The Conditional Release Program

Ai slop as usual for shownotes. If HKJ pays me some of those HKDs then I'll maybe make an effort. Until then, eat your robot kibble and enjoy the show!

Also: there are mentions of construction noise in this episode and longtime listeners will remember that early episodes were plagued with banging and carrying on. Adobe podcast managed to filter this out very effectively and it just sounds a bit like they are moaning about nothing. But it was probably awful at the time.

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Australia Day tensions at home and political shocks abroad drive this packed episode of The Two Jacks. Joel (Jack the Insider) and Hong Kong Jack unpack the Liberal–National implosion, leadership manoeuvring, hate‑speech laws and neo‑Nazi “martyrs” springing from Australia Day rallies and a near‑catastrophic device in Perth. They then cross to the US for the fallout from the ICE killing of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretty, Kristi Noem’s precarious future, Trump’s political instincts, and Mark Carney’s Davos warning that we now live in a world with “no rules.” Along the way they dissect Brexit’s economic hangover, EU over‑regulation, India’s Republic Day contrast with Australia’s low‑key national day, and finish with sport: Premier League title nerves, Australian Open heat controversies, bushfires, and a final detour through film censorship trivia in Ireland.

00:00 – Theme and intro

00:25 – Welcome back to The Two Jacks; Joel (Jack the Insider) in Australia and Hong Kong Jack set the scene for episode 142, recorded 27 January, the day after Australia Day.​

00:40 – Coalition “no more”: the decoupling of Liberals and Nationals, and whether Anthony Albanese is the Stephen Bradbury of Australian politics or a quiet tactician.​

01:10 – How Labor’s racial vilification moves and 18C history boxed the opposition in; Susan Ley’s failed emergency‑sitting gambit on antisemitism laws.​

02:00 – Firearms law changes and new powers to ban hate groups like Hizb ut‑Tahrir and the National Socialist Network, and the role of ASIO referrals and ministerial discretion.​

03:10 – Canavan’s “slippery slope” fears about bans being turned on mainstream groups, and what that reveals about the Nationals’ hunger for anti‑immigration rhetoric under pressure from One Nation and Pauline Hanson.​

04:00 – The Nationals as the “five‑percenters” who pull the coalition’s agenda with a small vote share; listener Bassman calls them the “un‑Nationals.”​

05:00 – Global “tough times” for centre‑right parties: the pincer between moving to the centre (and leaving a vacuum for far‑right populists) or moving right and losing the middle.​

05:40 – Hong Kong Jack’s argument for broad churches: keeping everyone from sensible One Nation types to inner‑city wets under one tent, as Labor did with its far‑left “fruit loops” in the 1980s.​

07:00 – Decline of small‑l liberals inside the Liberal Party, the thinning ranks of progressive conservatives, and the enduring “sprinkling of nuts” on the hard right.​

07:20 – Susan Ley’s lonely press conferences, Ted O’Brien’s silence, and the air of inevitability about a leadership spill before or by budget time.​

08:20 – Why the leadership needs “strength at the top”: the Gareth Evans line to Hawke – “the dogs are pissing on your swag” – as a metaphor for knowing when to go.​

09:20 – Conversation about Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie, Ted O’Brien and even Tim Wilson as possible leaders, and why the wrong timing can make almost anyone opposition leader.​

10:40 – History lesson: unlikely leaders who flourished, from Henry Bolte in Victoria to Albanese, once dismissed by his own colleagues as a long shot.​

11:40 – Albanese’s long apprenticeship: learning from Howard’s cautious style and the Rudd–Gillard chaos, and his instinct for the national mood.​

13:00 – Listener Lawrence compares One Nation to Britain’s Reform Party; asks if Barnaby Joyce’s baggage (drought envoy rorts, “Watergate,” drunken footpath photo) undermines his retail skills.​

14:20 – Debating whether Barnaby ever was the “best retail politician” in the country; why he works brilliantly in rural and regional pubs but is “poison in the cities.”​

16:10 – The “public bar” politician ideal: Barnaby as hail‑fellow‑well‑met who genuinely likes the people he’s talking to, contrasted with Whitlam and Fraser looking awkward in 1970s pub photo ops.​

17:20 – John Howard scrounging a fiver to shout a round, Barry Jones dying in Warrnambool pubs, and why Bob Hawke and Tony Abbott always looked at home with a schooner.​

18:00 – Australia Day wrap: The Australian newspaper’s “social cohesion crisis” framing after antisemitism, violence and extremist rhetoric.​

19:10 – Perth’s rudimentary explosive device: ball bearings and screws around a liquid in a glass “coffee cup” thrown into an Invasion Day crowd at Forrest Place; police clear the area quickly.​

21:00 – Melbourne: small March for Australia turnout, scuffles between their supporters and Invasion Day marchers, arrests likely to follow.​

22:10 – Sydney: March for Australia rally of around 2,000 ending at Moore Park, open mic session, and the selection of a man wearing a Celtic cross shirt who launches into a vile antisemitic rant.​

23:20 – His subsequent arrest in Darlinghurst and the Section 93Z charge (publicly threatening or inciting violence on racial or religious grounds), with possible three‑year jail term and $11,000 fine.​

24:40 – Why the speech appears to meet the elements of the offence, and how such defendants are quickly turned into martyrs and crowdfunding heroes by the extreme right.​

26:10 – The psychology of self‑styled martyrs seeking notoriety and donations; parallels with “Free Joel Davis” signs after threats to MP Allegra Spender.​

27:20 – Australia Day clashing with India’s Republic Day: Joel only just realises the overlap; Jack has known for years.​

28:00 – History recap: Australia Day as a 1930s invention, not a national holiday until Keating’s government in 1995; its big cultural take‑off in the 1988 Bicentennial year.​

29:10 – India’s enormous Republic Day parade: 10,000+ guests, missiles and tanks on show, EU leaders in attendance, congratulations from President Trump and President Xi – easily out‑shining Australia’s low‑key day.​

30:00 – Why big military parades feel culturally wrong in Australia; the discomfort with tanks and squeaky‑wheeled machinery rolling down main streets.​

30:30 – The 26 January date debate: protests by Invasion Day marchers vs “flag shaggers,” plateauing protest numbers, and the sense that for most Australians it’s just another day off.​

31:20 – Arguments for a different nation‑building day (maybe early January for a built‑in long weekend), and the need for a better way to celebrate Australia’s achievements without performative patriotism.​

32:40 – Local citizenship ceremonies, Australia Day ambassadors and quiet country‑town rituals that still work well in spite of the culture war.​

34:20 – Turning to the United States: the shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretty by ICE agents in Minneapolis and the shock it has injected into US domestic politics.​

34:50 – Video evidence vs official narrative: Pretty appears to be disarmed before being shot; the administration initially claiming he was planning a massacre of ICE agents.​

35:40 – Trump’s early blame of Democrat officials and policies, then a noticeable shift as outrage spreads more broadly across the political spectrum and the Insurrection Act chatter cools.​

36:20 – Tom Homan’s deployment to Minneapolis, the demotion of Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, and reports that Homan will now report directly to President Trump rather than Kristi Noem.​

37:10 – Internal GOP friction: suggestions Noem relished confrontation, while Homan did not; speculation Noem may be the first cabinet‑level casualty.​

38:00 – Use of children as bait in immigration operations, American citizens detained, and two civilians shot dead by ICE; discussion of likely multi‑million‑dollar compensation exposure.​

39:00 – Allegations of bribery and “missing 50 large,” the checkered backgrounds of some ICE agents and rumours about extremist links and failed cops finding a home in ICE.​

40:00 – A snap YouGov poll: 46% of respondents wanting ICE disbanded, 41% opposed, and how this feeds the narrative that Noem will be thrown under the bus.​

41:10 – Trump’s boastful but error‑strewn talk on Article 5 of the NATO treaty, and his correction that still belittled allies’ sacrifices in Afghanistan.​

41:40 – Casualties by nation: US 2,461, then significant losses from the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Australia, Poland, Spain and others – disproving Trump’s “America alone” framing.​

42:30 – Sanctuary cities vs federal supremacy: recalling the 2012 Arizona case where the Supreme Court confirmed immigration enforcement as a federal responsibility, and how that collides with sanctuary policies.​

43:10 – Pam Bondi’s letter to Minnesota’s governor after the second ICE killing: reported threat to pull ICE agents in exchange for electoral records, and the ominous implications of such demands.​

44:00 – Trump’s Greenland obsession revisited: from bluster at Davos about tariffs on European allies to a supposed “deal” that no‑one, including the Danes, can define.​

44:40 – How tariff threats knocked markets down, then his Davos announcement walked them back and sent markets up; Ted Cruz warning Trump that crashing 401(k)s and high inflation would make the midterms a bloodbath.​

