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There’s new mind-bending technology that creates immersive media from scratch.
Nov 24, 2022•40 min
Background Briefing
Background Briefing tells true stories not everyone will want you to hear. We infuse investigative reporting with captivating drama, following the thread of an individual story only to find that it leads us to something bigger. It's the only podcast in Australia that does this week in, week out.
Hosted by Thomas Oriti.
We want to hear from you too. If you have a tip-off, please contact us at backgroundbriefing[at]abc.net.au
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Episodes
Pain in Paradise 02 | Byron's Thin Blue Line
Five years ago, a confronting video of a violent police encounter shocked the Byron Bay community.
Nov 19, 2022•38 min
Pain in Paradise 01 | What happened in Lateen Lane?
In one dark Byron Bay back alley, a series of baton strikes changes a teenager's life.
Nov 11, 2022•40 min
Under the Eye of Iran
Protesters say they're being ordered to read false confessions and their activities are under surveillance.
Nov 04, 2022•37 min
The tiny device that can cause huge pain
It's one of the most effective forms of contraception available.
Oct 27, 2022•37 min
Is the AFLW ready for Tiwi magic?
AFL superstars like Cyril Rioli and Michael Long forged their talents there.
Oct 20, 2022•38 min
A far-right troll's journey from an Ipswich bedroom to global infamy
Note: this episode was originally broadcast in July 2021 and it contains explicit language and confronting themes.
Oct 13, 2022•37 min
Is getting quality care at medicinal cannabis clinics just pot luck?
When Jordan wanted to treat his insomnia, he turned to an experimental therapy: medicinal cannabis.
Oct 08, 2022•41 min
Faulty Towers 02 | 'The scummiest landlord in the state'
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following program contains references to a deceased Indigenous Australian.
Sep 29, 2022•38 min
Faulty Towers 01 | The birdman of Surry Hills
From piles of rubbish to leaking sewers, rats, and gas leaks.
Sep 29, 2022•44 min
Meet the teens at the frontline of organised crime
There's a violent territorial dispute between rival gangs in Sydney’s west.
Sep 15, 2022•38 min
Inside the climate activists’ plan to shut down Australia
When protesters disrupted one of Australia’s largest container facilities, the NSW Government responded with new broad-sweeping laws that carried 2 year jail terms.
Aug 11, 2022•41 min
What happened to the Saudi sisters?
The mysterious discovery of the Alsehli sisters, who were found dead in a Sydney flat after more than a month, has shocked Australians. But who are they? What were they doing here? And most chillingly - why are they dead? Reporters Rachael Brown and Mahmood Fazal investigate. Please note this story contains disturbing themes including discussions of suicide. Listen for free on your mobile device on the ABC listen app , Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , or your favourite podcast app....
Aug 05, 2022•42 min
What happened to the Saudi sisters?
A special investigation by Rachael Brown and Mahmood Fazal into the shocking deaths of two women in Sydney's inner west.
Aug 01, 2022•2 min
The billion dollar industry helping students cheat
When the pandemic pushed university assessments out of the exam room and into the bedroom, many Australian students turned to powerful new allies to help them get good grades. Reporter Mario Christodoulou investigates.
Jul 28, 2022•35 min
Who's developing the wilderness?
There's a big nature tourism project about to take off in New South Wales, but many locals aren't all that happy about it. Reporter Mayeta Clark investigates why.
Jul 21, 2022•41 min
The artisan farmers taking on Victoria's meat regulator
Victoria is marketed as an exciting culinary destination. But organic farmers say they're facing draconian rules that prevent consumers from accessing the ethical food they want. Reporter Mahmood Fazal investigates.
Jul 16, 2022•39 min
The fight for control over Black births
Worried about racial inequities in the health system, First Nations women are fighting for culturally safe birth options. But as Quandamooka woman Carly Williams finds out, not everyone in the mainstream healthcare service is on board.
Jul 09, 2022•40 min
Will any koalas be left in Australia's east by 2050?
Being one of Australia’s cutest animals hasn’t prevented its slide towards extinction. Reporter Rachael Brown investigates what is being done to try to curb the koala's declining population.
Jul 02, 2022•37 min
What goes on inside Australia's first long COVID clinic?
Thousands of Australians are finding they still feel ill several months after contracting coronavirus. They're experiencing a new and little understood condition called long COVID. As Geoff Thompson discovered, the demand for medical treatment is now overwhelming.
Jun 25, 2022•38 min
Kidnapping the Gods | Part 2
Precious artefacts looted from Cambodia and Thailand made their way into prominent collections here in Australia, and around the world. In the second and final episode of his investigation, Mario Christodoulou investigates why it’s taking so long for these precious works to be returned to their rightful home.
Jun 18, 2022•45 min
Kidnapping the Gods
Many ancient Cambodian artefacts arrived in Australia during the 1960s and 1970s, when the south east Asian country was in turmoil. Mario Christodoulou investigates how some had come from looted historic sites or passed through the hands of suspected smugglers, and now feature in major galleries around the world.
Jun 11, 2022•46 min
The teachers are not alright
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged schools across the country like never before, but it's also shone a light on existing issues within the profession such as a chronic shortage of specialised teachers and growing workload stress. Reporter Mayeta Clark follows teachers in public schools in NSW as they struggle to cover classes and keep their students engaged.
Jun 04, 2022•42 min
Why Queensland's sex workers say the law puts their lives at risk
Many states have repealed tough laws that put sex workers at risk of prosecution. But so far, Queensland hasn't followed suit. Now, the state government is looking at introducing new safeguards to protect those in the industry. Reporter Mahmood Fazal investigates.
May 28, 2022•37 min
The 'holy grail' of IVF that went wrong
IVF has grown into a huge industry, with companies competing to provide fertility services. But in the quest to innovate and gain an edge, one Australian company may have taken things too far. Now hundreds of those who used a controversial new genetic test are taking legal action Reporter Rachael Brown investigates.
Apr 23, 2022•42 min
When the floodwater goes, what's next?
Reporter Geoff Thompson followed several residents of Lismore as they tried to recover from February's monster flood in Northern NSW. But before they'd finished the clean-up, the waters started to rise again.
Apr 16, 2022•40 min
The mums accused of poisoning their kids
An almost unimaginable crime: two women accused of poisoning their own children at the same Sydney hospital. Both were charged and spent years separated from their families, but both say they were falsely accused. Reporter Hannah Ryan investigates whether the system has failed these families.
Apr 09, 2022•55 min
The end of Australia's biggest coal fired power plant
Jim works in the control room at Eraring Power Station, where one quarter of NSW's power is produced. But Jim and his 450 colleagues have recently found out that his workplace will be closing down, 7 years ahead of schedule. Reporter Mayeta Clark investigates what plans are in place to transition communities away from coal jobs.
Apr 02, 2022•40 min
The quiet drug crisis you haven't heard about
Prison authorities know that drugs are constantly finding their way into our prisons. But the most commonly detected drug is one you might never have heard of. And health experts are warning there’s a disaster looming for addicted inmates when they get out. Mahmood Fazal reports. This episode contains explicit language.
Mar 26, 2022•39 min
The scientists questioning a serial murder case
She was convicted of killing her four children nearly two decades ago. But new scientific evidence has come to light, leading some of Australia’s most respected scientists to argue that Kathleen Folbigg was actually the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice. Some of those scientists now say Australia needs to establish a whole new body to review potentially wrongful convictions. Rachael Brown reports. Special thanks to Flinders University Adjunct Associate Professor Robert Moles for his re...
Mar 19, 2022•42 min
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