The U.S. Government shutdown has entered its second week, with no resolution in sight.Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced the state’s Metro Tunnel will open in early December.Nearly 1,000 climbers were trapped on or near Mount Everest over the weekend, following sudden heavy snowfall.And today’s good news: Australian food stylist Caroline Velik has won a prize at the World Porridge Making Championships. Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ...
Oct 07, 2025•4 min
Netflix. AGL. Virgin Australia. What do these companies have in common? Well, they generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year, but paid no company tax in the 2023/24 financial year. That’s according to the Australian Tax Office’s annual corporate tax report released last which. So how can this be? We’ll break it down in today’s podcast. Hosts: Billi FitzSimons and Sam Koslowski Producer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to cl...
Oct 06, 2025•13 min
Katherine Bennell-Pegg made history in 2023 when she was selected to join a training program with the European Space Agency, graduating as the first Australian woman to become a qualified astronaut. From studying engineering to working on space missions, and training for the possibility of going to space herself someday, she's part of a new generation of Aussies pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Katherine sat down with TDA to tell us all about what training to become an astronaut actu...
Oct 05, 2025•20 min
In today's episode of Building TDA, Sam and Zara pull the curtain back on 'fontgate'. In case you're (luckily) unfamiliar, it was the time when TDA changed its font and the internet revolted. Let's unpack. Sign up to Building TDA newsletter here ! Hosts: Zara Seidler and Sam Koslowski Producer: Orla Maher Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a m...
Oct 04, 2025•18 min
Today's headlines include: The Federal Court has handed Telstra an $18 million fine for misleading its broadband customers. A deadly synagogue attack in the UK city of Manchester has been declared a terrorist incident. The search for a missing four-year-old boy in remote South Australia will be scaled back nearly a week since he disappeared, police have confirmed. And today’s good news: Poland has launched a new bottle and can deposit refund system, as part of efforts to improve national recycli...
Oct 03, 2025•5 min
Earlier this week, the U.S. government shut down after Congress failed to pass funding legislation. It's the 21st shutdown since 1977, and it has triggered the indefinite pause of most federal services, putting tens of thousands of federal employees out of work. Today we're breaking down what a shutdown actually means, how an entire government just stops, and why this one might be different from past shutdowns. Hosts: Sam Koslowski and Billi FitzSimons Producer: Orla Maher Want to support The Da...
Oct 02, 2025•14 min
Today's headlines include: Erin Patterson is expected to appeal her guilty verdict, a month after she was sentenced to life behind bars. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has signed off on a landmark defence treaty with Australia. Dozens of children remain trapped beneath the rubble of an Indonesian school, which collapsed on Monday. And today’s good news: 26 sites have been added to UNESCO’s list of biosphere reserves, meaning 5% of the planet now falls within a designated protection zone. Hosts: Billi Fi...
Oct 02, 2025•5 min
This week, a woman was awarded $93,000 by a NSW court over an unlawful police strip search at a 2018 music festival. Strip searches are supposed to be conducted under exceptional circumstances only, but recent figures suggest they’re being conducted more frequently. Over the past decade, the number of young people alleging they were searched unlawfully, often in humiliating and invasive circumstances, has remained high. In today’s podcast we’re going to talk you through the landmark class action...
Oct 01, 2025•13 min
Today's headlines include: The NSW Police Commissioner has apologised for the unlawful strip search that led to a class action against police. Up to 69 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippine province of Cebu. The U.S. Government has shut down after the Senate rejected a short-term spending measure that would have funded the continuation of federal operations until November 21. And today’s good news: Researchers have de...
Oct 01, 2025•5 min
Buying your first home just got easier… the Government hopes. Its new home ownership scheme comes into effect from today, allowing first-time purchasers to secure a home with a 5% deposit, down from the standard 20%. The Government says it wants to ensure more renters own a home but the Opposition has called it "a dark day for the Australian dream". It comes as property experts warn the initiative will further drive up house prices. We’ll explain everything you need to know in today’s deep dive....