45:40 – Japan and the US bond market: a brief panic in Japanese bonds, a Danish super fund’s sale of US Treasuries, and the longer‑term vulnerability given that Japan, China and the EU hold so much US debt.​

46:30 – Trump’s relentless pressure on the Fed for lower rates in an inflationary environment, and the comparison with Erdogan’s disastrous low‑rate, high‑inflation experiment in Turkey.​

47:10 – Mark Carney’s standout Davos speech: we now live in a geopolitical environment with “no rules,” and the post‑WWII rules‑based order has largely broken down.​

47:50 – Carney’s planned March visit to Australia and likely address to a joint sitting of Parliament, plus his reputation as a sharp, articulate central banker.​

48:20 – Hong Kong Jack’s scepticism about “international law” as more fiction than practice; non‑Western powers paying lip service while ignoring it in reality.​

49:00 – The German Chancellor’s more consequential Davos speech on EU failures, competitiveness, and the need to reinvent Europe, backed in by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni.​

49:40 – The “Sir Humphrey” view of the EU: you can only reform Brussels from the inside, not from outside as Brexit Britain is discovering.​

50:10 – Chancellor Mertz’s critique of EU over‑regulation and the “world champions at regulation” line; the EU as an anti‑competitive behemoth that lost its free‑trade roots.​

50:50 – Why countries like Spain struggle alone but “pack a punch” within the EU’s collective GDP; Brexit as a decision to leave the world’s biggest trading bloc.​

51:20 – UK Office for Budget Responsibility analysis: since the 2016 referendum, estimated UK GDP per capita by 2025 is 6–8% lower than it would have been, with investment 12–18% lower and employment 3–4% lower than the “remain” counterfactual.​

52:10 – How these losses emerged slowly, then accumulated as uncertainty persisted, trade barriers rose and firms diverted resources away from productive activity.​

52:40 – Jack challenges the counterfactual: notes that actual UK GDP growth is only a couple of points below EU averages and doubts that UK governments would have outperformed Europe even without Brexit.​

53:20 – Joel’s rejoinder that the OBR work is widely accepted and that Brexit has created profound long‑term impacts on Britain’s economy over the next 5–10 years.​

55:20 – Australian cricket’s depth: promising leg‑spinners and other talent juggling Shield cricket with gigs in the Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League and more.​

55:50 – Premier League title race: Arsenal’s lead cut from seven to four points after a 3–2 loss to an invigorated Manchester United that also beat City in the derby.​

56:30 – The “sugar hit” of a new coach at United, reverting to a more traditional style and the question of how long the bounce will last.​

57:10 – Australian Open “Sinner controversy”: oppressive heat, the heat index rules for closing the roof, Jannik Sinner cooked at one set all before a pause, roof closure and air‑conditioning – and then a comfortable Sinner win.​

58:00 – Accusations about coach Darren Cahill lobbying tournament boss Craig Tiley, and why the footage doesn’t really support conspiracy theories.​

58:30 – Djokovic’s soft run after a walkover, the emergence of 19‑year‑old American Tien with Michael Chang in his box, and Chang’s devout‑Christian clay‑court glory at Roland Garros.​

59:20 – Heatwave conditions in southern Australia, fires in Victoria and the Otways/Jellibrand region, and a shout‑out to firefighters and residents under threat.​

01:00:20 – Closing thoughts on Australia’s weather extremes, hoping for a wind change and some respite for the fireys.​

01:00:50 – Jack’s trivia nugget: Casablanca was once banned in Ireland for not being “sufficiently neutral” and not kind enough to the Nazis, segueing to bans on Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Australian censorship history.​

01:02:00 – Sign‑off from Joel (Jack the Insider) and Hong Kong Jack, promising to track the Perth bombing case, hate‑speech prosecutions, Canberra leadership moves and the unfolding Minneapolis/ICE scandal in future episodes.

IT WAS TERRIBLE AS THE AI EDITOR THAT TAKES OUT UMS AND AHS JUST BUTCHERED IT - ZENCASTR SUCKS

It's better now.

As usual, ai slop shownotes. Robots think that I am Jack or whatever. Enjoy!

In this episode of The Two Jacks, Jack the Insider (Joel Hill) and Hong Kong Jack (Jack) dive into a packed agenda of Australian and global politics. They start with the federal government's urgent move to push through new hate speech and gun control laws, discussing the disbanding of neo-Nazi groups and the alarming rise of minors on extremism watchlists. The conversation takes a sharp turn into a heated debate over the "economic self-harm" of Brexit, with Jack the Insider citing a £100 billion annual trade loss while Hong Kong Jack remains a defiant supporter.

The Jacks also cover:

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• Trump’s Trade War: The impact of a 10% tariff hike on European allies and America’s dependence on Danish pharmaceuticals like Ozempic.
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• UK Political Maneuvers: How Kemi Badenoch outsmarted Robert Jenrick’s defection to Nigel Farage’s Reform party.
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• Sporting Scandals and Struggles: From the "oversold" crowds at the Australian Open to a bizarre aerodynamic "groin inflation" scandal in Norwegian ski jumping.

00:00:25 – Introduction Jack the Insider (Joel) and Hong Kong Jack open the show on January 20, 2026, discussing the unscheduled sitting of the Australian Parliament to finalize an omnibus bill.

00:01:05 – Hate Speech Legislation & The National Socialist Network The Jacks break down the removal of racial vilification clauses and the remaining "hate group" provisions. They discuss the reported disbanding—and subsequent lobbying efforts—of the National Socialist Network.

00:04:17 – Extremism Watchlists & Youth Grooming A discussion on the 320 individuals currently monitored by security agencies, with a focus on the alarming number of minors being "groomed" by radical ideologies.

00:06:50 – The Bondi Royal Commission & Law Enforcement Lethargy The hosts preview the upcoming Royal Commission, touching on claims that New South Wales Police may have ignored security warnings prior to major anti-Semitic incidents.

00:08:14 – Anti-Semitism and Australian Migration History A look at the "New Australian" migration success story post-WWII and the current shameful necessity of armed guards at Jewish schools and synagogues.

00:17:09 – Australian Gun Law Changes Analyzing the impact of new limits on ammunition and firearm ownership for amateur hunters and "weekend warriors."

00:19:22 – Political Polling: The Rise of One Nation Recent Demos polling shows One Nation surging to over 20%, potentially acting as a "parking spot" for disaffected voters from both major parties.

00:24:35 – Iran: Echoes of 1979 Reflecting on the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the late Mark Colvin’s coverage of the regime’s early massacres.

00:27:50 – US Midterms & The Battle for Greenland A look at the Polymarket odds for the 2026 US Midterms and the strategic (and perhaps absurd) debate over the US acquisition of Greenland.

00:33:11 – Trump’s Tariffs & "The Art of the Renegotiation" The impact of a 10% hike on European goods, including a deep dive into America's dependence on Denmark for Ozempic and insulin.

00:35:22 – The Brexit Economic Autopsy The Jacks have a heated debate over the long-term economic damage of Brexit, including trade losses estimated at £100 billion a year and alleged Russian influence on the "Leave" campaign.

00:42:15 – UK Politics: The Jenrick Defection How Kemi Badenoch outmaneuvered Robert Jenrick's defection to Nigel Farage's Reform party.

00:46:09 – Germany’s Energy Crisis Friedrich Merz calls the exit from nuclear energy a "strategic mistake" as Germany reverts to brown coal to keep the lights on.

00:49:29 – The Gaza "Board of Peace" Discussing the controversial international board involving Tony Blair and Jared Kushner, and Australia's invitation to join.

00:54:29 – Sports: Australian Open & BBL Privatization Crowd chaos at the Australian Open and the warnings from Jason Gillespie regarding the potential sale of BBL franchises to overseas interests.

01:06:53 – West Ham & The High Cost of Relegation The "sweetheart deal" for the Olympic Stadium is turning into a nightmare for UK taxpayers as West Ham faces the threat of the Championship.

01:12:47 – Strange World: Norwegian Ski Jumping Scandal A bizarre report on Norwegian ski jumpers allegedly "artificially inflating" their suits for aerodynamic advantages.

01:15:30 – Wrap Up The hosts invite listener feedback on Brexit and current events before signing off for the week. 

Listeners! We are long overdue for a news episode but this one dated bloody quickly - that being said, it's not completely pointless and there's plenty of meat left in this sandwich. Just pretend it's last week and be all like 'oooh I wonder what version of this bill will pass'. We will probably do something more concrete to follow up next week. Lots to discuss here.

Anyway, this week we look at the big bad omnibus bill and the Royal Commission which had to happen because Wayne Carey and Sam Newman said so.

