Meet the American law professor who’s visa was in question earlier this week after speaking at a Mosque in Sydney. 

Khaled Beydoun, who is of  Lebanese, Egyptian and Palestinian heritage, has a staggering 2.5 million Instagram followers and has become a major source of trusted news on war on Gaza and the broader regional conflict. 

In this exclusive interview, Khaled sits down to share his insights on the past year of violence, the powerful voices of Palestinian journalists on the ground, and the risks that come with challenging confronting western media narratives.

In chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Khaled delves into the significant impact that Muslim and Arab voters in the U.S. could have on the upcoming election.



FULL QUOTE FROM HIS TALK ON OCTOBER 7

"It's a good day and we've got to mark some of the good news that comes about, that we oftentimes neglect,"  

“Today is not fully a day of mourning, today is also a day that marks considerable celebration, considerable progress and in some respects, considerable privilege. The level of global literacy around what's taking place in [Palestine] has exponentially risen." 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

America is heading to the polls on Wednesday, November 6, to decide between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for the presidency. With polls showing a razor-thin race, it raises a critical question: can we trust them?  

In 2016, polling failed to predict Trump’s stunning victory. Have things changed? Are polls more accurate now, or should we be skeptical?

In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert breaks down the state of election polling with US political journalist, polling expert and host and producer of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, Galen Druke.

Can we trust US election polls?

Headlines: Lydia Thorpe and the royals, Meta and Google could face ‘big tech tax’ under Labor plan, Moldova narrowly votes in favour of joining the EU and an Italian surfer has been killed by a swordfish in a freak accident.

Deep dive: Another week, another story of misogynistic behaviour in sport. 

Last week 13 Greater Western Sydney (GWS) players were slapped with sanctions, following their decision to dress as “controversial couples” for the club’s end-of-season function. 

Players dressed in costumes referencing the September 11 terrorist attacks, and Josh Fahey dressed as the former NRL player Jarryd Hayne, performing what the AFL described as “inappropriate acts” on a sex doll. Several players, including Fahey, copped multi-match bans, and captain Toby Greene was among those hit with significant fines.   

But is all this condemnation from the code ultimately futile? As the dust settles on yet another indecent like this in a major sporting code, it is time to admit there’s always been a place for misogyny where male sports stars get together behind closed doors? 

Marnie Vinall is a sports reporter at ABC Sports. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack what happened, and if she thinks things will ever change.



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Is a sports club the last acceptable place for misogyny?

How long you might have to wait for a bathroom in public spaces looks set to change in Australia.

The Australian Building Code Board wants businesses to provide 1.8 times the toilets for women than they provide for men to help shorten the queue.

But why is the line for women’s bathroom almost always longer than the line for men’s? And what is some of the thinking behind changing how many are available to access?

On this episode of the Briefing, public toilet expert Katherine Webber joins Bension Siebert to explain how the plan would work, and how we design these public spaces with equality and accessibility in mind.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Women wait longer for the bathroom. The Government wants to change that

Headlines: King Charles and Queen Camilla kick off royal tour, As many as 87 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on northern Gaza, ACT election, Elon Musk giving away $1 million US to Trump supporter everyday until the election and an airport in New Zealand has introduced a time limit on hugs.

Deep Dive: How much should you be paying for a bottle of milk? More than a decade on, there are fears a second round of milk wars might be coming our way.

In 2011 the Australian dairy industry went toe-to-toe with our national supermarket giants over how much they should be charging for a bottle of milk at the checkout. In recent weeks, the cost of milk in major Australian supermarkets has gone backwards for the first in a long time – with Coles and Woolworths reducing the price of its generic fresh milk last month by 5 cents, to $1.55 per LR.

Supermarkets are clearly reading the room of a cost-of-living crisis that is impacting consumers shopping in their stores daily, and when almost everyone is finding it tough, it’s difficult, as a consumer, to argue against paying less for something as essential as a bottle of milk.

What do those in the industry think of the squeeze? In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Australian Dairy Farmers Association President Ben Bennett, and former dairy farmer Adam Jenkins to explore what they think the impact of prices lowering might be.



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The real cost behind a cheap bottle of milk

Sharon Johal is playing the first turban wearing Sikh character in Binge’s award-winning TV drama The Twelve.

As an Indian-Australian woman in entertainment she’s constantly paved paths that had previously been closed off - and her journey hasn’t always been easy.

On this episode of The Weekend Briefing, she joins Antoinette Lattouf to talk about her latest project, the impact on her career since calling out the racism she endured when she was on the set of Neighbours, and her experience on reality TV show The Block – which Sharon says almost broke her.

Weekend List
TO DO: ShopBack app
TO WATCH: Starting 5 on Netflix
TO WATCH: That’s So Raven (on TikTok or TV)
TO EAT: Vegetable Pasta Bake

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Sharon Johal is the role model Australian TV needs

Most Australians agree that consent is key to healthy sexual experiences. But what does consent mean? What does it look like in action? Before we can talk to our kids about consent, we need to talk to each other.

In this special series, made in partnership with the Australian federal government as part of its Consent Can’t Wait campaign, The Briefing invites iconic Australians to unpack how they feel about consent, what their understanding of it is, how they're having conversations about it with loved ones, and unpacking some of the myths about consent that we can all fall victim to.

In part one, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Carrie Bickmore, Gold Logie winning television host and co-host of the Carrie and Tommy Drive Show, and ambassador and youth advocate Daniel Principe to hear their thoughts on consent in 2024.

Check out your understanding of consent, and get help learning how to talk about the topic at Consent.gov.au.

Why Consent Can't Wait: Carrie Bickmore

Former One Direction star Liam Payne was yesterday found dead following a fall from a hotel’s third floor in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires.

The 31-year-old's death was sudden and shocking to many fans, with an instant outpouring of grief over the news leading to vigils around the world.

The circumstances surrounding his death, and public behaviour leading up to yesterday’s events have also sparked questions, commentary and debate, including anger at popular celebrity gossip site TMZ posting a now-deleted picture partially showing Payne’s dead body.

But why does the global community react so strongly to the death of someone most of us don’t know? And do normal people with no connection to Payne deserve to demand private and intimate details about how and why he died? Host of LiSTNR’s The Streaming Service Justin Hill joins Helen Smith on this bonus episode of The Briefing to unpack our reaction to the news, and what it says about us. 

BONUS: Why has the world reacted so strongly to Liam Payne’s death?

Headlines: Liam Payne’s cause of death revealed, Hamas leader killed say Israeli authorities, AFL bans 13 GWS players over end-of-season party, and the Royals are coming! 

Deep dive: King Charles and Queen Camilla are landing in Australia tonight for a five-day visit.

It’s the first time since 2018 Australia has played host to a royal visit, and the first time since 2011 a sitting monarch has toured down under.

Inevitably when a royal comes to town, the debate about whether we should become a Republic rears its head.

So, what do the two sides say today on the eve of the royal visit?

Today on The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt hears the key arguments from a monarchist and a republican.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The Royal debate: a Monarchist vs a Republican

Abortion is back in the headlines in Australia.

In South Australia overnight parliament narrowly rejected a bill that would have forced women seeking a late term abortion to instead be induced into labour. And in Queensland, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has refused to say whether his MPs would get a conscience vote on abortion laws, if he wins next week’s election.

This renewed debate in Australia is a quiet echo of the loud roar over in the United States, where abortion will be a deciding factor for many in next month’s presidential election. So why have the politics of abortion suddenly had a resurgence in this country? 

In this episode, Bension Siebert speaks to South Australian woman Tayla-Jane Jackson, who needed a late term abortion, about her personal experience. We also hear a powerful argument from Dr Nisha Khot – Vice President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists – on why women need access to abortion care at any stage of a pregnancy, and her reflections on the debate that seems to be back in Australia. 

Lifeline 13 11 14

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Why women need access to late-term abortion

Headlines: Australia’s fertility rate hits record low, 50 aid trucks have entered the north of Gaza, ACT Opposition Leader apologises for flipping the bird at journalist and Jerry Seinfeld walks back comments about the left ruining comedy.

Deep Dive: With the speed at which technology and medicine is developing – electric cars, rockets to Mars, new and improved vaccines – you might have started imagining a world where humans might find a way to live forever, or at least for a very, very long time.

But the commonly held idea that the life expectancy of humans is only going to keep increasing is false, according to new analysis. In fact, most kids born today won’t make it to 100.

Professor Jay Olshansky analysed life and death data from the last 34 years – and he thinks we’ve reached the peak of how long people can live. On today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with the epidemiology professor about his research, and why not living to 100 could actually be a good thing.

What a 'consequence of success' means for life expectancy

The Victoria's Secret fashion show, in all its glitz and glamour, is officially back after a nearly six-year hiatus.  

Featuring a live performance from Cher, and supermodels from the decades including Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima all hitting the runway, it was the once iconic, now controversial, runway show’s big return. 

