidst an economic crisis, inflation is running at almost 70 per cent, food prices are skyrocketing and access to fuel and medicines is restricted.
Three months and a new president after protesters stormed Sri Lanka's presidential palace amidst an economic crisis, inflation is running at almost 70 per cent, food prices are skyrocketing and access to fuel and medicines is restricted.
There's been major flooding across south-eastern Australia with hundreds of properties across Victoria expected to be inundated in the coming days.
In Shepparton, in Victoria's north, authorities are warning there will be major flooding there from tomorrow. Floodwaters are expected to reach 12 metres by Tuesday, potentially breaking the 1974 record.
But despite the flood threat, Shepparton has decided to go ahead with its National Piano Award finals. Shepparton was supposed to host the competition tomorrow but the organisers have today made a last-minute call to rush the finals forward.
There's been major flooding across south-eastern Australia with hundreds of properties across Victoria expected to be inundated in the coming days.
In Shepparton, in Victoria's north, authorities are warning there will be major flooding there from tomorrow. Floodwaters are expected to reach 12 metres by Tuesday, potentially breaking the 1974 record.
But despite the flood threat, Shepparton has decided to go ahead with its National Piano Award finals. Shepparton was supposed to host the competition tomorrow but the organisers have today made a last-minute call to rush the finals forward.
For millennia, people have sought out the finest scents, first exploring nearby lands and eventually creating trade routes which spanned the globe.
But what repels or attracts us so strongly to a particular smell?
And if you had to describe the scent of a rose, could you do better than calling it 'rosey' or 'floral'?
In the Drawing Room, Elise Pearlstine explains the science, the stories, and the language of scent.
Is that a coconut that looks like a sloth or a sloth that looks like a coconut? No, you're not seeing things!
This week we're asking the tough questions on Parliamentary apologies, whiffy feelings and crystal flutes.
Comedians Akmal Saleh and Paul McDermott face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Mandatory covid isolation will end in a fortnight after National Cabinet unanimously agreed to move away from emergency pandemic measures.
History has many layers and, often, underneath a simple surface, is a deep and complicated past.
That is perhaps especially true in Australia, where the tens of thousands of years before colonisation can be obscured by more recent events.
In their new exhibition together, the red thread of history, loose ends, renowned Australian artists Judy Watson and Helen Johnson take to the canvas to investigate the continent's past and their own reaction to it.
First Queensland announced it wants to reach 80% renewable power by 2035 and turn coal-fired power plants into clean energy hubs, and less than 24 hours later and energy provider AGL announced it wants to shut Victoria's largest coal fired power plant.
Where do these major announcements leave the coal industry?
When the Socceroos meet Denmark in their World Cup group match on December 1, their opponents could be wearing a new all-black, playing strip in protest.
The Danish uniform manufacturer Hummel says the black is symbolic in highlighting Qatar's human rights record, and honours migrant workers who have died helping construct the event.
Your tax file name is linked to your most important financial matters, from tax returns to superannuation. So what happens if someone with criminal intentions else has access to your details?
Australian economist Sean Turnell has been sentenced to three years jail in a closed-door Myanmar court after being found guilty of violating the country's official state secrets act.
Annual inflation fell slightly to 6.8 per cent last month but economists argue it will reach closer to 8 per cent this quarter as a result of surging utility bills.
Russia is calling it a victory, the west says it's a sham and the very country affected, Ukraine says it's a farce. But Moscow has declared four regions in Ukraine have voted a resounding yes to join Russia.
Russia-appointed officials say the referendum results in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson ranged from 87% to 99.2% in favour of joining Russia.
As the war continues with Ukraine, Russia's parliament is now expected to declare the regions part of Russia on October 4th.
Queensland has dramatically increased its renewable energy target, pledging to reach 80% by 2035.
The state's new clean energy plan will cost $62 billion and include the world’s ‘largest pumped hydro scheme", and turning publicly-owned coal-fired power stations into clean energy hubs.
As winter fades away, have you brought out the summer-specific doona yet, or have you done away with it altogether?
The doona and how it affects temperature is just one element which helps you find your optimal position for sleep.
The federal government has today formally asked Optus to pay for new passports for those affected by last week's massive breach of customer data.
Almost four years after the former government committed to establishing a national anti-corruption commission, the Albanese Government has today introduced legislation in parliament.
What does it mean to be part of a community? And to what extent are we defined by our relationships?
In the Drawing Room, Sally Olds takes us from largely forgotten fraternal orders to the communal experience of a nightclub, explores post-work politics and polyamory and discusses her new collection of essays, People Who Lunch.
In 2020, ASIO revealed that up to 40% of its counter-terrorism caseload involved far-right extremists.
Meanwhile, in countries like America, Norway and New Zealand, shocking attacks have been perpetrated by men with manifestos. And while these attacks are usually described as 'lone-wolf' events, there are similarities in the goals and beliefs that drive them.
So what has driven this rise in extreme beliefs and in violence across so many different parts of the world?
In the Drawing Room, Lydia Khalil examines those questions and talks about her book, Rise of the Extreme Right.
Just days after the Russian President Vladimir Putin announced partial military mobilisation in the country's war against Ukraine, the Kremlin has now admitted it's made a few mistakes.
More than 300,000 reservists are expected to be drafted but people with no military experience, who are too old or have a disability have also been called up.
The Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says corrections will now have to be made but it'll be little comfort for a large portion of the population who is still eligible to be drafted.
Thousands of protesters have been taking to the streets with many potential recruits also trying to flee Russia.
The global competitive chess world continues to be shocked as five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen directly accuses American grandmaster Hans Niemann of cheating.
The Senate will sit late tonight in order to vote on legislation to repeal the controversial cashless debit card.
Cyber security experts initially praised Optus for getting on the front foot in admitting there had been a major cyber security breach which now affects up to 10 million Australians.
But politicians have been less forgiving.
The federal government says the breach was not sophisticated, should never have happened and the Home Affairs Minister is now looking at new security measures to ensure banks are informed much faster of any breach.
Meanwhile state governments have started the clean up with Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales announcing that affected customers will be able to get new driver licences at little or no cost.
'Instill me with a greater sense of compassion so that I can be liberated'
It was this line in Avinu Malkeinuan, a Jewish hymn, which spoke to singer-songwriter Lior and led him to perform it at a tribute to the son of composer Nigel Westlake.
That chance meeting led to something remarkable, a song cycle called Compassion, which combines beautiful music with ancient Jewish and Arabic texts.
Across the UK, residents started their working week with the astonishing news their currency has hit an all-time low against the US dollar.
That’s after UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled historic tax cuts… funded by huge increases in borrowing, in his so-called ‘mini budget’ last week.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has flown to Tokyo to attend the state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated while delivering an election campaign speech in July.
But over in Japan, the state funeral has sparked an intense public debate, mainly over its huge cost, AU$18 million, and revelations about the governing party's links to the controversial Unification Church.
Koichi Nakano is a political science professor at Sophia University in Tokyo.
How do you take your coffee? Perhaps with a pomegranate and feijoa syrup, juniper reduction, barhee dates and honey?
That's exactly what Anthony Douglas, Australian national barista champion, is serving up to the judges at the World Barista Championship being held in Melbourne this week.
More serving personnel and veterans have died by suicide than the number of Australians killed in service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Dr Lachlan McIver has found himself fighting for the lives of his patients all over the world: from a remote medical clinic, where a headlamp normally used to avoid snakes provided the light for a surgery, to the biggest cities, where he advocates for action about the health impacts of climate change.
Lachlan is the tropical diseases and planetary health advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières, and in the Drawing Room, he shares his expertise and the remarkable moments of community and survival he's seen throughout his career.
There's been a surge in the number of girls experiencing idiopathic precocious puberty during the pandemic.
Scientists previously thought it was related to the Covid virus but new research suggests otherwise.
A very special Friday quiz sees two diehard AFL fans face off ahead of Saturday's clash between the Cats & the Swans.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and says "many steps will have to be taken" to help stabilise relations between the two countries.
Since the start of the pandemic, relations have been frosty between Australia and China with Beijing imposing a number of official and unofficial sanctions.
The stories that we see on our stages entertain us, but they also reflect our world and help us to understand who we are and who we can be.
So what does it mean to be in charge of those stories? To help shape the conversation and that sense of self?
As the new artistic director at the Melbourne Theatre Company, Anne-Louise Sarks is in that rare and privileged position.
In the Drawing Room, Anne-Louise shares her path to the stage.
In the past eight years, the cost of childcare has increased by more than 40 per cent.
The Federal Government has set aside almost 11 million dollars for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to spend a year looking into why.
Optus has notified the Australian Federal Police that a cybersecurity breach has potentially compromised the personal information of millions of Australians.
Russians have reacted violently to Vladimir Putin’s decision to order a partial mobilisation for the first time since World War two … a dramatic escalation of his war effort against Ukraine.
At least 12 hundred people have been detained across Russia after taking to the streets to vent their fury
Georgie Stone is an actor and an activist who has received the Medal of the Order of Australia and became the first openly trans actor on Neighbours.
But before all of that, Georgie was a young girl who had to fight for the right to live her own life and who carried others with her along the way.
In the Drawing Room, Georgie and director Maya Newell discuss the new documentary, The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone, and share their perspectives on filmmaking and life.
Protests in Iran are raging into a fifth straight day, over the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody.
News of her death has unleashed a wave of protests in Iran and across the world, including in Melbourne
Guest
Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert is an expert on Middle East and Islamic Studies based in Melbourne.
It's called the safeguard mechanism. It's essentially a speed limit or an emissions roof for Australia's 215 largest polluters.
The Federal Government last month released a discussion paper on changes to this major policy as the government tries to reduce emissions by 43 per cent this decade.
Submissions for these proposed changes closed overnight.
Is chicken salt the ultimate topping for hot chips, or do you have another favourite flavour combination when it comes to making snacks?
Warning: This story contains details of pregnancy loss, and intergenerational trauma for Indigenous people
In a week where the AFL world builds to the crescendo of the AFL Grand Final, it has been rocked by serious allegations levelled at the Hawthorn Football Club
The AFL has vowed to investigate after three First Nations players alleged they were pressured into severing relationships from partners and family, which involved the removal of phones, relocating, and in one case terminating a pregnancy.
Almost seven months to the day Russia waged war on Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has foreshadowed a dramatic escalation in the conflict, calling up hundreds of thousands of reservists, saying his country "will defend itself with everything at its disposal".
Stories can transport us to times and places we never imagined, opening up perspectives beyond our own.
But, by and large, literature tends to focus on the human experience.
Chris Flynn's latest collection, Here Be Leviathans, takes a very different approach. Over nine stories, Chris gives a voice to the world around us, with narrators including a bear, a river, a platypus and a hotel room.
Whether you're watching them on the horizon sprouting water or up close in the water, you can appreciate just how large and majestic whales are.
But these powerful sea creatures often have little hope of surviving once they're stranded on a beach and yesterday 14 sperm whales were found dead on Tasmania's King Island.
Queensland is going back to the drawing room and will be re-examining every forensic test from major crimes committed since early 2018.
That's because an inquiry into the state's forensic lab has found some of the lab's results may have incorrectly shown "insufficient" or "no" DNA when in fact further testing could have shown partial or full profiles of DNA.
Fortescue Metals has outlined to its shareholders how it will switch to renewable energy by 2030, in a move expected to cost almost $10 billion.
What does this mean for the switch to renewable energy and what does it mean for big emitters in industry and manufacturing?
Despite a unexpected $50 billion improvement to the budget, the Treasurer Jim Chalmers says there will be tough decisions in next month's budget.
That includes not extending the fuel excise relief, which will end next Wednesday, prompting the question: how will the Federal Government tackle cost of living pressures?
When Nicola Harvey left her high-powered job in the media in Sydney to take on a small cattle farm in New Zealand, she had little idea what she was getting into.
And as she and her husband slowly developed their skills, they realised that the typical goals of commercial farms—centered around efficiency and exports—didn't match what they wanted from life or the land.
So, from land management to waste use, they sought out ways to let the business match their ideals, and along the way discovered a different approach to farming, which merges tradition with technology.
In the Drawing Room, Nicola shares her experience and talks about her new book, Farm: the making of a climate activist.
Worries about corruption have plagued Hungary in recent years, particularly under the stewardship of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Now, the European Union is threatening to withhold some 11 billion in funding over fears the money is being misused.
It feels like every week we hear about a new way that people are getting scammed financially. Advocates are calling for banks to introduce a UK-style code of conduct.
Do you consider yourself a polite person? Etiquette or the code of ‘polite behaviour' exists in some way in all social groups and profession.
But what really is etiquette and who decides if you should use a fork to eat cake?
Australia’s largest energy retailer, Origin Energy, has pulled the pin on a key gas exploration project in the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory.
The company is set to lose tens of millions of dollars by withdrawing, so why the decision to pull out?
The streets London have been lined by tens of thousands of people for a final goodbye, as Queen Elizabeth II's hearse is transported from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey for her State funeral.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led Australia's representation along with a select group of Australians in the history-making occasion.
Sophie Cunningham has been involved with every part of writing in this country, from her celebrated works of fiction and non-fiction, to her work as an editor, publisher and even co-founder of the Stella Prize.
Her latest work is This Devastating Fever — a deeply inventive novel that examines the life of Leonard Woolf and his wife, the much more celebrated Virginia, as well as the Bloomsbury set of which they were a part.
Scientists say they have found an ideal approach to soothing your crying infant and and helping them get to sleep and stay asleep. So what’s the magic formula?
Has the media overdone the coverage of the Queen's death? What are the publics expectations when a significant figure dies? Are we intolerant of other views and experiences of Australian history?
With the death of Queen Elizabeth, the British monarchy and its customs have been out in force.
While family and tradition is central, there is another version of the monarchy which we don’t see much of – one which looks more like a global business worth an estimated $40 billion and counting.
Across countries and across centuries, something is going wrong and reality seems fragile.
Bombs are exploding and the people responsible are left confused and uncertain, until a man with mismatched eyes appears and asks them to hold a black stone sphere.
Psalms for the End of the World is a kaleidoscopic debut novel by Cole Haddon, and in the Drawing Room, he talks about David Bowie and the importance of questions.
There’s concerns that the already fragile relationship with China is deteriorating further with news that China's Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched a furious attack on the UN nuclear watchdog over the AUKUS submarine project.
It all starts with the words, and some of the nation's leading writers and authors want the wording of Australia's new national cultural policy to better reflect and protect Australian literature.
Award-winning author Richard Flanagan is among them and calling for significant change to the way literature is funded through the Australia Council.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says "the end is in sight" for the COVID-19 pandemic.
But he's also warned now is not the time to drop control measures for COVID-19 - so how close are we really to ending the pandemic?
The Dandy Warhols swept to global fame in the late 90s with singles like Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth and Bohemian Like You.
Over the last two decades, they’ve gone on to create an enduring and unusual catalogue: albums that vary in sound and style, but always have the same creativity and wit.
In the Drawing Room, Courtney Taylor-Taylor chats about wine bars, inspirational cars and DIY venues.
The films of Peter Strickland exist in a world slightly off-kilter from our own, but which feel perfectly alive; even if the dresses are deadly and sound studios are dangerous territory.
His latest, Flux Gourmet, introduces audiences to a group of sonic caterers: sound artists who use food as their instruments.
Led by the controlling force of Elle di Elle, the unnamed band have taken up a prestigious residency at an art institute. But close quarters can lead to unexpected tensions.
What is it like to represent your country on the biggest stage? To become part of a tradition that is far bigger than yourself?
The All Blacks are one of the most successful teams in world sport and former captain Richie McCaw is one of their very best.
In the Drawing Room, Richie shares his experiences on and off the field.
Sweden's election was too close to call after the right-wing bloc made huge political gains.
Despite being a traditionally liberal-leaning country, it's now looking likely that the far-right Sweden Democrats will become the second largest political party, and the gains made by the right leave the incumbent Social Democrats in trouble.
So what's led the country to swing to the right?
Guest: Maddy Savage, freelance journalist based in Stockholm
Over forty six thousand children live in out of home care across Australia every day of the week.
Regardless of what the Queen meant to you personally, you'll be entitled to a public holiday on Thursday September 22nd as Australia mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
But the idea and short notice in implementing the day of mourning has triggered a wider discussion about the approach to public holidays.
Ukraine's military says its forces have retaken over 3,000 sq km during a rapid counter-offensive in eastern Ukraine. The remarkable advance, if confirmed, means Kyiv's forces have tripled their stated gains in little over 48 hours.
If it weren't for the death of the Queen, Federal Parliament would this week be debating legislation for a first National Anti-Corruption Commission - a body promised by the incoming Government at the last election.
But there are now concerns that the pushback of Parliament could stymie progress of the legislation.
For decades, Queen Elizabeth II holidayed at Balmoral Castle, her retreat in the highlands of Scotland.
Residents of the nearby village of Ballater were used to seeing the monarch and her family wandering around unfettered and were proud that their village became a place of sanctuary.
With the death of the Queen, a raft of royal protocols are to be followed, including the meeting of an Accession Council at St James's Palace in London.
What will the Queen's death mean for the British Parliament, helmed by a fresh Prime Minister only a few days into the job, but also tasked with major reform?
Liz Truss was one of the last people outside of the Royal Family to see the Queen alive, as she became the 15th Prime Minister appointed by Her Majesty.
A statue of Queen Elizabeth II, one of only three in Australia, stands among the manicured grounds of South Adelaide’s Government House.
Queen Elizabeth II wasn't just the Queen of the United Kingdom, she was also head of the realms of the Commonwealth, with nearly two and half billion subjects in 56 states across the world, including Papua New Guinea.
The city of Sydney cemented itself as a city of the world when it hosted the Olympic Games in 2000.
It also provided the backdrop for when Bob Carr, who was Premier of New South Wales at the time, provided Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth a sneak peek of how developments were proceeding, months before the opening ceremony.
Britons are waking up with a King as their head of state for the first time in seventy years.
King Charles III has led tributes from around the world, describing his mother’s passing as a moment of great sadness for him and his family, and a loss that will be felt deeply around the world.
The BBC’s Royal Correspondent, Jonny Dymond, reflects on the mood of the nation.
Five speech pathologists have been convicted of publishing a seditious children's picture book called '12 Warriors of Sheep Village'.
New research has found that women despite working outside the home are still taking on the lion's share of the unpaid work at home and not surprisingly it's taking its toll on women's mental health.
The Solomon Islands parliament has voted to delay its next general election until 2024.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who has a clear majority in parliament, had argued that his nation couldn’t afford to host the Pacific Games and hold a general election in the same year.
Australia's greenhouse gas reduction targets are now legislated after the government's climate change bill passed both houses of Parliament.
But what next for the Government that now needs to map out how Australia will reach net-zero by 2050?
In a small town, a young man wakes up to find a different person staring back in the mirror. His skin, once white, has darkened overnight to a 'deep and undeniable brown' and he no longer recognises himself.
At first it seems a unique event, a solitary and individual metamorphosis. But slowly, news spreads: one case becomes several; several becomes many.
And, faced with the prospect of change, society becomes uncertain and fractures.
In the Drawing Room, the award-winning author Mohsin Hamid discusses his new novel, The Last White Man, and how reality forms and changes.
Disturbing images have been released showing the shocking physical decline of Australian engineer Robert Pether who has been arbitrarily detained in an Iraqi jail since April last year.
The chess world is in turmoil after the reigning five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen mysteriously withdrew part way through a tournament for the first time in his career.
Earlier this week Carlsen suffered a loss to 19-year-old American Hans Niemann, a self-taught rising star who is drawing comparisons to the great Bobby Fischer. Was Carlsen being a bad sport or was there more at play here?
The government has introduced legislation extending the pensioner asset test exemption for the proceeds of home sales to two years.
It's hoped that it will encourage older Australians to downsize, freeing up housing stock.
Petrol prices are likely to spike at the end of the month and so too your summer airfares which could spell disaster for your family holiday's this Christmas, in an already inflationary environment.
The Australian Government is on the verge of passing its climate change bill, which will legislate key greenhouse gas reduction targets.
But the former President of the Pacific island nation Kiribati Anote Tong, says the deadline has already passed for his homeland, which he expects to go under water.
When a young girl from a large Catholic family is sent away for the Summer to live on the farm of relatives that she barely knows, she finds the kindness and attention that allows her to blossom and begin to find her voice.
The Quiet Girl, based on a short story by Claire Keegan, is set in Ireland and presents the world from the perspective of the child, with a brilliant debut by Catherine Clinch.
In the Drawing Room, the director, Colm Bairéad, discusses the film and how he chose to tackle big ideas of love and loss with a gentle hand.
Melting glaciers along with record monsoon rains have led to a third of Pakistan underwater.
Six years after 86 people were killed in Nice, eight people are on trial for aiding the attack.
Did a shared passion bring love or friendship into your life?
Perhaps it was a mutual passion for birds that got your heart racing, or a shared love of a little-known Aussie band that made you realise you had to have this person in your life.
For author, Jayne Tuttle, it was a shared love of the cryptic crossword that led to her falling for her partner.
For the fifth month in a row the Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted the cash rate, this time by 0.5%, to a seven year high of 2.35%.
With another increase in the cost of living for many, the Federal Government says it will introduce legislation next week to try an ease the burden for many Australians.
The tradition of choral music reaches back through centuries, voices rising in unison to meet across time as well as across the octaves. So what does it mean to chart your own path within that tradition?
Eric Whiteacre is a Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, and his work The Sacred Veil was inspired by poetry written by Eric’s collaborator Charles Anthony Silvestri, after the loss of Silvestri's wife to cancer.
Chile has rejected change in favour of maintaining the status quo.
The country overwhelmingly voted to reject a new, progressive constitution that would have put the country at the forefront of social change.
Despite initial enthusiasm for change, the proposed changes to social and human rights have proved a step too far for many voters.
Guest: Claudia Heiss, Head of Political Science at the University of Chile
Child abuse investigators have discovered primary school-aged children creating and sharing sexualised content online.
The revelation has raised questions around whether children are becoming desensitised to sexual material and whether we are creating a society where young children believe selling sex brings fame and fortune.
Guest: Jordan Foster, Managing Director of cyber safety educators ySafe
So is greige the not so new black and will this homogenisation of colour takeover everything like mission brown did in the 70s?
It was in the dying days of the Morrison Government that former Trade Minister Dan Tehan signed a new free trade deal with one of Australia's biggest trading partners - India.
The now Shadow Immigration Minister is calling on the Government to ratify the deal, which he helped engineer, after more than 100 days since the change of Government.
Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock says he's made progress in negotiations with the Government on its climate change bill which has arrived for debate in the Senate.
But the Senator says he's still trying to strengthen transparency and accountability measures in the bill.
Eternal Nightcap, by The Whitlams, was a surprise hit, swimming as it did against the popular tide of guitar rock and house music in Australia at the time. But not only did it launch the band to national attention, it inspired a new generation of Australian artists.
In the Drawing Room, Tim Freedman looks back at the album on its 25th anniversary and explains why he's returned to the recording studio after an extended break.
In some social situations do you pretend to like certain people or groups of people to be polite? Perhaps it's more about maintaining a positive self image or to be perceived as pro social.
New research has revealed certain language patterns can detect lies.
It's been twenty years since George released their debut album Polyserena to massive acclaim, becoming a sort of six year overnight sensation.
Since then, sibling stars Katie and Tyrone Noonan have gone on to other projects, but in the Drawing Room they're returning to where it all began, talking about the triumphs of youth and the strangeness of success.
Men in India are strapping themselves to a device that simulates period pain in order to breakdown cultural and gendered taboos about menstruation.
It might only be a win at the second round of the US tennis open, but at 40 years old, with a bumpy preparation and facing the world's number two ranked player, has Serena Williams' victory cemented her as the Greatest of All Time?
As day one of the 2022 Jobs Summit comes to a close, youth advocates of Australia were sure to be heard.
Dropping the COVID isolation period from seven days down to five could help you back to work faster - provided you're asymptomatic and don't work with vulnerable people in disability and aged care.
But the Australian Medical Association fears it will make labour shortages worse, and have asked the Federal Government to release the advice which led to the decision.
Over the last few years, we have seen a cascade of governance failures in companies around the world. CEOs and board chairs have been removed and questions raised around probity and community expectations.
Fred Hilmer has held leadership positions in many leading Australian companies, and has written extensively on what the role of a board can and should be. In the Drawing Room he examines the problems and solutions of governance in business and his new book, What's Wrong With Boards.
52 Australian captains of business and industry will be at the table, all with their own ideas for fixing critical issues impacting our economy, as the Government's jobs and skills summit begins.
KPMG's National Chairwoman Alison Kitchen will be among them, pitching for a new marketing campaign to attract more people to Australia, which she says should be more than 200,000 people annually.
Mikhail Gorbachev pushed for environmental action.
The former Soviet leader will be widely remembered for his extraordinary legacy as a peacemaker and the person who managed to open up the Soviet Union to the world.
But he also became an advocate for action on global warming.
Guest: Peter Beattie, former premier of Queensland
Ahead of the jobs and skills summit, the Education Minister Jason Clare has floated the idea of extending work visas for skilled graduates.
It's just one of the ways he wants to bolster the synergy between education and immigration, which also includes recognising more overseas qualifications.
For thirteen years, Lyndon Terracini has seen Opera Australia through good times and bad: handling the aftermath of the GFC and the recent lockdowns, while expanding the company's stages to include huge performances on the harbour and a digital platform.
And now, as he approaches his final year as artistic director, it's time to take stock.
In the Drawing Room, Lyndon recounts his own path onto the stage and explains how the constant phone calls during Covid led to one of his favourite productions in his finale with the company.
The term "quiet quitting' at sounds like it could relate to lazy employees but in reality it's more about creating boundaries at work.
One of the foremost Shakespearean actors and directors of our time, John Bell has brought the words of the bard to stages across Australia, and was the founding Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare.
In a new show, One Man in His Time, Bell is looking back at the works of Shakespeare: what they teach us; why they've endured; and their impact on his own life.
Higher than average monsoonal rain along with melting glaciers are combining to create unprecedented floods in Pakistan.
Is there any such thing as carbon-neutral fuel?
Communications industry group, Comms Declare, have been challenging councils about their ties to fossil fuel companies.
Now they have lodged a complaint to Ad Standards about Ampol's marketing of their carbon-neutral fuel saying it is misleading in relation to its environmental claims.
Guest: Belinda Noble, Founder of Comms Declare
If the cost of flights has clipped your wings, maybe a staycation could be as great as a vacation.
Can Snowy Hydro 2.0 still deliver on its promises or is it time to pull the plug?
The project was championed by former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, but it has been plagued by ongoing delays, enormous cost blowouts and most recently by the resignation of its chief executive, Paul Broad.
What does the future hold for the beleaguered project?
Guest: Malcolm Turnbull
The nation's small business sector and the ACTU have come together in agreement to simplify the industrial relations system for small businesses.
Ahead of the Government's jobs and skills summit, both organisations agree the current enterprise bargaining system does not suit the small business sector, which is now the nation's largest employer.
Guest Alexi Boyd, CEO of Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has given an account of his first 100 days in office and the many challenges ahead, at the National Press Club.
Tenzin Choegyal is one of the world's leading Tibetan musicians, fusing the traditions of nomadic musical culture with his own contemporary style.
He's worked with the luminaries of the musical world, has been nominated for a Grammy and even performed for the Dalai Lama.
In the Drawing Room, Tenzin shares the sounds of his youth and his reminiscences of Archie Roach.
Dogs are particularly good at greetings aren’t they. Have you ever noticed your dog as having watery eyes, kind of like they are crying as they welcome you home? Could they be crying tears of joy?
Guest:
This week we're asking the tough questions on anti-siphoning laws, dinosaur tracks appearing and resurgent pop stars.
Comedians Dane Simpson and Georgie Carroll face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The Snowy Hydro was meant to be nation building but chief executive Paul Broad has left the organisation after budget blow-outs and delays.
Some are calling for an inquiry into the project and it's governance.
The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most successful shows of all time: a mammoth piece of musical theatre that swiftly became part of the cultural zeitgeist and ended up as the longest running musical in Broadway history.
So how do you bring a production of that scale to the stage and keep it running? And what brings audience members back time-and-time again?
Seth Sklar-Heyn, the associate director of the new Australian tour, has been involved with the show for many years, and in the Drawing Room he shares the ideas behind the updated production and why explains why the staff doors at Disneyland started his own path to the theatre.
Hundreds more Australians are scrambling to find a way to finish their incomplete home constructions, after the collapse of Queensland Building company Oracle Homes.
They’re the latest in a long list of construction companies who've become insolvent in the past 24 months.
Warnings that Russia would target Ukraine on the day it marked its independence from the crumbling Soviet Union 31 years ago have come to pass.
It may have been the fulfilment of an election promise, but the Federal Government has announced who will lead the Royal Commission into Robodebt scheme.
It comes after the previous Government was forced to repay almost two billion dollars in a class action settlement.
When a crime occurs, it leaves behind questions. We search for an understanding: the who, the what, and the how. But for journalists the biggest question is often why?
In the Drawing Room, Patrick Radden Keefe and Kate McClymont share their experiences reporting on cons: how to manage a source; whether empathy is possible; and what to do when your subject offers you a job.
The National Farmers Federation has rejected suggestions farm workers could be part-paid with accommodation or food.
For many people the Australian dream is dead with home ownership is now down to sixty seven percent of households and people of all types are searching for alternatives to selling your soul to the bank and your weekends to cutting the grass.
It's six months since Russia invaded Ukraine and there is currently no end in sight for the conflict.
Regina Razumovskaya is a Russain-born Ukrainian who fled the country with her husband and two children in March. Since then Regina and her family have been building a life in the town of Nannup in Western Australia.
She reflects on what they've left behind, the ongoing impact of the conflict and what the future might hold.
Guest: Regina Razumovskaya
The Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has told a roundtable of business eladers this week, he wants to see more superannuation investment in nation building including housing and clean energy.
The Shadow Finance Minister Senator Jane Hume points to history as to why the Government shouldn't pick winners for the super industry.
The 'unicorn' is the great prize of startups: a privately held company valued at more than one billion dollars. Building a unicorn doesn't just make fortunes, it makes legends.
But, like the name suggests, those remarkable stories of success are few and far between, and not without their share of risk.
David Shein founded perhaps Australia's first unicorn—Com Tech—and has gone on to become a venture capitalist, helping other companies find their own success.
In the Drawing Room, David shares the wisdom he's learnt from his years in business, and talks about his book, The Dumbest Guy at the Table.
Independent news site, Crikey, has challenged Lachlan Murdoch to take them to court.
It’s now being reported that Murdoch, who heads up News Corp and Fox Corporation, is to take them up on their challenge and is poised to file defamation proceedings against Crikey.
This all stems from an article published on Crikey back in June in naming the Murdoch family in a scathing article about the legacy of former US president Donald Trump following the 2021 US Capitol riots.
Guest: Peter Fray, Editor-in-Chief, Crikey
An independent review panel has released updated national poultry standards with recommendations that conventional layer hen cages be phased out .
This has caused concerns within the egg farming Industry including potential food security issues.
The cyber security threat to Australia is evolving and it's evolving fast - that's one of the key messages from outgoing Telstra CEO and Chair of the Government’s Industry Advisory Committee on Cyber Security, Andy Penn.
The Committee is about to hand down its second annual report into Australia's national strategy - which has found there are areas that have had insufficient areas of progress to date.
The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signalled the Government will launch a broad inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministries, and how to close any loopholes to prevent it from happening again.
He's also called on his predecessor to apologise to the Australian people for undermining Parliamentary convention.
Pankaj Mishra is a celebrated thinker and essayist writing on politics, literature, and philosophy for many of the world's best papers and magazines.
But it was fiction where he made his name, and, this year, Mishra has returned to that form with his first novel in two decades: Run and Hide.
The book follows the story of Arun, the child of a relatively poor regional family who escapes his upbringing through academic excellence, but rarely seems at peace with his place in the world.
It looks at India's present through its recent past and explores the way we're shaped by our own experience, even when we'd rather set the past aside.
Singapore announced it will decriminalise gay sex but would ensure better legal protection for the definition of marriage.
Guest:
Joshua Simon, Singapore based radio presenter, podcaster and queer rights activist.
Authorities have prevented around 5 million doses of the drug fentanyl hitting Australia's streets.
The seizure of 11 kilograms of fentanyl and 30kg of methamphetamine was discovered hidden inside machinery having arrived at the Port of Melbourne from Canada.
How dangerous is this drug and what can happen if it falls into the wrong hands?
Guest: Professor Michael Farrell, director of the Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW
Plenty of celebrities have declared their love for a partner in ink, only to go on and have a very public break up.
As we grow older our tastes change, the things we love change and perhaps even who we love changes.
Given this, are there some things you should never have permanently inked onto your body?
Guest: Horisumi - Kian Forreal
Australia’s permanent migration intake is about to increase, potentially up to 200,000 people a year, which couldn’t come at a better time, as labour shortages affect many sectors.
The New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean has appealed to the Federal Government to clear a backlog of hundreds of thousands of workers waiting for their visas to be approved.
Anthony Albanese has pledged to release the advice from the solicitor-general into former Prime Minister Scott Morrison's secret ministerial appointments.
As cabinet prepares to examine that advice, questions are being asked how they will act on it and whether a broader review is required.
Aftersun is a remarkable debut feature: a story of family and memory; of looking back and coming-of-age.
In a Turkish beachside resort, somewhere in the 1990s, 11 year-old Sophie and her dad, Calum, are spending the holidays together, ahead of his 31st birthday.
