Australia has one of the most expensive housing markets in the world, with values soaring much faster than wages. This has altered Australian society, increased inequality and profoundly changed the relationship between generations. So, where did things go so wrong, and can we ever go back to normal? Today, finance journalist and author of the latest Quarterly Essay, ‘The Great Divide on Australia’s housing mess and how to fix it’, Alan Kohler. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Insta...
Nov 29, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1119
Critics say Australia may be the world’s most secretive democracy, with a patchwork of laws and obstacles standing in the way of transparency and press freedom. The Albanese government has recognised this, releasing a review to clean up Australia’s secrecy laws. So, will it fix them, or is it just a band-aid solution? Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, on Australia’s secrecy laws and whether the government’s overhaul will go far enough. Socials: Stay in ...
Nov 28, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1118
The first brief ceasefire has taken effect in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. As the shooting stops, families are being reunited, as hostages are freed and civilian prisoners are released from behind bars. But meanwhile, decisions are being made about when and how the fighting will resume. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper and Middle East correspondent for The Economist Gregg Carlstrom, on the ceasefire, how long it could hold and what will happen when the war continues. Socials...
Nov 27, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1117
At the shareholders meetings for News Corp and Fox Corporation this month, for the first time, Rupert Murdoch wasn’t the star of the show. The meetings signified that the transition of power from the 92-year old mogul to his eldest son, Lachlan, is complete. So, how has Lachlan used his first moments of power? And what were Rupert Murdoch’s parting words to end his 70-year-long media career? Today, host of Schwartz Media podcast Rupert: The Last Mogul and contributor to The Saturday Paper , Padd...
Nov 26, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1116
By the 1990s, Rupert is cemented as one of the world’s most powerful and divisive men, but his unrelenting drive is beginning to take a toll. As Rupert makes his home in America, Paddy takes a closer look at two of his most consequential relationships. There is his alliance with the man behind Fox News, Roger Ailes. Then there is his 30-year marriage to his second wife, Anna Murdoch. One will lift Rupert to new heights of influence; the other will crumble, but not without a parting shot. See omn...
Nov 24, 2023•36 min•Ep. 1115
As climate change threatens to sink small and vulnerable countries, large and powerful ones are seeing an opportunity. The climate crisis is giving them the chance to increase their influence, access to valuable resources and military reach. As Australia enters a new agreement with one of our pacific neighbours facing climate disaster – are we really helping them, or are we just helping ourselves? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on the agreement between Austra...
Nov 23, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1114
Israel’s government has agreed to a four-day ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza – but promises to push ahead with military operations after the pause ends. The agreement falls short of the total ceasefire that protesters have been calling for. In Australia, the government has found itself delicately balancing its support for Israel with its concerns over the civilian death toll from the war. So, is the government striking the right balance or is it equiv...
Nov 22, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1113
David McBride is the first Australian who could face jail in relation to alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. But McBride isn’t who committed these crimes, he’s just the person who leaked documents containing allegations to journalists. Last week, after a dramatic attempt to keep his legal defence alive, McBride ultimately decided to plead guilty. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace, on what the failure of David McBride’s case means for truth and transparency in Austr...
Nov 21, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1112
The royal commission into the robo-debt scheme delivered 57 recommendations to the government in July. Four months later, the Albanese government has given its response, insisting it is acting to ensure that nothing like the "shameful" robo-debt scandal ever happens again. The government says it has accepted, in full or in principle, “all 56” of the commissioner’s recommendations. So why has the government chosen to not only ignore the last recommendation, but to pretend it doesn’t exist? Today,...
Nov 20, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1111
In the spring of 2012, an unarmed Afghan villager, Ali Jan, was allegedly kicked off a cliff by Ben Roberts-Smith, who then purportedly directed another soldier to execute him. That allegation was central to the landmark defamation action brought by Roberts-Smith, where the court found it to be “substantially true”. Roberts-Smith has appealed that decision and the allegations have never been proven to a standard that would be required in a criminal trial. The government has said it plans to comp...
