RN Breakfast - Separate stories podcast

There's been another change in Australia's covid policy. From Monday, access to COVID-19 treatments will become easier for some Australians, amid concerns of rising cases.

The world reacted with shock two years ago when it emerged Rio Tinto had destroyed sacred Aboriginal rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia. Now, in Murujuga, traditional owners fear 50-thousand year old rock art in the Pilbara is at risk thanks to the expansion of a Woodside gas project.

Revelations of widespread child abuse by members of the Catholic Church have badly damaged its reputation in countries where it once was dominant. Many inside the church in Australia now argue its future depends on elevating the status of women - including by allowing them to serve in the ministry as deacons.

Funeral arrangements are underway for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot on Friday in the western city of Nara while addressing a campaign rally. An investigation into the shooting is continuing with police conceding there were problems with security.

The Chief Political Correspondent for The Conversation Michelle Grattan joins RN Breakfast to discuss the latest developments in federal politics.

All Australians aged over 30 are eligible to get a fourth dose booster of the COVID-19 vaccine from today. Amid warnings of a third Omicron wave, the Federal Government has also expanded access to stockpiled anti-viral medication from today and is urging people to wear masks .

Regional security and China's growing influence also loom large - as the Solomon Islands continues its pivot towards Beijing. The high stakes meeting comes amid signs of strain within the forum with Kirabati withdrawing in protest after its preferred candidate for Secretary General was defeated.

As much of the country shivers through winter, how cold does your house get? Early findings from a new survey given to RN Breakfast suggest Australian properties are falling far below the international benchmark for healthy temperatures.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has failed to claim a maiden grand slam title, losing to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final overnight. After a tournament marked by controversy on and off the Court, the Australian was overwhelmed by his Serbian opponent in four sets.

The race to succeed Boris Johnson as British Prime Minister and Tory Party leader is well underway. Candidates from almost every ideological wing of the party are vying for the top job. A number of MPs have already publicly declared they want to be the next leader or are seriously considering running.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has announced he will step down after protesters stormed his official residence and set the prime minister's house on fire. Sri Lanka is suffering rampant inflation and is struggling to import food, fuel and medicine amid the country's worst economic crisis in 70 years.

Back in the nineties, the tunes in Broome were banging - from Yothu Yindi to Kev Carmody. That was thanks to Stompem Ground, the Aboriginal music and cultural festival returning to Broome this September.

To celebrate NAIDOC week, Aunty Pat, an Arrente poet, reads her poem 'Buffel Grass' on RN Breakfast. She came together with other Aboriginal women to develop her poem as part of the annual Northern Territory Writers Festival.

Groups of young people, mostly boys have been flocking to the cinema dressed up in suits to watch the new Minions movie. While a dress-up trend sounds harmless enough, its actually seen some cinemas around the world now ban moviegoers in formal attire.

A new study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that the Southern Fin Whale is making a comeback in some of its feeding grounds near Antarctica. And a paper describes a new kind of giant, carnivorous dinosaur - which has some similarities to the iconic T Rex, even though they're not related.

This NAIDOC week theme is Get Up! Show Up! Stand Up!, urging people to move beyond good intentions and hollow words. Naraja Clay, Kirsten Thorpe and Marlon Motlop joined the program to discuss this and the ways they take action.

Britain will have a new Prime Minister following the resignation of Boris Johnson, after just three years in the job. Former UK High Commissioner George Brandis says Mr Johnson was the most consequential PM since Margaret Thatcher.

There are very difficult issues for Australia and China to discuss, from attempts to militarise the Pacific, to trade sanctions and the new AUKUS agreement - so what issues will Penny Wong try and raise today? The Political Editor for news.com.au Samantha Maiden and the host of Insiders on ABC TV David Speers join RN Breakfast to discuss the latest developments in federal politics.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet her Chinese counterpart tonight, the first time foreign ministers from both countries have met face to face since 2019. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says there needs to be an emphasis on the power of diplomacy, but that nothing can be guaranteed from the meeting.

Ahead of next week's Pacific Islands Forum, foreign ministers of the region will meet in Fiji today with Australia's Penny Wong attending virtually from the G20 meeting in Bali. A group of former Pacific leaders, has backed a new report by the Climate Council outlining why global warming needs to be front and centre if Australia wants to be a key security partner for Pacific island countries.

50 years ago, the world met Kim Phuc through the lense of a young photojournalist documenting the horrors of the Vietnam war. Since then, she's spent years giving a voice to the often voiceless survivors of war through the Kim Foundation International.

