We're all facing the financial pressures that come with the spiralling cost of everything, and on the weekend residents in one state will get the chance to punish politicians for it. 

In New South Wales, Australia's longest-serving state government is asking voters for an unprecedented fourth term, and polls and history suggest it could be a tall order. 

Today, the ABC's elections analyst, Antony Green, on why the NSW coalition government might not survive, as voters find it harder and harder to make ends meet.

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Antony Green, ABC elections analyst

He wants to be seen as a peace broker in the Ukraine war, but is that really why Chinese President Xi Jinping is rubbing shoulders with Vladimir Putin in Moscow? 

Today,  Bates Gill from the Asia Society Policy Institute on China's ambitious plans and whether they should worry Australia. 

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Bates Gill, Executive Director of Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis

At the height of the pandemic, many Australians found themselves with less work and struggling to make ends.

Because of that, and with lots of uncertainty about the months ahead, many jumped at the chance to access their retirement savings early, as part of a federal government change.

Now, we know a lot more about what those who withdrew spent the money on: a new study suggests gambling was high on the list.

So was allowing people access to their own super for cash during a crisis the right idea?

Today, we speak to one of the co-authors of the study, economist Dr Steven Hamilton, and we chat to two Australian women who will now have a lot less in their super funds for when they retire.

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Dr Steve Hamilton, economist, George Washington University, Washington DC

When you're sitting on a bus or train and watching people with their heads in their phones, there's a fair chance many of them are watching videos on TikTok. 

The platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is currently the most downloaded app in the world, and nations including the US are increasingly worried about how its algorithm works, and where all the data it's collecting might end up. 

Today, tech and privacy reporter for Vox.com, Sara Morrison, on the TikTok bans sweeping the world. 

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Sara Morrison, senior reporter, Vox.com

The US is weathering its worst bank failure since the Global Financial Crisis.

So why did Silicon Valley Bank collapse and what implications could it have for us here in Australia?

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Nassim Khadem, ABC business reporter

As we move into winter this year, if you live on the east coast you’re about to be slugged with a huge spike in your power bills once again.

Today, an energy expert explains why prices just keep going up and when it will end.

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Alison Reeve, Climate Change and Energy Deputy Program Director, the Grattan Institute

In as little as four years' time, US nuclear-powered attack submarines will be deployed to Australia, the government says to keep us safe.

They're the length of a rugby pitch and can cruise through the water in almost complete silence, and the price tag is mind-blowing too: up to $368 billion over the next 30 years. 

Today, the ABC's political editor, Andrew Probyn, on how fear of China has driven us to the biggest defence investment in our history. 

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Andrew Probyn, ABC political editor

When you cruise the aisles at the supermarket, you would have noticed almost everything is more expensive.

Coles and Woolworths blame inflation, but is that really all that’s at play? 

Today, the ABC’s Business Editor Ian Verrender on why company profits are soaring while households struggle to make ends meet.

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Ian Verrender, ABC Business Editor

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Three years into the pandemic, most of us have had at least one bout of COVID.

While it’s usually not that pleasant, we recover.

But for hundreds of thousands of Australians the symptoms can last for months.

Today we visit a long COVID clinic.

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Dr Anthony Byrne, St Vincent's Hospital

Paul, long COVID patient

Imagine the distress you'd feel if you were told, out of the blue, that you owed the federal government thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars.

That's the anguish the former coalition government inflicted on 400,000 Australians when it tried to illegally claw back welfare payments.   

Public hearings in the Royal Commission investigating who's to blame for the deeply flawed Robodebt scheme end this week. 

Today, ABC reporter Rachael Mealey walks us through the key evidence.  

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Rachel Mealey, ABC national affairs reporter