Please Explain

'Train by day, podcast by night' is the catchphrase of the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast which has 50 million-odd downloads a month worldwide with a huge male listenership including in Australia. The American host's message, while compelling, can be rambling, unpolished, and often delve into conspiracy theories. Today, Chief Reporter, Jordan Baker on Joe Rogan’s influence on Australian men and whether it’s something to be concerned about.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of Victoria’s top restaurants and most celebrated chefs have come under fire recently, as allegations about bullying and harassment mount from former employees. Similar such allegations have seen heads roll at hospitality giants like Swillhouse in Sydney. And now, allegations about a popular Melbourne restaurateur, from those who have worked with him closely, an alleged incident of indecent exposure and aggressive behaviour. Today, investigative reporter Charlotte Grieve on how the spotlight in the hospitality industry has turned on those in positions of power, and why employees at high-profile venues across the country are speaking up now.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When news broke, 11 days ago, that one of Australia’s oldest and largest fertility services implanted the wrong embryo in a woman in Melbourne, it, naturally, made headlines around the country. But for those of us following the story, that was just the beginning. Because this mistake occurred only two months after another woman, in Queensland, gave birth to another couple’s baby, after an embryo mix up at Monash IVF. Today, senior reporter Grant McArthur on why this industry, which offers the promise of desperately wanted children, is leaving people to feel heartbroken.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a big speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, and used it to dangle the prospect of economic reform.During its first term, the Albanese government was criticised for not being bold enough in its agenda. So is the PM signalling he will use his huge majority to institute major reform? What would a daring economic reform agenda look like? And are Australians ready for it?Plus, Jacqueline Maley, Paul Sakkal and Shane Wright discuss the hardening of the government’s stance on Israel, after it imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s hard to keep up with what’s happening in Los Angeles. And why. On Saturday, federal agents were jumping out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot and began grabbing people. Then we heard that Donald Trump had called in the National Guard. And then the Marines. And then, yesterday afternoon, Californian governor Gavin Newsom delivered a rebuke to Donald Trump in a nationwide address, saying: “What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement - it’s authoritarianism.” Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher, on why we are witnessing the opening scenes of a new phase in American history.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York Times bestselling Author Michael Lewis is, as one interviewer recently put it, “a kind of guru of our age”. This is because, in books like Moneyball, The Big Short and Going Infinite, not to mention his own podcast, he has chronicled some of the big social and economic seachanges of our time - from the global financial crisis, to the cryptocurrency market, and how online gambling companies have managed to wage something of a “war against young men”. Sometimes, he even seems to anticipate the sea changes. Last year, he all but predicted Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE manifesto, when he decided to investigate what American civil servants actually do. And the catastrophic risks that might come from decimating the federal government. Today, Michael Lewis, on all of this, and what he thinks comes next for the American government. Plus, whether he thinks our own prime minister is “gutless” for delaying a ban on TV gambling advertising.Michael Lewis’ new book is Who Is Government: The Untold Story of Public Service is out now.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has marked the King’s Birthday long weekend and with it comes honours for 830 people. But there’s one that stands out: former prime minister Scott Morrison’s appointment as a companion of the order of Australia has proved divisive. So why did Morrison get the honour? Does he deserve it? And who are some of the other awardees on the list? Today, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright joins Nick Bonyhady on the people Australia chooses to recognise.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Male humpback whales sing to each other, and when they do - over the course of a season - a favourite “hit song” emerges. Each whale passes it along, until all the humpback males in the Southern Ocean sing it. But humpback whales aren’t just amazing creatures, capable of tenderness, and rivalries. They’ve also managed one of Australia’s great comebacks - they numbered less than 100 on the east coast in the 1960s, and now there’s about 40,000 of them. Today, environment and climate reporter Caitlin Fitzsimmons on why they’re thriving, while other whales are critically endangered. And whether new information about threats to whales might inform the government’s environmental policies.Credit:David Attenborough/Netflix 'Our Planet' Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dramatic shakeout from the general election continued this week, this time from the left wing of Australian politics, with WA Greens senator Dorinda Cox defecting to Labor. It was a coup for a triumphant Prime Minister. But will the PM live to regret his new recruit? What does Senator Cox’s defection mean for the much-depleted Greens party? And how does it fit with the PM’s recent approval of the extension of a giant fossil fuel project off the West Australian coast? Chief Political Correspondent Paul Sakkal, and Chief Political Commentator James Massola join host Jacqueline Maley.