ABC News Daily is the podcast that helps you understand the issues affecting your world. Every episode, host Samantha Hawley walks through one story with the help of an ABC colleague or expert in under 15 minutes. When you want coverage you can trust, listen to ABC News Daily.
Key topics of recent episodes include the Donald Trump administration, DOGE, Tesla, insurance costs, recession risks, egg shortages, DeepSeek, neo-Nazis, Putin and Xi, solar batteries, the jobs market, anti-Semitism, and the Israel-Hamas war.
From interest rates, real estate and the housing crisis, to scams and US politics, ABC News Daily brings you facts and analysis you need to understand the biggest news stories.
After Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor were returned to office in the 2025 election, with a strong parliamentary majority, we will be following the government’s new agenda and how the diminished Liberal and National Party Coalition responds. The podcast picks apart major policy areas, including energy policy, finance and the Federal Budget.
The podcast covers news from America, with analysis on the Donald Trump administration in the White House. His actions, including massive tariffs on trade, have big implications for global politics and the economy and US journalists and experts will explain what's at stake.
As Australians battle a cost-of-living crisis, ABC News Daily looks at the causes of inflation, rising rental costs, house prices, insurance costs and the price of groceries. Key experts in business and finance join Samantha Hawley, explaining the state of the economy, the unemployment rate and the jobs market.
Whether you rent, own an investment house or apartment, or are repaying a mortgage, ABC News Daily offers unique insights and analysis. When there are big moves from the Reserve Bank (RBA) on interest rates, or remarkable reactions in the ASX or the Australian dollar, guest experts, including economists, explain why.
Look into ABC News Daily's archive to find episodes on electric vehicles (EVs), artificial intelligence (AI), the big banks, supermarkets, TikTok, Ozempic, Tesla, Elon Musk, Twitter, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, COVID, cyber security, spies, espionage, education, schools, teachers, crime and issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) Australians.
ABC News Daily follows developments in the Middle East and the war between Israel and Hamas, with insights into the mindset of Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinians and the role of Iran.
The podcast looks at the latest from Ukraine as Volodymyr Zelensky fights to repel the Russian invaders led by Russia's President Vladimir Putin. As China's Xi Jinping contemplates the future of Taiwan, ABC News Daily will sort fact from fiction. When North Korea's Kim Jong Un fires ballistic missiles, we'll assess the danger his regime poses.
When scammers target superannuation, your tax return and the ATO, you'll hear advice on what you can do to protect yourself.
As climate change fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions increases the risk of natural disasters, including fires and floods, ABC News Daily brings you fact-based analysis.
The future of electricity generation in Australia is being debated, and as claims are made about the merits of nuclear power, come to ABC News Daily for context around its potential role in replacing or augmenting coal and gas power plants and what it could mean for power bills. The podcast covers the future of renewable / green power generation, including the use of wind turbines, solar and hydro electric power.
The podcast looks at key businesses, including Coles and Woolworths, Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank and the construction, resources and manufacturing industries. When they report record profit, battle unions, or raise prices, the podcast pays attention.
ABC experts including Ian Verrender, Alan Kohler, Laura Tingle, Patricia Karvelas, John Lyons, and Annabel Crabb join Samantha Hawley to step through big issues and current affairs.
Donald Trump has spent a long time praising him, but now the US president’s view of Vladimir Putin is shifting. Trump’s high hopes of getting Putin to the negotiating table are fading and Russia has recently launched one of the largest bombardments on Kyiv since the start of the war. Now, the end of the war in Ukraine seems as elusive as ever and Trump says Putin is ‘crazy’ and ‘playing with fire’. Today, international relations expert Rajan Menon on why Putin is humouring Trump but will never d...
When it looked like heavy rain was on its way, Taree farmer Josh Hack knew he had to act and move his cattle to higher ground. Now, like so many others, Josh is facing the cleanup from the record-breaking floods that devastated large parts of the NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter regions. Today, we consider the plight of Australia’s farmers like Josh, but also those further south fighting their way through severe drought and ask the question; is Australia still fit for farming? Featured: Josh Hack,...
Donald Trump is beginning to make a habit of confronting world leaders while the cameras are rolling in the Oval Office. His latest victim is South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa who was ambushed with Trump’s claims that white farmers are being persecuted in his country. Today, Nancy Jacobs, a professor of history at Brown University on why Trump is so keen to spread false assertions of genocide and why white South Africans are moving to the US as refugees. Featured: Nancy Jacobs, professor ...
World leaders are strengthening their condemnations of Israel after it's renewed assault in Gaza and limiting the supply of humanitarian aid. Anthony Albanese described the ongoing blockade as 'an outrage' after the UK, France and Canada threatened sanctions last week, urging Israel to halt its latest offensive and allow more food and supplies into the besieged territory. Nevertheless, Israel's leadership is pressing ahead. Today, a British surgeon in Gaza about the conditions on the ground, and...
