As usual, AI slop shownotes for anyone who wants to read them. Enjoy!

• In this packed episode of The Two Jacks, Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack cut through a huge week in politics, policy, and sport. They kick off with life on the bike lanes and the four‑day work week debate before diving into Australia’s productivity roundtable: where progress might actually come from, why energy costs and regulation matter most, and how timid politics strangles reform. They spar over tax design, housing, stamp duty, and the red tape that inflates costs without improving quality.
• From there, the Jacks range across global flashpoints and US turbulence—Israel–Australia tit-for-tat visas, the Ukraine–Russia talks fallout, the limits of sanctions, and whether the West has the will for long wars. Stateside, they dissect rising US inflation pressures, Congress’s stock-trading problem, and the “picking winners” trap in industrial policy. Locally, they tackle the Greens in Tasmania, crime perception vs data, and Australia’s defense priorities in a drone-dominated future—before a big sports wrap: AFL finals implications from homophobic slur bans, NRL ladder-shaping clashes, cricket’s farewell to Bob Simpson, the Wallabies’ breakthrough at Ellis Park, and Sydney’s Allianz Stadium turf debacle.

Timestamped segments and takeaways 00:00:01 – Cold open, weather and bike lanes

• Banter on soggy Sydney/Melbourne and bike lane hazards.
• Takeaway: Urban transport design vs pedestrian safety—light opener that foreshadows policy tradeoffs.

00:02:23 – Four‑day work week and productivity roundtable

• Jack the Insider outlines ACTU’s four‑day week ask; government quickly cools it.
• Hong Kong Jack: flexible, case-by-case four‑day arrangements can work well; blanket mandates don’t.
• Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “It really is a case-by-case basis… it can be done—it just can’t be done across the board.”

00:04:26 – Housing, commuting, and productivity drag

• Long commutes as a hidden productivity killer; WFH rights expanding in Victoria but role-dependent.

00:06:47 – AI regulation “light touch”

• Productivity Commission signals minimal regulation; Jack the Insider flags creator rights concerns.

00:07:51 – Where productivity gains might come from

• Hong Kong Jack: “The two obvious areas to attack are regulation and energy costs.”

00:08:17 – Energy transition, prices, and investment

• Jack the Insider: transition and decades of policy drift drove high prices; grid infrastructure is the bottleneck.
• Coal vs renewables economics; investment won’t return to coal due to horizon risk.

00:12:00 – Cutting “red tape”: harmonization and tax settings

• Federation frictions; harmonise state regs; stamp duty singled out as a worst tax.
• Building codes ballooning costs while quality supervision lags.

00:14:24 – Build quality crises and supervision gaps

• Mascot/Zetland examples; spate of vacated towers; cheap builds, high prices.

00:15:40 – Political capital, timid reform, and election calculus

• Is Albanese Labor’s John Howard—few big-ticket reforms, focus on winning?
• Take reforms to an election (GST precedent), but reformers often punished at the polls.

00:24:45 – Israel–Australia visa spat

• Simcha Rothman’s visa withdrawn; Israel responds by revoking visas for Australians to the Palestinian Authority; both sides flex sovereignty.
• Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “This is just how it works.”

00:27:28 – Failed asylum seekers backlog nearing 100k

• Processing delays create perverse incentives; most rejected claimants retain work/study rights—encourages low‑merit claims.
• Enforcement throughput is minimal; backlog self‑feeds.

00:32:07 – Tasmania: Greens hold line on stability

• Greens won’t back Labor no-confidence; Premier continues; different cultures in Tas vs NSW Greens.

00:36:32 – Vale Terence Stamp

• Personal memories; Priscilla role noted; a prickly but great actor.

00:38:00 – Ukraine–Russia: Alaska talks flop, semantics vs substance

• Optics criticised; ceasefire vs peace semantics; limits of sanctions and Western will.
• Debate: Can Ukraine regain Crimea/Donbas? Is a negotiated end inevitable? Historical echoes (appeasement vs long war).

