The Briefing

Thursday Headlines:  Labor to unveil migration plan today More details emerge about Bali double murder suicide More than 100,000 displaced as Yemen conflict intensifies  Anthropic signs agreement for the country’s biggest data centre Kim Kardashian awarded €1 in damages for Paris robbery Deep Dive: A far-right party just came closer to running a German state than any has since the Nazi era.  It's not a one-off. The same movement now sits in or beside government across Europe and it’s reaching Australia too, with a known neo-Nazi group fighting the government in the High Court for its right to exist.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by far-right researcher Kaz Ross to unpack how much ground the far-right is gaining worldwide, what's driving the surge, and what it all means for us here in Australia.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: Pauline Hanson apologises for comments about Indigenous Australians, PM's mum Gov accused of wanting to protect AI companies over Australians  Ed Sheeran responds to Macklemore backlash  One of Sydney’s biggest councils bans smart glasses at local swimming pools Karl Stefanovic and podcast partner in Supreme Court   Deep Dive: There have been renewed and urgent warnings this week from not only former staff, but also the big tech bosses themselves about the existential threat AI poses to humanity.   We've been warned by the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic and Grok that an urgent slowdown is needed in the advancement of this tech, with fears it could result in the extinction of the human race, possibly as soon as 2030.   While most have taken them at their word, some experts are a little more skeptical, and others think it's downright fantasy.  In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Professor Emily M. Bender, the Director of the Computational Linguistics Laboratory at the University of Washington to offer an alternative view to the narrative that AI is going to kill us all.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  One Nation's migration fight Pauline Hanson slammed for racist comments Indonesian police investigating death of Australian man and children in Bali as suspected murder-suicide Donald Trump claims there’s a 'sick conspiracy' against AI, that’s helping China Rates of Gonorrhea and syphilis up by more than 50% in Australia HYROX issues apology over Australian woman pooing during comp Deep Dive: Rising sea levels are no longer a looming threat in the distant future, they're here right now and Australia is especially at risk.   We know the physical impacts of this; accelerated coastal erosion, property damage and loss as well as the destruction of natural barriers like mangroves and wetlands. But there's also a dollar amount we can expect to fork out too.   In an Australian first, the Climate Council has crunched the numbers, with a conservative estimate that we'll need to find an extra $855 billion by 2100 to cover the costs of rising sea levels.   In this episode of The Briefing, Adjunct Professor Andrew Watkins from Monash University and the Climate Council joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to talk about the threat, who pays the bill and whether Australia is pulling its weight when it comes to climate change.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Pressure mounts, again, on Pauline Hanson to apologise Albo's approval slides as comms minister flags concessions to digital duty of care laws Australian woman identified after falling to her death from a poplar beach near Bali South Australia records first bird flu case in a sea lion  New screen time limits for NSW public school students Celine Dion makes an emotional return to the stage in Paris Deep Dive: Clips from a new documentary about Silicon Valley start-up founder turned convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes have gone viral after a secret screening at the Telluride Film Festival.   Directors of You Can See Everything Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim stayed with Holmes in the days leading up to the start of her 10-year prison stint in 2023.   In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by culture critic for Triple J's The Slop, Michael Sun, to talk about the extraordinary story of Holmes and why we're so obsessed with it.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring brings with it some pretty wonderful things; blooming flowers, warmer weather and longer days. But it also means another thing that can strike fear into the heart of nearly every Australian – magpie swooping season.   From August to October, the black and white birds are nesting, which means they’re feeling extra protective and have been known to fly at humans as they pass by their babies.   In this episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting Sacha Barbour Gatt's chat with bird expert Sean Dooley to break down the facts and myths around these fabulous animals this swooping season. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, well, well… fancy seeing you here.  Welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.  This week Chris and Sach get into HBO's new Harry Potter series dropping on Christmas Day. They react to the latest trailer, dig through your comments on it, and discuss whether they’re going to watch it.  They're also joined in studio by 2DayFM's very own Emma Chow, who steps up to The Weekend Quiz but somehow manages to get them talking about Tipping Point and Sach’s days as a court reporter. They also discuss Emma’s very exciting news she received this week!  The Weekend Quiz (just questions, no answers): The government this week proposed new laws that could give us the power to opt out of, or switch off, the algorithm on socials. What's it called? Pauline Hanson was on ABC News24 this week and got into a bit of argy-bargy with Chris Kenny. What were they arguing over?  We spoke to Greens Senator David Shoebridge on the pod this week. He was appointed the party's first-ever spokesperson for what? A Melbourne council this week announced it would be banning what from public pools and playgrounds? What subject did Chris and Sach admit on the podcast they cared the least about in school?  The Weekend List:  To watch: New Zealand Spy on ABC iview (thanks to listener Jay) To listen to: Harry Potter audiobook for free on Spotify  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twenty-five years ago, the September 11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and changed the course of history. The images of hijacked planes striking the World Trade Center, the collapse of the Twin Towers and the devastation left behind became defining images of this century.  