The Briefing

Friday Headlines: Third Coalition leader ousted from top job this week, neo-Nazi leader reportedly charged over alleged harassment of federal MP, coroner to hand down findings into Australia’s first Christian terror attack today, Anthony Albanese touches down in South Africa for G20 summit, and an Aussie surprise as the world’s coolest streets are named. 

Deep Dive: After 13 long years of schooling, thousands of kids across the country are packing their bags for destinations across Australia – and now the world – to celebrate Schoolies. 

While many will likely party too hard and head home with some regrets, or worse, there’s a growing trend among teenagers to swap getting wasted for wellness. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks to the founder of Red Frogs, Andy Gourley, about how kids are celebrating in 2025 and how much that’s changed since he started his work at leavers events more than 25 years ago. 

Further listening from headlines:
The Coalition killing season has arrived
Vote #1 neo-Nazis 

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It’s one of the oldest, pettiest, and most iconic sporting feuds on earth: Australia vs England, fighting over a tiny terracotta urn.

From England’s full-blown 1882 meltdown at The Oval, to the chaos of Bodyline, Bradman’s god-tier dominance, ball-tampering scandals, this rivalry isn’t just cricket -  it’s the biggest beef in sporting history.

In this episode of The Beefing, Alexandria Funnell breaks down the century-long beef that’s shaped cricket history: the legends, the collapses, the controversies, the sledging, and the moments that turned two nations into lifelong frenemies.

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The CSIRO, Australia's peak science agency, has cut 350 researchers in their latest round of redundancies.  

But experts are warning this is just the tip of the iceberg, with various Federal Governments over the years not properly funding or supporting our world-leading scientists and researchers. 

In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by the CEO of Science & Technology Australia Ryan Winn to unpack why the Government isn’t choosing to invest in Australian science and the dangers of not keeping the research and development in our own backyard.  

Afternoon headlines: Donald Trump signs off on releasing the remaining Epstein files, Australia hands over COP31 to Türkiye, and real estate agents in Victoria required to reveal a property’s reserve price. 

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Thursday Headlines: Australia accused of censoring US citizens, Tropical Cyclone Fina is heading toward the NT, calls for governments to step up action to fight chips and soft drinks, The Louvre announces 100 new security cameras, and Amyl and The Sniffers clean up at the ARIAs!

Deep Dive: AI anxiety is fuelled by warnings that artificial intelligence could replace jobs, upend industries, and even surpass human control within decades. So how seriously should we take these risks, and which human skills will matter most in a future shaped by rapidly advancing AI? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith chats with UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh to break down how worried we should be and what we can do to stay future-proof in an AI-driven world. 

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The ARIAs are on tonight... and we find out why the music industry’s night of nights is more important than ever. As local artists struggle to cut through in a content-overloaded world, we unpack why the ARIAs are a vital showcase for the superstars of the future. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by podcaster and music expert Alex Dyson. 

Headlines: The legislation to release the Epstein files now needs to be signed by the US President, new laws banning Nazi slogans and symbols have been introduced by the New South Wales Government, and the Cambridge Dictionary has revealed its word of the year for 2025. 

Matt & Alex All Day Breakfast Live. 

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Wednesday Headlines: Outage takes down popular apps and Aussie airport sites, US lawmakers to vote on Epstein files, skilled migrants and international students could be slashed under Libs, Roblox to roll out age-verification checks in Australia despite social media ban exemption, and Eminem sues Aussie swim company. 

Deep Dive: A new claim for native title rights has been filed with the Federal Court, which, if successful, will cover Melbourne and its surrounds. 

While corners of the community might react with concern and even anger at new native title claims, what exactly are they? And is the criticism justified? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Kieren Murray, a Wiradjuri man and lawyer at the First Nations Legal & Research Services to unpack it.  

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Pauline Hanson and Mehreen Faruqi’s long-running feud has turned into a legal showdown, with Hanson's tweet telling Faruqi to ‘pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan’ at the centre of the battle.  

The two senators' politics sit at complete opposite ends of the spectrum, Faruqi a senator for the Greens and Hanson the leader of One Nation.  

In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks how these senators ended up in politics and why Hanson is refusing to accept the court’s ruling in Faruqi’s favour - launching an appeal that’s pushed the feud back into the headlines. 

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The Coalition implosion continues... while the focus has been on the Federal infighting... now the state parties in both NSW and Victoria are falling apart. Victoria has a new Opposition leader, the NSW Nationals boss has resigned, and now speculation is rife that the NSW Liberal leader will also go.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Liberal Party strategist turned pollster Tony Barry to unpack the fallout and why he is warning the party is dead unless it returns to its core values. 

Headlines: The family of Hannah McGuire has broken down in tears after her killer was sentenced to 28 years' jail for the young woman’s murder, the federal government has welcomed the UN Security Council passing Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, and the finalists for the Macquarie Dictionary’s word of the year have been released. 

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Tuesday Headlines: Visa revoked for Neo-nazi who attended Sydney rally, Sussan Ley says she will lead the Coalition to the next election, jail time for Aussie man who ambushed Ariana Grande on red carpet, more schools to close over asbestos contamination and Joey takes you inside another undercover investigation in the new episode of Secrets We Keep: Uncovered.  

Deep Dive: The Church of Scientology has long been shrouded in controversy and secrecy, with allegations of mental, emotional, financial, sexual and physical abuse. 

It was even banned in Australia following an inquiry in the 1960s, before being recognised as a religion by the High Court in 1983. 

Now in 2025, Scientology Melbourne has started posting on TikTok in a bid to lure younger members, as an inquiry in Victoria examines the harms caused by high-control religious groups, including Scientology. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with investigative journalist Bryan Seymour about the church’s attempts to recruit on social media and why we should be worried about it. 

Further listening from headlines: 
Vote #1 neo-Nazis is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts 
BONUS: Inside the Wicked press tour insanity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Sussan Ley is under siege. Faced with selling the Coalition’s new energy policy, the Opposition Leader is fighting for survival with renewed leadership speculation and the party again recording plummeting polling numbers. 

In this special edition of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Sussan Ley for a revealing conversation about net zero, values over votes and her late mother’s timely advice. 

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