The Briefing

Taylor Swift is the talk of the town, with the icon shortly kicking off her leg of the Australian Eras Tour show tonight in Melbourne. The hype is real, with Swifties creating palpable levels of excitement right across the country. So why have we become so caught up in Swiftmania? And in a broader sense, why do fan girls cop more criticism than sports fans, who are often just as passionate? On today's afternoon episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with LiSTNR journalist Loren Howarth, who has deep-dived into our cultural criticism of music fans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Measles is making a comeback. Here’s what you need to know. Australia was declared Measles-free ten years ago, but a resurgence in cases, largely from people visiting from overseas, has seen it return. It’s not just a itchy rash, either. It can lead to very serious health problems. So in this episode of The Briefing, how and why has Measles returned to Australia and what you need to know to stay safe. Headlines: Judge lists first Trump criminal trial for next month Politicians call for HECS overhaul  Israeli army storms Gaza’s main hospital  Britain slides into recession ahead of election   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tasmania, currently the last Liberal government in the country, will head to an election more than a year earlier than planned. Yesterday, Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced that Tasmanians will vote on March 23rd, amidst claims that the parliament has become unworkable after two former Liberal MPs ditched the party and won’t agree to pass legislation. On today's afternoon episode of The Briefing, Tessa Randello from the Listnr newsroom joins Bension Siebert to discuss how the party in power for the last 10 years ended up in a minority, and the impact this result could have on the rest of the country.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gen Z or a Millennial? You’ve probably been told you’re more likely to vote toward the left of the political spectrum, only to drift further right as you get older. Well new research suggests that’s not actually the case. Gen Z and Millennials are sticking with the left. They’re deciding things like LGBTQI+ issues, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, wider gender issues and climate change, are really important and they expect their politicians to think the same. In this episode of the Briefing, we’re joined by Shaun Ratcliff, a political scientist, lecturer at Sydney University and data scientist at the political research firm Accent Research. We pose the question, why are Gen Z and Millennials bucking the trend in their political persuasions? Headlines: Victorian disaster payments 200 million Indonesians voted in the world's largest single-day election Tasmanian election campaign kicks off a year early  Taylor Swift has touched down in Australia  Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Valentine’s Day for most usually means overpriced chocolates, flowers, presents (and maybe even sex). But Chanel Contos says it's also a particularly good time to talk about consent, and how to keep it front and centre in our intimate relationships.  The pressure surrounding Valentine’s Day can be overwhelming, with partners seeking consent often forgotten about or assumed. Is there a larger conversation needed about how we view and educate others about consent as a society? In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with Chanel Contos from Teach Us Consent to learn more about consent and her partnership with the condom brand, Lifestyle, to help share the message of consent this Valentine’s Day. If you need support, contact the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or check out their website for resources. To find out more about Teach Us Consent:  Website Instagram  To find out more about their partnership with LifeStyles: Website (Let's Talk Consent) Instagram  Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all recycling, buying electric cars, taking paper and recycled bags to the supermarket, but do our climate change actions really move the needle on global warming? There are anti-global warmists who say renewable energy is a myth, you achieve nothing by recycling your bottles and cans, and putting your paper in the paper bin is a waste of time. Are they right...? In this episode of The Briefing, we’re joined by Amanda McKenzie, the CEO of Climate Council to find the truth in the debate over whether your and my climate action really makes a difference in the grand scheme of things. Headlines: Victorian storms and fires Israeli ceasefire talks back underway  Taylor tix hacked Don’t swim with diarrhea 💩   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong to Russia systematically doping its Olympic athletes, there has been no shortage of drug cheating scandals in the world of sport.  But what if we throw out the rule book, letting athletes push their bodies to the maximum possible performance - using whatever drugs they want?   Aron D'Souza is the president of the proposed Enhanced Games, an elite international sporting event without drug testing being planned to take place later this year. While he says the event would have strenuous health testing to keep athletes safe, many experts have countered that the games put athletes at serious risk. On today's afternoon episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with Aron D'Souza to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate change is having an incredible impact on the continent of Antarctica. Historic drops in sea ice are accelerating the melt of ice sheets and the slowing of ocean currents, as well as catastrophic failures of emperor penguin colonies. A deteriorating climate in Antarctica will have a devastating impact on Australia. In this episode of the Briefing, we’re joined by Professor Matt King, an Antarctic expert at the University of Tasmania, and Director of the Australian Centre of Excellence in Antarctic Science. We find out how Antarctica’s climate crisis will impact Australia. Headlines: Two Israeli hostages freed from Gaza have been reunited with their families A catastrophic fire danger warning has been issued in Victoria Joe Biden wins the Superbowl   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you see the video and memes over the weekend of Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce lying down next to a planter box on a Canberra footpath at night, swearing loudly into his phone? Since the video surfaced, Barnaby Joyce has said he’d been "drinking" and was on "prescription medication" at the time. However, the incident raises a question on the expectations we place on our politicians and whether they are different for different people.  On this afternoon episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with Sean Kelly, a columnist with the Nine Newspapers and former advisor to prime ministers Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has a dire shortage of apprentices. Some say it’s because of low pay and physically demanding work. Others argue Generation Z is simply too lazy or soft. Advocates want more subsidies and investment to boost the workforce. But some young apprentices have reported toxic workplaces and hazing. Meanwhile, older tradies are struggling amid a surplus of work and drought of young workers. So how did we get into this mess – and how can we fix it? ACTU assistant secretary Liam O’Brien joins us in today’s deep dive. Headlines: Barnaby Joyce won’t be at a scheduled Nationals party meeting today Donald Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack NATO countries  A third of Aussie kids can’t read  58th Superbowl is on today  Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.