They have the casual, easy affection of a pair that genuinely likes each other, but under the attentive and loving exterior, we see hints of the darkness that Calum is grappling with.
In the Drawing Room, the film's writer and director Charlotte Wells discusses personal inspiration, trusting the audience, and recreating the 90s.
Recent study out of Griffith University says that iconic backyard birds like Galahs, Rosellas and Kookaburras are on the decline in Capital cities in Australia….Why?
This week we're asking the tough questions on embassy leases, Irish folk festivals and the return of football coaches.
Comedians Jordan Barr and Dave Thornton face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Timor Leste is threatening to pursue Chinese investment for its lucrative Greater Sunrise gas project if an agreement isn't reached soon between Australia and Woodside Energy .
The Greater Sunrise oil and gas fields are worth more than 71-billion Australian dollars and are critical to Timor Leste's economic future.
One of the major sticking points is where the gas processing hub will be located Woodside wants it to be in Darwin despite the fact Greater Sunrise fields are three times closer to Timor
a prominent cleric was among 10 people killed in a bomb attack inside a mosque in Kabul overnight
It's the latest in a series of terror strikes that have occured around the first year anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan
Security observers are questioning whether the Taliban is losing the war against the local branch of Islamic State known as Islamic State Khorasan, or IS-K
Joining me now is Ahmad Shuja Jamal, former director general of international relations at Kabul's National Security Council
Anglican church leaders are questioning whether a breakaway diocese can legitimately call itself 'Anglican'
Many Australians rely on bulk billing to access medical care from their GP but for many practices it's no longer viable.
The fallout from the revelation of Scott Morrison's secret ministries continues to reverberate as one senior National MP accuses the former PM of breaching the Coalition agreement.
The Nationals leader David Littleproud says the agreement was technically breached, but has ruled out renegotiating any agreement between the coalition partners.
July's job data shows the nation's unemployment has fallen again, down to 3.4 per cent - but the low unemployment rate doesn't show the full story.
Leonor was once a big deal in the film industry in the Philippines, creating the sort of action movies that were once turned out by the hundreds each year.
When a freak accident leaves her in a coma, Leonor finds herself in one of her own films, walking in on sex scenes and pre-empting the lines before a fight.
Leonor Will Never Die melds independent modern cinema with classic Filipino action and creates something entirely unique.
Martika Ramirez Escobar is the film's writer and director and in the Drawing Room, she speaks about the story behind her debut feature.
Sri Lanka is caught in the middle of rising tensions between China and India with the latest row involving a high-tech Chinese research vessel which docked at port in Sri Lanka yesterday.
Its arrival has raised the ire of India which has described it as a dual-use spy ship.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry says China has agreed not to carry out research activities in its waters.
A fracture has emerged in the Anglican church.
A breakaway movement, led by a group of theologically and socially conservative clergy, has launched a new Diocese after they felt the Anglican Church in Australia has strayed from the teachings of the Bible.
What impact will this have on Anglicanism in Australia?
Guest: The Right Reverend Dr Richard Condie, Bishop of Tasmania
From the tuck shop to rescue services volunteers generously give their time. But there's fewer and fewer of us with the time to give.
Find out what find out what inspires Abbie Kelly, 2021 NSW volunteer of the year to give her time to help others.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says he'll implement all 28 recommendations of a long awaited independent report, into the state's catastrophic floods that occurred earlier this year.
Property buy backs, land swaps and rescue training for residents including children are among some of the key recommendations.
Just what did Scott Morrison do wrong when he appointed himself as co-administrator of ministerial portfolios? The Solicitor-General is examining that very question this week but we do know it was allowed for under the constitution. So is it just the vibe of the thing and what does it mean for the Westminster political system?
Science fiction invites us to imagine the universe as it could be, and to find our place in it. "To boldly go," as one show put it.
In a 1968 episode of Star Trek, the writers dreamt up a new engine called an ion engine, a fanciful form of propulsion.
Some years later NASA, inspired by Star Trek, decided to prototype the engine and it worked. It's often quoted as an example of science fiction inspiring science.
These days, Dr Brad Tucker and Dr Natasha Hurley-Walker are highly regarded scientists: experts in their fields of astrophysics and radio-astronomy.
But once upon a time, they were young people, wondering what their future would hold.
In the Drawing Room, they share their inspirations and the way it impacts their work today.
Many interpreters who worked alongside our diggers in Afghanistan remain in hiding from the Taliban
One year on from coalition forces withdrawing from Afghanistan, thousands of Afghan interpreters and their families are still unable to make their way to safety in Australia.
Guest: Jason Scanes, Afghanistan veteran and founder of Forsaken Fighters
We’ve all probably had times in our lives when we reflect on our existence and the universe we live in.
Professor Brian Cox's spectacular new science show Horizons takes you on a journey to find out.
Do you get nervous when you are ordering food that you don't know how to pronounce?
Get some help here.
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended his decision to have himself secretly sworn in as joint minister for five portfolios, arguing that he thought it was necessary to safeguard the government in a time of crisis.
As the extent of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s many ministerial responsibilities reveals itself, a company that may have suffered material damage because of his captain’s call is appealing the decision in the Federal Court, alleging the former Prime Minister acted with bias.
Asset Energy’s plans to explore for gas off the Newcastle coast, were scuttled when Scott Morrison blocked an extension of the Petroleum Exploration Permit, overriding the then minister for resources Keith Pitt.
The company is also appealing to the NSW and Federal Governments to urgently reconsider their opposition to the permit, in light of revelations that Scott Morrison was secretly sworn in as the minister for resources, along with at least four other portfolios.
It's been a year since the western backed government of Ashraf Ghani collapsed and the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan
Despite promises that life would be better under the Taliban mark 2, life especially for women and young girls has gone backward with the Islamist regime having to deal with an ongoing drought, Covid-19 and a broken economy
Across a remarkable body of work, Carlos Reygadas has built a reputation as one of the more intriguing directors working today: celebrated around the world, including at Cannes, where he has received the best director award.
Natalia López Gallardo's debut, Robe of Gems, is gathering similar compliments, garnering critical acclaim and winning the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival.
Natalia and Carlos have worked together across a number of films and in the Drawing Room they discuss their philosophies about the role of cinema.
This week we're asking the tough questions on daggy photo opportunities, selling pizza to Italians and risk-filled risque performances.
Comedian Bridie Connell and ABC broadcaster Greta Lee Jackson face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The FBI pays an unexpected visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago clubhouse, China's ambassador schools the Press Club on Taiwan and Qantas calls on it's executives to do the heavy lifting.
What does it mean to be without a past? To have your connection to history taken away?
During the 20th Century, hundreds of thousands of children—some Australian born, some migrants—were placed in institutions or out-of-home care in Australia.
In 2009, then Prime Minister Keven Rudd made a formal apology to these Forgotten Australians, and pledged to stop it from happening again.
In their new show Sleeplessness, Kaz Therese explores what it means to be one of those familes and tells the story of their past through the fragments of history that remain.
Nature, we are often taught, is one giant competition: kill or be killed; survival of the fittest. But have we missed the forest for the trees?
As we learn more about the environment around us, we are finding complex layers of cooperation that allow the world to survive and to thrive.
Kristin Ohlson is an award winning writer, and in her latest book, Sweet in Tooth and Claw, Kristin looks at this changing understanding of nature and our own place within it.
Dame Olivia Newton-John touched the lives of millions of people around the world.
Remembered as a star of the stage and screen and as a tireless advocate for cancer research, tributes have been flowing in after she died peacefully at her southern California ranch yesterday.
Olivia's long-time music producer and friend, Chong Lim, pays tribute to her life and legacy.
It will come as no surprise to the Northern Rivers communities in New South Wales that a parliamentary committee report has found that SES central command and Resilience NSW failed to warn or protect communities during February's devastating floods
The report has recommended a restructure of the SES to harness local knowledge, and that abolition of Resilience NSW . It also recommends the Bureau of Meteorology update its data gathering advice because it says the community was left with no other option but to ignore advice to save lives because the information was "incorrect and out of date".
Australia has its first biosecurity plan and it couldn't be more timely with multiple threats, including foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease and African swine flu, on the nation's doorstep.
But how will biosecurity be funded long term and will the new Agriculture Minister introduce a new levy to do so?
Ukraine has accused human rights organisation Amnesty International of having a fake neutrality and providing a propaganda gift to Russia over it's latest report into the war.
Amnesty has criticised the presence of Ukrainian troops in residential areas saying it puts civilians lives at risk.
The head of Amnesty's Kyiv office has resigned saying she doesn't support the report
Amnesty International stands by it but says it regrets any distress and anger that the report has caused and in no way justifies Russia's violations.
Are we at risk of serious problems with our teeth?
During the pandemic lockdowns many Australians were forced to delay appointments and now with the rising cost of living there’s yet another reason to put off that trip to the dentist.
Will our lack of attention to our oral health come back to bite us?
It’s the job which former New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro regrets submitting his resume for.
He's now fronted a NSW Parliamentary inquiry into how he was appointed to the role, which he claims has victimised him.
The Federal Government is supporting a pay increase for aged care workers arguing the value of their work is significantly higher than current wages reflect
In its submission to the Fair Work Commission, the federal government has also promised to fund whatever pay rise the Commission decides.
Does your stomach sink when you see people diving into water from great heights? And do women really live longer than men?
Find out in this week's Research Filter.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Question Time, train disruptions and space junk.
Comedians Rove McManus and Dilruk Jayasinha face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Offshore wind farms have been labelled a key element of Australia's path to 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and today they are a step closer to reality.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has signed off on the start of a 60-day consultation process before declaring the coast off Gippsland an offshore wind zone.
He's also listed the Hunter, Illawarra, Portland, northern Tasmania and Perth and Bunbury as potential future offshore renewable energy zones.
The Biloela Tamil asylum seeker family at the centre of a four-year immigration battle have been granted permanent visas.
The Nadesalingham family returned to the Central Queensland town last month after the Albanese Government granted them bridging visas.
Priya, Nades, Kopika and Tharni were taken into immigration detention four years ago when their visas expired.
For decades, Anthony Ham has travelled to the world’s wildest places and shared their stories, for the likes of Lonely Planet, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
His latest book, The Man Who Loved Pink Dolphins, takes readers deep into the Amazon rainforest, where a Scottish man, Christopher Clark, made his home with the people of Xixuaú and helped to to protect their land.
11 professional golfers participating in the LIV Tour - including Australia's Matt Jones - are suing the PGA Tour, alleging the organisation has broken antitrust laws by refusing to let them play in both tours.
You've probably made a mental note of the best bakeries you've been to and the tasty treats that are on offer - whether it be their vanilla slice, their pies and pasties, or even their cakes that coming back for me.
Karen Butcher has been running a bakery for 33 years with her husband in Lismore which has lines out the door as the community tries to rebound from consecutive natural disasters.
Select pharmacies are now authorised to sell TGA-approved nicotine vapes but Australia's peak pharmacy group says tobacco companies pushing
incentives on pharmacists to sell more products are causing problems.
The Government is celebrating the passage of its climate legislation - which legislates its 43 per cent 2030 emissions reduction target.
After several minor amendments the Bill passed the House of Representatives this morning 89 votes to 55, with Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer crossing the floor.
The Bill will go before the Senate when it next sits in September and is set to pass with the support of the Greens and at least one crossbencher.
New research from Stockholm University researchers has found rainwater in most places across the planet contains levels of so-called "forever chemicals" that exceed safety levels.
Synthetic substances called PFAS are used in many common household items including non-stick pans, fire-fighting foam and water-repellent clothes, which researchers say should lead to these substances being restricted.
Would you agree to your boss having power over your rental property application?
One Victorian based employer is calling for changes to the state’s rental laws after he was asked “invasive” questions from a property agency regarding a staff member's rental property application.
The fallout over the former New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro seemingly parachuted into a plum trade role has seen the State’s deputy Liberal leader resign.
The Premier Dominic Perrottet says a review raised "clear questions" about whether Stuart Ayres breached ministerial standards.
The Albanese Government has secured the path to legislate its 43 per cent 2030 emissions reduction target.
The Bill's passage through the lower house was already assured, but the Government required the support of the Greens and one crossbench Senator for it to pass through the Senate.
Today the Greens resolved to back the bill, reaching consensus after a second party room meeting last night.
Tim Baker was living the dream as an award-winning surf writer, but one day everything was turned upside down when he learned that he had metastatic prostate cancer.
Doctors talked about survival rates and treatment plans, but Tim didn’t just want to survive, he wanted to heal and to keep a life worth living.
In the Drawing Room, Tim shares the ups and downs of his experience and talks about his new memoir, Patting the Shark.
He was one of the masterminds behind some of the deadliest terrorist attacks around the world, including September 11, and he had a multi-million dollar bounty on his head.
The United States has confirmed a drone strike killed Al Qaeda leader and co-founder Ayman al-Zawahiri, but what does his death mean for the group and the country he was killed in, Afghanistan?
Beyonce has apologised for using a derogatory term for the condition spastic diplegia in her song 'Heat'.
The artist has committed to re-recording the track.
The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates for a fourth consecutive month, raising the cash rate by half a percentage point to 1.85 per cent.
That's a 1.75 percentage point rise since May and it's not expected to be the last hike as the R-B-A works to bring inflation down from its 21-year-high.
Earth has experienced its shortest day since records began - with 1.59 milliseconds shaved off the usual 24 hour spin.
Scientists are still trying to establish why, but say if earth's rotation continues to speed up we might need to introduce negative leap seconds to keep up with atomic clocks.
The Carbon Counter is your news in a decarbonising economy and climate economics, which includes multiple energy warnings for Australian consumers and the US President's climate change bill.
As a child, Tim Goodwin and his brothers used to modify matchbox car models, and play with them for hours in the 1970s. But someone nicked his favourite model, a Ford Capri, after he gave it a new paint job and custom modifications.
Now, more than 40 years later, despite moving to the other side of the planet, he's been reunited with the first model that he bought with his pocket money.
The Northern Territory was the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise voluntary assisted dying, but it was overturned by the Howard Government two years later in 1997.
A quarter of a century on, Northern Territory Labor MP Luke Gosling and Member for Canberra Alicia Payne have introduced a private member's bill to the lower house which would reverse the ban on territories considering legalising euthanasia.
The Resources Minister has again put gas producers on notice, taking the first step towards implementing the so called gas trigger, which caps the amount of gas available for export.
The move follows the consumer watchdog's interim gas report which predicts a domestic gas shortfall equivalent to ten per cent of the east coast market.
The global pandemic put the brakes on our ability to move around the globe for a time, but we’re once again on the move, and in droves, so what does this mean for our fragile planet?
That’s one of the questions at the heart of the latest project by the Australian Chamber Orchestra - The Crowd & I.
In the Drawing Room, the ACO's artistic director Richard Tognetti shares his thoughts on crowds, concert halls, and the challenge to concentrate.
You often hear how freedom of speech is a constitutional right in the United States but while speech may be free, you still have to pay for lies.
In an astonishing development this week, the parents of the Sandy Hook school massacre victims have put a dollar amount on the lies and suffering they've endured in the wake of the 2012 shooting.
Are you a nervous public speaker? Have you got a speech coming up at work, a wedding or funeral and don’t know where to start?
After some bizarre comments made in the eulogies at Ivana Trump’s funeral… what's the worst speech you’ve ever heard?
Australia has not one, but two flag bearers in the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Veteran Kookaburra Eddie Ockenden, who's leading the men's field hockey team, and gold-medal winning squash player Rachael Grinham will lead the green and gold in a ceremony which organisers say will rival the 2012 London Olympics.
A dozen Aboriginal non-citizens no longer face the risk of deportation after the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus discontinued the former government's bid to overturn a High Court Decision.
The Treasurer has today updated federal parliament on the state of the economy, warning inflation will peak higher and take longer to moderate than previously expected.
What happens when you create your own take on a beloved character and it doesn’t go well?
Doctor Who is a central figure in pop culture in Australia and the 2005 relaunch of the show has been hugely successful.
But in 1996, an attempt to reboot Dr Who for an American audience received a very different response. The 8th doctor appeared in a single television movie, sparked outrage amongst fans, and then vanished from screens.
Matthew Jacobs was the writer on that project, and he’s the director, alongside Vanessa Yuille, of a new film, Doctor Who Am I, which explores his attempt to reconnect with the fandom that rejected him.
With various industries experiencing significant labour shortages at the moment, employers are hoping to convince a lot of you to take that career leap.
The trucking industry is no exception.
What does it mean to have a home? To have a roof over your head and somewhere safe to sleep at night?
Almost a quarter of a million women over 55 are at risk of homelessness in Australia; in fact, they’ve been the fastest growing group of homeless people in this country for some time now.
A new documentary, Under Cover, introduces audiences to some of the women who have fallen through the cracks, with stories that range from one bad day, to years of domestic violence, to the new challenges of COVID-19.
In the Drawing Room, the film's director Sue Thomson talks about the women she met while filming, and the personal reality behind the statistics.
It's not often you hear the US President echo the words of Chinese officials.
But Joe Biden and Beijing's foreign ministry spokesperson both agree it's not a good idea for the U-S Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi to make a diplomatic trip to Taiwan, a self-governing island which Beijing considers to be its own territory.
The Northern Territory Intervention has wound up after 15 years and more than half a billion dollars spent.
Despite the investment, rates of domestic violence continue to soar as an Indigenous woman and her baby are alleged to have been murdered in Alice Springs.
With intelligent and thought-provoking analysis, RN Drive goes behind the headlines to give you original insight into the world you live in.
Keep up to date with federal politics, current affairs, arts, culture and the stories that are making Australia talk.
You wouldn't be alone in hoping the worst of airport delays was behind you, instead, you're being warned to expect longer queues for flights and bags and more cancellations.
Myanmar's military junta went ahead with plans to hang four democracy activists, which include two very high profile figures - Kyaw Min Yu known as 'Ko Jimmy', and
Phyo Zeyar Thaw.
In March 2022, then-Energy Minister Angus Taylor made a massive intervention into Australia’s carbon market, allowing companies that had contracts to sell carbon credits to the government to sell them on the open market. New secret documents obtained by the ABC show that behind the scenes, key industry figures had grave concerns.
For around 700,000 people, who were living in the UK from 1980 to 1996, the obstacle in being able to donate blood has finally been removed.
That means Matt Weston can now donate blood, which is what his five year old son needs to fight leukaemia.
Has the rise in cost of living forced you to re-think your lunch? If you've got no time, how can you afford a quick, nutritious and cost-effective lunch?
Laureate Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle and nutrition expert Clare Collins says it can be done and for as little as five dollars.
Your loved one has put money aside each week, filed away into a funeral insurance fund so that when the time comes your family is not left scrambling to cover the costs of a funeral.
Legislating its 43 per cent 2030 emissions reduction target is high on the Albanese Government's agenda for the first sitting fortnight of the 47th Parliament.
This week we're asking the tough questions on sermons by former Prime Ministers, strange red glowing skies and water jousting.
Comedians Adam Richard and Justin Hamilton face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
State, territory and federal women's and women's safety ministers have agreed to progress a draft plan to end violence against women and children.
Horrifying videos have been circulating in Papua New Guinea, following outbreaks of extreme violence in the final week of polling in the national election.
In the latest incident, at least 18 people are believed to have been hacked to death in the Enga province.
Guest Matthew Vari, editor of South Pacific Post (publisher of Post Courier), Papua New Guinea
Producer Arianna Lucente
Some of Australia's energy companies including Woodside and Santos have enjoyed super profits recently - prompting calls from one Nobel laureate economist to introduce a windfall profits tax.
It comes as the Treasurer Jim Chalmers warns of low wages and the Reserve Bank hinting of more interest rate rises.
Five years ago Australians spent $80.7 million on internet dating, a figure that has now jumped to half a billion dollars.
So what's making some of you head online for love?
The next generation of federal politicians will descend on Canberra in a matter of days for the first sitting of the 47th Parliament.
Livestock industry groups are calling for a calm response to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Indonesia.
Once the political arm of the IRA and indelibly linked to the troubles, Sinn Féin, has since had a dramatic rebrand and is now the largest political party in Ireland.
Chinese banks may be forced to offer a mortgage holiday to hundreds of thousands of customers who've boycotted payments over stalled building projects. It comes amid a broader economic slowdown.
But it could be good news for Australia, with talk that Beijing will soon lift it's ban on coal imports.
Is it the smell of beer mats and salted nuts, the community gossip, or the golden crumbed schnitzel that sits atop of the menu?
What is it that entices us to the country pub and why are they going through a period of renovation?
It's been a tumultuous time for the UK politically with Boris Johnson resigning as Prime Minister and the race to become leader of the Conservative Party intensifying.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak again topped the MPs' ballot, He won 118 votes, making him a likely contender for one of the final two places in the contest. Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has narrowed the gap with party rival Penny Mordaunt, as the three go head to head in a final vote among MPs later today.
The mercury hit 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in UK history on Tuesday, triggering a spate of fires across London and the country, including in the Yorkshire Moorland.
Six to eight months for the biggest review of the Australia's central bank in decades, that's the task set by the Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers today.
Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour is a thing of legend: a moment of musical genius onstage and chaos offstage that may never be replicated.
It married big band and rock; built reputations and relationships for some and ended them for others.
A new documentary, Learning to Live Together, follows a one-off reunion, as the Tedeschi Trucks Band brings the touring band back together.
In the Drawing Room, the director, Jesse Lauter, looks at what made those concerts a special part of history.
Chief Inspiration Officer. Organisation Catalyst. Brand Evangelist. Why are some jobs and their titles so hard to describe in plain English?
What's driving a shift in job titles with rebranded and untraditional names?
The latest State of the Environment report reveals the environment is in a "poor and deteriorating" state. The number of species listed as threatened has grown by eight per cent since 2016 and between 2000 and 2017, 7.7 million hectares of habitat for terrestrial threatened species was cleared or substantially degraded.
So how strong are existing environment laws in protecting the environment?
How much does the story of an object change, depending on who is looking at it?
Should a pink dress be described by the woman who wore it? By the history of its creation? By the changing way we understand the colour pink?
In the Drawing Room, the director of Newcastle Museum, Julie Baird, talks about the 1x4 exhibition and the way she aims to provide a wider view of history and an understanding of the role that curation plays in the way we understand the world.
The 28 year old Queenslander is the fifth Australian to win the Open, and the first since Greg Norman in 1993.
Cameron Smith’s victory in the the event's 150th edition, is also the first at the home of golf, St Andrew’s, since the Centenary Open, held in 1960 - when Ken Nagle held off Arnold Palmer.
The new Labor government is set to review the Emissions Reduction Fund - Australia’s national carbon offset scheme, which is central tenet to how government and business plans to reach net zero by 2050. Some welcome the review, saying the scheme is fundamentally flawed.
For the first time ever the British Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning with forecasts of the mercury hitting 40 in parts of the UK over the next 48 hours.
One of the country's leading unions is pushing for a maximum working temperature of 25 degrees, to ensure employees aren't subjected to dangerous working conditions.
Have you been to a restaurant or pub lately and had to order through an app? Hate it or love it, they are on the rise in Australia, whether it be at the pub, fine dining or the local cheap and cheerful Thai.
Guest: Dani Valent, food journalist, restaurant critic and host of the Dirty Linen food podcast.
Disability advocates say the resignation of the NDIA's Chair and CEO offers an opportunity for both positions to be filled by people with lived experience with disability.
"People are screaming next to me. People are scared. I really need help. I really want to come back home."
What do you get when you mix a bunch of musicians on a stage with no script, no sheet music, and a licence to do whatever they want?
The answer is Supergroup! Live music as it’s never been heard before or perhaps will be again.
In the Drawing Room, Georgia Mooney talks music writing, going solo, and getting a little bit selfish.
'The Wrap is RN Drive's summary of the biggest stories of the week, plus some you may have missed.
The federal government is facing growing calls - including from state premiers - to reinstate pandemic leave payments with daily covid case numbers in the tens of thousands.
Now considered one of the most celebrated composers in history, JS Bach was just one member of a talented family of musicians who, between them, created tens of thousands of works.
For a new tour, Shunske Sato, one of the world’s best Baroque violinists, is joining the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra for a journey into The Bachs.
In the Drawing Room he shares his earliest memories of the violin, when he was only 2, and explains what set the Bachs apart from their peers.
Against the backdrop of a renewed push to save the nuclear deal with Iran, and the possibility of resuming sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, the US President, Joe Biden, has landed in Israel on his first trip to the Middle East since he assumed office.
Over the next two days, he’s expected to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, before heading to Saudi Arabia for a summit of allies from around the Gulf.
Seth Frantzman explores what renewed American interest will mean for the region, and whether the visit is a matter of foreign policy or the US mid-terms?
After two years and $300 million of works over ten years the Opera House is opening the own jewel in it's crown again: The Concert Hall.
Six months after it was handed to the former government, the Social Services Minister has released a report which charts a path towards eliminating domestic and family violence.
GPs are worried that recent changes to the Medicare rebate will prevent some people from accessing antivirals, meanwhile pharmacists want to by-pass GPs and prescribe the antivirals directly to patients.
The first face-to-face meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum has just wrapped up in Fiji's capital, Suva, with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese doubling down on his government's climate target, despite pressure from regional neighbours.
How do you say goodbye, when you feel someone you love slipping away from you? And how do you embrace your time with them, while they're still here?
Renee Brack is a journalist and a storyteller who has covered war from the frontline, but it was when Renee’s father died, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, that she found herself ‘stuck’; struggling with the loss and the guilt of that time.
In the Drawing Room, Renee talks about her new documentary, Ticketyboo, where she’s told her father's story and her own.
The mental healthcare crisis continues in Australia and for many patients their first point of call is calling triple 000. Now for Queenslanders there’s a new at-home program that is bringing treatment for people in mental health crisis to them with co-responder teams across the state.
While warnings of a new Covid-19 wave continue, and medical experts raise concerns about the severity of the new BA.5 strain, some businesses have had enough of remote work and are asking their staff to return to their desks.
So what will the office look like this year? And what if you’d rather stay home?
Action on climate change became a defining issue in the last federal election with many voters turning away from the major parties resulting in the largest ever crossbench in Federal Parliament, not to mention a wave of teal independents.
In a major pivot, the United States has refocused its attention on the Pacific, announcing two new embassies and half a billion dollars to improve fishing rights.
Can artificial intelligence make art? Or is it a uniquely human pursuit?
Ouchhh Studios have been on the forefront of digital art for more than a decade. They’re the artists in residence at Illuminate Adelaide this year, and in the Drawing Room, Ferdi Alici explains how the studio works with AI, and how that's led to collaborations with CERN, NASA, and Leonardo da Vinci.
As more details emerge about the gunman's motives, a funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been held at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo today.
It comes two days after Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party secured a majority in Sunday's upper house elections, the very election he was campaigning for when he was shot in Nara on Friday.
A recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Indonesia has put the Australian agriculture industry on high alert. But while biosecurity measures are being urgently assessed and updated, there is a significant issue that is harder to solve: a shortage of vets.
The Australian Government says its more ambitious climate target - to reduce emissions by 43 per cent by the start of the next decade - has been enthusiastically received by our island neighbours as the Pacific Islands Forum gets underway.
The Victorian Government has today admitted it rejected the updated advice of its Chief Health Officer to reintroduce mask mandates in schools, retail and hospitality.
September 11, 2001 was a day of shocking violence and loss. But, in the aftermath, it was also a day of heroism and of community.
As planes bound for New York were being turned away, many of them found themselves being directed to the small town of Gander, in Newfoundland, Canada.
Almost seven thousand people landed in Gander on that day. It could have been impossible. It could have been overwhelming. But instead, the town opened its arms to those strangers.
Their story was turned into a Tony Award winning musical, Come From Away, and in the Drawing Room, Gander residents Oz Fudge and Brian Mosher share how those days changed their lives.
Robert Wilson is an acclaimed director of experimental theatre and opera. but his latest work sees him stepping away from the stage and into the gallery, with a series of portraits.
But these are no ordinary portraits. They’re short films, which mix celebrity and art history and involve large teams behind the scenes.
Helping it all come together is Chris Green, Robert's producer, who also happens to be the executive director of Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Program.
Japanese scientists have designed a pair of chopsticks that emit an electric zap to trick our brains and make food taste saltier.
And do electric vehicles actually work for rural Australia?
This week we're asking the tough questions on high-profile political meetings, rusty landmarks and #GentleMinions.
Comedians Greg Larsen and Alex Ward face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
It's been a huge week in the international sphere, from the PM's visit to Ukraine to the first meeting China and Australia's foreign ministers in three years - that's happening in just under two hours.
It's a day Japan will never forget, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot in the ancient capital city of Nara.
The country's longest ever serving leader was midway through a campaign speech for Sunday's upper house elections when two shots were fired.
Is it possible to tell when someone is lying to you? Not just to guess, but to truly know?
Michael Robotham's debut thriller sold more than a million copies, he's since become one of the biggest names in crime, and his latest novel features a woman with that precise skill
In the Drawing Room, Michael explains how he keeps the tension high, when the truth can be so easily exposed.
Despite 44 ministers resigning yesterday, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially refused to resign following a spate of scandals.
But now he's now signalled his intention to step down.
Pope Francis says he is 'open to giving women an opportunity ...to choose bishops in the congregation of bishops'. So why would Australian bishops disagree?
With any major flooding event, the clean up is a dirty, daunting and devastating task but how might cost of living pressures slow the recovery phase?
Do you snap off your broccoli stems to save cents at the checkout, or do you use every last scrap from root to leaf?
As fresh food prices rise, Alice Zaslavsky looks at ways to cut down on grocery bills and make the most out of your fruit and veg this winter.
The first face-to-face meeting between Australia and China's foreign ministers in three years might happen at the upcoming G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Bali, where Foreign Minister Penny Wong has left the door open to meeting her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines.
Former ACT Attorney-General Bernard Collaery will have charges against him dropped at the request of Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, four years after he was charged for allegedly releasing classified information.
In the small city of Yellowstone, in the old west, the mine has shut and the town is slowly dying.
Then, one day, a wild local strikes gold. But hopes for a revival are quickly dashed when the man is murdered on his way home from celebrating.
A recently arrived outsider makes for a convenient suspect, but in this town, nothing is what it seems.
Australian director Richard Gray talks about his new film, Murder at Yellowstone City, and the town he built along the way.
After months of scandals UK Prime minister Boris Johnson has been left wounded after two senior members of his cabinet resigned.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said they could no longer continue in good conscience after a string of controversies, leading to more than a dozen members penning their resignations from various Government positions.
As many states begin the process towards treaty, the Queensland Government says it will reveal the next stage of its Path to Treaty in the coming weeks.
Community leaders have closely followed the Victorian experience, but are they happy with how the treaty process is progressing?
What does AFL footballer Lance Franklin, legendary basketballer Lauren Jackson and new Wallaby Cadeyrn Neville have in common? They're all at the top of their chosen sport and well beyond 30.
But while their achievements are lauded and celebrated, why does ageism permeate other workplaces?
Wollombi in the NSW Hunter region still remains completely cut off following this week's torrential rain.
Local resident Rachael Thornton knows only too well what it's like to live with natural disasters. She experienced the 2019 Gospers Mountain mega fire and now she's helping her community recover from the latest major flooding event.
With covid case numbers again rising as the nation endures a third omicron wave, the vaccine advisory group is considering making the fourth dose available for the general population.
Most of us would think of Australia as a trustworthy country, largely free from corruption and dirty money, at least in a global context.
But, if that's right, why has Australia been pointed to as one of the top targets in the world to launder money through real estate? And why have several major institutions in Australia been linked to money laundering?
Nathan Lynch is an expert on financial crime and the author of a new book, The Lucky Laundry.
The family of Australian engineer Rob Pether is hoping the new government will mark a renewed focus on the fate of the father of three who's now been in an Iraqi prison for more than 14 months.
The NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has told people today they're "crazy" if they haven't yet had their third COVID booster shot yet.
Health authorities have warned a new wave of infections driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron has started and is expected to peak later this month.
After three years of working from home, with nothing to wear and nowhere to go, as calendars begin filling up with weddings and major social events, have we forgotten what a dress code is?
How do you define “casual”? What is “formal” now? What does “black tie” even mean?
You'd be forgiven for thinking the news has been inundated with flood stories in recent months and with each new flooding event, it seems to be the same communities and industries that are devastated.
The Hawkesbury River at Windsor, in Sydney's north-west, has already exceeded the March flood peak of 13.8 metres and oyster farmers have been racing to save their crops.
Labor has also committed to recovering 450 gigalitres of water for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan but with less than two years until the deadline and only two gigalitres secured, how they are going to get there remains a challenge.
Whether it's “can’t we all just get along” or “agree to disagree”, not everyone embraces an argument when it arrives.
But Lee Siegel argues that argument is essential: to the individual, to art, and to society. Argument leads to change and it helps us to understand the world.
Whether that argument plays out in political platforms, in art, or, increasingly, online, it’s a way of understanding the other side and convincing them that your point of view is better.
An election in Papua New Guinea is a colourful affair but the results can set off a deadly chain reaction of events.
As polling opens in 2022, there are concerns that the deadly violence of 2017 may be repeated, where the election was marred by widespread fraud, malpractice and extensive vote rigging, according to analysis from ANU.
Australia needs a major policy overhaul if it is to meet net zero targets by 2050 and radically transform itself into an energy superpower. But how to do it?
Melbourne aged care facility St Basil's has been charged with failing to implement a safe working environment during a covid outbreak in July 2020.
Apps like Tinder and online match-ups have made meeting potential partners easier, but have digital break-ups replaced the art of what they used to call ‘conscious uncoupling’?
