Full Story

By The Guardian

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You’ve seen the headlines, now hear the Full Story. Every weekday, join Guardian journalists for a deeper understanding of the news in Australia and beyond. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcasting app

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It’s getting hot in here: t...

01.26.2023

After three years of rain and floods, Australia’s weather could soon flip into a hotter, drier phase – El Niño. At home, this could mean higher risk of bushfires and severe coral bleaching, and globally, it could mean exceeding 1.5C ...

Full Story episodes:

01.26.2023 It’s getting hot in here: the return of El Niño After three years of rain and floods, Australia’s weather could soon flip into a hotter, drier phase – El Niño. At home, this could mean higher risk of bushfires and severe coral bleaching, and globally, it could mean exceeding 1.5C ...
01.25.2023 Wesley Enoch on Australia’s Day of Mourning \| Full Story podcast On 26 January 85 years ago, a group of Aboriginal men and women gathered at Australia Hall in Sydney to hold the first Day of Mourning, calling on the government to grant Aboriginal people full rights of citizenship. Playwright and ...
01.24.2023 The Wieambilla shooting: Madelyn Train on her parents’ ‘chapter of evil’ It was 6.34pm on 12 December when Madelyn Train had the last contact she would ever have with the three people she considered her parents. Gareth Train texted her from his rural Queensland property saying people had been sent ‘to ...
01.23.2023 Joe Biden, Donald Trump and those classified documents The discovery of batches of classified documents on Joe Biden’s property presents a headache for the president – but his case is quite different from that of Donald Trump, reports David Smith in Washington
01.22.2023 Her own kind of leader – the legacy of Jacinda Ardern Over the past five years the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, garnered admirers around the world with her signature mixture of empathy and strength – qualities that helped steer her country through natural disasters, a pandemic and the Christchurch ...
01.19.2023 The details on the Indigenous voice to parliament with Megan Davis The opposition leader Peter Dutton has amped up his criticism of the voice to parliament this year, reiterating questions about specific details of the body. Last week he challenged the government to either legislate the voice or release a draft ...
01.18.2023 Five years in jail and 25 seeking justice: the malicious prosecution of Terry Irving In 1993, Terry Irving was wrongfully arrested for robbing a Queensland bank, and ended up spending 1,671 days in jail. Irving was released by the high court after the state conceded he had not received a fair trial. But exoneration ...
01.17.2023 The arrest of Andrew Tate: the ‘king of toxic masculinity’ The kickboxer turned social media star – who calls himself a misogynist and has millions of followers – has been arrested on charges that include human trafficking. What happened?
01.16.2023 Portraits to go and prose like Tim Winton: ChatGPT and the rise of AI The uncanny ability of the new online chatbot ChatGPT, which converses with humans using the latest in artificial intelligence, has provoked wonder and alarm worldwide. Universities are scrambling to combat AI-assisted cheating and some outlets, like the Australian satirical site ...
01.15.2023 David Marr on the life and legacy of Cardinal George Pell George Pell, who died last week in Rome aged 81, was a towering figure in the Catholic church and Australian political life. But for many ordinary Australians, he epitomised the church’s inability to effectively and compassionately deal with victims and ...
01.12.2023 Finding Australia’s most beautiful bookstore Rafqa Touma loves books and loves bookstores. One day, as she was blissfully reading, two curious questions popped into her head. Where is Australia’s most beautiful bookstore? And how would you go about deciding what makes a beautiful bookstore? In ...
01.11.2023 Discomfort, discovery and hope during a day at the beach Love it or hate it, a day at the beach is a quintessential Australian summer experience. Here are five stories about how life happens when surrounded by sand and sea, including how to have sex on the beach (don’t), how ...
01.10.2023 What drawing has taught me about myself – Full Story summer Josh Nicholas always thought artists were child prodigies who were born to be great. But when he started teaching himself how to draw, he learned why this wasn’t true and some lessons about himself along the way. Jane Lee talks ...
01.09.2023 Waiting for a visa: the cabaret – Full Story Summer Rejected for a Canadian visa six times thanks to her ‘unique’ Pakistani passport, debut artist Almitra Mavalvala moved to Australia and channelled her rage into Blacklisted, a one-woman, genre-bending show. In an episode that blends the stage and storytelling, audio ...
01.08.2023 Finding Afghanistan in the Australian outback – Full Story summer Hazara refugee and photographer Muzafar Ali fled Afghanistan in 2012 and arrived in Adelaide via Indonesia. In his quest to find belonging in a new country, Muzafar goes back in time to the Afghan cameleers, who migrated to Australia 160 ...
