Backchat

Last weekend, India hosted the 20th iteration of the BRICS summit with the theme being 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove gives us the rundown for what this summit entails, particularly with rising global tensions.

Following our endangered swift parrots from last week, we talk to MP for Drummoyne Stephanie Di Pasqua to see what local MPs are doing to preserve our local wildlife and what the future rezoning might look like.

Ever saw a world record and thought "I could do that"? Well, we hear it directly from local band Fathom as they attempt the world record for most gigs played in 12 hours - and for a good cause.

Finally, AI. Yeah, it's everywhere and now UNSW and USYD have revealed major partnerships with AI groups. Producer Euan Kelly exactly why this is making headlines and the impact is has had on university staff.

This episode of Backchat was hosted by Pongyada Sootthipong and James de Fraine-Murphy.

Produced by Ella Hosty-Snelgrove, Birdie Rinaldi, Euan Kielly and Maya Sathi.

Aired 19 September 2026 on Gadigal land.

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The New South Wales Department of Education has announced restrictions on take-home assessment tasks for Year 11 and 12 students starting later this year in response to the rise of generative AI use to complete assessment tasks. But is this change going to help, and what does the presence of AI mean for education at large? We hear from producer James de Fraine-Murphy, who spoke with Dr Matthew Hill to gain further insight on the topic.

It’s music festival season, and we’re looking into the New South Wales government’s plans to make drug checking a permanent scheme in music festivals across the state. CEO of Unharm, Dr Will Tregoning, joins us to talk about the scheme, and why community-based drug testing could be the next step.

New South Wales hospitals have been pushed to their limits this winter surge, with a record breaking number of patients admitted this year. We’re joined by Dr Fred Betros, the Australian Medical Association’s NSW branch president, to talk about where our hospital systems are failing to address the yearly surge.

The Sydney Fringe Festival started this week, and while the festival has historically played an important role for up-and-coming artists working outside the mainstream and in queer-focused spaces, cost-of-living struggles have transformed it into a space where young Sydneysiders can access entertainment for a reasonable price. Producer Birdie Rinaldi is joined by Georgia Gray-Spencer and Scott Whitmont to talk about the festival and its growing viewerbase.

This episode of Backchat was hosted by Holly Payne and Ella Hosty-Snelgrove.

Produced by James de Fraine-Murphy, Holly Payne, Maya Sathi, Euan Keilly, and Birdie Rinaldi.

Aired 5 September 2026 on Gadigal Land.

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One of the most distressing aspects of the alleged sexual assault incident involving Sydney Swans players earlier this month is that we’ve heard it all before. What does that tell us about the culture of elite mens sport in Australia? Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove spoke to Professor Catharine Lumby about the overlap between patriotism, sport and misogyny.

In the last few weeks, incidences of the H5 bird flu strain have more than tripled across the country. Ecologist and author Darryl Jones joins to talk about about bird flu, bird feeding and preventing the spread of the virus from our own backyards.

Last month, a small pole dancing business in the Gold Coast went viral for denying a transgender woman from entering a woman-only space. Anti-trans rhetoric circulating our algorithms is just the start of the severe online hate and violence against trans people, with the Queensland government now calling for legislation reform on biological and gender definitions. Drag queen and pop sensation, BEKS, discusses her latest track hitting back at the anti-trans talk, TERF WERK.

If you’ve hopped off at Central Station and spotted an odd bit of graffiti reading “CASTLE LAW, FOR BABY ALEX” with a QR code leading you to Elaine Tan’s petition, you wouldn't be the only one. Castle Law is garnering support again after years of conservative campaigning. Why now? Varsha Yajman, journalist at Cheek Media and lawyer, joins to discuss Castle Law's comeback.

Producer Maya Sathi breaks down the AI music ban on the ARIA charts - how will it affect Aussie music and streaming platforms?

This episode of Backchat was hosted by Pongyada Sootthipong and Euan Kielly.

Produced by Ella Hosty-Snelgrove, Tarni Cruickshank, Shaya Hayworth, Jasper Brady, and Maya Sathi.

Aired 29 August 2026 on Gadigal land.

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We’ve got a story about the expanding surveillance state and where our government is spending its money. A series of anti-transgender Women’s Rights Rallies will reach Sydney this Sunday at Martin Place, calling for the removal of transgender protections from the Sex Discrimination Act. In response to this, Pride In Protest are organising a counter-protest set to take place at Town Hall. We’re joined by Pride In Protest convenor Evan van Zijl.

