Japan is planning a dramatic shift back to nuclear power more than a decade on from the Fukushima disaster. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced last week Japan will restart idle reactors and develop new plants to avoid new strains on power grids that buckled under heavy demand this summer. 

We’re joined by Dr Carol Bond from RMIT, a political and social scientist with a focus on energy policy. In this episode of the Briefing, is Japan ready to transition back to nuclear energy, what are the risks, and what has it learned in the wake of the Fukushima disaster?

Is Japan ready to transition back to nuclear energy?

Today's Headlines:

- Liz Truss to be new British PM
- Manhunt continues in Canada after stabbing murder spree
- Wayne Carey denies white powder is banned substance
- Aussies through to US Open quarters after historic day in NY
- Tracey Grimshaw to leave A Current Affair

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A new study has found friendships between rich and poor can reduce poverty. The study looked at thousands of social media connections and found if poor children grew up in neighbourhoods where 70% of their friends were wealthy, it would increase their future incomes by 20%.

We’re joined by one of the study’s authors, Matthew O Jackson, a professor of Economics and Stanford University who explains how the study was conducted and what they found.

In this episode of the Briefing, how your friends impact your bank balance.

Today's Headlines:

- 5 million to benefit from welfare increases
- Climate bill debate begins today
- Trump holds first rally since FBI raid
- Kyrgios to take on Medvedev in bid for US Open quarters
- Nirvana wins court case over baby photo

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Johnny Ruffo is an Australian singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, television personality and now a newly minted author, with his memoir No Finish Line.  

 

Johnny auditioned for X-Factor Australia in 2011 on a whim and after placing third signed a recording contract with Sony. He won Dancing with the Stars the following year, released a debut single and joined the cast of Home and Away. Then Johnny started suffering from severe headaches, and after emergency surgery, woke up and was told he has brain cancer. By 2019 he was in remission but in 2020 the cancer returned. Five years on and he is still fighting - and he’s fighting to win.

 

In this conversation Jamila Rizvi and Johnny Ruffo discuss Johnny’s rise to super stardom, his on-going battle with brain cancer and discover they have something surprising in common. 

 

THE WEEKEND LIST:

WATCH: Have You Been Paying Attention? – Monday’s at 8:30pm Channel 10 or TenPlay  

WATCH: House of the Dragon – BINGE

LISTEN: Where should we begin? With Esther Perel 

EAT: Rice Paper Puff Recipe 

 

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Could your next job be in tech?

Job shortages are hitting the Australian economy hard, mostly in lower-skilled lower-paid jobs. One sector is bucking the trend; the tech sector is growing, with the number of jobs set to triple while salaries are growing strongly. We talk to Australia Tech Council deputy CEO Tom McMahon to get to the bottom of why Australia is so bad at tech.

Dude, where’s my tech job?  Addressing chronic shortages in Australia’s tech sector.

Today's Headlines:

- Second day of jobs summit gets started
- French president to visit Australia
- Changes to Covid guidelines
- Malcolm Turnbull confronted by university students
- Serena Williams’ grand farewell at the US is not over yet

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In one of the most anticipated courtroom verdicts in living memory, Chris Dawson was this week found guilty of murdering his wife Lynette more than 40 years ago. A packed court heard Dawson murdered his wife so he could pursue a relationship with the Dawsons’ teenage babysitter.

We’re joined by Matthew Condon, a journalist with the Australian who worked alongside Hedley Thomas, the creator of the Teacher’s Pet podcast which sparked the renewed hunt for the truth behind Lynette Dawson’s disappearance.

In this episode of The Briefing, the Chris Dawson murder verdict explained.

Today's Headlines:

- Covid isolation period reduced
- New fire danger system rolled out
- Cosmetic surgery recommendations handed down
- Gorbachev to be laid to rest in Moscow

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At May’s federal election, six so-called teal independents defeated six sitting Liberal MPs. Teal is a mix of green and blue - so voters saw the six candidates as having conservative views, while supporting a green, or climate active, political leaning. 

Tom and Annika take a deep dive on the teals, as both NSW and Victoria head to the polls in the next six months. Will the teal wave crash the upcoming elections - and could we see a repeat of what happened in the federal poll which saw a reshaping of the federal parliament?

In this episode of the Briefing, could we see a repeat of the teal wave from May’s federal election in upcoming state elections?

Today's Headlines:

- Chris Dawson found guilty
- LIV Golf signs Cameron Smith
- Omicron booster given green light
- Most popular delivery dishes revealed

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Back on July 19th, Australia’s first fixed pill testing site opened in Canberra’s city centre. The pilot program is running two nights a week for six months. Pill testing was one of the recommendations made by a coronial inquest into festival deaths. The team behind this latest site, called Harm Reduction Australia, has run a couple of trials of pill testing before at the Groovin the Moo festivals in Canberra.

We’re joined by Professor Malcolm McLeod, a chemist from the ANU and chemistry lead for CanTEST and Pill Testing Australia to find out how the testing went.

In today’s Briefing, we find out what was in the drugs, and how people reacted when the drugs they bought were not what they thought they were.

Today's Headlines:

- NASA rocket delayed
- CSIRO releases pandemic report
- Albo doesn’t rule out high income tax cuts
- Grace Tame says abuser still harassing her
- Chris Dawson verdict to be handed down

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Could BeReal overtake Instagram and Facebook?

Data from Google trends, which ranks a search term’s popularity out of 100, shows social media platform BeReal shot from 38 to 92 points the same week “Make Instagram Instagram Again” started trending. We’re joined by Claire Reilly - an Aussie tech journo living in San Fran working for tech news site CNet to find out what Be Real is all about, and if it will eventually threaten the big guns, Facebook and Instagram.

So how big a deal is BeReal, and could it be the next major social media platform?

Today's Headlines:

- Unions move to strike bargaining deal with small business
- Big news for nurses and midwives in Victoria
- Bali bomb mastermind says his involvement was a ‘mistake’
- Push to reduce Covid isolation rules

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The Science Briefing is a new podcast from LiSTNR and The Royal Institution of Australia about the science of everything and your new go-to podcast for your snapshot of science news.

In this episode, Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Petra Stock about how we perceive robots and the lengths to which we, as humans, breathe life into machines.

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Nevo Zisin is a queer author, speaker, performer, and activist.

Their speaking and writing in the gender and LGBTQIA+ space has been affirming for so many queer kids and adults, and educative for friends, family and allies alike. Nevo’s books Finding Nevo and The Pronoun Lowdown are available at all good bookstores.

 

In this conversation Jamila Rizvi and Nevo Zisin discuss queer activism, Nevo’s personal journey of self-discovery and the importance of a loving and supportive environment for all kids to thrive.

 

CONTENT WARNING: Brief mention of suicide

Help and support is always available. If you need to talk, please contact Lifeline by calling 13 11 14 or Q-Life 1800 184 527, an anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ support, 3pm-12am. 

 

THE WEEKEND LIST:

WATCH: The Handmaids Tale – SBS On Demand

READ: The Crikey Read – Leaning Out by Kristine Ziwica

WATCH: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – HAYU

DO: Help fight famine by writing to your local MP - https://www.fightfamine.com.au/  

 

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