01.05.2023 Why Jane Austen is a ‘problematic fave’ for women of colour – Full Story Summer What does a white woman writing in the 18th century have in common with South Asian women in the 21st century? Allison Chan speaks to Sarah Malik and Sharmini Kumar – both women of colour – about their identification and ...
01.04.2023 A woman, a bike, an impossible goal? – Full Story Summer Four thousand kilometres. Thirteen days. This is the record Kristina Rivers is attempting to break to be the fastest woman to cycle from Cottesloe Beach in Perth to Manly Beach in Sydney. Why does someone set such an ambitious goal? ...
01.03.2023 In the synth gym with machines used by Kate Bush, Vangelis and R2-D2 – Full Story Summer Housing hundreds of working and often rare synthesisers, the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio allows anyone to come in and play on machines such as the CS-80, that was used by composer Vangelis for the Blade Runner soundtrack, or the Fairlight ...
01.02.2023 How to tell your parents you want to be a comedian – Full Story Summer How do you tell your brown parents you’re pursuing a career in comedy? In a frank and hilarious interview, comedian Jeremy Franco is interviewed by Guardian Australia audio producer Karishma Luthria about the challenges facing south Asian content creators – ...
01.01.2023 Cockatoo v human: the battle of the bins – Full Story Summer It’s human against cockatoo in what experts have called an ‘interspecies innovation arms race’. Residents in some Sydney suburbs have been locked in battle for decades trying to secure their trash from increasingly canny bin-raiding cockies. Laura Murphy-Oates captures the ...
12.29.2022 Revisited: Uncovering the truth of a historic police shooting at Uluru In 1934, Pitjantjatjara man Yukun was killed in a police shooting at Uluru. For decades, his remains were kept in a museum. After a journey of discovery involving a long-lost diary and a forensic search of hundreds of Aboriginal remains, ...
12.28.2022 Revisited: the radical plan to move a country For years, politicians and scientists have been talking about the prospect of climate migration, but in Fiji – where this process has already begun – a national blueprint has been developed to relocate at-risk villages, and the rest of the ...
12.27.2022 Revisited: The ugly truth about beauty filters So-called ‘beauty filters’ have become commonplace for selfies on social media, offering users an instantly made-up, blemish-free version of themselves to share with the world online. Some believe these filters reinforce unrealistic, western beauty standards, with some content creators resorting ...
12.26.2022 Revisited: Australia’s first transgender priest on breaking ground and a bruising political debate In February, debate over the Morrison government’s religious discrimination bill – and the right for religious schools to expel transgender kids – reached fever pitch, dividing religious communities and the Liberal party. In the wake of this moment, Laura Murphy-Oates ...
12.25.2022 Revisited: Home to Biloela In this episode from June, we revisit the moment the Nadesalingam family returned to their home town of Biloela in central Queensland, after more than four years in immigration detention. During that time the Tamil family became the face of ...
12.23.2022 Katharine Viner on 2022 The Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, talks about how the newspaper covered a year that witnessed war in Europe, three UK prime ministers, the death of the Queen and a winter of industrial strife
12.21.2022 Katharine Murphy on a year of political change This year Australia has seen a change of government, the introduction of a large progressive crossbench and a slew of concerns, from the rising cost of living to modern threats against national security. Guardian Australia’s political editor, Katharine Murphy, talks ...
12.20.2022 2022 in sport: the moments that took our breath away 2022 was a thrilling year in sport with the games and the crowds returning in force and Australian athletes such as Ash Barty, Stephanie Gilmore, Garang Kuol and others making international headlines. Guardian Australia’s sport editor, Mike Hytner, joins Laura ...
12.19.2022 2022 in culture: Australian music, prestige TV and awards show fiascos In 2022, nightlife, theatre and music festivals came back across Australia, but wild weather and Covid-19 made for a bumpy landing. The year also delivered a dazzling array of film, prestige TV (including an Australian-made international hit) and a series ...
12.18.2022 Adam Morton on Australia and the climate crisis: what happened in 2022 and what’s next? Labor has had a number of environmental priorities, from trying to slow the rapid decline of Australia’s natural environment to seeking greater influence at international climate talks. Guardian Australia climate and environment editor Adam Morton talks to Jane Lee about ...
12.15.2022 The most pivotal stories of the year – with Lenore Taylor and Mike Ticher The election of a new government in May brought a renewed sense that politics could be done differently. But for many, the challenges of the past few years continue. Flooding has left communities across the country struggling to rebuild, while ...
12.14.2022 Building for end times: the boom in bunkers Threat of nuclear war and a global pandemic have spurred a boom in individuals purchasing survival bunkers, says author Bradley Garrett How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know
