Tell Me Straight

By ABC Radio

What's Tell Me Straight about?

Why is this a story? How did we get here? We explain the most interesting and outlandish stories making headlines. Hosted by ABC News journos Yasmin Parry and Will Ockenden.

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Tell Me Straight episodes:

11.24.2017
Update!
We're going on a break! What's coming up next year?
11.01.2017
Where will the Manus asylum seekers go?
Manus Island detention centre closed this week, so where will the asylum seekers go? There are three options - stay, settle or hope.
10.31.2017
What does Paul Manafort's arrest mean for Trump?
Former Trump advisor Paul Manafort has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 12 counts - basically he's in big trouble. Will he turn on Donald Trump to bargain for a reduced sentence?
10.26.2017
The Union Raids: A Shakespearean epic in three acts
The raid, the denial, and the staffer's resignation. Tuesday's AFP raid on the Australian Workers Union has morphed into a story about honesty, credibility and who knew what.
10.25.2017
How do pokie machines work?
When the pokie reels spin, what's happening inside the machine? We go to the pub for a punt.
10.20.2017
Why does Trump hate the Iran nuclear deal?
Donald Trump has hated the Iran nuclear deal from day one, and now he's done something about it. He's told Congress to nix it or fix it - so what happens now?
10.17.2017
KRACK: Should you throw out your WiFi and go live in the woods?
A mathematician has revealed a "really bad and really significant" security flaw that weakens nearly every Wi-Fi system in the world - yep, that includes yours.
10.13.2017
Citizenship 7: Who has a better boat?
Seven pollies faced the High Court this week, arguing their dual citizenship case. Who had a strong argument, is ignorance a defence of the law, who was called "un-Australian" and why so much talk about boats?
10.10.2017
Catalonia and Spain: A 300 year old break up story
Catalonia is a region in Spain with delicious food, an epic football club and a lot of money. For 300 years some Catalans have wanted to become their own nation - so why won't Spain let them leave?
10.04.2017
What happens if you stand next to a gravitational wave?
Gravitational waves? They're like a fun house mirror without the fun. Today we're talking about perfect mirrors, lasers, and gossiping scientists.
09.28.2017
Will South Korea's Kim Jong-un assassination squad succeed?
Imagine a squad of thousands of military soldiers flying through the night toward North Korea with one job — assassinate the leader Kim Jong-un.
09.26.2017
How do volcanoes work (it's scarier than you think)
How big could the next volcano explosion be? We're talking ash clouds, global temperature changes, acid rain and rivers of fast running molten lava.
09.20.2017
What happens if Joyce and Windsor enter into a show down for New England?
The Federal Government could soon face a crisis if former New Zealand citizen and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is ruled ineligible by the High Court. What would happen next?
09.14.2017
Why have we sent Cassini to its death?
Just imagine doing your job well for 20 years only to be violently destroyed.
09.12.2017
"Ethnic cleansing" is happening in Myanmar, why hasn't Aung San Suu Kyi said anything?
Rohingya Muslims are fleeing "textbook ethnic cleansing" in Myanmar. So why hasn't country's leader Aung San Su Kyi spoken up?
09.08.2017
Why is WA is so mad about the GST?
Western Australia is mad. Real mad. It's angry about the GST. Some West Australians want to dump the east and become their own country. What's going on?
09.07.2017
Why did the High Court unanimously dismiss challenges to the same-sex marriage postal survey?
The legal conundrum over the same-sex marriage postal survey has been decided, but the story is far from over. ABC legal eagle Elizabeth Byrne and political whiz Matt Doran break down the decision, the political fallout, and "the vibe" in...
09.05.2017
What the same-sex marriage case has to do with Henry VIII
Is the same-sex marriage postal survey legal? On day one of the High Court hearings, we find out how the arguments went down.
08.30.2017
North Korea: How to stop a missile
A North Korean missile fired over Japan this week was just a test, but if the missiles really come, will Australia be ready?
08.10.2017
Can they do that? We find out if a postal vote on same sex marriage is constitutional
The Government is going to hold a voluntary non-binding postal vote on same sex marriage. But is a postal vote without legislative backing constitutional? Or will the idea get shot down in the High Court?
08.07.2017
How a coding error has the Commonwealth Bank on the hook for a trillion dollars
How can smart ATMs help the bad guys? And what could it mean for the future of the CBA?
07.31.2017
Mysterious texts lead us on a hunt for answers
We go down the rabbit hole and discover the telco billing deals costing Aussies millions of dollars a year.
07.25.2017
Who is telling the truth about Australia's US refugee deal?
The UN's refugee agency has accused the Australian Government of breaking a promise. So what happened?
07.21.2017
How the Government is using algorithms to make decisions about you
Algorithms are all around us. They power what we see on Netflix and Facebook, they often decide who enters the country, and they calculate your Centrelink payments. But what happens when the algorithm goes wrong?
07.14.2017
Why the Government's laws are about more than just encryption
New laws will force companies to give law enforcement access to encrypted messages. Will it be a weakening of encryption or is it via a more sneaky method?
07.13.2017
Ms, Mrs or Miss: What's in a name?
Round the world people use pronouns and honorifics that identify or conceal class, gender and marital status. So why do we use language the way we do?
07.11.2017
Who's winning the tussle for the soul of the Liberal Party?
Tony Abbott vs Malcolm Turnbull: Who will win in the ultimate showdown? Are the Liberal Party's roots conservative or progressive?
07.06.2017
Will machines take our jobs and is a UBI the solution?
How soon will your job be automated, what jobs are least likely to be affected, and could a Universal Basic Income - where everyone receives a basic wage - ensure a more equitable society?
07.04.2017
Where to now for Indigenous constitutional recognition?
Australia has long talked about constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, but what does that practically mean?
06.30.2017
Who is Cardinal George Pell?
As Cardinal George Pell faces an unprecedented legal case, how will he pay for his defence? Actually... who is he?
06.25.2017
What is the Murray-Darling Basin Plan? Are we there yet?
What is the Murray-Darling Basin Plan? Farmers, governments and environmentalists have argued for ever over how the water from the Murray-Darling Basin system should be used.
06.23.2017
What are the ethics in true crime podcasting?
People just can't get enough of hearing about grisly murders. But how does a journalist walk the line between ethical reporting and providing gruesome titillation?
06.19.2017
Why do electricity prices keep going up?
Electricity prices are expected to go up by as much as 20 per cent this year! Australia has so much coal, gas and renewable energy, so how did this happen?
06.15.2017
What is encryption?
More and more companies are encrypting communications, making it very difficult for the Government to access your private texts. So what is encryption? And how can the Government get their hands on everyone's messages?
06.14.2017
Who are UK election kingmakers, the DUP?
The Tories are trying to strike a deal with the Northern Ireland's DUP so they can govern with a majority. So who is this extremely socially conservative party and what are they asking for?
06.09.2017
James Comey's testimony; aka If you come for the FBI, you best not miss (Part 2)
James Comey has called Trump a liar and sent him the message that if you come at the FBI, you best not miss.
06.09.2017
James Comey's testimony; aka the 'Super Bowl of US politics' (Part 1)
Who is James Comey, and why is he defending the FBI's honour in front of a congressional hearing?
06.06.2017
Who will win the UK election?
The UK election will go down this week. What will happen if the Scottish Nationals lose seats? Where the hell has UKIP gone? And could it be the end of another Prime Minister?
06.01.2017
We are Tell Me Straight: Ask us anything
Tell Me Straight is a podcast that answers life's curly questions and explains the big news stories of the day. So what do you want to know?

