The latest gender pay gap report has been released, and while there is some good news, there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to inequity at the CEO level. The pay gap still stands at just over 20 per cent, with overall numbers showing men still earn almost $30,000 more per year compared to women. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Mary Woolridge, the CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, to unpack all the latest data and what to do if you th...
Nov 27, 2025•17 min•Season 6Ep. 616
Thursday Headlines: AUKUS submarine deal to be examined by secret government committee, at least 36 people killed in high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong, teens launch High Court challenge to social media ban, Trump’s final criminal charge abandoned, and the TikTok awards were on in Sydney last night. Deep Dive: Black Friday is no longer a single day, rather a month-long retail marathon that’s become the centrepiece of what feels like Australia’s never-ending sales season. In this episode of Th...
Nov 26, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 615
The federal government has introduced a major change to social security payments, which allows financial support to be cut off if recipients with outstanding warrants, even before they’re found guilty. The government says the new powers will only be used in exceptional circumstances based on expert advice from law enforcement. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Kristin O’Connell from the Anti-Poverty Centre who raises serious concerns that some of our most vulnerable ...
Nov 26, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 614
Wednesday Headlines: Experts warn food delivery could become more expensive’ after ‘world first’ deal, Sea World employee breaks down at inquest into deadly helicopter crash, Labor to squeeze public service, new research finds our brains have ‘five eras’, and Trump pardons two turkeys, rambles about ‘fat slob’ governor. Deep Dive: AI-generated child sexual abuse material is seeing a horrifying increase in Australia, but detectives are working on something that could soon be hitting abusers with ...
Nov 25, 2025•18 min•Season 6Ep. 613
Former My Kitchen Rules judge Pete Evans once was one of the highest rating Australian celebrity chefs, but after rebranding himself as an outspoken wellness crusader, he found himself in a series of public feuds with the TGA, medical experts, and health professionals. Dubbed ‘Paleo Pete’, he's been back in the headlines, this time sporting a MAGA hat and releasing a new cookbook, The MAHA Cookbook: Real Food, Real Change, Real Health , Real Health , inspired by the MAHA Commission report and ch...
Nov 25, 2025•11 min•Season 6Ep. 612
What happened to Gus Lamont? The 4-year-old has been missing for almost 8 weeks after vanishing from his family’s property in outback South Australia. Now, authorities say they are searching disused mine shafts in the area, as they desperately search for any new clues. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by forensic anthropologist Xanthe Mallet, who explains what investigators may be looking for and why she believes Gus’s disappearance is one of Australia’s most baffling ...
Nov 25, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 611
Tuesday Headlines: Pauline Hanson’s facing criticism over recycled burqa stunt, US and Ukraine edge closer to a peace deal, Aussie house prices have surged almost 50% since COVID, more than half of us regret Black Friday buys, and Joey from Secrets We Keep joins us to chat his new ep ‘ Unmasking Australia’s most corrupt cop ’. Deep Dive: Australia’s second-largest food delivery app shuts down on Wednesday- a decision that signals not only the end of a jingle, but a 20-year-old operation that onc...
Nov 24, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 610
A breakthrough new fertility treatment is giving new hope to thousands of parents to be. Often when IVF isn’t working, there are few viable options available, but now PRP or Platelet Rich Plasma is showing promising results for couples struggling to conceive. In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Scott Pearce, the Clinical director of Create Fertility to explain how PRP works and one of his patients Emily, who struggling to fall pregnant with IVF but her dreams have co...
Nov 24, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 609
Monday Headlines: Coalition polling at record low as government looks to pass enviro laws, Trump accuses Ukraine of being ungrateful as officials meet in Geneva for peace plan, BoM ordered to review whopping $96 million price tag for website revamp, Lando and Piastri disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Matcha and Acai dominating Australian Uber Eats orders. Deep Dive: A major crackdown is unfolding on Australia's doorsteps as global authorities try to shut down a vast network of scam...
Nov 23, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 608
Bonnie Blue has been making national headlines again over her return to schoolies. The controversial OnlyFans star's visa was cancelled last year, but she told media 'I’ve got good lawyers and I will be doing schoolies this year.' In this Bonus episode of The Briefing from 2024, Helen Smith is joined by Bonnie to discuss her schoolies plan to invite “barley legal” young men attending the event on the Gold Coast to have sex and film it for content on her wildly popular OnlyFans account. The secon...
