The Briefing

Monday Headlines:  Jordon Steele-John releases lengthy statement, says he’s not on leave Violent cost of living protests sweep France with more than 2000 arrested Trump endorses Netanyahu as his administration calls for more to be done over Israeli settler violence in the West Bank Pope Leo makes first public appearance since lung surgery Katie Zachariah fired after five days in White House press secretary role Deep Dive: They started out treating type 2 diabetes. Now hundreds of thousands of Australians are taking them, many for a completely different reason.   GLP-1s. You probably know them as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.   And the more people sign up, the longer the fine print gets. There are side effects GPs are still learning about, prices many can’t afford, and growing concern about online clinics posting pens to people they’ve never met.   So, years after they went from diabetes medication to weight-loss wonder drug... what do we actually know about them?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Dr Michael Wright, President of the Royal Australian College of GPs, to unpack what we’ve learnt about these drugs, who should be taking them, and who definitely shouldn’t.  Follow The Briefing:  TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast  YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take your ties off and put your wigs on, we're back with The Briefing Our Take.   It's the weekend hangout where we take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what we (and you) thought of it.   Sacha and Chris dive into a story we didn't get a chance to cover this week – the new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia and her first briefing that REALLY made an impression.   We crack open the inbox to get your thoughts on some of the biggest stories this week, including plans to get rid of screens for some kids in WA and Aussie cricket.   We're also joined by LiSTNR audio producer and sound designer, Nial, who takes on the weekend quiz, before topping it all off with recommendations on the weekend list!   As always, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us on Instagram @thebriefingpodcast and feel free to leave a comment if you’re listening on Spotify.    The Weekend Quiz:    Donald Trump announced a ceasefire this week between two countries which ones? And, for a bonus point – what type of ceasefire did he claim it was?   WA is banning screens in the classroom for some students in a pilot program; what grades will be included?    Petrol prices are back at levels seen at the start of the Iran war. What’s the national average?   A) 2 dollars 70 a litreB) 2 dollars 16 a litreC) 2 dollars 41 a litre The first restaurants in Australia were given Michelin stars this week and they were all in one state – which one was it?  The Fair Work Ombudsman gave advice on how to take leave for the release of what game this week?  For an extra point – what date is it being released?    The Weekend List:    To watch: The State of Man on ABC iView (Chris)  To (not) watch: The Bledisloe Cup   Follow The Briefing:  TikTok: @thebriefingpod  Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast  YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Greens and Coalition team up to block Labor's private health bill Russel Brand a ‘ruthless, calculated and manipulative sexual predator’ court hears Netflix to lay off 1000 staff Vatican says Pope Leo recovering as expected First Australian restaurants score Michelin stars – and they’re all in South Australia Deep Dive: Australia’s falling fertility rate was recently laid bare in the government’s 2026 Intergenerational Report, which revealed just 1.34 babies per woman will be born by 2065.   It’s sparked a conversation around what could move the dial when it comes to encouraging Australians to have more kids.   One suggestion has been a national fertility plan.   In today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Dr Petra Wale from the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand to discuss the plan and whether we it’s time to bring back sweeteners like the Baby Bonus.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines:  Australian government urged to ban livestream of US public execution Simon Carman pleads guilty to one charge in Thai teen murder trial  Molly Ticehurst’s killer to appeal murder conviction  Petrol prices now back at levels seen at the start of the Iran war WA to limit screen use for K-2 students in pilot program  Deep Dive: One AI went rogue and breached a Medicare portal. Another fired off a bogus murder tip to US police. And the tech giants behind them took months to notice.   Meanwhile in Canberra, federal MPs are questioning the people building systems that could one day cure cancer... but could also, by their own admission, wipe us out.   So can a country our size actually keep big tech in line? Or are we just along for the ride?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Independent MP for Curtin Kate Chaney, who sits on parliament’s AI committee. They unpack what she’s heard in the hearings, why she wants $100 million a year spent on AI safety, and what rules data centres should have to follow.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s official, Warner Bros and Paramount are now one company.   The $159 billion merger is the biggest in media history, bringing both studios under Skydance Corp, led David Ellison – the son of a powerful tech titan and Trump-backer, Larry Ellison.  Larry is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and his company Oracle doesn't just do business with governments - it helps run them, including here in Australia.  In this bonus episode of The Briefing, we revisit Chris Spyrou’s chat with NPR host Roben Farzad to unpack what the Ellison empire controls and what its latest moves tell us about who really holds power in 2026.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Sam Wood denied bail Former Prince Andrew wins case against UK Police ATO facing pressure from government over credit card ban Greens celebrate ‘biggest surge in new members’ since leadership change  Christa Pike ‘up and walking’ after surviving two lethal injections Further listening from the headlines: Sach's chat with David Shoebridge Deep Dive: Eight years ago, a young Aussie cricketer was caught on camera stuffing sandpaper down his pants during a Test match in Cape Town.   It became known as Sandpapergate - Australian cricket's biggest cheating scandal.   The fallout was brutal. Captain Steve Smith cried on live TV, players were banned, the coach quit and sponsors walked. Now, for the first time since, Australia is back playing Test cricket in South Africa.   