The Morning Edition
The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.
Episodes
Labor’s tax changes hit the property market, will a Liberal ‘rebrand’ turn the party around?
The government's capital gains tax and negative gearing changes are now legislated, and this week there has been some early data on how these changes are hitting the property market. Plus, Labor's compromise on gambling advertising reforms and Angus Taylor's leadership of the Liberal Party. Senior economics correspondent Shane Wright and federal political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos join Ja
Antisemitism is feeding all forms of extremism: Peter Hartcher on ASIO boss’ striking speech
In December last year, Australia was confronted with its worst-ever incident of antisemitic violence when gunmen killed 15 people on Bondi Beach at a Hanukkah gathering. That came after the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and an arson attack on the Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, or ASIO, has now warned that hatred of
'Only a rort if you're not in on it': Inside the Big Build scandal
The Victorian government has staked its reputation, to a large extent, on an ambitious infrastructure program – termed the Big Build by state Labor, the program includes major road and rail projects totalling billions of dollars. Victoria Police however, say there is no doubt gangland-linked corruption has infiltrated the Big Build. Today, investigative reporter Nick McKenzie joi
Is the Karl Stefanovic saga a midlife crisis or media evolution?
Karl Stefanovic was the face of Australian morning television for 25 years. Lauded for wearing the same suit for a year to highlight sexism, laughed at for showing up drunk on air following the Logies. Now he’s agreed to part ways with Nine, the owner of our mastheads, after he featured far-right, anti-Islam British activist Tommy Robinson on his podcast. Today, columnist and senior journali
In an age of information overload, this is what happens to our brains
For decades, neuroscientists have offered opposing theories for how our brains process the risks and rewards of daily life. Some thought our brains dedicate the most energy into managing everyday realities. Others have thought our brains fire up when we’re thrown something unexpected.Now we have an answer. And it might make you re-think how you live.Today, science reporter Angus Dalton on fi
High risk or the right time? Zali Steggall on the new teal party
This week independent MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender announced they would form a new political party, Community Strong Australia. Steggall was successful as the first teal candidate, winning the prize seat of Warringah on Sydney’s north shore from former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2019. Spender took Sydney’s blue-ribbon electorate of Wentworth from Liberal David Sharma in 202
Peter Hartcher on Australian nihilism, fear and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
More Australians feel unsafe in the world than ever before, according to new research from the Lowy Institute. And it is this environment of fear – fear of a bad economy, of terrorism, of immigration – that makes for an environment ripe for a political party like One Nation to prosper.Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how Australia is experiencing a moment he
Starmer ousted: Why the British government is in turmoil
After months of criticism, and two significant scandals, Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as British prime minister.So, why is the country on the cusp of having is seventh prime minister in only 10 years?Today, Europe correspondent David Crowe on Starmer’s drastic fall, and on Andy Burnham, the unconventional politician who’s expected to take his place.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://
'Be sensible and keep your mouth shut': The private school facing allegations of control
With heritage-listed sandstone turrets and iron gates, the Redeemer Baptist School promises Sydney parents the private school dream: a prestigious, disciplined education for a fraction of the cost. But its academic awards, state-of-the-art facilities and charitable works conceal a darker reality.Today education reporter Emily Kowal talks to The Morning Edition host Samantha Selinger-Morris o
From dust to dust: Is human composting the new way to bury the dead?
For decades now, if someone died, there were two choices: burial, or cremation. But soon, Australians may get a third choice for how they choose to farewell their loved ones, thanks to a growing trend overseas.Today, senior writer Bevan Shields on human composting: a method of burial that may give you the ick, but that is giving many others profound peace of mind.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https:
Falsities, nastiness and the Trump ‘vibe’ tapped: Hanson at the Press Club
The hottest ticket in Australian politics this week was Pauline Hanson's first address to the National Press Club, which happened on Wednesday. The Press Club, set up in the early 1960s, has become a rite of passage for any aspiring political leader. But Hanson has been an outsider, and the Press Club represents the type of institution she rejects, so until now the One Nation leader has never made
Ultimate grudge match: Can the Socceroos silence the American hype?
