
THE BEEFING: Antoinette Lattouf vs The ABC
Antoinette Lattouf’s legal battle with the ABC has dominated the news cycle, but behind the headlines lies a story of broken trust and, in Antoinette’s own words, a deep sense of heartbreak. In December 2023 Antoinette was fired by the ABC from a casual five day stint and what followed was a lengthy legal battle lasting over 20 months. In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith, Antoinette’s producer and collaborator, unpacks the complex court case, the subsequent ruling and the emotional fallout. Including an exclusive voice memo from Antoinette herself. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30 Sep 12min

Taliban shut down telecoms + The reality of Trump's Gaza plan
Nearly two years into Israel's war on Gaza, more than 66,000 lives have been lost, and millions are on the brink of famine. Now, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have unveiled a 20-point 'peace plan' they say could end the bloodshed. But is it a genuine path to peace, or just political theatre? In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Middle East expert Professor Greg Barton to break down what the deal really promises: a ceasefire, hostage exchanges, aid, rebuilding, and a controversial governing board featuring Trump himself and Tony Blair. Afternoon headlines: The RBA has held interest rates, the Taliban has imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications in Afghanistan, YouTube has settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit with Donald Trump, and Matilda’s star Mary Fowler has made her catwalk debut. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30 Sep 13min

Trump & Netanyahu sign Gaza peace plan + The 'future PM' taking on Sussan Ley
Tuesday Headlines: Trump announces 'historic peace plan' for Gaza, Optus executives to meet with Communications Minister after second 000 outage, Geelong Cats star Bailey Smith labelled a homophobic loser, new warning for melatonin users in Australia, and the Larrimah Hotel has been sold! Deep Dive: When Sussan Ley stepped in as leader of the Liberal Party, the phrase “glass cliff” started doing the rounds. Now, one name is emerging as the most likely to push her off it: Andrew Hastie. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Nine’s Political Editor, Charles Croucher, to find out who the Shadow Home Affairs Minister is, whether he is making his move now and if so - who’s backing him and why? Further listening from the headlines: THE BEEFING: The AFL vs homophobia Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
29 Sep 21min

Teen car chase through mall + Character reference ban for sex offenders
Calls are mounting to abolish the use of character references in court sentencing, following Queensland’s recent legislation restricting their use in cases involving convicted sex offenders. Character references have long played a controversial role in high-profile cases, including when former Prime Minister John Howard gave one to Cardinal George Pell, describing him as ‘a person of both high intelligence and exemplary character’. More recently in the case of paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith who has pleaded guilty to over 300 charges, also benefited from character references. In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith, is joined by victim-survivor Josh Byrnes, the ACT representative from Your Reference Ain’t Relevant campaign, to explain how character evidence works in court and why advocates want them abolished. Afternoon headlines: Teens arrested in Melbourne CBD after a police pursuit, Opposition leader Sussan Ley calls for independent inquiry into the 'entire triple-zero ecosystem' and Bad Bunny to headline 2026 Super Bowl half-time show Further listening: How to stop teen machete murders Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
29 Sep 14min

The gov’s $18b win from your tax + The anti-vax ideas killing kids
Monday Headlines: Anthony Albanese promises to "defend democracy" alongside "mate" Keir Starmer, Federal Budget in $18 billion better shape than expected, former Australian political candidate to front court over Nazi salute, Pfizer in court over contraceptive alleged to cause brain tumours and Brisbane sweeps the footy codes with four wins over weekend! Deep Dive: A number of once common, and deadly, diseases have become rare in Australia, but with vaccine hesitancy on the rise, there are fears that could change. Measles, an illness that once killed hundreds of children a year, is now spreading in Australia and abroad, with experts worried we’ve forgotten what a vaccine-free world was like. In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Associate Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology Dr David Muscatello, about what’s ahead if we continue on this path. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
28 Sep 21min

BONUS: Investigating a real-life murder
The Briefing host Tara Cassidy is once again a finalist in a prestigious journalism award for her LiSTNR crime podcast Crime In Focus: Killer Charm. So for today's bonus episode, we're playing out episode three of the award-winning series. You can find the first two episodes in our feed here and here or to binge the full series, go to Crime in Focus. In episode three, Sharon Graham’s movements on the night of the murder are under scrutiny, as suspicions around her grow. Tara tracks down some of Sharon’s exes to find out what she was like as a partner, and if she’s ever shown signs of planning something sinister before. All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged their intentions to appeal the outcomes. At the point of publishing this podcast those appeals have not progressed further. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Sep 47min

Trump’s 100% drug tariffs + Why you're getting sucked in by nostalgia
More than 68% of Gen Z are romanticising eras that existed long before they were born, while Millennials and Gen X are increasingly drawn to historical nostalgia. Once classified as a medical condition and later a psychological disorder, nostalgia is now being re-evaluated as potentially beneficial for mental health. In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith, is joined by Dr Clay Routledge, from the Human Flourishing Lab, whose PHD investigates the psychology of nostalgia and why we are drawn to historical nostalgia. Afternoon headlines: Donald Trump imposes 100 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals, Qantas flight mayday call triggering over potential fire in the cargo hold and the cheapest supermarkets in Australians Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Sep 14min