Kathleen Folbigg has been in prison for nearly 20 years, charged with murdering 3 of her children and one charge of manslaughter. While she’s been behind bars, genetics research has made exponential leaps. New evidence uncovered by two Danish researchers could prove critical to her case. In this bonus episode courtesy of the Science Briefing, Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about this game-changing science that could rewrite the Folbigg story. Follow The Br...
Mar 01, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 51
Kathleen Folbigg is serving a minimum 25-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2003 of the murder of her three children, Patrick, Sarah, and Laura, and the manslaughter of her first child, Caleb. Each died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 18 months. Her supporters say there's no pathological or medical basis to conclude homicide in any of the Folbigg children's deaths. In this episode, we speak to Kathleen’s childhood friend, Tracy Chapman, who talks to her every ...
Feb 28, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 50
Conversion therapy is banned in Qld, Victoria and the ACT, but it’s still legal in NSW. It's in the process of being banned in WA, but still looks to be legal in the NT and SA too. In NSW, Independent MP Alex Greenwich plans to introduce an omnibus Equality Bill including a ban on conversion practices. In this two-part special we find out the impact conversions therapy can have on individuals and why legislation is so patchy across the country. Headlines: - AFL players in multi-million dollar cl...
Feb 27, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 49
Conversion therapy is banned in Qld, Victoria and the ACT, but it’s still legal in NSW. It's in the process of being banned in WA, but still looks to be legal in the NT and SA too. In NSW, Independent MP Alex Greenwich plans to introduce an omnibus Equality Bill including a ban on conversion practices. In this two-part special we find out the impact conversions therapy can have on individuals and why legislation is so patchy across the country. In this episode, we hear from Kim Kemmis - a man wh...
Feb 26, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 48
Why are all the good songs written for people in their twenties? Why is it, as we get older and have partners, and children, pets and parents-in-law, mortgages and muscle aches, that music stops being written about our experiences? Claire Tonti is trying to change that. She’s a teacher turned podcaster turned musician and she’s just released her debut album Matrescence. Eleven original tracks, stripped back acoustic folk, Claire sings about everything from birth trauma to what it means to be a w...
Feb 24, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 47
Later this year we'll be voting in a referendum on the Voice, but how did it come about? In this bonus episode we go into the history of the Voice: the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Uluru Statement originally called for an Aboriginal voice to parliament. It came from a convention bringing together over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders at the foot of Uluru. We speak with Thomas Mayor who was one of the 250 signatories. He’s written a book, Finding the Heart of the Nation, o...
Feb 24, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 46
Footage from last month’s Invasion Day rallies around Australia featured speakers urging those gathered to vote ‘No’ in the promised Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum expected later this year. Most Australians would think the vast majority of First Nations people would support a ‘Yes’ vote – but that’s not necessarily the case. In this two-part special, we speak to advocates from both sides of the debate so we can better understand what’s at stake when we eventually get our chance to vot...
Feb 23, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 45
Footage from last month’s Invasion Day rallies around Australia featured speakers urging those gathered to vote ‘No’ in the promised Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum expected later this year. Most Australians would think the vast majority of First Nations people would support a ‘Yes’ vote – but that’s not necessarily the case. In this two-part special, we speak to advocates from both sides of the debate so we can better understand what’s at stake when we eventually get our chance to vot...
Feb 22, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 44
Pokies are responsible for more than half of Australia’s serious gambling harm, with NSW alone holding 35% of the world's pokie machines. Now, the NSW LNP government is pledging major reform ahead of the state’s May election. In this episode, we speak to Drew Rooke - author of One Last Spin and ask how pokies took hold of Australia and why now is the time for reform. Headlines: - Putin pulls out of nuclear treaty - Baby pulled from rubble in Turkiye adopted - Albo dips in latest opinion poll - A...
Feb 21, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 43
Have you ever wondered why some people instantly click and others don’t? Dr Ali Walker is an Australian human connection scientist who's just written a book called Click or Clash. It covers why you bond easily with some people but have friction with others. It also looks at how we make friends and fall in love; the four types of belonging (and how to achieve them); the three types of loneliness (and how to avoid them); and how to communicate in true alignment with who you are. In this episode, w...
