Home Podcasts The Front
The Front

The Front

The Australian 1384 Episodes Oct 15, 2026

The Front brings the unrivalled journalism of Australia’s national broadsheet to audio, featuring each day’s essential page one stories, journalists’ candid take on the issues that matter and behind-the-scenes insight from our newsrooms.

Episodes

Are we forgetting Kokoda?
Are we forgetting Kokoda? Oct 15, 2026 708 Fear, exhaustion and elation combine on the 96-kilometre Kokoda Track, where trekkers honour one of our greatest military victories. But is this ultimate immersive experience being forgotten by Australians, as tourist numbers dwindle and PNG is gripped by extreme poverty and violence? Our own John Ferguson reports, fresh from his own Kokoda adventure - and 5 kilos lighter than when he set out.&nbs
Cop ‘asked friend to ditch phone’ after murders
Cop ‘asked friend to ditch phone’ after murders Oct 15, 2026 230 Accused killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon asked a friend to dispose of a mobile phone connected to two men he’s accused of murdering. Plus, taxpayers foot the bill for Michelin stars in South Australia.  Read more:  Beau Lamarre-Condon asked friend to dump phone in WA after murders, court hears IBAC exposes $285m Covid government cover-up in Victoria 11 Michelin-star winners in South
The great Snowy squeeze: how the ‘world’s biggest battery’ got stuck
The great Snowy squeeze: how the ‘world’s biggest battery’ got stuck Oct 14, 2026 798 Snowy 2.0 was supposed to be the renewable energy dream made real right here in Australia. But a decade of catastrophic delays and blowouts have the whole project literally at risk of getting squeezed to death by Australia’s ancient geology - and now, The Australian is revealing the Commonwealth government considered sacking the builder that was meant to save this enormous project.  Rea
‘Completely agreed’: Albanese denies rolling Chalmers on ATO credit card ban
‘Completely agreed’: Albanese denies rolling Chalmers on ATO credit card ban Oct 14, 2026 195 Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he wasn’t undercut by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on a controversial Tax Office plan to ban credit card payments. Plus, China’s first foreign military base and Powerfinger’s tour ticket frenzy sparks new shows.  Read more:  Chalmers rejects claim PM undercut him on credit card backdown Anthony Albanese admits overruling Chalmers on ATO cr
Landlords pull a giant u-turn on investment
Landlords pull a giant u-turn on investment Oct 13, 2026 803 In a post-negative gearing world, property investors have to find a completely different kind of property to buy - and they’re shaking up the entire market. Today - what it means for renters, owners and the price of all our places. Mackenzie Scott is here.  Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Property investors
Tom Cruise’s ‘obnoxious’ movie is an historic bomb
Tom Cruise’s ‘obnoxious’ movie is an historic bomb Oct 13, 2026 160 Tom Cruise’s film Digger is on track to lose more than $350 million, making it one of the biggest box-office bombs in history.  Plus, Independent senator David Pocock says the Prime Minister’s office edited a letter raising concerns about artificial intelligence before it was sent to - the Prime Minister. Read more:  Tom Cruise film Digger set to lose Warner Bros $352m in his
Will the Firmus flop kill our hyperscaler future?
Will the Firmus flop kill our hyperscaler future? Oct 12, 2026 694 Firmus is a giant flop - so what happens now to the tens of billions of dollars in AI hyperscaler money flooding into Australia to fund data centres? Chief business correspondent Perry Williams joins us. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by
Brethren leader to face parliamentary inquiry
Brethren leader to face parliamentary inquiry Oct 12, 2026 155 A drama surrounding the Brethren Christian Church has just accelerated, with the church’s global leader to appear before an Australian parliamentary inquiry into what church members got up to in the leadup to the 2025 federal election. Plus, new hearings from the antisemitism royal commission.  Read more:  Bruce Hales says ‘truth will prevail’ in his appearance before i
Oliver Curtis vents after Firmus fail
Oliver Curtis vents after Firmus fail Oct 11, 2026 824 Australia’s missed a big opportunity - that’s the accusation from a disappointed impresario Olvier Curtis, who in a decade went from convicted insider trading criminal to data centre billionaire. A public float of his company, Firmus, has fallen flat and Curtis has retreated to Singapore. Today, a wild few days in the life of Firmus. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com
Why does Elon Musk hate the 4-hour documentary about himself?
Why does Elon Musk hate the 4-hour documentary about himself? Oct 9, 2026 751 The world’s richest man, Elon Musk has a new documentary. It got a five minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, and critics are unanimous in their praise. But Musk hates it. He’s labelled director Alex Gibney a “douche” and a “horrible human”. And now he’s threatening to sue. Max Aitchison joins Claire Harvey to discuss all the shades of Musk.
ATO Credit card ban paused after business backlash
ATO Credit card ban paused after business backlash Oct 9, 2026 216 Small business owners will be able to pay their tax bills using credit cards, after the Australian Taxation Office paused its ban on plastic until 2027. Plus, Firmus multibillion-dollar IPO is scrapped and ‘The Bachelor’ star Sam Wood refused bail in Queensland.  Read more:  Labor caves in on ATO’s controversial credit card payment ban Firmus pulls $44bn ASX float
Nowhere Dan: What’s with Andrews’ new beachy life?
Nowhere Dan: What’s with Andrews’ new beachy life? Oct 8, 2026 784 He was premier for nine years, a buddy to the billionaires and still a household name today - but Dan Andrews is toxic for his Victorian Labor party and living in a giant house he doesn’t own on the Mornington Peninsula. Today, the mystery of what’s going on with Daniel Andrews.  Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube cha

Recommended