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us have, for so long, lived under the shadow of American exports, that we’d be hard-pressed to choose which was the most intrusive. Hollywood rom-coms? Halloween? J.Lo? That list might have been relevant a couple of weeks ago. But now America’s biggest export is Donald Trump’s MAGA mindset, according to international and political editor, Peter Hartcher. Today, he joins 'The Morning Edition' to discuss Trump’s hidden announcement, last week about a new level of American interference, globally, not seen since the end of the Cold War. And how it will impact how America changes other countries for years to come.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When news broke, over the weekend, that Ukraine launched a devastating and unprecedented attack on Russian air force bases, it shocked analysts around the world. The damage was huge. And it made a mockery of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s expectation, more than three years ago, that he would capture the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, within days. Today, Associate Professor Matthew Sussex, a fellow at the Australia National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, on what impact this attack will have on Russia’s ability to win this war. And what both countries gained, in Monday’s peace talks.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since October 7, incidents of antisemitism have surged across the globe, with people attacked and synagogues and homes vandalised. It’s with this backdrop that the latest attack has occurred, this time at a pro-Israel event in the United States. Today, world editor Catherine Naylor on the attack in Boulder, Colorado that turned a weekly vigil into what one witness said looked like a “war zone”.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are we to make sense of the swirling chaos around us? The multiple wars, accusations of wrongdoing, and human carnage? And how can we possibly have civilised conversations about it all? British barrister and author Philippe Sands, is uniquely placed to guide us through this moment. It’s not just that he’s an expert on crimes against humanity, who has won cases against former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. But he understands the personal toil of it all; he’s written about the Nazi SS officer who might have been responsible for the death of one of his family members. Today, Philippe Sands, who recently visited Australia for the Sydney Writers Festival, on helping to defend Palestine at the International Court of Justice. And the breakups he’s experienced with friends, over their comments about Israel.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, they fight, they break up, they kiss, they make up. Never before have the lyrics of a Katy Perry song been more relevant to federal politics. After last week’s shock split, this week the Coalition got back together again. But at what cost? What compromises have been made on both sides? And will the Nats and the Libs be able to work constructively together after all the drama? Meanwhile, Labor is moving ahead with plans to hike taxes on super accounts of more than $3 million, and Anthony Albanese hardens his rhetoric on Israel and its killing of civilians in Gaza. Here to discuss all this with host Jacqueline Maley is new chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, and foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American debt is growing, fast. As we record this, the United States federal government has borrowed about 36.2 TRILLION American dollars in order to cover its expenses. But, by the time you hear this - that is, less than 24 hours since recording - it will have shot past this. OK, I can hear you asking: So what? Why should we care? What does it matter to us if Donald Trump has a bill passed that will add another three trillion dollars to that debt, as he’s hoping? Because these figures point to an empire in decline, according to international and political editor Peter Hartcher. Today, he joins me to discuss what it would take to pull the American empire back from the brink. And what it all means for the rest of us if the United States ceased to be a great power.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, Australia earned the unenviable title of allergy capital of the world. This could well have been true, with a World Allergy Organisation review finding Australia had the highest rate of food allergies for children under five. But since then, something happened to turn allergy advice on its head, and parents have been introducing allergens to children at a far younger age than they used to. So, where are we at now? Explainer reporter Jackson Graham is here with us today to discuss whether the new strategy has worked. To read Jackson's piece in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, follow this link to our websites.