Australia’s beer culture is almost embedded in Aussies from childhood, whether one of your parents is asking you to grab them a beer from the fridge or pass their stubby holder, having a cold one in hand is a standard practice. But over the last couple of years the rise of non-alcoholic or low alcohol drinks have boomed, with companies like Heaps Normal leading the way. In this episode of the Briefing, we’re joined by Andy Miller, co-founder and CEO of Heaps Normal. His company only began in 202...
Jan 26, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Australians across the country will “celebrate” Australia Day today, January 26. Many believe it ought to be scrapped as a day of celebration out of respect for Indigenous Australians who consider the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 as an invasion - a colonisation of First Nations. Teela Reid, indigenous lawyer and practitioner in residence at Sydney University Law School. In this long-form episode of the Briefing, Tom and Antoinette explore what the day means to Indigenous Australians. What ...
Jan 25, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Since December protests have rocked Peru as the former president Pedro Castillo was ousted after he attempted to dissolve the legislature to prevent an impeachment vote, and was replaced by President Dina Boluarte, his former vice-president. The anti-government protests against the new president have led to the closure of the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and the Inca trail. We’re joined by Neil Giardino - a freelance journalist for ABC, BBC & Reuters. He is currently in Peru and has been re...
Jan 24, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Twelve years ago, ‘cable gate’ was published by Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks. 251,000 confidential cables from the US State Department were released, disclosing corruption, diplomatic scandals and spy affairs on an international scale. Assange claimed asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 and in 2019 was arrested on a US arrest warrant. He has now been held for three and a half years in a high security British prison usually used for terrorists and members of organised crime groups. W...
Jan 23, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Having a nicotine addiction used to only be associated with cigarette smokers who’d have a pack a day and always try to bum a cig. Now vaping has become the newest nicotine addiction source, with a quarter of vapers in Australia having never smoked before. We’re joined by Alyx Gorman, Lifestyle Editor at the Guardian, who found herself addicted to vaping after three years and at the peak of her addiction she estimated she was inhaling roughly the equivalent of a pack and a half of cigarettes a d...
Jan 22, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Have you ever been at dinner with mates and someone comes up with a clever idea and you all agree it could totally be an app? Well, Elise McCann is the kind of person who actually does just that! Elise is a theater performer turned entrepreneur. You’ve probably heard her sing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, seen her perform as Miss Honey in the Australian musical production of Matilda or headlining charity galas or carols in the Domain. She is the consummate performer and now also the co-...
Jan 20, 2023•27 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will quit as New Zealand prime minister next month, saying she no longer has "enough in the tank" to lead. Ms Ardern choked up as she detailed how six "challenging" years in the job had taken a toll. We’re joined by Chelsea Daniels Senior Reporter for NewsTalkZB in New Zealand Ms Ardern will step down as Labour Party leader no later than 7 February. There will be a vote in the coming days to determine her replacement. New Zealand will hold a general election on 1...
Jan 19, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Earlier this month the Chinese government reversed their covid-zero policy and changed how they report Covid infections and illnesses. It’s led to a number of countries including Australia placing restrictions on travelers from China out of fear a new variant will emerge there. In this episode, we speak with Jeremy Goldkorn, editor of The China Project, to find out what's really happening in China. Headlines: - Qantas plane issues rare mayday - Nadal’s shock-exit from the Australian Open - UK: C...
Jan 18, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Wars, the pandemic, China’s economic woes and critical flaws in the supply chain have put economies on alert across the globe. 2023 is tipped to be the year of high inflation and economic stagnation - stagflation. We speak to Richard Holden, professor of economics at the University of NSW about just what it is, and how it will affect us in our day-to-day lives? Headlines: - Extreme weather brings Australian Open matches to a halt - The Chinese and Russian economies have shrunk - Renee Geyer and ...
Jan 17, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Prince Harry’s new biography ‘Spare’ caused controversy before it was even released. It details everything from losing his virginity, to killing 25 people in Afghanistan. Harry speaks about fighting with his brother William and his decision to leave the Royal family and move both his and Meghan’s life to California. Tom Tilley and Katrina Blowers have both read the book and tell us what they think of Harry's tell-all. Headlines: - Kyrgios pulls out of Aus Open - Rugby Australia sacks Dave Rennie...