The last Victoria's Secret show in 2018 and was surrounded by controversy. An interview with the show’s former chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, who dismissed ideas of integrating transgender and plus-size models “because the show is a fantasy”. Using the word “transsexual,” an outdated and offensive term to describe transgender models, led to a sales hit and a market share drop, and the brand barely survived.  

Will this new version, with the aim to “reflect who we are today”, work? 

In this episode of the Briefing, Helen Smith, is joined by model and actor Milo Hartill to explain if this version of Victoria's Secret is new-and-improved, or hitting the same old problematic tropes that caused its downfall in the first place.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Is this Victoria's Secret's last attempt at saving its reputation?

Headlines: Dynamic pricing to be banned, at least 40 killed as Israeli air strikes pound the Gaza Strip, US politics wrap, Socceroos draw with Japan.

Deep Dive: The war in the Middle East has escalated significantly in recent days.

Israel is now fighting on several fronts. Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Gaza – and now it’s preparing what could be a major assault on Iran. The United States has sent around 100 troops into Israel to operate a missile defense system. The Australian Government has updated its travel warnings, advising any Australian in Israel to get out while it’s still safe to do so.

This comes as many have seen some of the most horrific footage of real human suffering in our lifetimes – on social media images of people in hospital beds under tents in Gaza in the process of being burnt alive as people nearby watch on, helpless is impossible to ignore.

Jen Parker is a navy veteran of more than 20 years and expert associate at the National Security College at the Australian National University. She joins Bension Siebert to give us an update on where everything stands and what might happen next. 



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

What happens if Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear facilities?

Novichok is in the news again.

An inquiry currently underway in the UK is looking into the 2018 death of 44-year-old woman Dawn Sturgess who sprayed herself with a bottle of perfume that turned out to be laced with the deadly nerve agent.

Novichok is an incredibly powerful poison implicated in a series of murders over decades spritzed onto common items like umbrellas, phones and door handles.

Where did this incredibly powerful poison come from – and how exactly does it kill you and who has been using it and why? Doctor Ian Musgrave is a senior lecturer at the School of Biomedicine at the University of Adelaide. He joins Bension Siebert to unpack the toxicology behind the headline.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Novichok is being used to kill: In perfume, on phones and umbrellas

Headlines: Labor's preparing to ban debit card fees, Federal Government to change visa pathways for Palestinians, a class action could be coming for Ticketmaster and Live Nation over dynamic ticketing and Donald Trump slams biopic ‘The Apprentice’.

Deep dive: A strong Chinese economy has long been essential to Australia’s economic health and for decades its growth has been nothing short of remarkable. But has years of over-spending, excessive consumption, and poor investment decisions caught up with Beijing?

With faltering growth, China recently introduced a series of economic stimulus measures aimed at stabilising its economy. So, just how severe is the situation and should Australia be looking to diversify its trade relationships?

In this episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by Dr Angela Jackson, lead economist at Impact Economics and Policy to break down the current state of China’s economy and what it means for Australia

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

China’s economy is slowing, how will it impact us?

Elon Musk has introduced Optimus, Tesla’s new humanoid robots, to the world and has made some ambitious claims about their uses in the not-too-distant future.

Viral videos of Optimus robots making drinks, dancing and chatting to attendees at the launch event have sparked questions around the humanoid's autonomy.

But this past week has been a massive one for Elon Musk, with SpaceX's successful docking of Starship rocket booster marking an engineering milestone, which many thought was impossible.

In this episode of the Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by tech journalist James Hennessy to unpack how these robots work and when they’ll be hitting the market.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Meet Optimus, the robot Elon Musk wants to look after your kids

Headlines: Coalition leading in Newspoll, King Charles comments on Australia becoming a Republic ahead of visit, QLD nuclear plebiscite, Christopher Columbus was likely Spanish and Jewish.

Deep Dive: Kelly McMasters has written her own obituary every year since she was 12 years old. An obituary is usually written by a dedicated obit journalist or writer and includes key facts about a person’s life – it's essentially how they will be remembered. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Kelly reveals what she’s learnt from writing obituaries and what makes it to the page.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Why you should write your own obituary

Khaled Beydoun: The US Law Professor taking on Western media on Gaza

Scammers are calling Australians ‘easy prey’ because they are considered wealthy and trusting.

An ABC investigation found that perpetrators of these highly organised and sophisticated operations believed that unlike American law enforcement, the Australian Federal Police just won’t go after them – so is that true, and if so, why?

In this episode of the Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by cyber security expert and former AFP detective, Nigel Phair to explain what makes Australians the perfect targets.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Australians are a scammer’s dream

Headlines: Hurricane Milton death toll rises, China to lift Australian lobster restrictions, latest statistics on how we’re dying in Australia revealed, Princess Kate's first official engagement since finishing chemo and the Socceroos beat China in their World Cup qualifier clash last night.

Deep Dive: Kamala Harris has done very few media interviews since replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president – but she launched a “media blitz” this week. 

It comes at a time when the polls show Harris and former US President Donald Trump effectively tied, with less than a month to go before the election.  

On this episode of the Briefing, Bension Siebert interviews the Nine Network’s US correspondent Johnathan Kearsley to find out how it went and what to expect in the final stretch of the campaign. 



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

As hurricanes devastate the US, will Kamala Harris' media blitz backfire?

Football is Australia’s most played team sport – with 1.7 million participants across all genders and ages. But professionally, it feels like we’re not making a splash.

The Matildas exited the Paris Olympics much earlier than expected and the Socceroos have had a shocking start to their world cup qualifiers that continue tonight against China in Adelaide.

In the last few months – both national teams have been found new coaches and with structural issues in the A-Leagues creating what some have branded “a talent drain,” is there any chance of it getting better?

In this episode of The Briefing Chris Spyrou is joined by sports journo and cohost of LiSTNR’s Willowtalk and Footy Talk League Adam Peacock to unpack it all.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Has Australia had its football moment?

Headlines: Fugitive dad and three kids spotted for the first time in three years in New Zealand, amendments to Labor's international student cap, Fox proposes new Presidential debate date and a Nepalese teen breaks record by summitting world’s 14 tallest peaks.

Deep dive: Finding out your genetic history can be as easy as spitting into a test tube.

Since the mid-2000s take take-home DNA kits have become more accessible here in Australia – with participants getting results back within weeks.

But what happens when our genetic information ends up in the wrong hands?

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Dr Katie Hasson from the Centre for Genetics and Society to explain the dangers of data breaches and what happens when users have their genetic information stolen and sold on the dark web.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

To spit or not to spit - when handing your DNA over might harm you

Brat summer is officially coming to Australia. 

Superstar singer Charlie XCX will headline Laneway in 2025. The excitement is palpable – but the story of the last few years of music festivals in this country has not been a good one, with countless examples of big-ticket headlining artists dropping out at the last minute. 

The cost of living is hitting organizers and punters alike, and there has been a clear, industry wide slump in ticket sales. So, with today’s big announcement, there is an important question to music fans across the country – can we put our trust in music festivals anymore? And how do we know that this latest, massive headliner, is a sure thing?   

On this episode of The Briefing, Triple Js Music News Producer Courtney Fry joins Helen Smith to shine some light on the state of the industry right now, and if she thinks the promise of Charlie playing in Australia will become a reality.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Can Charli XCX save Australia's music festival industry?

Headlines: Anthony Albanese issues second apology over Tourette's comment, Florida is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the supermarket milk wars could be back and the first trailer drops for 'How to Make Gravy'.

Deep dive: How much is a ticket actually worth? 

Yesterday, Oasis announced Australian dates for their massive 2025 reunion tour – and in news that will likely make fans very happy, the band announced there would be no dynamic pricing for the Australian leg, following backlash from fans hoping to attend their UK dates who were made furious by the model when tickets went on sale in the region. 

But online prices that surge at times of peak demand are only getting more common – from gigs to sporting events, to booking a flight or an uber. 

Are we stuck with dynamic ticket pricing? Or is the fan backlash strong enough for event promoters to think twice? Dr Georgia Carrol is an expert in fan culture has a PhD in fan and celebrity studies from the University of Sydney. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to explore the impact of dynamic ticket pricing here and overseas.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Oasis has rejected dynamic ticket pricing

73% of young people are turning to TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for mental health support, according to a new report by ReachOut who surveyed over 2000 people between the ages of 16 and 25 about how they use social media to find mental health advice and information.

But how safe is this practice - especially when young people are turning increasingly to socials as a replacement for professional help? And what can be done to improve transparency when as little as 2% of medical information on TikTok is factual?

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by one of ReachOut’s youth advocates, Sina, to unpack the key findings of the report and whether or not the government’s social media ban is a tenable solution.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Can social media make our mental health...better?

Headlines: Lebanon repatriation flight touches down in Sydney, Australia to protect 52% of its oceans, Kamala Harris has launched a media blitz and Crumbl Cookies is coming to Australia.

Deep Dive: This week senior government minister Bill Shorten argued that if people want to protest, they should have to get a permit first.

