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This week the federal government was caught out without a clear plan on two of the biggest crises facing the world right now: the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan.In both instances, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been accused of not sufficiently preparing for outcomes that many had predicted, and responding too defensively.Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on whether being underprepared is now a feature of Scott Morrison’s leadership - and what the consequences are. Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outbreaks of Covid-19 are continuing to spread across the country, hitting largely unvaccinated and unprepared populations.Eighteen months into the pandemic many Australians are feeling exhausted, and compliance with public health measures is dropping off - leading governments to ramp up policing efforts.Today, infectious disease and pandemic response expert Dr Alexandra Phelan on the situation in Australia, how governments can maintain public trust, and what the end game looks like.Guest: Member of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, Dr Alexandra PhelanStay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From its origins as a little watched cable news broadcaster, Sky News has grown into a media powerhouse reaching millions of people, primarily on YouTube.Now it’s broadening its reach even further, into the homes of thousands of Australians living in the regions, further solidifying Rupert Murdoch’s control of news media in Australia.Today, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on what Murdoch is planning to do with Sky News, and how it could impact Australian politics.Guest: Former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NSW is currently experiencing its worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. With case numbers continuing to rise, the government has slowly acknowledged it’s losing control.Unlike the rest of the country, it now appears that NSW is abandoning its intention of eliminating the virus and reaching zero cases of community transmission, instead relying more heavily on vaccinations.Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on the NSW strategy to deal with the virus and what it might mean for the rest of the nation. Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike SeccombeStay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian scientist Joëlle Gergis was one of the lead authors on a landmark climate report by the IPCC, a United Nations body responsible for assessing the science on climate change.The report has been described as “code red” for humanity, a desperate attempt by the world’s best climate scientists to force political leaders to take action and stop runaway climate change.Today, Joëlle Gergis explains the science behind it, what it tells us about the future of our planet, and how we can all maintain some hope. Guest: Climate scientist and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Dr Joëlle Gergis.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Culture, we’re talking about the young Kamilaroi kid from Waterloo, New South Wales, who this week topped the US Billboard charts. His name is The Kid LAROI, and his album 'F*ck Love' is taking the world by storm.He dropped his debut EP at 14, was mentored by the likes of Juice WRLD at 15, and signed an international deal at 16. He’s collaborated with Miley Cyrus and his most recent single 'Stay', features one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Justin Beiber.The success of his album makes him the first Australian-born solo artist to top the chart since Sia in 2014, and the first Indigenous Australian artist to top the chart - ever.So this begs the question, where are the headlines? Why aren't Australian media outlets falling over themselves to cover one of the most exciting musical acts to come out of the country in years?To talk about why Australia seems to be playing catch up, I'm joined by Hau Latukefu, a pioneer of the Australian hip hop scene. As part of the duo Koolism, he won the first ever ARIA for Best Urban Release and has gone on to mentor many hip hop artists in the industry today. Guest: Hau LatukefuFollow The Culture on InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s anti-lockdown movement reached federal parliament this week, when a rogue Coalition MP took to the floor to blast public health measures used to limit the spread of Covid-19.The comments highlight growing divisions in the government over Australia’s national approach to the pandemic.Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on the challenges Scott Morrison is facing from his own side, and why he’s unwilling to openly confront them. Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014 two friends from Sydney created a company that transformed the way we buy and sell things online. That company, Afterpay, has become a bedrock of the online shopping experience, growing exponentially every year. Its success was cemented when it was sold for $39 billion, making it the largest corporate deal in Australian history.Afterpay promises the allure of credit-free online shopping. But just how different is it’s business model compared to traditional credit cards and loans? Today, James Hennessy on the rise of Afterpay, and the regulatory loopholes it’s exploited to build a multi-billion dollar business.Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper, James Hennessy.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No matter which major party wins the next federal election, the top 5 percent of income earners in Australia will receive tax cuts worth 180 dollars a week. These tax cuts, which will overwhelmingly benefit high income earners, will cost the budget 300 billion dollars over 10 years.So how will those cuts be funded? According to those in the social services sector it's likely to be made from cuts to education, health and welfare.  Today, chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service Cassandra Goldie, on the origin of these tax cuts and what their real cost will be.Guest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper and chief executive of the Australian Council of Social Service Cassandra GoldieStay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eighteen months into the pandemic Scott Morrison has announced a plan for the way out, underpinned by modelling from one of our most respected scientific institutes, The Doherty Institute.The plan itself, which has four phases, is based on vaccination rates. It predicts we could be living almost as normal when we reach 80 percent of the population fully vaccinated. But how likely are we to reach that target, and when?  Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the uncertainty surrounding the Prime Minister’s plan. Guest: Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.