A big first-game upset over Turkey sets the scene perfectly for a grudge match in Australia’s crucial game against the World Cup hosts at 5am on Saturday morning (AEST).Behind the scenes, a fiery cocktail of history, spiteful friendlies, and straight-up disrespect from American soccer pundits has turned this Group D clash into a highly personal grudge match.In this bonus episode, host Samant
Donald Trump says he has a peace deal with Iran. But does he?
What have Iran and the United States actually agreed to in the memorandum of understanding that the two countries announced over the weekend? Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher breaks it down for us, to work out if it’s a peace deal, a ceasefire, or something else entirely. Background reading Trumped-up peace deal at the mercy of another nation, and it’s no
6000 students. 1000 places. Competition for our best schools has never been tougher
This weekend thousands of teenagers will sit the entry exam for one of four select-entry government schools for high-achieving students in Victoria. It’s a nerve-recking experience and the stakes are high. Many students will miss out on a place.In NSW, competition is also fierce for a spot at select-entry schools. Students in both states spend countless hours preparing for the exams. Today,
‘Breaks every rule’: What the KPMG scandal is all about
They are one of the big four accounting firms. Government agencies and major corporations trust them to audit their books and ensure everything is above board.So what happens when one of these auditors is accused of a catastrophic failure of integrity?KPMG will face this question and many others when it fronts a Senate inquiry this week. The explosive claims emerged after a whistleblower brought a
How gangsters are still obtaining military-grade guns in Bondi masscre's wake
Last week there were a couple of shocking crimes in Sydney. In one, a father and his 15-year-old daughter were forced to flee when a gunman approached them at school pick-up time. In another, assailants in a car filmed themselves as they sprayed bullets from a high-powered firearm into a funeral home.Today, crime reporter Perry Duffin discusses the gang war in Sydney, and how the underworld is sti
Polls, the media and what's really driving One Nation’s support
With the budget backlash era moving on to something like begrudged resignation, or budget fatigue, we’re expecting Treasurer Jim Chalmers to soon make a few announcements around the tax changes. While this bubbles along, the only story in politics continues to be One Nation. Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal debate whether the media and the n
North Korea just made China back down. Is Trump taking note?
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea this week has put the world on notice that Kim Jong-Un's nuclear program, and ambitions, are stronger than ever. But has Donald Trump taken note? Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how North Korea has gone from global pariah to earning the respect of some of the world’s great capitals. Background reading The Ch
Has the fragile ceasefire in the US-Israel war with Iran been broken?
Earlier this week, it looked as though tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran had jeopardised a two-month ceasefire. The new hostilities threatened to once again place the Middle East on the precipice of a full-blown regional war. And then Donald Trump stepped into the fray. Today Middle East and security analyst Rodger Shanahan discusses what led to these strikes, and what they mean for the
Nick McKenzie on the arrest of Mick Gatto and the CFMEU crackdown
When one of Australia’s most infamous Victorian gangland figures was arrested last week over an alleged traffic infringement, it raised some eyebrows.So given Mick Gatto’s centrality in the building industry, was this the Victorian police pulling at straws in some last ditch attempt to crack down on suspected corruption?Today, investigative reporter Nick McKenzie on whether this arrest
The big baby bust: What happened to Australia’s middle child?
The fertility rate in Australia is at a record low, and there is judgment all around.Today, senior journalist Matt Wade and reporter Bronte Gossling on what our exclusive polling tells us about the global population plunge we’re all inching towards; what challenges it will throw at us; and why the demise of the third child may not be a great thing.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscrib
A week of reality checks: ‘Pauline for PM’ and the true state of the AUKUS pact
This week polls showed, for the first time, One Nation ahead of the major parties and Pauline Hanson as preferred prime minister in second place ahead of Angus Taylor. Today we're talking about her strategy, her chances in the lower house and any parallels with the United States. Is it time to take Hanson seriously? And the week would not be over if we didn't mention submarines - but second-
Don’t say it’s a protest vote’: Pauline Hanson on One Nation’s resurgence
The debate on the rise of Pauline Hanson is shifting rapidly. This week, for the first time, polls are showing One Nation's primary vote has risen above the Labor Party's. A conversation that focused on One Nation and the Coalition swapping preferences has now shifted to more profound questions about the long-term configuration of the right flank of Australian politics. Hanson is yet to face the f
Trump and Putin are showing the world what dumb power can do
We know that Donald Trump has long chased after Vladimir Putin’s approval. Remember the time Trump tweeted: “Do you think Putin will be going to the Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow – if so, will he become my new best friend”? That was 13 years ago. But now the American president is Putin’s match. Just not in the way he’d like. Today, international an
A player suspended, a Pride match bumped: Is the AFL doing more harm than good?