As rain continues to bucket down many parts of New South Wales, the Bureau of Meteorology has issues flood warnings for multiple rivers. For some river dwellers this is the fourth time in 18 months that their lives have been upended.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has left Ukraine after a 12-hour visit to the war-torn towns of Irpin, Hostomel and Bucha devastated by Russian troops, bodies strewn across streets, homes now a pile of rubble.
Mr Albanese also visited Kyiv, announcing a further $100 million in military aid, including 20 bushmaster vehicles, promising to stand against Russia's invasion.
Stanley Jordan is a guitar virtuoso who has been pushing the boundaries with his playing for over four decades.
Ever thought about storing your poo for future purposes? Depositing your number two in a bank so to speak? Find out more about the need for poo banks.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political school visits, extreme water conservation measures and Kanye-inspired burgers.
Writer, author and director Eliza Reilly and actor Remy Hii face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Australia’s thawing relationship with China is skating on thin ice, while climate protests start to heat up again, and according to this year’s census the millennials are taking over.
Guests
Jacqueline Maley, Columnist and Senior Writer for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
Bob Brown, Former leader of the Greens Party and Patron of the Bob Brown Foundation
Producer
Ali Cheevers
The Prime Minister will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in a bid to mend the relationship with an important old ally.
The Morrison Government's axing of the $90billion dollar submarine deal with French company Naval Group infuriated the French, and saw President Macron accuse then Prime Minister Scott Morrison of lying.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has become the first Japanese leader to attend a NATO leaders summit as NATO turns its focus to China and the Asia Pacific.
At the meeting in Madrid, NATO adopted a new Strategic Concept which singled out China for the first time.
Effective from today, the CBA is increasing its owner-occupied fixed rates by 1.4 per cent. That means for its one year product the rate is fixed at almost five per cent and its five year product is fixed at 6.69 per cent.
So how likely will the other banks follow suit?
An inquest has found little could have been done to save Hannah Clarke and her three children from her estranged husband. With one woman dying every nine days across the country, at the hands of current or formers partners, how do we stop our systems from continually failing victims of domestic violence?
Former Managing Director of the ABC, Mark Scott joins RN Drive to celebrate nine decades of the ABC and reflect on his legacy.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has unveiled its 30-year roadmap for securing energy supply while moving to renewables, requiring more than $320m of investment and creating 25,000 jobs.
Real progress by March. That's the deadline Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has given for the next stage of EU Free Trade negotiations.
The worlds of classical music and urban culture very rarely rub shoulders.
However, KLASSIK underground, aims to bring these worlds together by combining classical music with other art forms such as dance, street art, poetry and video installations - to create innovative music events.
In the Drawing Room, Australian violist and creative producer, Tahlia Petrosian, talks about how she's bringing together laser artistry with Shostakovich.
Earlier this month, Jason Clare visited his primary school teacher as he embarked on his new role as the federal education minister and today the foreign affairs minister Penny Wong is in Malaysia where she's visiting her home town and the very school she went to until she was eight years of age.
But sentiments aside, the trip has also been marked as a reset of Malaysia and Australia relations.
The recent discovery in Newcastle of a parasite called varroa mite, has resulted in the destruction of thousands of hives in New South Wales and closed the borders to surrounding states. The almond industry is at particular risk because pollination starts earlier than in other crops and the race is on to contain the virus.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government's more ambitious action on climate change will help to resume stalled trade negotiations with the European Union.
Melbourne has retained its place as one of the world’s most liveable cities ranking 10th. But besides the laneways and the lattes, what makes Victoria's capital so captivating?
The Queensland Government will make cabinet papers and submissions public within 30 days of decisions, parting with the existing 20 to 30-year waiting period before documents are released from the state archives.
The Federal Court has ordered Origin Energy to pay $17 million in penalties for failing to comply with their obligations to protect customers experiencing hardship and payment difficulties.
It's the largest amount ever imposed for breaches of the National Energy Retail Law and Rules.
Our Blood Runs in the Street is a visceral and raw examination of the violence and persecution experienced by the LGBTQI community in Australia.
Blending physical theatre with verbatim text, the production looks at a spate of brutal bashings and murders in Sydney that brought terror to the LGBTQI community for decades.
In the Drawing Room, award-winning director, Shane Anthony, talks about how he went about bringing these challenging and important stories to the stage.
This week, 14 million people in Tokyo are being told to minimise their power use as Japan endures an unusually intense heat wave.
Experts are warning that Australia could see a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisation as the new BA.5 variant looks set to become the dominant strain in Australia.
That news comes as Queensland's Chief Health Officer warns of a likely increase in his state and the ACT records their highest hospitalisation levels to date.
As of next week, Workforce Australia will be the new way to find a job and claim unemployment benefits.
The difference is, it will use a ‘points system’ to ensure welfare payments but a new ACOSS report has shown that the current government job-seeking program isn't working and there are some elements that need to change.
With state and territory borders shut during the pandemic, it shouldn't be a surprise that the latest census reported only 58,155 Australians own a caravan. That's compared to 67,015 in the 2016 census.
But the census was taken in August. Since then, the price of almost everything has gone up and there's also been a spike in rental stress. So how is this affecting caravan parks at the moment?
Thirty-five new MPs have spent their first day in Parliament House, learning the ropes of parliamentary procedure and navigating one of the largest buildings in the southern hemisphere.
Leaders from the world's seven richest nations have vowed to sustain and intensify sanctions against Russia and support Ukraine for "as long as it takes" during the G7 leaders meeting in Germany.
Il Trovatore is perhaps Verdi's most complicated opera, with betrayals, abductions, revenge and hidden identities.
The character of Leonora is led by her heart and lacks reason. For singer, Leah Crocetto, who is taking on the role in Opera Australia's latest production, it's not a character she easily identifies with.
In the Drawing Room, Leah talk about how she's learnt to channel her inner teenager for the role and shares how a rejection from the Met Chorus changed the trajectory of her career.
The massive earthquake that hit eastern Afghanistan highlights the ongoing challenges of aid groups delivering aid since the Taliban took power in 2021.
Coastal wetlands are seen as crucial for carbon storage. As efforts kick off to rehabilitate them, corporations show an eagerness to buy official 'blue carbon' credits to offset their emissions.
They've been described as an untapped resource, with a renewed push for pensioners to fill workforce shortages across the economy, but first there needs to be a rule change.
Labour experts say that we should change careers every decade. But is change something we should endure, or an opportunity to pursue our passions? Garrick Atkin, organisational psychologist
"Highly unorganised and erratic”. That’s how authorities are labelling the latest round of climate protests to gridlock Sydney’s CBD.
10 people have been arrested under the state’s new anti-protest law, including a 22-year-old woman who blocked the entrance to the harbour tunnel with her car.
As some parts of the country commenced their winter school holidays, queues at airports over the weekend saw some travellers' excitement turn to frustration and anger.
What magic happens when a musical genius is exposed to Beethoven, Vivaldi, and AC/DC at a young age, and loves them all?
William Barton is a composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and one of Australia's leading didgeridoo players.
His latest song is a cover of the classic rock song Johnny B. Goode, as part of Chess Records' seventieth anniversary album, Everybody Knows I'm Here.
This week we're asking the tough questions on megaphone diplomacy, new and unique crabs, plus comebacks for the ages.
Legendary broadcasters Angela Catterns and Ian Rogerson face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The housing crisis on the NSW south coast has become so bad, one local council is taking desperate measures to address the issue.
Eurobodalla Shire Council Mayor Mathew Hatcher is urging 7,500 holiday home owners to rent out their properties.
Robert Dessaix is an essential part of the Australian literary world. As a writer, a performer, and an interviewer, he's explored the meaning of life and the stories behind the stories.
For that work, he's the recipient of the 2022 Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature.
In the Drawing Room, Robert shares how he likes to connect ideas and talks about his latest release, Abracadabra.
People are digging through rubble with their bare hands in a desperate search for survivors, following the devastating earthquake which has killed at least 1,000 people in Khost, in the country's east.
The disaster inflicts more misery on a country where millions are already experiencing hunger and poverty with the health system under enormous strain since the Taliban retook power.
Political cartoonists are both licking their lips and digging out old sketches at the return of a Labor government, some new faces and some they've drawn before.
It’s been 140 years since the bad boy of the bush Ned Kelly met his ultimate demise but he’s been the mainstay of Aussie folklore ever since. Well Eliza Reilly has had enough, and she’s calling time on the unwashed Irishman, in favour of a new national icon.
If you're about to go on holidays and it involves a flight, beware.
A lot of disgruntled passengers have taken to social media in recent weeks sharing horror stories about missing bags, flight cancellations and lengthy delays at airports.
The Federal Government is calling on qualified disability support workers to form a reserve workforce to cover shortages due to covid and flu over winter.
What would Australia look like if we were to put children at the centre of public policy? Would we see more children thrive in school and stay out of prisons? And would they then go on to be more productive and prosperous adults?
In the Drawing Room, Jeni Whalan, Chief Strategy Officer at the Paul Ramsay Foundation and host of the Life's Lottery podcast talks about what it would mean to put kids at the centre of public policy.
Israel is returning to the polls for the fifth time in three years. That's equivalent to an election every seven months. So what's happening in Israeli politics?
New South Wales has finally begun its long-touted stamp duty reform and it's something the other states will be watching with great interest.
In the budget today, the Perrottet Government has offered some first home buyers the choice of ditching stamp duty altogether and paying an annual land tax instead.
Verdi's La Traviata invites you to indulge in the opulence and glamour of the Parisian salon. Violetta is a free-spirited courtesan who throws lavish parties with the finest champagne but amidst the glitz and glamour a tragic love story unfolds as our effervescent host relinquishes her only chance at love.
In the Drawing Room, Constantine Costi, the opera's revival director, talks about how he's making sparks fly in his new interpretation of this well-known opera classic.
It may look like the French legislative election results paves the way for President Emmanuel Macron’s centre-right party to govern for a second term despite losing its absolute majority. But while the Government will work to form a new alliance to achieve a majority, parties to the far-left and far-right have made the biggest gains.
Carbon counter is your daily news in a decarbonizing economy and climate change which includes the mood lifting for clean energy investors, the US backing hydrogen, and how the Pilbara could help power Asia.
Just imagine wishing for lung cancer, because it’s better than the alternative of the incurable disease you’ve been handed, just for doing your job.
Dozens of underground workers are now demanding the government introduce regulations to protect half a million Australians exposed to silica dust.
Where people used to "call" on each other in the home and had chaperones, Australian dating evolved into something that was much more public between the 1940s and 1960s.
Frontline workers are leaving the child protection sector in droves because of lack of support and feeling defeated by the volume and nature of cases. Liana Buchanan, Victoria's Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, says that it is a common problem and that the system is 'not fit for purpose'.
The consumer watchdog has been tasked with sniffing out any price gouging in the energy sector, as the government’s new draft energy plan could see taxpayer’s dollars used to pay coal and gas generators.
Return to Seoul follows a young French-Korean woman as she travels to her country of birth on a holiday.
She swears she isn’t there to connect to her biological family, but, once in the country, she can’t help but reach out.
This isn’t the tale of a joyous reunion though, it’s complicated, messy, and prickly, just like real life.
In the Drawing Room, the film’s creator, Davy Chou, talks about the real experience that inspired the script, and the complicated questions of belonging that lie at its heart.
Palaeontologists have tracked down the world's oldest belly button, but who or what did it belong to?
Plus does our understanding of how our planet rotates need to be updated?
This week we ask the tough questions on channelling Bob Hawke, alternative uses for forklifts and Hollywood celebrity sightings.
Comedians, podcasters and writers Paul Verhoeven and Tegan Higginbotham face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
In a week which saw the failure of the energy market amid fears of supply shortfalls and east coast blackouts, how will the government steer through this crisis to a brighter, greener future? Greg Sheridan and Amy Remeikis also discuss the minimum wage rise, Australia's defence policy and the legacy of the Scott Morrison government. Will he be a tough act to follow or has Anthony Albanese got the goods to charm our international friends?
There were lots of new faces at today's national cabinet meeting as well as a fresh resolve to tackle the health reforms much needed across Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also confirmed at today's meeting that the Commonwealth will extend its 50-50 hospital funding agreement with the states and territories through to the end of the year.
When faith and power collide, is it possible to avoid compromising your beliefs?
Tarik Saleh's new film, Boy from Heaven, was inspired by Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, but takes audiences to al-Azhar University in Cairo, where the death of the Grand Imam could change the power dynamics of the country.
In the Drawing Room he talks about the importance of truth in fiction and why he loves a country that doesn't love him back.
“Babushka Z” is the Kremlin’s latest tool to rustle up support to reform the soviet union with posters, songs and even statues of the headscarf-wearing heroine spreading like wildfire.
But who is this woman, and why does she find herself at the heart of Putin’s propaganda machine?
The life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people is eight years. Matildas' Goalkeeper Lydia Williams is working with the Closing the Gap Foundation to encourage more indigenous students into health care.
Picture this, you've taken a nice, well deserved break in sunny Byron Bay or the cosy Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. But the thing is, if you're staying in an Airbnb house, that home has most likely been taken out of the rental market for locals.
Brisbane City Council is now putting pressure on home owners who use short-stay accommodation websites like Airbnb and Stayz.
The United Nations refugee agency says the world has reached a dramatic new milestone with more than 100 million people or one per cent of the population displaced worldwide.
Another way of putting it is if displaced persons were a country it would be the world's 14th most populous.
Imagine you're midway through your career and you've just been told you will lose your job and you will have to re-skill and re-train for perhaps an entirely different profession or industry.
That is the reality facing two-thousand workers at the biggest coal mine in the NSW Hunter Valley because mining giant BHP has failed to find a buyer for its Mt Arthur operation.
Representation is everything, it validates people and their experiences. So what happens when a large part of a country's population don’t see themselves reflected in society? Arabs represent almost 21% of Israelis but there are still very few Arab-Israeli journalists in the newsroom. Haaretz, one of Israel’s major newspapers, is trying to change that. In the Drawing Room, Noa Landau, the deputy editor-in-chief of Haaretz talks about the new initiative she's founded, Haaretz 21, that will give a voice to Arab-Israel writers.
In the past month, hundreds of people from Sri Lanka have attempted a perilous boat journey to Australia, in a bid to escape the country’s worst economic crisis in over seventy years.
According to Colombo-based human rights lawyer, Lakshan Dias, the wave of desperate asylum seekers isn’t going to stop any time soon.
The Federal Court has approved Blackstone's $8.9billion takeover of the troubled casino operator Crown Resorts.
The decision was the final hurdle in the approvals process, following Blackstone getting the greenlight from Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Are there any words that literally drive you bonkers? The English language has plenty of 'contranyms' which is a word with two opposing meanings.
Linguist Professor Kate Burridge explores the history and proves that the evolution of meanings is nothing new.
Minimum wage earners say that an extra $40 a week isn't enough to improve their circumstances. ACOSS agrees saying when levelled with the inflation rate, low income workers will still be left behind. While the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says today's decision, coupled with the increase to the superannuation guarantee, will cost businesses nearly $8 billion a year
The energy market operator has taken the extraordinary step to suspend the whole National Electricity Market, with New South Wales again on alert for potential blackouts as supply struggles to keep pace with demand.
AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman says it made the decision to intervene to create greater visibility of supply and demand.
Across installations, sculptures, and performance, food is front and centre in Elizabeth Willing's art.
Her new body of work, Forced Rhubarb, features hand-printed and embroidered linens, but also a large, looping floorwork made from brightly coloured sherbet-filled straws.
In the Drawing Room, Elizabeth talks about her own relationship with food, the surprising power of yeast, and how high-end dining compares to a gallery.
There were thousands of cameras rolling the day Americans raided the Capitol building in Washington D.C. as windows were smashed, barricades pushed over, crowds poured through doors and politicians were locked in the House Chamber as security officials guarded the entrance, guns drawn.
All these images and videos taken by protesters, the media, police and horrified onlookers have provided crucial evidence for the House committee hearings. But the focus on Day Two of the hearings has been on the days leading up to the riots as Donald Trump intensified his claims that the election was stolen.
There's a hidden epidemic of men’s mental health issues because they go quietly undiscovered until it’s too late. Two thirds of Australians who take their own lives each year are men. Within that percentage, 18 to 25 year olds have the highest rates of suicide.
This week is men’s health week - the theme is ‘building healthy environments for men and boys’. What does a healthy environment look like? And how can men access those spaces?
Content warning: this story might be disturbing for some listeners. If this raises difficult issues for you or someone you know, which requires help, you can call lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine on 1300 78 99 78
With Australians now more likely to travel to Bali and Fiji, how do the islands that line the coast of the Great Barrier Reef of Queensland entice visitors back?
It's a moment immediately etched into Australian sporting folklore - how Australia's substituted goalkeeper saved the nation's bid to make the World Cup in Qatar.
It was a moment which rivalled John Aloisi's famous penalty from 2005, a strike which has spawned five consecutive Socceroos World Cup appearances.
If you're a woman in the workforce, you're likely earning about 260 dollars a week LESS than your male counterparts.
The NSW Government has pledged to spend five billion dollars on the childcare sector over the next 10 years in a bid to close the 14 per cent wage gap and get more women into the workforce and senior positions.
The energy market operator - AEMO - has issued a second blackout warning in as many days for Queensland and New South Wales tonight, with fears demand could outstrip energy supply.
What would you do if you had one of the most dangerous men in the world handcuffed in a room and, for 20 minutes, it was just you and him?
That's the starting point of a new play, where two highway patrol officers accidentally arrest a powerful drug lord for speeding away from the jail he'd just broken out of.
Twenty Minutes With The Devil is based on real life events around the capture of El Chapo.
In the Drawing Room, playwrights and legal professors Desmond Manderson and Luis Gomez Romero talk about their approach to the stage.
A new investigation questions whether Guide Dogs Victoria's services have gone backwards as their taxpayer funding has gone up.
The investigation comes after their former CEO Karen Hayes resigned after publicly endorsing a political candidate and breached charity and not-for-profit regulations.
In a perfect storm of geopolitical events, freezing temperatures, unscheduled outages at coal-fired power stations, and no room for quick government intervention, Australia is facing its worst energy crisis in 50 years.
Many Australians are turning to solar to generate their own power. But does switching to solar right now mean you won’t feel the burn of soaring energy prices?
Behind the fanfare of of national pride and elite competition, hides a group of people who for them, the tournament is quite literally do-or-die.
They are the migrant workers forced to work under perilous conditions and 50 degree heat, to ensure the playing facilities in Qatar are ready in time for kick off.
SMH columnist Andrew Hornery has apologised after issuing what’s been described as an ultimatum to actor Rebel Wilson for a comment about her new, same-sex relationship.
Dr Kerryn Phelps reflects on her experience of being ‘outed’ by a Sydney tabloid 24 years ago.
Nyadol Nyuon has fought for everything in her life, from basic survival at refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya to starting a brand new life a world away in Australia at the tender age of 18.
Since then, she has become a well-respected lawyer, commentator and advocate for the displaced and disenfranchised.
Now she has another title to add to her impressive list of accomplishments - Medal for the Order of Australia - for her service to human rights and refugee women.
A face-to-face meeting between Defence Minister Richard Marles and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore marked an end to the two-year diplomatic freeze.
Guest:
David Olsson, Australia China Business Council National President
The Jezabels were catapulted into the spotlight a decade ago when their debut album, Prisoner, won the 2011 Australian Music Prize and reached number two on the ARIA chart.
A lot has happened over those ten years, but the band have come back together for a national tour to celebrate the album and the chance to perform together again.
In the Drawing Room, Hayley Mary revisits those days in the studio and shares the ups and downs of a life in the music industry.
This study has flown under the radar for a while, but its certainly creating a buzz in academic circles - honeybees possess maths skills?
This week we're asking the tough questions on political pelotons, contentious statues and having tea with the Queen.
Comedians Geraldine Hickey and Brett Blake face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
It’s been a big week in politics Jacinda Ardern has swapped vinyls with DJ Albo, details surrounding Australia’s subs deal have resurfaced and there’s been so much hot air about the energy crisis talk you could power Tasmania's wind turbines.
It's something you would never have expected from a powerful nation that prides itself in its democracy and rule of law.
But the January 6 riots on the Capitol in Washington shook the core of many Americans and left many of you asking here, how did it get to this point and what is going to happen next?
The first of many House Committee hearings into the Capitol riots began this morning.
The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau people have, for centuries, lived deep in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil.
First contact with the Brazilian state came in 1981, and it came with a great cost: disease and illness killed off half the tribe.
Their territory is meant to be protected, but instead they’re facing invasion, with settlers moving into the forest and claiming the land as their own, with chainsaws and with fire.
A new documentary, The Territory, filmed in part by the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau themselves, captures the struggle between the two groups.
New research from the CSIRO has shown coastal plastic pollution in Australia has decreased by 29 percent in 6 years.
The discovery was made during a broader project assessing the most effective local government waste reduction strategies.
Ngunnawal traditional owners have used the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision to announce their intention to lodge a native title claim over the entire ACT and parts of NSW.
Several native title claims have been made in the ACT and parts of NSW in the past, but for various reasons, all those claims have either been withdrawn, discontinued, dismissed or rejected, not always relating to the merits of the claim. But could this be the time be different?
When you think about those special moments in history that have come to define Australian culture, society and even the Australian psyche, you most likely witnessed these moments as you watched the television or listened to the radio.
A lot of these precious moments are often stored in the ABC Archives. But there are changes afoot with the ABC announcing 58 staff from the Archives team might be made redundant, with 30 new roles created.
As the majority of the south east watches as prices soar, residents in the national capital are reaping the benefits of a decade of changes to support a shift to renewable energy.
Last night the country's energy ministers agreed to speed up the development of a capacity mechanism, requiring energy retailers to pay electricity generators for spare energy capacity in case it's needed.
The mechanism has previously lacked support as it was seen to prop up coal and gas. The A-C-T's Attorney-General and Energy Minister Shane Rattenbury was one of those with his reservations
Guest:
Shane Rattenbury, ACT Attorney-General and Energy Minister
As the Federal and State Government energy ministers try to find solutions to east coast energy crisis, many Australians will continue to face rising power bills.
EnergyAustralia Managing Director Mark Collette speaks to RN Drive about the proposals at hand and what it'll mean for your bill.
On streets and in halls around Australia, remarkable dancers are coming together in battle.
This is the world of competitive street dance, where the challengers break and pop their way to the top.
A new documentary, Keep Stepping, follows two dancers in Sydney as they prepare for one of the year's biggest competitions.
In the Drawing Room, the director, Luke Cornish, introduces us to the scene and explores the community at its heart.
The Commonwealth's robust terror laws have been dealt a blow by the High Court today, after an Australian man, suspected of joining Islamic state, has effectively had his citizenship reinstated.
20 per cent of Australians will experience a mental health condition in a 12 month period. One of the biggest challenges is finding support. One in three psychologists are now so busy they've had to close their books (compared to one in 100 before the pandemic).
A new digital and telephone service launched this week, designed to help bridge the gap. SANE will provide ongoing support to people with complex mental health needs via a team of qualified counsellors and qualified peer support workers.
Right now the battle for the thermostat is raging across Australia at the moment, with clear battlelines drawn.
But why is it that women feel the cold more, often wanting the heating turned up?
You went to bed last night digesting the news of the largest interest rate rise in 22 years and you woke to a warning from the World Bank that many countries might not be able to avoid sliding into recession as the global economy grapples with Russia's war against Ukraine, stagflation risks, and potential widespread food shortages.
But despite this, the Federal Treasurer is downplaying talk of a recession here.
State and Territory Energy Ministers have met with the Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen this afternoon agreeing to eleven actions, including giving the market operator the ability to procure a reserve gas supply to use when supply is limited and prices soar.
After defaulting on its debt repayments, Sri Lanka is a country that is struggling with little money, little fuel, rolling blackouts and soaring costs.
Little more than three weeks since violent protests turned deadly, the Australian men's cricket team will tour despite fears facilitating the matches will take away precious resources from Sri Lankans.
After nearly 10 years and a lengthy legal battle, the families of nine victims settled lawsuits for $73 million dollars against Remington, the maker of the firearm used in that massacre. It’s the largest payout by a gun manufacturer in a mass shooting case. And now the lawyer behind the landmark action is set to do it all over again, in the wake of the Uvalde mass shooting last month, which claimed the lives of 19 children and two adults.
We all want our children to have a great education, but over successive decades Australians have come to rely on the market to deliver it, which means ‘greatness’ is increasingly only accessible to those who can afford it.
Mortgage holders will have to tighten the belt on their savings once more with the Reserve Bank raising interest rates by half a per cent - well ahead of expectations.
The Federal Government has promised to deliver a cost of living package in its October Budget but will there be targeted relief for low income earners and those on support payments in the interim?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed an election pledge on his trip to Indonesia - to establish a climate and infrastructure partnership with Indonesia, initially worth $200 million.
But with Indonesia one of the world's largest emitters and known for having staggering rates of deforestation, what will that look like and what will it focus on?
Jobs are in high supply, but there's no one to fill them. This is the great dilemma confronting employers across the nation. For farmers, some of whom are expecting bumper crops, it can mean that produce is left to rot on the vine or lambs go unshorn.
So where are all the workers? Are they overseas? Or sitting at home here in Australia? Or are they lacking the skills necessary to get the jobs done?
Guests:
Ian Yates, Chief Executive of the Councils on the Aging
Tara Bennett, Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree chief executive officer
Ben Rogers, National Farmers Federation general manager workplace relations and legal affairs
Producer:
Katie Hamann
A Victorian man has been ordered by the local council to remove the solar panels on his roof because of heritage restrictions. What does this mean for other homeowners wanting to drive down energy costs?
The future of the Boris Johnson hangs in the balance with a no confidence motion called.
It brings to a head weeks of discontent where dozens of his own MPs publicly called for his resignation in the wake of the 'Partygate' affair and subsequent investigation.
Australia's peak body for unions says workers can not afford to be left behind as employer groups lobby for a four month delay to pay rises.
In its submission to the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Government argued workers earning the minimum wage should get a pay rise of five-point-one per cent, to keep in line with inflation.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is demanding a five point five percent increase.
Guest:
Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary
When Ana Roxanne released her debut LP, Because of A Flower, in 2020, it provided a peaceful, meditative space for listeners to sit amongst the stress and the noise.
Inspired by her own personal story and the experience of identifying as intersex, it weaves complicated ideas into a deceptively simple sound.
In the Drawing Room, Ana explores resonant spaces and childhood influences.
Don Carlos is a grand work, with opera’s eternal themes of love, betrayal and faith.
These days, it's beloved by fans of Verdi, but that hasn’t always been the case. The opera has appeared in many forms over the years, with some acts edited out and even the language changed.
The latest production by the Metropolitan Opera is performed for the first time by the company in the original French.
The production's star, Matthew Polenzani, takes listeners back to the origins: the character's and his own.
Turkish pilot and engineer Selçuk Bayraktar is considered the Elon Musk of Turkey and already his drones have been sold to at least thirteen countries.
But how likely are his drones going to set the course of the war in Ukraine?
In the outback Queensland town of Mount Isa, a new program has been designed to help First Nations teens reach a good night's sleep.
It's given rise to Australia's first Indigenous sleep coaches, aiming to help not only education teens about the importance of a good night's sleep, but help stem the occurrence of children wandering the streets at night.
Hundreds of people stood in queues outside the Passport Office in Sydney's CBD today, waiting for updates on their passport applications or to collect their new passports.
Many of the people waiting say they applied for a passport more than two months ago.
The wholesale price of gas could spike to more than 50 times normal levels this week as temperatures plummet in Sydney and Melbourne.
It’s opened up debate about whether the eastern states should follow WA and reserve a percentage of locally produced gas for domestic use.
In an old apartment in Kings Cross, Maureen keeps a notebook in which she lists her friends in the order that she expects them to die.
On stage, she shares the stories of the friends who are gone, and her own experiences along the way.
In the Drawing Room, Jonny Hawkins remembers the women who inspired their new play, Maureen: Harbinger of Death.
The mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket in May sent shockwaves through America and took place mere kilometres from the Canadian border.
A fortnight later, and following the mass shooting in Texas, Canada has now legislated additional gun reforms including capping the number of hand guns Canadians can own.
Households have been warned power bills are only going to go increase, some by as much as 95 per cent.
It's not just households feeling it with small electricity providers saying they can't afford the cost of wholesale power anymore and are dumping out out the market.
On average, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have lower levels of education, employment and income than non-Indigenous Australians and will die nine years earlier than the rest of the population.
Given this nearly decade-long gap in life expectancy legal advocates are taking their fight to lower the pension age to the full federal court.
In September 2017, 18 year old Alex Braes went to Broken Hill Base Hospital three times within 24 hours after experiencing significant pain in his knee.
It was not until his fourth and final presentation that vital observations were taken of him. By this stage Alex had deteriorated but he wasn't transferred to the closest suitable hospital for his care, which was Royal Adelaide Hospital. Instead he was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and died within an hour of arriving from septic shock.
Australia's 47th parliament will better reflect multi-cultural Australia than all 46 of those that went before.
Women will account for 38 per cent of seats in the lower house with 19 of them first-term MPs.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's ministry includes 13 women, ten of those in cabinet.
But it's not just greater female representation that's changed. The new ministry includes Australia's first Muslim Ministers - Anne Aly and Ed Husic.
Guest:
Fatima Payman, likely WA senator
What does it take to power a one kilometre long laser above the surface of the Yarra river?
And when you’re composing a soundtrack for dance to be played by nine drummers, is it possible to create a quiet, gentle moment?
These are the questions that Robin Fox has been asking himself over the last few months as he prepares for a series of big festival shows.
In the Drawing Room, he explores the answers and explains why classical music caused him to break his own rules.
Incredibly, India, the largest democracy in the world doesn't have a common law, but the push for a Uniform Civil Code is being met with huge opposition after Prime Minister Modi's ruling BJP party resurrected the proposal, which was one of the party's original campaign promises.
You're swimming before sunrise and it's dark. The only thing you can see are the stars and the dazzling bright lights of Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. You can't see below your floating body and staring out to the bay, the shipping channel is a black abyss. This is where Port Melbourne Iceberger Alan FitzGerald seeks the unexpected moments in life.
Ukrainian farmers have 20 million tonnes of grain they can't get to international markets because Russia has captured some of the country's biggest seaports.
Before Russia sent troops into Ukraine, the country had the capacity to export up to 6 million tonnes of wheat, barley and maize a month but exports collapsed to just 300,000 tonnes in March.
In New South Wales, the humble plastic bag is about to be consigned to the dustbin of history, as the state catches up to the rest of the country in ditching the disposable.
But some retailers and small businesses still struggling from the pandemic say they feel blindsided by the move.
While Labor will form a majority with as many as seventy-seven seats in the lower house, it's a different picture in the Senate.
The Greens are in line to have a dozen seats in the upper house, their largest-ever presence, handing them - and the Jacqui Lambie Network's two Senators - the balance of power.
Labor is expected to win 25 seats, while the Coalition is predicted to hold 30.
Guest:
Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Senator for New South Wales
Labor will fill 77 seats in the lower house, with the ABC projecting Fiona Phillips will retain the southern New South Wales Seat of Gilmore.
It was the last House of Representatives seat to move from the in-doubt column, with the Liberal Party holding onto Deakin in Victoria.
Former New South Wales Transport Minister Andrew Constance was unsuccessful in his bid to transition to Federal Parliament.
Guest:
Fiona Phillips, Re-elected Member for Gilmore
Søren Solkær made his name with celebrity portraits, taking photos of everyone from Paul McCartney to David Lynch.
One week after a change of Government, what does AGL's decision to walk away from its planned demerger signal about the the business environment in Australia?
Banks say they want to partner with carbon-emitting borrowers to enable a transition to renewables, but what does that mean?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning on officially bringing back imperial measurements such as pints, pounds and ounces to British shops as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
AGL Energy has abandoned its plans to demerge its coal-focused generation business and has announced its chief executive Graeme Hunt and chairman Peter Botten will leave the company.
It's corporate siege warfare of the bitterest kind, and the body count is starting to pile up, as the marauder now appears to be inside the castle walls.
Pacific Island countries have today walked away from China's proposed trade and security deal.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and leaders from ten Pacific nations discussed the proposal at a high-level meeting in Fiji this afternoon.
Guest:
Surangel Whipps, Jr, President of Palau
David Littleproud has emerged as the new leader of the Nationals, promising to captain the junior coalition partner to better electoral fortunes in 2025, after a more than two-hour long party room meeting.
First term Senator for New South Wales Perrin Davey was elected Deputy Leader.
Former Defence Minister Peter Dutton and former Environment Minister Sussan Ley were elected unopposed as the leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
Guest:
Perrin Davey, Deputy Leader of the Nationals
Over a ten year run, starting in the mid-90s, Arab Strap released a half-dozen albums that brought them critical and public acclaim. They were the sort of artist that was your favourite band’s favourite band.
Then one day, they called it quits: moving on to other bands and other sounds.
Last year announced a return, their first album together in 16 years, called As Days Get Dark.
In the Drawing Room, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton reminisce about the early days and the way the world has changed.
Pickles on your hamburger? Its almost as divisive as pineapple on a pizza and just as controversial. New research suggests it makes the humble beef patty taste even better.
But does this latest study need to be taken with a grain of salt?
This week we're asking the tough questions on fantastical super villains, power naps, and Peru's clown celebrations.
Comedians and writers Pat McCaffrie and Andy Matthews face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Back to Bilo, boat turn-backs, climate pledges riding on a 'Teal' wave, oh and did we mention a new government?
