Elon Musk has done the deal to buy Twitter. The announcement was made this week……Twitter’s board has agreed to sell the social media giant to the world’s richest man for 61 billion dollars. In a statement said “…free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.” We’re joined by David Swan, the Australian newspaper’s Technology Editor; and Axel Bruns,Professor in the Digital Media Research Centr...
Apr 27, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 94
The polls were wrong ahead of the 2019 Australian federal election….and spectacularly wrong back when Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton at the 2016 American presidential election….and don’t mention Brexit. Casey Briggs is a data journalist at the ABC – he rose to fame explaining Covid figures….well now he’s turned his hand to opinion polls ahead of this year’s election on May 21. So, what are the polls telling us? And can they be trusted? Todays Headlines Coalition infighting over net zero S...
Apr 26, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 93
Hundreds of thousands of Australians streamed through airports over the Easter and Anzac Day weekends. There were queues out the door and onto the street in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. “Emma” (not her real name) is a flight attendant who was thrown into the chaos over the two long weekends…and Michael Kaine is national secretary of the Transport Workers Union. Both paint a picture of chaos arising from staff shortages and companies outsourcing jobs. So can we be sure the pro...
Apr 25, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 92
In 2010, three years after Rachel Kerrigan left the RAAF, her mental health deteriorated rapidly. At her lowest point in 2012, Rachel attempted suicide, she was diagnosed with severe post traumatic stress and depressive disorder, was put on 30 pills to manage her moods, anger and anxiety, was having two psychiatrist visits a week and she became physically unhealthy weighing in at 119 kilos. Rachel was also diagnosed with uterine cancer and had to fight the disease alongside managing her mental h...
Apr 24, 2022•18 min•Season 3Ep. 91
Chrissie Swan has spent almost 20 years being stared at down the barrel of paparazzi cameras. In that time, the beloved radio and television host, reality star and household name has become thoroughly baffled by the interest in her self-described boring life. She has brought her good humour, warmth and generosity to breakfast radio, television panel shows, a diverse range of hosting gigs and, most recently, filling in for Carrie Bickmore as host of The Project. In this interview, we’re introduce...
Apr 22, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 90
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created a massive refugee crisis. More than five million Ukranians have fled their country since the conflict began. Eleven million have been displaced from their homes. Tetiana Sydoryshyna and her 11-year-old son are now safe in Melbourne after fleeing Kyiv… but they remain in limbo. We’re also joined by Stefan Romaniw, Chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations who has been assisting families in fleeing Ukraine and settling in Australia. What...
Apr 21, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 89
France will vote in a Presidential election this weekend that could really impact the very future of Europe. The race is between incumbent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen. Paul Kirby: the BBC’s European editor joins us to explain Macron is pro EU, pro Ukraine. Le Pen is not a fan of the European Union … and let’s just say has a record of cosy ties with Russia. The French are facing two very different directions …and France is one of Europe’s largest coun...
Apr 20, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 88
Zoe Daniel is a former ABC foreign correspondent. She’s worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. So why on Earth would she consider running for parliament. In this episode of The Briefing, Zoe joins us to talk about her motivation, her policies, her plans if Australia elects a hung parliament…..and what it’s like to get down and dirty in the murky world of politics. Zoe is running as an independent in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein against the Coalition’s Tim Wilson when Australia heads t...
Apr 19, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 87
We’re repeatedly told this election is all about the cost of living. Basically, the cost of living is the amount of money it takes to cover basic expenses - things like food, fuel, electricity, childcare and healthcare…things you can’t do without. Jan Fran’s joined by Cassandra Goldie, CEO of ACOSS and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney; and Mellita Rose, a single mother of two from Perth struggling to makes ends meet. In last month’s federal budget, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the government...
Apr 18, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Craft chocolate companies in Australia have almost tripled over the last six years - from 12 to 34 manufacturers. They are a small but growing group of Australian chocolate makers with a passion for carefully curated small-batch, sustainable, craft chocolate. We’re joined by Brett Holmes from Two Lost pilots; and Chris Brown from Bean Bar You It is within this emerging "bean to bar" industry that craft chocolatiers are able to control every aspect of the chocolate-making process, from the flavou...
