Today, Hugh White, emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University, reads his cover essay from the latest issue of The Monthly . It’s called ‘War of Error’. It explores the failures of the United States in Afghanistan, and the folly of Australia’s unquestioning support. Guest: Hugh White, emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. See acast.com/privacy for...
Oct 02, 2021•33 min
When NITRAM, a newly released film about the perpetrator of the Port Arthur massacre, was announced there was swift backlash from politicians and film critics who argued that the story was too painful and traumatic to tell. On today’s episode of The Culture we dissect the film, and explore the bigger questions it raises about how to tell stories about trauma and violence. Plus, we speak to the director of the film, Justin Kurzel and the film’s writer, Shaun Grant. Guest: Justin Kurzel, director ...
Oct 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min
The Prime Minister Scott Morrison has returned from his trip to Washington, and is spending the next couple of weeks in quarantine at The Lodge in Canberra. But he’s already facing pressure over another international summit - the UN climate change conference in Glasgow next month. Scott Morrison is under criticism from the UK government, the hosts of the summit, over his unwillingness to confirm his attendance. But what’s really driving the Prime Minister’s reluctance to participate in the most ...
Oct 01, 2021•15 min•Ep. 558
The Catholic Church has historically been one of the most powerful institutions in Australia, influencing both sides of politics. But now the Church is in steep decline with dwindling congregations and fewer and fewer donations. In response to its current crisis, a once-in-a-century meeting is being organised to discuss the future of Catholicism in Australia. This plenary is pitting church reformists against conservatives, with Cardinal George Pell making a surprise return to the country to try ...
Sep 30, 2021•16 min
The country's two largest states, NSW and Victoria, now have clear roadmaps out of the pandemic and towards a future where we live with COVID-19. Those pathways, as well as the national plan, are heavily influenced by modelling conducted by the Doherty Institute, which estimates case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths as the country reopens. But the Doherty Institute isn’t the only organisation modelling our future. There are other, highly influential, bodies projecting their own numbers that ...
Sep 29, 2021•16 min
Throughout the pandemic health experts and human rights advocates have been warning about the risk of a Covid-19 outbreak in the prison system. Now it’s happened. Hundreds of prisoners in NSW have contracted Covid-19 in recents weeks, with the worst of the outbreak centred at Parklea, a private correctional center. Family members of those inside Parklea are now speaking out about their concerns over the level of care and treatment Covid positive patients are receiving. Today, Denham Sadler on wh...
Sep 28, 2021•14 min
In October last year Simon Rice found himself in an unusual situation. As a law professor at the University of Sydney, he’d gone to observe a rally on campus with his students. But then police moved in, and Simon was physically restrained, arrested and fined. When he tried to challenge the fine, he discovered a serious lack of accountability at the heart of the New South Wales Police Force. Today, contributor for The Saturday Paper Professor Simon Rice on the loophole that lets police avoid scru...
Sep 27, 2021•16 min
Have you ever wondered how long you would last if you were dropped into the wilderness with just a hunting knife, a shovel, and a sleeping bag? A day? A week? That’s the premise of a show called ‘Alone’. Think ‘Survivor’, but on steroids. Contestants are isolated with nothing but a camera for company. They take on grizzly bears and hunt wildlife. And the last person standing wins a cash prize. It’s like a real life ‘Hunger Games’, complete with the discomfort of watching people struggle against ...
Sep 26, 2021•38 min
In the final episode of Everybody Knows , Ruby Jones unpacks what she’s learnt about the rise and fall of MeToo in Australia, and why holding perpetrators accountable still feels so hard. To help answer that question, Ruby speaks to two people who have thought deeply about the problems in the music industry. The first is Dorothy Carvello. She worked for major labels in the US, and is now blowing the whistle on decades of abuse in the industry. The second is Deena Lynch, also known as Jaguar Jonz...
Sep 25, 2021•28 min
Scott Morrison has hailed Australia’s military alliance and new submarine deal with the United Kingdom and United States as a landmark achievement. But it’s already led to a global diplomatic standoff, pitting Australia against a number of European countries as well as further deepening tensions with China. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on the fallout from Australia’s nuclear submarine deal and why the President of France won’t return Scott Morrison’s phone calls. Guest:...