The Central Queensland community of Biloela will welcome home four community members within weeks.
Interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers this afternoon granted the youngest member of the Nadesalingham family a bridging visa, allowing them to live, work and go to school in the town.
Guest:
Angela Fredricks, family friend
From haunting minimalist melodies to an almost overwhelming mix of synths and techno rhythms, Nils Frahm is one of the piano’s most interesting practitioners.
He's spent the pandemic-induced pause going back through his archives and finding musical friends—old and new—to share.
Ahead of his return to Sydney for his first concert since 2019, Nils talks about the importance of the subconscious and why he prefers improvisation.
During his QUAD visit to Japan US President Joe Biden warned America would intervene militarily, if China were to invade Taiwan.
It's one of the most forceful and overt statements to be made in support of the island in decades, before the White House immediately sought to walk back the statement.
In recent years world leading institutions like the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan in New York and the British Museum have faced scrutiny over their countless collections of foreign items pilfered during wars and colonisation.
Slowly we're starting to see these museums return these objects - which are sometimes sacred human remains - to their rightful custodians, including museums in Australia.
Guest:
Laura McBride, a Wailwan woman and the Australian Museum's director of First Nations
Producer:
Eleni Psaltis
Caroline Dennett spent more than a decade as a safety consultant working with frontline employees at oil company Shell.
What prompted her to make a very public resignation from working with the company and urging others to follow suit?
Imagine losing a child in the most tragic of circumstances to only then be stalked and threatened by people who claim your child and their death are fake.
That was exactly what happened to the parents of the Sandy Hook school massacre in the United States ten years ago.
And there are fears the same thing could happen again in the wake of the Texas school shooting this week. Already social media trolls and conspiracy theorists have jumped on the latest tragedy.
Guest:
Elizabeth Williamson, journalist for the New York Times and wrote the book, Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth.
Producer:
Eleni Psaltis
China has taken another step in its quest for greater presence in the Pacific, pressing 10 countries to sign two regional agreements designed to expand police cooperation and trade ties.
The draft communiqué follows the signing of a controversial security pact between the Solomon Islands and China last month.
Guest:
Dame Meg Taylor, previous Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
Ferruccio Furlanetto is one of the world's greatest operatic basses.
Over five decades, Furlanetto has stamped his authority on the works of Verdi and Mozart with his powerful voice and impressive stage presence.
In the Drawing Room, he looks back over his career so far, and talks about taking on the role of Mefistofele.
There's a new world record for the tallest wave ever ridden by a human - now held by German Sebastian Steudtner after riding an 86-foot wave in Portugal in 2020.
Aussie Mick Corbett has taken to the waves at Nazare several times and reflects on what it's like to ride these monsters and why it takes so long to measure them.
Industry super giant HESTA has taken the bold step of announcing it will reject AGL's controversial demerger when it comes up for a vote next month.
The $68 billion fund, which preserves the nest-eggs of thousands of workers in health and community service sectors, says it is 'unconvinced' that AGL's proposal to spin off its coal fired power stations into a separate business is compatible with Australia's commitment to the Paris climate goals.
Today in a small town in Texas an 18 year old man wearing body armour entered a primary school and shot dead at least 19 children and two of their teachers.
Time and time again, we see these tragic school shootings in the United States and once again it's confounding the nation's leader.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong will set off to Fiji tomorrow, just hours after returning from the Quad security dialogue in Japan.
The visit coincides with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's Pacific tour where he will meet with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare tomorrow to discuss the controversial security pact.
The Government says the trip signals the importance of the region to Australia.
Guest:
Robert Nair, former Fiji diplomat and Politician
As a worker, a theatre producer, an activist, and a businessman, William Onus was a tireless campaigner for the rights of his people in Australia, and a leader for the referendum that saw Australia's Indigenous peoples finally counted as people in their own country.
He was also, perhaps, the first Aboriginal filmmaker.
A new documentary, Ablaze, begins with the discovery of Bill's film in the National Film and Sound Archive and goes on to tell his story, and the story of his fight for equal rights.
Co-director Alec Morgan shares Bill's story and the story of the film.
It was a meeting that was put on the backburner for years until Donald Trump came along. Now under Joe Biden's leadership, the Quad partnership between the US, India, Japan and Australia is back with gusto.
But how does Japan hope to use these talks?
The workforce of the federal public service will look quite different under a new Labor government.
With some department heads likely to lose their jobs, the new government has committed to raising the numbers of public sector jobs and cutting back on the use of consulting and labour-hire firms.
For all of the tens of millions of dollars that the United Australia Party spent on advertising during the federal election, they're set to be outvoted in their home state by a party that barely spent tens of thousands of dollars.
Queensland voters have flirted with the idea of electing a Senator from the Legalise Cannabis party, which has received unprecedented support as more Australians utilise medicinal cannabis.
Federal Labor is within just two seats of forming a majority, allowing it to govern in its own right.
The party secured five new members in Western Australia, an outcome credited with putting the party on the path to majority.
Guest:
Wayne Swan, Federal Labor Party President
Australia's newly-sworn in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spent his second day in the job attending the QUAD security dialogue in Tokyo - meeting with the leaders of the United States, Japan and India.
Beijing's swift move to send a letter of congratulations to the new government, parting with close to two-and-a-half years of giving the cold shoulder, suggests an openness to improving relations.
Guest:
John McCarthy, former Australian Diplomat
A good photo can capture the mood of a moment, but a great photograph tells us something deeper: it layers history and emotion and can change our understanding of the world.
When Covid broke out in New York, Philip Montgomery was in the public hospitals and the funeral homes, capturing the moment.
When protests broke out over the death of black men and women by police violence, Philip was there to cover it and was shot with rubber bullets for his troubles.
In the Drawing Room, he talks about his new monograph and exhibition, American Mirror.
New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to use the Quad meeting to send a message to the world.
But how will Australia's new approach to climate change, while also maintaining its regional friendships and alliances, be received throughout the region?
The rise of the Greens and the teal independents, who stood on a platform of demanding more action on climate change, is consistent with voters putting climate change at the top of their election priorities.
What does that mean for coal and gas in Australia?
Global health authorities are starting to raise the monkeypox alarm, with cases springing up in non-endemic countries like the US, Spain and Australia. Earlier today, Belgium announced a 3-week mandatory quarantine, the first nation to do so.
ABC's Chief Election Analyst unpacks Saturday's 'seismic shift' in Australia's political landscape.
The election result delivered a clear mandate to the Government to establish a federal integrity commission.
Doing so was a dominate part of Labor's campaign, Anthony Albanese pledging to introduce legislation to establish one before the end of the year.
Guest:
Helen Haines, Independent Member for Indi
Australia's newly sworn in 31st Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will seek to outline the party's more ambitious climate policy at the Quad leaders meeting in Tokyo.
The electorate's desire for stronger action on climate change was highlighted by the increase in climate conscious independents and Greens MPs on the crossbench.
Guest:
Chris Bowen, Incoming Climate Change and Energy Minister
His beautiful voice and remarkable cover versions brought him a devoted following online, but it's his own songs that have turned Teddy Swims into a burgeoning superstar, with a sound that's a throwback to the classic moments of soul.
In the Drawing Room, Teddy Swims talks about his path to music and the promises he's made and kept, to himself and to his friends.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Election 2022 - from the policies, to the people and the unpredictable moments caught on camera.
Earlier this week, the US Congress held its first hearing in 50 years into unidentified flying objects, but authorities are still holding their cards close to its chest about what they might know.
Happy election eve! We've made it to the end of a gruelling six-week campaign, relatively unscathed...but maybe a little worse for wear!
To help unravel the week that was here's Associate Editor and columnist for the Australian Jenna Clarke and Political reporter at Guardian Australia and bulldozer junior, Paul Karp.
How much say should corporations have in our fundamental rights as a society?
And whether or not you agree with the stands they take, are there dangers in letting businesses be in a position to dictate our moral choices?
In the Drawing Room, Professor Carl Rhodes discusses his book, Woke Capitalism, and the problems that occur when governments cede the debate around issues like climate change and equal rights to businesses who might talk a good game, but have their own interests at heart.
We've seen very clearly in this election campaign how transgender rights has become a divisive issue for the Liberal party following the controversial comments by the Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves.
Now some young trans people are working to reclaim the narrative with a new 15-part documentary series, called TransAthletica, that's about to be released on the social media platform, TikTok.
Australia's unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level since then - since 1974.
Meanwhile abroad as stagflation makes investors feel jittery we've seen the shares on Wall Street record the biggest drop in almost two years. So what are the repercussions for here?
The National Party's Member for Gippsland has defended his decision to remain in the party, despite widely publicised friction with the federal party's leader.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is seen as an asset in parts of the country but has been notably absent from others as the party seeks to hold onto Nicholls, one of the safest seats in the country.
Guest:
Darren Chester, Nationals Member for Gippsland
The Opposition has released its election costings, a plan that would see budget deficits increase by $7.4bn over four years.
Labor's Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers argues that's a modest increase while the Prime Minister Scott Morrison says more restraint is needed.
Guest:
Katy Gallagher, Shadow Finance Minister
Every year there are a handful of books that cross from literary masterpiece into cultural touchstone.
Hanya Yanagihara's second novel, A Little Life, was one of those novels and catapulted her onto the world stage.
Her latest work, To Paradise, takes readers into relationships in the present, the future and an alternate imagined past of America and looks at how the country's image of itself stacks up to the reality.
The UK Government overnight announced plans to introduce laws which would override a key part of its Brexit deal with the European Union, The Northern Ireland Protocol.
UK foreign Secretary Liz Truss has labelled aspects of the Protocol recklessly destabilising and irresponsible.
The EU has responded to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's threats of unilateral changes by warning Brussels would respond with all measures at its disposal - potentially meaning trade measures and tariffs could be applied.
Guest:
Duncan Morrow, Professor of politics at Ulster University
The wild west of crypto trading is now becoming more accessible for traditional investors, after the first home-grown electronic transfer funds launched last week.
While the market debut was heralded as a watershed moment, it couldn't have come at a worse time, with bitcoin trading at a six-month low, and high-profile stocks losing more than half their value.
There's been a mixed reception from young people to the Coalition's scheme to allow them to tap their super to help buy their first home. A lot of young voters have cited concerns about the funds they'll have left in retirement.
But what about those people who can't even afford to retire? Valerie Foley is one of them and she would like to use her superannuation to buy a home.
In a recent ABC survey only 13 per cent of young voters aged between 18 and 29 thought politicians were working in the best interests of Australia. So how do young voters feel about this election?
Base wages rose by an average of 0.7 per cent over the March quarter or just short of 2.5 per cent over the past year but you'd be forgiven if you missed it.
Why? Wages still trail the more than 5 per cent jump in the cost of living over the same period, cementing the place of wages and cost of living in debate over the final days of the campaign.
Guest:
Simon Birmingham, Finance Minister
Jennifer Egan's latest work, The Candy House, is a book that looks at the power of technology, but is, at its heart, about the power of stories: the stories we tell ourselves, the stories that are told about us, and the stories that Egan shares.
If you want a lesson in the volatility of cryptocurrency look no further than El Salvador.
The UN's children's fund has warned of "catastrophic" child malnutrition due to price hikes resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the COVID pandemic and climate change.
UNICEF says without urgent funding 600,000 children could miss out on live-saving treatment in the coming months and two million more at risk of starvation.
Big tech companies are warning employees - who plan to work remotely and move away from expensive cities like New York and San Francisco - that their pay will be slashed, and it's only a matter of time before Australia follows suit.
What do the major parties' housing policies really mean for affordable housing and those trying to own the roof over their head?
There are alternative ways to get into the housing market, which several not-for-profits are championing.
Abandoning decades of military non-alignment, the governments of Finland and Sweden will present their proposals to their respective parliaments on Monday and are expected to formally submit a joint membership application to the 30-member alliance as soon as the decisions are ratified.
It's the device which could see solar panels generate energy at night, and it's been made possible by UNSW researchers.
They've developed a thermoradiative diode to capture photons leaving Earth along the infrared spectrum and converted them into electricty.
In a bid to shore up Australia's seafood supply the federal government is bailing out fisheries along the south-east to the tune of $20 million.
The majority of the funding will go towards buying back trawling permits to ensure less fish are caught, while the remainder is being set aside to support management and compliance.
New South Wales' Parliament will hold a final vote on the legislation this week, with supporters receiving unexpected support over the weekend from the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord George Carey.
He's implored MPs to support the legislation and avoid the need for 'hostile amendments' which currently don't feature in other Australian jurisdictions.
The Australian Electoral Commission has found advertising depicting Independent ACT senate candidate David Pocock and Independent Member for Warringah Zali Steggall as 'closet Greens' breached the Electoral Act and would likely mislead or deceive voters.
The advertising campaign had been funded by the right-wing Advance Australia group which has now agreed to stop showing the ads in order to avoid legal action.
Guest:
David Shoebridge, New South Wales Greens lead Senate candidate
The Prime Minister has spent the day defending his government's Super Home Buyer scheme with economists, Industry Super and the Opposition warning it would push up housing prices.
His Superannuation Minister Jane Hume today conceded the policy would temporarily inflate the market.
The policy, announced at the Coalition's campaign launch in Brisbane, would allow first-home buyers to access up to 40 per cent of their super, capped at $50,000.
Guest:
Michael Sukkar, Housing Minister
The Archibald is perhaps the most significant art prize in this country, capturing the public's attention each year with a collection of brilliant paintings that showcase the diverse potential of the portrait.
The 2022 winner is Blak Douglas, for his painting of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens.
In the Drawing Room, Blak shares his path to portraits and the role of politics in his art.
From the start, Camp Cope have won over fans with their open-hearted songs about love, loss, sex, and sexism.
Their latest release, Running With The Hurricane, is a gentler record, released at a time when we could all use a little gentleness, but of course, it's no less honest.
In the Drawing Room, Georgia McDonald and Kelly Hellmrich discuss origin stories and vocal tips.
Shireen Abu Akleh was a household name in the middle east and her death is being mourned around the world.
What does the death of the 51 year old Palestinian-American journalist, killed while reporting in the West Bank, near Jerusalem, mean for press freedom in the region and globally.
Are we facing a global deluge of "carbon bombs" and how many are in Australia's backyard?
The Guardian has completed an investigation into future fossil fuel projects which fit this category and what they could do to the climate.
Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard for defammation after she implied in an opinion piece that he had physically, mentally and verbally abused her. But while the real-life jury is still out on this court case, millions of Tik Tok users appear to have reached their own. And it seems that Johnny Depp has won. Dr Johnathon Hutchinson, senior lecturer in online communications and media at the University of Sydney
With the election just nine days away dirty tactics and scare campaigns will inevitably grow ever louder.
Today the Australian Christian Lobby has distributed a second round of thousands of flyers painting South Australian Independent M-P Rebekha Sharkie in a crane swinging a wrecking ball into a church.
It's a repeat of an attack on moderate Liberal MPs and several independents - including Sharkie - who voted against the Religious Discrimination Bill earlier this year, arguing for better protections for trans students at religious schools.
Guest:
Rebekha Sharkie, Independent Member for Mayo
Australia's former High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands says the Morrison Government has "totally mishandled" Australia's strategic interests in region.
The Coalition, has faced criticism over its handling of national security after Honiara signed a security pact with China which could see a military base in the Pacific.
Guest:
Trevor Sofield, Former Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands
History is a complicated thing: a single moment can be told in many different ways, and the stories that build from those moments can shape our place in the world.
Danie Mellor has been working with those diverging narratives of history over his last several collections, and his latest, redux, part of the Photo 2022 exhibition, places the audience within the story.
Sri Lankan security forces have been ordered to shoot violent protesters as the country's crisis escalates.
Mass protests are continuing despite a country-wide curfew, which has even seen the outgoing Prime Minister's house set alight.
It might not be something you've given much thought to but more than 20,000 Australians are sex workers and depending on where they live many are working illegally.
Yesterday, Victoria became the third jurisdiction to decriminalise sex work, joining New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
Apart from Antarctica, Australia is the driest continent on earth, but the purification of wastewater for drinking hasn't really caught on just yet.
Toowoomba famously flushed the idea in 2006, even as it stared down the worst drought on record.
But according to a case study by engineering group Aurecon, a proposed facility in Greater Melbourne could produce water that's cheaper and purer, than the desalinated version you've been paying for.
It's the one electorate that is leaving pundits and academics baffled as to who is in the lead ahead of this month's federal poll.
Nicholls in central Victoria has been held by popular Nationals MP Damian Drum on a margin of 20 per cent, but his retirement is paving the way for a three-cornered contest between the Liberals, Nationals and Independent.
Guest:
Rob Priestly, Independent candidate for Nicholls
The prime minister has today accused the Labor leader of being a "loose unit" on the economy after Anthony Albanese yesterday said he would "absolutely" support a 5.1 per cent increase to the minimum wage, to keep pace with inflation.
Business groups have supported a wage increase, but say an increase over 3 per cent would be reckless.
Guest:
Innes Willox, AIG chief executive
Wagner's Lohengrin is a fantastical romance of epic proportions: a story of love, deception, and faith.
Elsa is accused of fratricide and prays for a knight to save her. That prayer is answered when Lohengrin appears, but his help is far from unconditional.
Emily Magee is an acclaimed soprano, who has played the role around the world. In the Drawing Room, she talks about the essence of the character, her path to the stage, and finding a family through opera.
After successfully driving Russian forces from the capital Kyiv, a fierce struggle is underway to force them out of Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv.
Whilst Kharkiv has burned and crumbled under Russian bombardment for the past two months, life has continued underground, with people unable or unwilling to flee finding an existence in the city's underground rail network.
Dr Lisa Searle, from Médecins Sans Frontières, shares her experiences caring for the people living in the metro stations.
The Philippines will see the son of a former dictator - Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Junior - become President, some 36 years since his parents were forced to leave the country in disgrace.
The result leaves many questions - including how large a part did misinformation campaigns play in this result? Will the Philippines move closer to China and away from the US?
As the cooler weather bites in southern Australia and some homes have fires crackling to bring warmth, some health advocates argue they should be replaced.
Hundreds of people die of asthma each year in Australia, and there are fears winter woodfires do little to reduce hazards for sufferers and people with other respiratory conditions.
The Greens are hoping the absence of the so-called 'teal' independents in Queensland will drive an increase in their vote on May 21.
It's set its sights on the south-east electorates of Brisbane, Ryan and Griffith but also has a central Queensland based candidate vying for a Senate spot.
Guest:
Penny Allman-Payne, Qld Greens lead Senate candidate
The Queensland Government will move to criminalise coercive control by the end of next year as part of a $363m reform package to address domestic and family violence.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also announced a four-month Commission of Inquiry into the police handling of domestic violence incidents.
Guest:
Shannon Fentiman, Qld Attorney-General
The Venice Biennale is perhaps the biggest name in contemporary art: a chance for nations to showcase their best and brightest artist and for artists to represent their country on the world stage.
This year, Marco Fusinato joins the list of Australian alumni with a very unusual display: a six-month long performance of guitar-based noise music and visuals called Desastres.
In the Drawing Room, Alexie Glass-Kantor and Mikala Tai discuss the work, the excitement of curating a major showcase, and the experience on the ground in Venice.
After banning women from many jobs and closing high schools to girls, the Taliban have now decreed that Afghan women will have to wear a burka and cover their faces.
Afghan actor and refugee Hasiba Ebrahimi discusses the fallout for women as their rights continue to be eroded.
A Federal Labor Government would spend $146 million to double the number of high achieving school leavers choosing to study teaching.
5,000 students who get an ATAR above 80 would receive $10,000 for each year of their degree, with an extra $2,000 a year if they commit to teaching in the regions.
Libraries have been doing it for decades, and in recent years its started to infiltrate airports, public transport and even the Ubers you're booking.
Often considered the holy grail of gossip, hairdressing salons are now joining the muted movement, with more and more businesses offering quiet time with their keratin treatments. And if you take 4 hours to get your roots done, that's a lot of getting to know you.
Thousands of Aged Care workers are set to strike in several states over understaffing and underpayment, despite the Fair Work Commission suspending strike action for some workers in South Australia.
While the Commission says work stoppages would threaten the health and welfare of residents, the major union behind the industrial action says strike action is inevitable.
President Vladimir Putin lead May 9 celebrations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.
In a speech in which he was expected to make a major announcement, the President instead made accusations and justifications for the war in the Ukraine.
Mark Vincent came to Australia's attention as a fifteen year old boy on Australia's Got Talent with his version of Puccini's Nessun Dorma.
Nine hit albums later, Mark's work is now inspired by his own young son.
In the Drawing Room, Mark talks about his changing perspective on music and gives a peek into the process behind his cover of Dance Monkey.
For five long days in February last year, Facebook enforced a nationwide blackout on Australia's news pages, in protest over proposed legislation forcing the tech giant to pay for content.
But in addition to blocking news pages, it also managed to remove critical public-service information about bushfires, COVID-19, and even support pages for victims of sexual violence.
At the time, the company claimed it was an accident, a quirk of their algorithm. But newly leaked documents suggest otherwise, confirming what many suspected - that the error was a deliberate bargaining tactic - aimed squarely at Australia's lawmakers.
This week we're asking the tough questions on political messaging, wicked bibles and what's happening to Bluey?
Comedians and satirists Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen face-off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Regional voters are re-assessing their options even in safe LNP seats. Voters say that politics are transcending the policies made for the 'FBI's (Forgotten Bastards of the Inland) Fiona Simson, President of the National Farmers Federation and Peter Van Onselen, political commentator and contributing editor at The Australian
Supporters hope building calls will see the Nadesalingham family of four returned to the Central Queensland town of Biloela four years after being removed when their visas expired.
The future of the Tamil asylum-seeker family has seen life-long Liberal and National voters in the conservative heartland switch their vote to Labor after the party promised to allow the family to resettle in the community if elected.
Reporter:
Nicole Hegarty, RN Drive Political Producer
Sixteen MPs contesting the federal election live in a different electorate to the one in which they're running. Does this matter?
Dai Le says it does. The daughter of Vietnamese asylum seekers is running against Labor's Kristina Keneally in the western Sydney seat of Fowler. Senator Keneally only moved there from the city's northern beaches last year.
Once, not as long ago as many would like to imagine, the remains of Australia's Indigenous people were pillaged and sent around the world.
Viewed as trophies, or scientific curiosities, they found their way to museums and private collections, far from Country and the families who loved them.
Efforts to bring those ancestors home have become more prominent, but many institutions still resist attempts at repatriation.
In the Drawing Room, Jason Tamiru and Jimi Bani discuss The Return, a new theatre show that takes audiences into that story, and looks to create a place for learning and for healing.
It's become a silver lining of the pandemic for some, and a double edged sword for others - the rise of the 'hybrid worker'.
For many it's allowed them to better manage their home lives, parenting children or caring for elders; for others it's left them feeling lonely and uninspired, feelings which are backed up by new Australian research.
The Carbon Canary is your daily news in a decarbonizing economy and climate change which includes the state of play between AGL and Mike Cannon-Brookes, Shell's disappearing renewable energy goal and the quality of the climate change debate in the election.
In a bid to find answers into the untimely deaths of their fathers, veteran journalists Liz Hayes and Jamelle Wells brought about a reckoning to the New South Wales health system.
After more than 15 public hearings across the state and over 700 submissions of evidence, the inquiry in the state's regional hospitals has handed down its findings.
The Prime Minister Scott Morrison is defending his relationship with his Solomon Island's counterpart, dismissing allegations from Manasseh Sogavare that Australia is threatening to invade his country.
Labor is backing in the strength of its pacific policy to correct the course of the relationship if elected on May 21.
Guest:
Richard Marles, Deputy Opposition Leader.
When MI6 agent Sylvia Fox grows disillusioned with the politics of her job, she heads for Italy - but trouble is not far behind.
This is the premise for a new TV show Signora Volpe starring British actress Emilia Fox.
In the Drawing Room, Emilia talks about preparing for the role and how the character compares to Dr. Nikki Alexander who she played for 17 years in Silent Witness.
Scott Johnson was murdered in New South Wales 34 years ago. But it wasn't until this week that his murder was labelled as a hate crime and a gaol sentence was finally handed down to the man who murdered him.
Professor Nicole Asquith, Convenor of the Australian Hate Crime Network
Oil prices are hitting all-time highs across the world, creating long lines and triggering panic buying. While that might sound like old news, we're not talking about fuel.
Australia produces more than 100-million oysters a year, worth tens of millions of dollars, from hundreds of oyster farms across the country.
New research has found First Nations people were sustainably doing this for thousands of years before colonisation, on a similar scale across Australia and North America.
Teachers across New South Wales have walked off the job over pay and conditions, for the second time in six months.
The federal Labor Party says its energy plan will boost economic growth, which is predicted to slow next year.
Millions of Australian households will start paying more for their mortgages in coming days, as a result of the RBA lifting rates to .35 per cent and inflation is on the rise, expected to reach six per cent this year.
A week after the LNP's candidate for the Queensland electorate of Flynn reignited debate about climate targets, suggesting net-zero by 2050 was flexible ... the Labor Party has been forced to clarify its policy after comments from its candidate for Hunter.
Guest:
Chris Bowen, Labor's climate spokesman
1973's Roe versus Wade decision was the landmark court ruling that catapulted women's reproductive rights onto the international stage, after the united states supreme court ruled to protect a pregnant woman's liberty to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
And for the past 50 years that law has mostly been upheld, until today, after a leaked draft revealed the supreme court privately voted to overturn the decision, lighting a fuse for protests across the Washington capital.
It's the Cinderella story that Australian sport didn't see coming.
The JackJumpers have defied the odds to make it to the Grand Final series, having united Tasmania's sporting fans which often find themselves divided along geographical lines.
There's something dystopian about this next Australian town. Imagine the year is 2050 and the house you've spent your life buying back off the bank is completely uninsured against the dark, muddy floodwaters rising slowly up your living room wall, swallowing your couch and TV and book and family photos.
But this isn't 2050, it's right now and while thankfully disaster is not yet at the door in the Strathbogie Shire of Victoria, which is home to Violet town, Euroa and Nagambie... it is in the most uninsurable electorate in Australia and a sign of what you could be in for next as climate change worsens.
A group called Thrive by Five were campaigning at a childcare centre in Melbourne today, in a show of support for lowering the costs of daycare and early education. Jay Weatherill, former South Australian Premier and Nicola Forrest, philanthropist
Reserve bank Governor Philip Lowe trying to soften the blow this afternoon after announcing the first official rate rise in eleven years.
So what does this mean for you, your children, or your business and your vote? After all 60 per cent of people with a mortgage are on variable rates.
Technology has given us access to the world - but in exchange, has it robbed us of our ability to focus?
Covid-related deaths in Australia remain consistently high. Only yesterday, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria reported more than 40 deaths between them.
During this election there are debates between Ministers from both sides of politics on key issues: agriculture, defence, the economy and regional Australia - but one key issue to voters is missing - climate change.
The Australia Institute is lobbying for the Federal Government's Minister for Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor to meet Labor's Shadow Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen in a debate on climate policies.
Restrictions on pets travelling in aircraft cabins have been lifted by The Civil Aviation Safety Authority. (CASA) Now the airline carriers need to decide if they will act on them, saying their surveyed passengers are undecided. Dr Katrina Warren, Behaviour Veterinarian
Amidst all the talk of the Teal Independents is it possible we've missed the rise of the original shade of Green?
New polling shows the Greens primary vote is rising and could be on track for 15 per cent.
The Coalition has taken a swipe at Labor's new housing policy, which could see the government take a 40% stake in homes.
It follows a grim Newspoll for the Coalition, placing Labor ahead 53 to 47, two party preferred.
Led by the charismatic, intense frontman David McComb, The Triffids were part of a generation of Australian bands that went to England and took on the world.
Along the way they created a body of music that's stood the test of times and inspired more than a few new bands in their wake.
In the Drawing Room, Rob McComb and Graham Lee look back on their days with the band, the new documentary, Love in Bright Landscapes, and paying tribute to the memory of their friend and brother.
As our Prime Minister and treasurer have repeatedly reminded us this week, it's not just Australia that's grappling with high inflation.
Whilst you may have spat your sandwich out at the 5.1 percent inflation rate reported on Wednesday in America it's tracking at more than 8 percent the highest in forty years.
And, like here, it's the people with the least in their pockets that are suffering.
Guest
Becky Silva, from California Association of Foodbanks
This week we're asking the tough questions on political advertising, missing cats and heat waves.
Actor, writer and presenter Alex Lee faces off against fellow writer, presenter and producer Scott Abbot in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
After weeks of relative peace, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been struck by two cruise missiles overnight.
The attacks by Russia coincided with a visit to the capital by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
We are half way through the election campaign. Which leader is doing a good job of getting their message across? Peter Hartcher, political editor and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Kerry Chikarovski, former leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales and Leader of the Opposition between 1999 and 2002
One evening in 1930, a revolutionary piece of political satire premiered in Leipzig, Germany. Some took it as a shot at the troubles of Weimar Republic, other thought it was aimed at the excesses of early 20th century American society. Either way it's themes of political corruption, sin and economic crisis saw it banned by the Nazis and it disappeared until the 1960s.
Now, in our globalised world, with the rise of autocrats and the subjugation of migrant workers' rights, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, by Berholt Brecht, Elizabeth Hauptmann, and Kurt Weill, still feels contemporary.
In the Drawing Room, director Suzanne Chaundy talks about her take on the work.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has warned his country the heatwave season is arriving earlier with more fierce temperatures.
A month after India recorded its hottest set of temperatures for March in 122 years, the capital Delhi is regularly seeing the mercury hit 44C and its thrust heat adaption and climate change plans into the spotlight.
Hepatitis in children is becoming more common and nobody knows why. If it is a virus-based onset, concerns about this winter flu season are mounting. Dr Norman Swan, physician, host of ABC Health Report and Coronacast
Residents in Auckland will soon be cruising their harbour in an all-electric ferry. The New Zealand government has just signed a deal for the delivery of the 200-seater vessels, expected to be operational by 2024.
The company behind this technology EV Maritime have made a pitch to the New South Wales government.
If you're embarking on the pursuit of health and happiness there's a therapy out there with your name on it, just ask Gwyneth Paltrow...or your local guru.
In just a few years the global wellness industry has exploded to more than $6 trillion dollars, with Australia bringing in around $600 billion dollars a year.
So besides making a lot of us feel insecure, its also sending us broke.
Guest
Dr Nadia Zainuddin, Senior Lecturer at the University of Wollongong
Producer
Ali Cheevers
Both major parties say they're committed to fully-funding the NDIS but that's an increasingly expensive proposition, according to independent actuarial modelling commissioned by disability ministers
Emma Dawson is the executive director of the research think tank Per Capita, which has been examining the costs projections for the scheme.
Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's old seat of Curtin is the Liberal's safest seat in WA but recent polling suggests first term MP Celia Hammond is in for a challenge from pro-integrity and climate action independent Kate Chaney.
The seat has been held by the Liberal Party at all but one election where the incumbent Liberal ran as an independent.
Guest:
Kate Chaney, Independent Climate 200-backed candidate for Curtin
"Be joyful - a caressing voice invites us warmly to joy."
So says Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata, a favourite role of Melbourne soprano Stacey Alleaume.
Alleaume has become something of a specialist at not only singing challenging roles, but in challenging situations: at the top of hot air balloons, shipping containers, and even quite literally swinging from chandeliers.
In the Drawing Room, she talks about her path to opera, the real woman behind the character of Violetta, and the importance of a good plate of pasta.
Germany's chancellor Olaf Scholz said the delay in sending weaponry to Ukraine was because he was wary of sparking world war three,
Sergej Sulmenny, Berlin-based political scientist and former Russian journalist
A Myanmar court has sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in jail - after finding her guilty of corruption.
It's not the only jail sentence that the Nobel laureate could be facing as it's the first of 11 corruption cases against the 76 year old.
The Liberal Party has been accused of attempting to wage a new scare campaign on Labor, accusing it of creating a carbon tax by stealth,.a view supported by Whitehaven Coal chief executive Paul Flynn.
The Liberal Party is facing problems closer to home with division and mixed messaging within its own ranks on its commitment to net-zero by 2050 so what does all this mean for voters in the coal city of Gladstone?
The latest data from the Bureau of Statistics shows consumer prices for goods and services are up 5.1%, the sharpest rise in two decades. The Prime Minister says only the coalition can be trusted to steer Australia's economy in times of turbulence.
Judith Sloan, contributing economics editor of The Australian and Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute
"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action." So says Hamlet, to the troupe of players he has brought together for a show.
For more than three decades, Bell Shakespeare have suited the bard's words to the action on stages across Australia.
In the Drawing Room, the company's artistic director, Peter Evans, talks about his path to theatre, the company's new home and the nostalgia at the heart of Hamlet.
Online sexual abuse is not new, but the age of the children being groomed and abused is getting younger, some between the ages of three and six. Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety Commissioner
Carbon neutral flights, carbon neutral beer, and now carbon neutral beef.
More and more businesses are jumping onto the environmental bandwagon to meet the demand from consumers for sustainable products.
But how legitimate are they? And are you just being greenwashed at the checkout?
How much is your education worth? If you tallied up all the resources and equipment you've used, together with the time and knowledge spent, can you come up with a price?
One person who has already done the maths is PhD candidate in biophysics Miro Astore, who estimates $1 million has been invested in his training in Australia so far.
But due to chronic budget cuts and policy backflips he's packing up his master-mind and leaving the country, but not before taking a parting swipe on the "truly broken system researchers are expected to work in."