Feb 20, 2023•17 min•Season 4Ep. 42
Have you ever wondered why some people instantly click and others don’t? Dr Ali Walker is an Australian human connection scientist who's just written a book called Click or Clash. It covers why you bond easily with some people but have friction with others. It also looks at how we make friends and fall in love; the four types of belonging (and how to achieve them); the three types of loneliness (and how to avoid them); and how to communicate in true alignment with who you are. In this episode, w...
Feb 19, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 41
Aaron Fa’Aoso is a film producer, director, screenwriter and actor, who also in his first career played professional rugby for the Canterbury Bulldogs. Life for Aaron has been… so far, so good. His newly released autobiography is titled exactly that, and makes Aaron the first Torres Strait Islander to ever release a commercially published memoir. In this chat with Jamila Rizvi, Aaron touches on his triumphs and darkest days, what he’s learned and what he wants the next generation of young First ...
Feb 17, 2023•39 min•Season 4Ep. 40
The rise of online scammers has seen many Aussies losing their life savings with little to no hope of being reimbursed by their bank. In Australia, it’s estimated only 13% of scams are recorded, due to either embarrassment or the lack of confidence the victim will be reimbursed. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Consumer Action Law Centre are calling for Australia to adopt a similar approach on banking scams as in the UK. CommBank recently announced NameCheck technology ...
Feb 16, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 39
In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, we investigate the concept that women have to somehow ‘have it all.’ It comes as a recent article in a News Corp paper suggested a string of high profile women’s marriages broke down because they ‘dared to have it all.’ The BBC also questioned New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s ability to ‘have it all.' Antoinette wrote an op-ed in the Herald to suggest this is unfair and problematic. In this episode, we speak to Annabel Crabb, writer and tel...
Feb 15, 2023•18 min•Season 4Ep. 38
This is our second episode focusing on adult ADHD. Two weeks ago we spoke with Bridget Pringle, a Melbourne based advertising professional and mother of two who was diagnosed about two years ago. Bridget told us about what it was like living with ADHD – and how it answered lots of unanswered questions for her. In today’s Briefing, we’re joined by Mark Bellgrove, the President of the Australian ADHD Professionals Association to find out what you should do if you think YOU may have adult ADHD. Unf...
Feb 14, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 37
Edelman’s annual Trust Barometer has revealed that the government and the media are among the least trusted by Australians. Whereas trust in business to take on social and structural issues, like climate change, is greater. We’re joined by Tom Robinson, the Australian CEO of Edelman; and Zara Seidler is Co-Founder of leading youth news service The Daily Aus. So in today's Briefing, why are Australians distrusting of government and the media – but more trusting of business – and why Gen Z is even...
Feb 13, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 36
Australia has the highest skin cancer rates in the world - with one person here diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes. Last year alone, 17,000 people were diagnosed. Social media is adding to the problem with ‘suntanning’ now trending on TikTok and Instagram. So, how do we drive down the numbers when so many people are obsessed with tanning? In this episode, we’re joined by Samantha Brett, who has created her own range of sun protection products to encourage Australians to protect themselves ...
Feb 12, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 35
Jeanette Francis, better known as Jan Fran, is one of our brilliant hosts of The Briefing podcast. Jan recently returned to the show after having her beautiful baby boy. Jan Fran is a Lebanese-Australian journalist, presenter and is ridiculously accomplished. She has won a Walkley award, worked as a foreign correspondent and is well known as a television presenter and content creator. In this episode Jamila Rizvi and Jan Fran delve into everything from her childhood, motherhood and multicultural...
Feb 10, 2023•36 min•Season 4Ep. 34
Last week a massive white balloon drifted across U.S. airspace before being shot down by the Air Force. But where did it come from? The US believes China was spying on its military camps with the 200ft balloon which contained sensors and surveillance equipment inside. The incident has sparked diplomatic tensions, China said the US overreacted by bringing the balloon down and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has cancelled his trip to China. So, what exactly was the balloon doing there and...
Feb 09, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 33
Rural regions in Australia are facing major maternity shortages as services in rural hospitals are forced to close. Pregnant women are travelling for hours to get care – some fearing they may have to give birth on the side of the road. The problem is adding more pressure to Australia’s maternity crisis which has been ongoing for years. In this episode, we speak to Sophie Walker - the founder of the Australian Birth Stories Podcast, who tells us more about the country’s maternity crisis. Headline...