Sep 30, 2025•13 min
Today's headlines include: The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has left the cash rate on hold at 3.6%. U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have announced a new ceasefire proposal. Paralympic champion James Turner has won Australia’s first gold medal at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in India. And today’s good news: The New Zealand falcon has been named winner of New Zealand’s annual bird of the year competition. Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi F...
Sep 30, 2025•4 min
Optus has confirmed its second triple-zero outage in less than two weeks. The latest incident affected thousands of NSW customers, and it follows an outage linked to four deaths earlier in the month. So, what’s going on with our triple-zero system? In today's podcast, we'll unpack these latest outages and explain how Australia’s emergency call service works, who is responsible for it, and what happens when it fails. Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Billi FitzSimons Producer: Orla Maher Want to support ...
Sep 29, 2025•18 min
Today's headlines include: Treasurer Jim Chalmers has handed down the Federal Government’s final Budget outcome for the 2024-25 financial year. A police chase through Melbourne’s CBD has ended with the arrest of four teenagers and a woman being hospitalised. Four people have been killed during a church shooting in the U.S. state of Michigan. And today’s good news: Eating fruit could protect your lungs against the impacts of air pollution, a new study has found. Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Lucy Tas...
Sep 29, 2025•4 min
You may have seen headlines that there could be a possible challenger to the leadership of the Liberal Party. It’s only been a few months since Sussan Ley took over from Peter Dutton, becoming the first ever woman to lead the party. But Andrew Hastie, who is the Shadow Home Affairs Minister, has started expressing some frustration with the party’s position on different issues like climate change and immigration. So, why exactly is this happening and could there actually be a new leadership chall...
Sep 28, 2025•16 min
Today's headlines include: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 100% tariff on pharmaceutical imports. A Qantas flight from Sydney to Auckland has made a mid-air mayday call, after the pilot flagged concerns of a possible fire in the plane’s cargo hold. Celebrations are underway in Victoria ahead of tomorrow’s AFL grand final. And today’s good news: A new dinosaur species has been discovered in Argentina. Hosts: Emma Gillespie and Lucy Tassell Producer: Emma Gillespie Want to support The ...
Sep 26, 2025•4 min
25 years ago today, Australia was waking up in the aftermath of one of the greatest gold medal races of all time - Cathy Freeman’s win in the 400m. It was the undeniable high point of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, a Games that changed the city and set a high bar for other cities to follow. On today’s episode, we’re taking a walk back in time to the year 2000, explaining how the Games came to Sydney, bringing you some of the highlights, and discussing its lasting legacy. Sign up to our sports newslet...
Sep 25, 2025•16 min
Today's headlines include: The eSafety Commissioner will consider extending the Government’s upcoming social media ban for under-16s to include more platforms. Former Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian has withdrawn a High Court challenge contesting the federal election result in Bradfield. At least 18 people have died as a super typhoon continues to wreak havoc across East Asia. And today’s good news: A breakthrough treatment for early Alzheimer’s has been approved for use in Australia. Hosts: ...
Sep 25, 2025•4 min
In just a few months time, four NASA astronauts will embark on the first crewed lunar mission since 1972. Artemis II is scheduled to take off in February next year for a ten-day trip around the moon ahead of a crewed mission to the lunar surface in 2027. It comes amid what’s been dubbed “the second space race,” as the U.S. and China push to get back to the moon first. Today, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the Artemis mission, why NASA wants to go to the moon, and why it’s taken ...
Sep 24, 2025•16 min
Today's headlines include:Prices rose by 3% in the year to August, according to new monthly inflation figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).Optus has been fined $100 million by the federal court for selling products to hundreds of vulnerable customers, including people with mental disabilities, who could not afford them.A Florida court has found a man guilty of attempting to assassinate the U.S. President Donald Trump at a golf course last year.And today’s good news: An internat...
Sep 24, 2025•5 min
One of the world’s most common pain relief medications has dominated headlines after recent comments from the Trump administration linking paracetamol to autism. Warnings from the U.S. about the use of Tylenol (a brand of paracetamol) during pregnancy prompted Australian Health Minister Mark Butler to seek urgent advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Today, we’ll take you through what the U.S. President and other officials said, the backlash, Australia’s response, and what the scienc...
