Earlier this month, in the space of just three days, four women and girls in Australia were allegedly killed by men and boys known to them.

Two months ago, the Prime Minister resisted calls for a royal commission into domestic violence. But women and girls continue to be killed – sometimes within hours of one another.

Today, we’re bringing you an episode from 2024, where Ruby Jones speaks to Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, about why our domestic violence crisis is getting worse – and why years of plans, campaigns and promises have failed to stop it.

This episode was originally published in July 2024.

 

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Guest: Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody

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The Liberal Party has begun asking what it needs to do to modernise. Its answer, so far, appears to be Tony Abbott.

As Angus Taylor tries to put some distance between the Coalition and One Nation, Pauline Hanson’s party has had a week that looks less like a political revolution and more like a holiday gone wrong.

Away from the political theatre, do the Coalition’s proposed migration cuts stack up economically – at a time when one of the country’s most important systems is still failing the people it is meant to care for?

Today, federal political correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Natassia Chrysanthos, on the Liberal Party’s identity crisis, One Nation’s fortunes and an aged-care system still not fit for purpose.

 

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Guest: Federal political correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Natassia Chrysanthos

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The Great Barrier Reef has avoided being placed on UNESCO’s “in danger” list – for now.

But the warning hasn’t gone away. UNESCO says Australia still needs to do more to protect it, including on water quality. And one of those problems starts far inland: when bushland is cleared, soil can wash into rivers that flow out to the coral.

The Australian Conservation Foundation says bulldozing for beef production is a major driver of that runoff. And now, Australia’s new national environment watchdog – the National Environmental Protection Agency – has opened its doors with more than 100 potentially unlawful land-clearing cases already on its books.

Labor says its new nature laws will protect the environment and speed up approvals for housing, renewables and infrastructure. But will they actually stop the clearing – or just speed up a broken system?

Today, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation Adam Bandt, on the first test of Labor’s new nature laws – and whether they can make an impact before it’s too late.

 

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Guest: CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Adam Bandt

Photo: WWF Australia

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The Prime Minister has announced a plan for how Australia approaches AI, with a new office to be created, and new standards expected to be legislated early next year.

As part of the plan new data centres can be fast tracked, but will have to supply their own power. 

And while Anthony Albanese said that artists should be able to control the use of their work, there are still fears about what will happen when potential investment meets copyright law. 

Today, Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea on whether the government can walk the tightrope of the AI boom, while protecting and benefiting all Australians. 

 

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Guest: Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea

Photo: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

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When Pauline Hanson was at the previous peak of her political popularity, in the late 90s, one journalist was there chronicling it. 

Margo Kingston followed Hanson on the 98 campaign trail, and has followed her career ever since – pulled back in, even when she wanted to walk away. 

So what do Pauline Hanson’s beginnings tell us about her future? And what are the parallels between 1996 and 2026? 

Today, Margo Kingston, on what Pauline Hanson has come to represent, and how she’s using her past to fashion her present. 

 

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Guest: Journalist and author of Off the Rails: The Pauline Hanson trip, Margo Kingston

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Is the media’s reporting on Israel’s attacks on Gaza fuelling antisemitism? That’s the question facing the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – which has been examining the role of the public broadcasters – the ABC and SBS.

Appearing before the commission was Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal – who came out swinging at the broadcasters’ Middle East coverage, reccomending it be overseen by an independent committee.

But do Segal’s claims stack up?

Today, former Media Watch host and ABC Alumni board member Jonathan Holmes, on the submission ABC Alumni put to the commission, and the role of the public broadcaster in reporting on war. 

 

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Guest: Former media watch host Jonathan Holmes

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New York Times journalist Jonathan Swan is famous for his trainwreck interview with Donald Trump at the height of covid.

Now, he’s exposing the US president again with a forensic look at what he says was the most consequential year of an American presidency in our lifetime.

Donald Trump’s first presidency was defined by chaos – but also by the people around him trying to contain it.

Swan says the second term is different. Trump has returned to the White House with a tighter circle of loyalists, and far fewer people willing to say no.

In a new book Regime Change co-authored with Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan goes inside the first 14 months of Trump’s return to power, documenting a presidency using the machinery of government to punish enemies, pressure institutions and test what one president can get away with.

Today, Jonathan Swan, on Trump’s second term – and how he’s changed America forever.

 

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Guest: Co-author of Regime Change Jonathan Swan

Photo: AP Photo/Francisco Seco

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Another major telco outage has raised the question: what happens when you call triple-zero and can’t get through?

This week, Telstra blamed a software defect for a national outage that disrupted phones, payments and transport – and left more than 300 triple-zero calls failing to connect. The communications watchdog is now investigating.

It comes after last year’s catastrophic Optus failure, when a 13-hour outage blocked hundreds of emergency calls across South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and was linked to deaths.

ACMA opened an investigation into Optus, but still hasn’t published final findings.

Today, journalist and Crikey contributor Michael Sainsbury – on what went wrong at Optus and how the government’s choices led us here.

This episode was originally published in September 2025.

 

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Guest: Journalist and Crikey contributor, Michael Sainsbury

Photo: AAP Image/George Chan

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Anthony Albanese has, with growing confidence, spent years trying to convince voters he's relatable

But this week that confidence carried him somewhere the office of Prime Minister probably shouldn’t go – a game of “shag, marry, date” on a comedy podcast.

The apology came quickly. Then, as the Prime minister turned to rugby league diplomacy in the Pacific, China tested a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. 

It was a week that moved swiftly from political embarrassment to regional unease, and left Labor managing the Prime Minister’s image at home and Australia’s influence abroad.

Today, press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno on a turbulent week for Anthony Albaense, marked with missteps, a communication breakdown and a focus on Pacific diplomacy in tumultuous geo-political waters.

 

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Guest: Press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno

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A call came through with a warning: political operatives were digging for dirt. 

For Amy Remeikis, it wasn’t the first time. But this time, she was told, it was more vicious than usual. 

In Canberra, that kind of warning is part of the machinery: a whisper campaign, a rumour, a file passed around – backgrounding against opponents or perceived threats to vested interests. Enough to make a journalist think twice about who they speak to, where they go and what stories they pursue. 

Too often for women in public life, the tactics are familiar and designed to cut deep. 

Today, contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis, on the forces trying to intimidate journalists and why she decided to call it out. 

 

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Guest: Contributing editor for The New Daily Amy Remeikis

Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

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