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Throughout the pandemic, there’s been a vocal group of journalists who are adamant the risk of Covid-19 is being overblown. But what drives this kind of thinking, and is it changing anyone’s mind? Today, Richard Cooke on the Covid contrarians, and what they tell us about the state of the Australian media landscape.Guest: Writer for The Saturday Paper Richard Cooke.Background reading: The media’s Covid-19 contrarians in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the NSW National Party threatened to break up the state’s Coalition over the issue of koalas many were mystified. But behind the political fireworks lies a story about a party being squeezed from both the right and the left. Today, Mike Seccombe on the Nationals fight for survival.  Guest: National Correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe.Background reading: NSW Nationals over a Barilaro in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s universities have been hit hard by the pandemic, with thousands of job losses. Now the federal government wants to change the way the sector is funded, and how much students will pay. Today, Rick Morton on the crisis facing our universities, and why we’re on the brink of destroying our national research capacity.Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton.Background reading: Coalition to cut $2 billion a year from university research in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria’s second wave has been attributed to an outbreak of Covid-19 amongst private contractors working in hotel quarantine, and now government documents reveal more contractors at quarantine hotels have tested positive for the virus. Today, Osman Faruqi on Melbourne’s ‘hot hotels’ and the risks they might still pose. Guest: Editor of 7am, Osman Faruqi.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fearful of geography-based questions, this week’s guests – theatre maker Anne-Louise Sarks and political commentator Sean Kelly – nevertheless manage to navigate their way through the choppy waters of Caribbean nations, English cities and French history.Guests: Anne-Louise Sarks and Sean KellyIn the paper (this time, in The Monthly): Snapback See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Morrison has spent the week untangling himself from Tony Abbott’s policies, on both climate change and the NBN. Today, Paul Bongiorno on new roadmaps and old problems. 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.

Staff and students at Brunswick North West Primary School have endured one of the longest school shutdowns in the world, and they’ve created their own community radio station to help each other through it. Today, Ruby Jones talks to the students and the teacher behind BNWPS radio. Guest: Brunswick North West Primary School music teacher Jack Madin and his students.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidential documents leaked to The Saturday Paper show that hospitals remain a key area of coronavirus transmission, while doctors and nurses in Melbourne complain that they’re still not getting access to proper protective equipment. Today, Osman Faruqi on how healthcare worker infections are contributing to the length of Victoria’s second wave.Guest: Editor of 7am Osman Faruqi.Background reading: Confidential document reveals healthcare outbreaks in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Royal Commission has heard hundreds of aged care centres are facing financial collapse, as the crisis in the sector takes its toll. In the second half of this special two part series, Rick Morton investigates what happened to the aged care sector under the leadership of Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison. Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton.Background reading: The collapse of aged care (part two) in The Saturday Paper See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, we’ve been warned about a crisis in Australia’s aged care sector, and the coronavirus pandemic has exposed its failures. In the first half of a special two part series Rick Morton traces the problems in aged care to Howard-era reforms, demanded by private, for-profit providers. Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton.Background reading: The collapse of aged care (part one) in The Saturday PaperSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.