What's Tell Me Straight about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Tell Me Straight episodes:

Update!

Where will the Manus asylum seekers go?

What does Paul Manafort's arrest mean for Trump?

The Union Raids: A Shakespearean epic in three acts

How do pokie machines work?

Why does Trump hate the Iran nuclear deal?

KRACK: Should you throw out your WiFi and go live in the woods?

Citizenship 7: Who has a better boat?

Catalonia and Spain: A 300 year old break up story

What happens if you stand next to a gravitational wave?

Will South Korea's Kim Jong-un assassination squad succeed?

How do volcanoes work (it's scarier than you think)

What happens if Joyce and Windsor enter into a show down for New England?

Why have we sent Cassini to its death?

"Ethnic cleansing" is happening in Myanmar, why hasn't Aung San Suu Kyi said anything?

Why is WA is so mad about the GST?

Why did the High Court unanimously dismiss challenges to the same-sex marriage postal survey?

What the same-sex marriage case has to do with Henry VIII

North Korea: How to stop a missile

Can they do that? We find out if a postal vote on same sex marriage is constitutional

How a coding error has the Commonwealth Bank on the hook for a trillion dollars

Mysterious texts lead us on a hunt for answers

Who is telling the truth about Australia's US refugee deal?

How the Government is using algorithms to make decisions about you

Why the Government's laws are about more than just encryption

Ms, Mrs or Miss: What's in a name?

Who's winning the tussle for the soul of the Liberal Party?

Will machines take our jobs and is a UBI the solution?

Where to now for Indigenous constitutional recognition?

Who is Cardinal George Pell?

What is the Murray-Darling Basin Plan? Are we there yet?

What are the ethics in true crime podcasting?

Why do electricity prices keep going up?

What is encryption?

Who are UK election kingmakers, the DUP?

James Comey's testimony; aka If you come for the FBI, you best not miss (Part 2)

James Comey's testimony; aka the 'Super Bowl of US politics' (Part 1)

Who will win the UK election?

We are Tell Me Straight: Ask us anything