A whole mess of AI generated shownotes. Enjoy!
00:25 – Christmas in Hong Kong, KFC in Japan
Joel (Jack the Insider) opens Episode 138 and checks in with Jack (Hong Kong Jack) about Hong Kong’s love of Christmas shopping, surreal mall installations and the absence of nativity scenes, before detouring to Japan’s KFC-at-Christmas tradition.
01:50 – Australia’s world‑first social media ban for under‑16s
The Jacks unpack the new national ban on social media for under‑16s, the generational politics of Gen Alpha kids and millennial parents, and the “pick up a book, go for a bike ride” messaging from Anthony Albanese and Julie Inman Grant.
They read out Vox pops about kids discovering life without apps, YouTube‑driven body image issues, and the early scramble to alternative chat and file‑sharing apps like LemonAid.
05:35 – Social engineering, High Court challenge and mental health concerns
They describe the policy as a conscious piece of social engineering aimed at reshaping youth culture over a decade, and note the High Court challenge led by the Digital Freedom Movement and Libertarian MLC John Ruddick.
Beyond Blue, Headspace, ReachOut and the Black Dog Institute warn about cutting off access to online mental‑health support, as the Jacks weigh the internet’s harms against the value of peer support communities for young people.
09:35 – Enforcement gaps, workarounds and parental resistance
The Jacks discuss uneven implementation, with some under‑16s apparently still able to access Facebook and Instagram while other apps are wiped, and a rush into less‑regulated platforms.
They note reports that up to a third of parents will quietly help kids stay online and float the idea of a nationwide “kitchen‑table” style forum to help parents understand the risks and responsibilities around kids’ social media use.
12:00 – A social experiment the world is watching
They canvas overseas interest, with Denmark, Spain and others eyeing bans at 15 rather than 16, and Sarah Ferguson’s description of Australia’s move as a live “social experiment” whose results are very much unknown.
13:05 – Richo’s state funeral and the dark arts of NSW Labor Right
The conversation turns to Graham “Richo” Richardson’s state funeral, his reputation as Labor’s master organiser and electoral numbers man, and his long life “on the public purse”.
Joel recounts Richo’s link to Balmain Welding and Stan “Standover” Smith, arguing that New South Wales Labor Right’s success always had a darker underbelly.
15:10 – Paul Brereton, the NACC and conflicts of interest
They examine National Anti‑Corruption Commission boss Paul Brereton’s updated disclosures about his ongoing work with the Inspector‑General of the ADF and Afghanistan war‑crimes inquiries, revealed via FOI.
The Jacks question whether someone so intertwined with Defence can credibly oversee corruption matters touching Defence acquisitions, and whether carving out whole domains from his remit makes his appointment untenable.
18:25 – A quiet NACC, no perp walks and media theatre
The Jacks note how quietly the NACC has operated in Canberra—“blink and you’d miss them”—with none of the televised “perp walks” beloved of New South Wales ICAC coverage.
Jack welcomes the absence of media spectacle; Joel admits to missing the grimace‑through‑the‑cameras moment as accused figures run the gauntlet.
19:50 – Victorian youth vote turns on Labor
New polling of 18–34‑year‑olds in Victoria shows Labor’s vote down 11 points to 28 per cent and the Coalition’s up 17 points to 37 per cent, with the Greens steady at 20 per cent.
The Jacks argue the Victorian Labor government looks to be in terminal decline, discuss leadership options for Jacinta Allan, and canvass how quickly preference “cascades” can flip a long‑term government once momentum turns.
22:15 – Green exports vs coal, Treasury modelling under fire
They dissect Treasury modelling which suggests “green exports” (critical minerals, rare earths, battery inputs) will surpass coal and gas within a decade, and note scepticism from former Treasury official and now CBA chief economist Stephen Yeaman.
The Jacks highlight International Energy Agency updates showing coal demand in key markets staying high, and the reality that renewables growth is largely meeting new demand rather than cutting deeply into existing coal and gas use.
25:05 – Coal to 2049 and the reality of the grid
Jack points to Australian market operator projections that coal will remain in the domestic mix until at least 2049, while Joel questions which ageing coal plants will physically survive that long without new builds.
They agree modelling must continually be revised against actual demand profiles in China, India, Indonesia and elsewhere, where coal still supplies half or more of electricity.
27:20 – 30‑year suppression orders and transparency
The Jacks shift to a 30‑year suppression order over evidence behind Tanya Plibersek’s decision to block a $1 billion coal mine until 2055, and more broadly the proliferation of long‑term suppression orders in Australia.