We look at Brendan Nicholls, a good bloke having a bad week who is completely misunderstood and really just a great guy that works at Bunnings.

Tommy Robinson accidentally reveals his sexual proclivities which are slightly at odds with his public grievances. Oh Tommy, you really Yaxleyed your Lennons on this one.

And we have MAN LIVING IN BODY for SovCits. Does putting that in all caps turn his sassy title into a strawman? Probably. He needs to pony up a TFN for an inheritance - and he's working very hard not to get a lot of free money. He is an idiot.

We have a new segment - Kill Count - where we compare and contrast Musk and RFK Jr.'s efforts to kill as many people as possible.

And Babet is having a meltdown. As usual. He is an idiot.

Enjoy!

This episode of the Conditional Release Program rings in 2026 with a deep dive into the political and social fallout following the Bondi terror attack. Hosts Jack the Insider (Peter Hoysted) and Joel Hill navigate the complexities of new hate speech legislation, the sudden disbanding of neo-Nazi groups, and the controversies surrounding the upcoming Royal Commission.

• [00:00:30] Introduction: Happy New Year 2026? Jack and Joel open the year discussing the "depressing" state of global affairs, from regime changes to Donald Trump’s fixation on Greenland.
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• [00:01:38] Sponsor: CBCO Beer A quick break to discuss why regime change goes better with hops. Use code CRP10 at CBCO.beer for 10% off.
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• [00:02:13] Global Intel Stings Jack shares a developing story regarding an intelligence sting involving the Ukrainians, the French, and the United States.
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• [00:02:54] The Bondi Aftermath & "Tribal Shitshow" A look at how the aftermath of the December 14 Bondi attacks has devolved into political tribalism rather than national unity.
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• [00:04:17] The End of the National Socialist Network (NSN) Joel discusses the Telegram announcement that the NSN is disbanding by January 18, 2026—just as new federal laws are introduced.
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• [00:07:51] The Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate, and Extremism Bill A breakdown of the draft bill that proposes five-year prison sentences for inciting racial hatred and empowers the government to ban extremist organizations.
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• [00:11:42] The Politics of the Omnibus Bill The hosts debate the Coalition’s "unsalvageable" stance on the bill and the strategic separation of gun buyback provisions from hate speech laws.
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• [00:21:04] The Rise of One Nation & The Death of the Liberals? Jack examines polling showing One Nation gaining ground as a protest vote and what this means for the future of the Liberal Party.
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• [00:26:03] Defining Terrorism & Radicalization A discussion on the difficulties lawmakers face in defining terrorism and the specific targeting of religious leaders who advocate violence.
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• [00:31:51] "Aggravated Grooming" Offences New laws targeting adults who attempt to radicalize minors under 18, a demographic that reportedly makes up half of current watch lists.
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• [00:46:10] Hate Crime Case Study: Brendan Nichols The story of a 23-year-old Bunnings employee charged with attacking a Muslim Imam, involving a dramatic courtroom attempt to jump out of the dock.
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• [00:58:13] The Royal Commission into Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion Jack and Joel critique the appointment of retired High Court Judge Virginia Bell and the specific areas the inquiry will investigate.
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• [01:09:02] Security Failures: CSG and the NSW Police A report that the Community Security Group warned police about inadequate security at Bondi prior to the attack, a claim that will be central to the Royal Commission.
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• [01:14:33] Tommy Robinson’s Algorithm "Self-Own" The "pint-sized" nationalist (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) accidentally reveals his browsing habits while complaining about YouTube advertisements.
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• [01:18:49] SovSit Corner: The "Man Living in Body" The bizarre tale of Gregory Francis, a Sovereign Citizen who refuses to claim a $500,000 lakeside inheritance because he won't provide a tax file number.
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• [01:27:36] Kill Count: Musk vs. RFK Jr. The ongoing debate over who will cause more global deaths: Elon Musk’s USAID cuts or Bobby Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vax shift at the CDC.
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• [01:39:23] Zippy Babbitt’s UK Obsession Federal MP Ralph Babbit expresses fear over visiting London, while the hosts debunk his claims about UK crime rates and "radicalization".

AI slop as usual. Enjoy!

In this wide-ranging episode, the Two Jacks dissect Australia's improved bushfire response amid the Victorian fires, the newly announced royal commission under Justice Virginia Bell, Kevin Rudd's resignation as US Ambassador, escalating unrest in Iran and Venezuela, Ukrainian paramilitary intrigue, US political and economic turbulence, and a detailed cricket analysis covering the Australian summer and England's ongoing struggles.

0:00–0:27

Introduction

Opening banter and Hong Kong theme music

0:27–8:00

Australian Bushfires

Discussion of recent Victorian fires around Alexandra and Longwood; praise for improved evacuation technology, CFA coordination, and community heroism since Black Saturday

8:00–11:09

Kevin Rudd's Resignation

Analysis of Rudd's departure as US Ambassador, his public spat with Elon Musk, and new role as Asia Society President

11:09–20:50

Royal Commission Announcement

Deep dive into Virginia Bell's appointment, scope of the inquiry (governance failures, anti-Semitism, extremism), government delays, and potential security secrecy measures

20:50–31:00

Australian Political Landscape

Polling analysis, Labor vs. LNP, One Nation's resurgence, upcoming South Australian election, and protest voting dynamics

31:00–36:00

US Economic & Political Turmoil

VIX volatility, Jerome Powell's position, interest rate debates, and Trump administration's policy impacts

36:00–45:00

Iran Protests & Regional Unrest

Economic collapse (Rial devaluation), spreading regional protests, regime fragility, Western hesitation on intervention, and BRICS dynamics

44:00–50:00

Venezuela Crisis

Maduro's grip on power, US sanctions, paramilitary threats, opposition struggles, and regional destabilization

50:00–56:00

US Domestic Issues

Minnesota shooting incident, police conduct debates, First Amendment tensions, and body-camera footage controversies

56:00–1:00:00

Ukraine Conflict Update

Denis Kapustin's alleged drone strike death, neo-Nazi paramilitary links, GUR intelligence operations, and misinformation battles

1:00:00–1:09:00

European & UK Politics

Starmer's Labour struggles, potential leadership challenges, Macron's position in France, and broader European political shifts

1:09:00–1:22:00

Cricket Analysis

Australian summer review, BBL performances, emerging talent (multicultural pipeline), England's coaching chaos, disciplinary issues, and 2027 Ashes preview

1:22:00–End

Wrap-Up & Listener Engagement

Final thoughts and call for listener feedback

• Australian Bushfires: Improved CFA response, evacuation technology, community resilience in Alexandra and Longwood
• Royal Commission: Justice Virginia Bell's appointment, scope including anti-Semitism and governance failures, procedural secrecy
• Kevin Rudd: Resignation as US Ambassador, Musk feud, Asia Society appointment
• Iran: Economic devastation, hyperinflation, regional protest spread, US/Western response options
• Venezuela: Ongoing instability, Maduro's regime, sanctions impact
• Ukraine: Denis Kapustin saga, paramilitary operations, GUR intelligence successes
• Cricket: Australian talent depth, multicultural recruitment, England's discipline and coaching woes, 2027 Ashes outlook
• BRICS: Economic bloc now exceeding US+EU GDP, geopolitical implications

We love Dave. He turns up to things, he watches all those cringe videos and he keeps an eye on all the cooked little gremlins trying to evangelise the noble pursuit of racism, intolerance and paranoid conspiracy theories. Bless.

He's been to a few rallies. We had a chat about that and some other things. It was like 3 weeks ago and it's finally being uploaded.

To be honest, guys, it's been a depressing year. I find it more and more difficult to keep up with the latest news because it's just so DISAPPOINTING. We really have seen an uptick in people taking their dickhead pills over the past month and I just can't be excited by any of it.

I'm working on getting my mojo back. For now, here's a chat with Dave. It's unscripted so there's a bit more um and ah than usual but that just adds to the charm (please agree).

Enjoy!

Here's another one! I don't know if it's any good but the blurb seems interesting. Merry Christmas y'all.

We thought that around now would be the time the antivax movement died. The data is clear - vaccines work. Not only that, but side effects are incredibly rare. Despite this, antivaxxers have simply lied their way through it - claiming that every heart attack is a result of the vaccines and pushing conspiracy theories alongside any celebrity death they can. 

With the 'revelation' that Pfizer didn't test for transmission in the clinical trials (clinical trials that antivaxxers previously denied ever happened) we have seen yet another perceived victory for these idiots, with many of them expecting some form of apology. 

I'm sorry you're an idiot? Will that do?

Jack looks at the data - and we discuss the bad faith argument put forward as a result of this honest answer from a pfizer exec being conned by an antivax snake. 