Jan 16, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Australian billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest have fallen out over the $30b Sun Cable project, which is the giant NT solar farm that’s supposed to supply Darwin, Indonesia and Singapore with power. Last week, news broke that Sun Cable has entered voluntary administration. Sun Cable was burning through cash and missing agreed targets. Both billionaires say they still support the project, but it seems they won’t be working on it together, it will be interesting to see what happens...
Jan 15, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 11
The former leader of the Catholic Church in Australia, Cardinal George Pell died suddenly in Rome this week. His reign was dogged by scandal. Imprisoned - and later acquitted - of child sex charges, he was also appointed by Pope Benedict to clean up the Vatican’s finances. How will George Pell be remembered? In this episode we speak to Miles Pattenden, a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Catholic University, about George Pell’s life and legacy Headlines: NSW Premier’s leadership in jeopar...
Jan 12, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Prince William has been thrown back into the spotlight, after Prince Harry claimed he physically attacked him in his new book ‘Spare.’ The relationship between the two brothers has deteriorated in the public eye as Harry continues to make damaging allegations. Prince William has kept quiet as the headlines continue to roll. So, what part does William play in all of this and how will his choices impact the future of the monarchy? In this episode, we speak to Michael Grose, a leading parent educat...
Jan 11, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Brazil is undergoing riots that have been likened to when Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. Far-right Bolsonaro supporters have stormed the Brazilian Congress and Supreme Court. In this episode we speak to Kathryn Baragwanath, political economy expert at the Australian Catholic University, about what prompted the protests in Brazil. We find out why this is happening, and what the implications for Brazil and the rest of the world could be. Headlines: - Labor to introduce emissions cutting ...
Jan 10, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 8
New data from the ACT Government shows just 20% of people who reported a Covid infection in December were known to have previously had the illness. Australia’s high rate of hybrid immunity continues to trend making us more equipped to cope with new outbreaks than most other countries. Infectious disease specialists say the trend refers to the double shield of previous infection and vaccination, but they warned this could change if Aussies don’t keep up with their vaccine doses. In 2022, Australi...
Jan 09, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Aussies are starting the new year with higher rates, rent and fuel along with rocketing food prices. Food shortages are hitting supermarkets across the country due to labour shortages and flooding and we could even see prices rise another 8 percent by November. In this episode we speak with Richard Forbes, CEO of Independent Food Distributors Australia about just what will happen with our food in 2023. Headlines: - Albo accuses Dutton of 'cheap culture war stunts' over Indigenous voice - Indian ...
Jan 08, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Australia is facing a housing crisis, and we're not the only ones. Canada is also dealing with a shortage of homes, and has just introduced a ban on foreigners buying property. The policy has attracted approval from Aussies online, with some calling for a similar strategy to be implemented here. In this episode we speak with Michael Bourque is the CEO of the Canadian Real Estate Association about the ban, and whether it could be a viable solution to our housing shortage. Headlines: - Ukraine: Ru...
Jan 05, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Australia is known for its harsh sun and hot summers, but Vitamin D deficiency is growing. Vitamin D is crucial to our physical and mental health, yet most of us don't know just how much we need, and how to get it. In this episode we speak with Roger Sutherland, a nutritionist, shift worker and host of the Healthy Shift podcast about why getting our daily dose might not be as easy as we think Headlines: - Australia buys $1B worth of missiles - Residents evacuated in the Kimberley - Rudd accuses ...
Jan 04, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 4
We know gym memberships go up at the start of the year with people keen to get their bodies in shape, but what about our minds? In this episode of the Briefing we find out why we feel like our attention spans are getting shorter and strategies we can use to stay on task and be happier. We speak with Susan Pearse who is part of the Mind Gardener, an organisation that focuses on building attention to increase mindfulness, fulfillment and happiness. She has worked in this area for 25 years and auth...
Jan 03, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 3
The bushranger holds a special place in the Australian psyche. Celebrated for their bravery and their ability to go against the grain, against authority and deified through time as heroes. But not all were seen at the time in such a positive way, and not all were white men. We speak with Boundary Crossers author Meg Foster, who reveals the stories of bushrangers that didn’t fit the mold, like African American man Black Douglas, Chinese bushranger Sam Poo, Aboriginal man Jimmy Governor and Aborig...
