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One of the most concerning outbreaks of Covid-19 in the country right now is taking place in western NSW.

Towns like Wilcannia and Walgett have high Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.

When the pandemic hit the region only eight percent of Indigenous people were fully vaccinated.

Now, with the virus spreading fast, there are serious concerns for the community.

Today, Bhiamie Williamson on the situation on the ground in western NSW. 

Guest: ANU research associate and Euahlayi man, Bhiamie Williamson

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As Covid-19 case numbers continue to reach record highs in NSW, so too do hospitalisations and intensive care admissions.

Now, a leaked document from the National Cabinet has revealed that the state’s hospitals could soon reach a tipping point.

Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton, on exactly who is being hospitalised with Covid-19 and how close our hospitals really are to capacity.

Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton

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After twenty years of war, invasion and occupation, US-led forces in Afghanistan, including Australian defence personnel have finally withdrawn, ending one of the longest military engagements in modern history.

Within weeks of the withdrawal the Taliban, who were officially deposed at the beginning of the conflict, swept the country, seizing the capital, Kabul, and retaking control.

Now there are fears for millions of Afghans facing life under a repressive regime.

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton and political analyst in Kabul Ramish Salimi, on the latest developments in Afghanistan, how we got to this point, and what the future looks like for Afghans.

Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton.

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Tony Armstrong, former AFL player and sports presenter on ABC News Breakfast, joins The Culture to talk about a show one of the most heartwarming TV shows out right now - ‘Ted Lasso’.

The first season dropped on Apple TV last year, starring Jason Sudeikis as the small-time US football coach, who ends up coaching a UK Premier League soccer team. The show went on to make history, scoring 20 Emmy nominations, the most ever for the first season of a comedy.

We’re about halfway through the second season now, so Osman and Tony came together to chat about how ‘Ted Lasso’ is much, much more than just a comedy about sports.

Guest: Former AFL player and sports presenter on ABC News Breakfast Tony Armstrong

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This week the federal government was caught out without a clear plan on two of the biggest crises facing the world right now: the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

In both instances, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been accused of not sufficiently preparing for outcomes that many had predicted, and responding too defensively.

Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on whether being underprepared is now a feature of Scott Morrison’s leadership - and what the consequences are. 

Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

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Outbreaks of Covid-19 are continuing to spread across the country, hitting largely unvaccinated and unprepared populations.

Eighteen months into the pandemic many Australians are feeling exhausted, and compliance with public health measures is dropping off - leading governments to ramp up policing efforts.

Today, infectious disease and pandemic response expert Dr Alexandra Phelan on the situation in Australia, how governments can maintain public trust, and what the end game looks like.

Guest: Member of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, Dr Alexandra Phelan

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From its origins as a little watched cable news broadcaster, Sky News has grown into a media powerhouse reaching millions of people, primarily on YouTube.

Now it’s broadening its reach even further, into the homes of thousands of Australians living in the regions, further solidifying Rupert Murdoch’s control of news media in Australia.

Today, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on what Murdoch is planning to do with Sky News, and how it could impact Australian politics.

Guest: Former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

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NSW is currently experiencing its worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. With case numbers continuing to rise, the government has slowly acknowledged it’s losing control.

Unlike the rest of the country, it now appears that NSW is abandoning its intention of eliminating the virus and reaching zero cases of community transmission, instead relying more heavily on vaccinations.

Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on the NSW strategy to deal with the virus and what it might mean for the rest of the nation. 

Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike Seccombe

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Australian scientist Joëlle Gergis was one of the lead authors on a landmark climate report by the IPCC, a United Nations body responsible for assessing the science on climate change.

The report has been described as “code red” for humanity, a desperate attempt by the world’s best climate scientists to force political leaders to take action and stop runaway climate change.

Today, Joëlle Gergis explains the science behind it, what it tells us about the future of our planet, and how we can all maintain some hope. 

Guest: Climate scientist and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Dr Joëlle Gergis.

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This week on The Culture, we’re talking about the young Kamilaroi kid from Waterloo, New South Wales, who this week topped the US Billboard charts. His name is The Kid LAROI, and his album 'F*ck Love' is taking the world by storm.

He dropped his debut EP at 14, was mentored by the likes of Juice WRLD at 15, and signed an international deal at 16. He’s collaborated with Miley Cyrus and his most recent single 'Stay', features one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Justin Beiber.

The success of his album makes him the first Australian-born solo artist to top the chart since Sia in 2014, and the first Indigenous Australian artist to top the chart - ever.

So this begs the question, where are the headlines? Why aren't Australian media outlets falling over themselves to cover one of the most exciting musical acts to come out of the country in years?

To talk about why Australia seems to be playing catch up, I'm joined by Hau Latukefu, a pioneer of the Australian hip hop scene. As part of the duo Koolism, he won the first ever ARIA for Best Urban Release and has gone on to mentor many hip hop artists in the industry today. 

Guest: Hau Latukefu

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