But the consequences of 9/11 reached far beyond the United States. The attacks triggered America’s longest war - a 20-year conflict in Afghanistan that began with the fall of the Taliban. This year also marks five years since the war came full circle: the Taliban returned to power as the US withdrew its troops.  BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet witnessed that extraordinary arc. Drawing on almost four decades of reporting from Afghanistan, she takes LiSTNR Senior Journalist Claudianna Blanco from the aftermath of 9/11 and the hope that followed the Taliban’s fall, to the chaotic final days at Kabul Airport and the Afghanistan of today.  This special episode of The Briefing looks back at the long shadow of 9/11, 25 years on.  Lyse's debut book Lyse on The Weekend Briefing Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Head of Instagram warns against turning off algorithm Barnaby Joyce apologises to Andrew Hastie over 'traitor' video Donald Trump accused of bribery over 5k election promise August declared hottest month on record Historic NFL game takes over Melbourne  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Pauline Hanson defends Victorian One Nation leader, Andrew Hastie cartoon  Anthony Albanese defends pork barreling allegations Another man killed in Sydney's escalating gangland war Melbourne council bans smart glasses from public pools and playgrounds Apple unveils new folding iPhone Further listening from the headlines:  Sach's deep dive on Sydney's gangland war Chris' chat with David Shoebridge Deep Dive: Australia's not really well known for skiing, but there is a dedicated ski fraternity who love getting to the slopes each winter. So, what happens if there’s no snow?   That’s the question being put to the country’s resort operators after a dismal 2026 season plagued by warm, dry conditions and patchy snow cover.   With most ski fields wrapping up their seasons over the weekend and just a couple still clinging on, we’re being warned winters like this will become more likely, not less.   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with the CEO of Snow Resorts Australia, Josh Elliott about the future of snow tourism in Australia. We also hear from Dr Lily O’Neil from Protect our Winters to talk about what climate change’s role is in all of this    Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Labor unveils new laws to govern social media giants Missing Australian found alive in Nepal Penny Wong prepares new sanctions against Israeli settlements One Nation Victorian leader says he's no angel, admits to previous drug use  Aussie kids record their worst reading and maths results Further listening from headlines:How Australia funds Israeli settlements Deep Dive: Does Australia need a Minister for AI?   That's the call from Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who this week was appointed the party's first-ever spokesperson for Digital Rights and AI.   It comes as the government insists it's doing whatever it can to put big tech on a leash and keep people first - while at the same time selling Australia as the perfect home for the very infrastructure driving AI's expansion: data centres.   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Senator Shoebridge to discuss his new portfolio, whether Australia can pull itself back from being AI's wild west, and what it'll actually take to put people ahead of profit.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  One Nation has been forced into a quick defence of its plan for superannuation Australian bureaucrats want to ban videos from parliamentary hearings being shared on social media  Trial of alleged killers of Australian brothers in Mexico gets underway Food prices could be pushed higher by record strength El Niño King Charles issues clarification on Harry and Meghan Deep Dive: For years, a secret formula has dictated everything we see on social media, hooking our attention spans at the expense of our mental health.  Now, the federal government is unveiling a plan to let users opt out of the algorithm entirely and return to a chronological stream of accounts they actually follow. But with increasing pressure to protect young men from the insidious manosphere, how much will an opt-out actually change?  In this episode of The Briefing, reporter Amber Schultz joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to detail her experiment posing as a 17-year-old boy online, where it took just 13 minutes to land on manosphere content, and what these proposed changes will mean for our feeds.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Gov to strengthen teen social media ban as it looks to create an opt-out approach to social media One Nation reveals superannuation policy Coalition wants to ban flag burning Manhunt underway for Victorian man who allegedly attacked his family with an axe US envoys hold peace talks with Russia and Ukraine Lindsay Clancy trial ends in a mistrial Deep Dive: In Sydney, a staggering six cases of mistaken identity in the city’s bloody gangland war has left innocent people dead, exposing a horrifying shift toward young, inexperienced gunmen carrying out underworld hits.  The body count stems from a bitter turf war which ramped up six years ago with the murder of Fares Abounader, which ignited a battle between rival crime families for Sydney’s billion-dollar illicit trades.  In this episode of The Briefing, we trace with criminologist Dr Vincent Hurley how this bloody conflict has spiralled into 24 deaths, why the criminal underworld changed, and how cheap, reckless hitmen are firing at the wrong targets.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One in 3 Australians will need blood in their lifetime, but 1 in 30 donate across the country.   Lifeblood says recent appeals have prevented supplies falling to critical levels but have not been enough to replenish low supplies of O-positive and O-negative blood types, which are the types used in emergencies. A-positive blood stocks have also dropped in recent weeks.  In this episode of The Briefing, we talk about why our listeners should consider donating blood and we learn the extraordinary story of Krishan Lal who is the perfect example of how donating blood can change not just the recipient’s life, but the lives of those around them.   Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod   Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite suffering through a week of technical failures, we're back for this weekend's instalment of Our Take - our looser, goosier look back at the week that was, and what you and we made of it all.  We kick off by debriefing the Raygun doco on Netflix. Chris has watched it, Sach hasn't - and no spoilers, but prepare for your jaw to hit the floor.  Then we dig through the Inbox, which was surprisingly dominated by your reactions to the KPMG scandal, and less surprisingly, your take on Pauline Hanson's claim that the PM was inciting political violence against her.  