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shootings in a warring criminal underworld is not a particularly new thing for cities such as Sydney. This type of violence exploded almost two decades ago with the advent of the gang, Brothers For Life, whose method of choice claimed the lives of multiple gang members and seriously injured innocent people in the crossfire. But the violence did slow down once major gang figures had either been killed or placed behind bars. That is until recently, when, as crime reporter Perry Duffin writes, once again, there’s been a spate of gangland hits killing innocent people or minor criminals by an “honourless” underworld. For Perry Duffin's latest story, read 'Blood on the streets: gangland shooting sparks fears of tit-for-tat war'.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renowned author Colm Tóibín's international bestseller Brooklyn deals with the agonies of trying to adapt to the customs of a strange new land. When we meet main character Eilis Lacey 20 years later, in Tóibín’s latest novel, Long Island, she again grapples with the pull of her home country Ireland. So what does Tóibín make of our yearning to belong, and how it can twist us internally? How it can drive otherwise rational people to damn entire groups of people? In this special episode, Tóibín, who is in Australia for the Sydney Writers’ Festival and the Melbourne Writers Festival, toys with these themes in a discussion on migrants, Donald Trump and the new Pope. And the times when even he can’t find the right words, in his own life.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was high drama this week with the Nationals telling the Liberals they wanted a political divorce.But by Thursday, the separation – like a marriage on the rocks – was placed on hold while further conversations took place.So what happened? And what’s going to be better for both parties, and the political health of the nation?To discuss the drama in this special early episode of Inside Politics, chief political commentator James Massola, and political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos join host Jacqueline Maley.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, global sporting events like the Olympics and the Tour de France have been rocked by doping scandals that elicited a collective gasp. If the odd athlete used performance enhancing drugs, how was this a fair test of athletic greatness? But there’s a new event that will turn all of that on its head, where athletes will compete while intentionally on performance enhancing drugs. The “enhanced games”, as they’re called, will take place in Las Vegas next year. The prize money has already drawn top athletes, including Australian swimmer and Olympic medallist James Magnusson. Today, sports reporter Tom Decent talks through one of the most provocative and polarising sporting concepts in recent history.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know, we know, Donald Trump has gone gangbusters in the Middle east, inking hundreds of millions of dollars worth of deals left, right and centre. But hidden within all the details about Trump’s whirlwind trip - the Qatari jet, his bromance with the Saudi crown prince - is one deal that you might have missed. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher, on Donald Trump’s microchip deal with the UAE government. Its inherent risks, for the world. And potential opportunity, for Australia.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From afar, many of us saw the odd agitator pop up on the federal election campaign trail, where they yelled at politicians, or others, like an indigenous elder on Anzac Day. They looked like the actions of random ratbags. But watching on was crime reporter, Sherryn Groch, who discovered something unusual. A small but sophisticated group of people, involved in many of these incidents, had links to Neo-Nazis. Today, Groch joins me to discuss the rise of neo-nazis in Australia. And the steps they’re taking to form a political party.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

40/20 is a brand new NRL podcast from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. During this year's State of Origin and Finals series we'll be breaking down the biggest stories from across the game with the best journalists and NRL insiders from around the country. We'll be giving you press pass access as we breakdown the latest news, controversy and performances from the biggest matches in the Rugby League calendar. To listen to our episodes as soon as they drop follow 40/20 wherever you listen to podcasts.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is one of life’s agonising scenarios; your puppy gets hit by a car. Or your cat develops a tumour. Of course, you want the best care. But what if you’re being quoted $10,000? Or more? And why do prices vary so much from vet to vet? Today, senior reporter Henrietta Cook and national science reporter Liam Mannix on why veterinary bills have skyrocketed over the last few years. And the people who have to sell their furniture, or struggle to make rent, in order to care for their beloved pets.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins chief political correspondent David Crowe and federal political reporter Paul Sakkal for an exclusive interview on Inside Politics. They chat about the new Labor cabinet, Albanese's thumping mandate, plans for the term ahead and a new phrase the prime minister is trying out - progressive patriotism.