00:49:05 – US inflation watch and tariffs

• Producer prices beat; risks of re‑acceleration; fuel prices helping headline but underlying pressures rising.
• Tariffs’ pass-through to consumers; political messaging vs data; Fed unlikely to cut on these numbers.

00:54:24 – Crime, stats vs street reality

• DC deployments; media narratives vs lived experience; class/education divide shapes perceptions.

00:58:26 – Drones, defense, and future warfare

• US behind China on cheap drone swarms (DJI dominance); implications for Australia: missiles, subs, strike aircraft, drones, and a modern surface fleet.

01:00:42 – Congressional stock trading and transparency

• Bipartisan enrichment via informational access; “broadcast trades in real-time” proposal; ban vs radical transparency.

01:04:27 – Picking winners: Intel, Kodak lessons

• Government stakes risk political logic over market logic; Kodak/Motorola as cautionary tales.

01:08:05 – Crime again: data declines vs spikes that matter

• Australia’s violent crime historically higher in 1920s/1980s; present-day spikes (aggravated burglaries) shape sentiment; good recidivism programs often lack political incentives.

01:13:08 – AFL: homophobic slur sanctions and finals stakes

• Rankine case likely to set a benchmark; prior bans (3–6 weeks) cited; consistency required.
• Notable quote (Jack the Insider): “It’s a bad word… it needs to be removed from the game.”

01:19:01 – AFL form lines and umpiring

• Adelaide/Geelong threats; Collingwood’s midfield clearance issues; four‑umpire system not working.

01:21:33 – NRL, cricket, rugby

• NRL: Storm beat Panthers; big clashes ahead; ladder permutations.
• Cricket: Vale Bob Simpson; fielding revolution; ODI series in Cairns; roster chat (Maxwell retired from ODIs; case for Tim David).
• Wallabies: first Ellis Park win since 1963; O’Connor–Jorgensen try a “thing of beauty.”

01:27:16 – Allianz Stadium turf failure

• Drainage massively under-spec; costly resurfacing; modern stadiums should drain ~600mm/hr; Allianz reported ~40mm/hr.

01:31:07 – Vegas tourism pivot and gouge

• Pricing up, volume down; “milk everything” model—$50/day minibar “storage” anecdote; vibe no longer value-driven.

01:32:53 – Corporate team bonding and Beef Wellington

• Hong Kong’s “Feather and Bone”-style classes; culinary nostalgia to close the show.
• Sign-off: where to contact The Two Jacks (Condition Release Program email, Substack, X DMs open).

Notable quotes to pull

• “The essence of progress to a better life for Australians is improved productivity.”
• “The two obvious areas to attack are regulation and energy costs.”
• “It can be done—it just can’t be done across the board.”
• “Drones and robotics are the future of warfare.”
• “It’s a bad word… it needs to be removed from the game.”

As usual, AI slop shownotes for anyone who wants to read them. Enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------

Content warning: violent crime, child deaths, war, famine, and historical mass-casualty events.

— Description — Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack cover a packed week: the Erin Patterson verdict and sentencing expectations; the Folbigg exoneration and compensation debate; AI’s promised productivity vs. creators’ rights; New Zealand politics and travel flows; Australia’s recognition of Palestine and the “day-after” security problem in Gaza; the 80th anniversary debate over Hiroshima/Nagasaki; U.S. housing, tariffs, and political incentives; food-stamp restrictions; Trump–Putin optics; pasta wars over cacio e pepe; plus NRL, AFL, cricket (Darwin’s case for a Test), and rugby’s Giteau Law change. They finish with an Iranian TV claim on “weather manipulation” and call it a week.

Summary of key points

• Courts & media: Patterson likely long sentence; Folbigg’s payout criticized; cautionary tales of media rush-to-judgment.
• Tech & policy: AI productivity promises vs. creator consent; scraping controversies; children’s online safety beyond blunt bans.
• Geopolitics: Australia to recognize Palestine; post-war Gaza security unsolved; Hiroshima/Nagasaki debate reopened.
• Economics: U.S. housing pressures; tariffs as stealth consumption tax; political incentives realign.
• Sport: NRL finals picture tightening; AFL contenders wobble; cricket’s northern push; Wallabies selection flexibility returns.

