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The senior leader of the ultra-conservative religious group, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, has appeared before a parliamentary inquiry to respond to allegations of interference in the last federal election in 2025.

Senior leaders of the the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church have given evidence at a parliamentary inquiry on allegations of interference with the 2025 federal election. Bruce Hales and his son, Gareth Hales, appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in the latest hearing.

In this episode:

• What are the allegations against the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church?
• Why have the leaders of the Brethren group been asked to appear at a parliamentary inquiry?
• How are election interference concerns being addressed?

Labor's digital duty of care bill would let Australians opt out of social media algorithms.

Labor has introduced its digital duty of care bill, giving Australians the option to opt in or out of algorithm-driven social media feeds. Supporters say it will improve online safety, while critics argue it either goes too far or not far enough. What changes could be coming, and why is the debate so divided?

In this episode:

• How the proposed digital duty of care would let users take greater control over what appears in their social media feeds.
• Why the government says the bill is about online safety, not regulating speech.
• The controversial provision removed after concerns it could be seen as political censorship.
• Why the Greens argue the legislation lacks key protections for people harmed online.
• How the Coalition, independents and Labor MPs are clashing over who should be responsible for keeping Australians safe online.

New Greens leadership, rising inflation and the political fallout from the OpenAI Medicare data breach.

The Greens have chosen a new leader as cost-of-living pressures and rising inflation dominate Canberra. This week’s politics wrap also examines the fallout from the OpenAI Medicare data breach, a government cybersecurity review, and the growing debate over how artificial intelligence should be regulated.

In this episode:

• David Shoebridge takes over as Greens leader and outlines his pitch to voters.
• New inflation figures reignite debate over interest rates and government spending.
• Anthony Albanese signals more cost-of-living relief, but not until later this year.
• Government departments are ordered to strengthen cybersecurity after the OpenAI Medicare data breach.
• Regulators, ministers and tech leaders clash over how AI should be governed.

The university sector is pushing back against One Nation's migration plan, which would cut hundreds of thousands of international student and graduate places over three years. Pauline Hanson says she's reflecting the will of the people, but industry leaders say the policy could wreak havoc on the economy and worsen skills shortages. The policy has also prompted fresh calls for reform and investment in research and education.

In this podcast episode, we hear how One Nation's proposed migration cuts have triggered strong opposition from universities, student groups and industry leaders, who argue the policy would harm education, research, economic growth and Australia's skilled workforce.

The main points:

1. One Nation has proposed major migration cuts:
   The party wants to reduce migration by more than 750,000 places over three years, targeting international students, graduate visa holders, skilled migrants and their families.
2. Universities warn of serious economic and research impacts:
   University leaders argue the cuts would damage Australia's international education sector, reduce research funding, hurt the economy, and put jobs at risk. They say international education contributes billions of dollars annually.
3. The policy has become part of a broader political debate:
   Critics from the university sector say One Nation is not alone in seeking tighter student migration settings, arguing both Labor and the Coalition have also supported measures such as student caps and visa restrictions.
4. International students and universities reject claims they are "visa factories"
   Student representatives say international students have not been properly consulted in the debate and support stronger quality controls rather than arbitrary visa cuts. Universities argue most international students return home after graduating and are not using study as a migration pathway.
5. Business groups warn the cuts could worsen skills shortages:
   Industry leaders say reducing skilled migration and graduate visas could deepen existing labour shortages in sectors such as engineering, healthcare, aged care, trades and cybersecurity. They are calling for a more efficient and transparent migration system instead of large reductions.

Independent Fatima Payman earlier this year became the first ever WA senator to give birth while serving parliament. While she isn't the first person in the Parliament to find a way to make it work, it's always a challenge to balance the requirements of Parliament with the needs of a young baby. Now, as Canberra sits once agai, she's been talking to SBS reporter Chris Tan to talk about motherhood, politics and in a political environment that's highly charged around the topic of multiculturalism and migrants... the kind of Australia she wants to leave for her daughter.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with Vietnam’s president Tô Lâm in Canberra, where they agreed to deepen economic cooperation. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to rules based multilateral trading amid uncertainty caused by rising protectionism and conflict overseas. Critics have called on the Australian government to press Vietnam on its domestic laws, which have been criticised by human rights groups.

Free drugs, escorts, and flights to sporting events. A Senate committee in Canberra has heard about the extraordinary tactics some major betting companies use to incentivise gambling addicts to continue spending millions.

As Labor's national conference continues, critics argue it has allowed little room for dissent, with key issues like gas, gambling and AUKUS largely resolved before being publicly debated on the conference floor. Backbencher Ed Husic is among those calling for more robust debate.

Pauline Hanson has declared Australia should be a monoculture, in a sweeping address at the nation's most coveted political platform, the National Press Club. She's also criticised the public broadcasters and confirmed its official One Nation policy to scrap funding to SBS.

The United States has proposed a new set of tariffs on 60 trading partners, including Australia, alleging they have failed to impose and enforce forced labour bans in their supply chains. The Australian government has rejected the accusations and says the proposed 12.5 per cent import tax contravenes the free trade agreement.

The United States has proposed a new set of tariffs on 60 trading partners, including Australia, alleging they have failed to impose and enforce forced labour bans in their supply chains.

The Australian government has rejected the accusations and says the proposed 12.5 per cent import tax contravenes the free trade agreement.