Published 28th Oct 2022.

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals! Here's an xmas gift for y'all. Something from the premium vaults. This one is on the dumb Balenciaga outrage that happened back in the day when Q-Anon was a fringe thing and not a normal part of mainstream politics. Simpler times, somehow.

Published 8th December 2022.

Enjoy!

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We were going to do this one on main but honestly heaps of shit has happened so let's swing this one to the patrons! 

We look at the absurdity of the Balenciaga scandal. I mean, they're not wrong - it's kinda fucked up. But are the right taking cancel culture as their own? Where's the line between art and fashion and which gulag should we throw them all into?

The book burning right show their true colours with this one - but why do rich dickheads spend insane money commoditising children?!? 

Fuck knows... 

THERE ARE REPORTS OF AN ISSUE OF OVERLAP AT THE END OF THE EPISODE - THIS WILL (PROBABLY) BE FIXED AT SOME POINT.

More slop but hey it's detailed. That's nice.

• 00:25 – Hanukkah, Bondi and a terror attack
• Joel (Jack the Insider) opens the Christmas‑eve episode by recounting the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that turned into a mass‑shooting, with 16 dead including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleitman and 10‑year‑old Matilda.​
• He notes that one gunman, Sajid Akram, was killed and his son Naveed faces 59 charges including 15 murders and a terrorism offence, while funerals proceed under a cloud of grief.​
• 02:05 – Anti‑Semitic threats and the rise of Jew hatred
• The Jacks detail an anti‑Semitic threat on a Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Sydney, where a 19‑year‑old allegedly made violent gestures and threats toward a Jewish passenger.​
• They discuss how contemporary anti‑Semitism in Australia and the West feels broader and deeper than before, increasingly visible on progressive and left‑wing fringes as well as the far right.​
• 04:55 – Jenny Leong’s “tentacles” remark and Greens politics
• Joel quotes NSW Greens MLC Jenny Leong’s 2023 comments about the “Jewish lobby” and “Zionist lobby” having “tentacles” infiltrating community groups, likening the rhetoric to classic Nazi tropes in Der Stürmer.​
• Jack notes Leong is part of NSW’s hard‑left “watermelon” Greens and argues such language shows how anti‑Jewish narratives have crept into mainstream progressive politics in Australia, the UK and the US.​
• 07:25 – Apologies, anti‑Zionism and the limits of definitions
• They note Leong apologised two months later for “poor choice of words” with anti‑Semitic implications, but Joel says the tentacle imagery hung “like a bad smell” over public debate.​
• The Jacks criticise semantic wrangling over definitions of anti‑Semitism and suggest calling much of it what it plainly is: old‑fashioned Jew hatred, often masked as anti‑Zionism.​
• 10:25 – Who failed after 7 October? Government responses under fire
• Jack argues federal and state leaders failed from “October 8th on” by not responding strongly enough to anti‑Jewish rhetoric and protests, suggesting Labor tried to balance Jewish concerns against Western Sydney Muslim votes.​
• Joel pushes back, citing Sean Carney’s column outlining how Naveed Akram’s jihadist associations, ASIO assessments and gun‑licence decisions date back to the Morrison/Dutton era and pre‑Albanese security failures.​
• 13:55 – ASIO, gun licensing and unanswered questions
• The Jacks highlight ASIO’s prior knowledge of Naveed’s extremist links and question how Sajid Akram obtained a semi‑automatic shotgun with only an AB licence when B/C categories are needed for that weapon.​
• They call for frank explanations from ASIO and NSW firearms licensing about assessments, paper trails and whether bureaucratic or resourcing failures allowed Akram to amass an arsenal worth around $30,000.​
• 17:55 – Under‑resourced counter‑terror units and a fearful Jewish community
• Joel cites a retired AFP counter‑terror investigator who says counter‑terror units are stacked with officers fresh out of the academy instead of seasoned detectives.​
• Jack reflects on three decades of Jewish institutions in Sydney’s east needing armed guards, and shares conversations with Jewish friends who now quietly contemplate leaving Australia because they no longer feel safe.​
• 20:35 – “Don’t bring your old hatreds here”
• The Jacks trace anti‑Jewish attacks in Sydney back to the 1982 Hakoah Club car bombing and the simultaneous attack on the Israeli consulate, arguing Jewish Australians have lived with this threat for over 40 years.​
• They say successive governments failed to hammer home a core Australian expectation: migrants must not import centuries‑old religious or ethnic hatreds into their new home.​
• 23:05 – Segal anti‑Semitism strategy and hate‑speech laws
• They briefly canvass the Gillian Segal anti‑Semitism strategy; Jack dismisses it as “word salad” and window dressing, while Joel notes the government has been slow to act on its recommendations.​
• On hate‑speech laws, Jack argues bans on offensive political opinions tend to drive hatred underground and make it more dangerous, but both agree incitement to violence must remain a prosecutable offence, possibly with updated legislation.​
• 26:00 – Policing protests and the limits of crowd control
• The Jacks explain why police sometimes tolerate ugly slogans at protests: wading in for arrests can inflame crowds that already vastly outnumber officers.​
• They stress the need to balance immediate public safety and officer safety with the longer‑term risk that demonstrators feel they can incite hatred with impunity.​
• 29:00 – Bondi’s stain and its heroes
• Joel laments that Bondi Beach, an iconic Australian destination, will now always be associated with a massacre, describing a moment of nausea as the death toll climbed on that Sunday night.​
• Jack reminisces about Bondi’s 1990s mix of Kiwis, working‑class locals and a relaxed Jewish presence, and fears that openness has been permanently damaged.​
• 32:05 – Old‑school cop and a Syrian‑Australian hero
• They praise the middle‑aged, tie‑wearing NSW officer who initiated the “beginning of the end” of the attack and commend off‑duty police who rushed to Bondi and threw on uniforms.​
• Joel celebrates North Bondi tobacconist Al Ahmad, a Syrian‑born resident who tackled the gunman with astonishing courage, noting he now seems certain to receive Australian citizenship along with his parents.​
• 35:10 – Patrol strength, long guns and local station realities
• The Jacks relay reports that only three officers were on duty at Bondi police station, which Joel describes as a relatively minor station compared to Rose Bay or Maroubra.​
• They question why frontline police responding to long‑gun threats were not issued rifles of their own and suggest NSW should review access to long arms for first responders in high‑risk scenarios.​
• 38:00 – Multiculturalism, old enmities and what really matters next
• Jack argues that, in an immigrant nation, the most important response is cultural: reinstilling the norm that old tribal feuds must be left behind, not accommodated.​
• Joel agrees this message should be central in citizenship education and public rhetoric, more important than technocratic hate‑speech tweaks or reactive gun‑law posturing.​
• 42:05 – National Cabinet, ASIO and the demand for competence
• They criticise the National Cabinet’s muted post‑Bondi meeting, which produced little beyond talk, and suggest the Prime Minister’s cautious style leaves a leadership vacuum in national crises.​
• The Jacks insist Australians accept that security agencies cannot be omniscient, but say they must be properly resourced, competent and transparent when they make mistakes.​
• 45:25 – Around the world: headscarves, condoms, climate and Reddit vs Canberra
• The Jacks whip around global headlines: Austria’s ban on headscarves for under‑14s, China’s 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives to boost fertility, Denmark listing the US as a security risk, and the US government quietly deleting “fossil fuels” as a named cause of climate change from official websites.​
• They note Reddit’s legal challenge to Australia’s under‑16 social media ban and question whether Reddit is the ideal platform to front that fight given its often unpoliced content.​
• 47:35 – Venezuela, the ICC and the limits of international law
• Venezuela moves to withdraw from the International Criminal Court as investigations into alleged Maduro‑regime crimes against humanity advance.​
• Jack says the episode encapsulates international law’s limits: states happily sign the Rome Statute until it becomes inconvenient, then walk away.​
• 48:55 – Ireland rearms and Russia blocks “unfriendly” calls
• Ireland announces a 55 per cent jump in defence spending to protect undersea data cables and deter drones, reflecting its geostrategic importance as a trans‑Atlantic communications hub.​
• Russia, meanwhile, moves to block incoming calls from “unfriendly” states; the Jacks mock the performative toughness and note how easily scammers will route around any such ban.​
• 51:15 – Rob Reiner’s murder and a towering film legacy
• They react with shock to the murder of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, allegedly by Reiner’s troubled son, whose earlier violence was itself the subject of a film.​
• Jack runs through Reiner’s extraordinary run—This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men—and argues that if you’d made only those, you’d still have had a remarkable career.​
• 54:45 – “This one goes to 11” and Trump’s gracelessness
• The Jacks recall how Spinal Tap helped invent the mockumentary form and embedded lines like “this one goes to 11” into pop‑culture vocabulary.​
• They condemn Donald Trump’s statement calling Reiner “a terrible human being” after his death, with conservative actor James Woods publicly rebuking Trump and praising Reiner’s personal kindness despite political differences.​
• 57:40 – Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and comedy royalty
• Joel outlines Rob Reiner’s upbringing in a house full of comedic giants, with father Carl Reiner and close friend Mel Brooks holding weekly movie nights together well into old age, as captured in Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.​
• They reminisce about Carl and Mel’s influence on Jewish humour and lament the passing of a generation of comic geniuses.​
• 01:01:05 – EVs, hybrids and a Two Jacks lunch bet
• The Jacks revisit their running argument over electric vehicles, prompted by Ford CEO Jim Farley’s plan to pivot the F‑150 towards hybrids instead of pure EVs.​
• Joel, a hybrid owner, sees hybrids as a transition technology in countries like Australia where fast‑charge infrastructure is patchy; he cites global EV sales rising to roughly 18–20 per cent of new car sales in 2025, with internal‑combustion shares steadily shrinking.​
• 01:03:05 – Charging reality vs theory in Australia
• Joel recounts his in‑laws’ BMW EV trip from central Victoria to Sydney using free or cheap NRMA/RACV chargers, but notes fast chargers are often the first to break or get switched off by retailers facing high electricity costs.​
• They swap anecdotes about BYD and Chinese Maxus taxis—fast‑improving but sometimes uncomfortable—and admit they can no longer remember the exact terms of their EV lunch wager, though Joel insists Jack owes him.​
• 01:06:10 – Worst political year: Trump, Macron, Starmer, Albanese, Li, Putin
• The Jacks playfully debate which leader had the worst year—Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li or Vladimir Putin.​
• They characterise Albanese as the “Stephen Bradbury” of Australian politics, a cautious survivor whose luck and endurance have mattered as much as brilliance.​
• 01:18:40 – Ashes update: England’s fragile top order
• In a late segment, they revisit England’s Ashes woes: repeated collapses leaving them three‑for‑not‑many and a top three of Crawley, Duckett and Pope exposing the middle order to the new ball.​
• Joel notes England dropped a bowler as a scapegoat while leaving the misfiring batting unchanged, and questions how long they can justify Ollie Pope at three ahead of the more solid Will Jacks.​
• 01:21:15 – Hong Kong racing, Kooring Rising and Japanese fanboy jockeys
• Jack describes Hong Kong’s International Racing Day—four Group 1s and 80,000 people—and the rise of sprinter Kooring Rising, winner of The Everest and now on a long winning streak.​
• He shares footage from Japan’s Nakayama track where every jockey stopped circling and sat still so they could watch Kooring Rising’s race on the big screen, a measure of the horse’s star power.​
• 01:23:00 – Listener mail, Howard’s gun laws and the Shooters lobby
• Joel reads a note from listener Ray pointing out that 300 legally obtained guns are still attributed to “Howard’s gun laws”, reminding listeners gun‑law reform was necessary but later watered down under pressure from the Shooters and Fishers political lobby.​
• 01:24:00 – Christmas, loneliness and a surprise lunch guest
• The Jacks close with Christmas reflections: acknowledging how joyful and stressful the season can be, especially for those who are lonely or estranged from family.​
• Joel recalls his mother inviting a homeless man to Christmas lunch—an act of charity met with teenage grumbling from him and his brother—and urges listeners to look out for those doing it tough without necessarily going to that extreme.​
