“Never seen anything like it”: Victoria’s flood disaster

Victoria Premier, Jacinta Allan, is under increasing pressure over a funding crisis for firefighters. Firefighters and volunteers say they’ve been calling for more money for years, with their trucks and equipment out of date - putting lives and property at risk. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Peter Marshall from the United Firefighters Union, who claims Jacinta Allan is lying, warning lives will be lost as a horror bushfire season continues. Headlines: Palestinian Australian Author, Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah has threatened the South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas with legal action, Tom Silvagni has applied to appeal his rape convictions, and Bill & Hilary Clinton have refused a congressional subpoena linked to an investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Jan 13min

Wednesday Headlines: New hate speech laws trigger the disbanding of neo-Nazi group, Trump says killers of protesters in Iran will ‘pay a big price,' acclaimed Australian author charged with child exploitation material offences, threatened habitats approved for land clearing in Australia hit 15-year high, and the creators of Stranger Things have been accused of using ChatGPT to write the last season.Deep Dive: Free speech has surged back into the spotlight in Australia after Palestinian Australian author and academic Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah was removed from Adelaide Writers’ Week. Her axing triggered a mass boycott by writers, culminating in the event’s collapse. And the controversy raises bigger questions about how we navigate polarising debates in Australia. In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Dr Denis Muller from the Centre for Advancing Journalism to discuss free speech in Australia and how we regain the art of having tough discussions respectfully. Further listening from headlines:'The child experiments that inspired Stranger Things: The Montauk Project explained' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen to your podcasts.Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Jan 22min

Former PM Kevin Rudd has resigned as US ambassador a year early. His reign has been filled with plenty of controversy, including critical comments about US President Donald Trump. So, why did Mr Rudd leave early, who are the frontrunners to replace him, and what does this latest move mean for our fragile alliance with the US, in very uncertain international times? In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by political reporter with 7NEWS, Josh Martin, to unpack all today’s developments. Headlines: Adelaide Writers Week has been cancelled after days of controversy, Adelaide United has strongly rejected allegations from former player Joshua Cavallo that the A-League club is homophobic, and Etihad Airways has been named the world’s safest full-service airline. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Jan 15min

Tuesday Headlines: Labor facing pushback against Bondi terror law reforms, man killed in Victorian bushfires named, Jacinda Ardern pulls out of Adelaide writers’ week, Grok blocked in Malaysia and Indonesia, and Australia’s women’s cricket captain is retiring. Deep Dive: Protests in Iran’s capital which started over rising inflation have turned into a nationwide challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As the regime cracks down, cutting internet access and killing hundreds, tensions are rising at home and abroad amid talk of US intervention. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with Middle East expert and former Iranian political prisoner, Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, to explain what’s unfolding on the ground. Further listening from headlines:Alyssa Healy's retirement call Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Jan 24min

ICE agents are under the spotlight in the US after the shooting death of a mother of three in her car in Minneapolis. Concerns and protests are growing over their actions, with a concerning lack of transparency. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Associate Professor David Smith from the US Studies Centre, who explains what ICE is, who controls it, and the training they receive. Headlines: The Prime Minister has recalled Federal Parliament for next week to introduce new hate speech legislation, the heroic police officer who shot dead the Bondi Junction Westfield attacker has been diagnosed with cancer, and Aussie Rose Byrne has won her first Golden Globe. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Jan 17min

Monday Headlines: Victoria’s bushfires turn deadly, thousands turn out for vigil one month on from Bondi attack, Iran promises retaliation if US intervenes over anti-government protests, board members of Adelaide Writers’ festival resign, and the Australian Open kicks off today! Deep Dive: A big Medicare promise dominated last year’s election campaign - with the government promising more funding, higher bulk-billing rates, and cheaper GP visits for families. Health officials warned it could take years to see real change, but new data suggests the impact may already be showing. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Cleanbill CEO James Gillespie about what’s actually changed since the Medicare reforms rolled out and whether it’s helping or hindering. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Jan 21min

Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah is back in the headlines after being removed from the Adelaide Writers’ Week 2026 program in the wake of the Bondi terror attack. Festival organisers say the decision wasn’t about linking Randa or her work to the attack, but about concerns that, based on her past public statements, her appearance could be culturally insensitive at this time. Randa has strongly rejected that explanation, accusing the festival of anti-Palestinian racism, censorship, and of trying to associate her with the Bondi massacre. Dozens of high-profile authors, including Zadie Smith, Helen Garner, Hannah Ferguson and Peter Greste, have pulled out of the festival in solidarity. In this episode, we revisit Antoinette Lattouf’s conversation with Randa on The Weekend Briefing, where she spoke candidly about a similar controversy at the Bendigo Writers Festival, the personal cost of sustained public attacks, and what it’s like to keep speaking out amid public scrutiny. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Jan 31min

Rachel Perkins is one of Australia’s most formidable directors, whose work has reshaped how this country tells its own story. A powerhouse of Indigenous storytelling, Perkins has spent decades bringing truth to the screen where silence once stood. The Indigenous filmmakers latest project, The Australian Wars, tells the true story about the bloody battles fought to establish a nation from both perspectives of the coloniser and colonised - challenging the myths many Australians were taught to accept. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Rachel shares why she co-chaired the Yes campaign, her career forged through purpose rather than permission and how she found her way back to creative work when hope felt fragile. Weekend list with Helen Smith and Chris Spyrou TO WATCH: Stranger Things season 5 TO READ: Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men TO EAT: Paprika and fish TO DO: Create a collaborative note in the notes app Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 Jan 33min