We're also joined in studio by Angie from the tech team, who takes on the Weekend Quiz. To our shock, she walks away not holding the record for the lowest score!  As always, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us on Instagram @thebriefingpodcast and feel free to leave a comment if you’re listening on Spotify.   The Weekend Quiz:   One Nation notched a major win this week. What was it?  Anthony Albanese committed $600 million at the Pacific Islands Forum to help fight what? The Coalition has promised to legalise what if it's elected in 2028? Lionel Messi made a huge announcement this week, what was it?  It was revealed Apple's new CEO will earn a whopping $81 AUD million a year. Who is he replacing?  The Weekend List:   To Watch: Gabriel Redback on TikTok  Episodes mentioned:   The KPMG deep dive  The Jen Robinson chat  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod   Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Teachers union hit back at Matt Canavan's claims Australia's education system is 'anti-boy'  World told to brace for strongest El Nino on record Lindsay Clancy jury remains deadlocked France targets Temu and Shein with world-first fast fashion crackdown It’s 20 years today since Steve Irwin died Further listening from the headlines:  The real victims of the manosphere with the CEO of The Man Cave, Ben Vasiliou about the lessons we need to learn about the manosphere and ‘toxic masculinity’.  Why the Lindsay Clance case matters Deep Dive: Dave Hughes has gone from making Australia laugh to telling Australia how to vote.   Since the May Budget, the comedian-turned-self-described "political agitator" has waged an increasingly loud campaign against the government, despite admitting he's only recently started paying more attention to politics.   So is Hughesy a genuine voice for the fed-up - or just the loudest bloke in a system that rewards shouting? And is this what real political engagement looks like now - or just anger dressed up as insight?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by broadcaster and three-time independent candidate Alex Dyson, who took Hughesy on in a "spicy chat," to dig into this new era of political anger and whether we will ever see a system that prioritises people over power. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Police identify four Swans players in sexual assault investigation Coalition to legalise vapes, lower cigarette prices if elected  NSW police probe potential second mistaken identity fatality in Sydney Australia accused of 'environmental vandalism' at Pacific meeting Apple’s new CEO scores massive payday Deep Dive: Just over a week ago, a glacier collapsed high in the Himalayas and sent a wall of water, mud and rock tearing down the Nepal–Tibet border, killing more than a thousand people and leaving thousands more missing.  Australians have seen the footage: the torrent flattening the border crossing as people ran for their lives. But cross to the Chinese side, and that same video has been scrubbed from the internet.  Why?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by ABC China Correspondent Allyson Horn to unpack what China is keeping from public view, and why, in one of the country's most tightly controlled regions, even a flood becomes something to censor.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Second missing Australian found after Nepal flood US launches fresh strikes on Iran  Australia pledges $600 million to tackle drug smuggling in the Pacific Hanson demands apology as political violence war of words escalates NSW to make drug testing at music festivals permanent Deep Dive: Nearly a decade after #MeToo exposed systemic sexual misconduct and sparked global reform, a powerful legal backlash is threatening survivors who dare to speak out.   Behind closed doors, the legal system is increasingly being used to muzzle victims, leaving the true extent of this intimidation hidden from the public.   In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by international human rights lawyer and advocate Jennifer Robinson to discuss her new documentary, Silenced, and how defamation laws are being weaponised against victims.   Find out where to watch Silenced: https://www.silenced-film.com/where-to-watch    Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  Gov backs algorithm 'opt-out,' rules out banning smart glasses as part of privacy overhaul Grave fears for 33 Australians thought to be in one of the worst-hit part of Nepal floods Hanson thanks Liberals as One Nation unveils first major Victorian election pitch Property prices fall for a fifth straight month Lionel Messi announces his retirement from Argentina Further listening from headlines: Higgins responds to Lehrmann appeal + The fight to ditch the algorithm Deep Dive: Macquarie Bank has recently walked away from a muti-million-dollar deal with KPMG, over concerns over its auditing practices.   It's the latest blow to one of the "big four" consulting firms - now accused of taking confidential information from the very clients it was hired to audit, and using it to chase more lucrative work elsewhere.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by ABC business reporter Daniel Ziffer to explain what happened, the Australian companies caught up in it and why a story about auditors affects everyone.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  One Nation claims top spot in Newspoll after winning WA by-election Mourners gather for vigils across Australia for victims of Nepal and Tibet flash floods New privacy laws to be unveiled today Calls grow for Australia to follow the UK in banning strangulation in porn Record crowd turns out for Sydney Marathon Deep Dive: A group of scientists are warning the world is walking headfirst into a male fertility crisis, with crashing testosterone and sperm count levels witnessed in two major studies.   While their research has been widely quoted, some in the scientific community feel warnings of a so-called ‘Spermageddon’ are overstated.   In this episode of The Briefing, Dr Giselle Crawford from IVF Australia joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to discuss the research, whether male infertility is on the rise, and what can be done about it.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would you be happy having your face not just surveilled, but scanned every time you walked into the supermarket?   It's no longer a hypothetical.   Coles and Woolworths have both now admitted to trialling facial recognition technology, while Bunnings has won the right to scan customers' faces in limited circumstances - a shift privacy experts warn could creep from spotting known troublemakers to tracking every shopper who walks through the door.  So what do we know about facial recognition technology and just how invasive can it really be?  