It’s the latest in a series of moves by politicians to limit protest in this country – but gathering thousands of people to protest an issue they’re angry about can be a risky business. So are permits to protest a sensible public safety measure? Or one small step in a slow retreat from democracy we’re seeing here and in other Western democracies

Anastasia Radievska is a protest rights campaigner at the Australian Democracy Network. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to give her take on the perceived value, and potential harm, of making permits for protests standard practice.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Bill Shorten says protestors should have permits. Is he right?

It’s been one year since the October 7th attacks today.

365 days on, what reflections do we have on conflict, justice, the role of social media and the failings of western leaders and international law to bring an end what human rights groups describe as an unfolding genocide?

On this episode of The Briefing we tell the story through the eyes of a Palestinian, who is also part of the Listnr family. Antoinette Lattouf is joined by twice displaced Palestinian and LiSTNR producer Lem Zakharia to share her reflections on October 7th, one year on.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Twice displaced: A Palestinian perspective on October 7

Headlines: It’s been another horrific 24 hours in the Middle East as thousands gather for pro-Palestine protests across Australia. Elon Musk has been slammed for joining Trump in Pennsylvania and in the NRL the Penrith Panthers have won their fourth-straight Premiership, beating Melbourne Storm 14-6.  

Deep Dive: The world is today marking one year since the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel.

More than 1100 people were killed when Hamas militants poured over the border from Gaza, attacking neighbourhoods and the Nova Music Festival. A further 240 people were taken hostage, and more than 115 are still unaccounted for.

On this episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by Jewish Australian Dan Monheit, whose cousin Margalit Moses was kidnapped from a kibbutz in Israel a year ago today to share his reflections on the ordeal, on the impact the event has had on his family and community, and the resulting conflict that continues.



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Surviving Hamas as a hostage: A Jewish perspective on October 7

Lucinda Price (AKA Froomes) turned her internet personality into a full time gig and her debut book All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot unpacks it all.

The debut author knows how much it takes to be ‘hot’ and has dipped her toe into all facets of the Australian media landscape.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Lucinda reveals just how much her quest to be attractive cost her and how her eating disorder was misdiagnosed for years.

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly’s National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or e-mail support@butterfly.org.au

Weekend List
TO EAT: Generational cooking
TO WATCH: Kaos on Netflix
TO EAT: Frozen choc peanut butter dates
TO LISTEN: Geolier Italian rapper

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Lucinda 'Froomes' Price just wanted to be hot

Crumbl Cookies is the billion dollar US company that made global headlines this week after a group of Sydneysiders imported 800 of their cookies and sold them at an inflated price in Bondi.

The group had no affiliation to the company, and have since posted statements on their social media accounts claiming to be "fans" of the American product who wanted to introduce them to Australian audiences. Crumbl Cookies has also said publicly that there is no association between the two business operations. 

The whole ordeal has opened up major legal questions. On this episode of The Briefing, lawyer Jahan Kalanter joins Chris Spyrou to explain the legal lines that may have been crossed.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The Crumbl cookie scandal exposing our trademark laws

Headlines: Pro-Palestine protests to go ahead, Melania Trump doubles down on abortion rights support, FOI documents reveal Gina Rinehart asked the national gallery to “permanently dispose” of portraits and daylight savings starts this weekend. 

Deep dive: Lobbyists speaking with the Federal Government, and giving MPs gifts, is nothing new.  

These groups have a range of interests, including the Australian Medical Association, KFC and even Kmart. It is all perfectly legal - and there is legislation in place to make sure lobbying is done in a responsible way.   

The Alliance for Gambling (AFG) reform this week revealed that 19 MPs accepted tickets to sporting events from gambling companies, ahead of the government discussing whether to ban gambling ads here in Australia. But is the Government consulting with both sides of any debate a bad idea?  

In this episode of the Briefing Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by the AFG’s chief advocate Tim Costello to explain what is happening behind closed doors.  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Sport, gambling, tobacco - how lobbyists influence government

Women are lifting heavy in 2024 than it’s ever been. 

There’s been a 20% increase in female participation in competitive lifting and bodybuilding events in the U.S, and here in Australia, there are now more women than men competing in a range national events. But, bodybuilding can come with a darkside – disordered eating, steroid use, and pushing yourself to the physical extreme.

So why are so many women joining the movement? Is it smart – is it safe – and what does life look like when you do?

On this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by LiSTNR’s Ed Gooden to explore what he found out when he asked those in the sport why they do it.  

Today’s deep dive discusses disordered eating – If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call The Butterfly Foundation’s National Helpline on 1800 334 673. 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Why are more women lifting weights than ever before?

Headlines: Melbourne and Sydney pro-Palestine protestors push ahead with plans for protests over October 7 weekend, Labor plans to address shrinkflation, Australia’s rental prices might finally be coming down and we look at last night's Dally M awards.

Deep dive: When we think about the effects of war on children – the psychological trauma of witnessing violence and the loss of loved ones is well known.

But what is lesser known is exactly how these conflicts disproportionately affect young girls over boys – the brutal violations of their rights and the surprising ways they find escapism to cope with it all.

This insight is the focus of a new report published today by Plan International, which surveyed over 10,000 young people across 10 countries currently experiencing armed conflict. The report, which was first published in 2007 under the title the ‘State of the World’s Girls’, has this year been widened to include young boys for the first time.

On this episode of The Briefing, CEO of Plan International Australia Susanne Legena joins Antoinette Lattouf to unpack the results.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The state of the world's girls in 2024

Tim Walz and JD Vance have gone head-to-head in what will be their only chance to
convince the American voting public to pick their leader in the upcoming election in
November.

Hosted by CBS News at the network's broadcast center in New York City, former high
school teacher and American football coach Tim Walz and Donald Trump's vice-
presidential nominee and author of Hillbilly Elegy JD Vance went high and low.

Policies on abortion, healthcare, guns, childcare, the economy and more were flying left,
right and center. Polls suggest the race is incredibly close. Has this debate swayed
anyone unsure of who to pitch their vote to, 35 days away from the election? Washington-based journalist David Levinthal joins Helen Smith on this episode of The Briefing to give his verdict on who came out on top.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Are JD Vance and Tim Walz friends?

Headlines: Iran strikes Israel as IDF ground invasion of Lebanon continues, Julian Assange says he pleaded ‘guilty to journalism’, NDIS changes revealed, and a naked Donald Trump effigy.

Deep dive: From war, to surveillance, to delivering food to your front door, drone technology is quickly entering regular use in our daily lives.

A surprising new addition to that list is helping to save Australia’s unique Greater Glider from logging in its habitat in NSW. Those using the tech say, “if you can see them, you can save them”, and that enlisting the help of drones is essential in monitoring habitat.

But is it safe? And is it overstepping the fine balance between conservation and industry?

Leanne St George from Ripper Corporation Drones and Stuart Blanch from the World Wide Fund for Nature join Sacha Barbour Gatt on this episode of The Briefing to explain how they’re using the drones, and why they think the effort is worth it.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

How drones are exposing vulnerable animals at risk from logging

Experts have called Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s new Netflix show, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, murder porn.

The series explores the real-life brutal murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez back in 1989 committed by their sons Lyle and Erik – who alleged their father sexually abused them since childhood, and that their mother knew and let it happen.

Experts and viewers have flagged multiple issues with the series including the accuracy around an incestuous homosexual relationship between the brothers.

In this episode of the Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Dr Xanthé Mallett, a forensic criminologist from the University of Newcastle, to explain why this series is misleading.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Why Netflix's Menendez brothers series is murder porn

Headlines: Israel prepares ground invasion of Lebanon, new code of conduct for dating apps in Australia, house prices slow nationally and New Zealand takes back haka world record.

Deep dive: SpaceX has just launched a five-month rescue mission to bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station.

It's the next step in the long saga of a mission that hasn't gone according to plan, with the pair stuck in space since June after complications with their Boeing Starliner.

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Swinburne’s Co-Director of the Space Technology and Industry Institute Dr Rebbeca Allen to talk through the next steps in the mission, and if she'd describe it as a failure.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

SpaceX's five-month rescue mission for stranded astronauts begins

Violence is building in Lebanon as the war is Gaza spills over multiple fronts.

Over the weekend Israeli strikes killed several high-ranking Hezbollah leaders, while also injuring and killing many Lebanese civilians.

Governments around the world are calling for ceasefire, with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong warning citizens in Lebanon to come home before further escalation. With all this underway, how are Australians with ties to Lebanon feeling right now, watching from afar? And what do they want you to keep in mind?

Liz Deep-Jones is a journalist and human rights advocate of Lebanese descent. She joins Sacha Barbour Gatt on this episode of The Briefing to share her thoughts on the conflict right now.

Find out more about Liz’s latest documentary ‘We Bleed the Same’ here. 

How Lebanese Australians feel about the escalating violence

Headlines: Thousands gather for protests across Australia amid increased violence in the Middle East, Budget surplus, 8 in 10 Aussie CEOs think WFH will be over in three years and SNL launches season 50.