Some have described it as "dangerous for democracy", while others are celebrating it as freedom for free speech.
An updated $61 billion bid from Elon Musk has been agreed to by Twitter's board - and now the billionaire says he wants to make the platform 'better'.
Pacific foreign aid would receive a half-a-billion dollar boost over four years if Labor wins the May election.
The federal opposition announced its election package to bolster Australia's diplomatic and strategic links in the Pacific to the backdrop of the security pack struck between China and the Solomon Islands.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne has criticised the announcement saying it lacks substance.
Guest:
Senator Kristina Keneally, Shadow Home Affairs Minister
Some 16,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries, from more than 50 countries, have travelled across the world to fight alongside Ukraine's military.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Hunter 'Rip' Rawlings is a former US Marine turned author and war reporter who's been documenting who's taken up the cause from retired military personnel, to young men without any fighting experience.
In a top secret visit, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin travelled to Ukraine to meet with the country's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The trip follows closely on the heels of the re-election of Emmanuel Macron in France, which likely signals a continuing commitment from that country to International institutions like NATO.
Imagine being on the trip of a lifetime in outback South Australia - only to find yourself bogged, trapped and waiting for rescue from a muddy ditch.
This has happened to tourists multiple times in 2022 after tropical rains has nestled themselves in the outback and wiped out the famous dirt highway.
After nearly three years of subdued Anzac Day commemorations and driveway dawn services crowds have returned in their droves to public marches and ceremonies across the country.
Many feared that together with the sands of time, and the dwindling number of world war two veterans there would be an inevitable decline in reverence shown by younger generations, but from today's outpouring of respect that doesn't seem to be the case.
For the past three years Julie-Ann Finney has tirelessly fought to put the the mental health of Australia's ex-service men and women on the national agenda, after the tragic death of her son David in 2019.
After successfully leading the push for a Royal Commission into Veteran Suicides, Julie-Ann has taken on a new battle, setting her sights on the election and a seat in the South Australian senate.
On a day usually reserved for solemn remembrance Defence Minister Peter Dutton has declared the country needs to prepare for war.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles spent the start of week-three of the campaign in Darwin, pausing to reflect on the service of members of the Australian Defence Force. The Defence Minister took a different approach.
Guest:
Retired Army Major General Mick Ryan AM
It can help to stand out when you're a young band looking to make an impression. But it's not always easy creating your own place in the world.
Slave to Sirens is Lebanon's first all-female metal band and the subjects of a new documentary, Sirens, which follows the women as they write, rehearse, and fight to chart their own path.
Documentary maker Rita Baghdadi spent three years with the women, and she's created a very intimate portrait of creativity and coming-of-age.
It can help to stand out when you're a young band looking to make an impression. But it's not always easy creating your own place in the world.
Slave to Sirens is Lebanon's first all-female metal band and the subjects of a new documentary, Sirens, which follows the women as they write, rehearse, and fight to chart their own path.
Documentary maker Rita Baghdadi spent three years with the women, and she's created a very intimate portrait of creativity and coming-of-age.
The image of a smiling Madeleine McCann is seared into the collective memory of people across the globe..
The case of the British toddler who seemingly vanished into thin air at a hotel resort in Portugal has both fascinated and horrified us, with documentaries, podcasts and a Netflix series leaving no stone unturned.
Now after nearly 15 years, a formal suspect has finally been identified.
The image of a smiling Madeleine McCann is seared into the collective memory of people across the globe..
The case of the British toddler who seemingly vanished into thin air at a hotel resort in Portugal has both fascinated and horrified us, with documentaries, podcasts and a Netflix series leaving no stone unturned.
Now after nearly 15 years, a formal suspect has finally been identified.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Prime Ministerial debates, age calculations in South Korea and a Royal birthday.
Comedians Tom Cashman and Guy Montgomery face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on Prime Ministerial debates, age calculations in South Korea and a Royal birthday.
Comedians Tom Cashman and Guy Montgomery face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Where has big policy gone in national debate? Our guests discuss the offerings of the election campaign and why both parties are falling short. Jennifer Hewitt, national affairs columnist of the Australian Financial Review, Hugh Riminton, national affairs editor for 10 News and host of 'The Professor and the Hack' podcast
Where has big policy gone in national debate? Our guests discuss the offerings of the election campaign and why both parties are falling short. Jennifer Hewitt, national affairs columnist of the Australian Financial Review, Hugh Riminton, national affairs editor for 10 News and host of 'The Professor and the Hack' podcast
The coalition continues to be dogged by questions about the Prime Minister's pick for the Sydney seat of Warringah, Katherine Deves.
Seemingly, every day another of her offensive social media posts surface. Yesterday it was a deleted comment about surrogacy, which she described as a violation of human rights and 'reproductive prostitution'.
Dave Sharma, the Federal member for the blue ribbon seat of Wentworth in Sydney's east is the latest to refuse to comment on her endorsement.
The coalition continues to be dogged by questions about the Prime Minister's pick for the Sydney seat of Warringah, Katherine Deves.
Seemingly, every day another of her offensive social media posts surface. Yesterday it was a deleted comment about surrogacy, which she described as a violation of human rights and 'reproductive prostitution'.
Dave Sharma, the Federal member for the blue ribbon seat of Wentworth in Sydney's east is the latest to refuse to comment on her endorsement.
Julian Assange has become a symbol over the years. Just mentioning his name conjures up ideas of press freedoms and government tyranny, or of threats to national security, depending on where your own ideals lie.
But behind the symbol is a person, dealing with an extended period of detention, and surrounded by family members that are also impacted by the realities of his imprisonment.
A new documentary, Ithaka, follows Assange's partner, Stella, and his father, John, in the months leading up to the first extradition hearing in 2020.
In the Drawing Room, director Ben Lawrence and producer Gabriel Shipton, look back on the story they hoped to tell and the reality of living through those times.
Julian Assange has become a symbol over the years. Just mentioning his name conjures up ideas of press freedoms and government tyranny, or of threats to national security, depending on where your own ideals lie.
But behind the symbol is a person, dealing with an extended period of detention, and surrounded by family members that are also impacted by the realities of his imprisonment.
A new documentary, Ithaka, follows Assange's partner, Stella, and his father, John, in the months leading up to the first extradition hearing in 2020.
In the Drawing Room, director Ben Lawrence and producer Gabriel Shipton, look back on the story they hoped to tell and the reality of living through those times.
Queen Elizabeth II, who was only 25 when she ascended to the throne, turns 96 today.
The monarch is marking the occasion in low-key fashion at her Norfolk farmhouse where the late Duke of Edinburgh spent much of his retirement.
But after a year of health scares, in which she acknowledged that "none of us will live forever", 96 seems to be a moment worth acknowledging.
Queen Elizabeth II, who was only 25 when she ascended to the throne, turns 96 today.
The monarch is marking the occasion in low-key fashion at her Norfolk farmhouse where the late Duke of Edinburgh spent much of his retirement.
But after a year of health scares, in which she acknowledged that "none of us will live forever", 96 seems to be a moment worth acknowledging.
France will elect a new President this weekend, and the only televised Presidential debate shows what's at stake.
Whoever wins has highlighted issues which could come to redefine France and leave a large impact across Europe.
France will elect a new President this weekend, and the only televised Presidential debate shows what's at stake.
Whoever wins has highlighted issues which could come to redefine France and leave a large impact across Europe.
A turbulent tennis year continues as Wimbledon officials formally announce Russian and Belarusian players are banned from competing at this year's tournament, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The decision has divided the tennis world not least of all because it means that world number 2, Russian Daniil Medvedev and Belarusian female world No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka won't be competing.
A turbulent tennis year continues as Wimbledon officials formally announce Russian and Belarusian players are banned from competing at this year's tournament, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The decision has divided the tennis world not least of all because it means that world number 2, Russian Daniil Medvedev and Belarusian female world No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka won't be competing.
The Prime Minister has been forced to apologise after saying he was 'blessed' not to have a child with a disability.
Advocates say it shows a lack of empathy and that it's time a member of parliament with a disability was given the ministry.
Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John - the only serving member of parliament with a physical disability - is putting his hand up.
The Prime Minister has been forced to apologise after saying he was 'blessed' not to have a child with a disability.
Advocates say it shows a lack of empathy and that it's time a member of parliament with a disability was given the ministry.
Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John - the only serving member of parliament with a physical disability - is putting his hand up.
"It's all well and good to sound the fire alarm, but you've also got to show people where the exits are."
That's the philosophy behind Damon Gameau's latest film, Regenerating Australia.
It's the result of months of in-depth conversations with people across Australia, and imagines what the country could look like by the end of this decade, if a few key decisions were made.
As he tours the film, Gameau's hoping to provide communities with the tools that they need to get involved in creating that future.
"It's all well and good to sound the fire alarm, but you've also got to show people where the exits are."
That's the philosophy behind Damon Gameau's latest film, Regenerating Australia.
It's the result of months of in-depth conversations with people across Australia, and imagines what the country could look like by the end of this decade, if a few key decisions were made.
As he tours the film, Gameau's hoping to provide communities with the tools that they need to get involved in creating that future.
Russia is continuing to bombard targets along a front extending nearly 500 kilometres as it embarks upon on an all-out assault to capture the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine.
Despite being urged to flee some civilians have remained, with the elderly and poorer residents unable or unwilling to make the journey west.
Russia is continuing to bombard targets along a front extending nearly 500 kilometres as it embarks upon on an all-out assault to capture the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine.
Despite being urged to flee some civilians have remained, with the elderly and poorer residents unable or unwilling to make the journey west.
Close contact rules in Australia's two most populous states are about to significantly change - they won't need to isolate at home, although some small restrictions will apply.
Business and hospitality groups have welcomed the decision - but comedians have found COVID running free across this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival has only led to chaos.
Close contact rules in Australia's two most populous states are about to significantly change - they won't need to isolate at home, although some small restrictions will apply.
Business and hospitality groups have welcomed the decision - but comedians have found COVID running free across this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival has only led to chaos.
With the cost of living soaring, it was only a matter of time before the cost of energy policies became a campaign wedge.
The Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the Opposition's policy could cost you up to 560-dollars a year more by 2032-33, a claim dismissed by Labor as a desperate attack - so where does the truth lie?
With the cost of living soaring, it was only a matter of time before the cost of energy policies became a campaign wedge.
The Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the Opposition's policy could cost you up to 560-dollars a year more by 2032-33, a claim dismissed by Labor as a desperate attack - so where does the truth lie?
Imagine not being able to bury a loved one because the funeral insurance company you've spent years paying thousands of dollars to has gone bust?
That's the grim reality facing 15,000 Indigenous policy holders and their families, whose grief is being compounded with financial ruin after the collapse of the Youpla Group last month.
Imagine not being able to bury a loved one because the funeral insurance company you've spent years paying thousands of dollars to has gone bust?
That's the grim reality facing 15,000 Indigenous policy holders and their families, whose grief is being compounded with financial ruin after the collapse of the Youpla Group last month.
From floods to fires to pandemics, Australia has seen its share of disaster over the last few years.
But when something goes wrong and the worst happens, how do we respond? How do we cope? And how do we plan to prevent it happening again?
Lucy Easthope has been an advisor in the U.K. on everything from September 11 to the Grenfell fires to Covid-19.
In the Drawing Room, she looks back on the lessons she's learnt along the way and shares stories from her new memoir, When The Dust Settles.
From floods to fires to pandemics, Australia has seen its share of disaster over the last few years.
But when something goes wrong and the worst happens, how do we respond? How do we cope? And how do we plan to prevent it happening again?
Lucy Easthope has been an advisor in the U.K. on everything from September 11 to the Grenfell fires to Covid-19.
In the Drawing Room, she looks back on the lessons she's learnt along the way and shares stories from her new memoir, When The Dust Settles.
It's the British asylum seeker relocation program that has all the markings of Australia's policy to stop the boats and send people to offshore processing centres.
For Noel Zihabamwe, who fled the genocide in Rwanda, the move is non-sensical.
It's the British asylum seeker relocation program that has all the markings of Australia's policy to stop the boats and send people to offshore processing centres.
For Noel Zihabamwe, who fled the genocide in Rwanda, the move is non-sensical.
As the May election draws closer, what protections are there around campaign advertising? Kate Griffiths, deputy program director of the Grattan Institute
As the May election draws closer, what protections are there around campaign advertising? Kate Griffiths, deputy program director of the Grattan Institute
It took decades for tobacco advertising to be banned in Australia after some countries moved in the 1960s.
Now one group wants to make Fossil Fuel advertising to go the same way, and is targeting local councils to get the ball rolling.
It took decades for tobacco advertising to be banned in Australia after some countries moved in the 1960s.
Now one group wants to make Fossil Fuel advertising to go the same way, and is targeting local councils to get the ball rolling.
A man in the United States has been awarded $450 million in damages after his former employer disregarded his wish not to be given a birthday party.
Now that more and more people are returning to the office, is it time to ditch the age-old tradition?
A man in the United States has been awarded $450 million in damages after his former employer disregarded his wish not to be given a birthday party.
Now that more and more people are returning to the office, is it time to ditch the age-old tradition?
Flood ravaged areas of the NSW Northern Rivers are slowly creeping back to life, but the question of whether and where to rebuild remains unanswered for many homeless residents.
With this in mind, the state's Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced the creation of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, to coordinate planning, rebuilding and construction work of essential services, infrastructure and housing.
Flood ravaged areas of the NSW Northern Rivers are slowly creeping back to life, but the question of whether and where to rebuild remains unanswered for many homeless residents.
With this in mind, the state's Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced the creation of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, to coordinate planning, rebuilding and construction work of essential services, infrastructure and housing.
The major parties have spent the day accusing each other of scare campaigns based on fictious claims and outdated policies.
Labor says the Coalition is using unreleased and inaccurate figures to suggest its 'Rewiring the Nation' policy, to upgrade the energy grid will push up electricity prices.
The Prime Minister says Labor is spreading a disgusting lie about plans to put age pensioners on an income management card.
Guest:
Rex Patrick, Independent Senator for South Australia
The major parties have spent the day accusing each other of scare campaigns based on fictious claims and outdated policies.
Labor says the Coalition is using unreleased and inaccurate figures to suggest its 'Rewiring the Nation' policy, to upgrade the energy grid will push up electricity prices.
The Prime Minister says Labor is spreading a disgusting lie about plans to put age pensioners on an income management card.
Guest:
Rex Patrick, Independent Senator for South Australia
When it's time to take down a major score, you need a plan, you need a team, and—whether it's The Italian Job, Heat or Ocean's Eleven—you need to have an impeccable sense of style.
The heist genre has produced some classic films, and in a new program, The Art of the Heist, the Cinémathèque at QAGOMA is inviting audiences along for the crime.
Curator Rosie Hays explores what makes the genre tick and how it's changed throughout the decades.
When it's time to take down a major score, you need a plan, you need a team, and—whether it's The Italian Job, Heat or Ocean's Eleven—you need to have an impeccable sense of style.
The heist genre has produced some classic films, and in a new program, The Art of the Heist, the Cinémathèque at QAGOMA is inviting audiences along for the crime.
Curator Rosie Hays explores what makes the genre tick and how it's changed throughout the decades.
Nicholas Stewart lived through the 90s in Sydney as a teenager, studying at high school and working at a chicken shop, which is where he learned of gangs who would stalk and bash gay men.
It was an experience which would come to shape him and his work in numerous ways, pushing for a parliamentary inquiry in to this decades-long dark period of Sydney's past.
Nicholas Stewart lived through the 90s in Sydney as a teenager, studying at high school and working at a chicken shop, which is where he learned of gangs who would stalk and bash gay men.
It was an experience which would come to shape him and his work in numerous ways, pushing for a parliamentary inquiry in to this decades-long dark period of Sydney's past.
Inside a property in the Blue Mountains in Sydney a 400 year old Dutch painting has been found and it is worth around five-million dollars. Rebecca Pinchin, Collections Manager, National Trust NSW
Inside a property in the Blue Mountains in Sydney a 400 year old Dutch painting has been found and it is worth around five-million dollars. Rebecca Pinchin, Collections Manager, National Trust NSW
You might be surprised to learn that more than half of Aussie kids will own a smartphone by the time they turn 11, and while it might be a sign of the times, parents are being warned it's leading to high rates of screen addiction and sleep issues in pre-pubescent children.
The alarming findings come from a survey of 250,000 school children from across the country, with nearly a third of under 12s admitting to sending messages and receiving calls between the hours of 10pm and 6am, at least once a week.
You might be surprised to learn that more than half of Aussie kids will own a smartphone by the time they turn 11, and while it might be a sign of the times, parents are being warned it's leading to high rates of screen addiction and sleep issues in pre-pubescent children.
The alarming findings come from a survey of 250,000 school children from across the country, with nearly a third of under 12s admitting to sending messages and receiving calls between the hours of 10pm and 6am, at least once a week.
Labor is being accused of starting an unfounded scare campaign, suggesting the coalition would cut Medicare funding.
The federal opposition referenced comments Senator Ruston - who was yesterday named as the next Health Minister should the coalition be returned at the election - made seven years ago, describing the level of Medicare support as unsustainable.
The coalition says there will be no cuts.
Guest:
Sarah Ison, Federal Political Reporter at The Australian
Labor is being accused of starting an unfounded scare campaign, suggesting the coalition would cut Medicare funding.
The federal opposition referenced comments Senator Ruston - who was yesterday named as the next Health Minister should the coalition be returned at the election - made seven years ago, describing the level of Medicare support as unsustainable.
The coalition says there will be no cuts.
Guest:
Sarah Ison, Federal Political Reporter at The Australian
The Prime Minister is continuing to stand by his hand-picked candidate for the Sydney seat of Warringah, Katherine Deves, as more of her anti-trans comments surface.
There are calls for her to be disendorsed over her views with reports of a grassroots campaign within the NSW Liberal Party to do so before nominations close on Thursday.
Guest:
Catherine Cusack, retiring Liberal NSW Legislative Council Member.
The Prime Minister is continuing to stand by his hand-picked candidate for the Sydney seat of Warringah, Katherine Deves, as more of her anti-trans comments surface.
There are calls for her to be disendorsed over her views with reports of a grassroots campaign within the NSW Liberal Party to do so before nominations close on Thursday.
Guest:
Catherine Cusack, retiring Liberal NSW Legislative Council Member.
Indigenous children are around six percent of the child population in Australia, but they are over-represented in a number of troubling areas, like out-of-home care, incarceration, and youth suicide.
The statistics point to a problem, but they don't get to the why.
What's gone wrong with the systems that were meant to help? And how can government departments begin to address the problems without introducing a new round of trauma?
Dr Tracy Westerman is the founder of Indigenous Psychological Services and The Jilya Institute. She's been named Western Australia's Australian of the Year and is celebrated for her pioneering work in developing mental health programs for First Nations peoples.
Indigenous children are around six percent of the child population in Australia, but they are over-represented in a number of troubling areas, like out-of-home care, incarceration, and youth suicide.
The statistics point to a problem, but they don't get to the why.
What's gone wrong with the systems that were meant to help? And how can government departments begin to address the problems without introducing a new round of trauma?
Dr Tracy Westerman is the founder of Indigenous Psychological Services and The Jilya Institute. She's been named Western Australia's Australian of the Year and is celebrated for her pioneering work in developing mental health programs for First Nations peoples.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine 7 weeks ago is undoubtedly a catastrophe for the 41 million or so Ukrainians who's lives have been changed forever, but it's also prompting a major rethink and realignment of European security.
Finland will decide whether it will apply to join the 30 member NATO alliance in the coming weeks. Fellow Nordic power Sweden is also said to be contemplating it's non-aligned status.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine 7 weeks ago is undoubtedly a catastrophe for the 41 million or so Ukrainians who's lives have been changed forever, but it's also prompting a major rethink and realignment of European security.
Finland will decide whether it will apply to join the 30 member NATO alliance in the coming weeks. Fellow Nordic power Sweden is also said to be contemplating it's non-aligned status.
More than 300 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced after heavy rain engulfed the city of Durban earlier this week, destroying homes, highways and critical infrastructure.
More than 300 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced after heavy rain engulfed the city of Durban earlier this week, destroying homes, highways and critical infrastructure.
Labor has walked away from a commitment to increasing Jobseeker, citing "fiscal responsibility" during a time of rising national debt as the reason but ACOSS chief says that if the right support isn't provided, austerity measures won't work.
Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service
Labor has walked away from a commitment to increasing Jobseeker, citing "fiscal responsibility" during a time of rising national debt as the reason but ACOSS chief says that if the right support isn't provided, austerity measures won't work.
Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is entering a new era after its iconic showgirl competition was renamed after 60 years.
The Sydney Royal Easter Show is entering a new era after its iconic showgirl competition was renamed after 60 years.
Minister for the Pacific Zed Seselja was hurriedly dispatched to the Solomon Islands earlier this week in an attempt to try and talk the nation's prime minister Manasseh Sogavare out of signing a security pact with China.
Curiously enough this is not getting a lot of attention in Honiara, according to veteran journalist Dorothy Wickham.
Minister for the Pacific Zed Seselja was hurriedly dispatched to the Solomon Islands earlier this week in an attempt to try and talk the nation's prime minister Manasseh Sogavare out of signing a security pact with China.
Curiously enough this is not getting a lot of attention in Honiara, according to veteran journalist Dorothy Wickham.
Week one of the federal election campaign has taken a unexpected turn, with four members the Prime Minister's security detail caught up in a serious crash in Tasmania.
The four officers from the AFP and Tasmanian police who were following Scott Morrison on his way to a campaign event have escaped serious injury.
Guest:
Stephanie Borys, ABC Political Reporter
Week one of the federal election campaign has taken a unexpected turn, with four members the Prime Minister's security detail caught up in a serious crash in Tasmania.
The four officers from the AFP and Tasmanian police who were following Scott Morrison on his way to a campaign event have escaped serious injury.
Guest:
Stephanie Borys, ABC Political Reporter
The Nobel Prize–winning writer Svetlana Alexievich wrote that when women speak of war, ‘they say nothing or almost nothing of what we are used to reading and hearing about’.
So what are those stories that have gone unread? What would we hear if we chose to listen?
Maria Tumarkin and Lior Albeck-Ripka are the curators of When Women Speak of War and in the Drawing Room they speak about how Alexievich has inspired their work and the current invasion of Ukraine.
The Nobel Prize–winning writer Svetlana Alexievich wrote that when women speak of war, ‘they say nothing or almost nothing of what we are used to reading and hearing about’.
So what are those stories that have gone unread? What would we hear if we chose to listen?
Maria Tumarkin and Lior Albeck-Ripka are the curators of When Women Speak of War and in the Drawing Room they speak about how Alexievich has inspired their work and the current invasion of Ukraine.
The parents of Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick who disappeared in 2020 could be left destitute if receivers succeed in selling a penthouse they've been living in for the past five years as part of their efforts to recoup funds lost to her multi-million dollar ponzi scheme.
The parents of Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick who disappeared in 2020 could be left destitute if receivers succeed in selling a penthouse they've been living in for the past five years as part of their efforts to recoup funds lost to her multi-million dollar ponzi scheme.
Leaders in Australia's emergency health system react to Labor's plan to ease the burden on our chronically understaffed and overcrowded hospital system.
Leaders in Australia's emergency health system react to Labor's plan to ease the burden on our chronically understaffed and overcrowded hospital system.
Right now across Australia families are living in their cars because they can't find a home.
Right now across Australia families are living in their cars because they can't find a home.
Labor has continued its focus on health on day three of the election campaign, pledging $135m over four years to create 50 urgent care clinics across the country.
The clinics would treat broken bones and minor burns.
The government has labelled the announcement a reheated Rudd-era policy, an assessment Labor rejects.
Guest:
Richard Marles, Deputy Labor Leader
Labor has continued its focus on health on day three of the election campaign, pledging $135m over four years to create 50 urgent care clinics across the country.
The clinics would treat broken bones and minor burns.
The government has labelled the announcement a reheated Rudd-era policy, an assessment Labor rejects.
Guest:
Richard Marles, Deputy Labor Leader
There aren't too many photographers who can say that Andy Warhol gave them a lift home from a party.
Or that Nina Simone burned the polaroids they took, until eventually there was one she was happy with.
But Robert Rosen is no ordinary photographer.
Rosen spent decades in exclusive clubs, bars and parties, as much at home there as the celebrities he was capturing.
There aren't too many photographers who can say that Andy Warhol gave them a lift home from a party.
Or that Nina Simone burned the polaroids they took, until eventually there was one she was happy with.
But Robert Rosen is no ordinary photographer.
Rosen spent decades in exclusive clubs, bars and parties, as much at home there as the celebrities he was capturing.
Unearthing Hunga volcano's secrets - the volcanologist who snorkelled over the underwater volcano.
Unearthing Hunga volcano's secrets - the volcanologist who snorkelled over the underwater volcano.
You may have seen footage over the weekend of long snaking queues inside and outside the domestic terminals at Sydney Airport.
The perfect storm of staff shortages and the start of the school holidays saw thousands of passengers face lengthy delays to get through security.
What's in store for you if you are hoping for a family reunion interstate this weekend?
You may have seen footage over the weekend of long snaking queues inside and outside the domestic terminals at Sydney Airport.
The perfect storm of staff shortages and the start of the school holidays saw thousands of passengers face lengthy delays to get through security.
What's in store for you if you are hoping for a family reunion interstate this weekend?
The Japanese certainly don't, if the new Netflix show 'Old Enough' is anything to go by.
Toddlers as young as two are sent out into the world, on their own, to do jobs for mum. And if you think that's extreme, they also have to catch a bus and a train each way.
So should we start building resilience in our offspring earlier than we do now?
The Japanese certainly don't, if the new Netflix show 'Old Enough' is anything to go by.
Toddlers as young as two are sent out into the world, on their own, to do jobs for mum. And if you think that's extreme, they also have to catch a bus and a train each way.
So should we start building resilience in our offspring earlier than we do now?
15 million tonnes of zero-emission, green hydrogen a year, by 2030. If it sounds ambitious, that's because it is, and numerous industry giants say it can't be achieved.
But they're not Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest. Australia's richest man is back from Europe where he's been selling his green-hydrogen dream and shouting down the naysayers.
15 million tonnes of zero-emission, green hydrogen a year, by 2030. If it sounds ambitious, that's because it is, and numerous industry giants say it can't be achieved.
But they're not Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest. Australia's richest man is back from Europe where he's been selling his green-hydrogen dream and shouting down the naysayers.
After a start to the campaign they'd rather forget, Labor has shifted its focus to health, promising to restore Medicare funding for telehealth psychiatric consultations for people living in regional and rural parts of Australia.
The federal coalition is facing questions of its own on economic policy after it pledged to create 1.3 million new jobs over the next five years.
That's broadly in line with existing population growth forecasts.
Guest:
Katy Gallagher, Shadow Finance Minister
After a start to the campaign they'd rather forget, Labor has shifted its focus to health, promising to restore Medicare funding for telehealth psychiatric consultations for people living in regional and rural parts of Australia.
The federal coalition is facing questions of its own on economic policy after it pledged to create 1.3 million new jobs over the next five years.
That's broadly in line with existing population growth forecasts.
Guest:
Katy Gallagher, Shadow Finance Minister
T20 has changed the face of cricket, drawing new fans and big money to the sport.
But what has it been like to be a part of that change? To grow up loving test matches and shift to the shorter form?
Dan Christian is one of the sport’s top players. He’s been part of championship teams across several different countries, and he’s represented Australia in the T20 and One Day games.
In the Drawing Room, he looks back over that history and the challenges and successes he's faced along the way.
T20 has changed the face of cricket, drawing new fans and big money to the sport.
But what has it been like to be a part of that change? To grow up loving test matches and shift to the shorter form?
Dan Christian is one of the sport’s top players. He’s been part of championship teams across several different countries, and he’s represented Australia in the T20 and One Day games.
In the Drawing Room, he looks back over that history and the challenges and successes he's faced along the way.
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, suggested at senate estimates last week that the daily COVID death numbers should no longer be announced. But will a bid to 'live with' the virus without scrutiny lead to more deaths?
Professor Allan Saul, honourary research fellow at Melbourne's Burnet Institute
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, suggested at senate estimates last week that the daily COVID death numbers should no longer be announced. But will a bid to 'live with' the virus without scrutiny lead to more deaths?
Professor Allan Saul, honourary research fellow at Melbourne's Burnet Institute
Australia's 1999 peace-keeping mission in East Timor is widely celebrated in our military folklore.
But over 20 years later, disturbing secrets are starting to emerge which may stain that story.
Australia's 1999 peace-keeping mission in East Timor is widely celebrated in our military folklore.
But over 20 years later, disturbing secrets are starting to emerge which may stain that story.
Do you remember the government's 'big stick law'? In 2019 the energy minister Angus Taylor insisted it was the only way to tame power prices.
The bold legislation gave the federal government the power to name, shame and fine providers who failed to pass on falling wholesale prices to consumers.
Do you remember the government's 'big stick law'? In 2019 the energy minister Angus Taylor insisted it was the only way to tame power prices.
The bold legislation gave the federal government the power to name, shame and fine providers who failed to pass on falling wholesale prices to consumers.
How important is the way we address someone and does a move away from formalities level the playing field?
How important is the way we address someone and does a move away from formalities level the playing field?
The upcoming federal election will see a wave of so-called 'teal Independents' seek to unseat Liberal men in inner-city electorates.
They're being funded, in part, by the Climate 200 advocacy group, co-founded by millionaire businessman Simon Holmes a Court, who's rejected the suggestion he is seeking to influence elections?
Simon Holmes a Court, businessman and convenor of advocacy group Climate 200
The upcoming federal election will see a wave of so-called 'teal Independents' seek to unseat Liberal men in inner-city electorates.
They're being funded, in part, by the Climate 200 advocacy group, co-founded by millionaire businessman Simon Holmes a Court, who's rejected the suggestion he is seeking to influence elections?
Simon Holmes a Court, businessman and convenor of advocacy group Climate 200
The economy was meant to be the focus of day one of the six week election campaign but it did not go as smoothly as either side wanted.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison now says Alan Tudge remains in cabinet, despite last month saying he would not be returning to his role as Education Minister after he stood down.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese was unable to list the national unemployment rate and RBA cash rate when asked while campaigning in Tasmania.
Guest:
Andrew Constance, Liberal candidate for Gilmore
The economy was meant to be the focus of day one of the six week election campaign but it did not go as smoothly as either side wanted.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison now says Alan Tudge remains in cabinet, despite last month saying he would not be returning to his role as Education Minister after he stood down.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese was unable to list the national unemployment rate and RBA cash rate when asked while campaigning in Tasmania.
Guest:
Andrew Constance, Liberal candidate for Gilmore
The last two years have been a difficult time for a lot of musicians, but L.A.B could be forgiven for looking back with a massive grin.
In 2020, they became the name in music in New Zealand. Their single, In The Air, went number 1 and spent the whole year in the Top 40.
From there it's been platinum albums, sold out shows and now, finally, international tours.
In the Drawing Room, Joel Shadbolt and Miharo Gregory talk about the journey.
The last two years have been a difficult time for a lot of musicians, but L.A.B could be forgiven for looking back with a massive grin.
In 2020, they became the name in music in New Zealand. Their single, In The Air, went number 1 and spent the whole year in the Top 40.
From there it's been platinum albums, sold out shows and now, finally, international tours.
In the Drawing Room, Joel Shadbolt and Miharo Gregory talk about the journey.
Pakistan's supreme court ordered parliamentarians to vote on a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan. But Prime Minister Khan blocked the vote and dissolved parliament, saying efforts to oust him were all part of a foreign conspiracy.
Dr Claude Rakisits, Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Australian National University
Pakistan's supreme court ordered parliamentarians to vote on a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan. But Prime Minister Khan blocked the vote and dissolved parliament, saying efforts to oust him were all part of a foreign conspiracy.
Dr Claude Rakisits, Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Australian National University
This week we're asking the tough questions about heckling, sporting comebacks and working in Antarctica.
Comedians Ross Noble and Stephen K Amos face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week we're asking the tough questions about heckling, sporting comebacks and working in Antarctica.
Comedians Ross Noble and Stephen K Amos face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week's guests discuss the issues that will shape the federal election, not just the much touted cost of living.
Claire Harvey, editing director of The Australian, and host of the new podcast, The Front
Jacqueline Maley, senior writer at the Sydney Morning Herald
This week's guests discuss the issues that will shape the federal election, not just the much touted cost of living.
Claire Harvey, editing director of The Australian, and host of the new podcast, The Front
Jacqueline Maley, senior writer at the Sydney Morning Herald
In every election since 1975 voters in the ACT have elected one Labor and one Liberal Senator but former Wallabies captain David Pocock is throwing a spanner in the works, running as an independent and gaining significant support.
This week the Australian Electoral Commission cleared him to register his name as a political party, allowing his name to be listed above the line on the ACT senate ballot, the most popular way to vote.
Guest:
David Pocock, Independent ACT Senate Candidate
In every election since 1975 voters in the ACT have elected one Labor and one Liberal Senator but former Wallabies captain David Pocock is throwing a spanner in the works, running as an independent and gaining significant support.
This week the Australian Electoral Commission cleared him to register his name as a political party, allowing his name to be listed above the line on the ACT senate ballot, the most popular way to vote.
Guest:
David Pocock, Independent ACT Senate Candidate
In 1961, a painting by Francisco Goya was stolen from the National Gallery of London.
It was assumed that a skilled gang of art thieves had broken in to sell it to a private collector.
The truth was much stranger: the thief was a retired bus driver who wanted charity payments to cover TV licences in Britain for the old and the vulnerable.
