Why people are calling for JK Rowling to be cancelled
J.K. Rowling is one of the most famous authors in the world. The Harry Potter book series have sold more than 500 million copies across 80 languages. Potter isn’t just a series, it’s a phenomenon. Back in June, J.K. Rowling retweeted an opinion piece that used the phrase “people who menstruate”. Rowling -- who has over 14.2 million of followers on Twitter -- publicly took issue with the story not simply using the word ‘women’. “People who menstruate” is a commonly used term in the transgender community and many felt Rowling was mocking people who identify as a different gender to the sex they were born. She’s since compared hormone therapy to conversion therapy and expressed concern that young trans people are being pushed towards gender surgery against their best interests, prompting Twitter to “cancel” her. So what does this moment mean for trans people who love the Harry Potter series? Can you love the books while taking issue with their author? To answer these questions we speak to Dr Lauren Rosewarne (University of Melbourne's School of Social and Political Sciences) and Hayden Moon (he/they), author of A Letter To J.K. Rowling From A Young Transgender Person Who’s Sick Of Her S--- for Junkee. In today's news headlines: NSW Premier “stuffed up in her personal life” but refuses to resign Reported spike in dating app sex assaults Fake blood, fruit hurled at Scott Morrison in Queensland Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12 Okt 202020min
The Aussies fighting for a Bali memorial site
Eighteen years ago today 202 people including 88 Australians were killed in a terror attack in the tourist district of Bali. A powerful car bomb, hidden inside a white Mitsubishi van, was detonated by a suicide bomber right outside the Sari Club, a renowned open-air thatch-roof bar in the Kuta district. The blast site itself has lain dormant for almost 20 years, and the question of what to do with it is at the centre of a bitter dispute. A group of Aussies are pushing for a permanent memorial in the form of a peace park or museum, instead of plans by landowners to redevelop the site into a five storey commercial complex of restaurants and bars. Carmen Jaques is one of those Australians. She’s also a researcher from Edith Cowan University who’s looking into the impacts of terrorism on communities. We’re also joined by Australian man Damien Murnane Australians who was in Bali that night. In today's news headlines: President Trump says he is “immune” to Covid-19 Big names want trolls locked up Search for Esperance shark attack victim called off High Court bid to end Melbourne’s lockdown Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11 Okt 202020min
Is fast fashion destroying the planet?
Fast fashion is the rise of cheap, trendy, affordable and accessible clothes that turn catwalk trends into bargain buys in a matter of weeks. And while more fashion choices might seem like a good thing for consumers, it’s a bad thing for the planet. The average Australian buys 27 kilograms of clothes every year, and we throw away 23 of those, so 85 percent of what we buy ends up in landfill. On today's Briefing we ask: Just how much is fast fashion destroying the planet and what can we do about it? To help answer this question we speak to Clare Press – Sustainable fashion expert and presenter of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast and Lucianne Tonti, founder of sustainable fashion showroom and consultancy Le 31. In today's news headlines: Trump refuses second debate, labelling his Covid diagnosis “a blessing from God” Labor’s budget reply has big focus on women, families and blue collar workers Senator Jacqui Lambie refuses to support increase in Uni Degree Costs Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8 Okt 202019min
Why owning your own home could be easier than you thought
Homeownership in Australia is declining, with the biggest drop happening for young people. But the good news to come out of the Federal Budget this week is that the Government has added an extra 10,000 places to its First Home Loan Deposit Scheme which allows singles or couples to buy their first home with a deposit of only five per cent and the government acting as guarantor for the loan. This gets rid of the need for lender's mortgage insurance. Today we’re joined by Federal Minister for Housing Michael Sukkar to talk us through how the scheme works, and Brendan Coates from The Grattan Institute on whether he thinks the scheme will be enough to get young people into the housing market In today's news headlines: Labor throws support behind tax cuts Some Uni course fees set climb after a minor party signed off on planned reforms Spike in Overseas Covid cases, while new cases in NSW cast doubt on QLD border to be reopened. Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7 Okt 202021min
The federal budget explained
The federal budget is usually handed down in May, but this year it was delayed while the government focused on the coronavirus outbreak and rethought their approach to an economy in big trouble. The government has now released its plans to reboot the economy in what is reported to be one of the most important federal budgets in Australia’s history. So how does the government intend on spending our taxpayer dollars over the next four years and what does it mean for young people? Former Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan weighs in. In today's news headlines: The Federal Budget has been handed down overnight, with a big focus on young people and small business Tax Cuts for 11 million Aussies Job Maker – Cash for bosses hiring unemployed workersMore help for First Home Buyers Donald Trump has stepped out of hospital Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6 Okt 202018min
Has Sweden’s controversial coronavirus plan worked?
While countries like China, Italy, France, Spain were taking strict lockdown measures when the Pandemic struck, Sweden went out alone with a very different approach. People were still out in cafes, children were still going to school and there were very few facemasks. Initially that seemed to be a disaster compared to their neighbouring countries, as their infection rate was high, their death rate was high and their economy went backwards. But six months down the track Sweden is not seeing the second wave that some other European countries are experiencing. So is the Swedish long game starting to pay off? Has their controversial pandemic plan worked? To find out we're joined by Peter Lindgren, the managing director of the Swedish Institute for Health Economics and Lily, an Australia journalist who moved to Sweden several years ago. In today's news headlines: Josh Frydenberg to hand down the Federal Budget tonight. Covid-positive Donald Trump could be discharged from hospital as soon as today, but some critics believe he’s sicker than he’s letting on. Cardinal George Pell’s lawyers call for an investigation after claims Vatican funds were used to pay lawyers for damning evidence Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5 Okt 202019min
Is it time to ditch daylight saving?
On today’s episode we get the latest sleep science on daylight saving. A peak medical body says daylight saving is bad for us, and the EU has voted to stop doing it from 2021. So is it time for Australia to get rid of it? Last month the US American Academy of Sleep Medicine changed its position on daylight saving, coming out against it citing new research the health impacts of moving the clocks forward. In Australia we’re already divided on it WA, NT and QLD don’t do it. while the rest of the country does. So how damaging is it for our heath? Dr. Kannan Ramar President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Scientist Gemma Paech from the Sleep Foundation help explain. Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4 Okt 202018min
What Trump’s tax returns reveal
Donald Trump reportedly claimed $US70,000 in haircuts as part of millions in business expenses that have helped reduce his federal tax bill to just a few hundred dollars. An investigation by the New York Times exposed two decades of the Presidents tax returns, revealing he paid just $750 US in both 2016 and 2017, and paid no income tax in 10 of the past 15 years. Trump's critics hope the leaked taxed returns will hurt the President’s chances when Americans go to the polls next months. It’s already come up as an issue in the first debate, but will it have any impact at the ballot box? We’re joined by Dr David Smith, Senior Lecturer in American Politics at the University of Sydney to find out why Trumps taxes are a big deal. In today's news headlines: Trans-Tasman bubble inching closer Aged care royal commission: federal government’s Covid-19 response was “insufficient” Google to pay $1.4 billion after local news stoush Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 Okt 202019min