Deep dive: Ever thought about deleting yourself from the internet? It’s more complex than simply deactivating old accounts, especially when almost everything we do online leaves traces of our personal information behind. That data is banked and often extracted by brokers who use it to build and then sell detailed profiles of us to whoever is looking to buy.

While valuable to businesses, these profiles pose significant privacy risks that our current legal infrastructure is struggling to keep up with. But there is hope, with companies emerging to help individuals regain control, but many, like Melbourne-based podcast producer Lindsey Green, are taking on this daunting task themselves.

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with LiSTNR’s Lindsey Green and DeleteMe CEO Rob Shavell to find out exactly what deleting yourself from the internet entails and what can be done to better protect our data.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

How to delete yourself from the internet

Dr Karl is Australia’s favourite science communicator, with a passion for colourful shirts with the energy of an exclamation mark!

He’s a former taxi driver, was a serial university student – studying for 16 years – and is now a much-loved medical personality on radio and TV who has just written a memoir – The Periodic Tale.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Dr Karl unpacks his family’s traumatic journey and Holocaust survival to how he thinks OnlyFans could help climate change.

Weekend List
TO READ: The Sunbird by Sara Haddad
TO WATCH: Dancing with the Stars US on YouTube
TO WATCH: Bad Boys: Ride or Die on Netflix
TO WATCH: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Dr Karl says OnlyFans can save the planet

Black Myth: Wukong has become one of the fastest-selling games of all time, selling 10 million copies in just three days and changing the Chinese video game market forever.

But Wukong’s success didn’t come without controversy after the publishers, Hero games, asking reviewers not to discuss covid, the Chinese gaming industry and “feminist propaganda” whilst streaming.

In this episode of the Briefing Helen Smith is joined by writer and game reviewer for press start Harry Kalogirou to unpack what Wukong means for the future of the Chinese gaming industry.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

A Chinese video game is telling streamers what to say

Headlines: Supermarket prices have soared by 20% in the last five years, Palestinian President addresses the UN, if Trump wins the Australian economy will suffer and Katy Perry teases massive Australian name at tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final.

Deep Dive: The AFL Grand Final against the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions is set to have the highest ratings of all time.  

Both teams are two of the most supported in the league, but over the past week, NRL and AFL bosses have been clashing over ratings, codes and ‘delusional’ sporting state hype.  

In this episode of the Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Triple M’s Liam Flanagan to unpack if AFL could ever take over an NRL state. 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Is the AFL winning the code wars?

Housing, and the state of it in this country, has been on the minds of both Australian politicians and regular people alike.

The major parties have very different perspectives in mind for what policies will fix this problem – but it’s hard to cut through political point scoring to get real on exactly what they have in mind, and how it will work for you.

This week The Briefing brought you a housing spokesperson from each major party in Australia – Labor, the Liberals, and The Greens – and asked them to give you their key policy vision for how we fix the country’s housing crisis.

But do their proposals make economic sense? On this episode, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by The Motley Fool's Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips to help us unpack what all three are proposing, and his verdict on what he thinks might fix it.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The winners and losers of Australia's housing policies

Headlines: Labor reportedly considering a negative gearing policy, IDF prepares for ground assault in Lebanon, Choice reveals the cheapest supermarket and two Aussie suburbs make top 10 coolest in the world.

Deed Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis.  

From building them to buying them, there’s delay, disappointment, and division.  

The major parties have very different perspectives in mind for what policies will fix this problem – but it’s hard to cut through political point scoring to get a real sense of exactly what they have in mind, and how it will work for you.  

In this housing special series, The Briefing team brings you a housing spokesperson from each major party in Australia – Labor, the Coalition, The Greens – to give you the no-bullshit breakdown on what they see as their vision for our country’s housing future.  

In this episode, Sacha Barbour Gatt sits down with Max Chandler-Mather from The Greens to unpack what they want you to know about how they plan to tackle the problem.  



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Here’s how the Greens want to fix Australia’s housing crisis

The internet has become obsessed with two animals in recent weeks; Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo from Thailand, and Pesto the giant emperor penguin chick from Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium.

The interest has sparked hordes of visitors, thousands of memes, celebrity endorsements and even moves for a patent. What makes an animal go viral? And what are some of the unintended repercussions for the cute specimen in question?

On today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Dr Kyle Moore from Swinburne University to find out.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

What’s behind Moo Deng and Pesto’s viral moment?

Headlines: More strikes on Lebanon, the UN General Assembly meets, Australia's  Reserve Bank has held our cash rate steady for the seventh time in a row and the Federal Government has been slammed for approving coal mine expansions. Plus, the AFL Event office has been hacked just days out from the sold out Grand Final.



Deep Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis.  

From building them to buying them, there’s delay, disappointment, and division.  

The major parties have very different perspectives in mind for what policies will fix this problem – but it’s hard to cut through political point scoring to get a real sense of exactly what they have in mind, and how it will work for you.  

In this housing special series, The Briefing team brings you a housing spokesperson from each major party in Australia – Labor, the Coalition, The Greens – to give you the no-bullshit breakdown on what they see as their vision for our country’s housing future.  

In this episode, Sacha Barbour Gatt sits down with Labor’s Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Clare O'Neil, to unpack what Labor wants you to know about how they plan to tackle the problem.  



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Here’s how Labor wants to fix Australia’s housing crisis

Repression and media censorship in Venezuela are at an all-time high.

Reports of arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and torture of political dissidents have skyrocketed following claims that the country’s current president, Nicolas Maduro, stole the July 28 election.

But now, Venezuelan journalists are fighting back – reporting on events through two AI-generated avatars to avoid persecution. Both those avatars, as well as senior LiSTNR Investigative journalist Claudianna Blanco, join Chris Spyrou on this episode of The Briefing to unpack why this tech is necessary and the political state of Venezuela at the moment.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Meet the AI journalists fighting censorship in Venezuela

Headlines: Fresh Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 356 people, Albo blames supermarkets for adding to inflation, Reserve Bank tipped to leave interest rates on hold today and Patrick Cripps claims the Brownlow while the AFL settles with Katy Perry. 



Deep Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis. From building them to buying them, there’s delay, disappointment, and division.

The major parties have very different perspectives in mind for what policies will fix this problem – but it’s hard to cut through political point scoring to get real on exactly what they have in mind, and how it will work for you.  

In this housing special series, The Briefing team brings you a housing spokesperson from each major party in Australia – Labor, the Liberals, and The Greens – and asks them to give you the no-bullshit breakdown on what they see as their vision for our country’s housing future.  

In this episode, Sacha Barbour Gatt sits down with the Coalition's Michael Sukkar, Federal Member for Deakin and Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, to unpack what he wants you to know about how they plan to tackle the problem.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

How will we fix our housing crisis? The Liberals’ plan for you

As the war in Ukraine approaches its third year, global attention has largely moved on - but the conflict remains, and continues to shape the future of Eastern Europe.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin has made a third order to boost Russia's military presence since 2022 while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seemingly relying on ageing conscripts. Overall, it appears manpower on both sides is flailing.

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Misha Zelinsky, a national security expert, journalist and author of ‘The Sun Will Rise,’ who has spent time on the ground in Ukraine to find out who, if anyone will be left to fight the war, and whether an end to the conflict is in sight.

Will anyone be left to fight the war in Ukraine?

Headlines: Australia living in its longest period of ‘economic misery’ in a decade, Israel – Lebanon update, Donald Trump says he won’t run in 2028 if he loses this election and Friends turns 30.

Deep Dive: Reports of online child exploitation have increased 45 per cent in the last financial year – which is an average of 160 a day.

Authorities say every one of these reports contains images and videos of real children being sexually abused or exploited. But how do you catch those responsible? And are social media platforms, where these images and videos can often be found, doing enough to fight it?

Jon Rouse is a retired Queensland Police Detective Inspector, who worked in Task Force Argos where he implemented Australia's first operation proactively targeting internet child sex offenders. He joins Sacha Barbour Gatt on this episode of The Briefing to explore where he thinks the increase is coming from.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

What social media platforms should be doing about child exploitation

Shaun Micallef is one of Australia’s most recognisable faces. He’s an actor, writer, television host and comedian.

Now he’s back with another show on the cards, Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey on SBS - where he takes six comics ‘back to where they came from’ for want of a better expression.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Shaun explains how he keeps getting the top gigs in television and what he actually thinks of his reviews.

Weekend List
TO WATCH: The Perfect Couple on Netflix
TO READ: A Periodic Tale by Dr Karl
TO LISTEN: Rex Orange County album The Alexander Technique
TO WATCH: Friends from College on Netflix

Shaun Micallef on why he's taking comics 'back to where they came from'

Big Brother Australia is returning to Australian TVs in 2025 for the 3rd time. Will it be the show's final, ever?

