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As Covid-19 case numbers in Victoria continue to rise, attention has turned to the slow pace of the vaccine rollout, and the question of whether or not more vaccinations could have stopped this outbreak.Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on where the rollout went wrong and what the consequences have been.Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, advocates against sexual assault have been pushing for law reform, particularly on the issue of consent. Now - they’ve had a win, with the NSW Attorney General announcing sweeping changes, which go even further than what was recommended by an independent inquiry.Today, writer for The Saturday Paper Bri Lee on what the changes mean, and the politician leading the charge. Guest: Writer for The Saturday Paper Bri Lee.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it’s podcasts like ‘Serial’ or ‘The Teacher’s Pet’, Netflix documentaries like ‘Making a Murderer’ or ‘Tiger King’, true crime is absolutely dominant. But what does our obsession with these stories say about us, and our perception of the world we live in? And with institutions like the police and the media under increasing scrutiny from the public, is it time for a genre like true crime to reinvent itself?This week on The Culture we discuss all of that and more with Sarah Krasnostein, the best-selling author of ‘The Trauma Cleaner’, criminal law expert, and The Saturday Paper’s TV critic. Guest: Sarah Krasnostein. TV critic for The Saturday Paper.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria has been plunged back into lockdown, the state’s fourth since the start of the pandemic.But this time there’s one big difference: vaccines that were supposed to help keep us safe and avoid outbreaks like this are now available, but in Australia take up has been slow.Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on how Victoria entered lockdown and who shoulders the blame.Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal budget promised $3.2 billion dollars to be spent on policies that improve the lives of Australian women. But, despite that pledge, a critical front line service that supports women being discriminated against at work has lost much of its funding, and now faces closure. Today, Royce Kurmelovs on the future of the Working Women’s Centres.  Guest: Writer for The Saturday Paper Royce Kurmelovs.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been two years since former Opposition Leader Bill Shorten lost the federal election, and then the Labor leadership.Now, as the major parties gear up for an impending federal election, which could be held this year, questions are being asked about whether Shorten’s replacement Anthony Albanese is capable of securing Labor victory.Today, writer for The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace on Labor’s election chances, and what they’ve learnt from the last two years.Guest: Writer for The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace.Background reading: Labor’s election chances in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morrison government is contemplating new laws which could see charities held responsible for minor legal breaches by their members and supporters. The sector says the changes are an attempt to stifle protest, while lawyers are warning they could be unconstitutional. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on why the government is targeting charities, and what the changes could mean.  Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine has been stymied by a combination of different factors including supply, distribution and vaccine hesitancy amongst the public.A recent survey found that nearly one in three Australians aren’t willing to get vaccinated because they’re unsure about the risks or don’t think it’s necessary.Today, health columnist for The Saturday Paper Dr Melanie Cheng, on where Australia went wrong with its vaccine rollout and what the federal government needs to do to avoid a third wave. Guest: Health columnist for The Saturday Paper Dr Melanie Cheng.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Culture is a brand new weekly show from the team behind 7am. Every week join host Osman Faruqi and special guests as they go deep on film, music, TV, streaming, books and art. The first episode drops May 28. Follow The Culture now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over a year now Australia’s international borders have been closed to the rest of the world.Travel restrictions have played a crucial role in keeping Australia relatively safe from the worst of the pandemic, but the federal government has been reluctant to announce their end date.Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on why Prime Minister Scott Morrison is so intent on keeping our borders closed.Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.