Podcasts about australia news

Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy talks to Paul Kelly about his new book on the turbulent era of the Liberal party under prime ministers Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. In The Twilight of Exceptionalism, Kelly writes about how the Liberal leadership changed hands from a conservative to a progressive and then a transactional centrist. The Australian newpaper's editor-at-large argues that this period demonstrated the party was fractured over its values and confused about its identity in a changing world

This week Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the One Nation leader's podcast interview with far-right British activist Tommy Robinson and ask: will this interview cause fractures within the party and weaken her leadership? They also look at the rightwing party's position on international affairs and new polling in the lead-up to the Victorian election

Paul Kelly speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about his new book on the turbulent era of the Liberal party under prime ministers Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. In The Twilight of Exceptionalism, Kelly writes about how the Liberal leadership changed hands from a conservative, to a progressive and then a transactional centrist. The Australian's editor at large argues that this period demonstrated the party was fractured over its values and confused about its identity in a changing world

Australia's aged care regulator is investigating dozens of complaints that aged care providers are charging fees for services that older Australians can't use or even understand. Meanwhile, a class action against one of Australia's largest for-profit providers has also alleged it charged residents additional fees for basic services it is legally obliged to provide. Nour Haydar speaks to Guardian Australia medical editor, Melissa Davey, on the alleged illegal fees being charged to vulnerable Australians

In the year since the federal election, Pauline Hanson with her brand of rightwing populism has successfully tapped into discontent, surging in the polls at the expense of the Coalition and Labor. Meanwhile, support for the other antiestablishment party – the Greens – has flatlined, if recent polling is anything to go by. So why is the progressive party failing to cut through to voters? And what strategies can the Greens employ to improve their chances at the next election? Nour Haydar speaks to political reporter Sarah Basford-Canales about why voters tired of the major parties are moving to the right rather than the left

Darcy Byrne is the Labor mayor of Sydney's Inner West Council and he's helping lead a grassroots movement on curbing gambling harm in the community – including pushing for a reduction in the number of poker machines in licensed clubs in New South Wales. This momentum comes while the federal Labor party continues to face criticism about the scale of its commitment to online gambling reform. The rising Labor star speaks to Guardian Australia political editor, Tom McIlroy, about why he compares the poker machine lobby to the US National Rifle Association, and his successful motion at this month's NSW Labor conference on gambling policy at the next state election

Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine a long list of stumbles and missteps made by politicians this week. They also discuss the prime minister's Pacific push as China tested a long-range missile – and Nigel Farage's resignation from politics only to stand at an upcoming byelection

Katie Macdonald joins John Maytham with the week's stories from Australia and the region, including the economic impact of Telstra's major network outage, an extraordinary family dispute involving the heirs to Thailand's beer empire, and new research suggesting Australia's brown huntsman spider could be the fastest in the world. Just another title to add to the country's ever growing list of formidable wildlife. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/xGkqLbT or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/f9Eeb7i Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Telstra's chief financial officer Michael Ackland fronted up to the nation's media to apologise – and answer questions about a massive outage that plunged the country into chaos. It stopped trains, turned off traffic lights and forced shops to close after Eftpos systems failed. And some calls to triple zero didn't go through. Technology reporter Josh Taylor speaks to Reged Ahmad about what happened, who will take the blame and what can be done to make sure crucial connectivity is not lost again

Anthony Albanese offered an unequivocal apology this week after making an off-colour comment about Kylie Minogue while playing a ‘shag, marry, date' game on a podcast. Josephine Tovey speaks with Patrick Keneally, Gabrielle Jackson and Josh Butler about what the prime minister's latest podcast appearance says about an increasingly fractured media landscape

This week social media giants have faced questioning at the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion as it asks: what more needs to be done to combat online hate? Reged Ahmad speaks to senior reporter Tory Shepherd on what the platforms have to say about accusations they have fuelled antisemitic content online