— Timestamped segments — 00:00:01 — Cold open & banter

• Hong Kong heat, black short-sleeve “uniform,” bulk-buying Marks & Spencer basics.
• Light teasing about Melbourne’s love of black attire.

00:01:22 — Erin Patterson: new disclosures, appeal posture, sentencing

• Resurfaced material about alleged prior poison attempts on Simon Patterson (penne bolognese, chicken korma, vegetable wrap).
• Serious illness and surgery for Simon Patterson after the korma.
• Expectation of a long sentence for premeditated murder; talk of 35–45 years non-parole.
• Prison remand at Dame Phyllis Frost; media rumors inside; psychiatric assessments and caution about conflating autism with criminality.
• John Ferguson’s reporting; documentaries and books incoming; a true crime podcaster’s about-face post-disclosures.
• Confidence in trial thoroughness; appeal anticipated but unlikely to overturn on process.

00:12:30 — Kathleen Folbigg: exoneration, “skinny” compensation, media reckoning

• NSW offers ~$2m after 20 years in prison; hosts call it low given Lindy Chamberlain’s historical payout and inflation.
• Books still in print labeling Folbigg a serial killer; calls for accountability among journalists.
• Comparison with Patterson media handling—less rush to judgment this time.

00:19:19 — Productivity Commission on AI: 4.3% productivity vs. IP rights

• Light-touch copyright reforms vs. creators’ consent/compensation.
• Corporate uptake (e.g., JPMorgan’s uplift) and the productivity juggernaut.
• Tech scraping (e.g., use of pirated libraries) and lawsuits (e.g., Sarah Silverman case).
• Social media harms and late-stage regulation; kids outmaneuvering adult-written rules.
• Data demands to verify age -> more privacy tradeoffs; grooming on gaming platforms; neurodivergent vulnerability.

00:29:05 — New Zealand: travel flows, cost of living, politics

• Kiwis using Australia as a launchpad; departures muddying migration stats.
• Cost of living pressures; coalition under Chris Luxon trailing in polling.
• Dairy dependence on China moderated; Christchurch rebuild once boosted the economy, now cooled.

00:33:32 — Australia to recognize Palestine: symbolism vs. security

• Planned announcements at the UNGA alongside France/UK/Canada.
• Netanyahu’s pushback; everyone says “no role for Hamas” in the day-after.
• Israeli protests against extended occupation; Arab League reluctance to police Gaza.
• A (half-flippant) British “mandate” idea vs. feasibility; Somalia as an example of regional peacekeeping success; current leadership gap to assemble an Arab-led force.

00:43:05 — Hiroshima & Nagasaki at 80: necessity debate revisited

• Immediate vs. long-tail casualties; cancer and birth defects; legal actions in Japan.
• Senior U.S. military figures (Eisenhower, Nimitz, others) cited as skeptical of necessity; Soviets’ late entry in the Pacific war as a factor.
• Recommendation to read widely; Paul Ham’s “Hiroshima Nagasaki” as a starting point.

00:53:29 — U.S. housing and politics: who sets the agenda?

• First-home median age moving from ~28 to ~38; 2008’s lingering scars.
• Young men shifting toward Trump; Democrats’ reactive posture.
• Tariffs as a consumption tax; pass-through risks to inflation; corporate strain and loan-taking; watch upcoming indicators.

01:01:50 — Food stamps & junk food limits

• 12 U.S. states considering restrictions (especially sodas).
• Government paternalism vs. personal choice; cooking skills gap; case for basic food education over bans.

01:04:51 — Trump–Putin in Alaska; Ukraine reality check

• Optics of a meeting; Ukraine constitution forbids ceding land; Crimea’s intractability.
• Reliability issues with Moscow agreements; tariffs complicating Alaska supply via Canada.

01:07:27 — Cacio e pepe wars (BBC vs. Rome)

• Purist recipe (pasta, pepper, pecorino), emulsion with pasta water—no butter/cream.
• Finger-wagging at British “improvements,” with a side of hypocrisy charges in summer variations.
• Carbonara authenticity chat (guanciale; no cream).

