As 2021 comes to an end, most of us are winding down. But in Canberra, the contest is just beginning. With an election on the horizon, both the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese have started pitching for votes. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper , Paul Bongiorno on what we’ll see as both leaders fight for their political future. Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper , Paul Bongiorno. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.co...
Dec 09, 2021•15 min•Ep. 608
Every year, in the lead up to Christmas, thousands and thousands of native flying insects, known as Christmas beetles, would emerge from the soil and attach themselves to trees, street lights and crawl into homes across Australia. Or at least that’s what used to happen. In recent years Christmas beetles have disappeared, concerning scientists who are worried climate change is to blame. Today, producer for 7am Kara Jensen-Mackinnon on what happened to Australia’s Christmas beetles. Guest: Produce...
Dec 08, 2021•16 min•Ep. 607
A new report released by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner has revealed a toxic workplace culture in Parliament House, with nearly half of the women working there experiencing sexual harassment and bullying. But almost immediately after the report was released, a number of fresh allegations and scandals emerged in Parliament, demonstrating how deep the problem is. Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton on what the Jenkins Report tells us about Australia’s ...
Dec 07, 2021•17 min•Ep. 606
Traditionally the Liberal Party’s biggest threat at federal elections is the Labor Party. But this time they’re facing an insurgency in their heartland. A number of high profile and well resourced independent candidates are challenging Liberal MPs in some of the party’s safest seats. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Mike Seccombe on what is motivating this wave of independents, and how they could end up shaping the future of Australian politics. Guest: National Corresponden...
Dec 06, 2021•16 min•Ep. 605
For the past three years one of the most secretive court cases in Australia has been taking place in Canberra. The former attorney-general for the ACT, Bernard Collaery, has been charged with conspiracy, but the details of the case have been hidden from journalists and the public. Today, senior lawyer for the Human Rights Law Centre, Kieran Pender, on the trial of Bernard Collaery, and why the government is trying so hard to keep it as secret as possible. Guest: Senior lawyer for the Human Right...
Dec 06, 2021•16 min•Ep. 604
This week the art world lost an icon and a visionary. The fashion designer, Virgil Abloh, passed away at the age of 41, two years after being diagnosed with cancer. From his beginnings in Chicago, to his collaborations with Kanye West and becoming the first black person in history to be appointed artistic director at Louis Vuitton, Virgil transformed fashion, music and art. To help unpack just how significant a figure Virgil Abloh was, and to discuss his legacy, we’re joined by Mitch Parker, a f...
Dec 04, 2021•41 min
This week, two of the nation's most high profile politicians have announced that they will be quitting politics. The departure of the Health Minister Greg Hunt and former Attorney-General Christian Porter only adds to the pressure that the Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under right now - pressure created by the internal division plaguing the Coalition. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on whether Scott Morrison has lost control of his own party, and what that means in the ...
Dec 03, 2021•15 min•Ep. 603
In the lead up to the last federal election Scott Morrison promised he would introduce new laws to protect religious freedoms. Now the federal government has finally introduced a religious discrimination bill to parliament. And there are concerns that they could make it easier for individuals to discriminate against marginalised communities, like the queer community, without consequence. Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton, on what the religious discrimin...
Dec 02, 2021•16 min•Ep. 601
For months scientists have been warning us that if global vaccination rates didn’t lift - new, potentially more dangerous strains of Covid-19 could emerge. Now it looks like their fears might have been realised with the emergence of the new Omicron variant. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the threat posed by the Omicron variant, and how vaccine hoarding by rich nations is helping prolong the pandemic. Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper , Rick Morton. Stay ...
Dec 02, 2021•15 min•Ep. 602
Powershop was one of Australia’s fastest growing energy companies. It’s investment in renewables and political advocacy for climate change action made it one of the most popular electricity providers in the country. But in a shock announcement to its customers, Powershop announced it had been sold to one of the world’s biggest polluters. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on the sale of Powershop, and what it tells us about the future of green energy in Australia....
Nov 30, 2021•15 min•Ep. 600
Earlier this month, Peng Shuai, one of China’s most successful tennis stars posted a statement on social media, detailing allegations of sexual harassment levelled against a powerful Chinese politician. Half an hour later, the post, and her entire, feed disappeared. Then she did too. Today, Linda Jaivin, on what happened to one of China’s biggest sports stars. Guest: Writer and author of The Shortest History of China , Linda Jaivin. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See ...
