A former employee of the US Institute of Peace (USIP) recounts the dramatic days when members of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) raided his office and sacked most of the staff. Plus, historian Judith Brett on the fearless 1970s Australian feminist, Beatrice Faust.
Early voting opens on a subdued day in the federal election campaign. Will the 76 year-old security pact NATO survive, despite US President Trump's skepticism? And how did pigeons go from prized possessions, to pests?
As Taiwan waits to hear what tariffs the Trump Government will impose on its world-leading computer chips and semi-conductors, we bring you a rollicking account of this strategically important small nation. This program was first broadcast on 10 October 2024. Guest: Jonathan Clements, author of 'Rebel Island: the incredible history of Taiwan' (Scribe) Producer: Ann Arnold
In 1998, the former Chilean head of state Augusto Pinochet was arrested on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide. Philippe Sands was called to advise Pinochet on his claim to immunity, but would instead represent a human rights organisation against him. Guest: Philippe Sands, author of 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia, appearing at the Sydney Writers Festival, May 2025...
Sean Johnson from Open Politics says Australia's federal parliament needs to act against MPs who fail to disclose their private interests. And journalist Pagan Kennedy shares the story of Marty Goddard - the true inventor of the standardised rape kit - a vital tool in sexual assault forensics.
The Trump administration's war on universities continues, but Harvard refuses to 'yield'. Political economist Yanis Varoufakis compares Trump's tariffs to the 'Nixon Shock' of 1971. Plus, the folklore of Australia's oldest running race: the Stawell Gift.
Laura Tingle recaps the official campaign launches of the major parties, three weeks out from the federal election. Another federal term ends without a promised reform to the Sex Discrimination Act, to remove an exemption allowing religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQI students and staff. And philosopher Damon Young maps the history of human gestures..
Two decades after The Secret River, Kate Grenville looks back into her family history—this time with fresh questions. What does it mean to live on land taken from others? Retracing her settler ancestors’ footsteps, Grenville reflects on legacy, belonging, and the stories we inherit.
Legendary ABC election analyst Antony Green has announced this federal election will be his last in an on-air role. Plus, journalist Nicholas Pelham on what lies ahead for Syria's new government.
Bruce Shapiro on who is getting rich from Trump's tariffs, Irris Makler on how the Gaza war is playing out inside Israel, plus why the theatre interval is disappearing.
Can Opposition leader Peter Dutton recover from a policy backtrack? What does the UK's AUKUS review mean for the relationship between the three allies? And a look at ancient Rome reveals that tariffs are nothing new, but always messy.
An ABC podcast has uncovered new evidence that casts doubt on the Howard governments' claims they knew nothing about plans to sack 1400 wharfies and train a new, non-union workforce in Dubai during the 1998 waterfront dispute. Plus the Australian Book Review's CEO and editor, Peter Rose, reflects on a lifetime shaping the national conversation.
Historian Stephen Gapps reveals the incredible story of frontier resistance warfare in a huge area of the Murray-Darling river system, across many First Nations’ lands, in a concerted defence of River Country. Plus, Professor of Humanities Mark Lilla on why humans are seduced by ignorance.
Ian Dunt reports on the recent UK council elections and how the Tory Party are trying to spin the disastrous results. The uses and abuses of diplomatic asylum in Latin America, and Robyn Davidson shares how she ended up having such a nomadic life including her trek across Australia.
