The Religion and Ethics Report

If you’re a doctor opposed to euthanasia or a nurse with qualms about late-term abortion, should you have the right to opt out of such procedures, even when they’re entrenched in law? Australian ethicist Dr Xavier Symons wades into this debate in his new book, Why Conscience Matters: A Defence of Conscientious Objection Healthcare.

American Catholics have a new leader. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, chief chaplain to the US defence forces, is the next president of the national bishops conference. He’s a conservative who could find himself caught up in the next US election and out of step with Pope Francis. In the 1990s, he also worked in the Vatican, for a cardinal accused of protecting an abusive priest. Joshua McElwee from the independent newspaper, The National Catholic Reporter, explains this tense situation.

American Catholics have a new leader.  Archbishop Timothy Broglio, chief chaplain to the US defence forces, is the next president of the national bishops conference. He’s a conservative who could find himself caught up in the next US election and out of step with Pope Francis. In the 1990s, he also worked in the Vatican, for a cardinal accused of protecting an abusive priest. Joshua McElwee from the independent newspaper, The National Catholic Reporter, explains this tense situation.

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Presenter: Andrew WestProducer: Hong JiangSound Engineer: Russell Stapleton

The big news in US politics is that the Democrats retained control of the senate in the mid-term elections. One of the lesser known but fascinating stories was the success of American Muslim candidates— who have in fact, made historic gains. 

Qatar has reportedly spent $US230 billion on the FIFA World Cup, including building new stadiums and public transport. And it's that infrastructure, and the migrant workforce that built it, which attracts controversy. For decades, Qatar used a system of bonded labour that exploited and abused workers from Asia.

Israel's president has officially asked Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government. Netanyahu will rely on his traditional allies in the orthodox religious parties but also on a far-right parliamentary group called the Religious Zionists. And that's where it gets controversial because this party embraces ethnic nationalism and anti-Arab rhetoric.

India's major film industry Bollywood is not just hugely popular, it's also very influential on politics and culture. With the rise of Hindu nationalism continuing largely unchecked, hardline protesters are now demanding the film industry join the campaign. And that means Indian Muslims are portrayed in ever more negative ways.

With Professor Ira Bhaskar.

Australia has signed an agreement with Thailand to fight human trafficking. But with 50 million people around the world falling prey to modern slavery, do we need dozens more bilateral agreements to ensure Australian companies do not use, deliberately or accidentally, exploited labour?

With NSW's anti-slavery commissioner Dr James Cockayne.

Since the world’s richest man Elon Musk bought the social network Twitter, he's halved the number of staff, especially those responsible for monitoring content. There are calls for more regulation, particularly over social media's dark side, including from ANU Professor Shirley Leitch.

Over 6 million people are trapped in the global sex trafficking trade – almost 5 million of them are women and girls. Australia is not immune to this. This week, Nine media reported that crime bosses are using loopholes in Australia’s immigration system to run a prostitution ring involving possibly hundreds of vulnerable migrant women.

We hear from Kathy Chambers of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia.