The Briefing

Booster jabs will be offered to everyone over 18 in England from this week. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation and said: "No one should be in any doubt, there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming." Johnson said the target to offer a booster to all adults by the end of January will be brought forward by a month. The British government is hoping to vaccinate a million people a day by Christmas. Hans van Leeuwen is the Europe correspondent for the Australian Financial Review. He tells us what’s happening in the UK right now….and what it’s like in an area of South London, where families and minority groups are living in fear of catching Omicron. Today’s Briefing goes inside the UK’s Omicron tidal wave. Todays Headlines Restrictions easing in New South Wales and Tasmania Tyrrell search to wrap-up this week: police Capitol riot texts expose Trump Jr's concerns National mourning for Haiti after dozens killed in fuel tanker explosion US hockey team, bank apologise for teacher cash stunt Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Dec 202119min

New Zealand has introduced a very radical plan to ban smoking for the next generation. Legislation, which comes into effect next year, means those who are aged 14 and under today will never be legally able to buy tobacco. The legal smoking age will increase every year, with the plan to create a smoke-free generation of Kiwis. Chris Bullen is Professor of Public Health at the University of Auckland. Prof Bullen joins us to talk about the measures to help phase out smoking including reducing the legal amount of nicotine in tobacco products, cutting down the shops where cigarettes could legally be sold, and increasing funding to addiction services. At the moment, around 12 percent of New Zealand's adults smoke but the rate is much higher among the indigenous Maori population, where it soars to almost a third. NZ’s goal is to have fewer than 5% of the population smoking daily by 2025. Todays Headlines UK PM says Omicron to be dominant within days following first death McGowan locks-in date for WA reopening Moderna to be made in Australia under new VIC deal Australia and South Korea sign defence deal as border opening confirmed Joyce calls for Assange to be returned to Australia Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Dec 202120min

Teachers are walking out of classrooms across the country. They’re protesting in the streets. The pandemic meant they had to completely re-think the way they interacted with their students. And they’ve had enough. Louise Phillips, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University, and other researchers from around the world, have conducted a study to get to the bottom of the problem….and it’s not good news. Teachers have had enough. We don’t value our teachers, nearly enough. With an election campaign looming, it’s time to address the impact federal and state policies have on our teachers….and in turn, our children and young people. Todays Headlines QLD border opens to hotspot states Shorter wait times and more choice in booster update WA authorities appeal for information on fire culprit US authorities warn tornado toll will continue rising No extra immunity for NZ man vaxxed 10 times in one day Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Dec 202118min

Luke McGregor is refreshingly honest, totally uncomfortable and hilariously funny. You might known him as one half of the writing and acting team behind the ABC’s hit TV series Rosehaven, or from his awkward candidness as the presenter in Luke Warm Sex. In this chat Luke tells Jamila Rizvi what it was like getting bullied at school, why he keeps doing comedy despite suffering crippling panic attacks, plus he recounts his experience getting naked at a nudist colony. THE WEEKEND LIST: Listen: Private Affairs podcast Listen: Shameless presents The Books that Changed My Life Watch: PEN15 (Stan) Experience: Higher Order in Melbourne See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Dec 202137min

Mitchell Rice was dismissed by his employer Queensland Rail on the basis of having used a legally prescribed cannabis product to treat his medical conditions of anxiety and insomnia. He’s suing. Mitchell says he developed the conditions from a combination of extensive shift work for Queensland Rail, as well as caring for his terminally ill mother. Despite evidence from Rice’s medical practitioner declaring that the medication would not affect his capacity to work safely, as long as the medication was taken more than 8 hours before commencing work, Queensland Rail proceeded to terminate his employment. We’re joined by Mitchell Rice and his lawyer Jeremy Kennedy, from Chamberlain’s Law Firm. On today’s Briefing, we look at a landmark trial over a man losing his job for taking medicinal cannabis. Donations For the Legal Fees of Mitchell Rice to Assist Users of Prescription Cannabis Against Discrimination in the Workplace: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donations-for-the-legal-fees-of-mitchell-rice Todays Headlines Final approval for 5-11 year old vaccinations Barnaby Joyce isolating in Washington after catching Covid Perrottet says increasing NSW cases won’t change rules UK government staff parties to be investigated New Zealand to create smoke-free generation Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 Dec 202122min

In today’s Briefing, we go back to a story we did two weeks ago about the inventor of bitcoin. A Florida court has ruled that Craig Wright, the Aussie who says he invented the blockchain currency, won’t have to pay half of his coins to his late business partner... David Kleiman. Klieman’s family were suing Wright for half of the 70B$ of bitcoin controlled by bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto... a pseudonym Wright says is him. The jury found Wright does not owe Kleiman’s family half of the coins. We’re joined by Paul Vigna, journalist covering Bitcoin for the Wall Street Journal. He explains, while the trial has not determined IF Craig Wright invented Bitcoin, he will still have to pay around $140 million in compensation for a breach in intellectual property rights related to the company he worked on with Kleiman. In this Briefing, did the trial find Wright is Nakamoto - and does he have the key to 1.1m Bitcoins worth $70 billion. Todays Headlines QLD uncovers new Omicron strain Pfizer confirms Omicron effectiveness as new booster approved UK latest country after Australia to boycott China games Berejiklian expected to rule out Canberra run Djokovic named on Aus Open draw despite vaccination stoush Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8 Dec 202123min

Do you find yourself infinitely browsing? Never able to make a commitment? To a movie? A partner? A job? Pete Davis is a writer and civic advocate from Falls Church, Virginia. His Harvard Law School graduation speech, “A Counterculture of Commitment,” has been viewed more than 30 million times. His new book is “Dedicated: the Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing”. He explains WHY you can’t make a choice of a movie...why you end up scrolling all night before going to bed in frustration. WHY you can’t stay in one job for more than twelve months....and WHY you keep wondering what it would be like to be partnered with someone else. In today’s Briefing, how to address our ‘counterculture of commitment’ Todays Headlines Australia weighs up Winter Olympics boycott Biden and Putin meet via video amid Ukraine tensions Uni debts cleared for doctors and nurses going bush 140 at risk following Omicron cruise exposure Craig Wright prevails in Bitcoin trial Follow The Briefing AND DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE BRIEFING NEWSLETTER. LINK IS IN OUR BIO ON INSTAGRAM Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 Dec 202123min

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner broke down last month talking about death threats he and his family had received from online trolls protesting about the territory’s Covid vaccine mandates. The debate has included people like Tucker Carlson and Russell Brand. So how did global Covid trolls arrive in the top end? Nicholas Hynes is a reporter with the ABC in Darwin. He joins us to explain how and why the Gunner government’s policies have made global headlines....and if there’s any truth to comparisons with the Stolen Generations of the past. Todays Headlines US confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics QLD to open hotspot borders early Senior Liberals publicly back Berejiklian for federal tilt Perth loses Ashes test due to strict border rules Global human rights bodies condemn Suu Kyi sentencing Follow The Briefing Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 Dec 202122min