In a busy week for the prime minister, Anthony Albanese will meet with the leaders of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and India. On Monday he signed a new defence alliance with Fiji, advancing the government's strategy to limit China's influence in the Pacific. Later this week Albanese will also host the leaders of PNG and Tonga at the State of Origin in Brisbane. Meanwhile, back home, Albanese's team are dealing with criticism of the PM for comments he made about Kylie Minogue on a popular podcast. Nour Haydar speaks to the political editor, Tom McIlroy, about the PM's strategy to bolster Australia's ties in the region, what he hopes to achieve with rugby diplomacy and whether comments made on a podcast could overshadow international relations

The 2026 political year has already been surprising. Labor passed changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, which they had previously ruled out. The Liberals changed leaders again, and One Nation has seen a surge of support in multiple polls. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to press gallery colleagues Michelle Grattan, the chief political correspondent at The Conversation, and Melissa Clarke, political correspondent with ABC Radio National. They discuss their report card on the year so far, and the political contests to watch in the second half of the year

Katie Macdonald shares the latest stories from Australia and New Zealand with John Maytham, including the case of an Australian charged over an alleged suitcase murder in Thailand, a legal challenge to Equestrian Australia's whipping ban, and the return of one of Australia's favourite food debates, who makes the best supermarket roast chicken? Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/xGkqLbT or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/f9Eeb7i Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the first Guardian Essential poll following Pauline Hanson's provocative speech at the National Press Club – where she attacked multiculturalism, climate action, the United Nations, and the ABC and SBS. Her polling numbers have since stalled, and even One Nation supporters are expressing concerns about her policy offerings. Guardian Australia political reporter Josh Butler and the executive director of Essential Media, Peter Lewis, discuss the results of Hanson's pitch to voters, and ideas on how to respond to the anger that's driving interest in her party

An Australian man, Simon Peter Carman, 45, was charged over the weekend with the alleged murder of Thunchanok Donhomla. Her body was found in a suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya, on Thailand's eastern Gulf coast, in the early hours of Saturday. Carman has denied the charges. Guardian reporter Natasha May speaks to Matilda Boseley from Pattaya about the arrest and the questions it raises about Thailand's sex tourism industry

In September 2025, Melbourne wellness influencer Stacey Warnecke decided to give birth at home, free of all medical help. No one else was present when she went into labour except her husband and a woman named Emily Lal. Warnecke later died in hospital. Lal, who describes herself as a ‘birth keeper', had no formal medical training and had taken an online course offered by the Free Birth Society – a multimillion-dollar business that trains unregulated birth support workers. Warnecke is one of a growing number of women choosing medically unassisted births, known as ‘freebirths', and non-medically trained supporters for their pregnancies. Unpacking why is a key question being considered by a coroner, Therese McCarthy. Reged Ahmad speaks to the medical editor, Melissa Davey, and investigations correspondent Sirin Kale on the inquest so far and what we know about the Free Birth Society

Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine a big week in politics. Will Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender prove successful with their new centrist political party? Is Angus Taylor in trouble after a week of stumbles responding to One Nation policies? And what lessons should Anthony Albanese learn from Keir Starmer's downfall?

Earlier this year, Karl Stefanovic launched his own independent podcast, which has hosted a range of guests from the Anthony Albanese to Pauline Hanson. In one of his latest episodes, Stefanovic was in the UK to interview the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, a man with numerous criminal convictions who promotes Islamophobic conspiracy theories and is accused of inciting violent race riots. The episode was online for several hours before being taken down. Nour Haydar speaks to media correspondent Amanda Meade and senior correspondent Ben Doherty about why Stefanovic is embracing the far right and whether his future at Nine is in doubt

Having wiped out millions of birds worldwide and devastated wildlife populations around the globe, Australia has watched as the H5N1 strain of bird flu crept ever closer. And now it's here, on the last continent to be hit. Birds have been discovered on beaches in Western Australia and tested positive for the virus. Reged Ahmad speaks to Graham Readfearn about how governments and wildlife experts alike are anxiously waiting to see if this is just the beginning