Wollongong’s local council is pitting the skating community against people who want to preserve more green space. Why does it always seem like someone has to lose out in order for someone else to win?  This week, the council confirmed that MacCabe Park is the location for the region’s long-awaited Olympic-standard, fifteen-hundred-square-metre skate park. Council claims that it will only take up three per cent of the park’s total footprint… but locals are still concerned about any loss of precious green space. We’re joined by activist and Wollongong local Bella Todd. 

After the tragic mass shooting in Bondi last December, the government announced a policy reform package to tighten Australia’s gun laws. But the only part of this package that politicians and the media are really latching onto is the national gun buyback scheme. The NSW government announced that they’d be starting the buyback in December, in an effort to take more firearms out of the community and compensate gun owners.  This week, producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis investigated what gun buybacks involve, and why certain politicians are campaigning against it in the media. 

Later in the show… we’re chatting about AI trends, data mining and… shaving your bush (disappointed). Creators on Instagram have been speculating that Meta has been manufacturing trends to harvest data for their AI. Particularly, the you shaved your bush trend, in which friends take turns saying the phrase in different tones. Birdie Rinaldi spoke to Ahmed Khanji from GridWare to gain further insight on how to keep ourselves safe. 

Following the anti-Isaac Herzog protests in February, sweeping arrests have been made across activist communities. There are civil liberties concerns over the technology used to get inside activists’ phones and extract information. Relatively unspoken about in mainstream news, we take a deep dive into the company that our government has contracted. Emil Kwasner Catsivelakis talked to Tim Roberts about what protections you have against emerging police technology. 

This episode of Backchat was hosted by Bec Cushway and Nyaboth Chuol.

Produced by James de Fraine-Murphy, Holly Payne, Birdie Rinaldi, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis and Emil Kwasner Catsivelakis

Aired 22 August 2026 on Gadigal land.

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Last Thursday, thousands of students across Australia stepped out of classrooms to protest against Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party. Producer James de Fraine-Murphy reports from  the ground at the Say No To Hanson Protest at Town Hall.

The NDIS cuts are set to go ahead after a Senate inquiry report recommended that the proposed reforms be passed in full, despite hearing that people with disabilities and carers would be facing financial hardship, isolation, and death. Disability advocate Samantha Connor joins to discuss.

Backchat’s Sana Shaikh sat down with Aiden Brown to break down the relevance of this year’s International Youth Day to young Australians.

This episode was produced by Sana Shaikh, James de Fraine-Murphy, and Holly Payne.

Executive produced by Bec Cushway.

Hosted by Bec Cushway and Holly Payne.

Aired 15 August 2026 on Gadigal land.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the upcoming census, Australians are finally seeing some big changes to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, however, whether or not these new questions fill all the gaps is still up for debate. Whilst a landmark moment, producer Bec Cushway breaks down for us who still isn't included and why census inclusion is so important.

What do Mary's Underground, Divine Playhouse, and Lazy Thinking all have in common? Well, they're currently a testament to the decline in Sydney's nightlife, with Lazy Thinking just announcing its closure. We hear more from Lazy Thinking's creator Jim Flanagan, and why current nightlife just doesn't cut it.

Later on, we talk to conversation ecologist Mareshall Wauchope on the fight against rats with.. rats? Hear us out with this native bush rat army, as they may be the key to all our invasive problems (yes we're looking at you Black rats). 

Then onto the world of fibremaxxing, the latest gut-health frenzy to overtake protein. Wondering how much fibre is too much? So were we.. Lucky we got to talking with nutritionist Dr Emma Beckett about the highs and lows of the newest trend, and what impact it might have on our health.

Finally, it's made its way from New Delhi to Sydney, it's the Cockroach Janta Party. Listen to the latest on these solidarity protests with producer James de Fraine-Murphy. They cover conversation with Taufeeq Ahmed Sheikh on why students are protesting, and the significance of support anywhere in the world.

This episode was produced by Pongyada Soothipong, James De Fraine-Murphy, Bec Cushway, Euan Keilly and Holly Payne.

Executive produced by Bec Cushway.

Hosted by Nyaboth Chuol and Holly Payne.

Aired 8 August 2026 on Gadigal land.

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Commuters, drivers and Western Sydney students were among the state budget's winners... but what about the losers? Producer Rebecca Cushway dives deep on where the money is flowing. 