01:10:01 — NRL: ladder shifts and a trainer’s “gamesmanship”

• Panthers surge; Storm and Raiders in the mix; Broncos hammered by Roosters.
• Trainer stepping into a kicker’s line—five-week ban, $50k fine; learning from AFL’s runner reforms.

01:14:55 — AFL culture & form lines

• Gabba crowd scuffle; how crowds have changed since the suburban-era melees.
• Scott Pendlebury on track for 400; Collingwood and Brisbane wobble despite talent.
• Isaac Heaney’s purple patch as Brownlow “smokey”; nine sides for eight spots; big fixtures loom.
• Carlton locks in Michael Voss through 2026; list-management changes brewing.

01:26:24 — Cricket: T20 streak, Darwin’s Test pitch, Ashes selection

• Australia’s T20 run; Tim David’s monster hitting; iconic crowd catch.
• Case for a winter Test in Darwin to diversify venues/opponents.
• Ashes schedule (Perth, Brisbane D/N, Adelaide, MCG, SCG) compresses rest windows; pace rotation likely.
• Opener conundrum: Labuschagne with Khawaja risks slow starts; Boland automatic at the MCG.

01:34:27 — Rugby: Giteau Law scrapped

• Wallabies free to pick more overseas-based players.
• Manage workloads for key big men (e.g., Will Skelton) ahead of major tournaments.

01:36:21 — Iran drought & “weather manipulation” claim; sign-off

• Iranian TV guest alleges U.S./Israel redirect rain clouds; hosts file under conspiracy.
• Wrap and see-you-next-week.

— Notable moments & quotes —

• 00:05:14 — Hong Kong Jack: “Premeditated deliberate … murder.”
• 00:05:26 — Jack the Insider: “Planned, organised and designed to cause maximum injury and pain.”
• 00:13:38 — Hong Kong Jack (on Folbigg payout): “Bit skinny. I would have thought.”
• 00:25:40 — Hong Kong Jack: “In a battle on a tech issue, I’ll back the 13- and 14-year-olds every day of the week.”
• 00:39:17 — Hong Kong Jack (half-flippant): “Go back to 1946 and have another Palestine mandate … give it to the Brits to run as a colony.”
• 00:47:20 — Jack the Insider (quoting Eisenhower): Japan was “already defeated … dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary.”
• 00:59:33 — Hong Kong Jack: “Trump controls the Democrats’ narrative … He’s in charge of both parties.”
• 01:10:45 — Hong Kong Jack (NRL trainer): “That was gamesmanship.”
• 01:22:11 — Hong Kong Jack (on Heaney): “He’s my smokey for a Brownlow.”
• 01:33:12 — Jack the Insider (Ashes): “There’s nowhere to hide if you’re a bit injured.”

Wasn't going to use AI slop for shownotes this time but these are quite good! But you know who the authors are, you know the book and if you haven't already - buy it! It's genuinely good.

and remember you get 10% off delicious tins at https://cbco.beer/ and if you want to keep this thing going - and like naughty bonus episodes - please support us at https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

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Ever wondered what drives conspiracy theories in Australia? Authors Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson take us on a fascinating journey through their research for "Conspiracy Nation," revealing the complex web of beliefs, profiteers, and digital ecosystems that shape modern conspiracy culture.

Their investigation spans from the historical Port Arthur incident to today's online communities, where fringe beliefs find fertile ground. Through firsthand experiences—including a memorable visit to a conspiracy theorist meeting in Byron Bay—the authors demonstrate how empathy and critical thinking can coexist in journalism.

The discussion illuminates the fine line between genuine independent journalism and sensationalist commentary, highlighting how the attention economy fuels misinformation. Bogle and Wilson masterfully balance compassion for those caught in conspiracy networks while exposing the opportunists who exploit them for profit.

Ready to understand the fascinating world of conspiracy theories and their impact on Australian society? Tune in to this eye-opening episode that challenges our assumptions about belief, truth, and the power of digital communities.