Socceroo Nestory Irankunda is part of a new generation of players who have renewed hopes for Australia's chances in the Fifa World Cup. Multimedia journalist Bertin Huynh says as One Nation surges in the polls, those who represent us deserve celebration

For the first time in her 30-year political career, Pauline Hanson fronted the National Press Club this week. It was a blistering address, and a combative question-and-answer round with journalists – with Hanson attacking multiculturalism, the climate crisis, transgender rights, Indigenous policy, paid parental leave and the two public broadcasters. Longtime journalist Margo Kingston knows Hanson better than most – having covered the One Nation leader since her first rise to prominence in 1996, and also written a book about her 1998 election campaign. Kingston speaks to Guardian Australia political editor, Tom McIlroy, about why she thinks Hanson's incendiary speech is the beginning of her federal campaign

Pauline Hanson's ascendancy in Australian politics was underscored this week by her first address to the National Press Club. In a lengthy speech, the leader of the rightwing party railed against multiculturalism and Islam in particular, pledged to slash public broadcasting and asserted the so-called ‘hoax' of global warming was the driving factor behind poverty in Australia. Josephine Tovey speaks with Mike Ticher and political editor Tom Mcllroy about Hanson's ‘ugly' vision for Australia

Mason Jet Lee died at 22 months old after his stepfather punched him so hard his bowel ruptured. An exclusive Guardian Australia investigation has found that repeated warnings about his killer were ignored. Could an unpublished submission to the inquest of his death hold evidence of police failings? Nour Haydar and Queensland correspondent Ben Smee discuss what the violent death of Mason Jet Lee reveals about a broken system

The Australian music industry is in crisis, but it wasn't always that way. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a healthy number of Aussie artists were making it to the charts. Now, local musicians are struggling to get air time and to earn a living making music. Nour Haydar speaks to culture editor Steph Harmon and data journalist Josh Nicholas about why Australian music is disappearing from the charts and what needs to be done to revive the industry

A truck-mounted billboard featuring AI-generated images of Victoria's premier, Jacinta Allan, which has been travelling around Melbourne for several weeks now, has attracted a lot of scrutiny. It shows Allan wearing a black pointed hat alongside the phrase ‘ditch the witch'. Victorian upper house MP for the Animal Justice party Georgie Purcell, who faces sexist abuse every day as a female MP, argues misogyny isn't a legitimate expression of political dissatisfaction

Australia is set to experience its first El Niño weather event since spring 2023, according to the Bureau of Meteorology and other agencies. The phenomenon historically signals the arrival of hotter, drier conditions for the east coast and can have devastating impacts on the environment as well as the farming of crops and livestock. Nour Haydar speaks to climate and environment correspondent Graham Readfearn about how our weather is about to change and what it means for Australians

Australia is facing the largest outbreak of diphtheria, dubbed a ‘disease of poverty', in living memory. For decades, the highly contagious and life-threatening bacterial disease was almost eradicated, but now it is spreading in remote Indigenous communities around the country. Nour Haydar speaks with Indigenous affairs correspondent Sarah Collard and Indigenous affairs reporter Douglas Smith on what is being done to stop the spread of the disease

When news broke that Australia will buy only secondhand nuclear submarines from the US, it signalled a major shift in the Aukus deal. It's made Emma Shortis, the director of international and security affairs at the Australia Institute, ask: what's a few secondhand subs between friends?

The Albanese government's announcement that Australia will now receive three used US Virginia-class submarines, rather than two used and one new, has put the spotlight back on the Aukus commitment. One of the strongest advocates for the $368bn agreement is defence industry minister Pat Conroy and he hits back at its critics – including the Labor MP Ed Husic. Speaking with political editor Tom McIlroy, the minister for Pacific Island affairs also discusses this week's visit by new Solomon Islands prime minister Matthew Wale and responds to speculation that Tony Abbott could run as the Liberal candidate in Conroy's seat of Shortland at the next election

Josephine Tovey speaks with Gabrielle Jackson, Patrick Keneally and Jonathan Barrett about why Labor is damned if they do and damned if they don't when it comes to the diabolical political conundrum of trying to solve the housing affordability crisis without bringing down house prices

