When you think about your best friends, you're probably thinking of people around the same age.

Maybe people you know from school, or at work, or who you grew up with.

But have you ever built a friendship with someone who's a lot older — maybe 30, 40 or 50 years your senior?

On the hack deep dive this week, we're hearing from people who reckon their intergenerational friendships give them access to insights, perspectives and wisdom they would otherwise never get to experience.

We hear from a 17-year-old with a group of friends in their 50s, a teenager who's learnt so much from chats with his elders, and we tag along with our own reporter Alice Angeloni on her hangout with her 82-year-old friend Clive.

Could friendships like these help with Australia's growing problem of loneliness?

We also catch up with a psychologist who reckons: yes.

Guests: 

• Danielle Kennedy, psychologist

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor got arrested on his birthday overnight before being released, with the King's brother facing serious allegations as the fallout from the Epstein files continues. Who's next?

And are aliens real? Barack Obama has had to explain himself, after a suspiciously confident answer on a podcast this week. 

Plus, Channel Nine reporter Danika Mason said sorry and fessed up to having some drinks before a slurred TV cross at the Winter Olympics. When has a drink too many landed you in strife?

And Collingwood is being slammed for asking older members to consider leaving the club money when they die. 

Host Dave Marchese is joined by creator and model Christian Wilkins and sports journalist Marlee Silva. 

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Meta is on trial in a landmark case in the US and CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke in front of the jury today for the first time.  

Plus Gary Stevenson (who you might know as @garyseconomics) grew up poor, became a millionaire trader, and now wants to tax the super rich. 

In the big chat this week, he sits down with Dave to talk about poverty, extreme wealth, and why he reckons Australia has a unique window to fix inequality before it spirals out of control. 

Listen now:

01:11 - Mark Zuckerberg in court 

07:25 - Gary Stevenson on wealth inequality 

Guests: 

• Gary Stevenson, author, economist and former Citibank trader

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Growing up poor, Gary Stevenson always dreamed of being rich.

At 21, he won a job at one of the world's biggest banks and was soon earning more money than he could have ever imagined.

But instead of feeling satisfied, Gary was furious.

He's become one of the world's loudest voices campaigning for higher taxes on billionaires, reaching millions of followers through his socials @garyseconomics.

And now he's shifted his focus to Australia.

In this chat with Dave, Gary opens up about his life, why he believes inequality will only get worse, and how he thinks young Australians can help turn it all around.

Guests: 

• Gary Stevenson, author, economist and former Citibank trader

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Pauline Hanson kind of apologised today, after saying there were "no good Muslims" in a Sky News interview on Monday. So how is the Muslim community feeling?

And everyone knows it's annoying flying with luggage. Turns out, it's even worse when that luggage is a mobility aid that you need to get around.

Plus, six weeks into a ban on demersal fishing off parts of the WA coast, there've been death threats, dead fish in the mail and a guy locking himself to a roof and swallowing the key. What's going on?

Listen now:

01:05 - The impact of Pauline Hanson's "no good Muslims" comment

09:42  - Can the airlines do more for flyers living with disability?

15:43 - The fishing ban fight in the west

Guests: 

• Yasmeen Shadid, member of Lakemba Mosque 
• Professor Jessica Meeuwig, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia

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A group of Australian women and children linked to Islamic State who've spent a decade in a Syrian refugee camp desperately want to come home. But with the government saying it's not its job to help them and One Nation calling for them to be banned, are they stuck?

And one of Australia's biggest unions is facing wild allegations of corruption in Victoria. So how much are dodgy unions costing taxpayers? 

Plus, everyone is talking about fire horses. We get into why Lunar New Year celebrations feel a little different this year. 

Listen now:

01:30  - The Aussie ISIS brides stuck in Syria 

06:40  - How bad is Victoria's union corruption problem?

22:30 - Ringing in the lunar new year

Guests: 

• Benita Kolovos, Victorian correspondent, Guardian Australia
• Maggie Zhou, content creator and podcast host

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Are Australia's major supermarkets tricking customers with discounts that actually don't offer a saving? The ACCC thinks so, and its action against Coles officially kicked off today.

And Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram appeared in court today, facing 15 murder charges and one charge of terrorism. We hear from a reporter who was there.

Plus, have you got a friend from a different generation? How about an age gap of 50 years? We catch up with some young people who reckon their inter-generational friendships bring them a joy they can't find anywhere else.

Listen now: 

01:15  - The ACCC takes on Coles

13:40  - Naveed Akram in court

17:59  - Friendships across generations

Guests:

• Paniora Nukunuku, content creator
• Jamie McKinnell, ABC reporter
• Danielle Kennedy, psychologist

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Juggling study and work can be a struggle at the best of times.

But some uni students are also required to complete thousands of unpaid hours for placement, and many say 'placement poverty' is causing severe financial and psychological distress. 

Now, a group of students and politicians are calling for the government to expand its paid placement scheme. 

Last year, the government started paying students in nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work degrees a small wage during their mandatory placement. 

But students in medicine, speech pathology, dentistry, pharmacy, OT and other courses are not included. 

In this episode, we hear what it's like struggling to get by while on placement and unpack a new proposal to expand the scheme.

Guests: 

• Seniru Mudannayake, president, Australian Medical Students' Association 

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Angus Taylor has been voted in as the new leader of the Liberal party and Sussan Ley says she's quitting politics. We unpack the leadership showdown (and Taylor's infamous social media comment).

And is a grand gesture romantic or manipulative? Olympain Sturla Holm Lægreid's public confession about cheating on his girlfriend has left the internet divided. 

Plus, Wuthering Heights is out and people have thoughts. Some reckon they've done the book dirty, others are loving the Queensland duo's chemistry. 

Host Dave Marchese is joined by Konrad Benjamin aka Punter's Politics and creator and author Alisha Aitken-Radburn.

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Australia may have a new opposition leader by tomorrow, with Angus Taylor officially challenging Sussan Ley today. 

As of now, eight members of the shadow frontbench have quit ahead of the partyroom vote. 

So how did we get here?

We unpack the key players and dark horses vying for a new position. 

Plus, from toothbrushes and food wrapping to your desk at work, the plastics we use contain thousands of chemicals — and most have never been tested for the health risks they pose.

So how worried should we be about our plastic dependence, and how can we use less? 

Listen now: 

01:12  - How the Liberal Party turned on Sussan Ley

05:13 - Would Angus Taylor be a good leader? Not everyone thinks so

16:19 - The plastic inside you

Guests:

• Hollie Hughes, former Liberal Senator
• Kal Glanznig, Sutherland Shire Councillor, documentary maker

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