Luke Grant is joined by Abul Rizvi, former deputy secretary of the Department of Immigration and author of “Population Shock”, who reveals over the past six years Australia has experienced its fifth major wave of asylum seekers.

But unlike the previous four waves, this is by far the largest. This wave is so big that for at least four years prior to COVID-19, asylum seekers were contributing around 10% to 12% of net overseas migration or around 5% to 7% of Australia’s population growth.

This wave of asylum seekers is also the first that is almost entirely a labour trafficking scam organised by various agents and labour-hire companies, whereby they are initially assisted to enter Australia on visitor visas and then to apply for asylum.

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Professor David Flint chats to Luke Grant on the week’s important issues & political news.

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Luke Grant is joined by Sarah Boorer, Nine Radio Journalist & Country Women’s Association award-winning cook, to look at the world of baked goods, delicious treats and & easy recipes.

This week Sarah looks at Florentine Cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Kitchen Mason...

Ingredients

45g (1/4 Cup) Butter

45g (1/4 Cup) Soft Light Brown Sugar

45g (2 tbsp) Golden Syrup

55g (1/3 Cup) Plain Flour

25g (1/4 Cup) Flaked Almonds

200g Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces

NOTE: You can add equal amounts (25g) of any other fillings you may like such as dried cranberries, walnuts, cornflakes. Vanilla and orange rind can also be added. 

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 150°C fan forced and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking paper.

Add the butter, sugar and golden syrup to a saucepan and melt gently over a low heat.

Take off the heat. Add the flour, almonds and other fillings to the pan and mix well to form a wet dough.

Take a teaspoon of the dough and place onto the lined baking sheet. Roughly spread out. Repeat - ensuring you leave PLENTY of space between each one for spreading.

Bake for 10-12 mins or until golden. Allow to cool slightly / harden a little on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool using a flat spatula. Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Melt the dark chocolate in a small bowl in 10 second intervals in the microwave. Stir well between each time until completely melted.

Place a teaspoon sized blob of melted chocolate on the back of a florentine and smooth out to cover the whole side.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature and consume within 1 month.

The cookies can also be backed in a patty cake tin. Ensure you don't add too much batter to ensure the cookie remains crisp. 

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Good news yesterday in the mental health services space - Vulnerable Australians will be able to get help 24 hours a day via text following Lifeline receiving a $1.5m cash injection from the federal government in a move that is expected to particularly benefit young women.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and Suicide Prevention Minister David Coleman announced the new round of funding on Monday, in a bid to ramp up mental health support during the pandemic.

The funding and service expansion arrives after Lifeline has received calls and digital contact in record numbers, recording 3726 calls on New Year’s Day and 609 digital contacts – including text and web chat – in a single night.

Lifeline chief executive Colin Seery says when the pandemic struck, his team “quickly found out we really needed to expand the service as quickly as we could”.   That’s a great outcome and Colin Seery joins Luke Grant to explain how it works.

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Luke Grant is joined by Dr Keith Suter, Managing Director of the Global Directions Think Tank, to talk world affairs following the many listeners having their say yesterday about Russia & Ukraine and of course China & Taiwan.

Taiwan has condemned as “contemptible” the timing of China and Russia’s “no limits” partnership at the start of the Winter Olympics, saying the Chinese government was bringing shame to the spirit of the Games which is bound to ruffle the feathers in Beijing.

Of course China and Russia, at a meeting of their leaders just hours before the Winter Olympics officially opened, backed each other over standoffs on Ukraine and Taiwan with a promise to collaborate more against the west.  Russia voiced its support for China’s stance that democratically governed Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and opposition to any form of independence for the island.  

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said China’s continued false claims that the island was part of the People’s Republic of China were exactly the same as the country’s habit of spreading fake news.

Add to the mix French President Emmanuel Macron trying to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to relax about Ukraine gives Keith Suter a lot to break down with Luke Grant.

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Luke Grant chats with Russell Setright, Australia’s best known Naturopath & author of ‘Get Well in the Golden Years, to get the latest in health and well-being news.

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Each week travel writer Helen Hayes joins Overnight to talk about some of the best destinations in Australia and around the world to inspire travel for all budgets and interests.

This week Helen travels to New Zealand's Otago Central Rail Trail.

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Luke Grant speaks with Sky UK correspondent Enda Brady following Queen Elizabeth II delivering a message on the eve of her 70th anniversary, stating her wish for Prince Charles' wife Camilla to become Queen Consort.

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