To make sense of it, we're rewinding a few years to one of the most alarming case studies involving facial recognition tech company – CLEARVIEW AI.   In this bonus episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting an episode of Secrets We Keep: Uncovered by investigative journalist Joey Watson.  When it became known that the shadowy facial recognition company had created a massive database, capable of identifying almost anyone, anywhere, reporters around the globe picked up the trail - working to uncover how this start-up could reshape privacy and policing internationally.  Here in Australia, tech reporter Cam Wilson spent years digging through the Australian Federal Police's own files - and what he found in them was deeply disturbing.  Read Cam Wilson's investigations here:  ‘World's most controversial company’ Clearview AI still being used to solve Australian police cases  Clearview AI is still collecting photos of Australians for its facial recognition database  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, the time each week that we kick off our shoes, loosen our (non-existent) ties and chat the week that was.  This weekend we debrief the latest in the Jackie O vs ARN court battle, with court documents revealing the former KIIS host claims she is suffering from PTSD after working with Kyle Sandilands.  Then we crack open our inbox, getting across your thoughts, feelings, concerns and praise from the week’s stories, featuring superannuation and whether Chris and Sach are too childish to host a news show.  We also have 2DayFM’s Yaz Haddad in studio for the Weekend Quiz before finishing off with your recommendations, including a rather cheeky one for Coles shoppers.  As always, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us on Instagram @thebriefingpodcast and feel free to leave a comment if you’re listening on Spotify. The Weekend Quiz: Which social media company settled a major lawsuit this week for $23 billion?  There was a sad development in bird flu in Australia this week. What was it? What did the Swans AFLW team celebrate this week?  Harry and Meghan arrived back in the UK this week. What are they doing there?  Finish off this legendary Dolly Parton quote: “It takes a lot of money to look ...”  The Weekend List: To Watch: The Menu on Disney+ (listener Chris) To Watch: We are Jeni on SBS on Demand (Sacha) To Do: Flip off Coles cameras (listener Clair)  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: Death toll rises in Nepal amid fears of a second flood Albanese steps in to guarantee refugee intake won't go backwards One Nation tipped to win WA by-election NT passes VAD laws, Queensland introduces ‘breach bail, go to jail’ legislation UEFA plans criminal complaint against FIFA President Greens move to ban the import of smart glasses Deep Dive: That cheap smart TV in your lounge room might be paying for itself by spying on you.   In this episode of The Briefing, we unpack ACR - Automated Content Recognition - the little-known tech that quietly logs everything on your screen and feeds it to advertisers.   Swinburne digital media professor Ramon Lobato explains how your viewing habits are being used, how it got switched on without you noticing and the settings that let you shut it down.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Meta agrees to settle for $23bn in teen social media addiction lawsuit More than 150 dead in devastating flash floods in Nepal and China Albanese caves on data centre renewables as Queensland wins coal-and-gas carve-out Antisemitism royal commission wraps up with powerful message from Sydney Rabbi Legendary actor Tim Curry dead at 80 Miley Cyrus pays tribute to Dolly Parton Deep Dive: Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, the country hasn't held an election due to martial law, which bans a vote while the war is on.  Volodymyr Zelensky's term expired back in 2024, and now, for the first time, a senior figure inside his own camp is demanding a vote, with former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov breaking ranks to call for a wartime election.  So is this a genuine democratic reckoning, or an opening for Russia to destabilise Ukraine from within?  In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Politico journalist Ryan Heath to unpack the turmoil and corruption in Kyiv, whether Ukrainians support the idea of a wartime election and what it could mean for the country and its fight against Russia.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Dolly Parton has died at 80 Three Scots College students face court over aggravated sexual assault charges Man arrested after Melbourne mum repeatedly stabbed and her son punched in 'random' CBD attack Home ownership levels among young Aussies hits 80-year low Jai Arrow to make 100 game mileston after MND diagnosis Deep Dive: One of the biggest songs on Australian radio last month was a cover of Madonna's Like a Prayer. It’s racked up tens of millions of streams and even cracked into the top five on the ARIA charts. But what a lot of listeners didn't know was that the vocals and drums were made with artificial intelligence.  From Friday, ARIA's new code shuts songs like it out of the charts, and the industry's peak body is now urging radio and music promoters to fall in behind.  But if listeners can't tell the difference - and the streams keep climbing regardless - will a ban on the chart actually change anything?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by the boss of ARIA, Annabelle Herd to discuss the move, whether it goes fare enough and what the AI wave means for the young Australian artists trying to break through.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  PM to announce block on data centres near homes and schools Family of murdered Thai teen respond to alleged Australian killer’s comments from behind bars Trump Administration announces economic 'D-day' on Iran as Tehran announces $10m bounty for Barron Trump World’s oceans record hottest temperature on record Specialist cargo ship arrives to remove SpaceX rocket from Christmas Island Deep Dive: Pauline Hanson says Australia's superannuation system is broken. Senior Liberal Andrew Bragg has branded compulsory super a "loss of liberty." Suddenly, the four trillion dollars of retirement savings sitting in Australians' names is the subject of a political brawl - with the Treasurer vowing to defend the system all the way to the next election.  So is super actually failing us - or quietly doing more than its critics admit?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Mary Delahunty, CEO of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia to unpack where your 12% really comes from and why it's locked away for decades. Mary also makes the case against raiding super for a house deposit - and reveals the lessons COVID taught us about who gets hurt when the rules loosen.