Nov 29, 2021•16 min•Ep. 599
One of the most interesting seasons of ‘The Bachelorette’ has just wrapped up. After a sustained drop in ratings, the show’s producers announced a big shift in the core mechanics of the show - Brooke Blurton was announced as this year’s Bachelorette making her both the first Indigenous and queer woman in the role, and for the first time, contestants would be a mix of men and women. So did it work in injecting some new energy into what has become a pretty predictable and tired format? And are the...
Nov 27, 2021•43 min
As the parliamentary year enters its final fortnight, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing a political crisis. The Coalition government has fractured on a number of issues this week, most significantly in response to a bill introduced by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on why the Coalition is in chaos, and the political ramifications it will have for Scott Morrison. Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper , Paul Bongiorno. Stay in touch...
Nov 26, 2021•15 min•Ep. 598
As Australia wraps up its hotel quarantine program, one group of people will remain confined in hotel rooms indefinitely: people seeking asylum. For the past year the Australian government has been forcibly detaining asylum seekers in an inner-city Melbourne hotel. They have no access to fresh air and limited space to exercise. Then Covid-19 hit. The virus spread rapidly through the building, infecting many who are immunocompromised and unvaccinated. The outbreak has raised serious questions reg...
Nov 25, 2021•17 min•Ep. 597
On Tuesday, the NSW Parliament passed historic reforms to sexual consent laws. During the parliamentary debate one MP thanked survivor and campaigner Saxon Mullins who kickstarted the campaign to change the law when she appeared on the ABC’s Four Corners program. Now, similar laws are being introduced in Victoria, and advocates are calling for national reform. Today, campaigner and contributor to The Saturday Paper Saxon Mullins, on the push to update Australia’s laws around sexual assault, and ...
Nov 24, 2021•17 min•Ep. 596
The Northern Territory managed to only record a handful of cases and avoided any deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, but now the NT is on the brink of a public health crisis. An outbreak in the town of Katherine is spreading to remote communities across the territory. And almost everyone who has tested positive so far is Indigenous. Today, Labor Senator for the Northern Territory, Malarndirri McCarthy talks about her family who were some of the first people impacted by the current outbreak, and...
Nov 23, 2021•15 min•Ep. 595
The COP26 climate summit in Glasgow was seen as the world’s ‘last best chance’ to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and avoid catastrophic climate change. On that measure it failed. The pledges made will instead see temperatures rise by nearly 2 degrees. Tim Flannery, one of Australia’s most well known environmentalists, had a front row seat at the negotiations and to what he describes as Australia’s ‘embarrassing’ contribution. Today, Tim Flannery on what unfolded at COP-26, and his hopes for...
Nov 22, 2021•15 min•Ep. 594
Last week Taylor Swift re-released one of her most critically acclaimed albums, Red . The re-recording is the result of a complicated financial and legal battle over who owns the rights to the original versions of her songs. Red (Taylor’s Version) features all of the songs on the original album, plus a bunch of new tracks and a 10 minute long version of her iconic song ‘All Too Well’, where she takes some pretty pointed shots at a very famous ex-boyfriend. This week on The Culture , we’re joined...
Nov 20, 2021•47 min
The federal Coalition government holds office by the barest of margins - just one seat. That means at the next election, due in the first half of next year, it can’t afford to lose any seats without risking a hung parliament. Now, a popular and high profile Liberal incumbent has announced he won’t be recontesting his electorate, throwing the party’s election preparations into jeopardy. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on why the Liberal MP abandoning Scott Morrison thinks ...
Nov 19, 2021•12 min•Ep. 593
Everyday for the past week hundreds of protesters have camped outside the Victorian Parliament, protesting a new bill that would extend the state’s public health orders, the tools used to combat the pandemic. Some of the protesters are far-right extremists, who have threatened violence against politicians and brought nooses to the steps of the parliament. But opposition to the government’s proposed pandemic bill isn’t only coming from the far-right. It’s also been criticised by civil libertarian...