Sep 24, 2021•16 min
Australia is now steadily marching towards the magic number of 80 percent of the population aged 16 and above being fully vaccinated: the number that should see lockdowns and most restrictions end. But given how few countries have reached that target so far, even with a significant head start, how likely are we to actually get vaccination coverage that high? Today, journalist with the Australian Associated Press Hannah Ryan on whether Australia can reach 80 percent, and what might happen even if...
Sep 23, 2021•14 min
Over the past few weeks an internal brawl over who will represent the Labor party in the western Sydney seat of Fowler at the next federal election has been playing out in public. The move to parachute in a high profile Labor frontbencher, who doesn’t live in the seat, has exposed the rifts and rivalries within the party. But it's also raised a bigger question.. Is Labor doing enough to make sure its candidates actually represent their voters? Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturda...
Sep 22, 2021•16 min
Australia has entered into a new trilateral military alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States, called AUKUS. The partnership was sealed with the announcement that Australia would, for the first time, construct and operate a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The new deal has been criticised by former Prime Minister Paul Keating and national security experts. It’s also led to increasing tension between Australia and a number of other countries. Today, Emeritus Professor of Strateg...
Sep 21, 2021•15 min
A major new study has found that the therapeutic use of the illicit drug MDMA, more commonly known as ecstasy, could cure people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The landmark findings could radically change the way PTSD is treated. Now an Australian psychologist is finally embarking on Australia’s first ever clinical trial using the drug. Today, James Bradley on the healing power of MDMA - and why Australia has been so slow to explore its possibilities. Guest: Writer for The Monthl...
Sep 20, 2021•16 min•Ep. 549
Sally Rooney’s third novel, ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’, was one of the most hotly anticipated releases of the year. Now that it’s out, it’s smashing sales records. Her new book covers similar ground to her earlier work, but this time, more than ever, Rooney turns inward and grapples with what it means to be a successful writer in the current moment. So why has Rooney’s work struck such a chord with millions of readers? And does ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’ live up to the hype? Guest: W...
Sep 19, 2021•39 min
In episode four of Everybody Knows Ruby Jones speaks to three women who have worked at Sony Music Australia, who all have something in common: they all experienced bullying and intimidation from the same man at the company. Two of those women have lodged complaints to Sony about this man as part of Sony's internal investigation into workplace culture. But the longer the investigation has gone on, the more they’ve wondered: is anyone listening? This is episode four of Everybody Knows: The complai...
Sep 18, 2021•33 min
After a slow and delayed start, vaccination rates across Australia are finally gaining momentum, with NSW and Victoria hitting 80 percent and 70 percent single dose targets this week. The targets were reached despite a confusing rollout, riddled with mixed messages from the federal government. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on whether the Morrison government has the trust and credibility to maintain the goodwill of the Australian public throughout the rest of the pandemic...
Sep 17, 2021•15 min•Ep. 548
From this week residents in NSW, who have been locked down for nearly three months, will finally be able to leave their homes. But the new freedoms are contingent on one important factor: their vaccination status. It’s the first time the easing of restrictions has been linked to vaccine status, but it’s likely to become the new normal across Australia. Today, journalist with the AAP Hannah Ryan on the plan to provide freedoms only to fully vaccinated, and what that means for the next phase of th...
Sep 16, 2021•16 min•Ep. 547
The anniversary of 9/11 this week, along with the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, has seen politicians, military leaders and the public reflect on the past two decades. But what has really been learned from these events that shaped world history? Today, The Saturday Paper’s chief political correspondent Karen Middleton on the aftermath of 9/11 and its impact on foreign policy 20 years later. Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton. Background readi...
Sep 15, 2021•15 min•Ep. 546
State and federal governments have promised billions in new spending to fix Australia’s mental health crisis, a crisis exacerbated by the pandemic. But despite the pledges, experts are identifying that young people in particular are still struggling to access urgent care and support. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Santilla Chingaipe on why this could be our one chance to fix the ailing mental health care system. Guest: Journalist and filmmaker, Santilla Chingaipe. Background reading: T...