This weekend, there was supposed to be a special game played between the Sydney Swans and St Kilda. It was the teams' annual Pride match, in which the players would wear rainbow jerseys and celebrate diversity, the aim being to boost inclusivity for LGBTQ fans. But for the first time in a decade, because of a far-reaching scandal involving Saints player Lance Collard, the Pride match was scra
Tony Abbott is back, but what does it mean for the Liberal Party?
Tony Abbott is one of our most divisive former prime ministers. Lauded in conservative political circles, and mocked outside of them.And now, after he was knifed by his own party as a first-term prime minister, and then lost his political seat, Abbott is back.Today chief political commentator James Massola discusses Abbott's selection as the new president of the Liberal Party and the risk, and rew
A ‘mega ship’ will deliver 30,000 EVs from China. Just how safe is your data?
Roughly 5,000 new electric vehicles are due to land this week from China. This is just the first part of a shipment expected from the Chinese car manufacturing behemoth, BYD. The company is due to ship another 25,000 EVs here this year. Australians are embracing electric vehicles more than ever before, thanks to skyrocketing fuel prices. But it also comes with unanswered questions and potenti
CGT shemozzle, risk thrown around like 'fairy dust' and...a Teal party?
We are officially in week two of budget backlash, and both sides seem pretty dug in. Today we’re talking about the disagreements about the capital gains tax - the most controversial part of the budget - and if, as some critics said, it will kill business aspirations. The other news that sparked our interest was the tantalising prospect of the Teal independents forming a party to consolidate
How Gen Z in India turned an insult into a political uprising
Gen Z in India are rebelling. Millions of young Indians have signed up to a movement that’s pushing against the unfair advantages that their elders have and they don’t. And though the political movement they've joined is satirical, the Cockroach Janta Party has the Indian government worried. Today international and political editor Peter Hartcher discusses how serious a threat this mov
The most powerful man in sport is about to get more powerful
State of Origin is rugby league’s night of nights, with Queensland and New South Wales battling it out for supremacy. But as the teams take to the field tonight, there’s a battle of a different kind taking place in the NRL as power swaps between the biggest names in sports administration - Peter V’Landys and Andrew Abdo. Today, national head of sport Neil Breen on the politics of
Why the era of sniffer dogs at music festivals could be over
Drugs and music festivals have gone hand-in-hand for decades. In recent years – especially since a string of overdoses – authorities have employed various strategies to try to curb drug use and avoid tragedies from occurring at festivals around the country.Depending on where festivals are held, music lovers have been subjected to various degrees of intervention – from having to r
A secret, a revelation and a life forever changed for cop turned alleged victim
As a police officer who investigated sex crimes, Graeme Simpfendorfer was accustomed to helping victims on what might be the worst day of their life. He found meaning in tracking down the criminals who’d hurt them.But then came the day when he realised that he, too, was an alleged victim.The former detective sergeant – who appeared on the reality television show Hunted – talks ab
Most people don’t have trusts, or multiple houses: Bill Shorten on the budget’s tax changes
We’re officially in our budget backlash era, with claims of death taxes, of aspirations killed, and the outraged cries of crypto bros across the nation. Not to mention, of course, the genuine anxiety from regular small business owners and shareholders who are unsure of how all of these changes will affect them. Our guest this week is former Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten, who is n
Now, it’s Putin’s turn. Will Xi Jinping encourage Russia to end the Ukraine war?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in China to meet Xi Jinping, days after the Chinese leader hosted US President Donald Trump. Will Putin gush over Xi, as Trump was accused of doing? Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher discusses the historic concessions Trump has made to China, and what Putin is hoping to achieve from his meeting.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://s
Almost 20 years of NAPLAN data has revealed something shocking
It’s like clockwork. Every March, countless parents, children and teachers across Australia grip their foreheads, wondering about how their NAPLAN scores measure up. But now, a new study of our country’s national standardised scholastic test has revealed an unsettling trend. Today, education reporter Nicole Precel on the educational segregation that is thriving in Australia – and
What Angus Taylor's immigration plan would really mean
With the Liberal Party in a political death spiral, it was perhaps inevitable that when Opposition Leader Angus Taylor gave his budget reply speech last week, he’d swing for the fences.But could his much-awaited immigration policy help fix Australia's housing crisis?Today, chief political commentator James Massola on what Angus Taylor means when he says his policy proposal “puts Austra