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Record crowd turns out for Swans AFLW clash after tumultuous week for the club Australia records first case of bird flu in a mammal Pauline Hanson steps in after One Nation MP says party's targets 'not too different' from Labor's  Sydney shark attack victim speaks publicly for the first time Major blunder found on Sydney Marathon medal Deep Dive: The federal government is attempting to roll out its largest gun buyback in a generation in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.   New South Wales is the first state to sign on - paying licensed owners from November to surrender their firearms, pulling a huge slice of the state's registered guns from circulation. But other states are dragging their feet, shooters say they're being unfairly singled out, and critics argue the very people we should fear won't hand anything over.   So will it actually work - or is it a costly show of action?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by public health expert and senior advocacy advisor at the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, Stephen Bendle to unpack what this landmark scheme can really achieve, and where its loudest criticisms land.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Israeli military drew international criticism this week after finding it had no criminal case to answer to in the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza in 2024, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom.  April 2026 marked two years since the drone strikes which killed the staff from World Central Kitchen, and at the time, The Briefing sat down with Zomi’s brother Mal to discuss her family’s fight for justice.  In this episode we’re revisiting Sacha Barbour Gatt’s chat with Mal Frankcom.  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heyo, welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.  This weekend Chris and Sach sit down for a heavier debrief than usual: the Lindsay Clancy trial, the case of the Massachusetts mother whose insanity defence has turned an unthinkable tragedy into a wider reckoning about postpartum psychosis.   From there the mood lifts as they crack open the inbox – to get your reactions on arming guards in hospitals, Logies tea, and one listener’s oddly specific request for Dan's voice that we may or may not be honouring in the near future.   Then, LiSTNR sport and Triple M producer, Curtis Figon joins us for The Weekend Quiz to see if he can answer:   The government was accused of making a dog's breakfast of some big reforms this week. What were those reforms?  Who won the Gold Logie on Sunday? AI deepfakes of one person have scammed Australians out of $7.4 million in the past year. Who is that person? Jacqui Lambie made an emotional plea to the Prime Minister in the Senate this week - what was she asking for? Ten YouTubers were added to the National Sound Archive this week. Name one of them.  Then we cap it all of with The Weekend List:  To Do: Digitise your old footage and pics (listener Krissy)   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Police commissioner apologises for miscommunication after family told missing bushwalker was alive Alleged Swans victim speaks out Zomi Frankcom's family slams IDF for clearing soldiers over her death Erin Patterson appeal wraps Harry and Meghan's UK return Deep Dive: A murder trial in the US is making global headlines and has sparked a passionate conversation about the mental health of mums.  Lindsay Clancy is accused of murdering her three children, and while she’s admitted to the killings, her lawyers say she can’t be held responsible because she was suffering at the time from postpartum psychosis.  In this episode of The Briefing, we speak with psychologist, author and someone who has experienced the condition, Ariarne Beeston from COPE, to unpack the case and how a lack of support for mothers can lead to the most tragic consequences.  This episode discusses crimes against children as well as serious mental health conditions including suicide.  PANDA’s National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline: 1300 726 306  Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE): https://www.cope.org.au/  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Swans players issue apology as investigators travel to Sydney IDF clears soldiers over Gaza strike that killed aid worker Zomi Frankcom Jacqui Lambie’s emotional plea to the PM over plan to cap veterans’ health spending Nick Kyrgios suspended from tennis after positive cocaine test Karl Stefanovic responds to Robert Irwin’s Logies jab Deep Dive: Today, the Senate is expected to pass the government's long-awaited gambling reform package, with tougher rules on advertising and inducements.  Labor is calling the legislation the toughest gambling reforms the country's ever seen, but critics say they don't even scratch the surface of harm that is caused by betting platforms.  In today's episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by independent senator David Pocock to discuss where the legislation falls short and why he thinks the Australian public has been betrayed by the government.  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Swans board meets to decide on player sanctions over incident that lead to a sexual assault allegation NDIS reforms pass senate as Labor strikes deal with Coalition over gambling regulations Landmark trial against Meta begins Erin Patterson’s appeal begins SpaceX rocket splashes down off Christmas Island, Musk called in to remove it Deep Dive: Several Sydney Swans players are at the centre of a police investigation in Melbourne, over an alleged sexual assault at the team's hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.   The club has confirmed its players were involved, notified the AFL, and says it's cooperating fully. No charges have been laid.    But alongside the allegations sits a second question - how a story like this gets reported, and why the focus turns so quickly to a finals campaign 'in jeopardy.'  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by journalist and sports creator Lavender Baj to unpack it all - what she made of the Swans' statement, and how a trial by social media can wreck the chance of a fair one in court.  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  Sydney Swans footballers involved in 'alleged incident' in Melbourne hotel Pauline Hanson’s plan for $21 cigarette packets American actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36 Coles and Woolworths test facial recognition technology to combat crime Ten Aussie YouTubers added to the National Film and Sound Archive Deep Dive: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is on her way out, marking the fifth high-profile woman gone from Donald Trump's second administration, though how they went varies.   