That story is the inspiration for a new film, The Duke, produced by Nicky Bentham
In 1961, a painting by Francisco Goya was stolen from the National Gallery of London.
It was assumed that a skilled gang of art thieves had broken in to sell it to a private collector.
The truth was much stranger: the thief was a retired bus driver who wanted charity payments to cover TV licences in Britain for the old and the vulnerable.
That story is the inspiration for a new film, The Duke, produced by Nicky Bentham
The Australian government has failed in its bid to persuade the Solomon's Prime Minister Manhessa Sogavare to abandon a security pact with Beijing.
The Australian government has failed in its bid to persuade the Solomon's Prime Minister Manhessa Sogavare to abandon a security pact with Beijing.
It's the unsolved mystery which has gripped the N-T, fascinated the nation and made international headlines - what happened to Paddy Moriarty in the tiny Territory town of Larrimah?
The Northern Territory Coroner has handed down his findings about what happened on December 16, 2017 the last night Paddy Moriarty was seen alive.
It's the unsolved mystery which has gripped the N-T, fascinated the nation and made international headlines - what happened to Paddy Moriarty in the tiny Territory town of Larrimah?
The Northern Territory Coroner has handed down his findings about what happened on December 16, 2017 the last night Paddy Moriarty was seen alive.
Australia has announced it's slapping sanctions on 67 additional Russian individuals in the wake of alleged atrocities committed in the Ukranian town of Bucha.
Eye-witness accounts from the region, paint a picture of terror writ large in Bucha, with streets and fields strewn with bodies.
Australia has announced it's slapping sanctions on 67 additional Russian individuals in the wake of alleged atrocities committed in the Ukranian town of Bucha.
Eye-witness accounts from the region, paint a picture of terror writ large in Bucha, with streets and fields strewn with bodies.
A two-word hook was the subject of a hotly contested legal battle between pop superstar Ed Sheeran and fellow artist, Sami Switch, who alleged the 4x time Grammy winner had ripped off his work in the chart-topping single 'Shape of You'.
But yesterday a high court judge declared otherwise, ruling that Sheeran neither deliberately nor subconsciously copied a phrase from another song.
A two-word hook was the subject of a hotly contested legal battle between pop superstar Ed Sheeran and fellow artist, Sami Switch, who alleged the 4x time Grammy winner had ripped off his work in the chart-topping single 'Shape of You'.
But yesterday a high court judge declared otherwise, ruling that Sheeran neither deliberately nor subconsciously copied a phrase from another song.
The torrential rain falling in New South Wales just will not stop - Sydney has already recorded its annual rainfall inside the first 100 days of the year.
For the second time this month, flash-flooding has turned suburban streets in Sydney into giant wading pools, and waterfalls have sprung from cliffs along the city's coastline.
The torrential rain falling in New South Wales just will not stop - Sydney has already recorded its annual rainfall inside the first 100 days of the year.
For the second time this month, flash-flooding has turned suburban streets in Sydney into giant wading pools, and waterfalls have sprung from cliffs along the city's coastline.
After nine years in detention, confined to hotel rooms with no windows - you can only imagine what that first step outside into the free world many of us take for granted might feel like.
The final eight asylum seekers from Melbourne's Park Hotel have been released today/.
Advocates say a further 12 were released from facilities across the country including Brisbane and Melbourne.
Guest:
Craig Foster, Human Rights Advocate
After nine years in detention, confined to hotel rooms with no windows - you can only imagine what that first step outside into the free world many of us take for granted might feel like.
The final eight asylum seekers from Melbourne's Park Hotel have been released today/.
Advocates say a further 12 were released from facilities across the country including Brisbane and Melbourne.
Guest:
Craig Foster, Human Rights Advocate
After a triumphant retelling of the history of the Wright Brothers in their last show Fly, Lano and Woodley are chasing the white whale of an audience's love, as they take on Moby Dick.
In the Drawing Room they explore the themes of the book, the frustrations of zoom meetings, and the importance of laughter.
After a triumphant retelling of the history of the Wright Brothers in their last show Fly, Lano and Woodley are chasing the white whale of an audience's love, as they take on Moby Dick.
In the Drawing Room they explore the themes of the book, the frustrations of zoom meetings, and the importance of laughter.
Missiles which can travel five times the speed of sound could soon become a part of Australia's military arsenal after a new agreement amongst Australia and its AUKUS partners.
But when will they be available and how could Australia use them?
Missiles which can travel five times the speed of sound could soon become a part of Australia's military arsenal after a new agreement amongst Australia and its AUKUS partners.
But when will they be available and how could Australia use them?
Microtargeting is a useful tool for independent and minor party candidates who can't afford to spend big on mass-market television or radio advertising. But what sort of transparency is possible if advertisements are hard to spot in your social media feed?
Ariel Bogle, ABC journalist, partnering with the Ad Observatory project
Microtargeting is a useful tool for independent and minor party candidates who can't afford to spend big on mass-market television or radio advertising. But what sort of transparency is possible if advertisements are hard to spot in your social media feed?
Ariel Bogle, ABC journalist, partnering with the Ad Observatory project
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of people who've struggled with alcohol addiction. Since its inception in America in the 1930s, tens of millions of people have joined local AA meetings worldwide for help getting and staying sober.
The non-professional, peer-led, and self-funded 12-step program is heralded by many as the reason they're still alive today, but it also has those questioning the evidence.
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of people who've struggled with alcohol addiction. Since its inception in America in the 1930s, tens of millions of people have joined local AA meetings worldwide for help getting and staying sober.
The non-professional, peer-led, and self-funded 12-step program is heralded by many as the reason they're still alive today, but it also has those questioning the evidence.
Australia's men's cricket team has just completed a historic tour of Pakistan - the first time an Australian team has played in the cricket mad nation in 24 years.
Pakistani-born batsman Usman Khawaja was a kay part of Australia's success, who's now hoping to harness cricket's power to connect cultures ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Australia's men's cricket team has just completed a historic tour of Pakistan - the first time an Australian team has played in the cricket mad nation in 24 years.
Pakistani-born batsman Usman Khawaja was a kay part of Australia's success, who's now hoping to harness cricket's power to connect cultures ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
With the election now just weeks away the Federal Liberal Party is keen to move on from months of factional infighting over preselections, but there are still questions to be answered.
The New South Wales Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a claim intervention from the Prime Minister, NSW Premier and a former federal president made 12 preselections invalid.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended his actions as necessary to protect female MPs on the 7.30 program last night.
Guest:
Sussan Ley, Environment Minister
With the election now just weeks away the Federal Liberal Party is keen to move on from months of factional infighting over preselections, but there are still questions to be answered.
The New South Wales Court of Appeal yesterday dismissed a claim intervention from the Prime Minister, NSW Premier and a former federal president made 12 preselections invalid.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended his actions as necessary to protect female MPs on the 7.30 program last night.
Guest:
Sussan Ley, Environment Minister
Have you ever lost a loved one's attention to late nights of hill climbs at the Tour de France?
Maybe you've slipped on the lycra yourself and taken to the bikeways of Australia.
For more than three decades, Mike Tomalaris was the voice of cycling in this country.
In the Drawing Room, Mike opens up about his route to the race and life after SBS.
Have you ever lost a loved one's attention to late nights of hill climbs at the Tour de France?
Maybe you've slipped on the lycra yourself and taken to the bikeways of Australia.
For more than three decades, Mike Tomalaris was the voice of cycling in this country.
In the Drawing Room, Mike opens up about his route to the race and life after SBS.
Like the masked killer slowly lurching behind the babysitter in a horror movie work meetings are inescapable right?
Well maybe not.
Management Professor Vijay Pereira is the man behind a ground-breaking study, that found companies were more productive without the daily catch-ups or weekly conference calls.
Like the masked killer slowly lurching behind the babysitter in a horror movie work meetings are inescapable right?
Well maybe not.
Management Professor Vijay Pereira is the man behind a ground-breaking study, that found companies were more productive without the daily catch-ups or weekly conference calls.
Five young male dolphins have died in the Port Adelaide River and scientists do not know why. Now there is only a handful of regular residents of the inlet left and dolphin specialists are worried about their future.
Dr Mike Bossley, founding member of Greenpeace, dolphin researcher, behaviouralist and activist and author of Dolphins,Whales and Me
Five young male dolphins have died in the Port Adelaide River and scientists do not know why. Now there is only a handful of regular residents of the inlet left and dolphin specialists are worried about their future.
Dr Mike Bossley, founding member of Greenpeace, dolphin researcher, behaviouralist and activist and author of Dolphins,Whales and Me
China is facing its most challenging surge in COVID cases since the outbreak was first discovered in Wuhan more than two years ago.
But instead of joining the global movement towards living with the virus Beijing is holding firm with a 'zero-tolerance' approach. The latest virus hotspot is in the financial capital of Shanghai where a strict lockdown has been imposed on more than 26 million people, and they're not happy about it.
China is facing its most challenging surge in COVID cases since the outbreak was first discovered in Wuhan more than two years ago.
But instead of joining the global movement towards living with the virus Beijing is holding firm with a 'zero-tolerance' approach. The latest virus hotspot is in the financial capital of Shanghai where a strict lockdown has been imposed on more than 26 million people, and they're not happy about it.
She's the culinary icon who's been in your lounge room, your kitchen and may even be perched on your book shelf.
But Maggie Beer is on a crusade to improve the health and nutrition for residents in aged care, starting by improving the teaching of the Cooks and Chefs in the sector.
She's the culinary icon who's been in your lounge room, your kitchen and may even be perched on your book shelf.
But Maggie Beer is on a crusade to improve the health and nutrition for residents in aged care, starting by improving the teaching of the Cooks and Chefs in the sector.
The world's top climate scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their latest scathing report on the state of the climate overnight, revealing limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is no longer plausible.
They found greenhouse gas emissions are projected to rise beyond 2050, pushing temperatures up by around three-point-two degrees.
Guest:
Sir David King, Climate Crisis Advisory Group head
The world's top climate scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their latest scathing report on the state of the climate overnight, revealing limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is no longer plausible.
They found greenhouse gas emissions are projected to rise beyond 2050, pushing temperatures up by around three-point-two degrees.
Guest:
Sir David King, Climate Crisis Advisory Group head
It's been an unrelenting summer and now autumn, with more rain forecast for later this week. As the clean-up and recovery continues in QLD and NSW, the Prime Minister's been accused of playing games with money intended for flood victims.
Shane Stone, Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency
It's been an unrelenting summer and now autumn, with more rain forecast for later this week. As the clean-up and recovery continues in QLD and NSW, the Prime Minister's been accused of playing games with money intended for flood victims.
Shane Stone, Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency
Ned Kelly is part of the Australian folk tradition: the subject of movies, books, songs and art.
But what about the stories of the men around him? Those he killed, and those who hunted him down?
Grantlee Kieza is the author of a new history book, The Kelly Hunters, which seeks to broaden the understanding of Kelly's place in history.
Ned Kelly is part of the Australian folk tradition: the subject of movies, books, songs and art.
But what about the stories of the men around him? Those he killed, and those who hunted him down?
Grantlee Kieza is the author of a new history book, The Kelly Hunters, which seeks to broaden the understanding of Kelly's place in history.
Condemnation of Russia continues to grow after appalling images surfaced of mass graves and civilians, hands bound behind their back, apparently executed in the street by retreating Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, north-west of Ukraine's capital Kyiv.
Condemnation of Russia continues to grow after appalling images surfaced of mass graves and civilians, hands bound behind their back, apparently executed in the street by retreating Russian soldiers in the town of Bucha, north-west of Ukraine's capital Kyiv.
When it comes to groundbreaking research in Australia you can bet your bottom dollar the CSIRO is involved one way or another. As a stalwart of the nation's scientific landscape, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has become synonymous with facts and trust.
But, if you're looking for more detail on the government's climate change policy and what it might look like after the election, don't expect the CSIRO to be publicly forthcoming. That's according to Professor David Karoly, who was the CSIRO's chief scientist at the Climate Science Centre from 2018 to February 2022.
When it comes to groundbreaking research in Australia you can bet your bottom dollar the CSIRO is involved one way or another. As a stalwart of the nation's scientific landscape, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has become synonymous with facts and trust.
But, if you're looking for more detail on the government's climate change policy and what it might look like after the election, don't expect the CSIRO to be publicly forthcoming. That's according to Professor David Karoly, who was the CSIRO's chief scientist at the Climate Science Centre from 2018 to February 2022.
It might have been a birthday reminder, or a memory that popped up which unexpectedly reminded you of a loved one on you social media account.
What does this say about how we should approach our digital legacy and how we wish to be remembered in the online world when we are permanently offline?
It might have been a birthday reminder, or a memory that popped up which unexpectedly reminded you of a loved one on you social media account.
What does this say about how we should approach our digital legacy and how we wish to be remembered in the online world when we are permanently offline?
It was an announcement that caught many by surprise. Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein has resigned and will leave the role next week.
The 57-year-old said he could no longer give 110 per cent and wanted to spend more time with his family.
Guest:
Allie Humphries, ABC State Political Reporter
It was an announcement that caught many by surprise. Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein has resigned and will leave the role next week.
The 57-year-old said he could no longer give 110 per cent and wanted to spend more time with his family.
Guest:
Allie Humphries, ABC State Political Reporter
The federal Attorney-General has appointed at least six people with Liberal Party connections to government roles with annual salaries of up to $490,000.
Former Liberal MPs, staff members and party donors are among those appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in what Labor is branding a jobs for mates exercise.
More than 85 former Liberal MPs, staffers and candidates have been appointed to the body since the government took office. Labor appointed two in its six years.
Guest:
Mark Dreyfus, Shadow Attorney-General.
The federal Attorney-General has appointed at least six people with Liberal Party connections to government roles with annual salaries of up to $490,000.
Former Liberal MPs, staff members and party donors are among those appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in what Labor is branding a jobs for mates exercise.
More than 85 former Liberal MPs, staffers and candidates have been appointed to the body since the government took office. Labor appointed two in its six years.
Guest:
Mark Dreyfus, Shadow Attorney-General.
Over the course of six albums, Dan Sultan has become one of Australia's eminent singer-songwriters. But his last ARIA win wasn't for his usual music, it was a children's record.
In the Drawing Room, Sultan talks about the inspiration behind Nali and Friends, taking time off with his own children, and his connection to Yeperenye and the Parrtjima festival.
This week we're asking the tough questions on character assessments, centenarian bloggers and that slap.
British comedians Fern Brady and Phil Wang face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Muslims across Australia are preparing for their first full day of fasting tomorrow. The first night of Ramadan begins at sunset tonight and concludes on the evening of Sunday the 1st of May.
Najma Sambul, journalist at The Age and radio presenter at RRR in Melbourne
A "give-away budget" versus "bumper sticker platitudes". Our guests discuss who was best at reading the mood of the public at budget time.
Niki Savva, columnist and author and Adam Carrel, partner in climate change and sustainability services at EY
In an era of reputation management and corporations with aggressive legal teams, who decides what stories make it to print?
Arabella Pike is the publishing Director at William Collins Books.
Two of her authors—Tom Burgis and Catherine Belton—recently faced significant lawsuits from Russian oligarchs and she was the one who had to decide whether to cave or to hold firm and risk financial destruction.
The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said this year's budget would deliver a "a stronger future for Indigenous Australians".
But Co-Chair of Change the Record, Cheryl Axleby doesn't agree.
Guest
Cheryl Axleby, Co-Chair of Change the Record
Tens of thousands of people are gathering at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to celebrate the life of Shane Warne. It's estimated that 1.5 billion others around the world will tune in to the state-memorial.
Shane Warne was arguably one of the best spin bowlers in cricketing history, but it's far from the only reason he can attract a crowd like this. Gideon Haigh, sports journalist and author
There was hope yesterday that the banks of Lismore's Wilson River may hold, but after hours of unrelenting rain reaching up to 400 millimetres in some parts, the levee has breached once more.
Exhausted residents in the CBD were forced to evacuate again, just hours after being told they could return home.
Guest
Allan Morris, Vice President of Operations at Southern Cross University (Lismore campus)
With the election set to be called within the next week the government's budget is unsurprisingly being viewed as a pre-election splurge, but it's left many unexcited.
The big ticket items are focused on easing cost-of-living pressures, all be it temporary, but how does it respond to long term structural issues?
Guest:
Simon Birmingham, Finance Minister
Fresh from the budget lock-up and here to give us their hot-take on what's on offer and what's not are our team of commentators; RN Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas, the boss of the Business Council Jennifer Westacott, Cassandra Goldie from the Australian Council of Social Services and economist Chris Richardson.
Did you know there are close to a hundred thousand abandoned mine shafts in Australia? And tonight our carbon canary is going back down the mines to chirp about a new gravitational energy storage technology hoping to use these disused mines to capture and release energy.
The start-up behind the idea, Green Gravity, hopes to produce clean energy by lowering weights down hundreds of the old abandoned mine shafts that are scattered across Australia.
Guest
Mark Swinnerton, CEO of Green Gravity
After two years of a global pandemic, the ambulance 'ramping' crisis continues. As the responsibility is passed between authorities, a New South Wales paramedic describes 'the worst night of his working life'.
Brett Simpson, intensive care paramedic and delegate of the Australian Paramedic Association
Evacuation orders remain in place for parts of Lismore and weather alerts have been issued for the Northern Rivers, parts of the Northern Tablelands and the Mid North Coast.
In the lower lying areas of Lismore many buildings, particularly those that were inundated just one month ago, are expected to bear the brunt again.
Guests
Vanessa Ekins, Lismore Councillor and former Mayor
Sean Kearns, SES New South Wales Assistant Commissioner
Eddie Perfect has experienced pretty much everything a musical has to offer, but his latest role in 9 to 5 gave him something new: public shame.
While playing the villain, Eddie gets strung up above a laughing audience as the house lights go up, and he says it's something he's appreciated getting to try.
In the Drawing Room, he talks about what goes on behind the creation of a big show, and shares his recollections of Shane Warne.
An extra $18 billion has been earmarked for roads and rail links but there is a critical missing link in realising these benefits: engineers to build them. A new report from the University Group of Eight estimates that only half of the 11,000 or so new engineers required every year are coming through the education pipeline.
Jane Macmaster, Chief Engineer at Engineers Australia
The government has announced more help for first time home buyers ahead of tomorrow's budget.
The Oscar's slap will go down in history as one of the more bizarre and confronting moments at the Academy of Motion Pictures event.
The trigger for this act of violence was a joke made in very poor taste by the comedian Chris Rock about Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith who suffers from alopecia.
The Solomon Island's Opposition leader has called on Australia to rewrite its security treaty with the pacific nation.
A leaked draft agreement sets out the terms for a military cooperation, which could lead to Chinese personnel and ships being stationed in the Solomon Islands.
Guest:
Matthew Wale, Leader of the Solomon's Island Opposition Democratic Party
In a move the Nationals are labelling one of their biggest achievements this term, farm workers from Vietnam will be the first to be employed under the federal government's Agriculture Visa.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced Vietnam has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Australia in a statement this afternoon.
Guest:
David Littleproud, Agriculture Minister
"An explosion is worth a hundred million words. And that is maybe too many words to say," So says the final line on Labyrinthitis, the new album by Destroyer.
Dan Bejar may not be up to a hundred million words yet, but across thirteen albums with Destroyer and more than a few collaborations, he's created his fair share of beloved lyrics - building a cult following that sometimes crosses over into a mainstream embrace.
In the Drawing Room, Dan talks about Chekov, Cher, and acts of futility in the face of insurmountable odds.
The socceroos World Cup hopes are hanging by the proverbial thread after the team failed to achieve automatic qualification last night, losing to Japan 2-nil.
But we still have a shot at qualifying at the June play-offs in the Middle East.
Guest
Melissa Barbieri, Melbourne City Player and former Matildas Captain
This week we're asking the tough questions on political comebacks, diplomatic immunity and sporting retirements.
Comedians Oliver Twist and Nazeem Hussain face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Our guests discuss whether or not Australia is doing enough for refugees and foreign aid. And is there more to the Ash Barty story? Tim Costello, Baptist minister and former CEO and Chief Advocate of World Vision Australia and Peter Hartcher, Political and International Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald
As the cost of living rises, consumer advocates are warning about the dangers of pay day lending and buy-now-pay-later platforms.
The Federal Government has indicated the rising cost of living will be a focus of next week's Budget but while we wait to see exactly how far it goes payday lenders and buy-now-pay-later operators appear to be cashing in.
Guest:
James Hunt, Policy lead at Financial Counselling Australia
The Solomon Islands government has this afternoon doubled down on its intention to deepen its relationship with China after a document discussing greater military co-operation was leaked.
The draft document sets out the terms for a military cooperation, which could lead to Chinese personnel and ships being stationed in the Solomon Islands.
Guest:
Dr Malcolm Davis, senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Elite athletes are able to push their bodies to remarkable places. They perform with a grace, speed, and power that most of us can’t even imagine.
But the mental side can be just as important: from staying focused during a gruelling training session to finding a way to come back from an injury or a bad loss.
Emma Murray is the founder of High Performance Mindfulness and in the Drawing Room she shares her experience in working with athletes across a range of sports, as well as details of her new podcast, The Long Haul.
What are the characteristics of a boring person? And a post-pandemic Happiness Report delivers surprising results. Olivia Henry, The Australian Science Media Centre
In a future where love has become an almost forgotten relic, is it possible to rekindle that flame?
On the streets of a future Hong Kong, where the value of a life isn't what it used to be, a hitman floats through his days.
When he sees a woman on the train and follows her to her work, everything begins to change for both of them.
Loveland is the new film by Ivan Sen, a sci-fi romance that asks audiences to question love, loneliness, and the cost of extending a life.
This week's technology expert, David Swan, explains what the launch of .au domains will mean for home-grown businesses, why mars-bound astronauts are eating more greens, and the warning being issued to financial influencers.
As Josh Frydenberg prepares the Budget, our experts discuss the possible outcomes from both sides of the political fence. Can either party fulfill their financial promises?
Judith Sloan, professor of economics and contributing finance editor for the Australian and Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute.
The Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University - and Chair of Universities Australia John Dewar says he's sorry for every tertiary student who has experienced sexual harassment or abuse whilst at University.
His apology headlined today's release of the national student safety survey, which revealed that one in 20 students had been sexually assaulted since starting at university and one in one-hundred had been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months.
It's the announcement hardly anyone saw coming - at age 25, the current world number one and reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, Ash Barty is retiring.
What drove this decision, what lies ahead and where does it leave women's tennis?
Several years ago, Mina Guli set out to run 100 marathons in 100 days, seeking to draw attention to the water crisis.
62 runs in, she was dealing with a labral tear and a 15cm fracture in her femur.
Most people would probably give up at that point, but Mina paused, recovered, and is now setting off on 200 marathons over the next year.
In the Drawing Room, Mina describes what keeps her going and why she sees this as the central crisis of our time.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is now in its 26th day and Ukraine has refused to give up the embattled city of Mariupol. As Vladimir Putin contemplates this frustration and plots his next move, NATO leaders are also grappling with how to respond as the conflict grinds on. Fabrice Pothier, chief strategy officer at Rasmussen Global and former director of Policy Planning at NATO.
Founder and Managing Director of Reef Ecologic, Dr Adam Smith, has seen the impacts of wide-spread bleaching first hand over several decades, and has just returned from a reconnaissance trip to the John Brewer Reef off Townsville.
Guest
Dr Adam Smith, founder and Managing Director of Reef Ecologic
The Independent candidate vying for the inner Sydney electorate of Wentworth Allegra Spender is lobbying for a major review of Australia's tax system.
The businesswoman's call for tax reform joins those of economists and business leaders.
Guest:
Allegra Spender, Independent candidate for Wentworth
Australia has announced it will establish a new taskforce with India which will develop qualification recognition between the two countries.
For Australia, how will this taskforce be able to alleviate labour shortages in the medical and health sector which has many specialist qualifications?
More than one in three Australians live in a childcare desert - areas where there are more than three times as many children as places - according to the first nation-wide mapping of childcare availability.
The map, compiled by Victoria University's Mitchell Institute, found regional and rural areas had the least access but nearly 30 per cent of city residents also struggled with demand outweighing supply.
Access to childcare remains critical to women's employment.
Guest:
Amanda Rishworth, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education
Elena Bachurina grew up in Mariupol and now lives in London, she recently helped her brother and his family flee Kyiv, but their mother has been trapped in Mariupol.
Late 1800s naturalist John Muir once said "rivers flow not past, but through us."
They blend land and water, carrying and supporting life; creating valleys in which humans grew the first food and set up the first cities. And yet we have not been kind in return.
In the Drawing Room, Jennifer Peedom discusses her latest documentary, River.
South Australia's Labor party has stormed back into government over the weekend, in a landslide victory over the one-term Liberal government.
But the result has raised some questions over the state's hydrogen future.
In the wake of Fox Sports journalist for misogynistic being sacked for comments he made about a female colleague, colleague and ABC Sport commentator Kelli Underwood asked "Where are the men?"
Her demands for more public support also beg the question what's it going to take to change the culture within the sports media industry?
100,000 would-be blood donors have been sidelined by Omicron, and a further 3,000 by the floods. But what are the other barriers to making it easier for people to roll up their sleeves?
Professor Barbara Masser, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Chair in Donor Research from the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland
Incumbency is no longer the advantage it was during the height of the pandemic.
Newly sworn-in South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is the first leader to defeat a sitting government since the pandemic began, winning at least 26 seats to form majority government.
Guest:
Antony Green, ABC Chief Elections Analyst
This week we're asking the tough questions on Government logos, GOATs and Rock n Roll Hall of Famers.
Kiwi Comedians Urzila Carlson and Chris Parker face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Almost 95 per cent of Australians over the aged of 16 are fully vaccinated, but for children aged five to 11 that number shrinks to just 12 per cent.
What are the driving factors leading to this discrepancy and what is being done to address the gap?
Barry Cassidy and Laini Scarr discuss the South Australian election, the puzzle of Scott Morrisson and Mark McGowan and political makeovers.
Pre-nuptial agreements are no longer exclusive to the world of the super-elite and attitudes towards them are shifting.
Younger couples are ditching traditional ideas about prenups and opting to protect themselves financially.
After a week of aerial surveys, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority confirmed today that there has been widespread bleaching in the far north of the reef and severe bleaching in the central part.
When Anna Qu was fifteen, she was put to work in her family's sweatshop in New York, working long hours after school cutting the threads off clothes and taking the train home alone late at night.
Meanwhile her half-siblings had lives of relative comfort and support.
Eventually Anna allowed her guidance councillor to call child services on her parents, and their relationship changed forever.
Anna has written about her life in a new memoir, Made in China.
Researchers have discovered how altruistic people change their decision making and become more selfish when put under stress.
Plus Dr Lila Landowski, a neuroscientist from the University of Tasmania, looks at what effect one drink can have on our brains, plus how our brains remove waste and the links to brain disease.
Bushfires, a global pandemic and now floods. We've seen it all in recent years.
And through it all our beloved musicians step up, time and again, not only to provide a welcome distraction, but to raise funds to help devastated communities get back on their feet.
Guest: Bernard Fanning, Musician
E-cigarettes are colourful and come in hundreds of flavours which perhaps explains their appeal for teenagers. But they are not without harm which means legalising them is a complex issue. Brian Marlow, President of the Australian Taxpayers' Alliance and the Director of Legalise Vaping Australia and Simon Chapman, Emeritus Professor in Public Health at the University of Sydney
A week after disaster payments were tripled for Lismore, Richmond and Clarence Valley residents, the federal government has extended the funding to four additional flood affected councils in northern New South Wales.
Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Tweed councils were excluded from last week's announcement, prompting allegations from the federal member for Richmond, Justine Elliot that the funding was allocated according to who held the seat rather than by need.
The New South Wales State Government has also aired frustration over what it sees as delays to the planned announcement of an additional jointly-funded $1.4 billion recovery package.
Guest:
Kevin Hogan, Federal Member for Page
Bob Dylan's songs sit at the heart of modern America's music and storytelling traditions.
Those songs also form the heart of the recent musical, Girl From the North Country, which takes audiences to Dylan's hometown of Duluth, Minnesota in the midst of the Depression into which Dylan was born.
Terence Crawford and Elizabeth Hay, two of the stars of the Australian production, talk about their own relationship with the music.
The International Court of Justice is set to hand down its ruling into allegations of Russian war crimes.
Regional Australia was the recipient of an exodus of people from the major cities during the pandemic, but how did the regional health care system hold up?
What changes are needed to respond to the population increase and persistent shortages ahead of the Federal Budget?
Guest: Professor Ruth Stewart, National Rural Health Commissioner
It's the little secret which hundreds of thousands of Aussies participate in - fantasy sports.
But in 2021 the two biggest AFL fantasy competitions had a watershed moment - they were both won by women for the first time.
We've all heard the call to arms before, government's asking citizens to pick up guns to fight for their future but what about picking up a mop and bucket?
Executive director of the Australia Defence Association, Neil James, explores the idea of establishing a civil defence corp to tackle climate related natural disasters
A surge in covid cases among students and teachers in New South Wales schools has caused the president of the state's Association of Catholic Principals to declare running schools like normal is impossible.
The latest weekly breakdown of cases shows 44 per cent of the 66,000 cases recorded in New South Wales in the week ending March 5 were in the zero to 19 age group.
On Monday Queanbeyan High School announced in a letter to parents that years seven to 10 will be required to learn from home two days a week due to staff shortages.
Guest:
Murat Dizdar, Deputy Secretary of school operations New South Wales Department of Education
Air raid sirens have been sounded across Ukraine with reports of more bombings and rocket strikes in Kyiv and Mariupol.
Peace talks will resume between the leaders today, but so far there has been little to show for the efforts.
More than 3 million Ukrainians have now fled the country, almost 2 million more are displaced according to the United Nations.
Guest:
Inna Sovsun, Ukrainian MP
It's become one of the most powerful companies in the world, valued at more than one trillion dollars, with warehouses and high tech fulfilment centres across the globe and a huge media empire as a side-hustle.
But what are the impacts of Amazon's remarkable success: on businesses, on workers, and on governments?
Alec MacGillis is a reporter with ProPublica and the author of Fulfilment: Winning and Losing in One Click America.
Eigh teenagers and an 87-year-old nun convinced the Federal Court that the Australian government had a legal duty to children when assessing fossil fuel projects.
The decision was hailed as a world-first, until today, when it was successfully challenged by the Environment Minister, Sussan Ley.
Domestic violence incidents make up forty per cent of all police callouts in Queensland.
And as calls grow louder for a Royal Commission in Queensland, what role should the federal government play?
Rosie O' Malley, CEO of the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre and Convenor of Queensland Domestic Violence Services Network
Ruth Phillips, Associate Professor in Social Work and Policy Studies at Sydney University
Ahead of the new Formula One season, seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton says he plans to add his mothers maiden name to his.
He says he wants to continue his mother's name alongside his famous Hamilton name, but is this part of a wider trend?
The Queensland Government has ordered two reviews into the state's Office of the Public Trustee after a Four Corners investigation revealed exhorbitant fees and dire financial management practices.
Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman announced the internal and external reviews in Queensland Parliament, labelling the practices unacceptable.
Guest:
Samay Zhouand, CEO Queensland Office of the Public Trustee
The chair of Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee says strengthening the AUKUS security arrangement is Australia's most important overseas mission amid warnings Russia's invasion of Ukraine could inspire similar actions from China in Taiwan.
Overnight, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi met in Rome after the White House cautioned Beijing it would face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions.
Guest:
Senator James Paterson, Chair of the Joint Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee
Bernie Krause has been listening to the world for decades, travelling from one end of the Earth to the other to capture the sounds that make each habitat unique: their biophony.
His installation piece, The Great Animal Orchestra—created in association with Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain and presented as part of the Biennale of Sydney—gives listeners a chance to travel with him.
In the Drawing Room, Krause explains why listening helps his ADHD and how sound can reveal the environmental impact of development.
Australia has joined with the Netherlands to start legal proceedings against Russia in the International Civil Aviation Organisation over the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014.
298 people were killed in the attack, including 38 Australians.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says Australia will rely on overwhelming evidence the plane was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile.
Guest:
Meryn O'Brien, mother of Jack O'Brien who was killed in the downing of MH17
Critically endangered since the 1970s it's astonishing to believe only 30 southern corroboree frogs are left in the wild.
Conservation efforts have ramped up in the recent years to bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
There is a big difference between an engaged parent and an aggressive one. Now some principals are stepping in to protect their teachers from harassment.
With Craig Petersen, President of the New South Wales Secondary Principals' Council
As part of Radio National Drive's pre-budget series, today we take a look at the needs of the Aged Care sector.
12 months on from a Royal Commission and with the Federal Government providing bonus payments to aged care workers - is the sector in a better position that what it was a year ago?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has rejected accusations his government ignored warnings about the flood risk ahead of last month's catastrophic flooding in Queensland and New South Wales.
A coalition of the nation's top-ranking former emergency chiefs has criticised the federal government over what it says, is a track record of neglect in relation to disaster preparation.
Guest:
Greg Mullins, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action Group and former commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales
"Sometimes you just can't stop yourself from writing about the things that need to be written."
When Courtney Marie Andrews started writing her latest album, Old Flowers, she had just come to the end of a nine-year relationship.
At first, she tried to write songs about other things, to take her mind off the situation. But eventually she gave in, let herself heal, and created a beautiful breakup album along the way.
In The Drawing Room, Courtney talks about the wrong paths she's avoided, writing from the heart, and the importance of aimless walks.