Why Melbourne's nightclubs have been targeted by a 'Fagin-like' mystery figure
Melbourne’s nightlife industry has been beset by violent crimes for much of this year.Under the cover of night, well-known venues - including an iconic French restaurant - have been targeted.What makes this series of connected crimes interesting is the motive remains a mystery.Some club owners have received an ominous message before an attack, but with no demand attached.Also notable is the
Does a broken promise matter in a broken system, and Angus Taylor’s migrant plan
The federal budget was pitched as a big moment for a progressive government that wants to equalise wealth and home ownership. And one of the main attacks from the opposition is that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has had to break a promise in order to get there. So will the broken promise line resonate if the changes are broadly supported by the public? Also today, Inside Politics host Jacqu
Taiwan, trade and the balance of power: What’s at stake when Trump meets Xi Jinping
When US President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping this week, it will be a geopolitical heavyweight match-up with enormous stakes, according to Joe Biden’s former deputy secretary of state, Kurt Campbell. On the table is everything from global trade to security. And, at a time when Trump is arguably at his weakest, and Xi at his most paranoid. Today international and poli
Zoomers, boomers and a federal budget that could fix housing
The federal government has delivered one of the most anticipated budgets in recent history, with the focus on shifting wealth from Boomers and opening more of the housing market to younger wage earners. In order to get there, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have enacted an overhaul of negative gearing, capital gains tax and trusts. Today, we bring you an early episode of
Will One Nation push Labor to reshape our society?
We’re only hours away from the federal treasurer handing down the government’s much-anticipated budget. All eyes have been on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s anticipated - and controversial - changes to taxes that benefit the wealthier members of our society.But there’s an entirely different factor that is likely to sway the government’s thinking.Today, political co
‘Popcorn out’ for Farrer by-election, plus the RBA’s pointed comments on government spending
The electorate of Farrer is holding a by-election this weekend and we’re expecting the contest will be a good one. The NSW seat, which hugs the border with Victoria, belonged to former opposition leader Sussan Ley for 25 years. Now, it’s a microcosm of the pressures the Coalition is under from independent candidates and One Nation. And as Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley puts
Once dominant fascist powers, Japan and Germany are now saving democracy
US President Donald Trump never fails to miss an opportunity to punish his allies. This week, it was Germany after Trump announced he’d be pulling 5000 troops from the country after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the US had been humiliated by Iran. But away from the front-page news, Germany and Japan – another former enemy of the US – have been on the rise. Today, internatio
David Attenborough is 100. His legacy may be very different than you think
For millions of people, David Attenborough was the man who introduced us to the wonders of the natural world.But, with Attenborough turning 100 years old on Friday, some are rethinking his legacy, and realising that his biggest achievement might have been missed entirely. Today environment editor Nick O’Malley and former BBC arts director Jonty Claypole talk about how the world’s most
Kylie Moore-Gilbert on why Australia's hostage strategy must change
Kylie Moore-Gilbert was imprisoned in Iran for more than years, accused of being a spy. Five years after her release, the research fellow in security studies at Macquarie University is calling on the Australian government to change its strategy towards hostages. Today, Moore-Gilbert speaks about how the era of "quiet diplomacy" is – in some hostage cases –over.Subscribe to The Age & SM
'This is far from over’: The case of Kumanjayi Little Baby
On the evening of Anzac Day, a man is alleged to have set in motion a series of events that sparked a national outcry, broke hearts, and ignited rage in Alice Springs.Today's episode comes after the news that 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis was charged on Sunday with the murder of a five-year-old girl in a tiny Alice Springs community.We cross to the Northern Territory to journalist Hannah Murphy, fro
A fiery air crash in the Top End – and a miracle by Aussie doctors who saved a US marine
Travis Reyes, a 21-year-old US marine, remembers feeling smug as he sat with his feet dangling out the door of a military aircraft, soaring high above a gulf in the Northern Territory.Yes, dozens of military personnel had died in these hybrid aeroplane/helicopters over the years. But the take-off from Darwin had been smooth.Today, senior reporter Grant McArthur on the 23 marines who crashed in the
Why young people are so angry about housing, and whether this budget will fix it
