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In 1994, Ivan Milat was jailed for life for the murder of seven backpackers, whose bodies were found in the remote Belanglo state forest in the New South Wales southern highlands. Milat died in jail in 2019, aged 74. Now, a NSW parliamentary inquiry into unsolved murders and long-term missing cases from 1965 to 2010 could link many more victims to the infamous serial killer. NSW correspondent Anne Davies speaks to Reged Ahmad about why it’s estimated Milat could have murdered more than 80 people and the continued efforts by victims’ family members to uncover the truth

This week, Donald Trump described Europe as ‘weak’ and ‘decaying’ and warned of ‘civilisational collapse’ on the continent due to immigration. His administration also published its blueprint for national security, which suggests that democracy might not be as important to the Trump White House as it has been for previous administrations. Jonathan Freedland speaks to the US military scholar Joseph Stieb about the Trump administration’s national security strategy

What lessons from 2025 can Labor and the Coalition take into their summer break? After a landslide election win, will Albanese maintain his lead in the polls and use the momentum to achieve ambitious reform? And can the Liberals come back into public favour? Niki Savva, award-winning author of Earthquake: The Election that Shook Australia, joins Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry in this bumper final episode for 2025. The Barries will return to your feed in February 2026

As the year rounds to a close, Anthony Albanese has been on a victory lap, while the Coalition continues to pick up the pieces after a bruising election defeat. But as Labor has slowly been delivering election promises, is there a disconnect between Albanese’s cautious approach and the way Australians feel about their lives? Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, and deputy editors Patrick Keneally and Gabrielle Jackson about Labor’s ambitions, the Coalition’s existential crisis and the stories that will define the year to come

Former pilot Greg Lynn has had his conviction for murdering an elderly camper in the Victorian high country overturned in a stunning decision made by Victoria’s highest court. Justice and courts reporter, Nino Bucci, speaks to Reged Ahmad about why Lynn’s conviction was overturned and what happened inside the courtroom when the decision was handed down

The communications and sport minister, Anika Wells, should be flying high this week spruiking Australia’s world-first social media ban – instead she is defending her use of travel entitlements. Political editor Tom McIlroy joins Reged Ahmad to discuss whether this latest controversy will see a change to politicians’ perks

Today more than a million teenagers will wake up to find they have been locked out of social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok as Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s comes into force. Guardian Australia technology reporter Josh Taylor speaks to Julie Inman Grant about how she plans to enforce the move, why it could fail and how taking on the tech giants has come at a personal cost

Max Rushden is joined by Geoff Lemon, Ali Martin and James Wallace to discuss another humbling defeat for England as Australia took full control of the series in Brisbane, with Mitchell Starc starring with both bat and ball

At an anti-immigration rally in Sydney late last month, pamphlets for a new populist political venture were being handed out to the crowd bearing the name and the colours of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. So who is behind the group calling themselves Reform Australia, and what does its digital footprint reveal? Nour Haydar speaks with investigations reporter Ariel Bogle and political reporter Sarah Basford Canales on the rightwing group seeking to recruit at rallies

Gus Lamont went missing in the Australian outback on 27 September. Despite one of the largest and most intensive searches for a missing person in South Australia, no trace has been found of the four-year-old. Senior reporter Tory Shepherd speaks to Reged Ahmad about how the child has seemingly vanished and left only questions about what could have happened