Russia's decision to invade Ukraine last month has dramatically altered the fortunes of oligarchs overnight, but how did they accumulate their incredible wealth in the first place? Financial Times reporter and author Tom Burgis takes us through the murky world of Russian oligarchs.
This week we're asking the tough questions Prime Ministerial photo opportunities, submarine bases and unusual hiding spots for reptiles.
Comedians Concetta Caristo and Ben Kochan face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week our guests discuss why natural disaster management needs to change and what might happen next in Ukraine. With Jenna Price and Gray Connelly.
Roger Scott and his friend Daniel left the comfort of their homes in Warsaw, Poland late on Sunday night with one mission in mind, to get much needed supplies into Ukraine, and ferry desperate locals out.
Senior Warlpiri leaders are calling for guns to be banned in remote Aboriginal communities after NT police officer Zachary Rolfe was cleared of all charges relating to the killing of 19-year old indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker.
Tens of thousands of people were left without mobile service, internet and landlines during the flood disaster in northern New South Wales.
Telstra CEO Andy Penn has announced flood recovery grants as Australia's largest telecommunications provider brings its services back online.
Slab waves are some of the most impressive and terrifying things you're likely to see in nature: waves the size of a forty foot apartment building crumbling onto a few centimetres of water and, below that, a hard ground of rock and reef.
Only a few daring souls would even consider taking a surfboard out onto one.
In the Drawing Room, Bentley Dean talks about his new documentary, Facing Monsters, which follows Kerby Brown as he tests himself against those wild conditions and turns surfing into an artform.
New South Wales is likely to see its COVID case numbers more than double within six weeks - that's the stark warning from the State's Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
A subvarient of Omicron is surging in New South Wales and it's concerning authorities.
Research shows that a government investment of around $290 billion is needed to meet the affordable housing deficit. How do planning projections compare?
Dr Cameron Murray, economist with the Henry Halloran Trust at The University of Sydney Rod Fehring, executive chairman at Frasers Property and chair of the National Affordable Housing Alliance
Initial flood damage assessments in northern New South Wales have resulted in more than 2,000 homes being declared uninhabitable. More than 5,000 others have been damaged.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a $551 million accommodation package to support 25,000 households for 16 weeks as assessments continue.
Guest:
Brigadier Robert Lording, Commander of the Joint Task Group New South Wales flood response
Anthony Albanese has used a major foreign policy speech to commit to keeping defence spending above two per cent of GDP.
The Opposition Leader also sought to end suggestions of differences between the Coalition and Labor on China after the Prime Minister again accused Labor of a yawning gap on defence spending.
Guest:
Senator Penny Wong, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister.
Cedric Burnside is a third-generation blues musician.
Growing up listening to his family play at house parties and juke joints, he realised that music would always be a part of his life. And by the age of thirteen, he was touring internationally with his grandfather, R. L. Burnside.
In the Drawing Room he talks about those early tours, his recent success, picking up falconry and DIY disasters during lockdown.
Global fast food giant McDonald's is just one of the latest global companies to join hundreds of others of shutting down their Russian operations.
How will these decisions affect everyday Russians and to what extent are they pre-emptive by the corporate world?
Prices at the supermarket and the petrol station have increased since the start of the pandemic in 2020 and again since Russia invaded Ukraine. Now the fallout from the natural disaster floods is expected to raise costs even further. Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service and Alexi Boyd, CEO of the Council of Small Business Australia
What does it men when the CEOs of some of Australia's biggest corporations announce they're pricing carbon into their major capital decisions?
The additional fortnight of emergency payments announced by the Prime Minister on his visit to Lismore today won't be offered to residents in the nearby flood affected Tweed, Byron and Ballina shires.
Guest:
Justine Elliot, Federal Member for Richmond
Fresh out of covid isolation Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today been touring flood-ravaged northern New South Wales, where he announced additional financial support.
The government, which also declared the event a national emergency, will extend disaster payments for residents of Lismore, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley councils for a further two weeks.
40 million dollars will go to immediate and long term mental health support with 25 million dollars for emergency relief.
Guest:
Elly Bird, Lismore City Councillor and the coordinator of the community disaster response network
What do you see when you look into the night sky?
Do you know the Big Dipper and the Southern Cross?
What about the Celestial Emu and the Seven Sisters?
The skies of Australia were the focus of stories and study long before Europeans set foot on this land. And that knowledge from First Nations Peoples is beginning to be more widely acknowledged and celebrated.
Associate Professor Alice Gorman is a Space Archaeologist and the guest editor of Astronomy: Sky Country, a new book in the First Knowledges series, written by Gomeroi astrophysicists Krystal De Napoli and Karlie Noon.
One of Australia's oldest sandstone universities is facing allegations of being an 'old white man's club', after awarding honourary doctorates to six white men.
The controversy has prompted one of the nation's largest philanthropic donors to suspend its sponsorship of Melbourne University.
Is free childcare the main cause of women in Australia not returning to work? Beatrice Amesenius returned to Sweden with her family, where universal childcare is treated in the same way as primary education: it's free.
In 2022 the AFL has seen continued growth as it prepares to complete its expansion and welcome the final four teams to the field before the end of the year.
With the AFLW players Collective Bargaining Agreement coming to an end after the current season, will a new agreement help usher in a fully professional era?
This year's International Women's Day Theme, as stated by the UN, was supposed to be about the contributions of women to changing the climate of gender and building a sustainable future.
Indigenous women around the world are at the frontline of this fight, protecting ancestral lands ... so why aren't their voices being elevated?
Guest:
Senator Lidia Thorpe, Victorian Greens
The federal government won't add superannuation to taxpayer-funded parental leave payments after rejecting a suggestion from its retirement income review.
Ministers decided against the change, arguing it wouldn't have a big enough impact to justify the cost.
The review found paying superannuation would cost $200m a year, less than one per cent of the total budget.
Guest:
Senator Jane Hume, Minister for Women's Economic Security
For the second time in 24 hours NSW SES issued an evacuation order for part of Manly, which included Zali Steggall's office. But with the current frequency of the floods in Australia, are descriptions like 'unprecedented' and 'once in a hundred years' becoming redundant?
"Don't say anything that isn't true."
Colm Tóibín's work spans eras, genres and takes on everything from the domestic to divinity, and he has been rewarded with a collection of the major prizes from around the world.
But this year, he celebrates a new debut—his first collection of poetry.
In the Drawing Room, Tóibín discusses the rules of poetry; the surprising observations he made while recovering from cancer; and his recent novel The Magician.
Buyers are stocking up on oil as Russian supplies fall and the global price continues to soar.
At one point the US benchmark for oil prices went past 130-US dollars per barrel today.
So what does it mean for prices at the bowser, and the economy?
Guest:
David Byrne, Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne
The Russian Defence Ministry says its forces will hold their fire and open humanitarian corridors in several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv.
The announcement comes after two failed attempts with both Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of violating previous ceasefires.
It's a question many of us are increasingly wanting to ask each other: how much do you get paid?
But how do pay secrecy clauses work, what happens if you break them and how do they affect the gender pay gap?
Piles upon piles of rotting debris that just keep getting bigger, no phone or internet access, whole communities cut off and exhausted people in desperate need of basic provisions that's the situation in northern New South Wales
We've seen the images of devastation in towns like Lismore but what about the regions a little further off the map like Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah?
Guests:
Eddie Dostine, Byron Bay photographer
Rebecca Whan, Murwillumbah Chamber of commerce
The Prime Minister says the government won't announce which model of nuclear-powered submarine Australia will acquire before the election, contradicting suggestions made by Defence Minister Peter Dutton yesterday.
Scott Morrison also declared Russia's invasion of Ukraine is proof the world is facing a new "arc of autocracy" which seeks to disrupt the rules-based order.
Guest:
Richard Marles, Deputy Labor Leader
'You're not a real Hong Konger if you haven't tasted tear gas'
One Country, Two Systems: the idea lies at the heart of Hong Kong's relationship with China.
But in 2019, as Hong Kong locked to change their extradition laws, that central concept appeared to be fraying.
And so millions of citizens took to the streets day after day. But why was Hong Kong's protest movement so persistent? And what's next?
Antony Dapiran is a Hong Kong-based writer and lawyer and the author of City on Fire: The Fight For Hong Kong.
The loss of cricketing legend Rod Marsh is being felt far and wide as the sporting world comes to grips with his death at the age of 74.
This week we're asking the tough questions on car parks, bitumen ingredients and Queens of the red carpet.
This week our guests discuss whether the floods are going to force the government to think differently about the role of climate change.
Reverend Tim Costello and Peter Van Onselen
Russia has claimed control of Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine after intense shelling and a fire which has now been extinguished.
Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky says the attack should serve as a wake-up call for Europe and the US, to act now to avoid a nuclear catastrophe.
Guest:
Inna Sovsun, Ukrainian MP
A hockey team with mob connections; a fistfight between players and fans in the basketball stands; a tennis star opening up about mental health: some sporting moments stick in the public consciousness.
But what is it like being a part of those moments? To have your life defined by a great victory or a crushing defeat?
Chapman and Maclain Way are the directors of Untold, a documentary series looking at the personal stories behind the headlines, and in the Drawing Room they share the surprises they found along the way.
A 10-year blueprint to bring back the Tasmanian Tiger, was there more than one species of the T-rex and how to help your dog through grief.
Will Grant is from the ANU's Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
Rebecca Prince-Ruiz founded the Plastic Free July movement more than a decade ago and her efforts have seen her named as Western Australia's Local Hero of the Year.
She was in Nairobi to witness the United Nations Environment Assembly unanimously agree to establish a global and legally binding plastics treaty years in the making.
The Federal Government has granted more than a thousand temporary visas to Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion.
The UN says more than a million people have already fled the country, and as many as four million could.
Guest:
Volodymyr Shalkivski, Ukraine's Chargé d'Affaires in Australia
The federal government's controversial promise to build four commuter carparks in Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's leafy Melbourne electorate of Kooyong has stalled.
His office announced the projects - worth a combined $65 million won't proceed after "significant local feedback".
Guest:
Monique Ryan, Voices of Kooyong candidate
Thousands of residents were today ordered to evacuate their homes across New South Wales as rain continues to pour and river levels rise.
The severe weather warnings for Sydney city, the Illawarra and Central Tablelands were cancelled and flood peaks downgraded by the Bureau of Meteorology this afternoon but risks remain as Queensland faces severe thunderstorms.
Guest:
Brigadier Robert Lording CSM, Commander Joint Task Group 629.1
Whether it's coffee, alcohol, or perhaps something a little less legal, most people have experienced the mind-altering properties of the natural world.
But how did some plants become illegal while others are just part of the background hum of daily life? And how do they effect our brains?
Michael Pollan is an author and journalist and in his latest book This Is Your Mind on Plants, he takes a look at the science, history and social impact of caffeine, opium, and mescaline
Despite being outnumbered by both Russian troops and fire power, Ukrainians have stood their ground and taken up arms to defend their nation, leading to some experts to draw comparisons between what's unfolding in Ukraine with the battle of Stalingrad.
America joins a growing number of allies, including Canada and the European Union, in closing their skies to Russia.
Russian athletes have been drawn into sanctions against the Kremlin and many will have opportunities stripped from them as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.
Should sport be weaponised in times of war? With Tracy Holmes, ABC Sports reporter and host of The Ticket
and Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sports Management at the University of Technology Sydney
The International Energy Agency - of which Australia is a member - has agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves to send a signal to the market that there will be no shortage in supplies.
Last week the global oil price touched $105 a barrel for the first time since 2014.
Guest:
Angus Taylor, federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
Floods that have caused devastation in Queensland and northern New South Wales continue to track south.
The food system is broken. That's the claim Anika Molesworth, the deputy chair of Farmers for Climate Action, makes in her recent book, Our Sunburnt Country.
Food is thrown away in huge quantities in nations like Australia, while other people lack the basics of daily life; consumers are trained to expect the lowest possible prices for produce, leaving farmers frustrated and struggling; and climate change is already having an impact on the types of crops that can be grown in our regions.
In the Drawing Room, Anika talks about her own journey to the country and the path to a better future for everyone.
Tasmanians have had to deal with internet and phone blackouts after two of the main communication cables were severed.
But one ABC journalist has been managing to get messages back to the mainland.
Ukraine is waking up to its sixth day under attack from Russia and to the news that a huge Russian convoy is closing in on the capital, Kyiv.
Australia has announced $70 million for NATO to purchase missiles and ammunition and $35 million for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, as calls strengthen for diplomats to be expelled.
Senator Rex Patrick says allowing Russian diplomats to remain in Australia doesn't make sense as the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve.
Guest:
Senator Rex Patrick, Independent senator for South Australia
The deadly floods on the east coast have now claimed their first life in New South Wales.
The disaster has been labelled a one-in-500 year occurrence, as southern parts of New South Wales, including metropolitan Sydney, brace for a deluge.
Each year at the World Wine Tasting Championships, teams of the best sommeliers in the world attempt to identify twelve different wines—from the type, to the year, to the vineyard—with no information except the glass in front of them.
There are signs that the unprecedented economic sanctions imposed on Russia are beginning to bite, as the West intensifies efforts to punish and isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
The Carbon Canary is your daily news in a decarbonizing economy and climate change which today includes BP divesting from Russia, the latest IPCC working group report and a breakthrough with lithium sulphur batteries.
Records have been smashed and streets, homes and businesses swamped as devasting falls drench the east of Australia from Maryborough in Queensland to Lismore in northern New South Wales.
An eighth person has died in Queensland as a year's worth of rain is dumped across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Hundreds of rescues have taken place across both states from a weather system that has baffled forecasters.
When he was a nine-year-old boy, Valanga Khoza was working in a factory in South Africa, under the watchful gaze of a guard and his sjambok.
As a university student, he became involved in the country's fight against Apartheid, which led to his arrest and exile from his homeland.
Now, Valanga is a musician and a story-teller in Australia where he found a new home and an appreciative audience.
This week we're asking the tough questions on welding, fleas and major musical gigs.
Comedians Jordan Barr and Lizzy Hoo face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
By the time he was twenty, Joseph Tawadros had already received a significant music fellowship and an ARIA nomination for his first album.
He's gone on to become one of the most respected Oud players in the world, performing a concert of his original music at the BBC Proms and being awarded the Order of Australia medal along the way.
For the last few two years he's been stuck in London during the pandemic, finishing off an album that he began in New York, but in the Drawing Room he's looking forward with a tour and mystery new project on the way.
Torrential downpours have led to deadly flash flooding and widespread damage throughout south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales this week.
It's the last of La Nina system that was originally expected to ease by the end of January.
The first panic attack happened years ago on national live television.
But for ABC News Breakfast Presenter Nate Byrne the manifestation of anxiety started an important mental health journey.
United Nation Environment Project predicts that the number of bushfires will increase by 50 percent globally within the next 80 years.
And governments are not going to be ready for them. Australia has already seen a dramatic increase, with three out of four megafires in the last century occurring since the year 2000.
Guest
Ayesha Tulloch, co-author of Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires
Former NATO planning advisor Fabrice Pouthier has described NATO and the allied response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as too little too late.
The worst fears are becoming realities for Ukrainians who've endured a sleepless night, with many retreating to bomb shelters in the capital Kyiv, as missiles struck the city's outskirts.
From vaccine roll outs to support packages for business, the pandemic has brought home the importance of the role that the government plays in our lives.
And while the public sector once had a reputation for being slow and averse to change, they have shown how quickly they can innovate when a crisis presents the opportunity.
But is that innovation sustainable and is long-term planning possible when the next election is always just around the corner?
Australia has moved to impose sanctions against Russia's banks and political elites in lock step with the US, and it's allies, amid warnings of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine within 24 hours
The one night only performance of iconic rockers The Foo Fighters playing in Geelong represents much more than just a rock concert.
It's the realisation of a vision from legendary music producer Michael Gudinski and it may be a signal to Australia's live music scene it can fully emerge from its pandemic shell.
With orientation weeks underway, universities across the country are welcoming back students to campuses.
But even with international borders reopening, Australian universities are expecting it take some time before the international cohort returns to pre-pandemic levels.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will immediately impose travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on Russian citizens in response to what he's deemed the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine.
Western allies including Australia have imposed sanctions on Russian banks and businesses and key Kremlin figures.
When we see a film—whether it's in the cinema or on a streaming platform—we see the final result of years of hard work from many hands.
But what does it take to get from the initial idea to the first screening? And how does the industry pick which projects to fund and which to set aside?
From his early days working with Ang Lee to heading up Amazon Studios, Ted Hope has been a central part of some of the big screen's most interesting productions and its biggest changes. And in the Drawing Room he looks back at the lessons he's learned along the way.
The United States and the United Kingdom say they will impose sanctions on Russia for violating international law and Ukraine's sovereignty.
Travel business have struggled to survive during the pandemic - some have suffered large amounts of staff while others have pivoted their business model completely.
As Australia opens its international borders, travel businesses aren't expecting an immediate influx of international visitors.
With the budget approaching next month, the industries who sell alcohol are lobbying the government for tax relief they say will get people back into pubs and clubs.
But health and welfare advocates say that any price reduction will lead to an increase in the harm that comes with drinking.
Guests
Caterina Giorgi, CEO of the Foundation for Alcohol Research
John Preston, CEO of Brewers Association
Former Liberal candidate for Gilmore Warren Mundine says the New South Wales Liberal Party can not afford further delays as the stalemate over federal pre-selections continues.
Russia has ordered troops into two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine run by Moscow-backed separatists.
Sidney Nolan remains one of Australia's most respected artists. His work can be found in museums across the country, and his iconic depiction of Ned Kelly was even used in the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics.
But who was the man behind the icon? How did an intimate relationship with a married couple—and it's bitter end—shape Nolan's later life? And how do we grapple with Nolan's legacy today?
Kendrah Morgan and Dean Cross discuss Nolan and two exhibitions at the Heide Museum of Modern Art.
Australia's economists are calling for the Government to increase its migrant intake number from 160-thousand to 190-thousand now that the nation's international borders have opened.
Australia's largest electricity generator AGL has rejected an initial $8 billion takeover bid, spearheaded by billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and backed by Canadian asset management company Brookfield.
What does the bid tell us about attitudes to coal-fired power, especially as the Federal Government says any takeover would be subject to a foreign investment review?
There is a trend emerging in schools around the country.
Single-sex schools are switching to a co-educational model.
Guest
Phillip Heath, Principal, Barker College
There were emotional scenes, family reunions and lots of hugs at airports across Australia today, as the nation opened up to international visitors for the first time in 2 years.
Jason Yat-Sen Li has extended his lead in Strathfield, securing 55.7 per cent of the two party preferred vote, but it wasn't smooth sailing with an attempt to paint him as a Chinese Communist Party sympathiser during the campaign.
With his husky baritone voice and his stories of Australia—as it was, as it is, and as it could be—William Crighton is staking his claim to be part of the Australian songbook.
In the Drawing Room, William speaks with Andy Park about his new album Water and Dust, his family, his friendship with William Barton, and his love for writing about the human stories.
The Beijing Winter Olympics comes to a close this weekend, with Australia already recording its best ever medal haul at a single Games.
But what will the event's legacy be for Australia and the world?
This week we're asking the tough questions on political retractions, Peruvian mass weddings and musical protestations.
Comedians Angela Lavoipierra and Alice Fraser face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
'The Wrap' is RN Drive's summary of the biggest stories of the week, plus some you may have missed.
Senate Estimates heard the agency overseeing the NDIS spent almost $22 million on external legal fees in the past financial year with complaints to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal increasing 400 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.
The government appears to have been blindsided by yesterday's announcement that Australia's largest coal-fired power plant, Origin's Eraring facility, will be mothballed seven years ahead of schedule, in 2025.
RN Drive's Research Filter sifts through some of the most interesting science news of the week, and sorts fact from fiction.
Influence can be built in many different ways, from the quiet conversations in the corridors of power to the loud attention of celebrity.
Social media has introduced a new playing field and a new title: 'influencer'.
And while the names that dominate online might not have the same household recognition as traditional celebrities, their work generates hundreds of millions of views and billions of dollars every year.
Given their reach, are the people with the biggest voices online in a position to quietly, and not so quietly, change the stories of our society?
Olivia Yallop is the author of Break The Internet: In Search of Influence.
The US says Russian claims of troop withdrawals are false amid sightings of additional armoured vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Russia's border with Ukraine.
Why is this rich and powerful country facing a national social crisis of loneliness?
Foreign Correspondent 'Flying Solo' documents a battle between traditional values and modern lives.
Guest
Jake Sturmer, ABC correspondent for Japan for four years
The tragic, fatal shark attack in Sydney is the sixth time a person has been attacked in Australia this year.
Why are we seeing a rise in the number of shark attacks and what can be done to stop them?
Origin Energy has sought to dramatically bring forward the closure of the nation's largest coal-fired power plant by seven years.
The company says the decision is being driven by more renewable energy at a competitive price, and it will now work to transition hundreds of employees.
The federal Coalition has continued to ratchet up its language on national security, despite the warnings of the current and former heads of Australia's security agency ASIO.
The upcoming Federal election has seen a rise in independent candidates across the country - under the banner of groups like ‘Voices of’ and Climate 200.
But what drives someone to become involved in politics in Australia? And is it possible to truly maintain your independence?
Jo Dyer is the director of Adelaide Writers' Week and the author of Burning Down The House: Reconstructing Modern Politics. She's also one of the candidates running for parliament.
Protests have spread across India and into neighbouring Pakistan after a court ruling in the state of Karnataka forced women and girls to remove their hijabs in Government run education institutions.
Women's advocates say not only does it impose on religious freedom but it's a slippery slope for women's rights.
Victoria has entered into exclusive negotiations with the Commonwealth Games Federation, an event which the State Premier Daniel Andrews has promised will feature regional cities.
With several cities pulling out of bidding to host the Games - can the regional model revive the event?
The Immigration Minister has this afternoon conceded the Government will likely run out of time to pass changes to the visa character test before the election.
Trials are underway to compare work productivity over four days instead of five.
So who are the winners - the employers or the employees?
Guest
Andrew Barnes, founder of Guardian Perpetual in New Zealand
The Prime Minister has doubled down on his claim Labor is weak on national security as he faces questions over aged care.
Globalisation was once seen, at least among the Western establishment, as a universal good: the 'rising tide that would lift all boats'.
Lately though, from the rise of Donald Trump to the challenges of Covid, that establishment view has come under increasing challenge from the very political powers that once supported it.
In their recent book, Six Faces of Globalization, Anthea Roberts and Nicolas Lamp have identified six different narratives that have emerged about globalisation—each with its own perspective on the winners, the losers, and the eventual answers.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken the unprecedented step of invoking the Emergencies Act in an effort to bring an end to an anti-vaccine mandate protests which have shut U.S. border crossings and paralysed parts of the nation's capital.
Tonga is struggling to recover from a volcanic eruption and a tsunami with only a fraction of the communication required.
Alongside this the island nation encounters COVID for the first time.
Guest
Mary Lyn Fonua, managing editor of Tonga's online news website Matangi Tonga
A former gas industry insider has hit out at the sector claiming it's public commitments to curb emissions is at odds with its business plans.
A Norwegian court has ruled it cruel to breed English bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels citing the numerous health problems they face.
The decision has asked the question of whether it's ethical to own and breed these dogs in Australia.
Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie says there needs to be greater transparency around political donations and has introduced an amendment Bill which would require real-time disclosure and ban donations from particular industries.
The Federal Coalition is using the dying days of the 46th Parliament to attempt to pass tougher visa character test laws, after its two previous attempts failed.
In a world full of complications and compromises, is it possible to be a truly moral person? To be truly good?
And how do we begin to explain the answer to thorny questions like 'is it ok to punch my friend in the face for no reason?'
Mike Schur is the creator of The Good Place and the author of How To Be Perfect and in the Drawing Room, he takes us from Aristotle to a heart-felt apology.
Protestors in the United States are hoping to bring parts of America to a stand still tomorrow when they launch their "Day Without Immigrants" industrial action
Last year, Australians lost hundreds of millions to online scammers who stole money from people seeking relationships online.
The ACCC has released a study into the prevalence of scamming in Australia and the results are alarming.
Guest
Delia Rickard, deputy chair of the ACCC
The Kremlin has accused the west of "hysteria" over it's claims that Russia could invade Ukraine at anytime and might even engineer a surprise pretext for attack.
Global fast food chain McDonalds wants to build 100 restaurants across the country in the next couple of years - about 30 per cent of those are likely to be in regional areas.
But while these franchises create jobs, health professionals are worried it could bring obesity-related problems for communities which are already facing food security issues.
As the election grows ever closer, there's general agreement that major tax reform is needed to drive productivity, investment and growth but can we bank on it actually happening?
In an unnamed city, a man goes suddenly blind. Then another. And another, until it's clear that a pandemic is sweeping through the population.
The infected are sent to abandoned hospitals and set under armed guard, while outside the camps the government, and society, slowly fall apart.
Blindness was originally a novel by the Nobel Prize-winning author José Saramago, but its most recent adaptation lies somewhere between theatre and sound installation.
In the Drawing Room, playwright Simon Stephens talks about his own path to theatre and how one actor changed everything about the show.
Scotty James wins the half-pipe silver at the Beijing Winter Games, as Australia arguably exceeds its medal expectations.
As Australia celebrates, naturalised Chinese athletes are facing a very different reception.
This week we're asking the tough questions on borders reopening, Oscar nominations and the Queen's commands.
Writers and tv presenters Kirsten Drysdale and Zoe Norton Lodge face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Koalas have been listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT meaning they are one step closer to extinction.
'The Wrap' is RN Drive's summary of the biggest stories of the week, plus some you may have missed.
A business figure with deep ties to China has been confirmed as being at the heart of a foiled Beijing-orchestrated attempt to bankroll New South Wales Labor candidates in the upcoming federal election.
What rights do you have over the things that you own?
It used to be that if you bought something and it broke, you could pull it apart and fix it yourself.
But over the last few decades, companies have used design decisions, intellectual property law and software controls to make that much harder.
It all adds up to a lot more purchases and a lot more waste.
In the Drawing Room, Aaron Perzanowski, the John Homer Kapp Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University and author of The Right to Repair, explains how we got to this point, and how change could occur.
A new Climate Council report finds 2021 set a new record of renewable energy for the National Energy Market.
It was released on the same day AGL brought forward the closure date of its two largest coal fired power stations, and a key breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology in Europe.
RN Drive's Research Filter sifts through some of the most interesting science news of the week, and sorts fact from fiction.
With the Religious Freedom bill effectively shelved, all eyes are now on next month's Budget and the election due by May.
With the Religious Freedom bill effectively shelved, all eyes are now on next month's Budget and the election due by May.
National Cabinet came together today for their monthly meeting, where the subject of COVID boosters was expected to be at the top of their agenda.
The Senate voted not to debate the contentious Religious Discrimination package today after it passed through the lower house, with amendments, this morning.
After three years of debate, the government has abandoned its 2019 election promise to reform religious freedom.
But the Christian Lobby Group who advocated for the change had already withdrawn its support, saying the emerging version of the bill would do more harm than good.
Written into the bark of the red gums around Lake Boort, north-west of Bendigo in Victoria, is the living history of Dja Dja Wurrung country.
Preserved by the same dam that killed many of the trees, they now form the largest scar tree site in Australia.
It's a remarkable and overlooked record of pre-colonial Australia, and preserving this history has become a mission for a local historian and the Yung Balug clan.
The 'quasi-alliance' between Russia and China is high on the agenda as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken touches down in Australia for regional security talks.
The newly announced alliance has been seen by some as a significant shift in global power, which regional security expert Emeritus Professor Paul Dibb says poses some real issues for Western countries.
Melanoma kills more Australians than the national road toll. Experts say a further 200,000 cases will be diagnosed by 2030, unless more is done to reduce the impact.
The Melanoma Institute of Australia's State of the Nation report suggests a national prevention and awareness campaign could reduce death rates, but outcomes rely on government support.
The Australian Sports Wagering Scheme was a key recommendation of the 2018 Wood Review of Australia's sport integrity arrangements.
It originally proposed a real-time wagering fraud detection and response capability system across gambling businesses, but the industry is now looking to make key changes.
If you had the choice to prevent a genetic abnormality being passed on to your child at birth, what would you do?
A day after the parliament apologised for the suffering caused by bullying, abuse and sexual assault in parliamentary workplaces, former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and former Liberal Party staffer Brittany Higgins have called for proactive action to make real change.
"We need risk in our lives to be healthy humans. And we need it in part because it forces us to be more humble and it forces us to work with others."
Damien Cave has reported from war zones and natural disasters, but when he moved to Sydney to become the Australian bureau chief for The New York Times he had to learn how to confront a surprising new set of challenges.
It's made Damien consider his own openness on risk and in the Drawing Room, he explores how fear and failure has changed his perspective on the world.
New Zealand is grappling with many of the same issues as Australia, today hundreds of anti-vaccine mandate protestors descended on the capital Wellington blocking roads leading to parliament house.
Swiss researchers have developed an implant, with artificial intelligence, which has helped three men with complete spinal cord injuries, walk again.
It comes as Australian researchers trial a non-invasive treatment which could also prove to help people with spinal cord injuries regain independence
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet plans to trial new school hours later this year.
But while it may work for working parents, will it benefit the students?
Guest
Peter Hutton, Future School Alliance
The WA opposition leader Mia Davies is calling on the Premier to set and stick to a reopening date, suggesting the 5th of March.
The Federal Government has settled on amendments to its contentious religious discrimination bill, after lengthy debate inside the party-room.
But Olympian and mental health advocate Ian Thorpe, who is campaigning with Equality Australia, says the bill amounts to "state-sanctioned" discrimination.
Former Liberal staffer Chelsey Potter says she welcomes the statement of acknowledgement of harm caused by sexual assault, bullying and harassment in parliamentary workplaces.
The past is a permanent record: a series of events leading inexorably to the present day.
But the way that we understand those events, the telling of history, that can change significantly over the generations.
So what does it mean to 'make history' and shape the events of the past into a story that informs the future?
In the Drawing Room, the historian Anna Clark reflects on the changing philosophy behind Australian history.
Jakara Anthony and Tess Coady's triumphs at the Beijing Winter Olympics have seen Australia experience its most successful day at the Games.
But it comes as athletes from around the world are beginning to complain over isolation rules and even catering.
The White House says a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be days away, and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Australians to return.
But do Russians share the same view that an invasion is imminent?
UK television network Channel 5 has made the decision to walk away from iconic, Australian cultural export Neighbours.
It paid 300-million pounds to take the rights from the BBC 15 years ago, but now Network 10 is scrambling to find a new commercial partner for the iconic Australian show.
Industry and business groups as well as the government hope the reopening of international borders this month will propel post pandemic recovery.
The Federal Attorney General says the government hasn't ruled out introducing legislation for a Commonwealth Integrity Commission ahead of the election, despite not including it as a priority.
Emerging out of Austin's indie-rock scene in the early 90s, Spoon have gone on to craft a body of work that must be the envy of their contemporaries.
The band was in the middle of recording their tenth studio album, back home in Austin, when the first wave of Covid hit America and everything went on hold.
In the Drawing Room, the band's frontman, Britt Daniel, explains why that enforced hiatus may have been the best thing for the record.
Meta, Facebook's parent company, has seen the value of their shares drop by a staggering $322 billion Australian dollars.
This week we're asking the tough questions on household goods, Winter Olympic debutants and valuable word games.
As of today fully vaccinated Australians can finally return to the Island of the Gods, Bali in Indonesia.
'The Wrap' is RN Drive's summary of the biggest stories of the week, plus some you may have missed.
The major parties are this afternoon scrutinising two reports on the Religious Discrimination Bill, which is intended to ensure Australians are protected from discrimination on the basis of religious belief or activity.
Professional cricketers, who spend their summers standing around in the sun, are vulnerable to climate change. Matches have been postponed because of air quality concerns in recent years and the rising heat creates its own challenges.
But what about the impact that the sport itself is having on emissions?
Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins led Australia to a series of dominating wins in the Ashes over the summer, but is now championing a movement that's taking place off the pitch: Cricket for Climate.
RN Drive's Research Filter sifts through some of the most interesting science news of the week, and sorts fact from fiction.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has finally announced a reopening for the nation's borders, amid growing discontent with her government's apparent zero tolerance policy.
As the Winter Olympics takes its place on the world stage, there are fears another long-running sporting event the Commonwealth Games could come to an end later this year.
Sports columnist Roy Masters says Victoria has been approached to host the 2026 event, but discussions have hit a snag putting the event's future in doubt.
The final resting place of James Cook's ship the Endeavour has been discovered in Newport Harbour off Rhode Island in the USA.
The federal government has announced a taskforce to drill into COVID-19 death data to establish how many aged care residents have died because of the virus, as opposed to dying with it.
These days, Sesame Street is an institution. But when the show first started, it was charting a radical new path.
Combining the wisdom of education specialists, the tricks of the advertising industry and the dark humour of Jim Henson, the creators wanted to find out what a television show could do if it loved people instead of trying to sell to them.
In the Drawing Room, Marilyn Agrelo talks about her new documentary Street Gang, and explains how the show's integrated cast led to it being pulled off the air in Mississippi.
Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott, hopes to change perceptions of disabled people but what does that actually mean?
Rio Tinto has committed to reform after an external report found bullying, racism, sexual harassment and assault were common occurrences.
But it comes weeks ahead of a report is due to be handed down from a Western Australian state parliament committee tasked with investigating sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry.