Inflation figures were out this week, and it wasn’t good news. Next week’s interest rates figures from the Reserve Bank aren't looking crash hot either. So how do these results impact Jim Chalmers’ impending budget and what are the chances the treasurer will press ahead with changes to taxes and housing? We also chat about the government’s new favourite buzzwords from
Mark Butler on the NDIS, private health and vaccine hesitancy
When the National Disability Insurance Scheme was created in 2013, it was proof that a rich society could find the money to help people living with a disability. This was social democracy at work. Twelve years on, it has turned into a $62 billion behemoth, on track to cost more than the age pension. The Albanese government last week admitted the scheme was at risk of collapse. It announced a root-
Peter Hartcher answers your questions about Iran, Trump and the state of the world
Regular listeners will know Peter Hartcher – he’s our international and political editor and a weekly voice on The Morning Edition, helping us dissect and process the extraordinary times that we’re living in. Every week we get a lot of comments from our listeners, so we put a call out for the burning questions you’ve wanted to ask Hartcher. Today we've collated a selection
The Australian philanthropist and the alleged $1.6 million sequin-studded fraud
It's shaping up to be a story of profound betrayal – if the allegations are proven in court. On the one hand is one of Australia's most influential and richest philanthropists, a woman who doesn't use email or indeed a computer. On the other is her personal secretary, whom she entrusted with access to her intimate personal and financial details. Today, chief investigative reporter Kate
Trump and the Washington attack: This shooting is different
Within hours of the shooting, right outside where US President Donald Trump was dining at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, the American president was venting his anger. Not, notably, about the gunman firing shots in the lobby of the hotel. But at a journalist who read out what the suspected shooter allegedly thinks about Trump. Today Bruce Wolpe, a senior fellow at the United States Studies C
Airtasker of the underworld, offshore gangs and the uniquely Australian crime
Prohibition-era gangs, mafia dons, the notorious Melbourne’s gangland wars and the rise of flashy outlaw motorcycle gangs.Crime in Australia has had a few iterations, and has mirrored crime occurring in the rest of the world.But now we’re in a new era.Today investigative reporter Marta Pascual Juanola on how organised crime has changed and the uniquely Australian trend that has emerged
Labor’s baby a ‘honeypot of fraud’ and the gas tax’s viral moment
Today, we are talking about one of the federal budget’s trickiest customers - the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Labor was once like a proud parent of the NDIS, but now even the minister in charge, Mark Butler, is describing the scheme as a honeypot for organised crime. Also this week, an inquiry about taxing offshore gas exports went kind of viral due to a David Pocock question about
The ‘axis of upheaval’ that's forming against the West
Since the Cold War ended more than 35 years ago, many of us have likely not given much thought to Bloc warfare. Those nuclear threats that the Western and Eastern Blocs hurled at each other? A thing of the past. But lately, the beginnings of a return to Bloc warfare have revealed themselves. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on the group of countries that are assisting
The likely change to the capital gains tax and the 'Ponzi scheme' of housing
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is slated to make a big change to the tax system, with the centrepiece of the May budget a change to taxing capital gains on property. Will the likely tweaks reduce skyrocketing house prices, or address intergenerational inequality? Today, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright talks about who this change will cost, who it will benefit, and by how much.Background readin
The uprising in women's basketball
There’s been something of a revolt in women’s basketball in the United States, and two Australians – Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor – are among the biggest winners.Today, sports reporter Frances Howe on the multimillion-dollar deals netted by these Australian stars, as a result of a very simple demand, and what it means for women in sport. Background reading The Age
How Lego became the black market’s hottest trade
Just picture it: under the cover of night, police detectives raid a clandestine drug lab in Melbourne belonging to an organised crime gang. But instead of picking through just the usual: beakers, wads of cash and perhaps the unmistakable acetone odour of ICE, they stumble on something else.Boxes upon boxes – upon BOXES – of Lego.Today, senior reporter Chris Vedelago on why your ki
No ‘drill baby drill’ moment: Chris Bowen on oil shock’s impact on green Australia
A fire at a Geelong oil refinery - one of two refineries left in Australia - has heightened anxiety around fuel supply. Energy Minister Chris Bowen joins the Inside Politics podcast today to address the impact of this fire and the scramble for petrol and diesel imports as the nation grapples with one of the most severe oil shocks in history. The pugilistic minister, a lighting rod in the debate ab
Trump or Netanyahu – who pushed who into the Iran war?