Apr 17, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 85
Jamila Rizvi would like to be Roxanne Gay when she grows up. Ignore the fact she’s “ technically” a grown up already! Roxane Gay is an American-born writer of Haitian descent and is known internationally as a New York Times best-selling author, a speaker, a podcaster, a teacher and cultural icon. In this conversation, recorded live at The Wheeler Centre, Jamila and Roxane unpack race, privilege, bodies, feminism and yes, bad reality television. A massive thank you to The Wheeler Centre for today...
Apr 15, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Could you imagine playing golf with Donald Trump...? Getting face to face with Steve Bannon or trying to make a deal with Tony Abbott about when he’d hand you the Prime Ministership... or admitting you love Nickelback... or really wanting to meet Jerry Springer.... more than any other celebrity. This is the life of Joe Hockey, the former treasurer who went on to be Australia’s ambassador to the United States, who is our guest on this special episode of the briefing. Joe Hockey was federal MP for...
Apr 14, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 83
The Australian Financial Review has today released research on focus groups it surveyed this week. The paper asked average voters what they made of Prime Minister Scott Morrison...and what they made of Opposition leader Anthony Albanese. We’re joined by Stela Todorovic – 10 News First Canberra correspondent who asked Anthony Albanese THAT question; and Phillip Coorey, the Australian Financial Review’s Political Editor, based in Canberra. Phillip tells us the results of the AFR’s research will ha...
Apr 13, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 82
Part two of Jan’s interview with the award-winning Australian comedian, Hannah Gadsby. Hannah’s new book is called “Ten steps to Nanette” and explores her journey growing up queer in Tasmania where homosexuality was illegal until 1997, her relationship with her career as a comedian, the build up to her hit show and understanding autism and ADHD. Hannah joins Jan Fran for a one-on-one interview and in this episode she talks about her dispute with Dave Chappelle …and her plans to take her new show...
Apr 12, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Hannah Gadsby’s new book is called “Ten steps to Nanette” and explores her journey growing up queer in Tasmania where homosexuality was illegal until 1997, her relationship with her career as a comedian, the build up to her titular show and understanding autism and ADHD. Hannah joins Jan Fran for a one-on-one interview to explore Hannah’s career, controversies and massive global success. You’ll love this deep dive into Hannah’s motivation and inspiration, her backstory and what the future holds....
Apr 11, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 80
The election campaign has officially begun. What now? Annika Smethurst is a Walkley award winning political reporter at The Age, and the author of The Accidental Prime Minister and regular contributor at The Briefing. Annika explains what rules apply to things like campaign funding and advertising....and IF the parties obey the rules. We also learn if incumbency gives Scott Morrison and the Coalition an upper hand as we head to the polls. On today’s Briefing....what happens now the election has ...
Apr 10, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 79
Darcy Vescio has been playing footy since they were five years old. Growing up when there was no such thing as the AFLW, they were forced to give the game away at age fourteen when they could no longer play with the boys. In 2017, everything changed. A women’s league was formed and Darcy was signed as a marquee player for Carlton. In this conversation, Jamila and Darcy discuss growing up in a world where your future career path doesn’t exist, being signed as a marquee player in the AFLW and comi...
Apr 08, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 78
When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, people all around the world started to ask if Hollywood if finally dying out. The world has shifted and evolved, but has Hollywood? Maria Lewis is an author and screenwriter. She’s been a journalist for over 16 years covering film and pop culture. Maria tells us about how Hollywood will end up changing and evolving to re-invent itself...and it’s an amazing story. On today’s Briefing....are we watching Hollywood’s star fade, once and for all? Toda...
Apr 07, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 77
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet visited flood-ravaged northern NSW this week to announce what’s called The Back Home scheme. The state will provide up to $20,000 to residents whose homes have been declared damaged or destroyed. Locals say the $112 million scheme is too little too late. Harper Dalton is a Lismore local whose home was wiped out in the floods: and Eddie Lloyd is a Lismore lawyer and community advocate. They say the community is shattered and flattened. It could take years to get back...
Apr 06, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 76
David Pocock was no ordinary rugby player. He has always been a principled changemaker - he painted his rugby boots black when he made his super rugby debut because of his concerns about the sweat shops they were manufactured in and he and his partner didn’t sign their marriage certificate until gay couples had the same rights. He’s also chained himself to a bulldozer in a protest against coalmines. Well, now the former Wallaby and ACT Brumby is making a run as an independent for one of two ACT ...