Her announcement landed days after news broke that Trump had been secretly moved off Air Force One leaving a NATO summit, fuelling an online theory that Leavitt walked after being stranded on a decoy plane.   She wasn't even on the plane, or the trip - she was on maternity leave.   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by David Smith, Associate Professor at the United States Studies Centre at USYD to unpack why the theory took off - what it says about how Trump really runs the place, and whether any of this churn at the top actually reaches the voters who'll decide the midterms. Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  NSW to begin Australia’s biggest gun buyback in decades Gov confirms it’s slowing the processing of backpacker visas Anthony Albanese deepfakes featured in celebrity scams to con Australians out of $7.4 million DRC Ebola outbreak set to become the deadliest ever Sam Pang takes out the Gold Logie Further reading from the headlines: Andrew Thorpe's Ebola piece in the ABC Deep Dive: The Victorian Opposition has announced a two-year trial of 70 PSOs across seven major hospitals, including emergency departments, high-risk areas and staff car parks. The proposal comes amid almost 24,000 violent incidents in Victorian hospitals in 2024–25, including 680 “code black” incidents. It’s a similar story across the country.  In this episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by Maddy Harradence, Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. Rather than asking “Are guns in hospitals a good idea?” We focus on what actually makes nurses and midwives safer, whether PSOs address the problem, and what should happen instead.  Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s courts have long allowed judges to consider “good character” references during sentencing, even in child sexual abuse cases.  For many survivors, hearing offenders described in court as “good people” or “champions of young people” can be deeply retraumatising and after years of campaigning, the laws are being changed right around the country.   NSW changed its laws earlier this year, and this week Victoria announced it intends to do the same.   In this episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting Chris Spyrou's powerful conversation with survivor advocate and Your Reference Ain't Relevant co-founder Harrison James - on why these laws had to change, and why he won't stop until the reform goes national.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back with The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it. This weekend Chris is joined by Dan Mullins - LiSTNR's Acting Head of Factual, and a voice you'll already know from The Briefing - to debrief the story we couldn't stop talking about: Bension Siebert turning to sex work to fund his investigative journalism.   From there Chris and Dan crack open the inbox and read your comments on Bension's story, the fuss over the PM and those Japanese melons, and whether anyone outside a newsroom actually cares about the Census. We’re also joined by Karli from marketing who takes on this weekend’s quiz and then we of course cap it all off with The Weekend List! The Weekend Quiz: One of Donald Trump's key allies resigned this week. Who was it? Did the RBA increase, decrease or leave unchanged the official interest rate this week? What occurred across Australia on Tuesday night? Two planes almost collided at an airport this week. Where was it? What were school students protesting when they walked out of school? The Weekend List: To Watch: Ted Lasso Season 3 (Listener Georgie)  To Watch: Dark Matter with Joel Edgerton (Listener Jane)  To Read: Realms of Gold by A.J. Mackinnon Follow The Briefing:   TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast   YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Third near miss at Sydney airport Meta, TikTok, Youtube and Snapchat to face Social Media ban enquiry today Penny Wong to speak on the dangers of Monoculturalism  Popular weight loss drugs suspected links to more than 60 deaths in Australia  Deep Dive: It's been 30 years since rapper Tupac Shakur was shot dead in the streets of Las Vegas, his death sparking three decades of conspiracies, mysteries and an enduring question: who killed him?  Amid disappearing witnesses and a street code that made talking to police punishable by death, the case went cold.  But in 2023 former gang boss Duane 'Keffe D' Davis was charged with Tupac's murder ... only he's not believed to have been the one to pull the trigger.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by hip hop historian Michael Namikas to discuss the upcoming trial of Keffe D, but also Tupac's life, career and legacy.  Michael’s book: The Tupac Encyclopedia - Volume 1   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Students to stage school walkout over Pauline Hanson One dead and more than 200 rescued after Bali ferry fire News bargaining incentive hits parliament today Victorian authorities prepare for mass vaccine event of little penguins Tooth decay cases soar across Australia as people put off expensive dentist work Deep Dive: When Bension Siebert's role was made redundant, the award-winning journalist found himself staring down a shrinking media industry that no longer seemed willing to invest in the investigations he'd spent his career chasing.  A week later, he was walking out of a stranger's apartment with $600 in his pocket, having just taken his first paid in-person sex work booking.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou and Sacha Barbour Gatt welcome their former colleague and co-host back to the mic to unpack an unlikely career move - and the essay about it that's turned his life upside down in a matter of days.  Bension explains how five hours of sex work can out-earn a week of journalism, why he sees it less as a last resort than a kind of liberation, and how a media landscape squeezed by redundancies and legal risk pushed him toward telling the stories he says newsrooms won't.   Bension’s essay on Cheek Media: How sex work saved my investigative journalism career  Bension’s Instagram: bensionfindsout  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: Coalition to back One Nation’s foreign fighters bill  PM refuses to apologise over melons comment Colombia quake death toll climbs above 200 RBA leaves door open to hikes after leaving rates on hold  Donald Trump signs executive order to reduce the number of childhood vaccines New canine study reveals they're skilled in responding to human emotion Deep Dive: Harry Potter fans this week had a major win. They managed to have critical infrastructure worth almost a billion dollars moved to protect a memorial for Dobby the house elf.  