It was a decision driven by spite for Sydney man Peter Anderson. He was determined to buy a solar battery for his home so he could take money away from the big power companies, while never receiving a hefty power bill again. But his plan came unstuck after agreeing to participate in a so-called virtual power plant. Today, energy reporter David Mercer on Peter’s dilemma, how giving back to the grid really works and whether it’s worth it. Featured: Dan Mercer, ABC energy reporter...
Elon Musk’s once firm grasp on the EV market seems to be crumbling as Tesla sales slump, so bring in Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He’s investing in Slate, an auto start-up building a cheap bare-bones electric pick-up truck in the USA, called a ute in Australia. It’ll be much cheaper than Musk’s controversial Tesla Cybertruck. Today, Giles Parkinson, founder and editor of websites Renew Economy and The Driven gives us an update on the EV market in Australia and how Slate could be a game changer if ...
Interest rates are falling, inflation is down and the Reserve Bank seems happier than it’s been in ages. So, have we achieved the so-called soft landing after all the economic turmoil we’ve suffered since the pandemic? Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on the latest rate cut, how many more we should expect and why Donald Trump could upend it all. Featured: Ian Verrender, ABC Chief Business Correspondent
It had been a constant of federal politics, but the coalition between the Liberal and National parties has come to a dramatic end following a disastrous election defeat. The Nationals are breaking away after the Liberals rejected a demand that key policy areas were part of the agreement between the parties. Today, the ABCs chief digital political correspondent, Jacob Greber, on why they couldn’t move past their differences and what it means for Australian politics. Featured: Jacob Greber, ABC ch...
He dropped out of the presidential race last July, but the focus is now back on Joe Biden. The former US leader has not only been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, but a new book released this week has accused the White House of covering up a decline in his health before he stepped down to make way for Kamala Harris. Today, Bruce Wolpe, a senior fellow from the United States Studies Centre on Biden’s cancer diagnosis and why staying in the race for so long may have changed th...
When Queensland woman Emma Lovell was stabbed to death by a teenager in 2022, the community and nation was shocked. The 17-year-old offender had broken into her home on Boxing Day as the family slept. The crime was a catalyst for a campaign for stricter sentencing for youths and Queensland went on to become the first state to introduce ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ laws. Today, ABC News Queensland presenter Jessica van Vonderen on why other states could follow suit. Featured: Jessica van Vonderen, A...
This week, Donald Trump paused his massive tariffs on Chinese goods entering the US for 90 days, slashing the rate from 145 to 30 percent. China has also come to the bargaining table, dropping 125 percent tariffs on imports from the US to 10 percent. So, is the US president’s economic dream of bringing manufacturing back to America dead? Today, we speak with a US outdoor clothing designer caught up in the tariff chaos about what it’s been like and to an economist to make sense of it all. Feature...
Donald Trump has recently secured a luxury 747 jet from Qatar and billions of dollars in investment deals from Saudi Arabia. But as the US president continues his tour of the Middle East, there’s been no talk of a plan for peace in Gaza. Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on Trump’s tour and why he won’t be meeting the Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. Featured: Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington...
The new Liberal leader Sussan Ley has promised a fresh approach after the party’s disastrous result in the federal election. But will the first female leader of the party really be able to bring it back from the brink and build a policy offering that’s attractive to voters? Today, host of ABC TVs 7.30 Sarah Ferguson on the future of the Coalition’s nuclear power plan and Labor’s factional stoush that saw two ministers axed. Featured: Sarah Ferguson, host of 7.30...
When tensions flared between India and Pakistan last week the world held its breath because both nations have nuclear weapons. While a ceasefire has been agreed, it hasn’t stopped the clashes in the disputed Kashmir region. Today, Aparna Pande from the Hudson Institute in Washington DC explains the long running conflict and what could come next. Featured: Aparna Pande, director of the Initiative on the Future for India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute
What really lies behind Bunnings’ promise of lowest prices? The hardware superstore has carefully built a reputation for being part of the local community with its famous sausage sizzles and friendly advertising. But a Four Corners investigation has found that the haven for DIY enthusiasts has grown to dominate the market, squeezing suppliers and competitors. Today, reporter Angus Grigg on why the Bunnings juggernaut isn’t facing the same scrutiny as the supermarkets. Featured: Angus Grigg, Four...
A new pope has been elected to lead the Roman Catholic Church. The moment was marked by white smoke billowing from a chimney above the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV from Chicago, who worked for years in Peru, has appeared on the balcony above St Peter’s Square to greet the thousands of faithful. Today, Andrew West, host of the ABC’s Religion and Ethics Report, on what we know about the first American pope and what his election means for the future of the church. Featured: Andrew We...
It’s an almighty fight. In one corner is Donald Trump and the other Harvard, one of the oldest institutions in America. The US president wants to defund the university, attacking it for alleged anti-Semitism on campus. But Harvard’s retaliating, making it among the few major institutions in the US willing to take Trump on. Today, Geoff Kabaservice from the centre-right think tank the Niskanen Center on why Trump’s targeting Harvard and whether Americans will stand for it. Featured: Geoff Kabaser...
