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At the shareholders meetings for News Corp and Fox Corporation this month, for the first time, Rupert Murdoch wasn’t the star of the show. 

The meetings signified that the transition of power from the 92-year old mogul to his eldest son, Lachlan, is complete. 

So, how has Lachlan used his first moments of power? And what were Rupert Murdoch’s parting words to end his 70-year-long media career?

Today, host of Schwartz Media podcast Rupert: The Last Mogul and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Paddy Manning, on what’s in store for the next era of the Murdoch empire.

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Guest: Author of The Successor, Paddy Manning.

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By the 1990s, Rupert is cemented as one of the world’s most powerful and divisive men, but his unrelenting drive is beginning to take a toll. As Rupert makes his home in America, Paddy takes a closer look at two of his most consequential relationships. 

There is his alliance with the man behind Fox News, Roger Ailes. Then there is his 30-year marriage to his second wife, Anna Murdoch. One will lift Rupert to new heights of influence; the other will crumble, but not without a parting shot.

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As climate change threatens to sink small and vulnerable countries, large and powerful ones are seeing an opportunity.

The climate crisis is giving them the chance to increase their influence, access to valuable resources and military reach.

As Australia enters a new agreement with one of our pacific neighbours facing climate disaster – are we really helping them, or are we just helping ourselves?

Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on the agreement between Australia and Tuvalu. 

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Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike Seccombe

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Israel’s government has agreed to a four-day ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza – but promises to push ahead with military operations after the pause ends.

The agreement falls short of the total ceasefire that protesters have been calling for.

In Australia, the government has found itself delicately balancing its support for Israel with its concerns over the civilian death toll from the war.

So, is the government striking the right balance or is it equivocating?

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, on the protests, the parliament and the challenges facing Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

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

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David McBride is the first Australian who could face jail in relation to alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.

But McBride isn’t who committed these crimes, he’s just the person who leaked documents containing allegations to journalists.

Last week, after a dramatic attempt to keep his legal defence alive, McBride ultimately decided to plead guilty.

Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace, on what the failure of David McBride’s case means for truth and transparency in Australia. 

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Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper, Chris Wallace

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The royal commission into the robo-debt scheme delivered 57 recommendations to the government in July.

Four months later, the Albanese government has given its response, insisting it is acting to ensure that nothing like the "shameful" robo-debt scandal ever happens again.

The government says it has accepted, in full or in principle, “all 56” of the commissioner’s recommendations.

So why has the government chosen to not only ignore the last recommendation, but to pretend it doesn’t exist?

Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on a serious flaw in the robo-debt response.

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

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In the spring of 2012, an unarmed Afghan villager, Ali Jan, was allegedly kicked off a cliff by Ben Roberts-Smith, who then purportedly directed another soldier to execute him.

That allegation was central to the landmark defamation action brought by Roberts-Smith, where the court found it to be “substantially true”. 

Roberts-Smith has appealed that decision and the allegations have never been proven to a standard that would be required in a criminal trial.

The government has said it plans to compensate the families of victims of alleged Afghanistan war crimes, but 11 years after his murder, Ali Jan’s widow says she’s still awaiting justice.

Today, contributor to The Saturday Paper Michelle Dimasi on what Australia owes the family of Ali Jan.

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Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper, Michelle Dimasi.

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Today on the show, Author and founder of AIME (the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) Jack Manning Bancroft.

Published on the day of the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Jack’s piece is a statement on the continuing power of Indigenous knowledge systems, despite the long shadow of a failed referendum outcome.

Jack will read his story, ‘The Indigenous Knowledges Systems Lab’..

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Guest: Founder of AIME, Jack Manning Bancroft

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Off-the-record lunches, handwritten notes and a bouquet of red roses mark Rupert’s secret friendship with Britain’s most controversial PM, Margaret Thatcher. She helps drive Rupert to become the most powerful media mogul in the commonwealth. Together they will stoke wars against enemies both foreign and within. With Thatcher’s support, Rupert will pull off his most daring piece of business, and arguably the most cruel. 

Paddy pieces together the evidence that binds them together and examines the scars they left behind.

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Social harmony in Australia is under threat. The war in Gaza is prompting concerns about rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia locally, and these deeply felt and wounding subjects are being hotly debated in our parliament.

This week, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton clashed in one of the most fiery parliamentary confrontations since they assumed the roles of prime minister and opposition leader, respectively.

Are our politicians equipped to moderate this divisive debate? Or are they doing more harm than good?

Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on why rhetoric in parliament has been labelled ‘extremely dangerous’.

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Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

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