Nov 22, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 607
Marcia Hines is a music icon - 22 albums, more than 2.6 million sales, and a career that made her a household name as a judge on Australian Idol. She moved to Australia when she was 16 to star in Hair, the anti-Vietnam war musical, and ended up building her life here after discovering she was pregnant with her daughter, Deni. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Marica shares what stardom looks like in 2025 and how she feels being a 2026 Wall of Fame inductee at Parkes Elvis Festival. Weekend l...
Nov 21, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 606
Half of what Australians eat is ultra processed and now a damning new international report has revealed how these everyday foods are putting us at greater risk of serious chronic disease and mental health issues. In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Priscila Machado from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, who explains exactly what ultra processed foods are and why we need tougher regulations. Afternoon headlines: Coroner hands down...
Nov 21, 2025•16 min•Season 6Ep. 605
Friday Headlines: Third Coalition leader ousted from top job this week, neo-Nazi leader reportedly charged over alleged harassment of federal MP, coroner to hand down findings into Australia’s first Christian terror attack today, Anthony Albanese touches down in South Africa for G20 summit, and an Aussie surprise as the world’s coolest streets are named. Deep Dive: After 13 long years of schooling, thousands of kids across the country are packing their bags for destinations across Australia – an...
Nov 20, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 604
It’s one of the oldest, pettiest, and most iconic sporting feuds on earth: Australia vs England, fighting over a tiny terracotta urn. From England’s full-blown 1882 meltdown at The Oval, to the chaos of Bodyline, Bradman’s god-tier dominance, ball-tampering scandals, this rivalry isn’t just cricket - it’s the biggest beef in sporting history. In this episode of The Beefing, Alexandria Funnell breaks down the century-long beef that’s shaped cricket history: the legends, the collapses, the controv...
Nov 20, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 603
The CSIRO, Australia's peak science agency, has cut 350 researchers in their latest round of redundancies. But experts are warning this is just the tip of the iceberg, with various Federal Governments over the years not properly funding or supporting our world leading scientists and researchers. In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by the CEO of Science & Technology Australia Ryan Winn to unpack why the Government isn’t choosing to invest in Australian science and the d...
Nov 20, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 602
Thursday Headlines: Australia accused of censoring US citizens, Tropical Cyclone Fina is heading toward the NT, calls for governments to step up action to fight chips and soft drinks, The Louvre announces 100 new security cameras, and Amyl and The Sniffers clean up at the ARIAs! Deep Dive: AI anxiety is fuelled by warnings that artificial intelligence could replace jobs, upend industries, and even surpass human control within decades. So how seriously should we take these risks, and which human ...
Nov 19, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 601
The ARIAs are on tonight... and we find out why the music industry’s night of nights is more important than ever. As local artists struggle to cut through in a content-overloaded world, we unpack why the ARIAs are a vital showcase for the superstars of the future. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by podcaster and music expert Alex Dyson. Headlines : The legislation to release the Epstein files now needs to be signed by the US President, new laws banning Nazi slogans an...
Nov 19, 2025•16 min•Season 6Ep. 600
Wednesday Headlines: Outage takes down popular apps and Aussie airport sites, US lawmakers to vote on Epstein files, skilled migrants and international students could be slashed under Libs, Roblox to roll out age-verification checks in Australia despite social media ban exemption, and Eminem sues Aussie swim company. Deep Dive: A new claim for native title rights has been filed with the Federal Court, which, if successful, will cover Melbourne and its surrounds. While corners of the community mi...
Nov 18, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 599
Pauline Hanson and Mehreen Faruqi’s long-running feud has turned into a legal showdown, with Hanson's tweet telling Faruqi to ‘pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan’ at the centre of the battle. The two senators' politics sit at complete opposite ends of the spectrum, Faruqi a senator for the Greens and Hanson the leader of One Nation. In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks how these senators ended up in politics and why Hanson is refusing to accept the court’s ruling in Faru...
Nov 18, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 598
The Coalition implosion continues... while the focus has been on the Federal infighting... now the state parties in both NSW and Victoria are falling apart. Victoria has a new Opposition leader, the NSW Nationals boss has resigned, and now speculation is rife that the NSW Liberal leader will also go. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Liberal Party strategist turned pollster Tony Barry to unpack the fallout and why he is warning the party is dead unless it returns to ...