They criticise the over‑use of secrecy in both environmental and criminal matters, arguing it breeds suspicion that justice and accountability can be bought by the wealthy.
28:25 – The “prominent family” sexual assault case in Victoria
Without naming the individual, they discuss a Victorian case involving the convicted son of a prominent family whose identity remains suppressed even after guilty findings for serious sexual offences.
They worry that blanket suppression encourages rumour, misidentification and a sense that powerful people get special treatment, even when protection of victims is a legitimate concern.
30:05 – From undercover cop to gangland wars: how secrecy backfires
Joel revisits an NSW example where an undercover police officer’s drink‑driving conviction was suppressed for 55 years, and Melbourne gangland cases where key cooperating witnesses remained pseudonymous for decades.
The Jacks argue that when authorities create information vacuums, gossip and conspiracy inevitably rush in to fill the space.
33:50 – MP expenses, family reunion travel and Annika Wells’ bad day out
They turn to MPs’ entitlements and “family reunion” travel: Annika Wells’ ski‑trip optics and poor press conference performance, Don Farrell’s extensive family travel, and Sarah Hanson‑Young’s $50,000 in family travel for her lobbyist husband.
While acknowledging how hard federal life is—especially for WA MPs—they question where legitimate family support ends and taxpayer‑funded lifestyle begins.
37:05 – Why family reunion perks exist (and how they’re abused)
The Jacks recall the tragic case of Labor MP Greg Wilton as a driver for more generous family travel rules, given the emotional cost of long separations.
They conclude the system is necessary but ripe for exploitation, and note the Coalition’s relatively muted response given its own exposure to the same rules.
39:15 – Diplomatic drinks trolleys: London, New York and the UN
Joel notes Stephen Smith’s stint as High Commissioner in London—the “ultimate drinks trolley” of Australian diplomacy—and his replacement by former SA Premier Jay Weatherill.
Jack mentions Smith’s reputation for being stingy with hospitality at Australia House, in contrast to the traditionally lavish networking role of London and New York postings.
40:40 – Barnaby Joyce joins One Nation
The big domestic political move: Barnaby Joyce’s shift from the Nationals to One Nation, including his steak‑on‑a‑sandwich‑press dinner with Pauline Hanson.
The Jacks canvass whether Joyce runs again in New England or heads for the Senate, and the anger among New England voters who may feel abandoned.
42:25 – One Nation’s growth, branch‑building and Pauline’s future
They dig into polling from Cos Samaras suggesting 39 per cent of Coalition voters say they’d be more likely to vote One Nation if Joyce led the party, and the risk of the Coalition following the UK Tories into long‑term decline.
The Jacks note One Nation’s organisational maturation—building actual branches and volunteer networks in NSW and Queensland—and wonder whether Pauline Hanson herself now caps the party’s potential.
45:20 – Kemi Badenoch, a revived UK Conservative Party and Reform’s ceiling
Attention swings to the UK, with fresh polling showing Labour slumping to the high teens, the Conservatives recovering into the high teens/low 20s, and Reform polling in the mid‑20s to low‑30s depending on the firm.
They credit new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for lifting morale by dominating Keir Starmer at the despatch box, but caution that Reform’s rise may still be more protest than durable realignment.
49:45 – Fragmenting party systems in Europe and the UK
Drawing on Michael Gove’s comments, the Jacks sketch the new “four‑party” pattern across Europe—radical left/Green, social democratic, Christian Democrat centre‑right, and populist right—and argue the UK is slowly following suit.
They suggest both Labour and the Conservatives can no longer comfortably absorb all votes on their respective sides of politics, with Reform and Greens carving out durable niches.
53:05 – US seizes a Venezuelan tanker, Trump calls it the “biggest ever”
The Jacks look at the US Coast Guard’s seizure of a sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker accused of moving Venezuelan and Iranian oil in support of foreign terrorist groups.
Joel notes Trump’s boast that it’s “the largest tanker ever seized”, while quoting Pam Bondi’s more sober explanation of the sanctions basis.
54:45 – Five years of social media to enter the US?
They examine a Trump‑era proposal to require even visa‑waiver travellers to provide five years of social media history before entering the United States.
The Jacks question the logistical feasibility, highlight the trend of travellers using “burner phones” for US trips, and argue measures like this would severely damage American tourism.
57:10 – SCOTUS, independent agencies and presidential power
The Jacks discuss a pending US Supreme Court case about whether presidents can hire and fire the heads of independent agencies at will, with even liberal justices expressing sympathy for expansive executive authority.