Feb 08, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 32
The first baby born through IVF was in 1978 and since then the treatment has dramatically changed how the family unit can look. It has also given same sex couples more options when it comes to creating a family as well as solo parents, challenging the image of a nuclear family. Technology surrounding IVF is continuing to advance but there are still many common misconceptions and questions surrounding the process - from costs to how long it takes. In this episode, entrepreneur and author Lisa Mes...
Feb 07, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 31
Women across Australia are continuing to choose to become solo mothers by choice, using assisted fertilization (IVF, donor) because of factors like age and social infertility. We’re joined by solo mothers, Aoife Cooke and Liz Cashen who take us through their fertility journey. The decision to start the journey as a solo mother can be a daunting step but with online communities and support groups the process doesn't have to be as lonely. Headlines: - Earthquake kills thousands in Turkey and Syria...
Feb 06, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 30
Safety on dating apps has been at the centre of a government roundtable as the number of domestic violence cases across Australia continues to rise. App companies, domestic abuse survivors and police were all at the summit which was called a few weeks after a NSW woman was allegedly killed by a man she met on a dating app. So, how do we really know who we’re speaking to behind the screen? In this episode, we speak to e-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant on how we can make dating apps safer. H...
Feb 05, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 29
Alex Dyson is an Australian radio and podcast presenter, author, business owner and former political candidate. He currently hosts the podcast ‘Matt & Alex All Day Breakfast’ alongside Matt Okine. In this conversation, Jamila Rizvi and Alex Dyson delve into experiencing fame at a young age, the impact of loss and the legacy he wants to leave behind. You can check out the podcast Matt & Alex All Day Breakfast here . Alex Dyson's books: When It Drops here , and Eric The Awkward Orc here . ...
Feb 03, 2023•38 min•Season 4Ep. 28
So, Briefing co-host Jan Fran is back after more than six months away from the microphone. In this episode, Tom interviews Jan about what’s she’s been up to over the last six months – and what big news stories have been on her radar In today’s Briefing, we welcome back Jan Fran Headlines: Clashes outside George Pell’s funeral Hand sanitiser banned in some Alice Springs pharmacies King Charles won’t be on Aussie $5 dollar note Follow The Briefing: Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBrief...
Feb 02, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 27
There has been a rise of well-known Aussies, particularly females, announcing that they have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Due to this rise there have been many conversations on social media about why this is happening, with many saying it’s just being over diagnosed or turning into a trend. We’re joined by Bridget Pringle - a freelance writer, mother of two and advertising professional from Melbourne who learned she had ADHD via a TikTok algorithm. So what’s it like living with adult AD...
Feb 01, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi…some of the leaders radically reshaping today's world. Who are they and what drives them? We’re joined by the Project’s Hamish Macdonald whose new ABC podcast delves into the lives and motives of eight leaders. From autocratic strongmen to democratic internationalists, from left to right to far right, Take Me To Your Leader! examines the cultural, historical, geographical and personal origins underpinning the ambitions of the people on the world stage. T...
Jan 31, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Three hundred and thirty-nine people lost their lives to drowning last year while a further 686 experienced a non-fatal drowning incident. Between December 1 and January 9 alone, 35 people drowned across Australia. It's a combination of a number of factors that create these scenarios. We’re joined by Dr Amy Peden - A research fellow at the School of Population Health, UNSW, a leader in drowning prevention research and advocacy, to find out what you can do to save someone whilst keeping yourself ...
Jan 30, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Ozempic is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity but social media influencers have now turned it into the most popular weight loss drug. Promotion of the drug has led to a shortage of supply with Australia's drugs regulator now investigating the matter. However, other issues have contributed to the lack of supply and influencers have promoted weight loss supplements for years. So why is TGA looking into the particular promotion of Ozempic? In this episode we speak to public health adv...
Jan 29, 2023•18 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Chloe Fisher married her now-husband, Grammy-nominated DJ Fisher, in 2020. It was on their wedding night that Chloe fell pregnant for the first time. She would miscarry shortly after. It was from that point that Chloe, also a model, instagram influencer and entrepreneur, decided to use her platform to give voice to people who have lost pregnancies. Along with her friend and co-host Ellidy Pullin, they’ve created a community of listeners who support one another through their fertility journeys. O...
Jan 27, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 22