After traversing three networks, being revived and killed twice, and now needing to compete with the dominance of ad-free streaming and reality TV juggernauts like Love Island, is there a place for a show like Big Brother anymore?

Returning to its original home – Channel 10 – it plans to bring back some of its iconic live segments like Big Brother Uncut and Friday Night Live to lure audiences back to mainstream television – but with rates of free-to-air TV viewership dwindling, it might be too little, too late. Entertainment and gossip correspondent and reality TV show veteran Richard Reid joins Chris Spyrou on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the Big Brother launch plan and if he thinks it will sink or swim. 

Big Brother is back - but has our appetite for reality TV changed?

Dozens of people were killed this week in Lebanon in two separate attacks that were unlike anything the world has seen so far in warfare.

Pagers and walkie talkies belonging to militant group Hezbollah were set to detonate at the exact same time, injuring thousands of people.

It is yet to be explained who and how this attack came to be, but is it a sign of what wars will look like in the future? And what else can we expect from emerging technologies and strategies? On today’s episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Dr Keith Suter, Managing Director of Global Directions and an expert on global political risk to find out.

Headlines:

Hezbollah – Israel update 

Greens defend housing position 

Australia’s population has officially hit 27 million 

Kylie announces massive world tour, with Australia the first stop

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Witnessing the new face of cyber warfare in Lebanon + Headlines

This week Sean “Diddy” Combs, also known as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, was arrested in Manhattan by federal agents and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution in the United States.

The rapper has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. It’s not the first time the artist has had his reputation come under fire in public - since 2023 various allegations against him have been made, including physical and sexual abuse.

What do these latest charges mean for his future, and what does the reaction from both the hip-hop and wider music industry say about the influence and power an artist can hold? Helen Smith is joined by hip-hop journalist and author Simone Amelia Jordan, who has sat down with Diddy himself in the past, to explore her perspective on this latest development.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

All the allegations against Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Groups of children and young people are trying to force their governments to do something about climate change, not through political campaigns, but by taking them to court.

Most recently, young climate activists have asked the US supreme court to revive their case against the American government on climate – but using the legal system for this purpose has had very mixed results around the world, including here in Australia.

Anjali Sharma was 17 years old when she led a case arguing the environment minister has a duty to protect children from climate change. The federal court ruled against her, but as the climate crisis continues to grow, the question remains – can kids in court save us from climate change?

She joins Bension Siebert to explain what’s happened to the global movement of kids suing their governments over climate change, and her perspective on the way forward.

Headlines:

Walkie talkies explode across Lebanon killing 14 

Anthony Albanese threatens double dissolution over housing bill 

Tupperware goes bust 

Almost half of Aussies are unhappy at work 



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Kids around the world are suing governments over climate change + Headlines

With an advocate like Chanel Contos onboard, will learning about consent on Tinder actually work?

The dating app has launched a new Consent Course, created in partnership with sexual consent activist and founder of Teach Us Consent Chanel Contos, and women's domestic violence service WESNET. The course is only available on Tinder’s School of Swipe website - not via the app - though it will be promoted to users there from next week. 

But what is the point? Do the people using these platforms need this? Will it actually do anything to help reduce sexual assault, or is this a dating app doing a PR exercise while the spotlight is on them from community and government to do more?

Bension Siebert and Helen Smith join to discuss the motivation and possible results, and speak to Chanel Contos on why she chose to be involved. 

Should Tinder be teaching us about consent?

Should we be weighing children at school? 

Health experts have suggested we start weighing kids in schools to help tackle the obesity epidemic, but could this do more harm than good? 

In this episode of the Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by obesity researcher and author of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids Dr Nick Fuller to explain the pros and cons of weighing children at school.  

Headlines:

At least nine killed as pagers explode across Lebanon 

Diddy charged with sex trafficking 

Instagram launches ‘Teen Accounts’

Glasgow swoops in to take 2026 Commonwealth Games 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The pros and cons of weighing kids in school + Headlines

Meet the woman who has helped spread claims that Haitian immigrants are eating people's pets in Ohio, Springfield.

Laura Loomer is a far-right activist and online personality who is feeding Republicans with extreme conspiracy theories and is seemingly influencing Donald Trump’s campaign.

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt chats with Planet America’s Chas Licciardello to find out who exactly Laura Loomer is, how close she is with Trump and whether she has any bearing on swinging the upcoming election.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Meet the ‘proud Islamophobe’ advising Donald Trump

Improving mental health is one of the most important aspects of rehabilitating offenders in incarceration.

It’s been the focus of a recent program at Wellington Correctional Centre – which was formerly branded the toughest country jail in NSW. More than 200 inmates and 70 staff have participated in mental health first aid training led by the National Wellbeing Alliance. What impact are they hoping it will have?

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by the Centre’s Governor, Brad Peebles, to discuss the successes and findings of the program and what’s prevented its implementation in the past. 

Headlines:

Trump’s latest assassination attempt

Housing policy wrap

Murdoch trial kicks off

Aussie school officially adopts four day school week 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

What happens when you teach mental health first aid in prison? + Headlines

You could call 2024 the year of the Mormon influencer.

The internet has become fascinated with the lives of #tradwives, and now The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is dominating the small screen.

So, what's behind our fascination? And how is this latest show contributing to a conversation about modern Mormonism and feminism?

In today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt chats with journalist and writer for Marie Claire, Ruby Feneley. Ruby recently published a piece recently about the show in Marie Claire, you can read it here.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

We're hooked on the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

PrEP is a miracle drug that is currently in short supply.

Full name pre-exposure prophylaxis, it’s a little blue pill you take once a day – or before and after having sex – that stops 99 per cent of sexual HIV transmissions.

It makes having sex a lot safer, especially for men who have sex with men, and it’s helped the rate of HIV diagnoses in this country plummet by about a third, and has been widely available across Australia for almost a decade.

Now a member of the South Australian parliament, then-Senator for South Australia Robert Simms successfully pushed for PrEP to be placed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, or the PBS, meaning anyone can prevent themselves from getting HIV for about $30 a month.

But a supply shortage has hit – with multiple brands of the medication expected to be in low supply or unavailable until March next year. Rob Simms joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to explain what might be causing the delay, and what he thinks the government should be doing about it. 

Headlines:

US election update

Houthi strike reaches Israel for first time

Madison de Rozario backs up Paralympics with win in Sydney marathon 

The Emmys are today

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

What does a shortage of PrEP mean for HIV rates in Aus? + Headlines

We all feel in love with the Matilda's during the world cup last year and now besties, Matilda players Chloe Logarzo and Emily Gielnik are ready to win The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition.

After injury ruled out the duo in the most recent Olympics, the pair took their heartbreak and created a business together to inspire the next generation of Matildas.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Chloe and Emily share their new found love of reality TV and how they turned their FOMO into a positive.

Watch the The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition on 10 or 10 Play now 

Weekend List
TO WATCH: Louis Theroux interview with Chelsea Manning on ABC iView
TO WEAR: 7-Evelen sunglasses
TO TRY: To Save Face Sunscreen from Mecca
TO WEAR: Uniqlo basics

Send us your weekend briefing recommendations!

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Matildas stars on reality TV, FOMO and heartbreak

This week, the Country Music Award (CMA) nominations were announced and Beyoncé was left off the list - despite her single Texas Hold 'Em spending 10 weeks at the top of the country music Billboard charts.

The mega star’s rocky relationship with the CMA’s is nothing new, and dates back to 2016 when her performance with The Chicks was met with backlash and racism.

So are there racist undertones to the nominations and has Queen Bey been snubbed?

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Grammy Considered Recording Artist, corporate crisis fixer and podcast host of the Antoinettes, Azure Antoinette to unpack it all.

Beyoncé's been snubbed by the Country Music Awards. Are they racist?

Concerns and conspiracy theories about seed oils have been circulating on social media over the last few months – and the political-right have taken a surprising liking to them.

The most vocal of voices recently has been JFK’s nephew and former independent presidential candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who says they are “the worst things you can eat,” linking them to chronic inflation, diabetes and cancer.

In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert is joined by Professor Lauren Ball, Chair of Community Health and Wellbeing at the University of Queensland to unpack where these theories are coming from, if there’s any evidence behind them, and if we should all be worried about seed oils.

Headlines:

The first-ever private spacewalk

Six UN workers killed in Gaza strike 

Dementia prescriptions jump 46% in Australia 

Taylor Swift has become most decorated solo artist of the VMAs

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The truth about seed oils + Headlines

Violence has erupted in Melbourne’s CBD.

Over 1,500 anti-war protestors yesterday descended on the Land Forces expo, the largest event of its kind in the country where businesses and start-ups spruik their products to defence forces and contractors.

Those rallying were there to protest not only the war in Gaza, but also the wider implications of war – from human rights violations to its impact on climate change.

Footage of the clashes showed aggression on both sides, with officers and protestors both needing medical attention after day one of the three-day event. Over 1,000 officers were involved in the response, with rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs used on protestors, and there have since been calls for an independent review of police actions towards those involved with the protesting.