Sep 14, 2021•15 min•Ep. 545
The pandemic has kept many people separated from their homes and their loved ones for over 18 months. Lockdowns and border closures have led to a specific kind of grief and yearning - homesickness. Homesickness isn’t an official medical condition but it was once, with soldiers fighting on foreign soil regularly diagnosed after suffering debilitating symptoms. Today, GP and health columnist for The Saturday Paper Dr Melanie Cheng on the origins of homesickness and whether there’s a cure. Guest: H...
Sep 13, 2021•15 min•Ep. 544
It was one of the most chaotic and controversial album rollouts in recent history but Kanye West’s 10th studio album, Donda , is finally here. It’s safe to say Kanye is now far from the peak of his nearly two-decade career – artistically and culturally – yet his latest album still went to No. 1. But when we’re talking about Kanye, it’s never really about the sales figures, or even just the music. There’s not that many artists who are as loved, and hated, as Kanye. This week on The Culture , we'v...
Sep 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Twenty years ago the terrorist group Al-Qaeda hijacked four planes, flying them into New York City’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3000 people. The September 11 attacks, and the war on terror that followed, changed the world. They ushered in a new era of global conflict, domestic terror threats, counter-terrorism laws and Islamophobia. Two decades on the legacy of the attacks still reverberates all over the world. Today, Osman Faruqi speaks to three people whose lives were ...
Sep 11, 2021•21 min•Ep. 543
In this episode, Ruby Jones speaks to some of the best known lawyers on either side of the Me Too movement in order to help her investigation. Ruby looks at how the law is used to silence women, and the media, when it comes to sexual harassment and misconduct. And she asks how legal threats became one of the foremost barriers to women sharing their stories. This is episode three of Everybody Knows: A Broken System. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.com/lis...
Sep 10, 2021•26 min
Governments and car manufacturers all over the world are preparing for a future where most vehicles will be powered by electricity - a future that is just around the corner. But in Australia there’s no national policy on electric vehicles and, as a result, the country is falling behind the rest of the world. Today, Mike Seccombe on how electric cars are poised to take over and what Australia needs to do to keep up. Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Mike Seccombe. Stay in tou...
Sep 09, 2021•15 min•Ep. 542
As Australia grapples with its biggest outbreak yet of Covid-19, an outbreak that shows few signs of slowing, the focus is shifting to hospitalisation figures and deaths. But even though Covid-19 wards are becoming busier, it isn’t easy to get a clear picture of just how bad things are in our hospital system. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper , Rick Morton on how our two largest states are handling the current outbreak and what might happen if things get worse. Guest: Senior reporter...
Sep 08, 2021•15 min•Ep. 541
As our political leaders fight over the proposed national plan to re-open the country, health experts are imploring state and federal governments to learn from the experiences of places like the UK and Israel. But, there is another country closer to home whose prudent and cautious reopening could prove to be a much better blueprint for Australia. Today, journalist with the Australian Associated Press and contributor to The Saturday Paper Hannah Ryan on what we can learn from the ongoing global e...
Sep 07, 2021•17 min•Ep. 540
Ongoing lockdowns have put many Australians under extreme financial pressure. Without adequate government support the responsibility is falling on community organisations to help thousands of people receive the basics, like food. Today, chief executive of the Addison Road Community Organisation Rosanna Barbero on the massive food relief operation underway right now in Sydney and how it exposes a broken system. Guest: CEO of Addison Road Community Organisation, Rosanna Barbero Stay in touch with ...
Sep 06, 2021•15 min
The video games industry is worth over $180 billion a year, more than the US film and sports industries combined. For decades though, it’s been plagued by a culture of misogyny, homophobia and racism. Right now, a reckoning is taking place at one of the biggest games developers in the world, Activision Blizzard, the publisher of some of the most popular games ever, including Candy Crush, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. This isn’t the first time sexism and harassment in gaming has made headli...
Sep 05, 2021•29 min
In episode two of Everybody Knows, Ruby Jones goes back to the beginning of MeToo in Australia in 2017. Why did the movement seem to run out of momentum here so quickly?Ruby investigates what happened, hoping to learn lessons from the first wave of MeToo reporting as she investigates allegations of misconduct in the Australian music industry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 04, 2021•29 min