• 01:25:45 – Holiday plans and the show’s return in January
• Jack outlines Hanukkah parties and family Christmas plans in Hong Kong, while Joel describes a quieter Highlands Christmas with a Boxing Day visit from the grandkids.​
• They thank listeners for their support through 2025, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and promise to return in the second week of January after a short break.​
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• 00:25 – Hanukkah, Bondi and a terror attack
• Joel (Jack the Insider) opens the Christmas‑eve episode by recounting the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that turned into a mass‑shooting, with 16 dead including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleitman and 10‑year‑old Matilda.​
• He notes that one gunman, Sajid Akram, was killed and his son Naveed faces 59 charges including 15 murders and a terrorism offence, while funerals proceed under a cloud of grief.​
• 02:05 – Anti‑Semitic threats and the rise of Jew hatred
• The Jacks detail an anti‑Semitic threat on a Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Sydney, where a 19‑year‑old allegedly made violent gestures and threats toward a Jewish passenger.​
• They discuss how contemporary anti‑Semitism in Australia and the West feels broader and deeper than before, increasingly visible on progressive and left‑wing fringes as well as the far right.​
• 04:55 – Jenny Leong’s “tentacles” remark and Greens politics
• Joel quotes NSW Greens MLC Jenny Leong’s 2023 comments about the “Jewish lobby” and “Zionist lobby” having “tentacles” infiltrating community groups, likening the rhetoric to classic Nazi tropes in Der Stürmer.​
• Jack notes Leong is part of NSW’s hard‑left “watermelon” Greens and argues such language shows how anti‑Jewish narratives have crept into mainstream progressive politics in Australia, the UK and the US.​
• 07:25 – Apologies, anti‑Zionism and the limits of definitions
• They note Leong apologised two months later for “poor choice of words” with anti‑Semitic implications, but Joel says the tentacle imagery hung “like a bad smell” over public debate.​
• The Jacks criticise semantic wrangling over definitions of anti‑Semitism and suggest calling much of it what it plainly is: old‑fashioned Jew hatred, often masked as anti‑Zionism.​
• 10:25 – Who failed after 7 October? Government responses under fire
• Jack argues federal and state leaders failed from “October 8th on” by not responding strongly enough to anti‑Jewish rhetoric and protests, suggesting Labor tried to balance Jewish concerns against Western Sydney Muslim votes.​
• Joel pushes back, citing Sean Carney’s column outlining how Naveed Akram’s jihadist associations, ASIO assessments and gun‑licence decisions date back to the Morrison/Dutton era and pre‑Albanese security failures.​
• 13:55 – ASIO, gun licensing and unanswered questions
• The Jacks highlight ASIO’s prior knowledge of Naveed’s extremist links and question how Sajid Akram obtained a semi‑automatic shotgun with only an AB licence when B/C categories are needed for that weapon.​
• They call for frank explanations from ASIO and NSW firearms licensing about assessments, paper trails and whether bureaucratic or resourcing failures allowed Akram to amass an arsenal worth around $30,000.​
• 17:55 – Under‑resourced counter‑terror units and a fearful Jewish community
• Joel cites a retired AFP counter‑terror investigator who says counter‑terror units are stacked with officers fresh out of the academy instead of seasoned detectives.​
• Jack reflects on three decades of Jewish institutions in Sydney’s east needing armed guards, and shares conversations with Jewish friends who now quietly contemplate leaving Australia because they no longer feel safe.​
• 20:35 – “Don’t bring your old hatreds here”
• The Jacks trace anti‑Jewish attacks in Sydney back to the 1982 Hakoah Club car bombing and the simultaneous attack on the Israeli consulate, arguing Jewish Australians have lived with this threat for over 40 years.​
• They say successive governments failed to hammer home a core Australian expectation: migrants must not import centuries‑old religious or ethnic hatreds into their new home.​
• 23:05 – Segal anti‑Semitism strategy and hate‑speech laws
• They briefly canvass the Gillian Segal anti‑Semitism strategy; Jack dismisses it as “word salad” and window dressing, while Joel notes the government has been slow to act on its recommendations.​
• On hate‑speech laws, Jack argues bans on offensive political opinions tend to drive hatred underground and make it more dangerous, but both agree incitement to violence must remain a prosecutable offence, possibly with updated legislation.​
• 26:00 – Policing protests and the limits of crowd control
• The Jacks explain why police sometimes tolerate ugly slogans at protests: wading in for arrests can inflame crowds that already vastly outnumber officers.​
• They stress the need to balance immediate public safety and officer safety with the longer‑term risk that demonstrators feel they can incite hatred with impunity.​
• 29:00 – Bondi’s stain and its heroes
• Joel laments that Bondi Beach, an iconic Australian destination, will now always be associated with a massacre, describing a moment of nausea as the death toll climbed on that Sunday night.​
• Jack reminisces about Bondi’s 1990s mix of Kiwis, working‑class locals and a relaxed Jewish presence, and fears that openness has been permanently damaged.​
• 32:05 – Old‑school cop and a Syrian‑Australian hero
• They praise the middle‑aged, tie‑wearing NSW officer who initiated the “beginning of the end” of the attack and commend off‑duty police who rushed to Bondi and threw on uniforms.​
• Joel celebrates North Bondi tobacconist Al Ahmad, a Syrian‑born resident who tackled the gunman with astonishing courage, noting he now seems certain to receive Australian citizenship along with his parents.​
• 35:10 – Patrol strength, long guns and local station realities
• The Jacks relay reports that only three officers were on duty at Bondi police station, which Joel describes as a relatively minor station compared to Rose Bay or Maroubra.​
• They question why frontline police responding to long‑gun threats were not issued rifles of their own and suggest NSW should review access to long arms for first responders in high‑risk scenarios.​
• 38:00 – Multiculturalism, old enmities and what really matters next
• Jack argues that, in an immigrant nation, the most important response is cultural: reinstilling the norm that old tribal feuds must be left behind, not accommodated.​
• Joel agrees this message should be central in citizenship education and public rhetoric, more important than technocratic hate‑speech tweaks or reactive gun‑law posturing.​
• 42:05 – National Cabinet, ASIO and the demand for competence
• They criticise the National Cabinet’s muted post‑Bondi meeting, which produced little beyond talk, and suggest the Prime Minister’s cautious style leaves a leadership vacuum in national crises.​
• The Jacks insist Australians accept that security agencies cannot be omniscient, but say they must be properly resourced, competent and transparent when they make mistakes.​
• 45:25 – Around the world: headscarves, condoms, climate and Reddit vs Canberra
• The Jacks whip around global headlines: Austria’s ban on headscarves for under‑14s, China’s 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives to boost fertility, Denmark listing the US as a security risk, and the US government quietly deleting “fossil fuels” as a named cause of climate change from official websites.​
• They note Reddit’s legal challenge to Australia’s under‑16 social media ban and question whether Reddit is the ideal platform to front that fight given its often unpoliced content.​
• 47:35 – Venezuela, the ICC and the limits of international law
• Venezuela moves to withdraw from the International Criminal Court as investigations into alleged Maduro‑regime crimes against humanity advance.​
• Jack says the episode encapsulates international law’s limits: states happily sign the Rome Statute until it becomes inconvenient, then walk away.​
• 48:55 – Ireland rearms and Russia blocks “unfriendly” calls
• Ireland announces a 55 per cent jump in defence spending to protect undersea data cables and deter drones, reflecting its geostrategic importance as a trans‑Atlantic communications hub.​
• Russia, meanwhile, moves to block incoming calls from “unfriendly” states; the Jacks mock the performative toughness and note how easily scammers will route around any such ban.​
• 51:15 – Rob Reiner’s murder and a towering film legacy
• They react with shock to the murder of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, allegedly by Reiner’s troubled son, whose earlier violence was itself the subject of a film.​
• Jack runs through Reiner’s extraordinary run—This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men—and argues that if you’d made only those, you’d still have had a remarkable career.​
• 54:45 – “This one goes to 11” and Trump’s gracelessness
• The Jacks recall how Spinal Tap helped invent the mockumentary form and embedded lines like “this one goes to 11” into pop‑culture vocabulary.​
• They condemn Donald Trump’s statement calling Reiner “a terrible human being” after his death, with conservative actor James Woods publicly rebuking Trump and praising Reiner’s personal kindness despite political differences.​
• 57:40 – Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and comedy royalty
• Joel outlines Rob Reiner’s upbringing in a house full of comedic giants, with father Carl Reiner and close friend Mel Brooks holding weekly movie nights together well into old age, as captured in Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.​
• They reminisce about Carl and Mel’s influence on Jewish humour and lament the passing of a generation of comic geniuses.​
• 01:01:05 – EVs, hybrids and a Two Jacks lunch bet
• The Jacks revisit their running argument over electric vehicles, prompted by Ford CEO Jim Farley’s plan to pivot the F‑150 towards hybrids instead of pure EVs.​
• Joel, a hybrid owner, sees hybrids as a transition technology in countries like Australia where fast‑charge infrastructure is patchy; he cites global EV sales rising to roughly 18–20 per cent of new car sales in 2025, with internal‑combustion shares steadily shrinking.​
• 01:03:05 – Charging reality vs theory in Australia
• Joel recounts his in‑laws’ BMW EV trip from central Victoria to Sydney using free or cheap NRMA/RACV chargers, but notes fast chargers are often the first to break or get switched off by retailers facing high electricity costs.​
• They swap anecdotes about BYD and Chinese Maxus taxis—fast‑improving but sometimes uncomfortable—and admit they can no longer remember the exact terms of their EV lunch wager, though Joel insists Jack owes him.​
• 01:06:10 – Worst political year: Trump, Macron, Starmer, Albanese, Li, Putin
• The Jacks playfully debate which leader had the worst year—Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li or Vladimir Putin.​
• They characterise Albanese as the “Stephen Bradbury” of Australian politics, a cautious survivor whose luck and endurance have mattered as much as brilliance.​
• 01:18:40 – Ashes update: England’s fragile top order
• In a late segment, they revisit England’s Ashes woes: repeated collapses leaving them three‑for‑not‑many and a top three of Crawley, Duckett and Pope exposing the middle order to the new ball.​
• Joel notes England dropped a bowler as a scapegoat while leaving the misfiring batting unchanged, and questions how long they can justify Ollie Pope at three ahead of the more solid Will Jacks.​
• 01:21:15 – Hong Kong racing, Kooring Rising and Japanese fanboy jockeys
• Jack describes Hong Kong’s International Racing Day—four Group 1s and 80,000 people—and the rise of sprinter Kooring Rising, winner of The Everest and now on a long winning streak.​
• He shares footage from Japan’s Nakayama track where every jockey stopped circling and sat still so they could watch Kooring Rising’s race on the big screen, a measure of the horse’s star power.​
• 01:23:00 – Listener mail, Howard’s gun laws and the Shooters lobby
• Joel reads a note from listener Ray pointing out that 300 legally obtained guns are still attributed to “Howard’s gun laws”, reminding listeners gun‑law reform was necessary but later watered down under pressure from the Shooters and Fishers political lobby.​
• 01:24:00 – Christmas, loneliness and a surprise lunch guest
• The Jacks close with Christmas reflections: acknowledging how joyful and stressful the season can be, especially for those who are lonely or estranged from family.​
• Joel recalls his mother inviting a homeless man to Christmas lunch—an act of charity met with teenage grumbling from him and his brother—and urges listeners to look out for those doing it tough without necessarily going to that extreme.​
• 01:25:45 – Holiday plans and the show’s return in January
• Jack outlines Hanukkah parties and family Christmas plans in Hong Kong, while Joel describes a quieter Highlands Christmas with a Boxing Day visit from the grandkids.​
• They thank listeners for their support through 2025, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and promise to return in the second week of January after a short break.​

