What’s behind the stoush between Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby and the US superstar Dave Chapelle? It’s all about Chappelle’s Netflix comedy special, The Closer. Netflix has stood by its decision to air The Closer despite Chappelle slurring members of the LGBTIQ community – particularly the trans community. Its CEO Ted Sarandos said that content on-screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm, and he also named the other shows they produced that promote inclusivity and diversity incl...
Oct 28, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 249
The film industry was in shock last week when a director of photography was shot dead on the set of a movie in New Mexico. The shot was fired by Hollywood legend Alec Baldwin. On today’s Briefing we ask the question everyone wants answered – how could such a thing happen? Marc Malkin is senior editor at Variety and host of the 'Just for Variety' podcast. Marc talks about Baldwin’s future….and explains what the fallout will be from the incident. We’re also joined by John Bowring, an Australian ar...
Oct 27, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 248
The world’s media is comparing the saga surrounding yesterday’s marriage of Japan’s Princess Mako and commoner Kei Komuro to the Harry & Meghan story. Japanese tabloids have long been obsessed with the country’s royals, but the fact this latest scandal is gathering international attention suggests growing interest in the family. Dr Tom Baudinette is an expert in Japanese culture and senior lecturer at Macquarie University. In this intriguing episode of the Briefing, Dr Baudinette explains th...
Oct 26, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 247
The world is facing a shortage of vital semiconductor microchips. You might not be able to find the tech gift you were planning on buying for your family this Christmas. Tech author, Futurist and host of LiSTNR’s The Next Billion Seconds podcast Mark Pesce, tells us the problem will get a lot worse before it gets better. It’s going to affect just about every industry in the economy – including tech, cars, health and communications. How will affect ordinary Australians? And will the microchip sho...
Oct 25, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 246
Today’s Briefing is a deep dive on the politics playing out in Canberra between the Coalition partners. The National Party has agreed to the government’s net zero targets ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. It means Australia will aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Annika Smethurst explains exactly what went on behind closed doors; and what it means for the future of the Coalition. So much weighs on the decision, particularly with a federal election looming in the new year. T ODAY'S HE...
Oct 24, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 245
Lawrence Leung is a Melbourne-based comedian, writer and actor who, as it turns out, has a very surprising past! He was once a teenage goth who wore all white make-up and an origami crow on his shoulder to high school parties. There was also the time he jumped out of a plane and completed a Rubik’s cube before engaging his parachute. Jamila Rizvi gets to know Lawrence’s old phases, plus his thoughts on representation and parenting. THE WEEKEND LIST with Tait McGregor: Listen: Juno by Remi Wolf R...
Oct 22, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 244
Stealthing is the act of removing a condom mid-sex, without the partner’s knowledge. It’s become an issue of debate since the term was coined in the US back in 2017. The Australian Capital Territory has become the first jurisdiction in the country to make stealthing a crime. The ACT’s Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury joins us to talk through his motivation to legislate against stealthing. We’re also joined by the writer, Mary Madigan, who wrote about her personal experience back in 2019. While ...
Oct 21, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 243
Australian comedian Dan Ilic has started a crowdfunding campaign to fund Times Square billboards to embarrass Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Commonwealth Government over their inaction on climate change. The campaign has exploded! As Dan explains, he started out wanting to raise $12,500 and has now raised more than $200,000! Dan’s campaign reached Times Square in New York, London and Glasgow. He’s a campaigner for climate change....and for comedians and the way they can change the world T...
Oct 20, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 242
Everyone’s talking about ‘net zero’. What does it actually mean? And …why is the Prime Minister Scott Morrison so reluctant to commit to a net zero policy? The world’s attention will turn to Glasgow next month when the United Nations COP26 gathers to discuss plans to reduce emissions to protect the planet. Professor Will Steffen is a climate change expert and researcher at the Australian National University, Canberra. Professor Steffen explains what net zero is, and how Australia can play its pa...
Oct 19, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 241
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was commander of the International Space Station. He became famous when he published videos of experiments he conducted in space. Chris has released his first novel....a murder mystery set in space, against the backdrop of the cold war. He joins us to talk about his very first day in space, his journey of discovery as a writer and about our collective journey to battle climate change. T ODAY'S HEADLINES QLD calls on young people to get vaccinated as border plans...