So how did a bit of sandpaper become a national crisis? And was the outrage ever worth it?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by sports journalist Sam Ferris, who covered the series from South Africa, to unpack what happened, who knew what, and how it still follows the team.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Coalition has finally put numbers on its migration plan, and it's betting voters want a smaller, more selective system.   Net overseas migration down to 100,000 a year. Around 650,000 fewer temporary visa holders. Graduate visas gone. So can it cut this deep without leaving hospitals, farms and pubs short of workers?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Deputy Liberal Leader Senator Jane Hume to unpack the plan, what Angus Taylor meant when he said Labor's immigration policy is "threatening our way of life", and whether the Coalition accepts any blame for building up the system it's now trying to dismantle. And if you haven't already, you can check out today's headlines in your feed as a separate ep now. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  Business and humanitarian groups slam Coalition's migration plan  Australian who served in Afghanistan named as soldier killed in NT training exercise Man charged after woman stabbed on Melbourne tram Australians pause to reflect on three-year anniversary of October 7 ASOS customers sent rogue message after fashion giant is hacked AI One Nation ad sparks controversy Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Labor suffers a hit in the polls as questions mount on cost of living relief Flydubai pilot's links to Australia being investigated Reality star Sam Wood charged with domestic violence offences Revelations driver who allegedly crashed into NRL fans has previously lost his licence Roosters bask in GF glory after NRL and NRLW wins Deep Dive: Spring has well and truly sprung across the country, and for one in four Australians that means dealing with the symptoms of hay fever.   The number of people affected is increasing nationwide, due to a number of factors including climate change.    In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Professor Janet Davies head of the Allergy Research Group at Queensland University of Technology to discuss why more people are being affected and the best way to deal with symptoms.    Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Headlines: Israeli PM says flydubai pilot underwent 'radical indoctrination' Woman rushed to hospital in Tennessee after surviving two execution attempts Australian news outlets call for AI companies to be included in media bargaining laws Sarah Hanson-Young addresses 'brutal' politics after losing Greens leadership bid Newcastle heads into Sunday's NRL decider with the highest representation of Indigenous players ever in a GF Deep Dive: Masses of bogong moths have swarmed the east coast this week, with videos of the migration going viral.   The massive numbers are being celebrated by experts, after the insects were declared endangered back in 2021.   In this episode of The Briefing, Zoos Victoria Senior Conservation Biologist Dr Marissa Parrott joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to talk about why there are so many this spring, and why they're so vital to Australia's ecosystems.   Report a moth sighting at Zoos Victoria’s moth tracker hereFollow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines:  RBA lifts rates again, sparks fears of a looming recession Hanson-Young and Faruqi to make another tilt at the Greens leadership Home Affairs orders AI safety review of government systems Lindsay Clancy's lawyer questions whether she killed her children Socceroos go down to Brazil Deep Dive: The Reserve Bank has delivered another blow to struggling households by lifting the official cash rate to a 15-year high of 4.6% in its ongoing bid to tame sticky inflation.    With growing frustration over the central bank's strategy, critics are questioning whether mortgage holders should continue bearing the brunt and if government spending is playing a bigger role than politicians care to admit.   In this episode of The Briefing, Economic Director at Compare the Market, David Koch, joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to explain the other tools that could be used and explain why households shouldn't be shouldering the burden of stubborn inflation.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines:  Open AI pauses training of models as AI agent incidents widens Pauline Hanson now preferred PM in QLD as Chalmers unveils major budget boost UK police arrest five men on suspicion of terror offences near air base used by US forces Bird flu public education campaign launches Massive weekend of Australian sport wraps up Deep Dive: Australians will no longer be hit with surcharge fees from this Thursday, October 1, after the Reserve Bank brought in reforms that will get rid of the extra charges for Visa, Mastercard, and EFTPOS payments.    It means no more surprises at the checkout, but small businesses are warning it will force them to absorb more costs or jack up their prices.   While some banks are pulling back on rewards programs typically funded by interchange fees, which are being lowered at the same time the surcharge is being axed.   In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by money saving expert Joel Gibson to explain the changes and how they will affect consumers, businesses and banks.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Trump welcomes Xi to White House for AI talks Albanese disappointed in OpenAI after Medicare breach White House lifts press ban after judge order Two children die in NSW following separate tragedies Rate hike almost certain next week despite jobs data Lachie Neale wins appeal as Lions and Freo take unchanged sides into tomorrow's AFL Grand Final Deep Dive: Kylie Minogue headlines the AFL grand final this weekend.    A week later, the NRL will kick off its decider without a star act. The league says it would rather put the money into junior footy than pay a performer $90,000 a minute. Its broadcaster reportedly isn't happy, all the while plenty of fans are shrugging.   So are these pre-game spectacles worth the millions, or just a tradition nobody has thought to question?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Dr Hunter Fujak, senior lecturer in sport management at Deakin University. They unpack who these shows are really for, how they’ve changed over time and why the NRL’s move could completely change the game moving forward.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.