That critical infrastructure was a single undersea cable.   These cables rest in the ocean and are responsible for 95% of all internet and data traffic. Cat videos, financial transactions, email – all of it would disappear if these thin cables were cut.   In this episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by Dean Veverka, the Chair of the International Cable Protection Committee, to learn who built this critical infrastructure, and who’s protecting the world’s undersea cables from threats and sabotage.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  Hanson to introduce foreign fighters bill as PM and Taylor hammer out gambling, NDIS and widow tax deal More than 80 people dead after Colombia earthquake South Australia announce royal commission into AI Aussies being urged to challenge their car insurers over price hikes It's Census night Deep Dive: How do you escape from a cult? That was one of the questions a Victorian parliamentary inquiry has been trying to answer, ever since a LiSTNR podcast exposed an abusive cult in Geelong and sparked a firestorm of advocacy from cult survivors.  Last month, that inquiry handed down its report, “Coercion and harm in high control groups”. There are 39 recommendations in the report, with a focus on protecting children and better support for those exiting a coercive group.  One of the advocates behind that inquiry was Laura McConnell, a survivor of the Two By Twos fundamentalist cult who speaks to Sacha Barbour Gatt in this episode of The Briefing.  You can listen to Pray Harder – Episode 1 – Noel's War here. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Parliament returns, support for Labor slumps to decade low  Two airport workers stood down after another near miss at Sydney airport Netanyahu rejects US peace proposal for Gaza Ukraine says 50,000 North Korean soldiers will be deployed to fight for Russia 90,000 take part in world’s biggest fun run in Sydney Deep Dive: Tomorrow is census night, and this year the form looks a little different.   For the first time, Australians are being asked directly about their sexual orientation and gender - and for the first time, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says artificial intelligence is helping process the millions of responses that pour in.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou goes behind the questionnaire with someone who's helped shape it for the best part of thirty years. How does the ABS land on which categories make the cut? Where do your name and address actually end up? Can the online system survive the night after its infamous 2016 collapse? And in an era of shaky faith in government, does the ABS really expect all of us to tell the truth?  Chris is joined by Jenny Telford, General Manager of the Census and Population Division at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh data shows nearly 1,500 homes purchased under the federal government's 5% deposit scheme have been flipped into investment properties. It’s a bit of a plot twist for an initiative built on a very specific promise: helping everyday Aussies get onto the property ladder as owner-occupiers with just a fraction of the usual deposit and zero lenders mortgage insurance.  In this episode of The Briefing we revisit Helen Smith's chat with David Koch from last year about the scheme to get you across how it all works and what you need to know about it. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back with The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.   This weekend Chris is joined by Justine Landis-Hanley and they unpack how Miles Phillips and his Eastern Rosellas went from a backyard novelty to the ARIA record books. Chris answers your questions about the Kyle Sandilands interview, before they dig into your thoughts on Kmart's knock-off Meta glasses (+ the bird flu conspiracy theory we didn't know existed).  We’re also joined in studio by LiSTNR entertainment executive producer Elise Cooper for The Weekend Quiz, who brings more live vocals to the show than actual recording artists. Plus we cap it all off with the Weekend List.   The Weekend Quiz (just questions, no answers):   Which airline announced it will start charging passengers to put carry-on luggage in the overhead lockers?  Which former NRL player and viral book-tokker alleged this week that gambling company promoters would supply him with drugs and alcohol to keep him betting?  Who said this and who was he talking about?  "What single answer does she have to any of the list of problems and challenges which I went through before? Zip is the answer to that.” What crashed into the moon this week?  Name one song Delta Goodrem performed in the Comm Games closing ceremony.   The Weekend List:   To Watch: Enola Holmes 3 (listener Georgie)  To listen to: Dungeon Crawler Carl (listener Narikka) To read: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Follow The Briefing:  TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast  YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: US Senate committee votes to hold Dr Fauci in contempt of Congress 15-year-old charged with manslaughter over death of Melbourne shopkeeper Alan Jones’ alleged victim denies making up sex abuse claims for money ABC Apologises to Gina Rinehart over ‘violent’ skit   Millions of Aussies told to brace for icy temps Brisbane’s Ekka kicks off tomorrow Deep Dive: Discussion around Ariana Grande’s weight reached a fever pitch this week.  Photos from her tour, press appearances, and her new music video for Petal, show her shrinking frame, prompting fans to worry over what is going on behind the scenes.  The public discourse hasn’t gone unnoticed. Also this week, Ariana announced that she will be taking a break from public life at the end of her album tour in September. Her representative told People Magazine that this decision came after “endless, ongoing public scrutiny”.   Do we have a responsibility to raise concerns over Ariana’s weight loss? Editor of Mediaweek Natasha Lee says yes.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natasha sits down with Justine Landis-Hanley to discuss her article in Mediaweek, in which she shares her experience dealing with an eating disorder while working on Australian television, and argues that we’ve been scared into silence.  Link to the article: https://www.mediaweek.com.au/silence-isnt-always-kindness-ariana-grande-debate  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Labor’s 5% first-home deposit scheme has been used to purchase 1500 properties converted to investments Federal government will force states to make AI data centres run on renewable energy Israel issues evacuation orders for first time since June ceasefire, starts striking Lebanon Omar Musa wins Miles Franklin literary award NASA warns about space debris after SpaceX junk slams into the moon Deep Dive: Every year in Australia, dozens of women and children are killed in violent circumstances - and in 2026 the toll is already climbing fast.    