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

Possibly the longest shownotes in history thanks to Gemini 3 Pro. Bless the swamp from which this AI slop emerged and enjoy the episode. Or just read this, I suppose. The title sucks terribly. Do better, Gemmo!

(All timestamps below have been shifted forward by 25 seconds to allow for theme music, as requested.)

00:00 – Welcome, Cricket and the Pink Ball at the Gabba

• 00:00:25 – Jack the Insider (Joel Hill) opens episode 137 of The Two Jacks and notes they’re recording just after midday on 4 December.
• 00:00:36 – Quick chat about the looming day–night Test at the Gabba and the prospect it could finish very quickly.
• 00:00:44 – Hong Kong Jack explains why dusk session timings in Hong Kong line up perfectly with “Asahi o’clock”.
• 00:01:07 – The Jacks wonder which pink ball is in use – Duke or Kookaburra – and what that means for Mitchell Starc and the batters.
• 00:01:30 – They flag that full cricket chat will come later in the episode.

• 00:01:53 – Jack the Insider pivots from sport to tragedy: an update on the Tai Po (Typo) fire in Hong Kong, now with 159 dead, from ages 1 to 97.
• 00:02:07 – Hong Kong Jack describes the government‑ordered three‑day citywide mourning period, mass flower layings, official ceremonies and a three‑minute silence.
• 00:02:35 – Discussion of schools cancelling Christmas parties and staff functions in solidarity; a sense the tragedy is being taken seriously across society.
• 00:02:55 – Hong Kong Jack outlines the judge‑led inquiry: not only into the Tai Po fire’s causes, but also systemic issues in building management and renovation contracts on large estates, with hints of corruption.
• 00:03:30 – Evidence emerging that the green construction cloth lacked proper fire retardant and that flammable materials were used to seal lift wells, helping the fire move inside.
• 00:04:23 – Bodies, including one man, found in stairwells and lobbies; Hong Kong Jack cautions against jumping to conclusions before investigators reconstruct the fire.
• 00:04:53 – Arrest tally climbs to around 12, mostly consultants/contractors involved in management and renovations rather than labourers.
• 00:05:35 – Hong Kong Jack notes large numbers of displaced residents in hotels and temporary accommodation and outlines generous government payments to families of foreign domestic workers killed (about HKD 800,000 per family).
• 00:06:05 – A harrowing vignette: a Javanese truck driver receives a final phone call from his wife, trapped with her employers’ baby, seeking forgiveness because there is no escape.
• 00:06:35 – The Jacks reflect on the horror of the story and promise to revisit the inquiry as more facts emerge.