They link this to a broader global question: how much power should be handed from elected ministers to expert regulators, and how hard it is to claw that power back once delegated.
01:00:25 – Trump’s national security strategy and an abandoned Europe
They turn to the Trump administration’s new national security strategy framing Europe as both security dependent and economic competitor, and signalling an end to automatic US security guarantees.
The Jacks describe openly hostile rhetoric from Trump figures like J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio towards Europe, and portray it as part of a broader American drift into isolationism as China and Russia advance.
01:02:20 – Europe rearms: Germany, Poland and conscription talk
The conversation moves to European responses: big defence spending increases in Poland and Germany, and German plans to assess 18‑year‑olds for potential limited conscription.
Joel argues Europe may need to build its own strategic table rather than rely on a fickle US ally, while Jack stresses serious military capability is the price of a genuine seat at any table.
01:03:50 – Biden, the border and a blown political call
The Jacks examine a New York Times reconstruction of how the Biden administration mishandled southern border migration, from 75,000 encounters in January 2021 to 169,000 by March.
They say Biden officials badly underestimated both the scale of migration and the law‑and‑order backlash, including resentment from migrants who followed legal pathways.
01:07:05 – Migration then and now: Ellis Island vs the Rio Grande
Jack recounts Ellis Island’s history: the small but real share of arrivals turned back at ship‑owners’ expense, and how many migrants later returned home despite being admitted.
They contrast a heavily regulated, ship‑based 19th‑century system with today’s chaotic mix of asylum flows, cartels and porous borders, and argue that simple “open borders” rhetoric ignores complex trade‑offs.
01:09:55 – Americans know their ancestry, and that shapes the debate
Joel notes how many Americans can precisely trace family arrival via Ellis Island, unlike many Australians who have fuzzier family histories.
He suggests this deep personal connection to immigration history partly explains the emotional intensity around contemporary migration and ICE enforcement.
01:10:30 – Ashes 2–0: Neeser’s five‑for and Lyon’s omission
Sport time: Australia go 2–0 up in the Ashes with an eight‑wicket win at the Gabba.
The big call is leaving Nathan Lyon out for Michael Neser; the Jacks weigh Nesser’s match‑turning 5/42 and clever use of Alex Carey standing up to the stumps against the loss of a front‑line spinner over key periods.
01:11:55 – Basball meets Australian conditions
They discuss the limits of “Bazball” in Australia, praising Stokes and Will Jacks’ rearguard while noting most English batters failed to adapt tempo to match situation.
Jack cites past blueprints for winning in Australia—long, draining innings from Alastair Cook, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul Dravid—that hinge on time at the crease rather than constant aggression.
01:15:05 – Keepers compared: Alex Carey vs England’s gloves
Joel hails Carey’s performance as possibly the best keeping he’s seen from an Australian in a single Test, including brilliant work standing up to the seamers and a running catch over Marnus Labuschagne.
They contrast this with England’s struggling keeper, question whether Ben Foakes should have been summoned, and note Carey’s age probably rules him out as a future Test captain despite his leadership qualities.
01:17:05 – England’s bowling woes and Jofra Archer’s limits
The English attack looks potent in short bursts, especially Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, but lacks the endurance to bowl long, hostile spells over a five‑day Test in Australian conditions.
Archer hasn’t bowled more than 10 overs in an international match for over two years, and the Jacks argue that’s showing late in games as speeds drop and discipline wanes.
01:25:45 – World Cup 2026: Trump’s “peace medal”, Craig Foster’s critique
Switching codes to football, they note FIFA awarding Donald Trump a “peace” medal ahead of the 2026 World Cup and his delight in placing it on himself.
Craig Foster attacks world football for embracing a US president he accuses of human‑rights abuses, prompting the Jacks to point out FIFA’s recent World Cups in Russia and Qatar hardly make it a moral authority.
01:27:20 – Seattle’s Pride match… Iran vs Egypt
Jack tells the story of Seattle’s local government declaring its allocated World Cup game a Pride match, only to discover the fixture will be Iran vs Egypt—two teams whose governments are unlikely to embrace that framing.
01:27:55 – Stadiums in the desert and the cost of spectacle
Joel reflects on vast, underused stadiums in the Gulf built for the World Cup and now often almost empty, using a low‑attendance cricket game in Abu Dhabi as an example of mega‑event over‑build.
01:29:05 – Wrapping up and previewing the final show of 2025
The Jacks close Episode 138 by flagging one more episode before Christmas, thanking listeners for feedback—especially stories around the social media ban—and promising to return with more politics, law and sport next week.a