Nov 18, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 597
Tuesday Headlines: Visa revoked for Neo-nazi who attended Sydney rally, Sussan Ley says she will lead the Coalition to the next election, jail time for Aussie man who ambushed Ariana Grande on red carpet, more schools to close over asbestos contamination and Joey takes you inside another undercover investigation in the new episode of Secrets We Keep: Uncovered . Deep Dive: The Church of Scientology has long been shrouded in controversy and secrecy, with allegations of mental, emotional, financia...
Nov 17, 2025•21 min•Season 6Ep. 596
Sussan Ley is under siege. Faced with selling the Coalition’s new energy policy, the Opposition Leader is fighting for survival with renewed leadership speculation and the party again recording plummeting polling numbers. In this special edition of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Sussan Ley for a revealing conversation about net zero, values over votes and her late mother’s timely advice. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefin...
Nov 17, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 595
Monday Headlines: Coalition releases energy plan with immigration up next, almost 70 schools closed due to asbestos fears, ‘traitor’ congresswoman hits out at Trump ahead of Epstein file vote, phone use linked to skyrocketing rates of dementia in young people, and a Labubu movie is on the way! Deep Dive: The first generation raised with AI woven into daily life and instant communication as the default is officially entering the workforce. Gen Alpha’s arrival brings a fifth generation into Austra...
Nov 16, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 594
Wicked: For Good is hitting screens this week, and whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t deny the absolute juggernaut that has been the Wicked movie press tour. Headlined by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the press tour last year copped some flak for being cringey and over the top, amid viral videos of reporters crying in interviews to ridiculous platitudes about “holding space” for the lyrics of the movie’s title track Defying Gravity. In this bonus episode of The Briefing, we revisit Sacha ...
Nov 15, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 593
Zoe Terakes made history as Marvel’s first trans actor and you might also know them from Wentworth or the Netflix hit Nine Perfect Strangers, starring alongside Nicole Kidman. The trans masculine actor and newly minted author’s new book, Eros: Queer Myths for Lovers, explores reclaiming voice, desire and autonomy. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Zoe shares for the first time how they were groomed as a young actor and what sets American performers apart from Australians. Weekend list with H...
Nov 14, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 592
As AC/DC and Oasis take over Australia... a whole new generation is falling in love with old school music. So, what’s behind this resurgence of rock gods from the 1980’s and 90’s? In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Aussie rock legend James Reyne , who’s about to head out of a new tour. He shares his love of live performance and why he couldn’t be happier about seeing a whole new generation of fans in the audience. Headlines : The ex-boyfriend of 28-year-old Molly Tice...
Nov 14, 2025•16 min•Season 6Ep. 591
Friday Headlines: Sussan Ley survives net zero week, people working with kids to be tracked on national register, Oasis and Jelly Roll concerts hit by measles cases, Kyle Sandilands is threatening to quit radio, and Apple has released an iPhone sock to widespread amusement. Deep Dive: Ryan Murphy's new legal drama All’s Fair starring Kim Kardashian, has been hit with brutal reviews, including a rare zero-star rating, with some calling it the ultimate “second-screen show.” As streamers churn out ...
Nov 13, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 590
When Prince Harry met Meghan Markle in 2016, it looked like a modern royal fairytale. Instead, it became one of the most explosive feuds in the crowns history. This bitter clash between tradition and independence, has accusations of racism and tabloid wars from Kate-Meghan tensions, to claims Charles cut Harry off. It even spawned a Wikipedia page dedicated to 'Megxit' - a play on Brexit. In this episode of The Beefing , Alexandria Funnell unpacks how this feud led to Harry and Meghan leaving th...
Nov 13, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 589
The Liberals have officially dumped their 2050 net zero target, joining the Nationals, and sparking fresh chaos inside the Coalition. So what does this mean for the party’s future… and for Sussan Ley’s leadership? In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with Saturday Paper Special Correspondent Jason Koutsoukis to unpack the fallout. Headlines : Neo Nazi leader Thomas Sewell has been released from prison, a 17-year-old has been sentenced for the murder Vyleen White, and Australi...
Nov 13, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 588
Thursday Headlines: New Epstein emails mentioning Trump released, Liberals poised to dump net zero after marathon meeting, AEC says it has no scope to block neo-Nazis from running in elections, Aussie fortune teller charged over $70 million fraud, and the Irwin's pay tribute to Steve on DWTS. Deep Dive: The Victorian Labor government has unveiled a hardline shift on youth crime - announcing that offenders as young as 14 could now face adult court and, in extreme cases, life behind bars. The move...
Nov 12, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 587