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this time of political and economic chaos, we arguably need our allies more than ever. So let’s cut to Tuesday evening, when prime minister Anthony Albanese flew to Indonesia, to meet its president, Prabowo Subianto. It was notable; Albanese’s first overseas trip since being re-elected. But recent waves of protests against Subianto have erupted in the country, amidst fears that the president is taking Indonesia back to its authoritarian past. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on what sort of ally Anthony Albanese has in Indonesia’s leader Prabowo Subianto.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, Sean “Diddy” Combs was a music mogul unlike any other; once described as a “zeitgeist-dominating colossus” who helped hip hop become a global cultural force. But peppered throughout his years of living to extraordinary excess, were allegations of violence, and misconduct. He managed to escape much time in custody, until September, when he became inmate 37452-054 at a Brooklyn detention centre, after he was charged with federal crimes. Today, we speak to North America correspondent Michael Koziol, who’s on the ground in New York City, where he has attended the first day of Diddy’s trial, and learned what the prosecution, and defence, plan on arguing in one of the biggest celebrity trials of the decade.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pope may seem like a distant figure. But the newest one has wasted no time making waves. It’s not just the social media posts riffing on what vibe a Pope who originally hails from the south side of Chicago might bring to the Vatican. Because, even before Pope Leo the 14th slid the Papal ring on his finger on Friday, he launched something of an attack on American vice president JD Vance, angering many within the MAGA movement. And in Australia? Many Catholics have already begun questioning how the Pope’s personal views will impact our churches, and even school curricula. Today, chief reporter Jordan Baker on what we can expect from Pope Leo the 14th. And how he may - or may not - intervene in our local religious stoushes, as the Vatican has done, in the past.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For nearly 20 years, Besha Rodell has used all kinds of schemes to hide who she is. And it worked. As a renowned, anonymous food critic for The New York Times, the LA Times and our mastheads, she has stripped away the artifice and marketing from restaurants’ offering, in order to judge their real value, and in doing so, she’s reached the top of her industry, earning a James Beard Foundation Award - the so-called Oscar of the food world. Today, Besha Rodell joins me to discuss why she’s unmasking herself now. And the confronting epiphany she’s had about Australia, since returning seven years ago.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It will go down as one of the most resounding victories in Australian political history. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese out-performed the expectations of just about everyone last weekend, decimating the Liberal party to the extent where even its leader lost his own seat. So, what next for Labor? As the caucus gathers in Canberra on Friday, we look at the new faces in the team and discuss which are the ones to watch. Also, we try to decide whether the teals have gone backwards or consolidated power with their results. Chief Political Correspondent David Crowe, and Political Correspondent Paul Sakkal join Jacqueline Maley to discuss.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the Liberal Party’s election wipeout, Liberals, and their media allies, have turned to sources of conservative wisdom, including Margaret Thatcher, in search of guidance. But, as our political and international editor, Peter Hartcher, writes: “I haven’t seen any of them citing Thatcher’s 1975 observation: ‘In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman'." Today, Peter Hartcher joins me to discuss when the Liberal Party’s women problem first began. And whether the party is destined for extinction.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This election was always going to be the test for the Greens. For the first time, there were more young people voting than baby boomers, and the previous election had shown there was strong support for the party from younger voters. And, the thinking had for so long been that any election after a Labor government’s first time, would be the party’s moment. So what happened to the Greens this election? Today, national affairs editor James Massola argues the Greens’ dream of more seats turned, instead, into a nightmare.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Dutton was full of bravado at the final question time before the election, but hiding in plain sight was a campaign about to go off the rails. Today, political reporters Matthew Knott and Natassia Chrysanthos give the inside story on the demise of the Dutton campaign, and the recriminations that now follow. Read their full story here. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese has defied the so-called “Incumbency curse” and made history with his astonishing landslide over the weekend. But, as they say in politics: That’s nice. What’s next? Might he finally tackle big reform? Perhaps try and solve our housing crisis, which has been generations in the making? And what else might he have in his sights? Today, chief political correspondent David Crowe, and senior economics correspondent, Shane Wright, on whether Anthony Albanese will avoid a common mistake made by previous prime ministers who’ve, like him, enjoyed a gargantuan win nobody saw coming. And what he plans to do not just in his second term as prime minister, but a third.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, that was quick, about two and a half hours after the polls had closed, the election had already been called for the incumbent Labor government. But as the night went on, Anthony Albanese’s win was looking like a landslide, and Labor increased its majority in parliament. For the opposition, it was disastrous, its leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat in parliament and recriminations will surely be savage. To talk us through the results and what it all means, we speak to chief political correspondent David Crowe and federal political correspondent Paul Sakkal.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we bring you a special episode recorded in the south-west Victorian electorate of Wannon. The seat encompasses tourist towns from Lorne along the Great Ocean Road, to Warrnambool. And who better to tell the evolving story of Wannon than our associate editor and special writer Tony Wright. He was born in Heywood, grew up on sheep and cattle properties in the Western District, went to school in Hamilton, started his career in small newspapers in Portland, Warrnambool and Camperdown, and still has a house near Portland.Our audio producer Julia Carr-Catzel joins Tony Wright on the road.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, it’s finally here. Saturday is election day, and by Saturday night we will have some idea of who is going to govern Australia for the next three years, during this volatile and pivotal moment in global history. Today, we talk about the seats to watch on election night, the ones that will determine the outcome of the poll. And we will also zoom out to the bigger picture. Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have depicted duelling visions of the Australia they want to build. They also have sharply different leadership styles. Which one is the more appealing to voters in the current moment? Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss all this we have chief political correspondent David Crowe, and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have your kids met Dot yet? You might not think so; Dot is an AI companion. But these companions are becoming ubiquitous - sought after to provide everything from solace to friendship. And even love. “The vibe”, said Dot’s creator Jason Yuan, “is, you turn to Dot when you don’t know where to go, or what to do or say.” But reports are surfacing of disastrous consequences from relationships that people, including children, are forming with AI companions. Today, international and political editor, Peter Hartcher, on all of this. Plus Meta’s AI companion, which is capable of fantasy sex - and even the abuse of children.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring you this bonus episode today, on Wednesday April 30th, after the first day of what’s become known as the mushroom trial. This is the case that centres around a quiet country lunch that resulted in three people dead, and another fighting for life, after the food they ate contained - as a jury was told - death cap mushrooms. To tell us what unfolded in court today, we’re joined by The Age’s court reporter Erin Pearson.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s never happened in Australia. But should we have a federal Minister for Men? Dan Repacholi, a Federal Labor MP, who is currently campaigning for re-relection, says it’s a “no-brainer”. He knows how taboo it is. That to promote the idea risks him being labeled anti-woman. But tragedies and struggles in Repacholi’s electorate - and his own experience - have convinced him of the need to speak out.Today, foreign affairs and national security correspondent, Matthew Knott, on the movement across the globe, pushing for this idea. And whether it could happen in Australia.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salmon farming is not something most voters consider when they go to the polls on election day. But for Tasmanian voters, it is a huge and often divisive issue. This debate about the environmental effects of salmon farming is playing out in an election where any other discussion of the environment is pretty much non-existent. Which is curious because energy policy goes hand-in-hand with the environment and that is a decisive topic of this election. It’s also curious that the federal environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, has been very quiet during the campaign. National environment and climate reporter Bianca Hall and energy correspondent Mike Foley join Jacqueline Maley to discuss.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, modern-day Welcome to Country ceremonies have been an established ritual in Australia, performed by Indigenous elders, far and wide. But on Anzac Day last Friday, during the hush of the dawn service remembering war veterans, Bunurong and Gunditjmara elder Mark Brown was booed, and jeered at, while performing the ceremony in Melbourne. And then that night, a planned Welcome to Country ceremony was ditched at a high-profile sporting event. Today, federal politics reporter Natassia Crysanthos, on how - and why - the ritual has become weaponised. And Kamilaroi elder Uncle Len Waters, on what all Australians should be asking themselves now.