The Briefing

Donald Trump’s war on the media has just escalated, with the Jimmy Kimmel Show cancelled after the late-night night host made comments about the US President’s reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. President Trump today also banned Australia’s ABC from attending a news conference after a 4 Corners journalist questioned the US leader over his family’s business dealings. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Crikey journalist Charlie Lewis to unpack what these latest developments mean for the independence of media and freedom of speech. 

Headlines: A major court win for former broadcaster Alan Jones, the federal government has handed down its long-awaited emissions reduction target, and retail giant Kmart has been found to have unlawfully used facial recognition technology. 

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Thursday Headlines: Thousands protest in London as Donald Trump receives a royal welcome in the UK, Vic Police warn of fake cop collecting donations for Porepunkah victims, Australian-first trial to combat gender-based violence to launch, Ben & Jerry's co-founder quits over Gaza dispute with parent company, and Gout Gout qualifies in Tokyo!

Deep Dive: Influencers and content creators are facing backlash for ‘Taliban tourism’, accused of accepting paid trips to militant-ruled Afghanistan. 
 
Australian blogger Chloe Baredinsky made national headlines over her two-month trip to the country, where it was later revealed she accepted payments toward accommodation, food, permits and guides. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by two Afghan women, Senator Fatima Payman and former worker in Afghanistan's Ministry of Women's Affairs, Nasima Kakaea, to discuss the controversial tourism trend. 

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It’s being labelled as a major diplomatic blunder by the Albanese government, with Papua New Guinea pulling out of signing a key defence treaty with Australia at the last minute. While the federal government was confident of sealing the deal, the dramatic turnaround has raised serious concerns over Australia’s security and diplomatic future in the critical Pacific Region. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Pacific Islands diplomatic expert Mihai Sora to unpack why the failed treaty is a concerning setback for Australia and an important win for China. 

Headlines: Several protestors have been arrested in England after projected images of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were displayed on a castle, hundreds of jobs are set to go in one of Queensland's biggest coal mines, the NSW Government has announced the biggest overhaul of planning laws in half a century, and Virgin Australia has launched its 'Pet in Cabin' flights. 

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Wednesday Headlines: Murder charges laid against Charlie Kirk’s accused killer, terrorism offenses tossed for Luigi Mangione, former broadcaster Alan Jones facing more indecent assault charges, thousands of Palestinians flee Gaza City as UN report finds Israel is committing genocide, White House labels Aussie journo ‘foreign fake news loser’, Albanese government to invest $1.1 billion in sustainable fuels, and Coachella’s 2026 lineup is here!

Deep Dive: Some of our big banks have announced mass redundancies over the last month, impacting thousands of Australians, and the ripple effects for productivity could last for years. 

ANZ said they are cutting around 3,500 jobs over the next 12 months and since then are now facing a record $240 million penalty for widespread misconduct. NAB also announced they will be cutting more than 400 roles and hiring more employees overseas.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Swinburne law and corporate governance expert Helen Bird to explain what happens in mass redundancies and why they aren’t always about cost-cutting.  

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Sunscreen is back in the spotlight, with groundbreaking new research showing a link between daily sunscreen use and vitamin D deficiency. Earlier this year, several sunscreen brands were pulled from shelves over conflicting SPF testing results. Now, new Australian research has shown sunscreen use can also affect our vitamin D levels.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by the author of the study, Professor Rachel Neale, who unpacks the new findings and explains why we should still be using sunscreen. 

Headlines: At least one person has been killed and 7 others have been injured after a gas leak at a Sydney restaurant, guidelines for the under-16 social media ban have been unveiled, and the chief executive of one of Australia’s biggest retail groups has been sacked over an alleged relationship with a senior staff member. 

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Dementia is now Australia’s leading cause of death, and it doesn’t just affect the elderly.  
 
Around 90 kids die from childhood dementia each year in Australia, that’s about the same number of children that die from cancer.  

In this bonus episode of The Briefing, we revisit Antoinette Lattouf’s conversation with Meg Maack - CEO of the Childhood Dementia Initiative and mother to two children with childhood dementia.  

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Tuesday Headlines: FBI says DNA evidence links suspect to Charlie Kirk murder, senior Liberal threatens to quit frontbench over net zero targets, Queensland trio charged relating to 'end of life business,' protestors promise to target Albo’s new office and Cathy Freeman and Nikki Webster return to where it all began! 

Further listening from the headlines: Who’s responsible for the Coalition crisis?

Deep Dive: Anti-immigration protests in Australia and abroad have led to violent, racist attacks, as well as heated and divisive debates online. 

But while the movements have been led by far-right extremists, among attendees and broader supporters, are residents who say they’re just everyday Aussies with ‘legitimate’ immigration concerns. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with immigration and public policy expert, Associate Professor Anna Boucher, on whether these arguments are rooted in truth or falsehoods, and what’s being missed amid the divisive headlines, debates and demonstrations.

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The Coalition has recorded its worst primary result in Newspoll history, as Sussan Ley struggles to save the Liberal Party. The latest research shows a growing number of Australian voters are continuing to abandon the Federal Opposition and head towards minor parties like The Greens and One Nation. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by pollster Tony Barry, who says the Liberal Party can be saved, but its members need to return to core values or will continue to lose millions of young voters in the process. 

Headlines: A sobering new report warns 1.5 million Aussies are at risk from rising sea levels, ANZ has admitted to widespread misconduct and agreed to pay a record $240 million in penalties, and history has been made at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

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Monday Headlines: UK PM says Britain will ‘never surrender’ its flag to far-right protesters, police can't rule out Dezi Freeman hasn't escaped interstate, Coalition records a historic low in poll history, experts warning STI rates have doubled nationwide, and The Emmys are on today.

Deep Dive: Would you hand over your licence, credit card or face ID to access adult content online?  
That’s exactly what could soon be required, as Australia pushes ahead with new age verification laws for porn sites. 

The goal is to protect kids, but can it be done without compromising our privacy? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Crikey's Cam Wilson about how these new rules might work, what they mean for your data, and whether they’ll actually make the internet safer. 

Further listening from the headlines: 
Michael Theo's seven non-negotiables for Love On The Spectrum

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In 2021, a neatly dressed man in his 60s walks into a Sydney Police Station. He looks like a regular guy. But police are stunned - this isn’t just any man. It’s Darko Desic. A fugitive who escaped from Grafton Prison with a hacksaw and bolt cutters three decades earlier. A man who was a prolific weed grower. A man who lived in hiding for 30 years - right under the noses of the police. 

How did he do it? How did he evade capture for so long? And why, after all that time, did he finally give himself up? 

That’s what journalist Tim Elliot set out to uncover in the latest season of LiSTNR’s documentary series, Secrets We Keep. If you’re hooked and want more, click here to go straight to episode 2. 

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