Given high tensions since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, and wider conversations about war and the place it has in our modern world – these protests were almost guaranteed to be a tinder box of emotions. So, who is to blame for the violence we witnessed? And what exactly where these protestors hoping to achieve? For this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks to those attending the rally on day two of the event, to speak to protestors involved on what they think about the violence.

Live on the ground of the Melbourne anti-war protests

House prices are surging across the country.

It’s been particularly extreme in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, where prices have risen by closer to 60 per cent over the same period.

It’s making it nearly impossible for many young people to get into the property market and part of the reason comes down to how many homes we’re building in Australia compared to the number of people who need to live in them.

On this episode of the Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt and Bension Siebert explain why Australia is not building houses faster and what could be done to fix it.

Headlines:

Melbourne protests

Harris, Biden, Trump and Vance attend 9/11 memorial

New survey shines light on the gambling habits of young Aussies  

MTV VMAs are on today 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Australia needs more houses - so why can't we build them + Headlines

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have faced off in what could be the final debate before the election in November.

The polls are neck and neck, both at the national level and in key swing states – and almost everyone likely to cast a vote in the US already has a strong opinion about Donald Trump.

But plenty of people were still making up their mind on Kamala Harris, so the pressure was on her to define herself and convince undecided voters.

The stakes were incredibly high - and meanwhile, outside the debate studio, pop superstar Taylor Swift made a surprise intervention.

On this special US presidential debate edition of the Briefing, Bension Siebert interviews Washington journalist Dave Levinthal about all the key moments, and his verdict on who won.

Harris v Trump + Taylor Swift: who won the presidential debate?

A two-week blockbuster trial with Rupert Murdoch is getting underway in Nevada today. It’s set to decide the fate of some of the world’s most famous news brands, and who gets to control them. 

The 93-year-old media mogul, wants to give his voting power in News Corporation and Fox Corp to his oldest son Lachlan, stripping that power from his three other children. 

In scenes reminiscent of the hit tv drama Succession, Elisabeth, Prudence and James are fighting this move in court. 

In this episode of The Briefing, we’re speaking with award winning journalist and author Paddy Manning to break down everything you need to know. 

Headlines:

Two boys found dead; mother arrested in NSW’s Blue Mountains  

US Debate is happening today

600,000 turn out in Timor Leste to see the Pope

Charles and Camilla Aussie itinerary revealed 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The Murdoch family is in court for real life Succession showdown + Headlines

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming intertwined within our day-to-day lives.

But it’s not just simply helping us set our nightly alarms or adjust the tone of our emails anymore. For some, it’s offering intimacy and companionship in a way that’s challenging the conventional ways we understand love, relationship and sex.

In the (not too distant) future will we be cheating on partners with AI? Will non-monogamy be the new normal, and where will sex-bots fall into the mix?

In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert chats with futurist Dr Ben Hamer to explore what modern relationships might look like in 2045.

Will we be cheating on partners with AI in the future?

Pianist Jayson Gillham made international headlines last month after dedicating a performance with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) to journalists who have been killed in Gaza.

The backlash from MSO was swift, resulting in Jayson’s performance being pulled. The MSO later admitted it "made an error”, but maintains the concert was not an appropriate place to express personal views, and an external review into the MSO is now underway.

In this episode of The Briefing, Antoinette Lattouf sits down with the pianist at the center of the headlines, to discuss what’s happened since his performance and the legal battle he now faces as a result. 

Headlines:

Federal Government to ban social media for children

Princess Kate ‘cancer free’

Opposition at odds over whether to break up Qantas and Jetstar

Apple introduces AI iPhone 16  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Jayson Gillham on war, art and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra + Headlines

After receiving thousands of submissions and holding hearings across the country over three years, the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide is releasing its final report today. 

It’s expected to outline shameful failures within Australia’s Defence Forces to support veterans’ mental and physical health, especially as they transition into civilian life after serving. 

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie knows this first-hand.  

She first called for this Royal Commission as she entered parliament more than a decade ago, she’s a military veteran herself, and she's been publicly open about her struggle with physical and mental health after she served. 

On this episode of the Briefing, Jacqui Lambie speaks to Bension Siebert, arguing that failures by the Australian Defence Force are not only harming veterans and their families, but undermining our national security. 



If this conversation has raised anything for you, you can seek help. Open Arms provides 24-hour free and confidential counselling and support for current and former ADF members and their families 1800 011 046 

And you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 

Australia will be defenceless unless we do better, says Jacqui Lambie

In 2020 and amid a global pandemic, over 4 million students across Australia were forced to transition to online learning. Almost every school became a “virtual school” and it came with unintended consequences, including school refusal - which became the subject of a Federal Senate Inquiry last year.

School refusal is an emotional-based avoidance of the traditional classroom. Among the solutions the government is investing in, and health practitioners are recommending, is enrolling affected students in the very thing that put the issue in the spotlight - virtual schools.

But how effective can they be and what other solutions are available to parents and students struggling through this?

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by educator, author, award-winning speaker and founder of The Youth Excel Centre, Michelle Mitchell to find out more.

Headlines:

Paris Paralympics wrap up 

Mother of Georgia school shooter speaks out, says she warned school

Nearly 70% of Australia’s tourism sites are at risk from climate change

Elle Macpherson defends natural cancer treatment

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Are virtual schools the solution to school refusal? + Headlines

Stand up comedian Monty Franklin tries to make the content audiences need- instead of what they think they want.

Whether that’s explaining Aussie culture and slang to American audiences- or working on a film about the Great Emu War of 1932 with John Cleese, Jim Jefferies and Rob Schneider.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Monty talks about why the best comedy is authentic- and why he’s not worried his friendship with controversial podcaster Joe Rogan could lose him fans.

Weekend List
TO BUY: Olive ice cubes for martinis
TO WATCH: One Day
TO READ: All I Ever Wanted Was To Be Hot by Lucinda Price
TO TRY: Aspect Face Masks

Monty Franklin on making a movie with John Cleese and Jim Jefferies

Technology enables many athletes to compete in the Paralympics – whether it’s modified wheelchairs or carbon fibre running blades.

But is some of this tech giving competitors an unfair advantage over their rivals? If one athlete can spend the cash for the latest running blades, putting them a few seconds ahead of their competition, is fairness lost?

Professor John Cairney is the Head of School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. He joins Antoinette Lattouf on this episode of The Briefing to explore what technical advancement means for Paralympic athletes, both in Paris and into the future.  

Has tech helped some Paralympians have an advantage over their rivals?

This week the Parliamentary Budget Office released costings for a Greens plan to add dental to Medicare.

On the face of it, the fact that a major branch of healthcare is just not a part of the public health system might be surprising to many. But adding it now, according to the costings, would mean billions of dollars in new government spending – and the Australian Dental Association says we just don’t have the number of dentists required to do it.

So how would it cope if we added a whole new category of medicine? Jordan Steele-John is the Greens Senator for Western Australia – he joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to make the case for dental to join Medicare. 

Headlines:

Paralympics update

Federal government to announce domestic violence package  

Donald Trump pleads not guilty to revised federal charges 

Maori queen anointed 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The case for putting dental in Medicare + Headlines

Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson has this week credited natural therapies with curing her cancer.

Every day, 58 people in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer – one in seven Australian women will experience it in their lifetime. Diagnoses have increased by almost a quarter in the last 10 years – but the relative five-year survival rate is 92%. Despite most patients getting a positive prognosis, it is a disease that will impact every facet of a person’s life.

When the 60-year-old former supermodel says she rejecting chemotherapy for an all-natural approach to treating her breast cancer, she raised some serious eyebrows. Are her comments irresponsible? Dr David Robert Grimes is a cancer researcher and author. He joins Sacha Barbour Gatt on this episode of The Briefing to explain why he thinks her comments could cause serious harm. 

Elle Macpherson says she cured cancer naturally. Here's why she’s wrong

Yesterday Australia’s economy got its quarterly checkup, and the results are in.

Gross Domestic Product performance, or GDP, grew by 1.5% over a year. But what does that actually mean, and how does GDP growth affect our lives? Is this an economy at panic stations, or is there no real cause for concern?

Motley Fool’s chief investment officer Scott Phillips joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the jargon and clear the mist on what these latest figures reveal about the state of the Australian economy.

Headlines:

Paralympics Update - Aussies win nine medals. 

US School Shooting

Australian gambling report 

Rachel “Raygun” Gunn has broken her silence

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

GDP, RBA, and what all the economy chatter means for you + Headlines

Good news! Your mobile phone isn’t giving you brain cancer!

Decades of worry about radio waves travelling out of our phones and into our skulls have apparently been put to rest with a massive World Health Organisation review published today, finding zero link between mobile phone use and brain, head or neck cancer.

However, different groups of scientists conducting different kinds of studies on mobile phone radiation and possible health effects have suggested the opposite previously – so how are most of us non-scientists meant to tell who’s right?