There are 23 Rapid Antigen Tests, colloquically known as RATs approved for sale in Australia of which six use saliva or oral fluid to detect COVID.
The disaster hit nation of Tonga has entered a 48-hour lockdown, after two port workers contracted COVID-19.
On a day when another 70 Australians lost their lives to COVID-19, including tragically a child under the age of 10, the Prime Minister has continued to face questions over a text exchange attacking his character.
In the thawing permafrost of Siberia an ancient body is found, a preserved virus makes its way into the world, and everything changes.
Sequoia Nagamatsu started his debut novel, How High We Go in the Dark, long before Covid hit the headlines, but it couldn't have been more prescient.
It's a beautifully written book that grapples with grief and hope, science and faith. In the Drawing Room, Sequoia discusses his own inspirations.
Plastic in our oceans is a huge environmental problem but could sea bins be the answer to cleaner, healthier oceans?
Despite a COVID scare sent through the team, Australia's athletes are preparing for the Beijing Winter Games to officially open on Friday.
But on the backdrop of geo-political tensions, Australia's Chef de Mission Geoff Lipshut says athletes will be free to use their voice in the face of threats from Chinese authorities.
Scott Morrison says he wants to see better "linkages" between industry and university researchers
The aged care workforce will receive two payments worth up to $400 each between now and May in a Federal Government pitch to retain the workforce amid the omicron strain.
In a society that seems increasingly fractured into smaller communities, is it still possible to embrace the idea of 'us' instead of 'them'?
Against a rising tide of authoritarianism, Stan Grant examines the importance of finding common ground, despite how difficult that can sometimes seem.
The triumphs of Ash Barty and Rafael Nadal have left tennis fans on a high, but the Australian Open's fairy tale finish was threatened before the tournament even started.
New York Times tennis writer Christopher Clarey reflects on this year's event after a unprecedented prologue involving the men's world number one.
Australia's fifth-biggest coal miner, Peabody, has been found by the national regulator to have been incorrectly reporting their greenhouse gas emissions to the Australian government.
But how far out was their reporting and is this an isolated incident?
Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that Tony Fitzgerald will lead a new inquiry into the anti-corruption body he helped create.
Supply chain stress and the spread of omicron has heightened community frustration over a disrupted summer with the latest Newspoll suggesting support for the Coalition has dropped to the lowest level since the 2018 leadership spill.
The Olympic Games have been through turmoil before, but as we approach the second games in as many years to be completely transformed by the pandemic, it begs the question: how can the IOC continue to market this global event?
Today, Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic. And as leaders try to push Australians into getting a third dose of a COVID vaccine, some experts and politicians say we need to redefine what it means to be 'fully vaccinated'.
What was the best book RN presenter Dr Norman Swan read this summer? He has more than one suggestion for your reading list.
Australians have become obsessed with air conditioners, and it's got us into a precarious situation when it comes to climate change. But there is a solution.
The rapid rise in property values has prompted a group of unions, social welfare groups, and industry bodies to band together, pressuring government to fix Australia's housing crisis.
Shipping companies are sitting on some very healthy pandemic profits. And now, one of the world's largest is using that cash to fund some pretty aggressive net-zero goals.
Today Australia's largest state, NSW, hit 1 million COVID infections. The country as a whole is closing in on 2 million cases, but there is cause for optimism.
It feels like crypto currency advertising is everywhere. But it's a highly volatile asset not many people understand. Does that make it a far bigger risk than people realise?
What do we really know about Russia's goals in Ukraine? Is there a real risk that Europe is on the brink of its first war in decades?
Could a growing COVID-19 outbreak derail Western Australia's plans for indefinite isolation?
Starting today, more than six million Australians theoretically have access to free rapid antigen tests, but can they find them?
For Patricia's final Drawing Room, a couple of musicians whose awesome music will end the year on a good note.
In 2021, Gordi and Alex Lahey have collaborated together and released their own solo tracks; Gordi's been doubling as both a doctor and a musician and Alex has been getting Oscar buzz. It's been a big year! In the Drawing Room they reflect on recent times and reveal their plans for the future.
Matilda Boseley from The Guardian takes RN Drive through her favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking the tough questions from a huge year of news, including politics, music, sport, science and the events that shaped 2021.
ABC Fact Check and News Breakfast presenter Madeleine Morris and ABC News Breakfast co-host Michael Rowland face off in the year's final instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded in 2021.
Patricia Karvelas has held politicians to account, been entertaining and delivered stories from across the world over the last seven years on RN Drive. Have a listen to a few of those moments.
Listen to Patricia Karvelas reflect back on presenting RN Drive over the last seven years, as she's signs off for the last time.
Former Liberal MP Dr Sharman Stone and senior economics correspondent with The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Shane Wright discuss pork barrelling, the rise of the independents for the next election and the issue that's dominated the Parliamentary year, women in Parliament.
On an isolated Island, off the coast of Scotland, a small group of men wait.
And wait.
They fill the hours with old episodes of Friends and awkward lessons in British culture.
Ben Sharrock talks about his new film, Limbo, an absurdist, tragic, funny, and heartfelt look at the days and months of asylum seekers waiting for an answer about their future.
New research from the Children's Commissioner for England has found children as young as 8 and 9 want parents to discuss pornography with them.
In a world where pornography is easily accessible and openly discussed, how do parents and guardians approach this conversation?
In 2021 humans took giant strides in and towards space, perhaps none bigger than NASA's project to kiss the sun
Plus Adjunct Associate Professor Darren Saunders from the University of Sydney casts his eyes of the significant vaccine breakthroughs and gene editing technology.
Born and raised in Kentucky, hooks wrote widely on issues such as race, feminism and capitalism.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the economy is positioned for growth next year.
Its a word that you may not have come across before this year, but have no doubt heard over and over again the last couple weeks.
Omicron.
Or, perhaps you've heard Om-ni-cron instead?
The Federal Government has released its mid-year budget update, revealing a $7.4 billion improvement to the bottom line.
Five children have died and several others are in a critical condition after falling ten metres from a jumping castle at a primary school in Tasmania.
In 2015, a glamourous young couple in Tehran died in a car crash when they lost control of their new Porsche.
At a personal level, it was a tragedy for the families involved. But the story didn't stay personal.
Their Instagram feeds became a flashpoint: a place to vent anger about the ostentatious wealth displayed by the children of privilege in Iran
Javaad Alipoor takes that event and its fallout as the starting point for a recent show, Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran, in which he examines questions of wealth, images, history and the Anthropocene.
New South Wales has seen a surge in COVID 19 cases today but the NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, is standing by his decision to further relax covid restrictions.
The West Australian Parliament has voted through controversial new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws which give the Minister the final say on whether significant sites should be protected.
The festive season can evoke some strong emotions as many families come together to celebrate the holidays.
But many traditions affect our brains and go some way to explaining how we feel about Christmas music at shopping centres, the art of gift-giving and overindulging on festive feasts.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has called for an end to pork barrelling, saying its "out of control", following analysis from the Nine papers that found government held seats received far more funding than Opposition Labor electorates.
The World Health Organisation has warned the new Omicron variant is spreading at an unprecedented rate and could again overwhelm health systems.
In her first starring role, in The Worst Person In The World, Renate Reinsve has won the best actress award at Cannes and been celebrated by critics around the globe.
But it almost didn't happen. Reinsve was considering giving up acting when Joachim Trier approached her with a role he'd written specifically for her - having grown tired of waiting for the industry to recognise her talent.
In the Drawing Room, Reinsve shares the shock of winning the award, the relief of handing back her diamonds at the end of the night, and how she's embracing the chaos of an expected year.
"We need an Oval Office address" screams one text from Donald Trump Jr sent to the then US President's top aide Mark Meadows as the Capitol Riot unfolds.
It's one of several dramatic text messages revealed in a House select committee investigating the Capitol attack, which has also unanimously voted to recommend criminal prosecution for the former Presidential Chief of Staff.
The iconic true giant clam can grow to a metre long, weigh 250 kilograms and live up to 100 years. However, despite its robust appearance these magnificent creatures are facing increasing threats.
At least 74 people are confirmed dead and over 100 people are still missing after devastating tornadoes tore through large parts of Kentucky.
The Christmas movie genre is being churned out four times faster than a decade ago, and they're a far cry from the first Christmas movie from 1898.
But today's Christmas cinema is more than likely to follow a formula and feature a romantic comedy plotline.
The Western Australian Government is tonight expected to pass its controversial Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill, which it's described as "the most progressive cultural heritage legislation in the country".
Pharmaceutical company Moderna will be manufacturing 100-million mRNA vaccine doses a year in Australia by 2024 under an in-principal agreement with the Commonwealth and Victorian governments.
Rita Moreno is one of a handful of performers to complete the EGOT and she featured in iconic musicals like West Side Story and Singing In The Rain.
But her own life is as remarkable as any tale she's performed on screen.
In the Drawing Room, Mariem Pérez Riera talks about her biopic on the trailblazing actress.
In a third and final independence referendum, New Caledonia has overwhelmingly voted to stay French.
But, the poll was marred by a boycott from the indigenous pro-independence movement, which saw the turnout drop to only 44 per cent.
Could the population of one koala colony in the Adelaide Hills hold the key to the survival of the species?
Julian Assange's legal team are preparing to fight a High Court ruling that allows his extradition to the United States.
Journalist Andy Park will join the RN Drive team as the new presenter from January 2022.
Find out it he's a coffee addict, and what bird he loves best.
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, witnessing the signing of an historic billion dollar military deal, the first major military deal with an Asian nation.
Western Australia has announced it will bring down its hard borders and will re-join the rest of the country on February 5, with Queensland welcoming interstate travellers again from today.
Jaguar Jonze is a major voice in the Australian music industry: speaking out on racism, sexism and abusive behaviour and helping to start a important cultural review.
And on the creative side, the last 18 months has seen an EP, a short film, a huge new single, and plenty more.
In the Drawing Room, Jonze discusses music, art, community, healing and the new review.
James Colley, head writer on hit comedy shows Gruen and Question Everything takes RN Drive through his favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on what's infested Parliament House, why camels have been disqualified from a beauty pageant, and why the safety car was called at Bathurst.
Comedians and ABC TV personalities Tom Gleeson and Charlie Pickering face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
Former AMA president and previous Wentworth MP, Dr Kerryn Phelps and AFR political reporter Tom McIlroy discuss George Christensen's appearance on a far right-wing American conspiracy show, Gladys Berejiklian's return to the news cycle and the Omicron variant.
More than two million children aged five to 11 will be eligible for their first covid-19 vaccination from next month.
With a passion for songs and a killer voice, Wanita has dreamed of being a country music star since she was a little girl.
The years have gone by, and a lot of life has happened along the way, but dreams don't have to fade.
And so Wanita set off to Nashville to record an album, with a documentary team in tow.
As if one new variant wasn't enough - this week Queensland scientists detected an 'Omicron-like' sub-variant in the state.
A team of Queensland scientists known as the forensic scientific services conducted extensive testing to unearth the strain, and their team leaders joined RN Drive to discuss their research.
2021 saw some very unique and intriguing scientific discoveries including the Indigenous mind recall trick which outperforms Sherlock's mind palace technique.
Plus Dr Joe Milton from The Australian Science Media Centre also looks at TikTok tics and how one man somehow had magic mushrooms growing in his blood.
The rental housing crisis is forcing workers to live in tents leading to local regional councils to call for greater intervention.
Canada has joined Australia, the UK and the United States in diplomatically boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics.
But it's not the first time the games have been caught up in politics.
Forty years ago at the height of the Cold War, America lead much of the world to boycotting the 1980 Moscow Games.
The New Zealand government hopes to make the country entirely smoke-free within the next four years as new legislation will see the legal smoking age increase every year.
A Senate inquiry into Australia's media landscape has found the existing regulation isn't fit for purpose, and has recommended a judicial inquiry into media diversity.
Early data suggests booster shots could be crucial to fighting the new Omicron Coronavirus variant.
Several years ago, Omar Musa had reached what he describes as a dark night of the soul. Then, a chance encounter with woodcarving at a show in Borneo gave him a new passion and a chance to connect with the playfulness he'd lost in his work.
His latest book, Killernova, combines prose, poetry and carvings, to become a piece of art as well as a collection of the same.
There's fears that tension between The White House and The Kremlin could reach a new low with the US warning Russia that it will face tough sanctions if they invade Ukraine
ABC shows stream into living rooms across Australia but a new report has found that Aunty's productions inject more than $700 million a year into the economy.
In true pandemic fashion, the states are back at it, battling over the latest major sporting event.
With the fifth and final men's Ashes test stripped from Perth over the government's strict covid border measures, Cricket Australia has put the venue out to tender.
And the Prime Minister's thrown his support behind an unlikely contender...
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says any retaliation from China over Australia's decision not to have a diplomatic presence at the Beijing Winter Olympics would be "utterly unacceptable".
The Chinese Embassy in Australia has criticised the federal government's decision to follow the US and participate in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, saying it runs counter to Australia's wish to improve relations.
When a young boy is killed in a hit and run accident and the police close the case for lack of evidence, his mother sets out to take revenge into her own hands.
But vengeance is never easy and wealth is a powerful defence.
Cush Jumbo talks about her starring role in The Beast Must Die.
Tensions between the United States and China have once again ramped up with the White House announcing a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.
Australia's housing market is worth over $9 trillion dollars according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Labor is continuing to defend its 43 per cent emissions reduction target amid suggestions from the coalition it would be replaced with a more ambitious goal, if Labor forms a minority government.
Have you seen a "help wanted" sign at your local cafe or bar? Businesses around the country are struggling to hire staff, but why?
In south-east Sydney lives the Kirby Institute's containment lab.
After carefully moving through three pressurised chambers, designed to make it impossible for the virus to escape, you will find Associate Professor Stuart Turville leading the institute's research into the Omicron variant.
The Prime Minister has denounced Nationals MP George Christensen's appearance on an American far-right conspiracy show where he criticised Australia's covid-19 restrictions.
The Taliban have executed or abducted more than 100 former government officials since they took control of Afghanistan in August according to a report by Human Rights Watch.
The last financial year has seen the biggest increase in fertility treatment in over a decade, according to the latest figures from the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, more single people are choosing to freeze their eggs, freeze their sperm and explore surrogacy and sperm donations.
Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to four years in prison on charges of incitement and breaching covid rules
Dr Tun-Aung Shwe, the Australian representative of Myanmar's exiled alternative administration told RN Drive the trial has been a "repressive mechanism of the military junta".
The festive season is meant to be a time of celebration and goodwill but with many of us already feeling burnt out the prospect of extra social events, family gatherings and gift buying are a source of extra stress.
The faux election campaign is in full swing with the Prime Minister Scott Morrison taking to the Bathurst 1000 and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese announcing a $1.2bn commitment for 20,000 new university places.
The Prime Minister and senior Liberals are again urging former New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian to contest the next federal election, as the party's candidate for Warringah.
Queensland will reopen its borders to all interstate travellers next Monday, four days ahead of schedule.
For the last five years, First Nations Australian composers have been working with Ensemble Offspring to create a new generation of music.
This weekend at the Sydney Opera House, the ensemble will be showcasing the work in a concert titled Composing Songlines.
Zara Seidler co-founder of The Daily Aus takes RN Drive through her favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on the Prime Minister's spelling challenge, what links Adelaide and Sir David Attenborough, plus how many times a New Zealand MP has cycled herself to hospital to give birth?
Co-hosts of "Stop Everything!" Beverley Wang and Benjamin Law face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
President of the New South Wales Liberal Women's Council Mary-Lou Jarvis wraps the last federal sitting week with Tory Shepherd, senior journalist for Guardian Australia who's just returned to Adelaide from Canberra.
The federal opposition says cutting emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 would create more than 600,000 jobs and see renewables account for 82 per cent of the National Electricity Market by 2030.
What happens when the details of our past are set aside and forgotten?
And what does it mean to reclaim the traumas of history and find the stories and people that were left behind?
In Luke Stegemann's book, Amnesia Road, he looks at the histories of Australia and Spain and the ways that their experiences talk to each other.
The disorderly scenes in parliament haven't been contained to the lower house on the final sitting day of the year with Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe criticised for making sexist and offensive comments towards a government backbencher.
French researchers have found a way to incentivise pregnant women to stop smoking and deliver better health outcomes for their children.
Plus scientific communicator and broadcaster Lee Constable looks at the new predictions about the amount of arctic rain that's expected to fall by 2060, plus what's in the whiskers of a Tasmanian Devil?
The European Union says it will commit 300 billion euros into a massive international infrastructure plan which has been perceived by many as a direct attempt to counter China's Belt and Road initiative.
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has suspended tournaments in China over concerns for the welfare of champion player Peng Shuai.
The decision will likely cost the organisation a significant amount of money, but it's a decision the WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon says had to be made.
Australian tv producers are claiming a win, after the government yesterday delivered a bill that will see millions of dollars flow to the industry.
The government had earlier looked to increase tax cuts for the sector, while simultaneously trying to tighten the rules, but later agreed to Labor's demands, abandoning restrictions to get the bill through parliament.
This week the Sex Discrimination Commissioner's review into parliamentary workplace culture found one in three staffers who had responded had experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Businesswoman and longtime Liberal Party member Kathryn Greiner told RN Drive change is needed, but it will take time for the government to get this right.
The traditional exodus at the end of the sitting year has taken a new turn on what could be the last sitting day before the election.
Here in the After is the the story of Anna and Nat, two broken souls, both with PTSD, struggling to find a place in a world they no longer fit.
Anna is the sole survivor of a Sydney terrorist attack. She is stalked by flashbacks and can't relate to anyone anymore except her little grandson. Nat is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He is guilt-ridden and angry.
They have so little in common, these two. And yet so much. It is the story of their friendship as they try to find a way to heal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has again invoked the 'red line' over Ukraine, warning Moscow will act if NATO deploys certain weapons systems to the region.
Former New Zealand Ambassador to Russia Ian Hill says President Putin has "escalation dominance".
"He can dial up and dial down the pressure as he sees fit."
New cases of HIV have been going down in Australia since 2015 and last year we recorded the lowest number of new infections since 1984 but could we eliminate it completely?
The Victorian government is on the home stretch of replacing the current state of emergency powers with it's contentious purpose built pandemic legislation.
After some 400 years under the British crown, the island nation of Barbados has celebrated its first full day of independence.
The new republic took a path avoiding a referendum, perhaps showing an example for other nations to follow.
The second last day of the parliamentary year has been dominated by the response to sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins' report into parliamentary workplace culture, but many Liberals are repeating their opposition to gender quotas.
Sir Howard Panter is a major figure of British theatre, who has made his name behind the scenes.
As we enter into summer we look at some emerging satellite technology that could help prevent future bushfires.
It's been a Swedish political soap opera of sorts.
Less than a week ago, Sweden's first female Prime Minister was effectively forced to resign on her first day in the job.
But today she was returned... So, what happened?
Known best by a different surname, Yolŋgu actor David Dalaithngu has been an icon of Australian film for five decades, with roles in Storm Boy, Rabbit Proof Fence, and Crocodile Dundee.
Last night the South Australian Premier Stephen Marshall announced David Dalaithngu had died, aged 68.
Everyone loves a bit of birthday cheer in the workplace - whether it be for themselves or to celebrate someone else's special day.
But who's organising the party, baking the cake and doing the cleaning up - and how is that impacting burnout and promotion within the workplace?
An independent review of workplace culture in Commonwealth Parliamentary workplaces has found one in three employees have experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Australian filmmaker Eva Orner has turned her eye on a range of complicated topics in her documentaries: from asylum seekers to Bikram Choudhury.
Her latest work, Burning, takes viewers into Australia's Black Summer and looks at both the fires themselves and the broader story of climate change in Australia.
Social media companies could be forced to reveal the identities of anonymous users as part of the government's plan to clamp down on internet trolls.
The government says it will introduce new court powers which will force global social media giants to unmask anonymous online trolls which they say will better protect Australians online.
After years of consultation, the Federal Government has announced it plans to go ahead in building a national nuclear waste management facility at Napandee, west of Kimba on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.
While many in Kimba are supportive, the native title holders, the Barngarla people, have signalled they're looking at launching a judicial review into the decision.
As Australia confirms a handful of infections and tests more returned travellers, the world is weighing up what a new variant could mean.
So what do we know about the Omicron variant, the latest variant of concern.
Writer and social worker, Deirdre Fidge, is championing a return to phone calls after getting Zoom burnout. What blast from the past is bringing you joy?
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran suicide has been told of a "clear disconnect" between policy and practice in the Defence Force, during its first day of public hearings in Brisbane.
Five cases of the latest COVID variant Omicron have now been confirmed in Australia, after a case was discovered in the Northern Territory earlier today and two more were picked up in New South Wales late Monday afternoon.
The Health Minister Greg Hunt says the nation's vaccination rates puts Australia in a good position to respond to this variant.
Amos Roach is an award-winning musician, dancer and director.
He's been working with the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and the Australian Art Orchestra in their inaugural First Nations artist residency program.
In the Drawing Room, he talks about the six seasons that influenced his new work and playing music with his family.
Georgie Tunny from News Flash takes RN Drive through her favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on the final week in Parliament, Canadian Christmas decorations, grand plans in El Salvador, and who should have listened to Adele's new album.
Comedians Gabbi Bolt and Laura Rose face off in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week, author and columnist for Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, Niki Savva and Crickey's political editor Bernard Keane are the guest commentators.
Does China consider Australia a "tributary state" as Defence Minister Peter Dutton suggests?
Rioters have looted and set alight the residence of the Solomons Prime Minister in a third day of violent anti-government protests.
Dozens of Australian federal police touched down in the country overnight, with more expected to arrive today.
How would you cope if you found yourself under lockdown, for months, in a small unit, with your mother and your ex?
That was precisely the situation that Neil Kramer found himself in when the Covid pandemic hit New York in 2020.
Over the weeks and months that followed, Neil let the world in on a version of his life through a series of humorous staged photos
That work, Quarantine in Queens, is one of the headline exhibits at the Head On Photo Festival.
The ABC has unveiled a stellar line up of new and returning shows for 2022, and there's something for everyone!
How is NASA planning to knock a big space rock off its course in a Hollywood-blockbuster-like mission?
Plus scientist and science writer Dr Rob Bell explains how US scientists have helped paraplegic mice walk again, as well as how feeding glucose to bacteria could create a biofuel.
Over 22 million Afghans face crisis or emergency levels of acute hunger this winter. The International Committee of the Red Cross say it's a problem being exacerbated by economic sanctions imposed on the country after the Taliban took power.
The annual mass coral spawning event is taking place across the Great Barrier Reef, with trillions of eggs and sperm released simultaneously into the ocean.
But with several parts of the reef under significant duress from warming waters and bleaching events, how critical is this event to the reef's future?
The pre-Christmas delivery crunch is set to worsen - after two pandemic years, the cracks in the global logistics system are showing, and just in time for their busiest period of the year.
Australia is sending more than 60 Federal Police and Defence Force personnel to Solomon Islands, amid a second day of rioting.
Some moderate Liberals have raised concerns over the religious discrimination bill, pushing for immediate changes to protect teachers and even students who could be targeted over their sexuality.
Labor has pledged to appoint a domestic violence commissioner and provide funds for 500 new community sector workers to help women in crisis.
They're described as "a violent, racist, neo-Nazi organisation" who have been listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia.
They've been known to be planning attacks in several nations and the founders of "The Base" have been trying to recruit members from Australia for months.
Extreme right-wing group "The Base" and the entirety of Hezbollah - a Shia Islamist Militant group - will be listed as terrorist organisations.
Independent Senator Rex Patrick says religious discrimination and voter identification bills are distractions from the need for a federal integrity commission.
Fifty-eight years ago, the US President John F Kennedy was assassinated in a motorcade in Dallas.
It remains one of the defining moments of the 20th Century.
But almost 6 decades after the event, why do so many questions still remain? And how have recently declassified documents changed the official narrative?
Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone has returned to the story of the assassination in a new documentary.
As Australia prepares for an election campaign in 2022, one leading political scientist says Australia is heading towards a uniquely dangerous time in Federal politics.
Dr Anne Tiernan, an Adjunct Professor with Griffith University, says authoritarian populism is seeping into our political sphere, which is not too dissimilar to the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era in Queensland.
A fourth wave of COVID infections in Europe has brought on heightened restrictions and even a lockdown in Austria.
The Religious Discrimination Bill has finally been released after going before coalition party members today but fears remain that the proposed legislation could undermine the rights of others.
Australia currently has one of the world's biggest textile waste problems. The federal government has now granted the Australian Fashion Council $1 million to start reducing the mountains of textile waste going into the ground.
Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick says he is yet to decide how long he will continue to withhold his vote on government legislation as part of his protest against state covid vaccination mandates.
The Federal Government has released its long-awaited Religious Discrimination Bill but at this stage it won't be introduced to parliament tomorrow as planned.
How would you behave at end of the world?
Rachel was a renown artist, but now she's retreated into a hermetic existence: no phone, no internet, and just a single contact with the outside world.
Then, one night, a young woman and her baby turn up at Rachel's house with a story of horror: an invisible threat has spread through the world and everyone is dying.
In the Drawing Room, Inga Simpson talks about writing a post-apocalyptic novel, and her own experience of the Black Summer fires.
Religious leaders have cautiously welcomed the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill whilst also voicing their disappointment that certain protections have been dropped.
More paid parental leave, guaranteed access to low-cost high-quality early childhood education and more child and maternal health visits - these are the cornerstones of a new report which aims to make Australia the best place in the world to raise a child.
But what are the costs of these reforms from the Centre for Policy Development and how quickly can they be introduced?
The order of the song-writer's galaxy has been restored, literally, after streaming giant Spotify's decision to ditch the default 'shuffle' button, allowing listeners to hear albums in the order artists intended.
The final fortnight of the Federal parliamentary calendar for 2021 is set to be dominated by a series of controversial bills among them ... religious discrimination and voter identification.
Five Coalition senators today crossed the floor, voting in favour of a One Nation MP Bill which would override state vaccine mandates.
From club collaborations to her own atmospheric folk music, Liz Martin has been putting out memorable music for a couple of decades now.
She's one of the artists featured in the Sydney Opera House's Liminal series, a collection of live concerts being streamed online now, and is the Interim CEO of Accessible Arts NSW
In the Drawing Room, Liz talks about performing to an empty room and the lessons the pandemic has taught her about online accessibility.
Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich from Camp Cope takes RN Drive through her favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking who's not ringing the boss of the ABC, what Australia is giving to the Indo-Pacific, what happens when a bear gets its head stuck in a plastic container and how much a German Shepherd is selling its dog house mansion for.
Award-winning singer and songwriter Anthony Callea faces off against his husband and fellow singer and actor Tim Campbell in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
This week, laywer, human rights advocate and writer Nyadol Nyuon joins the National Affairs Columnist for the Australian Financial Review Jennifer Hewett to discuss Victoria's pandemic bill protests.
The daughter of a Victorian Independent MP has been attacked on Melbourne's streets overnight, ending a week of violent anti-government protests.
The Singapore travel bubble is to fully open over the weekend, and double-vaccinated international travellers are to return to Australia.
But are they ready to navigate multiple state systems and is our international tourism industry ready for their return?
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown force in a mass extinction event 250 million years ago, and the lessons it has for us in present day.
Plus science writer Zoe Kean looks at the chemical reaction of itchiness, and how untangling a Supersaurus skeleton may have confirmed it as the longest dinosaur to have roamed the earth.
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John tells RN Drive about the party's plan to legalise, tax and regulate cannabis
Debate has been adjourned on the Victorian government's contentious pandemic laws as Labor scrambles to find support for their bill.
In the face of her concerns about big issues like climate change, Ramona Koval went in search of what it means to be human.
Looking to both the past and the future, Koval found recurring themes of collaboration, storytelling, and the ability to ask 'why'.
The US has slammed Russia for 'dangerous and irresponsible' behaviour after an anti-satellite test created a cloud of debris that threatened the ISS.
The Australia Human Right Commission has taken the fight against racism in sport to the stands.
It's released new guidelines for addressing spectator racism in sport, including a zero-tolerance approach but will they be effective?
Quantum computing, artificial intelligence and critical medicines and minerals - these are some of the areas the Federal Government wants to ramp up Australia's research and investment in.
Was it strange, sanitised, or did it answer all of your questions? And most importantly, did it prepare you for what you'd encounter in real life?
Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg says the Senate inquiry into the ABC's complaints handling process will be "stronger and better" than the ABC-initiated independent review.
There are fears covid cases could grow in the Northern Territory with many having travelled to Katherine for a recent funeral.
Twenty-six years ago, Garth Nix introduced readers to Sabriel and the world of the Old Kingdom: a land where necromancers raise the dead and one family straddles the boundaries of magic to stop their plans.
Now Nix is taking readers back to the days before Sabriel and introducing her parents, Terciel and Elinor, who have their own adventures to discover.
Danny Fenster's release came only days after he was sentenced to 11 years for incitement and violating immigration laws.
Thousands of protestors took to the streets of Melbourne over the weekend to march against mandatory vaccinations and the Victorian state government's proposed pandemic laws.
But among the banners and flags were some makeshift gallows with 3 hanging nooses. Many people have come out and condemned the stunt but should we be worried by the increasingly violent rhetoric we're witnessing at these types of protests?
The washup from the Cop26 climate summit continues, after the final communique called on the world to "phase down" the use of coal.
Nine new covid cases have been detected in the Northern Territory, taking the current outbreak to 11.
In a full-contact haunted escape room in Nebraska, contestants make their way through a series of violent cells.
In the final cell a prize awaits, but only if they can reach the end without using the safe word: Reprieve.
Only one team has ever reached the end.
Reprieve is the new horror novel by James Han Mattson, in which explores love, America, and racial fetishm.
The name of an infamous blackbirder will no longer be associated with a national park in New South Wales after an independent report commissioned by the state government.
Thousand of people are currently stranded and enduring freezing conditions at the Belarusian border, hoping to cross into Europe.
Climate talks in Glasgow ended with a specific call to "phase down", instead of "phase out" coal and fossil fuel subsidies after pressure from India and China.
Plain packaging, graphic health warnings and higher taxes are not enough to stop people smoking, according to public health experts.
Victoria's Chief Health Officer has criticised national cabinet's COVID-19 roadmap for missing a "recovery phase" that addresses the long term economic and mental health impacts of the pandemic.
The Federal Government has ruled out strengthening its 2030 emissions target, describing it as "fixed" just hours after signing up to the Glasgow Climate Summit's final agreement.
What does it feel like to be completely free of constraints and unleash your creativity without restraint?
That's what singer songwriter Dami Im has been discovering while working on her new studio album My Reality.
Billi FitzSimons from The Daily Aus takes RN Drive through her favourite social media picks from the week.
This week we're asking the tough questions on lying in public office, Australia's electric car policy, criminals on the run and when a dog is actually a fox.
Comedian, writer and actor Lawrence Leung faces off against comedian, writer and filmmaker Jason Chong in this instalment of Let's Get Quizzical to see who knows more about the news, politics and popular culture that unfolded this week.
The week, all ears were on the remarks made by former Prime Minister Paul Keating on the state of our relationship with China.
Weeks after the Federal Government released its plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the long-awaited modelling on how it plans to get there has been made public.
While Ken Follett was researching his book Fall of Giants, he came to the realisation that no one had wanted World War I to happen. And yet, through a series of seemingly sensible decisions, it had happened anyway.
And, Follet says, "What it made me think was, could it happen again? And of course, whenever I have a thought like that, my next thought is 'could I write a story about it?'"
In the Drawing Room, Follett discusses the resulting novel, Never, and what it would take, in our age of information and international diplomacy, to start a truly global conflict.
The world's two largest economies, and biggest emitters of greenhouse gases have come together at the Glasgow summit, committing to cooperate on tackling the climate crisis.
Researchers have developed a new brain implant which has helped a paralysed man turn his thoughts into handwriting.
Plus Dr Lila Landowski, a neuroscientist from the University of Tasmania, looks at how one species of ant can turn itself from working class to royalty, plus the ideal time to go to sleep to maintain good cardiovascular health.
EU is accusing Minsk of state-sponsored trafficking, luring migrants from the Middle-East to the E-U border.
The Prime Minister has been in Melbourne for Remembrance Day services, today thanking Indigenous Australians and service men and women.
Jenna Suffern is a comic, a writer, and a producer of the Queer comedy night "Two Queers Walk Into A Bar".
The shows are a celebration of queer comedy and comics, but Jenna says she needed to create a safe space for queer comedy to thrive.
Hundreds of China's political elite have gathered for a four-day meeting in Beijing, cementing President Xi Jinping's path to a third term.
The unemployment rate surged from 4.6 per cent in September to 5.2 per cent ahead of lockdowns easing.
More than 1,000 people at the Belarusian border, shivering through freezing temperatures in the hope that they might be able to cross into Europe.
The number of new melanoma patients attending the country's top clinic has dropped to a 12 year low, causing concern that lockdown restrictions may have deterred patients from presenting at clinics and could see a drop in early detection rates.
Last month, Sydney audiences welcomed the return of hit musical Hamilton, while in Melbourne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will hit the stage next week.
Michael Cassel is the Australian executive producer of both shows.
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating says Australia's policy on China is misguided and fails to understand the country's rise.
The federal government is seeking to overhaul the Clean Energy Finance Corporation's investment rules to allow it to invest in carbon capture and storage.
Australian business, industry and community leaders met today for the Australian Climate Roundtable to discuss the country's climate commitments.
In a significant about-face Scott Morrison has announced the government will partner with private companies to install $50,000 at-home charging stations for electric vehicles.