On a related note, UNSW has just announced plans to expand their presence in Parramatta by building a new campus. Over ten years the University will invest over $65 million in a multi faculty campus that can accommodate up to 350 students daily. Pro Vice-Chancellor of Precincts at UNSW Professor Zoe Terpening joins the show for a chat. 

You also may or not be aware of the job cuts happening across regional newsrooms right now. According to Ette Media there have been 336 across Australian media just in the last month. Producer Tarni Cruickshank chats to a freshly graduated journalism student.

Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup has kicked off - a huge point of praise has been the diversity of Australia’s team, the Socceroos, with over 15 different cultural backgrounds in a 26-man team. At the same time, One Nation, a party that aims to “cut immigration by over 570,000 people from current Labor levels” and “withdraw from the UN Refugee convention”, has opened up a primary vote lead over Labor.P roducer Anagha Abhi asks writer, lawyer and anti-racism activist Mariam Veiszadeh why multiculturalism feels uncontroversial in Australian sport but controversial in public policy.

And with AI becoming an inescapable part of modern life, Sydney-based artist Tim Gregory joins the show to weigh in on whether AI belongs in public art. 

This episode was produced by Sana Shaikh, Anagha Abhi, Birdie Rinaldi and Tarni Cruickshank.

Executive produced by Bec Cushway. 

Hosted by Bec Cushway and Nyaboth Chuol. 

Aired 27 June 2026 on Gadigal land. 

 

 

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On April 26, eleven Australians set sail from Sicily aboard the second Global Sumud Flotilla with the mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.

Among the activists was 22-year-old community organiser Ethan Floyd. Following the interception of their vessel in international waters, Ethan and five fellow activists were detained by the Israeli Occupation Forces. After reporting physical and psychological abuse during their detention, Ethan returned to Australia on Monday, May 4 at 5:00 PM. 

Producer Gabriella Accaria sat down with Ethan to discuss his experience and his continued commitment to the mission.

Content warning: graphic descriptions of physical and psychological abuse.

Aired 9 May 2026 on Gadigal Land. 

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Palantir Technology is in the news, and not in a good way. Tech reporter at Crikey Cam Wilson dives into the controversial tech company's growing influence on global politics, including how it's become entangled with Australian surveillance and international conflict. 

Is conservatism making a comeback among young people? A new report from IPSOS and the King’s College London suggests Generation Z may be embracing more traditional gender views. We speak with University of Melbourne PhD candidate Claudia Young about what’s driving this shift, from economic anxiety to the influence of the manosphere. 

Later, we look at yet another collapse of a major Australian music event - Bluesfest. After decades as a staple of the Easter long weekend, the long anticipated festival has been cancelled, raising fresh concerns about the future of live music. Olly Arkins from the Australian Festivals Association explains why festival costs keep rising and what it means for artists, workers and regional communities.

We also break down the members of the Iran women's national football team being granted humanitarian visas after a protest during the AFC Women's Asian Cup. Analyst Neha Madhok helps explain the political context behind the decision and tensions between Iran, Australia, Israel, and the United States. 

This episode was produced by Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Bec Cushway, Holly Payne and Olivia Nunes-Malek.

Executive produced by Bec Cushway. 

Hosted by Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis and Pongyada Soothipong. 

Aired 14 March 2026 on Gadigal land. 

 

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Were you one of the hundreds of thousands gathered at Melbourne’s Albert Park to bring in the 2026 Formula One season last week? Producer Nyaboth Chuol breaks down F1's newfound popularity and diversity in the sport.

NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson joins to discuss the risks associated with Operation Shelter, a controversial new police operation initially designed to combat anti-semitism and islamophobia, which has since shifted to become a permanent command unit.

Backchat speaks to Lillian, one of the volunteers fighting to restore trans advocate Ayesha Kazan's quality of life. Best known as one of the original members of Les Girls, Ayesha is one of the pioneers of Sydney's drag scene.

Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to protest organisers Zelda and Heike Weber about last week's protests to boycott Thai Airways in Sydney and Melbourne, after an investigation revealed the airline was transporting Australian-made weapons parts on passenger flights to Israel. 

Greek economist, politician and author Yanis Varoufakis chats to producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis at the Greek Festival of Sydney about his recent memoir Raise Your Soul, and the “little fascist” within all of us.

This episode of Backchat was produced by Nyaboth Chuol, Jess D’Souza, Olivia Nunes-Malek, Pongyada Sootthipong and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis. 

Executive produced by Bec Cushway.

Hosted by Jess D’Souza and Bec Cushway.

Aired 7 March 2026 on Gadigal land.

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