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Cut Through

Cut Through

Crikey 74 Episodes Jul 23, 2026

Cut Through is Crikey's spin-free analysis of Australian news, politics and power. Each week the podcast breaks down the biggest news stories, stripping away the noise to bring listeners the information that really matters. It delivers talking points every Friday in the Crikey way.

Episodes

Australia’s university sector is in tatters. Why?
Australia’s university sector is in tatters. Why? Jul 23, 2026 33:03 Australia’s most prestigious universities have been plagued by governance and corruption scandals over the past few years, all the while public debate continues on what role universities should play in modern Australian society. Julie Hare, one of the country’s most experienced higher education journalists, joins Cut Through to unpack the ICAC investigation into the University of Wollongong,
Bernard Keane Q&A: Big Build corruption, AI policy, and will Australia introduce a wealth tax?
Bernard Keane Q&A: Big Build corruption, AI policy, and will Australia introduce a wealth tax? Jul 15, 2026 36:39 Politics editor Bernard Keane returns to the podcast to answer subscriber questions in a dedicated Q&A episode. What does he think of critics who say there is “nothing to see here” on union corruption in Victoria’s Big Build? Is there any substance to rumours that Anthony Albanese would leave politics before the next election? Will the global campaign to introduce a wealth tax – advocated by t
Karl Stefanovic and the death of the TV star
Karl Stefanovic and the death of the TV star Jul 9, 2026 33:36 How did Karl Stefanovic rise to the pinnacle of TV stardom, and what does his move to even smaller screens say about the current state of Australian media? Tina Quinn joins the podcast to go behind-the-scenes of her latest article for Crikey, which saw her speak to a long list of sources who worked alongside Stefanovic — from junior producers all the way up to senior management — about how he real
Teal, Orange, Green: Who’s holding Labor to account?
Teal, Orange, Green: Who’s holding Labor to account? Jul 2, 2026 34:57 There was a flurry of activity in parliament as politicians tried to make the last sitting fortnight before the winter break really count. So it’s the perfect time to bring Cut Through back from our mid-year break – re-energised and ready to call it as we see it! Crikey’s politics writer Rachel Withers joins readers’ editor Crystal Andrews and reporter-at-large Charlie Lewis to discuss the hi
2026 federal budget: does anyone care about broken promises?
2026 federal budget: does anyone care about broken promises? May 14, 2026 36:36 The 2026 federal budget was one of the more “memorable” in recent history. Despite the vast majority of measures having already been aired in the media weeks prior, Jim Chalmers kept one major reveal for budget night: a three-part tax reform, winding back the favourable settings of capital gains tax, negative gearing and private trusts.The mainstream media has been bleating about “broken promises”
Farrer by-election: A One Nation vs independent showdown
Farrer by-election: A One Nation vs independent showdown May 6, 2026 28:39 There are just three days until the Farrer by-election and – for the first time ever – it looks like voters won’t be electing a National or Liberal MP to represent them in Sussan Ley’s old seat.. Instead, the frustration with establishment politics has seen independent Michelle Milthorpe and One Nation’s David Farly emerge as the frontrunners in a fierce and unpredictable campaignTo help you follo
Grace Tame: The NDIS overhaul is a missed opportunity
Grace Tame: The NDIS overhaul is a missed opportunity Apr 30, 2026 27:41 Health Minister Mark Butler’s “major overhaul” of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will reduce the total cost of the scheme by $15 billion over the next four years. The majority of the savings will come from the 160,000 people who will be kicked off the scheme – a brutal decision given that the NDIS only supports a fraction of the 2 million Australians with a severe disability.The justific
Is “free speech” an Australian value?
Is “free speech” an Australian value? Apr 23, 2026 37:45 Is “free speech” an Australian value? We examine the latest developments concerning two state laws attempting to restrict political expression, and how the people are pushing back.First, the verdict is in on the protest-restricting laws introduced by the Minns government ahead of the divisive visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog: the changes are unconstitutional. Grata Fund founder Isabelle Rei
Why experts suspect insider trading in the White House
Why experts suspect insider trading in the White House Apr 16, 2026 29:12 If it walks, talks and quacks like a duck… is it insider trading? Journalist Lachlan Keller joins the podcast to explain the suspicious pattern of behaviour that has lead experts and analysts to believe people within the Trump administration are using insider trading to make huge, lucrative bets on global news events.We discuss the major oil commodities trades made just hours before Trump announce
Australia’s gambling ad ban is here
Australia’s gambling ad ban is here Apr 9, 2026 34:08 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a surprise announcement before the Easter long weekend – the government’s long-awaited proposal for gambling advertising reform was finally ready and intended to come into effect from January 1, 2027. So, where will gambling ads be banned, and how?Crikey media reporter Daanyal Saeed joins the podcast to unpack the proposed gambling ad reforms, including three b
Left-Right politics in Australia is dead
Left-Right politics in Australia is dead Apr 2, 2026 49:28 Originally labels for a person’s economic perspective, “left” and “right” have been transformed into social markers that are not only wielded as weapons in political discourse, but actually tell us very little about how someone will vote. In fact, most Australians prefer to call themselves “centrist” regardless of their beliefs. So does the left-right political spectrum still apply to Australian p
Do we actually need to panic about fuel?
Do we actually need to panic about fuel? Mar 26, 2026 32:58 It’s been one month since the US began its war on Iran, which means one month that the critical oil passageway the Strait of Hormuz has been closed. As a result, the price of crude oil has shot up, taking the price of fuel with it. At petrol stations across Australia diesel is more than $3 per litre, with unleaded creeping up to $2.50 in metro areas and well beyond that in regional areas.Economics

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