12.13.2022 How to Covid-proof your Christmas As Australians head into their first Christmas break without mandatory isolation requirements for those who test positive to Covid-19 the Doherty Institute’s director Prof Sharon Lewin answers your questions about how you and your family can best avoid coronavirus during ...
12.12.2022 The far-right radical in Israel’s new government Itamar Ben-Gvir has spent a lifetime on the fringes of Israeli politics. He was once considered so extreme that he wasn’t allowed to serve in the Israeli army. Now he is the country’s security minister. Bethan McKernan reports
12.11.2022 The legacy of Keating’s Redfern address – with Lorena Allam, Stan Grant and others Saturday marked 30 years since Paul Keating addressed a crowd in Redfern, and delivered what is often referred to as the greatest oratory in Australian political history. ‘The Redfern address’ was the first time a prime minister spoke about the ...
12.08.2022 Robodebt: a devastating failure of policy – with Lenore Taylor The scheme that has been described as a shameful chapter in Australian history was supposed to balance the budget and save the government $1.5bn. But after robodebt was found to be unlawful, the government was forced to pay out $1.8bn ...
12.07.2022 The draconian law that saw climate activist Violet Coco jailed Climate protester Violet Coco’s 15-month jail term for demonstrating on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has raised alarm amongst environmentalists, human rights organisations and a UN special rapporteur. She is the first person to be sentenced to prison under NSW anti-protest ...
12.06.2022 Imprisoned for being HIV positive In more than 80 countries, people living with HIV still face criminalisation. We hear from two people who faced criminal charges in the US
12.05.2022 The Australian investors caught in the crypto crash Around 30,000 Australian investors were caught up in the collapse of cryptocurrency platform FTX last month, after it which filed for bankruptcy in the US. Now attention has turned to FTX’s operations in Australia and how it came to obtain ...
12.04.2022 China’s zero-Covid protests China has been rocked by an outpouring of communal anger at the government’s restrictive zero-Covid lockdown policies. Could the protests develop into something more substantial? Tania Branigan reports
12.01.2022 Have the Nationals derailed the voice to parliament? This week the National party said they will not support the proposal for an Indigenous voice to parliament, derailing hopes for bipartisan support for a referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition. In this episode of Full Story, Gabrielle Jackson speaks to ...
11.30.2022 Anthony Albanese and the new politics – with Katharine Murphy The Labor party went to the 2022 election promising Australians a new kind of politics. Six months on, is the party living up to this promise? And how is Anthony Albanese – once known as a fierce partisan fighter – ...
11.29.2022 How to fix Australia’s insurance crisis \| Full Story podcast While touring flood-ravaged areas of NSW, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, faced questions about the exorbitant cost of flood insurance, which has proved prohibitive for many residents in high-risk areas. Experts say rising costs associated with climate crisis hazards are ...
11.28.2022 A blow for independence in Scotland The supreme court has ruled that the Scottish parliament cannot hold a second referendum without Westminster’s approval. Where does that leave the independence movement?
11.27.2022 Who will foot the bill for global climate disasters? Developing countries had a win at this year’s international climate summit Cop27, with developed countries agreeing to chip in to a fund to cover loss and damage from climate disasters. Jane Lee speaks to climate and environment editor Adam Morton ...
11.26.2022 How did Daniel Andrews win his third Victorian election? Daniel Andrews has been returned for a historic third term as Victorian premier despite a swing against Labor in the state’s election. Jane Lee speaks with Victorian state correspondent Benita Kolovos about what the results tell us about how the ...
11.24.2022 Are electric vehicles about to become affordable? – with Lenore Taylor For years the majority of Australians have been shut out of the electric vehicle market. But after Labor passed a bill that will phase out public support for petrol-based hybrids, electric cars are finally poised to become cheaper and more ...
11.23.2022 World Cup 2022: chaos, protests and a glimmer of hope for the Socceroos The 2022 Fifa World Cup is well underway in Qatar, with an admirable performance from the Socceroos in their debut match against France, the defending champions. The cup is one of the most watched sporting events in the world but ...
11.22.2022 Donald Trump re-enters the battleground for the presidency Donald Trump has announced his third run for president, and not all Republicans are happy about it. Not only have there been a string of midterm losses by candidates he handpicked and supported, but in the background authorities are investigating ...
11.21.2022 Buy now, pay later and the revolving door of debt Buy now, pay later services like Afterpay and Zip offer an easy alternative avenue of credit, attracting millions of users in Australia. A treasury paper released this week warns that these platforms are landing vulnerable people in a spiral of ...