Oct 18, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 240
Today’s briefing investigates the world of psychics and asks the fundamental question - are they dangerous charlatans or do they actually provide some real value. Writer Gary Nunn investigates his own testing relationship with psychics and reveals their secret and surprising influence over a range of powerful cliques, from business to law enforcement. Gary’s new book is called The Psychic Tests and it takes him on a journey of discovery as he investigates psychics working with his own sister, to...
Oct 17, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 239
Dr Yves Rees (they/them) is an award-winning writer, podcaster and historian. When Yves was 30-years-old, they came to the understanding that they’re trans. After being called Anne for their three decades on this earth, Yves had to not only grapple with their own knowledge that they were not a woman - but other people’s reactions as well. Jamila Rizvi and Yves discuss their new memoir ‘All About Yves’, which tells their journey of re-becoming, at the same time laying bare the messiness of gender...
Oct 15, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 238
Simone, a Briefing listener, reached out to ask us to do an episode on the plight of immunocompromised Australians. Many have terminal illness, or are not able to mingle freely in the community because of their condition. So what does their future hold? We invited Simone to join the Briefing panel in talking to Dr Sarah Sasson, a Clinical Immunologist at the Kirby Institute at UNSW. Dr Sarah tells us things are looking up. While Simone is right to have concerns, the future is a lot brighter than...
Oct 14, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 237
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is determined to change Australia’s energy future. He’s teamed up with mining magnate and billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, to lobby here and overseas for governments to adopt green hydrogen energy. Mr Turnbull says it’s Australia’s future….and we can lead the way globally in reducing emissions and contributing to reversing global warming. Mr Turnbull will head to the UN’s climate summit in Glasgow in November. We’re still not sure whether Prime Minister...
Oct 13, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 236
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is determined to change Australia’s energy future. He’s teamed up with mining magnate and billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, to lobby here and overseas for governments to adopt green hydrogen energy. Mr Turnbull says it’s Australia’s future….and we can lead the way globally in reducing emissions and contributing to reversing global warming. Mr Turnbull will head to the UN’s climate summit in Glasgow in November. We’re still not sure whether Prime Minister...
Oct 12, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 235
Briefing listener, Laura, contacted us asking for an episode on the commercial space race….and in particular, when Australians should expect to be able to fly on rockets at an affordable price. Professor Alan Duffy is an astronomer at Swinburne and Lead Scientist of the Royal Institution of Australia. He says there are three main players – Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic; Elon Musk’s Space X; and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. They’re billionaire’s competing for dominance in the burgeoning space tou...
Oct 11, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 234
Financial markets are jittery with at least four critical economic fault lines developing across the globe….Covid-19, the Evergrande crisis in China, the US fiscal cliff and concerns over rising inflation. James Thompson writes the daily Chanticleer column at the Australian Financial Review. We ask what’s driving the uncertainty…and if average Australians have anything to be worried about. They say if a butterfly flaps its wings in China, the rest of the world hears it. So what’s ahead….and are ...
Oct 10, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 233
Harley Breen has graced some of Australia’s most important comedy stages, fronted some of the country’s flagship radio shows and appeared on our screens as a revered host. He now embarks on a new gig as the co-host of Network Ten’s Making It Australia with Susie Youssef – a reality show that celebrates craftsmanship from pottery to crotchet and more. Jamila Rizvi discovers that Harley’s journey to his public-facing profession is a far cry from where he began in a household with little access to ...
Oct 08, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 232
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus and Facebook Messenger crashed Tuesday morning. All the Facebook-owned sites were down for six hours. It’s been described as the company's worst outage since 2008 and Facebook lost $99.75 million in income during the downtime. The following day a Facebook whistleblower fronted a US Senate inquiry calling on the US government to do more to reign in Facebook. The Australian newspaper’s technology editor David Swan joins us to consider Facebook’s future. Is it ...
Oct 07, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 231
Brendan Cowell’s new novel is called “Plum”. It delves deep into the life of a former NRL player who’s forced to answer questions about his masculinity, his past and his future. After starring in Love My Way Brendan’s journey as an actor took him to London where he landed parts in Game of Thrones and Avatar 2. He says the quintessential Australian male actor is in demand more than ever. Brendan’s new book is called “Plum” about a former rugby league star who falls on hard times and discovers poe...
Oct 06, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 230
Professor Peter Doherty is a Nobel laureate …a world-famous immunologist. He’s been called the David Attenborough of the Covid-19 pandemic. He’s patron of the Doherty Institute, which publishes predictions on what’s on the horizon in terms of the pandemic. The Institute operates under his name. The 80-year-old has not been content to rest on his laurels….he’s decided to engage with anti-vaxxers on Twitter to dispel myths and propaganda. Professor Doherty talks to us about what the future looks l...