When Australia's high court ruled indefinite immigration detention unlawful in 2023, Sara's* father returned home to Australia's east coast after years in onshore immigration detention. He is just one of the more than 350 people who make up what's known as the NZYQ cohort, which includes individuals who have had their visas cancelled on character grounds but cannot be deported to their country of origin. Last year the Australian government signed a secretive deal to deport members of the group to Nauru on 30-year visas, and Sara fears her father could be next. She speaks to Nour Haydar *Not her real name • Sara fears her father will be deported from Australia to Nauru – a place of ‘final and lifelong punishment'

Former environment minister Peter Garrett will lead an independent inquiry into the Aukus defence pact, launched by a group of Labor veterans and public figures concerned proper scrutiny has never been applied to the $368bn defence plan. The group argues there has never been a more critical time to examine the cost and potential risk associated with our increasingly close ties with the United States military. Peter Garrett joins Nour Haydar to discuss whether Aukus will make us safer – or turn us into a nuclear target

Former prime minister Tony Abbott didn't exactly disappear from the limelight after he lost his seat in the ‘teal' wave of 2019, but his new role as Liberal president has many asking: why is the party bringing him back now? Chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy speaks to Nour Haydar about how Abbott's appointment could change the party – and shape conservative politics in Australia

There has been a whirlwind of speculation about whether the ‘teal' independents could come together to form a new political party. According to independent MP Zali Steggall, the time is ripe for a strong push from the progressive side of politics, as new polling predicts One Nation could overtake the Coalition as the leading opposition party. Independent senator David Pocock says he is open to the idea but that it is not without risks. He speaks to Reged Ahmad

Nour Haydar speaks with Christopher Knaus about the BHP files – the cache of internal documents leaked to the Guardian and the ABC's Four Corners – which show that the world's biggest miner has war-gamed ways to massively delay decarbonisation

After the death of the Warlpiri girl Kumanjayi Little Baby, the Northern Territory government announced a sweeping review of its child protection system. The terms of the inquiry, however, have been heavily criticised by First Nations and justice organisations. Prof Marcia Langton reads a piece she co-authored with Prof Fiona Stanley in which they argue that authorities are repeating mistakes of the past and failing Aboriginal children Warning: This episode contains references to Indigenous Australians who have died

In his biggest address so far, shadow treasurer Tim Wilson described the federal budget as an ‘economic earthquake' at the National Press Club this week. He speaks with political editor Tom McIlroy about Paul Keating's criticism of the Coalition's response to Labor's tax reforms, and defends Angus Taylor's controversial migration policy – which links housing completion and restricts access to welfare support

In this special recording of the Barries in front of a live audience of 600 at the Sydney Writers' festival, Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss why budget criticism is hurting Labor more than many anticipated. They also examine the Coalition's many leadership changes and ask who could take the reins next Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Send us Fan MailOn this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Lee Salisbury, Shane from Auckland, and Nick from Brisbane dive headfirst into one of the biggest challenges facing pool professionals everywhere: time management. From subscription fatigue to overloaded schedules, the crew discusses how pool service companies can streamline operations, eliminate wasted effort, and create smarter workflows without adding more stress—or more monthly software fees. Nick shares how he has transformed Buffer Zone into a centralized operational hub for his business, using it for everything from technician scheduling and supplier management to equipment manuals, staff notes, training resources, and client communication. The conversation explores how keeping everything inside one ecosystem reduces missed jobs, forgotten tasks, duplicated subscriptions, and operational chaos. The episode also explores creative “workarounds” within software systems—showing listeners how to use scheduling tools for personal appointments, admin blocks, vehicle servicing reminders, supplier pickups, and inventory management. Shane discusses his previous use of the Timely calendar system and how similar functionality can be recreated directly inside Buffer Zone to simplify operations and reduce reliance on external apps. Lee takes the conversation further into productivity systems, sharing how tools like Google Workspace, Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Forms, Google Drive, and automation integrations can dramatically improve efficiency for pool service companies. The discussion highlights real-world examples of live technician reporting, automated spreadsheets, winter repair prospecting, quote generation, inventory forecasting, and field-to-office communication systems that save hours every week. The team also discusses password management, shared staff access, cloud-based documentation, technician accountability, and how centralizing information can protect businesses when employees leave or systems fail. Most importantly, this episode focuses on the philosophy of continuous improvement—making small operational changes that create massive long-term gains. Whether you're a solo operator or managing multiple technicians, the crew emphasizes that investing time into better systems today can save enormous amounts of time, stress, and money tomorrow.  Support the showThank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:FacebookInstagramTik TokEmail us: talkingpools@gmail.com