Listen now to discover how conspiracy theories shape our nation and why understanding them matters more than ever.

As usual, AI slop shownotes. They're all about 30 seconds off due to theme music. Enjoy!

The Jacks start in Hong Kong’s downpour before unpacking Tasmania’s post‑election arithmetic and a machete “amnesty” with bins outside cop shops. They wade through protests, policing, and the far‑right’s antics, then dig into the Gareth Ward case and the thorny politics of expulsion. There’s a sharp turn into AI copyright fights, family life vs screens, and a listener letter on pilot mental health.

Mid‑show is a deep dive on ME/CFS’s genetic breakthrough, then a long, unsentimental look at Gaza, Hamas, ceasefires, and who could plausibly govern anything next. Stateside, Tulsi, Brennan, Mueller, and the Epstein files swirl together with youth‑vote and gerrymander chat. They close with sport: Wallabies’ best fortnight in ages, a cracking England–India Test, Ashes nerves, AFL chaos at Melbourne, and a quick NRL/Swans CEO note—before ending on a Trader Joe’s chicken funeral and a cheeky Ozempic joke.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 — Hong Kong’s black rain
• Triple black rain signals; ~300mm in a day at Mid‑Levels.
• City empties as people stay home; flood photos doing the rounds.
• 00:01:36 — Tasmania’s numbers game
• Premier commissioned without a majority; Greens won’t move no‑confidence.
• Governor Barbara Baker’s “test it on the floor” remark and what’s in scope.
• Labor/Greens maths; low appetite for another poll, but conditions exist.
• 00:05:49 — Bins for blades: the machete “amnesty”
• Drop‑off slots outside police stations; comparison to firearms amnesties.
• Media flurries vs actual incident data; last big cluster months ago.
• 00:07:21 — Protests, policing, and the far‑right
• Sydney Bridge March crowd size; VIPs photographed with Khamenei backdrop.
• Nazis on Parliament steps in balaclavas; state‑by‑state policing contrasts.
• Flags, chants, and where police draw the line on intervention.
• 00:14:18 — The Gareth Ward mess
• Conviction details; bail, incarceration, and expulsion difficulty.
• Kiama re‑election as an independent, salary while imprisoned.
• Appeals, precedent, and public disgust.
• 00:20:20 — Farewells and AI fights
• David Dale and Col Joy remembered.
• Productivity Commission’s AI stance; artists vs scraping; Zuckerberg’s book haul.
• Peter Garrett’s industry savvy; JP Morgan’s internal AI rollout.
• 00:26:16 — Kids, screens, and breakfast
• The great iPad panic; why we don’t judge strangers’ mornings.
• Family meals are good; mind your own business is better.
• 00:28:23 — Mailbag: pilots and mental health
• FAA caution vs counselling stigma; past “deliberate crash” cases.
• Policy that pushes people away from help is bad policy.
• 00:31:10 — ME/CFS: genetics change the story
• DecodeME links to immune and nervous system pathways.
• It’s physiological, not psychosomatic; GET/CBT harm for PEM sufferers.
• RACGP guidance lag vs UK/US updates; a long‑overdue turn.
• 00:37:10 — Gaza, Hamas, and the absence of good options
• 2005 pull‑out, tunnels, aid skimming; ceasefire vs aid corridors.
• Who could govern Gaza; peacekeepers, UNRWA skepticism, and Hamas reality.
• Ehud Barak’s Qatar funding allegations; elections, starvation, ethics.
• 01:03:21 — US politics: Russiagate reruns and Epstein files
• Tulsi’s evolution; Brennan on TV; Mueller was Trump‑era appointed.
• “Lock her up” vs AI Obama arrest video; the file‑release calculus.
• Youth‑vote shifts; Republicans’ state‑house gerrymanders.
• 01:21:42 — Media Watch vs Sky
• The TikTok immigration clip Sky ran and then pulled.
• Why mainstream reporting beats cherry‑picked viral outrage.
• 01:24:44 — Sport: a proper weekend
• Wallabies find a game fans can love; Lions tour lifts the code.
• England–India: great chase, Siraj’s spell, and pressure’s toll.
• Ashes preview: Bazball mettle in Aus conditions; pace attack is the key.
• AFL: Simon Goodwin sacked, Melbourne chaos, Adelaide surging; NRL Panthers steady.
• Swans appoint Matthew Pavlich CEO.
• 01:36:54 — Chicken funerals and closing
• A full black‑robed rite in a US supermarket.
• “Put Ozempic in the water” gag; letters and see‑you‑next‑week.

