The Briefing

Deep Dive: Millions of us watch TV shows like Australian Idol and The Voice, cheering on ordinary people with music talent as they chase their dream for stardom.

But a new LiSTNR podcast documentary The Moment It Changed: Touchdown lifts the lid on the truth behind how music competition TV is made, from stories of shocking exploitation and humiliation to the euphoria of overnight success.

Among those who speak out in the series are former Australian Idol judges Mark Holden and Ian "Dicko" Dickson and past winners Dami Im and Casey Donovan. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with Touchdown host Nic Kelly to unpack what goes on behind the curtains.

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Monday Headlines: Scomo among hundreds on King’s Honours list, National Guard arrives in LA against anti-ICE protests, candlelight vigils held for Pheobe Bishop, a record number of young Aussies are working more than one part-time job and three quarters of Aussies don’t know their neighbours.

Deep Dive:  The Big Freeze is an annual event that’s become a highlight of the AFL’s King’s Birthday clash for more than a decade.  
 
It features Aussie celebrities and sport stars in blue beanies plunging into ice baths as part of the pre-match entertainment. But behind the spectacle is a powerful campaign raising awareness and funds for motor neurone disease or MND. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Matt Tilley, CEO of FightMND, about the origins of the Big Freeze and how it became one of Australia’s most visible health campaigns. 

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Cheng Lei was detained by the Chinese Government back in 2020, accused of espionage and of leaking state secrets to foreign organisations.

The Australian journalist, born in China, spent years in detention with no trial, no access to her children and no lawyer - including over six months in solitary confinement. 

Lei was eventually forced to plead guilty to trumped-up charges, but in late 2023 she was released with the help of the Australian Government.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Lei shares the brutal conditions she was held under, why she still holds love for China and takes us inside her new memoir, Cheng Lei. 

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• TO LISTEN: Good Hang with Amy Poehler
• TO READ: The Eyes of Gaza: A Diary of Resilience by Plestia Alaqad
• TO EAT: Sweet potato halloumi fritters
• TO EAT: Kreenuts (Helen also taste tested and approved) 

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Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.  

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.  

In this special series of The Briefing, Helen Smith unpacks day 28 of the trial in under two minutes.  

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Afternoon Headlines: Jumping castle operator found not guilty over incident that left six children dead, Chris Dawson’s legal bid over a sexual abuse charge fails and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet US President Donald Trump in the G-7 summit next week

Deep Dive: Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s fight has just escalated to dangerous new levels with the tech billionaire letting loose on social media.

After leaving the White House, Musk has made some explosive allegations against the US President including claims he is on Jeffrey Epstein’s list.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by journalist Matt Bevan to unpack the implications this latest blow-up has for all of us. 

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Friday Headlines: Pheobe Bishop’s housemates charged with murder, NZ MPs who performed haka in Parliament given record suspensions, weight loss drug warning over pregnancies, major pet changes in family law disputes, and the Socceroos have all but qualified for the 2026 World Cup.

Deep Dive: Chocolate prices have surged in the last year, with blocks now selling for $8 at major supermarkets - more than double what we were paid a decade ago.  

Global cocoa prices have hit record highs, but climate change and inflation aren’t the only culprits - with a little-known international deal also at play. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with journalist and host of The Internet Reviewed on YouTube Kirsten Drysdale to unpack what’s really driving the rising cost of chocolate. 

Further listening from the headlines: 
What happened to Pheobe Bishop?

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Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.  

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.  

In this special series of The Briefing, Helen Smith unpacks day twenty-seven of the trial in under two minutes.  

Follow The Briefing: 
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom 
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast 
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom 
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afternoon Headlines: US President Donald Trump bans 12 countries from the US, Senior Coalition members hit back at former Liberal Party Leader Alan Stockdale over comments on assertive women and Perth banned the hiring of E-Scooters after man's death

Deep Dive: This week the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or AHPRA announced sweeping new rules for the cosmetic industry, putting dodgy operators on notice. 

The new regulations come into force in September and will apply to a number of cosmetic procedures including injectables, fillers and some dental work. 

In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Jack Zoumaras, a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, on what these new changes mean and how to choose a safe and reputable operator. 

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Thursday Headlines: NSW gamblers now losing $24 million to pokies every day, future of Tasmanian Premier and AFL team hangs in the balance, Australia’s defence force chief issues new warning, Enhanced Games hits back at World Aquatics, and Hungry Jacks trials AI drive-thru in Sydney.

Deep Dive: Australia now has the highest rates of early-onset bowel cancer globally, with the number of people diagnosed under 50 growing each year.  

A recent study found Aussie Gen Z’ers and Millennials are up to three times more likely to develop the disease compared to those born a few decades prior.   

Experts are now trying to find out why.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks to one of the co-authors of the study, epidemiologist Professor Mark Jenkins, about what might be behind the rise, and one of the young Aussies who beat the disease. 

Further listening from the headlines: 
Like the Olympics, but on steroids. Meet the Enhanced Games
We’re training AI to blackmail us

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.  

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.  

In this special series of The Briefing, Helen Smith unpacks day twenty-six of the trial in under two minutes.  

You can access the Butterfly Foundation if this raises any issues for you on 1800 33 4673 or webchat.

Follow The Briefing: 
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom 
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast 
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom 
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.