Ian Wilkinson was the sole surviving guest of a deadly beef wellington lunch and now he’s had the chance to tell his story in court. He has given evidence in the trial of Erin Patterson who’s accused of attempting to murder him and of murdering his wife and another couple. The jury has also heard that before the lunch Erin Patterson told friends she had been “hiding powdered mushrooms in everything”. Today, investigative and true crime reporter Rachael Brown on the key evidence so far from the m...
The votes are still being counted but when the new parliament is formed there will be more female MPs than ever before. But fewer than 10 will be on the Coalition benches. Labor continues to get more women elected and put them into senior roles. Polling suggests Peter Dutton also had a major problem attracting votes from women during the campaign. Today, the ABC’s Annabel Crabb on whether the Coalition can ever win back the female vote. Featured: Annabel Crabb, ABC political journalist...
We were told time and again cost of living was the biggest issue for voters at the election. So, now Labor has secured a thumping victory, what’s it going to do to make things easier? There are some extra tax cuts to come and price increases are slowing, raising hopes of happier economic times. Today, Ian Verrender, the ABC’s chief business correspondent, on what to expect over the next three years and why the Trump factor could change everything. Featured: Ian Verrender, ABC chief business corr...
It was a Labor win and a Coalition defeat of a magnitude few expected. Anthony Albanese has become the first prime minister to win re-election in more than 20 years, leaving the Liberal party gutted and its leader kicked out of parliament. But what will Labor do for Australians over the next three years? Today, Laura Tingle, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program on the landslide result and how it will change the political landscape for a long time to come. Featured: Laura Tingle, 7.30 poli...
Anthony Albanese has been returned as Prime Minister, in a Labor landslide. On top of a bruising defeat for his party, Opposition leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat of Dickson. The victory makes Anthony Albanese the first Prime Minister to win back-to-back elections in 20-years. So, where did it go wrong for the Coalition? In this episode from the Politics Now podcast, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas breaks down the election results with political correspondent Jacob Greber. Read more of Jacob's ...
Opinion polls suggest Labor and Anthony Albanese will win Saturday’s election, but the ABC’s chief elections analyst Antony Green says it’s not worth predicting results. He’ll let the numbers do the talking as they come in on election night. Antony is usually the first to accurately reveal the result and this election will be his last as a presenter on the ABC after more than 30 years in the role. Today, from seats, swings and preferences to minority governments, he tells us what to look out for...
We’re now in the dying days of the election campaign with the polls suggesting enough Australians will vote Labor to return Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister. While more than four million voters have already cast early ballots, there are 18 million people in all who’ll need to make a choice and so the race isn’t over and there’s still hope for Peter Dutton and the Coalition. Today, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program Laura Tingle on how the past five weeks have unfolded and the missteps...
We’re now in the dying days of the election campaign with the polls suggesting enough Australians will vote Labor to return Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister. While more than four million voters have already cast early ballots, there are 18 million people in all who’ll need to make a choice and so the race isn’t over and there’s still hope for Peter Dutton and the Coalition. Today, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program Laura Tingle on how the past five weeks have unfolded and the missteps...
Listeners have asked us to explain the childcare policies on offer at this election. There’s a crisis in the quality of care, with Four Corners recently revealing alarming cases of mistreatment and even abuse of children. Parents also want to see improvements on childcare affordability and access to places. Today, ABC investigative reporter Adele Ferguson answers your questions about the crisis and whether any party has policies that could fix childcare. Catch our past episodes explaining energy...
One of the most highly anticipated murder trials in recent memory is about to begin in regional Victoria. Erin Patterson is accused of murdering three people and attempting to murder another after serving up a Beef Wellington allegedly laced with lethal death cap mushrooms. Today, Stephen Stockwell co-host of the ABC podcast Mushroom Case Daily on what to expect as jury selection begins. Featured: Stephen Stockwell, co-host of Mushroom Case Daily...
Last year, more than one million Australians travelled to the United States. But if you’re planning a visit soon, be aware that under Donald Trump things have changed. The border checks have intensified, some travellers are unexpectedly being denied entry, detained and deported. Today, Sarah Kopit, editor-in-chief of travel industry news site Skift, on what's been happening to travellers at the border and how it’s leading people to postpone trips to America. Featured: Sarah Kopit, Skift editor-i...
It’s a battle between Katy Perry and Katie Perry. One is an international pop super star, the other an Australian fashion designer. Now after 15 years the case has reached its climax, landing in the High Court. So, who will get to claim the name? Today, Dr Sarah Hook an intellectual property law expert at UTS steps us through the trademark fight and what it could mean for all Australian brands. Featured: Dr Sarah Hook, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law at University of Technology Sydney...
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was sent to a brutal prison in El Salvador, even though the migrant living in the United States had never been convicted of a crime. Now, Donald Trump is refusing to follow a Supreme Court order to bring the man back to the United States. Today, we take you inside the notorious prison where the migrant was first held with SBS Dateline reporter Catalina Florez and look at President Trump’s deal with El Salvador’s president, the self-described ‘world’s coolest dictator’. Featu...
