BONUS: How they found the Bali Bombers

One of the biggest issues of the last year was climate change. So where is the climate debate now and how has the pandemic affected it? Best known for his work with The Chaser, Craig Reucassel joins us to talk about his environmental quest. His new show Fight For Planet A raises the question: How much difference we can make as individuals? In today's headlines: JobKeeper to be expanded amid second lockdown People in their 20s make up the largest proportion of COVID transmissions both in NSW and nationally More pain for Lebanon as Covid-19 cases spike days after deadly blast NRL coach Wayne Bennett sidelined for two weeks over Covid breach Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 Aug 202019min

A number of countries have used curfews as part of their pandemic lockdown measures including France, Italy, Cyrus, parts of the US, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa and now our very own city of Melbourne, but have they been proven to work? In this episode we explore the psychological impacts of a curfew, and also get the medical perspective on the impact it’s supposed to have. We’re joined by Psychologist Eoin Killacky - a senior researcher at Orygen youth mental health service at Melbourne University and Professor John Matthews - a public health expert who’s advised the Australian Government and also the World Health Organisation. In today's news headlines: Two week state of emergency declared in Lebanon after horrific Beirut blast QLD shuts out NSW, ACT as man in his 30s dies in Victoria TigerAir to be dumped as Virgin sheds at least 3000 jobs TikTok won’t be banned in Australia, says Prime Minister Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU If you’d like to help those affected by the Beirut explosion there are a number of ways Australians can help fund emergency relief: Disaster relief campaigns include: Lebanese Red Cross Human Appeal Australia Muslim Aid Australia Impact Lebanon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Aug 202020min

Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert is a 33 year old Australian academic convicted of spying, and sentenced to ten years in an Iranian prison. Kylie has always maintained her innocence. After serving two years, she was recently transferred to what’s been described as one of the world's worst women’s prisons, severely overcrowded and rife with coronavirus. On todays episode we discover the chain of events that led to Kylie’s imprisonment. We speak with one of her biggest supporters Jessie Moritz and Australia’s former Middle East diplomat Dave Sharma. Freekylie.net is the website her supporters have created with steps on how you can help. In today's news headlines: Victorian exercise loophole closed as new $5000 fine introduced Police officer’s face slammed into concrete by mask-dodger “They are dying, it is what it is”: President Trump’s disastrous sit-down interview Christmas Island to be reopened for criminals, non-citizens Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Aug 202018min

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly facts about Coronavirus you need to know. When the coronavirus pandemic first took hold in March one of the most prominent voices explaining what was happening was the ABC’s Dr Norman Swan. He’s a medical doctor and journalist and has become one of the most trusted voices in the country when it comes to the Coronavirus. Now that it’s almost five months since WHO declared the pandemic Norman Swan is with us to answer some of your burning Coronavirus questions. In today's news headlines: Most non-essential Victorian businesses to shut as Prime Minister unveils $1500 pandemic payment Property prices continue to fall in the major cities Big spike in Aussies importing illegal, unproven Covid-19 “cure” In today's Briefing we ask: Why did Dr Norman Swan become a prominent voice in discussing coronavirus in Australia? How does he rate the government response to the pandemic? Are these restrictions the new normal or are they an aberration? What will work to curb the spread of the virus in Victoria? How long will it take to get the case numbers under control? How do the restrictions help stop the spread of the virus? What is known about the effects of the virus long term? How does the pandemic end?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Aug 202018min

Has the pandemic pushed more people not to have kids? By 2030, the number of couples without children will overtake the number of couples with children. Despite initial talk of lockdown love and the ‘the makings of a baby boom’, history tells us that birth rates are likely to drop in the wake of Covid-19 and the recession. For some people the pandemic, is the final straw, they won’t be having kids because the world is ‘no place for children’. Joining us today is Anne Hollonds - Director, Australian Institute of Family Studies. In today's news headlines: Victoria in a state of disaster, Melbourne’s stage four shutdown NSW upgrades facemask policy as QLD traces flight case Telstra backflips on cyberattack claim over mass outage Nick Kygrios slams “selfish” tennis stars while pulling out of US Open In today's Briefing we ask: Is declaring a fear of a post-Covid world being a reason to not have kids an over-reaction? Will the pandemic mean Australia’s population will go into decline?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Aug 202020min

The label ‘Karen’ has become a new archetype of middle-class white privilege. ‘Karen’ has mostly been used in the U.S as a way of calling out entitled white women who are used to getting their way and who police the behaviour of others. So today we find out what this label really means... by going back to where it started. In today's news headlines: Three Queensland women charged with fraud over Coronavirus Victorian restrictions extended after record 723 new cases, 13 deaths Zuckerberg told he may be forced to sell Instagram as Trump considers US TikTok ban In today's Briefing we speak to: Karen Hopkins, Australian who has no problem with the name Karen - is happy to have a laugh about it. Andre Brock, Association Professor of media studies at Georgia Tech. Dr Benjamin Nickl, lecturer at the University of Sydney. Professor Roly Sussex; emeritus professor of applied language studies at the University of Queensland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 Juli 202020min

The mental health consequences of COVID-19 are being described as the next wave of the pandemic. The pain of this pandemic could last for years, even if the medical emergency ends soon. Calls to Lifeline have increased and new research from Sydney University’s Brain and Mind Centre predicts that under a best case scenario rates of suicide will rise by 14 per cent over the next five years. So how do we try and stop that from happening? On today's episode we speak to Professor Ian Hickie the director of the Brain and Mind centre. In today's news headlines: Queensland is shutting out all of Greater Sydney after two Covid-19 positive teens sneak in Melbourne police break car window in dramatic arrest of viral Covid-19 sceptic Young Australians incomes’ have actually gone backwards Lorde, Sia, Rihanna sign letter demanding politicians ask before playing songs at rallies If you're feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping or staying safe. You can call 13 11 14 for confidential one-to-one support with a trained Lifeline telephone crisis supporter. Or visit headspace.org.au to find your nearest centre, or go and see your local doctor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Juli 202022min

One of the biggest threats of the pandemic is unfolding right now. The number of old people getting covid-19 in Victoria’s aged care facilities is frightening. On today’s episode we look at the Covid crisis engulfing the aged care centres in Melbourne, and how this could be happening given the loss and devastation at Newmarch house in Sydney? Nicholas Barboussas shares his heartbreaking story about his fathers covid death in St Basil’s nursing home in Melbourne, and Thomas Patsakos descrbes whats its like to have a loved one with dementia in the same aged care facility. In today's news headlines: Specialist teams rushed in amid Victorian aged care crisis Sydney Black Lives Matter protest over before it began Heartbreaking number: almost 3 billion animals killed or displaced by summer fires Donald Trump Jr restricted by Twitter over anti-masker post In today's Briefing we ask: what's it like to have family inside an aged care home during the time of Coronavirus? How difficult is it to not be able to visit and not be able to be there in a family members final days? What is the reaction to people refusing to wear masks or the "herd immunity" theory?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Juli 202019min