Sep 23, 2025•15 min
Today's headlines include: The Albanese Government says the Australia-U.S. relationship is “in a good place,” despite another failed meeting opportunity between the two countries' leaders. NSW public school students in years 5-12 will have access to generative AI in the classroom from next month, the State Government has announced. A New Zealand woman has been found guilty of murdering her children, almost three years after their remains were found in suitcases in an abandoned storage unit. And ...
Sep 23, 2025•5 min
Early on Monday morning, Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced the Government had recognised the State of Palestine. Albanese joined the heads of Canada and the UK in making the announcement, ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York City this week. Then, early this morning, countries met at the UN to discuss the future of the two-state solution. In today’s podcast, we’ll explain what it means to recognise the state of Palestine, and how it relates to the two-state approach. Hosts: Lucy Ta...
Sep 22, 2025•12 min
Today's headlines include: The head of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has told Government officials that the economy is in a "very good position in terms of inflation." A review into Victoria’s exams body has found a “culture of fear” and a lack of leadership. Evacuation orders are in place for thousands of people in the Philippines, as super typhoon Ragasa is expected to cross the nation’s northern islands. And today’s good news: South Australia has become the third state to announce the r...
Sep 22, 2025•4 min
More stress, less friends, and fewer babies: These are some of the key trends that have come out of a major longitudinal study. The Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, aka 'Hilda', released its latest annual statistical report on Friday. The findings show the lasting impacts of the pandemic on all Australians, including young people, whose well-being and social lives have taken significant hits since COVID-19… and are yet to recover. HILDA’s 20th report shows economic facto...
Sep 21, 2025•14 min
Today's headlines include: The Australian Human Rights Commission will launch an investigation into Merivale after it accepted a racial discrimination complaint against the Sydney hospitality group. Seven people have been charged over the alleged stabbing murders of two children in Melbourne’s outer-west. The wife of Charlie Kirk will take over as the head of his political advocacy group, Turning Point USA. And today’s good news: Two Australians have been included in the winners' list for the 20...
Sep 19, 2025•4 min
Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show has been pulled off the air "for the foreseeable future" after the host made comments about political reactions to the killing of Charlie Kirk. The move by Disney, which owns ABC, came after a major TV station owner said it would drop the show, and the head of the U.S. communications regulator threatened regulatory action. Today we're unpacking what Kimmel said, why it's caused such a major response, and what this means for media regulation in the U.S. Hosts: Sam K...
Sep 18, 2025•19 min
Today's headlines include: The Federal Government has announced its anticipated 2035 emissions reduction target, committing to cut emissions by 62-70%. Prosecutors have downgraded charges against retired broadcaster Alan Jones. U.S. President Donald Trump has attended a banquet hosted by the British Royal Family at Windsor Castle – his second state visit to the UK. And today’s good news: A supersonic plane being developed by NASA is getting closer to taking its first flight. Hosts: Emma Gillespi...
Sep 18, 2025•4 min
Israel has launched a ground offensive into Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The country’s leadership says the city is the last stronghold of Hamas, while international governments and the UN have condemned the attacks. The offensive began shortly after a UN commission of inquiry announced it had found Israel was carrying out a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. In today’s episode, we’ll explain what to know about these two developments, and the international reaction....
Sep 17, 2025•16 min
Today's headlines include: Sussan Ley has described debt as an “issue of intergenerational fairness” during her first major economic address as Opposition Leader. Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing Gaza City after Israel launched its ground offensive on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed he’s planning to meet with Anthony Albanese when the Prime Minister visits the U.S. next week. And today’s good news: In an Australian first, Pet owners can now book tickets to bring their smal...
Sep 17, 2025•4 min
In the past two weeks, both Poland and Romania have reported Russian drones flying in their airspace. Importantly, NATO forces shot down Russian aircraft for the first time in the alliance's 75-year history. Both countries are neighbours of Ukraine, which continues to face Russian airstrikes and ground offensives as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues. But there’s a key difference between an attack on Ukraine, and an attack on Poland or Romania - and that’s NATO. On today’s podcast...
Sep 16, 2025•17 min