Nov 19, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1110
Today on the show, Author and founder of AIME (the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) Jack Manning Bancroft. Published on the day of the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Jack’s piece is a statement on the continuing power of Indigenous knowledge systems, despite the long shadow of a failed referendum outcome. Jack will read his story, ‘The Indigenous Knowledges Systems Lab’.. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Founder of AIME, Jack Manning Ba...
Nov 18, 2023•19 min•Ep. 1109
Off-the-record lunches, handwritten notes and a bouquet of red roses mark Rupert’s secret friendship with Britain’s most controversial PM, Margaret Thatcher. She helps drive Rupert to become the most powerful media mogul in the commonwealth. Together they will stoke wars against enemies both foreign and within. With Thatcher’s support, Rupert will pull off his most daring piece of business, and arguably the most cruel. Paddy pieces together the evidence that binds them together and examines the ...
Nov 17, 2023•37 min•Ep. 1108
Social harmony in Australia is under threat. The war in Gaza is prompting concerns about rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia locally, and these deeply felt and wounding subjects are being hotly debated in our parliament. This week, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton clashed in one of the most fiery parliamentary confrontations since they assumed the roles of prime minister and opposition leader, respectively. Are our politicians equipped to moderate this divisive debate? Or are they doing more ...
Nov 16, 2023•15 min•Ep. 1107
If it wasn’t for the images of devastation emerging from Gaza in the Israel-Hamas war, this conflict would have the world on edge. It is happening just a few hundred kilometres to the north of Gaza, on the border between Lebanon and Israel – Hezbollah, the most powerful non-state military force in the world, is getting involved. Today, world editor of The Saturday Paper Jonathan Pearlman, on what happens if Israel and Hezbollah go to war. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram G...
Nov 15, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1106
The murder of a young woman at an elite private school – and the reaction from a former principal – has led to nationwide outrage. It’s also highlighted a broader culture of privilege in which young boys are protected from consequence or culpability. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the murder of Lilie James, and what it tells us about our most elite institutions. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper , R...
Nov 14, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1105
The parole system exists to help people in prison who are no longer deemed a risk to the community begin to re-enter society. But the death in custody of an Indigenous woman who had been eligible for release for a year has raised questions about whether the laws are too strict. Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Denham Sadler on the consequences of Victoria’s parole laws, and the case for further reform. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Contributor to The Satu...
Nov 13, 2023•13 min•Ep. 1104
Australia is not out of the woods on the cost-of-living crisis – prices are still rising too fast. Last week, the RBA were so concerned that they hiked interest rates again, saying it’s the only way to slow down the spending that’s pushing prices higher. But who is doing the spending? And how do they have money to throw around? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on the Australians still spending big and why it means more economic pain for the rest of us. Socials:...
Nov 12, 2023•16 min•Ep. 1103
Rupert wields enormous influence over Australia’s political landscape, but it wasn’t always this way. In the 1960s and ’70s, Rupert's struggle to step out of his father’s shadow drives him to launch the first national broadsheet. His gamble pays off when the paper helps elect our most ambitious and progressive leader, Gough Whitlam. But as Rupert gets closer to power, he’ll learn just how far his papers can push the needle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 10, 2023•34 min•Ep. 1103
Humanitarians say the crisis in Gaza is like nothing they’ve ever seen before. There are especially grave concerns about the lives of children, after the deaths of at least 4000 children in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began. It’s why 18 international aid agencies – including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children – have now called for a ceasefire. Israel, however, says it can’t enter a ceasefire until hostages taken by Hamas are freed and the group is removed from power. Today, Save t...
Nov 09, 2023•19 min•Ep. 1102
It’s been a long time coming, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finally met Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. The friendly meeting is in stark contrast to our diplomatic relationship in recent years, when China wasn’t picking up the phone to Australia. So how did it go? Why are both leaders so keen to restore ties? And can the relationship be repaired without compromise? Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, on Albanese’s four days in China. Socials...
