The Briefing

A fierce internal battle for the highly-coveted number one driver status at McLaren has intensified rivalry between Formula One teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. With both young guns contracted long-term, this dramatic feud is spilling onto the track and could even jeapordize McLaren's bid to become F1 champions. In today's episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks how healthy competition between the Australian and Brit has morphed into a beef and reached boiling point at high-stakes moments, triggering wider repercussions and a PR nightmare.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sanae Takaichi has become Japan’s first female Prime Minister, but many experts say it’s not a win for women. The former TV host is a conservative with hardline views on marriage and family, and has promised to turn around a tanking economy and a cost-of-living crisis. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by ABC’s North Asia Correspondent, James Oaten, to unpack the new PM’s policies and why the world is watching.   Headlines: There are calls for a new police investigation into the decades-old cold case of missing toddler Cheryl Grimmer, The UNs’ top court has ruled that Israel must allow aid groups unrestricted access to Gaza, and Journalist Michael Wolff has filed a lawsuit against US First Lady Melania Trump.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: ADF official to join Trump’s Gaza peace team, two dead in Melbourne waters during wild weather, Telstra warns some Samsung phones can’t call 000, grocery delivery via apps costs up to 39% more, and what's the weirdest fine you've copped?  Deep Dive: A multi-agency investigation is underway after a suspected piece of space junk crash-landed in remote Western Australia, reigniting concerns over what and how much of it is floating above us.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with astrophysicist Brad Tucker from the Australian National University about what likely landed in the Pilbara, whether we should be worried about being hit by falling space debris, and what it tells us about the growing mess orbiting Earth.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is mounting on the Royal family as the fallout from Virginia Giuffre's bombshell new memoir continues, which was released this week. The book has more damaging allegations about Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew, with some Royal experts saying this latest scandal may even force King Charles to abdicate.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by journalist Angela Mollard to unpack this week’s developments and why the Monarchy is facing its biggest crisis in decades.  Headlines: South Australia’s Attorney-General has called for a review of the decision to grant parole to Snowtown killer James Vlassakis, INTERPOL has issued a global alert after the multi-million dollar Jewellery heist at the Louvre, and police have arrested a man after uncovering 43 allegedly stolen Labubu dolls.  This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Philip Dawson, an AI cheating researcher at Deakin University, dives into the alarming rise of AI misuse in academia. He discusses how students are using tools like ChatGPT to bypass genuine learning and the shortcomings of AI detectors that often mislabel innocent students. Dawson advocates for integrating AI into assessments, suggesting methods to ensure academic integrity while preparing students for AI-inclusive workplaces. He highlights the urgent need for universities to redesign evaluations to maintain the credibility of educational qualifications.

Rudd’s the strategist and Gillard’s the negotiator - two Labor leaders, two Prime Ministers and one political party locked in a cycle of self-destruction. What began as a dream team that swept the Howard Government from power in a historic landslide soon descended into one of the most bitter rivalries in Australian political history. In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks the rise of Kevin Rudd in the 'Kevin 07' era, the dramatic downfall that followed and how Julia Gillard became Australia's first (and only) female Prime Minister.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was almost 12 months in the making, but finally Anthony Albanese has met with Donald Trump for their long-awaited sit down. While there was a little distraction with US Ambassador Kevin Rudd, most experts say the meeting was a major success and the US Australia alliance is firmly back on track.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by International Affairs expert Bec Strating who unpacks the key takeaways and why this is the good news story Australia needs.  Headlines: China has hit back at Australia claiming it illegally entering its airspace, major arrests in a nationwide crackdown on illegal weapons, and Amazon Web Services has returned to normal after a massive internet outage.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines: Albanese and Trump sign critical minerals deal worth billions, Amazon struggling to fix an outage that’s affected millions of users, authorities working to trace source of rat poisonings in Queensland, Victoria’s set to ban masks and chains at protests, and the AFL’s warning to Bailey Smith over controversial social media posts.  Deep Dive: Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he wants out of The Nationals and could soon be teaming up with Pauline Hanson.   So what’s driving the move, and could it signal a bigger shift on Australia’s political right?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Dr Jill Sheppard from the Australian National University about the tensions inside the Coalition, the rise of One Nation, and what this all means for the future of the political right in Australia.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster like Oceans 11. Robbers breaking into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stealing priceless Royal jewels. Well, overnight, that happened in real life with experts investigating how these thieves carried out the daring heist in just four minutes.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Art crime expert Judge Arthur Tomkins, to explain why he believes it could have been an inside job and why so many art galleries and museums around the world have serious gaps in their security systems.  Headlines: Two people have been killed after a plane skidded off the runway at Hong Kong International Airport, another major test for Gaza’s fragile ceasefire after Israeli forces launched a wave of deadly airstrikes, and British police are investigating allegations that Prince Andrew asked an officer to dig up damaging information on Virginia Giuffre.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines: Albo en route to Washington for face-to-face meeting with Trump, thousands attended March for Australia and counter protests over the weekend, hunt continues for thieves after seven-minute Louvre heist, witnesses of Melbourne rollercoaster accident file lawsuit and crocodile discovered in luxury Queensland resort pool.  Deep Dive: When someone like Kamala Harris or Hillary Clinton flies to Australia to give a speech, it looks like a polished, one-night event - but behind the scenes lies a multimillion-dollar industry where politics, celebrity, and big business collide.  So how much are these names really making, who’s footing the bill, and why are so many of the world’s biggest names choosing to cash in down under?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with award-winning media professional and international keynote speaker Jaimie Abbott about the lucrative world of event speaking and what it says about power, influence, and opportunity.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.