Oct 05, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 229
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stunned the country in suddenly resigning last Friday. The state’s Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating grants awarded to applicants in the rural seat held by Ms Berejiklian’s former boyfriend, Darrel Maguire. We’re joined by the ABC’s NSW state political reporter, Ashleigh Raper to try to understand why Gladys had to go. Do these corruption bodies have too much power by costing hard-working politicians their careers? T ODAY'S HEADLINES NSW po...
Oct 04, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 228
A microbiologist is sounding the alarm on the germs living on our smartphones, warning the devices we use every day are carrying deadly bacteria that could wreak havoc in our hospitals and with our biosecurity. The pandemic has made us all hyper conscious about hand sanitising and cleaning surfaces… but one Aussie microbiologist Dr Lotti Tajouri, from Bond University, is sounding the alarm about a major blind spot in our lives… and it’s actually thing we touch the most - our phones. We might was...
Oct 03, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 227
Journalist and producer Chris Walker learns about today’s world with provocative, inspiring, meaningful, and funny discussions with a ‘Brains Trust’ of notable Australians (and one very captivating American). Featuring Samantha Armytage, Tommy Little, Abbie Chatfield, Tony Armstrong, Jamila Rizvi, Charlie Pickering, and tech entrepreneur Rob Reid, the conversations are woven together so you can eavesdrop on the ultimate dinner party where the Brain Trust talk about all the topics you SHOULDN’T t...
Oct 02, 2021•4 min•Season 2Ep. 227
Christian Hull has become one of Australia’s most prolific content creators over the past 18 months. From beginning his expansive career in radio to becoming an online comedy sensation and building a merchandise empire from capitalising on the pandemic sentiment of staying away from people, Christian is a social media chameleon. Jamila Rizvi discovers the series of surprising events that led Christian to becoming a social media mogul and what the end goal is for the man whose fingers seem to be ...
Oct 01, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 226
The northern Rivers area of New South Wales is often described as a hive of anti-vaxxers. Is it true? And what’s it like to be PRO-vax in places like Byron Bay? We’re joined by Marylouise McLaws, an epidemiologist from the University of NSW who is urging us all to get the vaccine….to save lives; Michael Lyon, Byron Bay Mayor who has been criticised for sitting on the fence in terms of encouraging locals to get the jab; and Nicqui Yazdi, a Mullumbimby local involved in providing vaccination facts...
Sep 30, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 225
We’re all being encouraged to roll up our sleeves to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Some industries have introduced mandates. Companies like Qantas, SPC and others say all staff MUST get the vaccine. So, do vaccine mandates create more problems than they solve? What if you don’t want to get the jab? Can you be forced to get it? We’re joined by Ben Davis from the Australian Workers Union to discuss the mandate in the Victorian construction industry and Hugh de Kretser, Executive Director at the Hu...
Sep 29, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 224
The disappearance of Paddy Moriarty from the outback town of Larrimah in 2017 has puzzled police and amateur sleuths alike. Investigative reporters Caroline Graham and Kylie Stevenson have spent years on the case and are telling the story so far in their new book, Larrimah. Caroline and Kylie join us on The Briefing to share the mysterious story of Paddy’s case and to shed light on the equally mysterious town where it all played out. T ODAY'S HEADLINES QLD calling for calm as cases rise ahead of...
Sep 28, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 223
During the Black Summer bushfires, Former NSW fire chief and long-time volunteer firefighter Greg Mullins emerged as a critical voice in the debate about how Australia should respond. Now, in a new book, Greg is sharing his experiences from a career spent fighting fires and a warning of what’s to come. On today’s episode, he breaks down what it’s like to face a mega-fire and shines a light on the hard truths of human-caused climate change and what we should do about it. T ODAY'S HEADLINES NSW is...
Sep 27, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 222
Australia hit the milestone 50 percent double-dose vaccine rate last Friday. It means we're just around the corner from getting our freedoms back. We can finally start to wonder what life will be like once the pandemic is over. Dr Elizabeth Yuko is a bioethicist and writer specialising in health and the intersection of bioethics and popular culture. Dr Elizabeth wrote recently for the Readers Digest about what life will be like….and Dr Nisha Makkar, is a Sydney paediatrician who is now based in ...
Sep 26, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 221
