This week on The Fin podcast, senior correspondent Jacob Greber talks about whether the government’s new plan will work, how much it will cost and what are the political stakes for the country’s ambitious climate change minister. And Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen reports from Dubai on Australia’s role at this year’s COP28 summit.

This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors

Further reading:

• Bowen's energy plan might cost 'tens of billions' The cost of Labor’s freshly minted Capacity Investment Scheme is being hotly debated by energy experts, with most agreeing the Commonwealth faces a material financial exposure, as well as concerns about the government’s refusal to reveal costings.
• Bowen dramatically expands green energy support The Albanese government will supercharge its struggling 82 per cent clean energy goal by dramatically expanding its underwriting of green generation and storage, effectively replacing the Renewable Energy Target favoured by some wind and solar proponents.
• 'A lot of zeroes': Why global CEOs flock to COP In recent years, a ‘climate Davos’ has emerged on the fringes of COP summits, with companies striking deals, swapping notes and talking to politicians.

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This week on The Fin podcast, Chanticleer columnist Anthony Macdonald and senior resources writer Angela Macdonald-Smith on the twists and turns of the Origin takeover saga, why the bid failed and where those billions of dollars might be headed next.

This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors

Further reading:

• Origin shareholders demand demerger, higher dividends in deal fallout 
  Origin Energy’s board is facing demands to consider a demerger, a beefed-up transition plan and higher dividend payouts after the collapse of a $20 billion takeover plan.
• The one question for every director in Origin's $20 billion belly flop 
  Stability is the new buzzword at Origin Energy. Having tried to upend the joint for the past year, everyone now seems to want stability: the board, management, investors (institutional and retail), even Brookfield.
• Brookfield taking ‘suckers for a ride’ in Origin play: Keating 
  Assets of Origin’s premium quality should not be sold to private equity investors and, worse, sold cheaply, only to be bought back five years later – with the sole aim of delivering unconscionable profits to equity fund investors.

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This week on The Fin podcast, education editor Julie Hare on why young Australians are losing faith in the value of uni and whether the government can turn it around.

This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors

Further reading:

• Have young Australians lost faith in uni? The number of Australian students studying for a bachelor’s degree has fallen more than 13 per cent since 2016, new data reveals, as rising student debt and the booming jobs market turn young people off higher education.
• The income boost from a uni degree is slumping The income boost graduates gain from earning a university degree is declining and greater for those with higher qualifications, such as master’s and PhDs, a study has found.
• The secret plan to control what uni students can study In what would be a radical overhaul of higher education, a major review is considering an external body to oversee all aspects of universities, potentially stripping them of their autonomy and independence.

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This week on The Fin, economics editor John Kehoe on why young Australians are at risk of a poorer future and what can be done to lighten their load.

This podcast is sponsored by First Sentier Investors

Further reading: Why younger Australians are at risk of a poorer future The nation will become older, more indebted, and tax working-age people more over coming decades unless something dramatic changes.

The penny has finally dropped on income tax burden There are at least three achievable ways to alleviate the intergenerational inequities in the tax system to take pressure off workers and not harm economic growth.

Tax system fails every test, says Ken Henry The federal-state tax system “fails” every test, including for economic growth and fairness to younger people, underlining the need for political leadership to deliver more than “mere tinkering”, former Treasury boss Ken Henry says.

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This week on The Fin podcast, Europe correspondent Hans van Leeuwen on the war between Israel and Hamas and whether it could spread across the Middle East. And political editor Phillip Coorey on Australia’s complicated response.

This podcast is sponsored by SAP.

Further reading:

Netanyahu's dilemma Israel, as ever, is caught between its hard-won capacity to fight militarily on its own terms, and its inability to achieve lasting security without the collusion of Washington, and the major Arab capitals too.

Australia a small player in Middle East conflict Anthony Albanese has called for a sense of perspective regarding Australia’s ability to influence events in the Middle East, as he accused the Greens and Coalition of using the tragedy for political gain while the government was trying to minimise civil unrest.

