Dean Lewis’ apology after fan allegations + The ‘real’ witches on your FYP

Senator David Pocock is calling out the federal government, saying it’s the most secretive in 30 years. With the Coalition self-imploding, the Independent Senator is calling the Albanese government to account, saying the public has a right to know what’s behind its lack of transparency. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Senator David Pocock, who is concerned about the Federal Government’s crackdown on freedom of information laws and its delay in releasing the long-awaited report into “jobs for mates”. Headlines: Investigations are continuing into what caused a plane to crash in Kentucky, New York City has elected its first Muslim mayor, and there are reports of another major Optus outage. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Marras 17min

Wednesday Headlines: ASIO boss warns of three countries willing to carry out assassinations on Australian soil, former US Vice President Dick Cheney dead at 84, CommBank and Temu among Australia’s ‘shonkiest’ brands, Netflix and Amazon to pay millions a year to make Australian TV shows and David Beckham’s been knighted by King Charles!Deep Dive: There’s been a concerning rise in the sale of child-like sex dolls to Australians by major retailers online. Yesterday, Shein announced it was removing all sex dolls from its site, after France threatened to ban it for selling child-like dolls to predators. Meanwhile, pressure’s mounting on the Australian Government to take a stronger stance, with other platforms still using dodgy tactics to get around our laws and past border police. In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Collective Shout’s Caitlin Roper, who is spearheading the Australian campaign. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Marras 20min

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell says The Melbourne Cup represents the worst parts of our society, from animal cruelty to gambling harm and rising family violence rates. Calling the racing industry the ‘most visible display of animal cruelty’ pointing to the deaths of 175 racehorses linked to the sport. The Victorian politician has been a vocal critic of the horse racing industry, which generates around $9.5 billion dollars a year and employs up to 80,000 people from jockeys to stable hands. In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks why Georgie wants to ban jumps racing and whip use, and what Racing Australia is doing to improve welfare standards for racehorses. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Marras 9min

In bad news for millions of mortgage holders, the RBA has today left the official cash rate on hold at 3.6%. The RBA governor warning there are turbulent times ahead for the Australian economy, admitting the Board is keeping a very close eye on inflation and unemployment data. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by financial expert Sally Tindall, who unpacks today’s decision and her predictions on what the RBA may do next. Headlines: History has been made at the Melbourne Cup, 13 people have been arrested after police and demonstrators clashed at a Pro Palestine protest in Sydney’s CBD, and a New York mayoral candidate has taken a bizarre swing at Sydney’s Parramatta. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Marras 12min

Tuesday Headlines: Convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson formally lodges appeal, charges laid after UK train mass stabbing, US judge ends Justin Baldoni lawsuit against Blake Lively, millions of Aussies set to get three hours of free power a day, and Ash Barty visits a western Sydney school. Deep Dive: It’s the race that stops the nation - but in 2025, the Melbourne Cup is also the race chasing Gen Z. As horse racing continues to face scrutiny over gambling harm and animal welfare, younger Australians are surprisingly turning up in record numbers to major racing events. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with commentator Melissa Hoyer about why and how the Melbourne Cup is finding new life with this new generation. Further listening from the headlines:Justin Baldoni v Blake Lively explained Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Marras 20min

New CCTV has been released of an alleged daylight kidnapping in suburban Sydney. The man was returned unharmed this morning, after allegations of a million-dollar ransom and a police investigation. But the kidnappers are still on the run. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Sydney Morning Herald crime reporter Riley Walter, who unpacks why there’s been an escalation in brazen crime and what’s behind it. Headlines: Calls are growing for Optus boss Stephen Rue to stand down, Sussan Ley is reportedly set to abandon the Liberal Party’s controversial Net Zero target, and a list of Australia’s most gruelling jobs has been released. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Marras 12min

Monday Headlines: Sussan Ley under pressure after Nationals formally scrap Net Zero, mass UK train stabbing ‘not a terror attack’ police say, former Prince, Andrew, to be stripped of final military title, Optus 000 failure senate inquiry begins today, and security to ramp up for Rugby Ashes final after serial pitch invader joins anthem. Deep Dive: Private security guards on patrols across a capital city in Australia could soon be armed with guns following a rise in crime and youth offending in some suburbs. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with security expert and former Victoria Police detective, Graeme Simpfendorfer about what’s really driving the calls to arm guards in Melbourne, how serious the threat really is, and whether adding guns to suburban streets will make people safer. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Marras 19min

British pop icon Lily Allen's explosive new album West End Girl set the internet alight this week.Raw and confessional, the record was written in the aftermath of her split from Stranger Things star David Harbour and seemingly offers personal insights that have resonated with people around the world. In today's bonus episode, The Hot Hits host Nic Kelly joins Natarsha Belling to unpack why this might be Lily Allen’s most powerful work yet. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Marras 15min