NFTs or non-fungible tokens have variously been described as code, the saviour of the art world, or a complete scam. There are also huge concerns they're being used to commit financial crime, like wash trading, money laundering, and ransomware, according to visiting experts Professor Colin King and Dr Saskia Hufnagel.

One of the most distinctive and divisive faces on the world stage is set to make his exit, with Boris Johnson confirming he'll stand down as British Prime Minister. The former London mayor shot to power as a leading voice for Brexit, toppling Theresa May in 2019 before a series of scandals destroyed his leadership.  

It's a collaboration like no other. The music of Tom Waits performed by a group of young Indigenous choristers and Emma Donovan, backed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Australia's Civil Aviation and Safety Authority have released a roadmap for the future of flying vehicles and drones, so could flying taxis be part of the future? Clem Newton Brown is the Founder and CEO of Skyportz, a company focussed on the aviation revolution.

In the past 24 hours, The British Prime Minister has been confronted by numerous Cabinet Ministers urging him to resign, as well as facing mass resignations and the threat of another leadership vote. But he's held on for another night - refusing to quit and instead sacking his once loyal supporter Michael Gove over allegations he's leaked to the press.

Travellers arriving from Indonesia will be met by more sniffer dogs and greater scrutiny at airports, after foot-and-mouth disease was detected in Bali. The biosecurity measures are to protect Australia's agriculture sector and prevent a local outbreak, which could result in animals being slaughtered en masse.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has seen it kicked out of the G7, and generally shunned by the international community. But Russia remains a member of the G20, and - as such - its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, is attending today's meeting of foreign ministers in Bali.

The government's vaccine advisory body ATAGI will brief the Health Minister today, after agreeing to approve fourth doses for anyone over 30 years old. Australia is facing a fresh wave of COVID infections from two new Omicron strains sweeping the globe.

The Foreign Minister has ramped up pressure on Beijing to convince Russia to end its war in Ukraine. The Political Editor for Guardian Australia Katharine Murphy joins RN Breakfast to discuss the latest developments in federal politics.

The federal government is providing one-off $1,000 payments for people in 23 flood-affected areas, it comes as tens of thousands of people are still cut off from their homes. Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth says this the governments first emergency payment and they will continue to look at how they can best support impacted communities longer term.

Crypto has crashed, but while investors sell their holdings and experts sound the alarm, Ukrainians are embracing digital currency to resist Russian aggression. For those affected by conflict or crisis, crypto can be a lifeline, as funds can reach people faster than traditional money.

For the first time, Australian Nick Kyrgios has secured himself a spot in the semi final of a Grand Slam - winning his Wimbledon quarter final in straight sets. Before he took to the court, news broke back home that he'll have to face court in August over an alleged assault, believed to be against his ex-girlfriend.

A star American basketballer detained in Russia and potentially facing 10 years in prison has appealed to the US President for help. The White House has confirmed Joe Biden has read a letter written by the Olympic athlete - and he's since told her wife he is working for her freedom.

Embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership looks increasingly terminal. At least 38 ministers and aides have quit since yesterday when Chancellor and the Health Secretary said they were resigning.

Sri Lanka has less than one day's worth of fuel in its reserves, according to the government. Its the latest development in the nation's deepening economic crisis and its bringing much of the country to a halt.

One the clearest challenges facing a decimated Liberal Party is the need to recruit more female MPs and win back female voters. Karen Andrews Shadow Minister for Home Affairs says she is very happy to discuss temporary quotas, and it could be part of a solution, but she doesn't think it is the only solution.

Territory rights could soon be restored to the ACT and the NT, when federal parliament resumes later this month. It could pave the way for the Territories to legalise voluntary assisted dying and NT's Chief Minister says Territorians know what's best for their community.

As tens of thousands of Sydney residents contend with the current flooding crisis, the insurance industry has declared it a "significant event". Premiums have been steadily rising as extreme weather conditions become increasingly common in Australia.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says inflation will get worse before it gets better - so are there any policy levers the Government can pull to take the pressure off? The chief political correspondent with The Financial Review, Phil Coorey, joins RN Breakfast to discuss the latest developments in federal politics.

Banks have begun passing on the latest 0.5% increase in the official cash rate to borrowers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he's told bank chiefs that he is disappointed that the rate rises have not been passed on in full to savers, who he is urging to shop around for a better deal.

The RBA's interest rate rise only compounds the pain for households already struggling with the rising cost of living, and the central bank isn't done yet. Anna Bligh is the Chief Executive of the Australian Banking Association and she joins the program to discuss the rise.