Wong's ceasefire call draws flak from both sides Foreign Minister Penny Wong is under fire on two fronts after she raised the prospect of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accusing her of being “reckless” for even broaching the topic while the pro-Palestinian lobby criticised her for not going far enough. (edited) 

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This week on The Fin podcast, technology reporter Jessica Sier and United States correspondent Matthew Cranston on the great unravelling of Sam Bankman-Fried, what it was like inside the courtroom and why his legal troubles aren’t yet over.

This podcast is sponsored by SAP.

Further reading:

• Sam Bankman-Fried: the villain in a cinema near you His defence lawyer said the government tried to show the jury “the movie of Sam the villain.” He might have been ahead of his time.
• Sam Bankman-Fried squirms under cross-examination While Bankman-Fried appeared almost chipper while answering questions from his defence lawyer, the mood turned quickly when the prosecution got started.
• Bankman-Fried brought to book Sitting in front of a freshly picked jury and a courtroom jammed with reporters, Sam Bankman-Fried’s trademark unruly curls had vanished after five weeks in a Brooklyn prison.

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This week on The Fin podcast, political editor Phillip Coorey and North Asia correspondent Michael Smith on why Albanese’s China trip is so important, the challenges facing Xi Jinping at home and how China’s slowing economy is changing the game.

This podcast is sponsored by SAP.

Further reading:

• Taiwan warns Albanese - don't be blindsided by China  Taiwan’s Foreign Minister has warned Anthony Albanese ahead of his visit to Beijing that China may take advantage of warmer ties with Western democracies to try to isolate Taipei and bring it under Communist rule.
• China sacks defence minister who disappeared two months ago China has sacked its Defence Minister, General Li Shangfu, who disappeared from public view two months ago in what experts believe is part of a purge of Xi Jinping’s top ranks.
• China denies Cheng was a political hostage Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Cheng Lei’s release was the result of the Albanese government’s “persistent” advocacy with the China, which allowed the former television anchor to return to Australia this week after three years in prison.

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This week on The Fin podcast, resources reporters Peter Ker and Elouise Fowler on lithium’s rise and fall and rise again, why the Liontown deal collapsed and whether the critical mineral could become the next iron ore for Australia.

This podcast is sponsored by SAP.

Further reading:

Can brains disrupt Australia's lithium mining brawn Some of the world’s biggest and smallest companies reckon technology can disrupt Australia’s lithium boom by unlocking vast new supplies and crushing prices.

Deal off, Game on: The battle for Liontown is just beginning
Less than five hours after Liontown Resources announced the withdrawal of Albemarle’s $6.6 billion takeover bid, the lithium junior’s biggest shareholder, Gina Rinehart, was busy setting up a new vehicle for her pivot towards critical minerals.

Lithium takeovers ignite the Pilbara Deal fever has swept the Australian lithium, with Chilean giant Socieded Quimica Y Minera set to play a central role in two deals.

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This week on The Fin, Joe Aston on his evolution from gossip columnist to campaigning journalist, what happened when he went too far and life after Rear Window.

This podcast is sponsored by SAP.

Further reading:

• Joe's farewell column Rear Window’s style evolved (and its rigour improved), but my primary motivation never really changed, and that was to entertain.
• Richard Goyder's pantomime swan song The Qantas chairman has elected to take an excruciating route to the inevitable.
• Sobering thoughts from Rehab Riviera Resisting alcohol is almost the easiest part of early sobriety. Vastly more daunting is the reconstruction of one’s interpersonal skills.

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This week on The Fin podcast, political correspondent Tom McIlroy and political editor Phillip Coorey on what the result is likely to be, where the campaign will be won and lost and what happens next.

This podcast is sponsored by Superloop

Further reading:

• Albanese cries over Voice to parliament chance Anthony Albanese has urged Australians preparing to vote No in Saturday’s referendum on the Indigenous Voice to parliament to reconsider, saying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are “reaching out” to the rest of the community for their own survival.
• Albanese will walk away from Voice if voters say no Anthony Albanese says he will walk away from the Indigenous Voice to parliament proposal if voters defeat Saturday’s landmark referendum.
• Why middle Australia is leaning towards No Debate about the details, partisan bickering and indifference about Indigenous affairs are all continuing to hamper the Yes case.

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