Behind those numbers is a support system that campaigners say is buckling: refuges at capacity, transitional housing waitlists stretching years, and women turned away from help at the very moment they need it most.  Sherele Moody is one of the country's foremost researchers on femicide and child deaths, and the founder of the Red Heart Movement where she records the names and stories of women killed across the country, and pushes for a system that takes their safety seriously.  In this episode of The Briefing, Sherele Moody sits down with Chris Spyrou to unpack why billions in spending isn't stopping the deaths, why she's calling for a Royal Commission into femicide, and what a properly funded response to violence against women would actually look like. Help is available:1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732 Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Albanese under pressure to do more on gambling ads reform Tony Burke delays migration cut announcement Competing drone videos in Russia, Ukraine war Alan Jones trial continues Jetstar to charge for carry-on baggage lockers Deep Dive: Five months into the United States' war on Iran, Donald Trump keeps insisting that a deal, or a decisive victory, is within reach. So why does neither ever arrive?  Trita Parsi's answer is blunt: the President is chasing a knockout blow that doesn't exist.   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Parsi, who is an expert on US-Iranian relations and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft - about who can really outlast whom and whether Trump has walked into a new forever war.  Trita’s last chat with Chris from March: Why the Iran war can’t end ‘soon’  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  Sportsbet and TAB execs to be grilled at Senate inquiry into gambling reform today One Nation climbs in the polls as Hanson refuses ABC and Guardian entry to Victorian press conference Ralph Carr unmasked as rapist after suppression order lifted Kmart sells out of dupe Meta camera glasses amid global privacy concerns Ariana Grande steps back from public life amid scrutiny over her weight Deep Dive: For years, Australia watched from a distance as bird flu tore through wildlife on every other continent - before it finally reached our shores in June.  What began with a few lone migratory birds is now spreading through our native populations, and while conservationists welcome the more than $113 million already invested to get us prepared - they say now that it's here, more needs to be put on the table.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Jack Gough, CEO of the Invasive Species Council, who's urging the Albanese Government to commit at least $200 million to help our wildlife survive what's coming. He explains what that money would go towards, what species are most at risk, and how the strain can move from low risk in humans to a higher one.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five months after the Kyle and Jackie O Show was pulled off air, Kyle Sandilands will be back behind the microphone with a paid subscription show that launches next week.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou sits down with the veteran broadcaster for a wide-ranging chat about what really brought down the most expensive act in Australian radio.   Sandilands responds to the workplace bullying allegations at the heart of his former co-host's lawsuit against their old employer, explains why he chose to settle his own multi-million-dollar case rather than fight on, and reflects on the mistakes that have marked his 25 years on air - the moments, he says, that taught him where the line sits.  Then it's over to you: we put your questions to him, and he talks up a possible reunion with Jackie, floats getting Karl Stefanovic on the payroll, and names the controversial figure he's booked for the show's first week.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines: Motorists warned to expect fuel shock as excise ends  Donald Trump cancels Iran strikes subject to deal being made rapidly Authorities await results from South Australia mass bird death event Alan Jones indecent assault trial getting underway today Housing market downturn spreads across Australia Australia wins the Comm Games Chris' chat with Kyle Sandilands is out now. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria has a new premier this week - and within hours of being sworn in, Ben Carroll did the one thing his predecessor spent months refusing to do: call a royal commission into the CFMEU.  Jacinta Allan's resignation was driven in large part by a corruption scandal engulfing the state's Big Build, where a landmark report earlier this year alleged the construction union had siphoned $15 billion from taxpayers while the government turned a blind eye.   Reporters at The Age have been documenting the organised crime, intimidation and misconduct across the union's Victorian operations since 2024.   In this episode of The Briefing, we revisit Chris Spyrou's conversation with award-winning investigative journalist Nick McKenzie from The Age, recorded back in February when that explosive report first landed.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to our new weekend format, The Briefing: Our Take.  Every Saturday we're loosening our ties and kicking off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was; stories we loved or debated, what you, the listener, thought of a topic or conversation, the Weekend Quiz and capping it off with a Weekend Briefing favourite: The List.  In this episode we talk about the feedback we got ahead of Chris' sit-down with Kyle Sandilands, comments on Hannah Ferguson’s run against the PM and Jacinta Allan’s resignation.   We also stop by the red carpet of the new Spider-Man movie and quiz friend of the show Justin Hill on everything that happened in the news this week – make sure you play along!  The Weekend Quiz (just questions, no answers):    What’s this sound? (listen to hear it!) Europe is threatening to boycott what ... and for a bonus point, why?  Victorian premier Jacinta Allan resigned this week. Who was named her successor? It was revealed this week that it cost $45,000 for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to manage which loveable marine chaos agent?  Who announced this week they’d be running as an independent against Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at the next federal election?   The Weekend List:   To Watch: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Justin Hill)  To Listen:  Wet Leg (listener Chris – you can watch the Coachella performance here)  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.