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, is one of Australia’s natural wonders and every year, almost half a million people enjoy its wild and sprawling environment. But as visitor numbers swell, the question of how tourists coexist with some of the island’s oldest residents, the dingo, becomes more important. Twenty four years after a nine-year-old boy was fatally mauled by two dingoes on K’gari, strategies to manage the animal - and humans - haven’t stopped attacks from occurring. Today, we speak with Brisbane Times journalist Courtney Kruk on the story of the dingoes of K’gari/ on the danger that can’t be tamed on K’gariSubscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are doing a special podcast about our complicated relationship with political polls. As journalists, we like them because, maybe, they can tell us something about what voters are really thinking. But we are a bit wary of them too. Especially after the federal election in 2019, where the polls were wrong. That caused a massive rethink in how polling is done, and how we in the media rely on it. Jacqueline Maley is joined by chief political correspondent, David Crowe, and special guest Jim Reed, who conducts the resolve political monitor poll for our papers.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six days ago, American president Donald Trump signalled, with frustration, that he was prepared to walk away from trying to broker a peace deal with Russia over Ukraine, and leave the country to its fate. And then, yesterday, we got the news. Russian president Vladimir Putin had a new offer. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher, on where this leaves Ukraine. And what the latest negotiations mean for the rest of us.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It wasn’t uncommon, in the 19th century, for women to be given the diagnosis of ‘hysteria’ and admitted to mental health asylums if they didn’t do what their husband said, or, if they swore, or had sex outside of marriage. But did you know that women are still being involuntarily sectioned in Australia? Today, investigative reporter Aisha Dow on what has led many women to end up in this terrifying situation, against their will. And the consequences of being misbelieved, and, often, misdiagnosed.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The threat teal independents pose in this election - to the dominance of the two-party system, to the stability of our parliament and to the Liberal Party’s base - is very real. Today, we focus on two of these seats: Bradfield in Sydney and Kooyong in Melbourne where the teals and the Libs are neck and neck. City reporter for The Age Rachael Dexter and NSW political editor Alexandra Smith join Jacqueline Maley to discuss.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has died at the age 88. Francis, who had led the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics since 2013, had been in increasingly poor health and pain. We are re-publishing this episode, recorded in February, with former religion editor at The Age, Barney Zwartz, on Pope Francis' mixed legacy and the impact he has had on lives, whether Catholic, or not.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians love a ‘battler’. Images of shearers, Anzacs, and gold diggers are deeply entrenched in our history. Politicians know that too. Why else do we see them in hard hats and high visibility vests? But a couple of moments in this election campaign have hit a nerve. They came from a blue blood Liberal candidate in Melbourne, and the opposition leader’s son in a press conference in Brisbane. Today, Frank Bongiorno, professor of history at the Australian National University, on what happens when members of the political class play down their wealth, in order to commune with the common people. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 1800 women have shared experiences of feeling gaslit, being dismissed by doctors or being told their pain was in their mind as part of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age’s investigative series into medical misogyny in Australia’s healthcare system. Among the most alarming stories are those of almost 60 women who detailed their delayed cancer diagnoses. Some spent years in pain or with symptoms that they said were fobbed off, treated with suspicion or misdiagnosed. Jenny Piper’s story is a powerful and harrowing example of this.In this special episode, the Sydney woman explains how her cancer was missed by medical professionals. And how she is now facing the end of her life. For more, read the medical misogyny investigation here.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the campaign saw the release of competing housing policies, and the appearance of Peter Dutton’s son Harry. But in many ways the campaign continued to be overshadowed by Donald Trump. Labor is making increasingly explicit attacks trying to link Dutton to the US president. And Dutton’s cause wasn’t helped with one of his key frontbenchers aped a Trump slogan. Does this mean the wheels have fallen off the Coalition campaign? Chief Political Correspondent David Crowe and National Affairs Editor James Massola join Jacqueline Maley to discuss. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.