Older episodes

Full Story

What's Full Story about?

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Full Story episodes:

It’s getting hot in here: the return of El Niño

Wesley Enoch on Australia’s Day of Mourning | Full Story podcast

The Wieambilla shooting: Madelyn Train on her parents’ ‘chapter of evil’

Joe Biden, Donald Trump and those classified documents

Her own kind of leader – the legacy of Jacinda Ardern

The details on the Indigenous voice to parliament with Megan Davis

Five years in jail and 25 seeking justice: the malicious prosecution of Terry Irving

The arrest of Andrew Tate: the ‘king of toxic masculinity’

Portraits to go and prose like Tim Winton: ChatGPT and the rise of AI

David Marr on the life and legacy of Cardinal George Pell

Finding Australia’s most beautiful bookstore

Discomfort, discovery and hope during a day at the beach

What drawing has taught me about myself – Full Story summer

Waiting for a visa: the cabaret – Full Story Summer

Finding Afghanistan in the Australian outback – Full Story summer

Why Jane Austen is a ‘problematic fave’ for women of colour – Full Story Summer

A woman, a bike, an impossible goal? – Full Story Summer

In the synth gym with machines used by Kate Bush, Vangelis and R2-D2 – Full Story Summer

How to tell your parents you want to be a comedian – Full Story Summer

Cockatoo v human: the battle of the bins – Full Story Summer

Revisited: Uncovering the truth of a historic police shooting at Uluru

Revisited: the radical plan to move a country

Revisited: The ugly truth about beauty filters

Revisited: Australia’s first transgender priest on breaking ground and a bruising political debate

Revisited: Home to Biloela

Katharine Viner on 2022

Katharine Murphy on a year of political change

2022 in sport: the moments that took our breath away

2022 in culture: Australian music, prestige TV and awards show fiascos

Adam Morton on Australia and the climate crisis: what happened in 2022 and what’s next?

The most pivotal stories of the year – with Lenore Taylor and Mike Ticher

Building for end times: the boom in bunkers

How to Covid-proof your Christmas

The far-right radical in Israel’s new government

The legacy of Keating’s Redfern address – with Lorena Allam, Stan Grant and others

Robodebt: a devastating failure of policy – with Lenore Taylor

The draconian law that saw climate activist Violet Coco jailed

Imprisoned for being HIV positive

The Australian investors caught in the crypto crash

China’s zero-Covid protests

Have the Nationals derailed the voice to parliament?

Anthony Albanese and the new politics – with Katharine Murphy

How to fix Australia’s insurance crisis | Full Story podcast

A blow for independence in Scotland

Who will foot the bill for global climate disasters?

How did Daniel Andrews win his third Victorian election?

Are electric vehicles about to become affordable? – with Lenore Taylor

World Cup 2022: chaos, protests and a glimmer of hope for the Socceroos

Donald Trump re-enters the battleground for the presidency

Buy now, pay later and the revolving door of debt