Seven weeks into the US-Israel war with Iran, the narrative that Donald Trump was pushed into the war by Benjamin Netanyahu, and that the US president is an agent of Israel, still permeates the internet.How much truth is there to these claims?Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher talks about who really is driving the war, and why it matters.Read Hartcher's column here.Subscribe
My niece needs the NDIS. Yes, it must be cut – but with a scalpel, not a chainsaw
As our journalist James Massola put it, his niece Mattea is like most three-year-olds: boisterous and bursting with energy.Mattea is also not like most three-year-olds: from the moment she was born, her parents have had to grapple with a complex set of problems that make life very different.I’m Samantha Selinger-Morris, and you’re listening to The Morning Edition, from The Age and Sydn
Harry and Meghan’s 'grifting': What the royals are doing Down Under
For years, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have been tanking in popularity polls. Meghan is now the second-most disliked royal, beaten only by the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.So why is this faux-royal tour occurring down under when the British monarchy is arguably on the nose?Today, senior writer Bevan Shields comments on recent bullying accusations against Prince Harry, w
Albanese’s gambling reform – big money versus the 'nanny state'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed – over the course of years – for failing to crack down on the more than 1 million gambling ads broadcast every year on Australia's free-to-air TV and radio, not to mention the rest of our gambling industry, which has driven some families to financial ruin.Then, finally, just over a week ago, came the prime minister’s announcement o
Matt Canavan on his love of EVs, and calling out Pauline Hanson
The new leader of the Nationals, Matt Canavan, is a former Marxist from the suburbs who was once a Productivity Commission economist and then, a firebrand right-wing senator. Canavan joins Inside Politics today with chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal at a time when the Nationals are battling for survival against an ascendant One Nation. The pair discuss Australia's over-reliance on the
Peter Hartcher: Donald Trump is now a ‘genocidal tyrant’
US President Donald Trump has backed down, at the eleventh hour, from his horrifying threat to - as Trump put it himself - unleash destruction on Iran’s entire civilisation. Both sides have now said they have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how to make sense of the events of the l
Nick McKenzie on the arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith
The Australian Federal Police today arrested war hero Ben Roberts-Smith over the war-crimes murders of five unarmed Afghan civilians and prisoners during the Afghan War.The arrest comes after a quiet, five-year-long investigation into Roberts-Smith, which reportedly involved tapped phones, listening devices, and raids by secretive Office of the Special Investigator detectives.Today, investigative
The court judgment that could change the treatment of Australian women giving birth
There was a significant judgment in a Victorian court last week, one that is causing a great deal of controversy in the medical community.The case centres on what happened when a woman presented to a regional hospital to give birth.The woman, Larissa Gawthrop, was in labour – but the hospital refused to admit her until she’d undergone a vaginal examination. For the hospital, this test
An Australian study linked vaping to cancer for the first time. Why all the backlash?