Notable quotes

• 00:00:25 — “We had three black rain signals… 300 mils in a day here at Mid‑Levels.”
• 00:03:31 — “It’s not for the governor to be deciding when numbers are tested.”
• 00:06:01 — “Bins outside the police station so miscreants can slide the machete through the slot.”
• 00:08:43 — “They stood on the steps of Parliament and zig‑hiled their way across that protest.”
• 00:14:09 — “Personally, I think let people tell you who they are.”
• 00:18:50 — “He’s essentially been convicted of rape… he’s going to get a holiday.”
• 00:24:49 — “To boost productivity by 4%, it’s decided you just let AI go.”
• 00:33:59 — “It is neurological and immunological. It is not psychiatric.”
• 00:47:42 — “There are no good choices at the moment.”
• 01:25:26 — “The best fortnight for the Wallabies in a very, very long time.”

Who and what gets mentioned

• People: Barbara Baker; Jacinta Allan; Bob Carr; Gareth Ward; Chris Minns; Meredith Burgmann; Bruce Learman; David Dale; Col Joy; Peter Garrett; Mark Zuckerberg; Jamie Dimon; Andy Devereaux‑Cook; Ghazi Hamad; Benjamin Netanyahu; Eyal Zamir; Ehud Barak; John Brennan; Tulsi Gabbard; Hillary Clinton; Bill Clinton; Pam Bondi; Prince Andrew; Michael Vaughan; Ricky Ponting; Dave Warner; Joffre Archer; Mark Wood; Simon Goodwin; Brad Green; Matthew Pavlich; Tom Harley; Abby Phillip; Scott Jennings; Van Jones.
• Places: Hong Kong; Tasmania; Melbourne; Sydney; North Shore; Central; Opera House; Kiama; Silverwater; Gaza; West Bank; Qatar; Egypt; Netherlands; Japan; Texas; California; Massachusetts; Illinois; New York; Maryland; Old Trafford; Perth; The Gabba; Adelaide; San Francisco.
• Organisations/teams: Greens; Labor; Liberal Party; National Socialist Alliance; IDF; Hezbollah; UNRWA; Palestinian Authority; Hamas; Mossad; BBC; Jerusalem Post; FAA; DecodeME; RACGP; Productivity Commission; Sky News; Media Watch; CIA; Wallabies; Penrith Panthers; Sydney Swans; AFL; NRL; JP Morgan.

Emily Webb joins Jack to talk about her new book, Murder in the Suburbs.

Talk turns to Erin Patterson and the Leongatha Mushroom Murders, the truth about murder and the often lurid business of True Crime reporting. 

Support us at Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

Buy Emily's book:

https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/books/murder-in-the-suburbs/

The episode title is completely ridiculous. Thanks, ChatGPT 4.1. Also it thinks Jack is me. I'm not here to change that. Any of you people seen us in the same room? Yeah, I thought so.

This round of The Two Jacks is a beaut: Joel (Jack the Insider) and Jack (Hong Kong Jack) serve up their signature Aussie banter and sharp intellectual takes, tackling everything from Oz politics and housing to international chaos, with a healthy dose of sports, climate woes, and top-shelf ribbing. Whether it’s decoding Albanese’s courage (or lack thereof) or marveling at St Kilda’s miracle comeback, this episode’s got more zingers than a Bunnings sausage sizzle. Settle in for a jam-packed ride through the headlines, global drama, and just enough nonsense to make your brain hurt (in a good way).

00:00:00 — Opening Chit-Chat

• Joel welcomes listeners and checks in with Hong Kong Jack about life in the steamy east. The Ozzy Osbourne tribute gets a look-in, and there’s reminiscing on royal and celebrity antics.

