Some of them haunt the halls of parliament house. Quite a few of them run off to the Big Apple. You often find them lurking on twitter. They’re the ghosts of prime ministers past.

From The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age - this is Please Explain - a weekly podcast where you and I get the full story on some of the most significant issues facing Australia, and a look inside the newsrooms that bring them to you.

It’s a week of fear and loathing in United States democracy.

On this episode, Tory Maguire calls up Matthew Knott in New York, and former US correspondent Nick O'Malley, to understand the ructions of America's midterm elections. And expert eye Steve Bartholomeusz reflects on the impact Trumpism and US politics are having on global markets.

You can listen to all that right now, or even better, you can subscribe for free and have Please Explain arrive every week in your app of choice - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. 

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This Saturday the 103,000 people registered to vote in the Sydney electorate of Wentworth get to do two things - choose a replacement for Malcolm Turnbull, and decide if Scott Morrison gets to hold on to majority government or has to preside over a hung parliament.

This year Australia's people count ticked over 25 million - three decades earlier than experts planned. In this episode of Please Explain we're taking on the issue crying out to be addressed by Australians all over. From our car-clogged cities, to dusty farms, people want to know: What is the plan for our population?

Rorts, fees for no service, charging fees from dead people, misleading regulators - and we're only half way through the commission.

It's a destination that divides - some vow never to go, others have been a dozen times or more. Here's what it's like to travel this Indonesian island beyond touristy Kuta.

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In episode 2, Please Explain takes a look inside the tumult of our national broadcaster to ask what on earth is going on at Aunty?

National editor Tory Maguire is joined by executive editor James Chessell and columnist Jacqueline Maley to get to the the heart of the matter. Plus, we hear from former host of ABC's Media Watch Jonathan Holmes on the exalted role the charter plays in the goings-on at the organisation, and entertainment reporter Broede Carmody tells us what it means for viewers and listeners of the ABC.

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There’s a misconception when it comes to gap years, and that is that you have to be young.

But here’s the thing: you do not have to be young to do a year of travelling. You don’t have to be a school leaver, and you don’t have to be a uni student. You just need a desire to get away from it all.

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Our first episode - “Is Democracy Dead?” - features Chief Political Correspondent of The Herald and The Age David Crowe, Nine’s Political Editor Chris Uhlmann and former Daily Telegraph editor David Penberthy.

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It's one of the finest destinations on the planet, but few Australians ever go there. Ben Groundwater and guests explain why that needs to change.

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A new podcast from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, cutting through the noise to give you insight into the stories that drive the nation. Search 'Please Explain' on iTunes now to subscribe.