Many of us probably have a hunch that vaping is bad for our health.Questions about just how bad have been around for years.So why, then, has there been a backlash by health researchers against a new study, that has now declared that the evidence is in, and e-cigarettes are likely to cause oral and lung cancer?Today, science reporter Angus Dalton on the main warnings contained in this Australian st
A national address, nailing down the budget, and Hastie’s ‘striking’ interview
This week we debate the merits of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s national address before getting stuck into what’s happening with the budget. With the world in a bit of a shambles, we found it interesting that the PM hasn’t totally killed off the idea of reforms in the budget to things such as capital gains tax and negative gearing. But, as our guest and senior economics
Peter Hartcher: Donald Trump is on the cusp of walking away from Iran
US President Donald Trump says he’s nearly done with the war in Iran, declaring: "We will be leaving very soon." His secretary of state also said on Wednesday that he can "see the finish line". This would be significant, but only if the Americans were in control of the war. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher argues the United States has leached power in this war, while
Nick McKenzie on how North Korean spies are infiltrating Australian companies
Investigative reporter Nick McKenzie logged on to a Zoom call to meet the man who said he was Aaron Pierson. McKenzie was also hiding his real identity, posing as a recruiter for an Australian tech company. The whole thing was a set-up, a trap for someone McKenzie suspected to be a spy for North Korea. Today, McKenzie talks about the new way spies are targeting Australian businesses, and what happ
The dramatic end to the hunt for Dezi Freeman
In a sudden conclusion to one of Australia’s most intensive manhunts, self-described sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman was shot dead by police on Monday morning. For more than 200 days, Freeman evaded police after killing two police officers at a rural property in Porepunkah, in Victoria’s High Country, on August 26 last year. In a bonus episode today, crime reporter Melissa Cunningham on
Albanese has a petrol plan. Will it help, or boost inflation?
The government has finally announced its national fuel security plan to help us cope with one of the worst global oil crisis the world has seen.After meeting with the heads of all states and territories in a special meeting of the national cabinet, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was acting now to be “overprepared" for any worsening of the crisis that has resulted from th
After the flood: Exploring the link between disasters and dementia
When the murky and fast-flowing water surged into their house in northern Victoria, Brian and Glenys Mulcahey were determined. They would save their home of more than 50 years.In the end, they couldn’t. But what they didn’t know then, during that devastating flood in 2022, was that the worst was still to come.For Brian Mulcahey was never the same again; the previously active man slid i
The EU trade deal, and One Nation’s South Australian election
This week, while we were all freaking out about the oil crisis – and rightly so – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen visited to finalise a trade deal between Australia and the EU. Negotiations for this have been on and off for eight years, so it was not a moment too soon that we signed it. But, as Jacqueline Maley and Paul Sakkal discuss, this wasn't just about deliciou
Peter Hartcher on why the Iran conflict is spiralling out of control
How can we make heads or tails of where the Iran war is headed, and when it might end, when Donald Trump changes his strategy with whiplash speed? One minute, the US President says he’ll drop more bombs on Iran, “just for fun”. The next he decides to lift sanctions on Iranian oil and says that he’s having “productive” negotiations with his enemy. Today, internat
Will the Kyle and Jackie O implosion unleash Sandilands globally?
As much as we love to hate Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O, who for so long ruled Australia's most expensive radio program, the implosion of their show is consequential. And not just in a business sense – although if Sandilands is successful in the lawsuit he launched against his former employer this week, it could take the entire radio network down. Today, media writer Calum Jaspan on whe
Explaining the petrol problem and whether gas is next
You’ve noticed the hike in prices at the petrol pump, but how high might prices go? And are we at risk of running out of petrol?Today, energy reporter Nick Toscano on what plans our government and the fuel companies have to manage this crisis.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
'Looksmaxxing’ is the dark new trend and Australian men are leading it
"Looksmaxxing" is a trend on social media where, as the name suggests, men aim to "maximise" their appearance in sometimes extreme ways. There are tales of breaking legs in order to be taller, and talk of "bone smashing" – where young men claim they are hammering their faces to heighten their cheekbones.Today, Becca Rothfeld, a writer with The New Yorker magazine, talks about where this move
Is it really time to panic about petrol supply?
This week we’re talking about the enormous global volatility the government is dealing with, courtesy of the US-Israel war on Iran, and whether we need to be worried about things like our fuel supplies.Also, with this global instability and an interest rate rise this week, will Treasurer Jim Chalmers water down his budget ambitions, or press on with major changes to intergenerational equity