Assistant Director of Health Impact Assessment at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Ken Karipidis joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the findings, and what we should take from them. 

Your mobile phone isn't giving you brain cancer

The situation for women in Afghanistan right now is bleak.

After retaking control of the country in August of 2021, the Taliban has wasted no time reinstating a raft of rules stripping away the rights of females. A week ago, a decree made it illegal for women to speak outside their homes.

Alongside having to completely cover their bodies head-to-toe in thick fabric, they’re also banned from working and can’t look directly at men they aren’t related to by blood. Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school after completing the sixth grade.

For activists and advocates, what’s happened since the Taliban came back into power is not surprising - but that doesn’t mean they’ve given up hope. On this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Shabnam Safa, a refugee advocate in Australia who here herself as an Afghani refugee, to hear what she thinks of the latest developments in the country.

Headlines:

Paralympics - Aussies have netted more gold

Australian ambassador to Iran recalled after post supporting LGBTQIA+ community

Two sailors have been rescued hundreds of kilometers offshore from Sydney

Queen Camilla gives rare King Charles cancer update

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom



More info on Afghanistan from Human Rights Watch:https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/afghanistan-0

International campaigns:
The End Gender Apartheid campaign is run by experts and advocates from Afghanistan and Iran. https://endgenderapartheid.today/  - https://www.instagram.com/endgenderapartheid.today/

Follow and support journalism in/from Afghanistan
Rukhshana Media - a women-led online news agency for women and children in Afghanistan - https://rukhshana.com/en/  - https://www.instagram.com/rukhshanamedia/
KabulNow - https://kabulnow.com/  - https://www.instagram.com/kabulnow.af/

In Australia:
Action for Afghanistan campaign by the Afghanistan-Australian Advocacy Network - https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/  - https://www.instagram.com/actionforafghanistan/
Australian Hazara Advocacy Network - https://www.hazaraadvocacynetwork.com.au/  - https://www.instagram.com/hazaraadvocacyau/?locale=kk-KZ&hl=af

Life is getting worse for women in Afghanistan. You can help + Headlines

Have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through TikTok being bombarded with food reviews?

Sometimes they appear organic, with creators hopping on a trend or trying a viral product for their followers. Other times, these creators are being paid by restaurants and cafes to plug their businesses or products.

There are legal and ethical guidelines in place to stop this content from appearing organically in your feed – but why are they being so rarely followed, and even more rarely enforced?

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by TikTok lawyer Jahan Kalantar to find out exactly how online creators are sidestepping consumer laws and what more, if anything, can be done.  

Is TikTok blurring the line between a review and an ad?

Much of Israel’s economy ground to a halt overnight, during the country’s first major workers’ strike since the start of the war.

The strike shut down Israel’s international airport and disrupted banks, manufacturing facilities, healthcare facilities and businesses, as Israelis expressed their anger over six Israeli captives of Hamas found dead in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career has survived major demonstrations before, but could this strike finally force him to agree to a hostage swap deal and a ceasefire?

On this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert is joined Dr Eyal Mayroz, a Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney to provide some insight into what impact it might have. 

Headlines:

Paralympics Update

Britain is suspending dozens of weapons sales to Israel

Wild weather wrap

Famous Beluga whale found dead 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Could Israel's striking workers end the war in Gaza? + Headlines

Renting in Australia can really suck.

With winter over and the end of 2024 approaching, we’re heading towards peak moving season.

Moving house can be one of life’s most stressful events – made even more stressful by the process of trying to get your bond back.

In this two-part feature, The Briefing investigates the messy world of rental bonds. In Part Two, Bension Siebert speaks to Leanne Pilkington, President of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, on what the experience is like on the landlord and agent side of the bond system, and what she thinks might make the system fairer overall. 

Are renters, not landlords, ever the bad guy?

Renting in Australia can really suck.

With winter over and the end of 2024 approaching, we’re heading towards peak moving season.

Moving house can be one of life’s most stressful events – made even more stressful by the process of trying to get your bond back. 

In this two-part feature, The Briefing looks into the messy world of rental bonds. In Part One, Bension Siebert speaks to CEO of the New South Wales Tenants’ Union Leo Patterson Ross on how to stop your landlord stealing your bond, and whether there’s a way to run this system that’s better for everyone.

Headlines:

Paralympics update

Israeli military recovers bodies of six hostages in Gaza

Australians advised to work from home due to wild weather 

New survey asks Aussie teens what they want to be when they grow up

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

How to stop your landlord stealing your bond + Headlines

Senator Fatima Payman first won office in 2022 and dominated headlines this year when she crossed the floor over Labor’s refusal to recognise a Palestinian state. Her life since then has been a self-described “whirlwind.”

Fatima now sits as an independent, and in this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, she reveals the inner workings of the Albanese government that led to her resignation and whether she was prepared for the wave of bigotry and intense scrutiny she and her family experienced.

Her story begins in Afghanistan in the 1990s where she and her family fled the Taliban to Pakistan, before starting a new life in Australia. As a proud and determined independent voice for Western Australia, Fatima is committed to breaking stereotypes, saying she is “more than a Muslim senator.”

Weekend List
TO BUY: Sticky grippy phone stickers
TO DO: Bye-bye text messages and hello voice memos!
TO TRY: Korean skincare
TO WATCH: Fatima Payman on Australian Story

Fatima Payman on love, scandal and fleeing the Taliban

It's been a big week of debate over the 2026 census and a handful of questions that might – or might not – be added to it.

This episode, we speak to one of the Labor MPs who rebelled against the Government’s decision to exclude questions about LGBTIQA+ Australians from the Census – and get his take on a partial backflip from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning.  

Labor's Federal Member for the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, Josh Burns, joins Bension Siebert for this episode of The Briefing.

The PM's backflipped on asking if you’re gay in the Census. Will it backfire?

The AFLW 2024 season kicks off today – but not everyone’s happy with the fixtures. 

As the AFL works to manage the men’s finals being played alongside the start of the women’s game, fans and key stakeholders are asking why logistical confusion remains as the competition heads into its ninth season.

Georgia Rajic is a sports commentator and reporter – on this bonus episode of The Briefing, she joins Helen Smith to unpack the complex start to the AFLW this year, where the competition is at almost a decade into running, and who looks set to top the ladder in 2024.  

BONUS: The AFLW season kicks off - but has it already been overlooked?

Spring brings with it some pretty wonderful things; blooming flowers, warmer weather and longer days. But it also means another thing that can strike fear into the heart of nearly every Australian – magpie swooping season. 

From August to October, the black and white birds are nesting, which means they’re feeling extra protective and have been known to fly at humans as they pass by their babies. 

Today on The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt, self-confessed magpie lady, is joined by Sean Dooley, conservationist and birdwatcher with Birdlife Australia, to break down the facts and myths around these fabulous birds, and encourage you to think differently about them this swooping season.

Headlines:

All the action from day one of The Paralympics 

Israeli forces have carried out raids in the West bank for a second day in a row

Labor party under fire for census  

ABS Data shows more women than men in Australia

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

How to make friends with a magpie this swooping season + Headlines

The Paralympics are on!

In the very early hours of this morning Australia time, a spectacular opening ceremony kicked off the 2024 summer games in Paris, with more than 4,000 athletes from around the world preparing to compete over two massive weeks. How different is their experience from that of able-bodies athletes, and how do they feel about the competition starting so long after the first round of the Olympics has wrapped up?

Carol Cooke is a Paralympic champion, competing on the world stage winning medals for Australia in London, Rio and Tokyo. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to reflect on what it’s like to compete at the most elite level in Paralympic sport, and how it compares to the experience of able-bodied Olympians.  

Paralympian Carol Cooke on why all eyes should be on Paris

Leonardo da Vinci + a Saudi Prince + one very old painting = a world of controversy.

Salvator Mundi is the most expensive painting sold at auction. Dubbed the male Mona Lisa, Salvator Mundi is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci – but not all art experts agree that the work is by the famous artist.

The painting sold for $450 million to Saudi Arabian Prince Mohamed bin Salman in 2017. After several years hidden away in storage, the Prince reportedly has plans to make the painting the centerpiece of what some of called the ‘Saudi Louvre’, and in turn creating a tourist attraction for the West. Is this art washing live in action?

Professor Anne Dunlop is the Herald Chair in Fine Arts from the University of Melbourne. She joins Helen Smith on this episode of The Briefing to explain the backstory of the artwork, and what it might mean if it comes out of hiding and onto display. 

Headlines:

Paralympics opening ceremony 

Israel West Bank attack

Trump blames Biden and Harris for assassination attempt 

New study shows dogs can communicate with humans

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The world's most expensive painting might soon be on display + Headlines

A new study has found astrologers are no better at prediction than random guessing. Does that matter?

Many of those obsessed with their astrological chart when pressed might still admit it’s probably a little bit bullshit – but they like it, it’s fun, and it doesn’t do any harm. But for those who use astrology to help them make significant decisions in their life, it sort of does matter whether this stuff is true.