Jan 02, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 2
This year, the Sydney New Year’s fireworks were watched by millions of people around the world, but have you ever wondered how it’s put together? We speak to the man behind the fireworks, Fortunato Forti, a seventh generation pyrotechnician who has put on displays all over the world including in Hong Kong, Turkey, Canada, the US and the UK. Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAU Twitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jan 01, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 1
A look back on The Year That Was with Tom Tilley, Katrina Blowers, Antoinette Lattouf and Rhianna Patrick. We talk about the biggest stories of the year, including the Queen’s death, the federal election and the chaos of Elon Musk. Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAU Twitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 29, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 306
What is the BookTok phenomenon? Is it making reading cool? And how is it affecting book sales? There’s been a big surge in book sales, and publishers are putting it down to a new phenomenon called BookTok. BookTok is where young people on TikTok, typically in their teens or early twenties post about their favourite books in emotional videos racking up millions of views. BookTok has been responsible for the resurgence of several books on the New York Times’ bestseller list, including E. Lockhart’...
Dec 28, 2022•18 min•Season 3Ep. 305
In today’s Briefing we look at a perverse twist of 'Me Too'. The wave of abuse stories has come with a wave of defamation lawsuits. London-based barristers Jen Robinson and Keina Yoshida have written a book called How Many More Women detailing the way the law and the media has held back justice for sexual assault victims. The book is about how and why laws must change to protect women who are brave enough to speak out against their attackers. Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast F...
Dec 27, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 304
This year the USA has been rocked by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade - the case that has protected the right to abortion in the US for almost 50 years. Already, states are banning the procedure and it may be just weeks before half of the states across the US ban abortion. In today’s episode of The Briefing, Nick Sweeney, an Australian born director of a documentary called AKA Jane Roe tells us the unbelievable story of a young Texan woman called Norma McCorvey – who was to be...
Dec 26, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 303
With rising interest rates, escalating inflation, a war underway in Ukraine and coming out of the pandemic, it’s understandable we’re all a bit more worried. In today’s episode of the Briefing, we talk with Brigid Delaney about her book: Reasons Not To Worry - How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times. Brigid explains what we can learn from stoics, philosophers who lived by a set of rules that helped them find solace and comfort in difficult times. Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Face...
Dec 25, 2022•15 min•Season 3Ep. 302
We all know Santa Claus as a jolly old white man with a grey beard and red suit, but is this version of Mr Claus about to change? Australian director Nick Sweeney, has produced a documentary about the Saint Nicks and Mrs Clauses who come from all walks of life at a Santa training camp in the US. In this episode of the Briefing we speak with Nick about the changing face of Santa Claus. Headlines: - AFP makes one of its most significant arrests ever - Neighbour killed in QLD siege farewelled - Lib...
Dec 22, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 301
How do you teach kids about money? That's the question The Barefoot Investor has set out to answer in his new book Barefoot Kids. He covers pocket money, saving, spending and everything else to get kids financially literate. We speak with The Barefoot Investor himself, Scott Pape about how to prepare our children, so they can become confident money-savvy adults. Headlines: - ACT announces inquiry into Lehrmann case - Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits USA - Penny Wong back from China - QLD officers post...
Dec 21, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 300
ChatGPT released by OpenAI can write essays, complete maths problems and even speak in Shakespearean English. It's the latest iteration in this new technology that promises to change the way we search for information - and could even replace some of our jobs. New York Times Technology Correspondent Cade Metz joins us to understand more about this new technology and why it's so easy to trust it, even if we shouldn't. Headlines: - Memorial for fallen QLD police officers takes place today - Two men...
Dec 20, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 299
Killer robots no longer belong to science fiction stories, with San Francisco recently having to make a decision about whether to allow robots to use lethal force. At first decision makers said yes, but the backlash was so severe they reversed the decision a week later. In this episode we delve into the debate surrounding whether we should allow police robots to use lethal force with Daphne Duret from The Marshall Project. Headlines: - Penny Wong visits Beijing - Brian Houston told court his fat...
Dec 19, 2022•18 min•Season 3Ep. 298
