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Mothers whose families were torn apart by the robo-debt scheme have welcomed the start of the long-awaited royal commission into the policy this week.One, Kath Madgwick, said her son took his own life just hours after learning he owed a Centrelink debt through the scheme – she’ll be making a submission to the royal commission.But this week’s hearings are only the beginning of an attempt to hold people accountable over what happened. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno, on how the commission is trying to find the truth for the victims of robo-debt, and the future of integrity in our parliament.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions of Australians will need new drivers licences and passports, after Optus’s lax data management exposed the details of around 10 million Australians to a hacker.Anthony Albanese has announced Optus should foot the bill for new ID documents and has called the hack a ‘wake up’ for corporate Australia.But why did Optus hold so much data on millions of Australians? Why wasn’t it held more safely?Today, associate professor Toby Murray from the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne - on how millions of Australians are now exposed – and what we need to do about it.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram.Guest: Associate professor, Toby Murray.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As populations move and grow, communities are in desperate need of more hospitals.But what good is a building without staff? What good is a bed without the nurses and doctors to care for someone in it?That’s the question one state is facing, after it was revealed that NSW Health believe they will need billions more in operational budgets to sufficiently staff the new hospitals that are being opened.Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton on the big shiny hospitals without enough staff to run them.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are ever jailed for a crime, you would hope to do your time in jail and be released at the end of it.For a small number of people who are deemed to pose an exceptional risk to society, such as sexual offenders and terrorists, that hasn’t always been the case – and in some jurisdictions they can be kept in jail or given harsh restrictions long after they leave.But now those exceptions are expanding — other offences are increasingly subject to what is called ‘preventative detention’.Today, journalist Kieran Pender on the question of who gets to walk free at the end of their sentence.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Journalist, Kieran Pender.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week on the public holiday to mourn the Queen's death, there were protests against the monarchy in major cities across Australia. The marches represented many who harbour a resentment towards the British crown and the unhealed wounds inflicted by the British Empire.In the UK, some people feel the same way and not all Britons participated in the scenes of public grieving that have been seen around the world.Today, the United Kingdom’s first Professor of Black Studies and author of The New Age of Empire, Kehinde Andrews, on what the monarchy represents today. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Professor of Black Studies and author of The New Age of Empire, Kehinde AndrewsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police and security agencies often have access to a wealth of personal information about the people they’re investigating — including phone calls, texts, emails and metadata.Access to that information is supposed to occur under very controlled circumstances. But there’s evidence that’s not what’s happening. A report has found that police and other agencies routinely break the law in handling private data, and despite warnings - their conduct is getting worse rather than better.Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton on what happens when the people in charge of law enforcement, act outside the law themselves. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen MiddletonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a 10-year legal battle, the “palace letters” were finally released. In full, they show how Gough Whitlam’s relationship with the governor-general broke down - and how involved the Queen was through this collapse.Today, we revisit our episode from 2020 with chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next year will be 10 years since Australia began offshore processing – sending refugees that arrived by boat to places like Papua New Guinea and Nauru.It would be easy to assume that with a change of government, and deals with the US and New Zealand to take refugees – that offshore processing was a thing of the past.It’s not, and the Albanese government looks like it is on the verge of signing a multi-million dollar deal to keep detention facilities on Nauru running.Today, national correspondent at The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on the ongoing moral and financial cost of Australia’s offshore processing regime.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: National Correspondent at The Saturday Paper, Mike SeccombeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The very idea of a casino was invented with the involvement of the American mafia.But for decades we’ve been reassured that everything at Australian casinos is above board. They’re supposed to beheavily regulated, closely monitored, and operated by reputable, publicly-traded corporations.But what we were told about many casinos in Australia is now unravelling, and we’re getting staggering insight into how regulators can be misled and the strange schemes that have been allowed to flourish inside our biggest gambling businesses.Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on exactly what has been happening behind the scenes at The Star Casino. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick MortonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles III is now Australia’s head of state.As with all members of the Royal Family, the appearance of Charles’ political neutrality will be carefully protected. Although, we do have some clues about some of his opinions through hard won freedom of information cases.How much do we know about what he intends to do with the throne? What does he believe in? And how will that affect Australia?Today, historian and author of The Palace Letters, Professor Jenny Hocking, on King Charles.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: historian and author of The Palace Letters, Professor Jenny Hocking See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.