00:01:30 — Listener Mailbag: Student Debt, Housing, and the Millennial Squeeze

• The lads unpack a heartfelt letter about HECS/HELP debt, housing affordability, and why millennials reckon “the pollies don’t do shit for us.” Jack isn’t convinced the taxpayer should cop uni fees, but both agree the system’s a dog’s breakfast.

00:06:25 — Policy Wonkery: Productivity, Summits, and Gough Whitlam Ghosts

• From Hawke, Keating, and risk-taking, to whether Chalmers or Albo has the guts for big reform. Productivity and “just take a punt, mate!” dominate the yarn.

00:12:12 — Climate Change: Veggies as Luxury, Alarmism, and the Gospel of Catastrophe

• UN predictions, cost-of-living in Granada (spoiler: beer’s cheaper), and a healthy scepticism of alarmists like Al Gore. The boys debate whether scare tactics will help or just bore Aussies senseless.

00:19:22 — Social Media: Bans, Privacy, and the Perennial Parental Panic

• Joel’s cranky about logins and privacy on streaming, while Jack shreds online age bans. Are parents just outsourcing discipline to Canberra? “You know who’s going to win? The 14-year-olds, mate.”

00:33:11 — World in a Pickle: Cambodia-Thailand Fracas & Middle East Mess

• Cambodia and Thailand nearly square up thanks to colonial lines, but settle down. In the Middle East, aid drops, Gaza’s tragedy, and the endless two-state solution dance. Digressions into dodgy politicians’ connections and international finger-pointing included.

01:00:05 — Trump Watch & Global Popcorn

• Trump cheats at golf but still rules the news cycle. Immigration, EU trade stoushes, and the French PM’s sooking—more international theatre than the Sydney Festival.

01:07:42 — Epstein Files & Legal Shenanigans

• Maxwell’s appeal for a pardon, congressional escapades, and why the Epstein saga just. won’t. die. Is Trump untouchable, or just the most Teflon bloke on the planet?

01:19:30 — Sports Blitz: Rugby, Cricket, and AFL Madness

• The Wallabies almost pull off a miracle, rucking it with the best. Cricket sledges, doctored pitches, and Test matches tighter than Jack’s pub budget. AFL chaos: Saints’ wild comeback, player transfer drama, and a sneaky NRL update to boot.

01:33:08 — Wrapping Up: Listener Love and Where to Find the Jacks

• Call-outs for commentary, plugs for the Facebook page, and reminder you can email, DM, or find Jack on Substack (hongkongjack.substack.com) and Joel (Jack the Insider) on X.
• 
  
• 
  

This episode’s a ripper—classic Two Jacks with brain, heart, and tongue firmly in cheek. If you want deep dives and laughs in the same breath, you’re in the right spot. Get around it, drop the crew a line, and don’t forget: when in doubt, blame the streaming fees.

(what streaming fees?!?)

Playwright, author, artist and former resident at HM Pentridge Prison, Ray Mooney sits down with Jack to discuss an infamous case, the murder of Raymond Francis 'Lizard' Locksley in 1979.

Locksley's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds in Menai in Sydney's west.

Melbourne criminal Christopher Dale Flannery was charged with the murder, he went through a committal hearing before being acquitted in 1984.

Ray was Flannery's alibi witness along with many others at Mickey's Disco in St Kilda but the charges proceeded amid a flurry of police verbals from some of the most infamous police officers in Victoria and New South Wales at the time.

In this episode Ray proves that Flannery could not have committed the murder of Locksley. If Flannery didn't do it, who did?

Ray and Jack discuss whether this was a blue murder or where other criminal elements not related to Flannery may have been involved. 

The deep thinking ChatGPT model O3 has done some properly fine work on these shownotes. Behold the slop. Enjoy!

A T10 typhoon batters Hong Kong while political storms swirl from Canberra to Westminster. Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack break down Australian polling shocks, UK voting reforms, Middle-East flashpoints, the tangled Epstein files, and a grab-bag of sport, entertainment, and aviation safety stories.