Australian retailers are on notice after the federal court handed down a landmark judgment against the nation's second-largest supermarket chain. Coles was found to have misled shoppers by promoting discounts that were not real after the Australian consumer watchdog launched legal action in 2024. Business editor Jonathan Barrett tells Nour Haydar why the court found Coles misled consumers, what the ruling means for the retailer's reputation and whether it will mean cheaper prices at the checkout

One Nation's historic win in Farrer has drawn conservative politicians into yet another harmful debate about immigration. Author Sisonke Msimang says blaming migrants won't ease the pain disillusioned voters are feeling

Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry deliver their verdict on the federal budget – including opposition leader Angus Taylor's targeting of migrants in an effort to solve the housing crisis. They also discuss Pauline Hanson's soon-to-be released energy policy and why dissatisfaction with Labor isn't translating into more votes for the Greens

In a big gamble, Labor broke a big promise. In this week's budget, the government announced changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is suggesting it's the broken promise we had to have, in order to tackle intergenerational inequality and make the tax system fairer. Reged Ahmad speaks with Mike Ticher, Patrick Keneally and Sarah Martin about when broken promises matter in politics

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that, according to the World Health Organization, affects 10% to 13% of women of reproductive age. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of those who have it don't know that they do. The name of the condition has – in part – been blamed for the poor treatment many patients experience. Women's health experts say the name is misleading and outdated. It is now officially being changed. Assistant science editor Donna Lu speaks to Nour Haydar about why polycystic ovarian syndrome has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome – or PMOS – in the hope it will reduce confusion and lead to better care

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has handed down what he calls the most important budget in decades. As Donald Trump's war on Iran continues to cause chaos around the world, and support for One Nation surges in Australia, the treasurer insists this is a budget that will ease economic pressures. But does the bold rhetoric stack up? And will this budget be enough to stem the rise of the populist right? Nour Haydar speaks with Tom Mcllroy and Patrick Commins, who break down a budget that comes with big reforms and big questions

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O' Henderson may have left the airwaves but the former radio duo have now taken the show's drama into the courtroom as they do battle in separate cases over the terminations of their $100m contracts. Media correspondent Amanda Meade speaks to Reged Ahmad about what it's like inside the courtroom and whether this case could herald the end of the big-name radio star's career

On Saturday, the right wing party won a lower house seat for the first time as voters registered their fury in the New South Wales Farrer byelection. And while newly elected MP David Farley may have been on the ticket, many are saying this is very much Pauline Hanson's victory. Senior correspondent Sarah Martin and political reporter Sarah Basford Canales speak to Reged Ahmad from Albury the morning after the seismic result.

Amid fuel insecurity due to the US-Israel war on Iran, Guardian Australia columnist Paul Daley takes his first holiday driving an electric vehicle. Staring down the uncertainty of a long drive and battery-charging breaks – he learns something beautiful along the way

The criticisms of Tuesday's federal budget have already started. Labor is facing allegations of broken promises over changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. And there is frustration in the electorate about the government's $50bn increase in defence spending over the next decade, while also significantly reducing the growth in NDIS spending. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to finance minister Katy Gallagher who, along with treasurer Jim Chalmers, is leading the decision making on a budget that claims to address intergenerational fairness – while also being responsible and resilient in an uncertain global environment