The Briefing

Gender affirming surgeries reduce suicide, depression and gender dysphoria among transgender and gender-diverse people who need them. But they cost patients tens of thousands of dollars. In a historic moment for trans rights in Australia, an application has been made to get gender affirming surgeries fully funded under Medicare - and it’s estimated 47,000 people could take up the treatment in the first year. On this extra episode of The Briefing, we hear from the experts on the latest developments, and from trans Australians about what it means to them. Melbourne Uni’s head of Trans Health Research, Associate Professor Ada Cheung, and University of Southern Queensland psychologist Jaime Swan talk us through the evidence, and we speak to Tay, Ophelia and Stella about their gender affirmation journeys. Warning: This episode discusses mental illness including suicide. If you need help, contact Lifeline now on 13 11 14.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you having trouble paying attention? Studies show most of us are increasingly feeling more distracted and less attentive - but if we’re all in the same boat, why should you care? In this three-part feature series, The Briefing dives deep into what has happened to make us all feel so distracted, why it matters, and what you can do to fix it. In this episode, Jan Fran speaks with Adam Guastella, Professor of neurodevelopment at the University of Sydney, and Maggie Jackson, author of the book Distracted, on what the mental and social consequences are of ongoing decimation of our attention.   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private islands have always been fascinating for Australians and popular with celebrities. With several small islands in Tasmania and Queensland recently hitting the market for just a few million dollars, could they be becoming more attainable? Former Victorian politician Clem Newton-Brown has owned Picnic Island in Tasmania for 20 years and is now selling for $5 million.  Richard Vanhoff gives his expert opinion in the sale of Hamilton Island, expected to sell for as much as $1 billion In this extra episode of the briefing, we take a look behind the fantasy of owning an island.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you noticed your attention waning? Texts, emails and notifications; podcasts, meetings and social media - while everyone is fighting for it, it feels increasingly like we have less attention it to spare. In this three-part feature series, The Briefing dives deep into what has happened to make us all feel so distracted, why it matters, and what you can do to fix it. In this episode, Jan Fran explores why it feels like her attention is disappearing and who is stealing it with author Distracted, Maggie Jackson.   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to this special series of the Weekend Briefing, where Jamila talks to some of her favourite guests - old and new - about a single, fascinating subject. During this series you’ll hear from singers, writers, models, actors and change makers on topics as diverse as the interview subject themselves. Today you’ll hear from our final series guest Hannah Ferguson, on feminism. Hannah is the co-founder and CEO of Cheek Media and host of the Big Small podcast. She’s just released her first book, Bite Back, feminism, media, politics and our power to change it all. In this chat with Jamila Rizvi, Hannah touched on #metoo, the politics of gender, getting canceled and whatever happened to the girl boss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Going on holiday is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s a chance to let your hair down and blow off a bit of steam. While it usually pays to have travel insurance just in case of the unexpected, what happens when something does go wrong and you’re not covered? In this episode of The Briefing, we hear the story of a surfer in Bali who was left facing a huge medical bill after a horrific accident, and you hear the tips on what to do to make sure you have the right cover for your next trip.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kenny Bollwerk has built over 240,000 TikTok followers and amassed millions of views of his livestreams showing some of the most rat-infested streets of New York City. Interest has been so great, the creator of ‘RatTok’ is now running free rat tours across the city, taking tourists to “rat hotspots” seven nights a week. He joined Tom Tilley to explain where he thinks the fascination has come from.   Headlines: Clive Palmer spending $2m promoting the No vote  British actor Sir Michael Gambon dies aged 82 AFL Grand Final parade to hit Melbourne today      Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The top blood donors in Australia are older men – but young blood and plasma are needed to keep saving lives. Data shows young people are sporadic donors at best, and most don’t turn up to appointments. However, one young donor, Sam Ryan, has become a prolific donor after his life was saved by 22 bags of donated blood after an accident when he was 17. On this extra episode of The Briefing, we hear about Sam's incredible story and his message encouraging other young people to donate. We also speak to Red Cross Lifeblood to find out what they are doing to raise awareness and recruit young people to roll up their sleeves and give blood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordie van den Berg (known by his influential social media alias PurplePingers) and Lauren Michaelides (known as Toilet Paper Australia on X) have launched a free database to call out “shit rentals” across the country. With the aim to better empower renters facing sometimes shocking rental conditions, Shitrentals.org has already received over a thousand reviews from tenants since it’s launch last week. Website co-creator PurplePingers joined Tom Tilley to explain why he’s taken his online activism to a new level, how the website works and what he hopes the website will achieve.   Headlines: RBA unlikely to lift rates in October as mortgage holders brace for higher payments  Jacinta Allan is Victoria’s new premier Qantas head faces awkward senate grilling     Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada and India are at loggerheads, with both nations in a diplomatic storm that looks like it’s going to get much worse before it gets better.  Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assassinated in Vancouver earlier this year. But now, Canada has blamed the Indian government, saying it was a political assassination, and sparking a massive confrontation between the two powerhouse nations.   In this extra episode of The Briefing, we're joined by Professor Ian Hall from the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University, to break things down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.