7am

When Donald Trump took the stage to claim victory in Palm Beach, Florida, he was joined by a football team sized contingent of family and friends, including the chief executive of the Ultimate Fight Championship, Dana White.

White, who has admitted to assaulting his wife, took the mic to thank some people he regarded as crucial to delivering his friend Donald Trump the presidency. They included online streamer ​​Aidin Ross, comedian Theo Von and podcaster Joe Rogan.

Trump’s appearance on podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience were crucial to mobilising the support of young men across the US who wouldn’t have otherwise voted. 

It was a sophisticated plan based on a close read of voting trends – and a little help from Trump’s son, Barron. 

Today national political correspondent for Time magazine Eric Cortellessa on Donald Trump and the “pod bros” that helped him win.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: National political correspondent for Time magazine Eric Cortellessa

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is more or less impossible to imagine Australian literature of the past half century without Tim Winton. From his debut, An Open Swimmer to his epic Cloudstreet, the four-time Miles Franklin Award winner is beloved by generations of readers. On this special episode of Read This, host Michael Williams sits down with Tim to discuss his latest novel, Juice, a gripping tale of determination, survival, and the limits of the human spirit.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the Country Liberal Party came into power in the Northern Territory, they scrapped a number of key portfolios.

Among them was the climate change portfolio, with responsibility for the environment now sitting under lands and planning. It indicates the NT government is prioritising the economy, in particular big development projects.

And now, according to a leaked consultation paper, the NT government wants to give itself new powers to fast-track major developments, sidestepping environmental checks and balances and the wishes of many impacted Territorians.

Today, Environment Centre NT executive director Kirsty Howey, on the NT government’s leaked secret proposal, and whether it could open the floodgates to environmentally damaging projects like fracking.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Executive director of Environment Centre NT, Kirsty Howey

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US election began to rapidly slip away from Kamala Harris, it became clear that the presidential candidate wasn’t going to speak at her election night rally in Washington D.C.

That’s when people started slipping out of the event, including Dr Emma Shortis.

Donald Trump is projected to win not just the presidency, but also the popular vote.

Today, senior researcher at The Australia Institute Dr Emma Shortis on Donald Trump’s projected return to the White House, and what it means for the future of the Democratic Party.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Senior researcher at The Australia Institute, Dr Emma Shortis

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of the American election, polls say Harris and Trump are neck and neck. Of course, Donald Trump says that’s not true.

It’s nothing new for the former president to deny facts. What is new is the way America’s biggest cable news network is handling it: Fox News has started cutting away from rallies when Trump lies.

The network’s support of the big lie – that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, led to a defamation lawsuit that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to settle. And now the Murdoch broadcaster is in a tricky spot: tell MAGA supporters what they want to hear, even if it isn’t true, or risk losing a huge audience. 

So what does Fox do if Trump loses this election, and refuses to admit it?

Today, author of The Successor and host of Rupert: The last mogul Paddy Manning on Fox’s role in the US election and how the Murdochs’ secret court case could shape the future of democracy.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Author of The Successor and host of Rupert: The last mogul Paddy Manning

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the first things David Crisafulli did when he became premier of Queensland was order the state’s Truth-telling inquiry to stop immediately.

The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry, which launched earlier this year, was examining the impacts of colonisation on First Nations people. Work was underway, with witnesses already having testified about racial discrimination and abuse. 

The premier gave the order to stop in a press conference, without talking first to the man running the process.

Today, Chairman of The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry Joshua Creamer on David Crisafulli’s decision and the truth that will never be heard. 

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Chairman of The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry Joshua Creamer

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prime minister’s relationship with former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, and whether he likes a free upgrade, has been the talk of Canberra, prompted by the publication of a new book called The Chairman’s Lounge.

Speculation about what the book would reveal had been swirling for months, and it was widely known in political circles that some of it would be bad for the prime minister.

But when the book was finally published, Albanese and his office seemed unprepared.

The saga, which played out over a week, and entangled politicians from both major parties, raises questions about how much our leaders love a freebie – and whether the prime minister in particular has lost touch with voters’ expectations.

Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis on The Chairman’s Lounge and whether it matters if politicians get a fancy drink in a fancy chair.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In just three books Robbie Arnott has established himself as a writer to trust. Flames (2018), The Rain Heron (2022) and Limberlost (2022) were all rapturously reviewed and garnered a hefty swag of award nominations and wins. On this episode of Read This, Michael Williams sits down with Robbie to discuss his new novel, Dusk, which explores loss, redemption, and survival in Tasmania’s high country.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a street in downtown Beirut there’s a five-storey building – a derelict hotel.

It was empty for years, until recently, when hundreds of displaced people started arriving.

Their experience of fleeing southern Beirut to find safety in the city’s busy neighbourhoods is being repeated across Lebanon right now as Israel’s bombardments continue.

There has been a massive effort to help shelter the one million displaced Lebanese, but in this building and in many others they aren’t always welcome, with religious divides from the civil war still palpable, decades on.

Today, journalist Heidi Pett on the old wounds being re-opened in Lebanon.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Journalist Heidi Pett

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme handed down its findings, the commissioner in charge went to great lengths to refer six individuals to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.

What followed outraged many, particularly the victims of the scheme: The NACC announced that it would not act on the referrals.

That decision generated so many complaints that it has since been investigated by the inspector of the NACC, Gail Furness.

Now, that investigation has found that not only should the decision be revisited, but the head of the NACC himself engaged in “officer misconduct”.

Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on what this means for the integrity of Australia’s corruption watchdog.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.