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Clem Bastow reads her piece about borrowing teen magazines from the library.As a kid, Clem couldn’t afford the monthly price of Girlfriend Magazine, or Seventeen, or my personal favourite, Dolly. So the library became her gateway to fashion trends, makeup advice, and the hottest Home and Away stars. As Clem got older and earned her own money, her relationship to libraries evolved. In her piece, Clem writes about class and shame, teen magazines and hope, and the always alluring sealed section.Clem’s article Library learning with ‘Dolly’ was written for The Saturday Paper.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Writer and critic, Clem BastowBackground reading: Library learning with ‘Dolly’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you think you might have ADHD, it can take months, maybe even a year to get a diagnosis.A public conversation about the condition, led by advocates, has meant more people are seeking help — but the system for getting assessed is laborious and costly.Now, Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, a key force behind getting the disability royal commission set-up, is taking on ADHD and will use a parliamentary inquiry to advocate for an overhaul in how the condition is treated.In an article tomorrow in The Saturday Paper, he makes the case for the NDIS to be expanded to cover ADHD as a primary diagnosis — a decision that could impact half a million people.Today, Jordon Steele-John on why it’s time for Medicare and the NDIS to include ADHD.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Greens health and disability rights spokesperson, Senator Jordon Steele-John.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tension in the Greens over the Voice to Parliament has culminated this week in the abrupt defection of high-profile Senator Lidia Thorpe.Publicly, Greens leader Adam Bandt is calling her resignation ‘sad’. Privately, other Greens members are reportedly calling it a catastrophe.As for Lidia Thorpe, the newly-Independent Senator says her focus now will be on representing a grassroots Blak sovereign movement — and she hasn’t said whether or not that means supporting a Voice to Parliament.Today, chief political correspondent at The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton on what happened in the days leading up to the resignation, and what it means for the government — and the Greens. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Chief political correspondent at The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making a living in Australia as a writer, musician, or artist has become an increasingly tenuous proposition. In recent years the arts sector has been transformed — lockdowns and streaming services have radically changed the market, with work becoming more insecure and lower-paid.Now, the federal government has unveiled the first major injection of funding in a decade: under a new national cultural policy it’s calling “revive”.So, what will it mean for artists? Will arts work finally be treated like real work? And will this policy help Australia create good art?Today, Editor of The Monthly Michael Williams on whether the Albanese government’s arts policy can revive the sector. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Editor of The Monthly, Michael Williams.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You would expect that when you give your personal data to the government, that data remains safe.But that’s not how it was for some people who were sent debt notices under therobo-debt scheme – and in at least one case, that information was released after the person had suicided.So who should take responsibility when private data is used to protect an unlawful system? And how do we stop that from happening again? Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on how the robo-debt royal commission is revealing one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the Australian government.Warning, this episode includes discussion of suicide.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick MortonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Australia’s doorstep, one country has taken the global war on drugs to the extreme.When Rodrigo Duterte became president of the Philippines in 2016 he promised to slaughter drug dealers – and his hardline anti-drug regime lasted until last year, when he was beaten in elections.But has the end of Duterte really ended the slaughter? Has the new government lived up to its promises? Or do the bodies in Manila’s morgues tell us the war has gone underground?Today, contributor to The Monthly Margaret Simons on what happens when you unleash violence on the streets – and why it’s so hard to end.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Contributor to The Monthly Margaret SimonsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is supposed to be reducing its emissions at a rapid pace, and last year, the Albanese government put a new target into law.Now, we will finally get to see exactly how Labor plans to force our biggest polluters to reduce their emissions.But will the proposal win the support it needs? And how will it shape the political year to come?Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on why next week could either end the climate wars, or start a whole new chapter.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More and more people have to pay to see a doctor, GPs are leaving the profession, and the cost of seeing a specialist is rising at an alarming rate.That’s why the government is promising the biggest overhaul to Medicare in its 40-year existence – the details of the plan could be released any day now.Everything is on the table for consideration: increasing the Medicare rebate, giving pharmacists the power to prescribe drugs and more.But how do we make sure we get changes to Medicare right?Today, associate editor of The Saturday Paper, Martin McKenzie-Murray, on why Medicare is being overhauled, and the people responsible for deciding the future of Australia’s public health system.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Associate editor of The Saturday Paper Martin McKenzie-MurraySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between his death, two weeks ago, and his burial tomorrow, a furious battle has raged over George Pell’s legacy.If you happen to read The Australian newspaper, though, you probably wouldn’t be aware there are two sides to the debate.The Murdoch newspaper has been glowing about Pell’s influence.Why is the Murdoch media so invested in how the former Catholic cardinal is remembered? And what are they willing to ignore to make their case?Today, legal affairs editor for The Saturday Paper Richard Ackland on how Pell built his influence with journalists, and how he wielded it.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Legal affairs editor for The Saturday Paper Richard AcklandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian law is far from perfect.Not only can it be unjust, it’s sometimes simply no longer fit to do what it was intended to.The person responsible for maintaining our federal laws is the attorney-general. And, since the last election, that’s Mark Dreyfus.Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe – on Mark Dreyfus, what drives him, and why he says Australia’s treatment of refugees has been “deliberately cruel”.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.