• 00:06:50 – Jack the Insider turns to domestic Australian politics: the under‑16 social media restrictions about to kick in.
• 00:07:05 – He notes overwhelming parental support (around 80%) but says the government is now “hosing down expectations” and reframing the policy as a long‑term “cultural change” effort.
• 00:07:30 – Platforms not yet on the restricted list – Roblox and Discord – are flagged as problematic globally for child sexual exploitation, illustrating rollout gaps.
• 00:08:05 – They discuss technical enforcement: existing account age data, length of time on a platform and the likelihood that some adults will be wrongly flagged but quickly reinstated.
• 00:08:35 – Jack the Insider explains the government’s theory of cultural change: a generation that grows up never having had TikTok or Instagram under 16 “won’t know what they’re missing”.
• 00:09:00 – Hong Kong Jack compares Australia to mainland China’s efforts to control the internet and points out China still can’t stamp out VPN usage, predicting similar Australian difficulties.
• 00:09:25 – Jack the Insider clarifies that VPNs are not illegal in Australia; about 27% of connected Australians already use one, probably now closer to a third.
• 00:09:55 – He strongly recommends everyone use a VPN for privacy and location masking, and warns that good VPNs now explicitly advise not to choose Australia as an exit node because of the new regime.
• 00:11:00 – They note that Malaysia and several European countries (Denmark, Spain, France and EU initiatives) are eyeing similar under‑age social media restrictions, with large fines (Australia’s up to about AUD 50 million or 1% of turnover).
• 00:12:20 – Meta is already scanning and booting under‑age users, but teenagers are sharing tips on evading age checks. Jack the Insider describes various age‑verification methods: selfie‑based AI checks, account age, and Roblox’s move to ban under‑15s.
• 00:13:45 – Anecdote about Macau security doing ID checks: Hong Kong Jack’s son is checked for being over 21, while Jack’s own age makes ID unnecessary—an amusing generational moment.
• 00:14:55 – The Jacks agree the policy is unlikely to stop kids having TikTok accounts but might “nudge” behaviour toward less screen time.
• 00:16:00 – Jack the Insider stresses the real dangers of the internet—particularly organised child sexual exploitation rings like the notorious “764” network—and questions whether blunt prohibition can solve these issues.

• 00:18:22 – They move to the Bruce Lehrmann defamation saga: his appeal has failed and he’s likely millions of dollars in debt.
• 00:18:45 – Discussion of the prospect of a High Court appeal, the low likelihood of leave being granted, and the sense that further appeals are “good money after bad”.
• 00:19:22 – Jack the Insider notes outstanding criminal charges against Lehrmann in Toowoomba relating to an alleged statutory rape, and outlines the allegation about removing a condom after earlier consensual sex.
• 00:20:07 – They discuss the probable difficulty of prosecuting that case, and then pivot to the practical question: who is funding Lehrmann’s ongoing legal adventures?
• 00:20:35 – Hong Kong Jack explains why some lawyers or firms may take on such cases for profile, despite poor prospects of payment, and they canvass talk of crowdfunding efforts.
• 00:21:07 – The Jacks agree Lehrmann should have left the public stage after the criminal trial was discontinued; now, bankruptcy in 2026 looks likely.
• 00:21:58 – Limited sympathy for Channel 10 or Lisa Wilkinson; more sympathy reserved for Brittany Higgins and Fiona Brown, who are seen as exceptions in an otherwise “pretty ordinary” cast.

• 00:23:24 – The Jacks turn to the National Anti‑Corruption Commission (NACC) and Commissioner Paul Brereton’s side work for Defence.
• 00:24:03 – Hong Kong Jack recounts Senate Estimates footage where officials first claimed Brereton’s Defence consulting work occurred outside NACC hours, then later admitted more than ten instances (possibly close to 20) during NACC office time.
• 00:25:25 – Discussion of conflict‑of‑interest: the Commissioner maintaining a paid Defence relationship while heading the body that may need to investigate Defence.
• 00:25:57 – The Jacks question the tenability of his position, especially given the NACC’s opaque nature, its minimal public reporting obligations and a salary around AUD 800k–900k plus expenses.

• 00:26:20 – Jack the Insider outlines Australia’s sluggish economy: inflation remains sticky, GDP growth is flat, and government spending is driving much of the growth.
• 00:27:00 – They discuss a small, tentative rise in productivity (around 0.2% for the quarter) and the Treasurer’s caution that productivity figures are volatile.
• 00:27:57 – Hong Kong Jack stresses that historically, economies escape malaise through productivity‑driven growth; there is no easy alternative, in Australia or globally.
• 00:28:23 – Broader global picture: the US isn’t in outright recession but is crawling; Europe is sluggish; Poland is a rare bright spot but rapid growth brings its own risks.

ANZ and Post‑Royal Commission Failures

• 00:28:54 – Focus shifts to ANZ’s continuing governance and compliance failures after the Banking Royal Commission.
• 00:29:30 – Jack the Insider shares a personal story about dealing with ANZ’s deceased estates department following his mother and stepfather’s deaths and the difficulty in releasing funds to pay for funerals.
• 00:30:20 – Justice Jonathan Beach’s scathing remarks: ANZ is still mishandling deceased estates, charging fees and interest to dead customers, despite years of warnings.
• 00:31:34 – They recall Royal Commission revelations about “fees for no service” and charging the dead, plus ANZ’s recent exclusion from certain Commonwealth bond business due to rorting.
• 00:32:12 – The Jacks see this as a clear culture problem: five years on, the basics still aren’t fixed, suggesting inadequate investment in compliance and little genuine reform.

• 00:33:05 – The conversation moves to the UK’s proposal to restrict jury trials for offences likely to attract less than a two‑year sentence.
• 00:33:35 – Hong Kong Jack notes the English historical attachment to jury trials dating back to Magna Carta, and that defendants have long had the right to opt for a jury if imprisonment is possible.
• 00:34:38 – Justice Minister David Lammy, once a fierce critic of similar Tory proposals, is now advancing the idea himself, creating a political shambles.
• 00:35:02 – They weigh up pros and cons of judge‑only trials for complex financial crimes, where juries may struggle to follow long, technical evidence.
• 00:36:10 – Jack the Insider points out that even judges can find such cases difficult, but there is at least some expertise advantage.
• 00:36:22 – They revisit the Southport riots and harsh sentences for people inciting attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers, arguing that common‑sense community judgment via juries may be better in such politically charged cases.
• 00:37:26 – Ultimately, they doubt the reforms will meaningfully reduce the UK’s huge court backlog and see it as another noisy but ineffective response.

• 00:39:21 – Discussion moves to the UK budget, alleged “black holes” and whether the Chancellor misled voters about a AUD 22 billion‑equivalent gap.
• 00:40:14 – They examine calls for the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, to rule on ministerial truthfulness, and Hong Kong Jack’s discomfort with handing moral judgment to “anointed officials”.
• 00:40:51 – The Jacks argue accountability should rest with Parliament and ultimately voters, not appointed ethics czars, whether in the Johnson era or now.
• 00:41:36 – In Australia, Tony Burke’s handling of “ISIS brides” returning to Australia is cited: he asked officials to leave a meeting so he could talk politically with constituents. The Jacks see this as legitimate hard‑headed politics in a very complex area rather than an ethical scandal.
• 00:43:03 – Jack the Insider defends the principle that Australian citizenship must mean something, especially for children of ISIS‑linked families; stripping citizenship or abandoning citizens overseas can be a dangerous precedent.
• 00:44:08 – Anecdotes segue into a broader reflection: politicians have always misled voters to some extent. They quote stories about Huey Long and Graham Richardson’s defence of political lying.
• 00:45:24 – They swap observations about “tells” when leaders like Malcolm Turnbull or Julia Gillard were lying; Scott Morrison, they say, had no visible tell at all.
• 00:46:22 – Cabinet solidarity is framed as institutionally sanctioned lying: ministers must publicly back decisions they privately opposed, and yet the system requires that to function.