Enter Spencer Greenberg, the founder of ClearerThinking.org, a social enterprise in the US. He and his colleagues were so interested in the topic that they designed and conducted a study to hopefully settle the argument once and for all – on this episode of The Briefing, he joins Bension Siebert to help explain what they found. 

Researchers have proof astrology is bullshit. Does that matter?

Noel and Liam Gallagher, the two brothers behind the seminal British band Oasis, have announced they’re about to head out on a massive tour - the first time they’ve appeared together since 2009.

Noel quit the band just before they were due to take the stage in Paris after a massive backstage fight, and the brothers have waged war against each other ever since. But in a twist, they're now reportedly saying it’s now or never.

Once the biggest band in the world, this tour is expected to make in the vicinity of $1 billion.

Music feature writer Cameron Adams joins Bension Siebert to explain what might have led to the change of heart, and why the two 'Don’t look back in anger'.

Headlines:

Hostage freed from Gaza

Greens propose “Robin Hood” tax reform

Zuckerberg says White House censored Meta during COVID-19 

Trump agrees to debate Harris  



Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Oasis is getting the band back together + Headlines

Planning a wedding can be incredibly stressful - especially with the average wedding in Australia costing nearly $35,000. That’s a price tag that can cover everything from venue hire, catering, hair, make-up, photography and now a professional bridesmaid.

It’s like paying for a best friend (who's not actually your best friend) to support you every step of the way. Is this a logical development meeting the needs of busy lives, or commercialisation and a wedding industry gone insane? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Kerstyn Walsh, the director of Hire a Bridesmaid, to breakdown why more and more Aussies are turning to their services.

Meet the woman paid to be a bride’s fake friend

Should the 2026 Census ask you if you’re gay?

That’s one of the questions advocacy groups for queer Australians have been grappling with as the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) prepares its next census. 

LGBTIQA+ advocacy groups have argued that the government does not collect enough fine-grain data on queer Australians to improve physical and mental health outcomes in the community that are poorer than the general population. On the other hand – could questions about people’s sexuality and gender identity risk the safety of people who aren’t out to their families? 

Seemingly out of nowhere, in recent days advocates have learned that the government will not allow the ABS to include questions about questions about sexuality, sex and gender, which the groups have been arguing for. 

On this episode of the Briefing, LGBTIQ+ Health CEO Nicky Bath chats to Bension Siebert about what should and should not be on the Census.

Headlines:

Ceasefire talks progress as Aussies have their say on Gazans getting visas

Italian authorities confirm investigation into captain of Bayesian for manslaughter

Winter temperature records smashed

Trump and Harris argue over muted mics

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Should the Census ask you if you’re gay?  + Headlines

Telegram is ranked as one of the world's major social media platforms, after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat.

Just like Apple’s iMessage, Facebook messenger, Discord and WhatsApp, it lets you send end-to-end encrypted messages, meaning most of the time nobody – governments, law enforcement, private companies – can access those messages.

In the early hours of Sunday morning Australia time French police officers reportedly arrested boss and founder of the app Pavel Durov, over claims the platform enables criminal activity. In a post on the network, Telegram News says Durov has nothing to hide, and it’s “absurd” to hold an online platform or its owner responsible for abuse that might happen on it.

Is that right?

On this episode of The Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by James Hennessy, ideas and features editor for Capital Brief and cohost of LiSTNR's Down Round to reflect on what the arrest might mean for free speech online.

Telegram’s CEO is under arrest. What does that say about free speech?

PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances) are forever chemicals that seem to be turning up in just about everything.

We now know they’re in platypuses, human testicles, and Sydney’s water supply. Last week, Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe won support to hold a Senate inquiry into the health and environmental impacts of PFAS.

But for those of us without an expert understanding of this subject, all of this news is equal parts concerning and confusing. Should the government be acting now, and should we be concerned? Or is it too early to say?

Water researcher and associate professor at Western Sydney University's School of Science Ian Wright joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack how we, and state and federal governments, should feel about these ‘forever chemicals’.

Headlines:

Israel and Hezbollah exchange rocket fire

Labor's landslide loss in NT election 

New aviation ombudsman out today 

‘Right to Disconnect’ laws come into force

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

PFAS is in testicles, platypuses and drinking water. What now? + Headlines

Jimmy Smith and Nathan Roye choose the name of their radio show using a $12 love calculator app and it looks like it was right.

The duo have formed back in 2015 and since then the Jimmy and Nath show has made it to the big time - brekkie radio.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Jimmy and Nath reveal what it’s like working with your best friend and go deep on their views on domestic violence and mental health.

Weekend List
TO FOLLOW - Jack Schlossberg on insta @jackuno
TO WATCH - Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats on Netflix
TO DO - Christmas budgeting templates from She’s on the Money
TO DO - Mini bands workout

Send us your weekend briefing recommendations!

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

A love calculator started Jimmy & Nath’s 10 year radio career

Appearing at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Kamala Harris has accepted the party's nomination for president in the most important speech of her career so far.

Taking the opportunity to outline her platform to millions of Americans set to cast her vote in November, she made passionate points for women’s and reproductive rights, freedom and stability, addressed Israel and Gaza and other global conflicts, that Donald Trump “wants to be an autocrat himself” and described the Republican party as, simply put, "out of their minds”.

It’s been a big week for the democratic party at the Democratic National Convention, with political pageantry at its finest on display. Dave Levinthal, Editor-in-Chief of Raw Story, joins Bension Siebert live from Chicago to unpack what was said, and the week that was in American politics.  

Kamala Harris has delivered the most important speech of her career

Mid-west princess and pop megastar Chappell Roan says some fan behavior is ‘abusive’, bordering on ‘harassment’, and ‘weird’.

In a series of TikToks posted to her account, the singer has outlined her immense discomfort at the behaviors of fans approaching her on the street, demanding pictures and also physical contact like hugs.

The posts have started a firestorm of debate online, with some praising her for her vulnerability and honesty during the highest moment in her career so far, while others say this level of interest is the cost of fame – that part of the deal of huge success is fans following you on the street and asking for a photo.

Do celebrities experiencing worldwide fame, and earning massive wealth from their fans, owe those fans anything? And are these ‘parasocial’ relationships between fans and famous people getting worse? 

Dr Veronica Lamarche is a social psychologist and relationships researcher at the University of Essex. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to explore what’s going on with the fans of Chappell Roan. 

Headlines:

Body of tech millionaire found after the sinking of his superyacht 

New charges for Andrew Tate 

NDIS passes new bill that changes support access 

Kamala Harris to headline final day of DNC 

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

Chappell Roan, the cult of celebrity, and fans going too far + Headlines

How many times a week are you ordering from Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Menulog? Is your dinner order putting delivery riders at risk?

A 27-year-old Door Dash delivery cyclist died in a hit and run accident in Melbourne this week. Victorian police say the driver allegedly fled the scene, but handed himself into officers later in the night.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says it’s the 18th death of a delivery rider on Australian roads since the explosion in home delivery services.

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Michael Kaine, national secretary of the TWU, to find out if it's the delivery companies hustling their staff, motorists on the roads fed up with lawless riders, or the riders putting themselves in danger.

Delivery death - riders dying for your dinner

Candace Owens once suggested the US invade Australia to save us from “tyrannical” COVID policies. Laura Loomer has described herself as a proud Islamophobe. Nick Fuentes is a white supremacist who’s praised Hitler.

All three have been big Donald Trump supporters, using huge social media platforms to advocate for the former president. But recently, all of them have turned on Trump’s campaign. What’s behind this dramatic turnaround? And are these far-right influencers right about their criticism of Trump’s strategy? 

Dr Emma Shortis is a Senior Researcher for the International & Security Affairs Program at independent thinktank the Australia Institute. She joins Bension Siebert on The Briefing to provide some insight into what’s happening on the right side of the US political sphere.  

Headlines:

Bodies recovered in Sicily after superyacht sinking

Democratic National Convention day three wrap 

Aldi crowned Australia’s favourite supermarket

Hot girl summer just got more expensive  

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

The far-right is turning on the Trump campaign + Headlines

AI is coming for the Australian music industry.

Whether that’s a catastrophe or a creative revolution (or both) is yet to be seen. But this week music licensing lobby group APRA AMCOS released a report surveying thousands of musicians across Australia and New Zealand.

Economic modelling in the report found AI is likely to wipe more than half a billion dollars off the revenues of music creators by 2028 - but it also found more than half of the musicians and producers surveyed said AI technology can help with the human creative process. 

On this episode of The Briefing Australian singer songwriters Josh Pyke and Sophie Payten AKA Gordi join Bension Siebert to unpack on the promise, and threat, of AI for Australian music.

Home

Discover

Sign up for free to listen for longer

Home

Discover

Sign up for free to listen for longer

Khaled Beydoun: The US Law Professor taking on Western media on Gaza

Mark as played

Share

About the episode

View all episodes