Nov 08, 2023•15 min•Ep. 1101
Renters across Australia are facing a worsening housing crisis. With hikes in rents and growing complaints about the quality of living in rental homes, many are at breaking point. But now, as national cabinet considers options for strengthening the hand of those who rent, a High Court judgement has redrawn the relationship between tenants and landlords. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton, on how one community’s fight will change the rights of renters nationwide. Socials: S...
Nov 07, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1100
Over the years, countless efforts have been made to release Julian Assange. As of now, he’s still likely to be extradited to the United States to face charges that amount to over 100 years in jail. The latest attempt to free him has united an unlikely band of politicians: members of the Greens, Labor, the Coalition and Independents recently travelled to the US to call for Assange’s release. Today, Independent member for Kooyong and member of the delegation to Washington, DC, Monique Ryan, on whe...
Nov 06, 2023•16 min•Ep. 1099
While they’re far from a household name, almost all Australians have now heard the political messages they craft. Advance, a right-wing campaigning group, has gained enormous ground in the past few years, and played a crucial role in defeating the Voice referendum. So who are they? And what are they after next? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on how a mysterious, once ridiculed group has become a powerful political force. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twit...
Nov 05, 2023•16 min•Ep. 1098
Today, journalist Nicole Hasham, with her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly . On top of a hill in a remote Aboriginal community, hours from Alice Springs, is an unmissable sight: a 20 metre high, steel Christian cross. It’s a monument that was a decade in the making, cost 2 million dollars to build, and has attracted the interest of Hollywood star Mel Gibson. But despite the grandiosity, it’s a project that hasn’t been without its controversies. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter...
Nov 04, 2023•36 min•Ep. 1097
After his father’s death, a young Rupert inherits a small newspaper in 1950s Adelaide. There, he teams up with the paper’s editor to save a man sentenced to hang. When the paper is threatened, a ruthless streak emerges in the boy publisher. He brings down the man he saw as a father figure. In the present day, Paddy finds an unpublished manuscript that sheds new light on how Rupert’s relationship with his first great editor fell apart. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 03, 2023•31 min•Ep. 1096
As images of the Gaza ground invasion continue to dominate the news, many Australians are distressed and grieving. Divides in the community are also reflected among our politicians – with splits emerging not just between the major parties, but within them. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper , Paul Bongiorno, on how bipartisanship has been lost over conflict in the Middle East and the fault lines between friends and colleagues. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: C...
Nov 02, 2023•15 min•Ep. 1095
Ian Parmeter was Australia’s ambassador to Lebanon when Hezbollah was fighting Israel in the late 1990s. And although there are parallels between what he saw then and what is happening today in Gaza, the situation is very different. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and prevent it from ever launching another attack like the one on October 7 – but is that even possible? Today, Ian Parmeter on the history of Hamas, and what would take its place if it were remove...
Nov 01, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1094
As Anthony Albanese and Joe Biden toasted each other last week, one of the most significant deals in Australian history hung in the background. The AUKUS submarine deal isn’t just one of the biggest spends our government has ever made, it also promises to transform Australia’s military relationship with the United States. Today, spokesperson on Defence for the Australian Greens, Senator David Shoebridge, on whether Australia’s $368 billion submarine deal will be worth it. Socials: Stay in touch ...
Oct 31, 2023•18 min•Ep. 1093
Over the weekend, Israel said it was entering the ‘second stage of war’ with Hamas. Israel destroyed phone and internet capabilities in Gaza, while a large number of Israeli troops crossed the border. The civilian death toll is mounting daily. Meanwhile, a majority of countries at the UN General Assembly voted in support of a humanitarian truce. So, why did Australia abstain from the vote? Today, world editor for The Saturday Paper , Jonathan Pearlman, on what the ground invasion means for Gaza ...
Oct 30, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1092
For three years, China and Australia had virtually frozen their diplomatic ties – our largest trading partner and regional superpower was not picking up the phone. But there’s been a rapid turnaround in the relationship. Ahead of a visit this week by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, we’ve seen the release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei and the scrapping of trade tariffs. So, what will Albanese want to get out of the trip, and what is China’s perception of Australia after years of tension? To...
Oct 29, 2023•17 min•Ep. 1091