Here are the robot's ten title ideas. Do they suck? I dunno, haven't listened to the episode yet.

1. Typhoons, Polls & Power Plays
2. Storm Fronts: From Hong Kong Skies to Canberra Corridors
3. Voting at 16, Planes in Peril – A World Tour with The Two Jacks
4. Branch Stackers & Ballot Shakers
5. Druze Dilemmas and Down-Under Dramas
6. Coldplay Slip-Ups & Late-Night Shake-Downs
7. From Epstein Files to AFL Finals
8. Hare-Clarke Hiccups: Tasmania on a Tightrope
9. Middle-East Flashpoints & Western Media Fade-Outs
10. Polling Tsunamis and Political Aftershocks

• “This could be the end of the Liberal Party as a national force if they don’t find the centre ground—and fast.” — Jack the Insider

• “Votes at 16? Sure—but give them a civics class before you hand them the ballot.” — Hong Kong Jack

• The boys predict Tasmania’s next premier may “need a calendar, not a throne” given fragile coalition math.

• Coldplay’s stage-dive mishap leads to a riff on “Slip, Slop, Slap—Rock-star edition.”

• "these quotes would be a real knee slapper - if I had knees!" - ChatGPT probably.

• Australian Electoral Commission polling trends dashboard
• UK Elections (Voting Age) Amendment Bill 2025 – House of Commons briefing
• UN OCHA Gaza humanitarian update, July 2025
• ATSB report on deliberate cockpit incidents (2022–24)

UPDATE – TRUMP’S ATTEMPT TO GET A FRIENDLY JUDGE IN A CONSERVATIVE JURISDICTION HAS FAILED MISERABLY AND HE GOT A GAY OBAMA APPOINTEE LOL

https://www.thedailybeast.com/obama-judge-gets-trump-lawsuit-over-spicy-epstein-letter/

They will probably use this as an excuse to withdraw the lawsuit which they would not only lose but be irreparably humiliated by the discovery process. 

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This week we have a classic news episode which opens with a bit about Epstein. It's talk of the town but our take is the best one of course.

We remind listeners gleefully that Raina Cruise's suspended sentence was overturned and replaced with a custodial one. She seems like a real nice lady. Probably redpilling the prison as we speak.

We also look at Damien Richardson's Nazi salute and his defence lawyer who thinks that the solution to his legal woes lies in a protractor and some measuring tape.

And in SovCits we look at Warren Tredrea - former AFL great turned cooker who recently tried to pay a costs order to Nine in the form of a promissory note. Sadly, he could not find the gold coins to pay it so it's been written off. This is because something something the federal acts. Just look it up bro do your research.

And last but NOT LEAST is Zippy Babet who is having a very tough time wrapping his head around the Epstein files - or lack thereof. He also has fallen in love with Far North Queensland but sadly he wants to ban himself from going there.

I hope he goes there and stays there. On behalf of the fine folks in Melbourne who have way too many bloody cookers in their midst.

PS - We were going to do the ANR Free Speech Summit, Timeshare Presentation and Independent Media Awards this episode but it's blown out to be a bit long. So that will probably get its own episode. Oh Jamie. You're such a funny lad. The story is still developing as well, since people have suddenly learned that putting his name into google has a lot of results. Several of them bad. Some of them are glowing reports of his honesty and brilliance but he clearly paid for them.

Enjoy!

PS - the CRP10 discount code still works at cbco.beer and their IPA is still one of the best in the country - their NEIPA is still great - they have hectic competitions on and generally they're a good bunch. Buy their beer.

Beck Rogers is a 41-year-old wife and mother living in suburban Melbourne. She has decided to share her story - one of protracted sexual abuse, manipulation and coercive control at the hands of her father over more than three decades. Beck had the courage to persist and the courage to finally the end the abuse.

She is telling her story in interview with Peter Hoysted in the hope other victims might come forward and end the cycle of abuse. This is not an easy listen but an important one.

One in 10 Australians experience sexual abuse at the hands of a family member. Beck wants them to know there is a way out.

Victims can seek justice and become survivors.  

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