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Not long ago, the Australian government was forced to abandon a scheme it was using to pursue welfare recipients for money.The robo-debt scheme was binned in 2019 after the government finally asked the solicitor-general for legal advice.He told them what many had long suspected: it was probably unlawful.So who else knew about the potential illegality of robo-debt? How early did they know? And why did it go ahead at all?Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton on the robo-debt royal commission and how years of suffering could have been averted.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram.Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Americans head to the polls in the country’s midterm elections.At stake is control of the US House of Representatives and the Senate. Both are on a knife's edge, and major losses for the Democrats could make the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency incredibly difficult and bring major reform to a standstill.That is something Donald Trump will be hoping for, as reports circulate that he could announce his presidential campaign for 2024 within days.Today, former Democratic Party adviser and a senior fellow at the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Bruce Wolpe on the US midterms and what they mean for the future of American politics.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram.Guest: Former Democratic Party adviser and a senior fellow at the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Bruce Wolpe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Dutton has an uphill battle, even he would admit that.But the Liberal leader known for tough, hardline conservative talking points is trying to appear more like Australia’s next prime minister – by insisting he has a softer side, and striking a contrast with his predecessor Scott Morrison.Beneath Dutton’s attempts to rebrand himself, who is he… and where did his ideas come from? Today, contributor to The Monthly Malcolm Knox on who Peter Dutton is, and what he’s prepared to do to become prime minister.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Contributor to The Monthly Malcolm Knox.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People counted Dutton’s Opposition out, but Labor’s restrained budget might have opened up some attack lines for the Liberals… with some help from the Murdoch media.A distressed global economy and rising electricity prices are leaving Labor open to Liberal accusations that they’ve broken an election promise to lower power prices.And: an update on Labor’s industrial relations reforms.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Contributor to The Saturday Paper, Chris WallaceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Internal tensions at the organisation that tells us about the weather — the Bureau of Meteorology — appear to be going from bad to worse.Among the latest revelations, the Bureau’s daily forecasts, which many of us rely on, might be getting less accurate.We’ve also learned that the renaming of the organisation was called a ‘rebrand’ internally, even though management publicly claimed they never attempted such a thing.Today, senior reporter at The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton joins us again, with the latest on the agency formerly known as the BoM. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior reporter at The Saturday Paper, Rick MortonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When an inner suburb of Melbourne was hit by flooding a few weeks ago, attention turned to Flemington Racecourse: home of the Melbourne Cup.The track is a floodplain, and in prior floods it had become submerged in water. But not this time.This year, a new flood wall protected it. But could the wall that saved Flemington Racecourse have doomed nearby houses? Or is that debate obscuring the bigger problems facing our cities as the climate crisis closes in?Today, associate editor of The Saturday Paper Martin McKenzie-Murray on the Maribyrnong flood.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.

Unlike in almost every other country in the world, the Australian government actively helps some of our biggest carbon emitters make claims to consumers that they are “green” or even “carbon neutral”.For consumers looking to sign up for household gas and electricity, it’s hard to know which companies to trust.And more importantly, the system could help prop up fossil-fuel projects that threaten to derail our emissions reduction targets.Today, senior researcher at The Australia Institute’s climate and energy program, Polly Hemming, on how the government gives green credentials to fossil-fuel companies.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior researcher at The Australia Institute’s climate and energy program, Polly Hemming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prices of Australian houses are dropping faster than ever before – but is this a blip on the way to higher prices, or an actual value crash?And if it is a real crash… could that be a good thing? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike Seccombe, on the rollercoaster of the Australian property market.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.

After 45 days of economic chaos under Liz Truss threatened the welfare of ordinary Britons, the UK now has a new prime minister: Rishi Sunak.Sunak’s family wealth of over a billion dollars makes him an unlikely figure for the task – he is the richest MP in the British parliament. But he has made history as the country’s first British Asian prime minister.Today, world editor of The Saturday Paper Jonathan Pearlman, on the ascent of Rishi Sunak and the challenges ahead of him.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: World editor of The Saturday Paper, Jonathan Pearlman See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the world’s most treasured art works have been under attack in the last few weeks.Paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet have been doused in food by climate activists trying to draw attention to the urgent climate crisis.So is this plea for action working? And why are activists turning to this kind of protest? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike Seccombe, on the divide within the environmentalist movement, and what is driving protesters towards desperate action.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.