• 00:46:42 – The Jacks discuss reports of draft peace deals between Ukraine, the US and Russia that Moscow rejected over wording and guarantees.
• 00:47:17 – Jack the Insider describes a gaunt Foreign Ministry spokesman, not Sergey Lavrov, delivering Russia’s objections, sparking rumours about Lavrov’s status.
• 00:47:56 – Putin goes on TV to reassure Russians they’re winning, threatens destruction of Europe if conflict escalates and claims territorial gains Russia doesn’t actually hold.
• 00:48:17 – Hong Kong Jack argues European fantasies of imposing a “strategic defeat” on Russia are unrealistic; retaking all occupied regions and Crimea would exact unbearable costs in lives and money.
• 00:49:33 – The Jacks infer that Putin will eventually need to “sell” a negotiated deal as a victory to his own public; his current bluster is partly domestic theatre.
• 00:49:50 – They note some odd, Trump‑like US talk of structuring peace as a “business deal” with economic incentives for Russia, which they find an odd fit for a brutal territorial war.

• 00:50:13 – Attention turns to Donald Trump’s polling in his second term: his net approval is negative across all major polls, in some cases approaching minus 20.
• 00:51:04 – Jack the Insider highlights Trump’s recent promises of USD 2,000 cheques to every American plus no income tax—claims they see as fantastical and electorally risky when voters inevitably ask “where’s my money?”.
• 00:51:39 – They compare Trump’s denial of inflation and cost‑of‑living pressures to Biden’s earlier mistakes in minimising pain; telling people “everything’s cheaper now” when their lived experience contradicts that is politically fatal.
• 00:52:34 – Hong Kong Jack notes history shows that insisting things are fine when voters know they aren’t only accelerates your polling collapse.
• 00:53:02 – They briefly touch on a special election in Tennessee: a safe Trump district where the Republican margin has shrunk. They caution against over‑reading the result but note softening support.
• 00:54:14 – CNN’s Harry Enten is quoted: this has been Trump’s worst ten‑day polling run of the second term, with net approval among independents plunging to about minus 43 and a negative 34 on inflation.
• 00:55:15 – They speculate about what this means for the 2026 midterms: Trump won’t be on the ballot but will loom large. A future Republican president, they note, might still face governing without a Congressional majority.

• 00:56:07 – The Jacks discuss Derek Thompson’s forthcoming Atlantic piece on surging disability registrations at elite US colleges: more than 20% at Brown and Harvard, 34% at Amherst and 38% at Stanford.
• 00:57:10 – Hong Kong Jack explains how disability status yields exam and assessment advantages: extra time, flexible deadlines, better housing, etc., and why wealthy students are more likely to secure diagnoses.
• 00:57:48 – They cite intake breakdowns at one college: small numbers for visual/hearing disabilities, larger numbers for autism, neurological conditions and especially psychological or emotional disabilities—suggesting a big shift in what counts as disabling.
• 00:58:45 – Jack the Insider counters that many of these conditions were under‑diagnosed or ignored in the 1970s and 80s; growing recognition doesn’t automatically mean fraud.
• 00:59:40 – He brings in chronic conditions like ME/CFS: historically treated as malingering or “all in the head”, now increasingly accepted as serious and often disabling.
• 01:00:02 – Hong Kong Jack quotes a Stanford professor asking, “At what point can we say no? 50%? 60%?”—underlining institutional concern that the system can’t cope if a majority claim accommodations.
• 01:01:05 – They wrestle with the employer’s problem: how to interpret grades achieved with significant accommodations, and whether workplaces must also provide similar allowances.
• 01:02:21 – Jack the Insider’s answer is essentially yes: good employers should accommodate genuine disability, and it’s on applicants to be upfront. He stresses diversity of ability and that many high‑achieving disabled people are valuable hires.
• 01:03:40 – Hong Kong Jack remains more sceptical, shaped by long legal experience of people gaming systems, but agrees lawyers shouldn’t be the priestly class defining morality.

• 01:04:25 – They pivot back to sport: a successful South African tour of India, including a series win in Tests and a 1–1 one‑day series with big hundreds from Virat Kohli, Gaikwad and Aiden Markram.
• 01:05:31 – Quick update on New Zealand’s Test against the West Indies in Christchurch, with New Zealand rebuilding in their second innings through Ravindra and Latham.

Women’s Cricket and Phoebe Litchfield

• 01:06:19 – Jack the Insider raves about the Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat game and singles out Phoebe Litchfield as the best women’s batter in the world: technically sound, not a slogger, scoring “runs for fun” and hailing from Orange.

Gabba Day–Night Test: Australia v England

• 01:06:50 – With Usman Khawaja out, they discuss the unchanged 12 and whether Bo Webster plays, potentially pushing Travis Head up to open.
• 01:07:39 – For England, Mark Wood hasn’t recovered; they bring in Will Jacks, a batting all‑rounder and part‑time spinner, to bolster the order but lose their fastest bowler.
• 01:08:11 – If you win the toss? Bat first, they say—if the conditions allow—and look to control the game with the bat for four hours or more.
• 01:08:44 – They caution that with recent heavy Queensland rain, the pitch could be juicy whether you bat first or second; the key is getting cricket on Saturday.
• 01:08:48 – Hong Kong Jack rates this as the best England attack to tour Australia in a long time, especially with Wood and Archer firing in Perth, although Archer’s pace dropped markedly in the second innings.
• 01:09:36 – They dissect England’s first‑Test collapse: at one stage it was an “unlosable” match according to Ponting and the stats, but reckless strokes from set batters (Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook) handed it back to Australia.
• 01:09:55 – Mitchell Starc’s extraordinary home day–night record—averaging around 17 with the pink ball—looms as a big factor.

• 01:12:11 – Jack the Insider describes watching the ILT20 in the UAE: near‑empty stands, disengaged fielders and an overall “soulless” spectacle aimed solely at TV viewers in South Asia and the Gulf.
• 01:13:49 – Despite his love of cricket, he worries this is a glimpse of the future if the longer formats aren’t protected and nurtured. He pleads, in effect, for saving Test and other red‑ball cricket from being cannibalised by anonymous franchise leagues.

• 01:14:11 – The Jacks explore the class divide in English cricket: all but one of England’s Perth XI finished school at private schools; the sole exception is captain Ben Stokes, who grew up partly in New Zealand.
• 01:15:05 – In contrast, Australia’s pathway still runs largely through club cricket, though private schools with professional coaching (like Cranbrook) give some players a head start.
• 01:15:47 – Jack the Insider notes Sam Conscientious (Sam Constance / Cummins reference is implied) spending two years at Cranbrook, reflecting how elite schools build academies with ex‑first‑class coaches that state systems can’t match.
• 01:16:20 – They agree state‑school kids like the Waugh twins still come through club cricket, but in England, some top private schools effectively operate as de facto county academies.
• 01:17:31 – Anecdotes about Stuart Broad: a likeable “nepo baby” of former England player Chris Broad, who was toughened up by a formative season at Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne sub‑district cricket. Local players loved him.
• 01:18:20 – Hong Kong Jack recommends Broad’s appearance on The Front Bar as essential viewing for understanding his character and the cultural contrasts between English and Australian cricket.
• 01:18:40 – More class culture: Chris Cowdrey, briefly England captain, shows up in full whites and blazer to toss with Viv Richards in surf shorts and thongs. When Cowdrey starts reading out England’s XI, Viv cuts him off: “Mate, I don’t care who you play, it’s not going to make any difference.”

• 01:21:11 – Brief detour to Formula 1: Oscar Piastri’s season with McLaren seems dogged by terrible luck and questionable team decisions that have cost him a near‑certain championship.
• 01:21:57 – Jack the Insider reflects on how F1 drivers like Piastri have effectively been in vehicles since toddlerhood, climbing the ladder from go‑karts to supercars.
• 01:22:50 – They express hope he can clinch the title in the final race, but wryly note that F1 rarely grants fairytale endings.

AFLW

• 01:22:23 – AFLW: North Melbourne complete an undefeated season to win the premiership, comfortably beating Brisbane in the grand final.
• 01:23:07 – Hong Kong Jack praises it as the best AFLW season yet, with marked improvement in depth and skill across the competition. North remain the benchmark everyone else must chase.

• 01:23:49 – The Jacks look ahead to watching the Gabba Test, beers on ice for Jack the Insider and the late Hong Kong dusk session for Hong Kong Jack.
• 01:24:01 – They note the death of playwright Tom Stoppard at 88 and share a favourite story: Spielberg offers him the Jaws screenplay; Stoppard declines because he’s writing a play—“actually for BBC Radio”.
• 01:25:11 – Final reflections on how Stoppard would have improved Jaws, then a note that the podcast will soon reach its final episodes for the year, with plans to feature listener feedback before a short summer break.
• 01:25:56 – Jack the Insider signs off, thanking listeners and Hong Kong Jack, and promises they’ll be back next week.