Pork-barrelling isn’t illegal, but it's one of the dark arts of politics: governments spending money in seats they want to win.

So, when does the practice cross the line from politicians faithfully serving the public into pork-barrelling and using taxpayer dollars to essentially bribe voters?

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton on the two Labor grants that are beginning to raise questions in Canberra, and the MP who is trying to make public spending more transparent.

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

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Opposition Leader Peter Dutton may have found the message he’s taking to the federal election: stop the “armada of boats”.

It hasn’t been high on the agenda for years, but a couple of weeks ago a boat arriving in far north Western Australia gave him an opportunity to put the issue back on the front page.

Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, fact checks Peter Dutton’s media blitz and his claims about asylum seekers.

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Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe

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Australia has spent almost 15 years trying to buy new surface ships for the navy, but they are still yet to arrive.

That’s because governments have repeatedly thrown out the old plan to introduce their own.

Last week, the Albanese government was the latest to reveal their plans for the future of the navy’s surface fleet. So, will it work?

Today, emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University and contributor to The Saturday Paper Hugh White, on Labor’s navy overhaul and whether it’s an expensive grab for votes. 

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Guest: Emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Hugh White

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Today on the show, writer Jane Gleeson-White, with her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly.

In inner-city Sydney, the heart of the urban jungle, Jane meets environmental lawyer turned activist, Michael Mobbs. 

His ambition is to transform the concrete warren of terraces and narrow streets of Chippendale into a sustainable oasis. 

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Guest: Author, Jane Gleeson-White

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Julian Assange has spent years fighting to prevent his extradition to the United States and this week, the battle has come down to just two days in court, when his lawyers made what could be their final stand.

The British High Court now holds his fate in its hands, as it considers his request for an appeal.

So, while supporters anxiously await the judges’ ruling, what lies ahead for Julian Assange? 

Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Amy Fallon, on what the court heard and how mounting public and political support is helping the Australian’s cause.

You can read Amy’s report on the latest from Julian Assange’s appeal in this weekend’s edition of The Saturday Paper.

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Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper Amy Fallon

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Jon Ronson has spent time with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, uncovered the secret US military program to train psychic soldiers and told the stories of the first people to be publicly shamed in the age of social media.

Now, Ronson’s investigating the culture wars. From fears about left-wing activists taking over the streets to paranoia about vaccines – he charts the surprising origins of our most divisive social conflicts.

Today, author of The Psychopath Test and So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Jon Ronson, on the very human stories behind how things fell apart.

See Jon Ronson live in Australia in November: https://www.fane.co.uk/jon-ronson

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Guest: Author of The Psychopath Test and host of Things Fell Apart, Jon Ronson

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After asylum seekers arrived by boat in Western Australia last week and were sent to Nauru, old debates about offshore immigration detention have been reanimated. 

It comes as the government has admitted they aren’t able to account for $80 million paid to Papua New Guinea for the welfare and support of people formerly held in offshore detention.

So, how did millions of taxpayer dollars disappear? And what does it mean for the asylum seekers who have nowhere else to go? 

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, on Australia’s management of offshore detention. 

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

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The Bureau of Meteorology determines a lot: from whether we bring an umbrella to work, to how much warning we get of a natural disaster – all the way to what we know about climate change. 

But now, serious questions are being raised about the bureau’s management – and it’s emerged that senior executives deliberately misled a federal court.

So, why did they lie? 

Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on troubles at the BoM, and how internal struggles are getting in the way of the weather forecast.

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Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton

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It was three years ago last week that Brittany Higgins made allegations that rocked Australia.

Those allegations resulted in a mistrial, and while Bruce Lehrmann strenuously maintained his innocence, many questions were raised about the handling of Higgins’ claims. 

So, an inquiry was launched, to see if lessons could be learned to improve the justice system. But last week, we learned more about how the very inquiry meant to fix things turned into a media circus of its own.

Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace on the texts and phone calls between the head of the inquiry and a well-known journalist.

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Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace

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Following its loss at the 2019 federal election, touching negative gearing — tax concessions that benefit property investors — has been unthinkable for the Labor Party.

But this week the government was drawn into discussions about ending it by The Greens’ housing spokesperson, Max Chandler-Mather, demanding Anthony Albanese address it if he wants to pass a new housing policy.

So, could the Greens force Labor to tackle negative gearing? 

Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on the future of housing and why unproductive parliamentary Question Time debates might have to change.

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Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

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