Nov 18, 2021•15 min•Ep. 592
The federal government has finally released the modelling underpinning its plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050. According to the Prime Minister, the economic impact of the plan won’t be that significant. But at the last election Scott Morrison had a very different position when he was opposing Labor’s emissions reduction policy. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on the documents that reveal who’s behind the federal government’s climate modelling - and what i...
Nov 17, 2021•16 min•Ep. 591
Australia has become well known as the defamation capital of the world, with many high profile figures regularly, and successfully, suing media outlets. But recently there’s been a new trend: politicians using defamation law against ordinary people. It’s become so common that one senior government minister is even suggesting creating a new fund to bankroll the lawsuits, all paid for by the taxpayer. Today, legal academic and contributor for The Saturday Paper Bri Lee on how the current wave of d...
Nov 16, 2021•14 min•Ep. 590
As the next federal election approaches, the question of whether the Prime Minister Scott Morrison can pull off another ‘miracle’ win looms large. But how much do we really know about the man who’s been in charge through a pandemic, a sexual assault reckoning, and a crystallising climate crisis? Today, journalist and author Sean Kelly on what’s underneath the persona that Scott Morrison presents publicly, and what his Prime Ministership tells us about our national identity. Guest: Author of The ...
Nov 15, 2021•16 min
Grammy-nominated musician Courtney Barnett is one the most successful Australian artists performing right now. She’s just released her much-anticipated third studio album, ‘Things Take Time, Take Time’. This week on The Culture , Osman Faruqi caught up with her as she was gearing up to head on her first tour post-pandemic in the United States. They chat about the creative journey behind the album, writing about love, and ’The Sopranos’. Guest: Courtney Barnett See acast.com/privacy for privacy a...
Nov 13, 2021•30 min
After two weeks, COP26, the international climate summit in Glasgow is wrapping up. The summit has been called the world’s best last chance. So has it worked? The primary goal of the conference was to reach a consensus that would keep levels of global warming below 1.5 degrees. According to research released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), staying below 1.5 degrees is critical to avoid catastrophic climate change. Today, climate scientist and one of the lead authors of t...
Nov 12, 2021•16 min•Ep. 588
In a landmark decision, the Fair Work Commission has ruled that every farm worker in Australia must be guaranteed the minimum wage. The decision comes after years of reports of underpayment and exploitation of workers, particularly in the horticulture industry. Today, Director of Policy at the McKell Institute Edward Cavanough on how Australia’s farming industry came to depend on wage theft, and whether this decision will finally end the exploitation of Australia’s farm workers. Guest: Director ...
Nov 11, 2021•16 min•Ep. 587
Over the past few months, Australians ordering goods online have been waiting longer than ever for their packages to arrive. In Victoria, parcels sent through Australia Post from interstate are taking up to 14 business days. So what is going wrong at Australia Post? Today, journalist and contributor to The Saturday Paper Hannah Ryan, on what these delays tell us about the vulnerability in Australia Posts’ business model. Guest: Journalist and contributor to The Saturday Paper , Hannah Ryan. Stay...
Nov 10, 2021•14 min•Ep. 586
Earlier this year, a blistering Royal Commission report found that Crown Casino in Melbourne had links to organised crime, enabled money laundering and behaved in ways that were ‘illegal, dishonest, unethical and exploitative’. Despite all that, Crown managed to keep its licence - for now, though it's been forced into a two year probation period. So how has it managed to evade serious consequences for misconduct? Today, senior fellow of the Centre for Public Christianity, Tim Costello, on the re...
Nov 09, 2021•15 min•Ep. 586
Just one year on from winning the US election, President Joe Biden is in the middle of a political crisis. Divisions within his own party have left Biden unable to implement key election promises, and his approval ratings are plummeting. And after losing key election races last week, there are now predictions the Democrats could be annihilated at the midterms next year. Today, former advisor to the Democrats and contributor to The Saturday Paper , Bruce Wolpe on what Joe Biden can do to turn thi...
Nov 08, 2021•14 min•Ep. 585
Today, Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute, will be reading his cover story from the latest edition of The Monthly . It's called 'The needle and the damage done', and in it, he argues that the federal government’s handling of the pandemic has been the worst public policy failure in Australian history. Guest: Richard Denniss, chief economist at The Australia Institute. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
Nov 06, 2021•39 min