Apr 05, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 75
Money laundering, links to organised crime, private jets and debit cards that let high rollers from China gamble millions… it sounds like the script from a movie - but these are some of the explosive revelations that have come out of an inquiry into the running of Sydney’s Star Casino. James Thomson from the Australian Financial Review joins us to explain how and why high rollers – called whales – pounce on Casinos to gamble big. On today’s episode, what goes on inside the murky world of Aussie ...
Apr 04, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 74
The Ukraine president Vlodomyr Zelensky has refused to leave the country, despite reportedly being ‘target number one’ for Russian troops invading the country. He went from comedian to leading his country in a David v Goliath battle against Russia. Zoya Sheftalovich is a contributing editor for POLITICO based in Australia with a Ukrainian background. Zoya says the scale of this invasion is a reaction to Zelensky and Zelensky’s effect on Ukrainian resistance. So who is Vlodomyr Zelensky – and how...
Apr 03, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 73
Rhys Nicholson is a multi-award winning Australian stand-up, writer, actor and judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under. His stand up comedy is daring and honest, witty and wildly inappropriate in the best possible way. In this conversation, Jamila Rizvi sat down with Rhys Nicholson to talk about everything from being bullied at school, to falling in love, from making a political stand, to walking the runway on Drag Race. Follow The Briefing DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LI...
Apr 01, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 72
Imagine being locked-up in an Iranian prison for more than two years – when you’re innocent. Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian expert on Islam, went to Iran in late August 2018 to attend a seminar. Three weeks later, as she checked-in at Tehran Airport to return home, she was arrested. Iranian authorities accused her of being a spy and she was jailed for 10 years, thrown into a high-security prison run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Kylie joins us to tell us how she survived, what it was ...
Mar 31, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 71
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the Budget on Tuesday night….a critically important budget with an election due to be called in weeks. Annika Smethurst, a Walkley award winning political reporter at The Age, the author of The Accidental Prime Minister and regular contributor at The Briefing, tells us it’s a Budget for our time….when we’re coming out of a pandemic, inflation is rising, and the looming election. And it call comes as the Prime Minister is copping criticism from MPs on...
Mar 30, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 70
Shane Warne’s send off at the MCG tonight will be one the biggest we’ve ever seen, especially when you consider the television audience, around Australia but also in India, Pakistan, and the UK. It could be Australia’s biggest TV event ever. Tracey Holmes is a veteran sports journo, host of the ABC podcast, The Ticket. Tracey joins us to explain the unique combination of factors that make this man one of the most popular Australians in history. Everyone loved Warnie….and you as you’ll hear, you ...
Mar 29, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 69
What is going on at Hillsong...? The scandals at Australia’s most famous church have escalated to the point where its founder and global leader Brian Houston resigned for good last week. David Hardaker, Investigations Editor at Crikey, broke the story. The revelations came after Houston had already stepped down temporarily in January, to fight charges relating to his father’s sex crimes. That came off the back of the Carl Lentz scandal - he was the US celebrity pastor who was stood down for an a...
Mar 28, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 68
You’ve probably heard a bit about the rising cost of living or you might have even noticed it yourself at the petrol bowser or the supermarket. We’re in a tricky situation in Australia - we’re dealing with rising inflation, stagnant wages, high national debt, and supply problems caused by global events including the Covid 19 pandemic and now the war in Ukraine. Economist, Peter Martin, will explain what’s happening with cost of living... how long this pain will last... and whether the pollies wh...
Mar 27, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 67
Dave “Hughesy” Hughes is one of Australia’s all-time favourite stand-up comedians, radio hosts and television presenters. What is Dave Hughes like under the froth and bubble of celebrity? What do his kids think of his radio antics? What made him give up booze at age 21? Where does his passionate veganism come from and what did he learn from the Dalai lama? In this conversation, Jamila Rizvi and Hughesy answer all these questions and more. Follow The Briefing DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEF...
Mar 25, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 66
How are journalists managing to cover the war in Ukraine, given how unpredictable and dangerous it is. All the major Australian tv networks and newspapers have correspondents moving in and out of the country.... Many who are very well known to Australian audiences. Hugh Whitfeld is there for Seven News. Hugh is speaking to us from the outskirts of Kyiv... which is the capital, right in the central northern part of the country, which has been under attack from Russian forces coming across the Bel...
Mar 24, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 65
