The Briefing

Afternoon Headlines: Minimum wage going up by $32 a week, Erin Patterson continues to give evidence in murder trial and Bluey Lego has arrived in Australia.  Deep Dive: The sale of illegal tobacco is skyrocketing and has been linked to crime waves across the country. The NSW Premier says one solution is to cut back on the federal excise on legal cigarettes, but some experts are slamming the move saying we need to shut down the supply chains and follow South Australia’s lead.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Public Health expert Professor Becky Freeman who says cheap illegal cigarettes are also having a serious impact on our health with devastating long-term consequences.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines: Greens senator Dorinda Cox joins Labor, one in three Australian men have used intimate partner violence, one of Europe’s largest volcanos erupts, Queensland’s looking to become the events capital of Australia, and the Tillies send off interim coach Tom Sermanni with a 4-1 win. Deep Dive: Whistleblowers are warning that Australia’s mental health system is overwhelmed, underfunded, and unable to meet growing demand, and it’s putting lives at risk.  While demand for support grows, some patients with severe mental health needs have been left waiting days for care, while others are being turned away entirely due to a lack of resources and staff.  While mental health accounts for 15 per cent of the country’s disease burden, second only to cancer, it receives just five per cent of the country’s health budget annually.  In today’s episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with the NSW Chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Pramudie Gunaratne, who’s calling for that to change, and for urgent systematic reform. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.   She’s pled not guilty to all charges.   In this special series of The Briefing, Holly Mitchell unpacks day 24 of the trial in under two minutes.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ukraine drone attacks on Russia have changed our world forever. The top-secret mission dubbed “Spider’s Web” wiped out 40 Russian aircraft worth around $11 billion dollars.   Natarsha Belling is joined by defence expert Dr Malcolm Davis, who explains why this Ukraine attack signals a new frontier in modern warfare and why we all need to be prepared for a new world order.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines: Property prices tipped to surge up to 10% by 2026, Sydney vigil held for Alice Springs man who died in custody, major escalation in the war in Ukraine overnight, Covid and flu vaccines reduce hospitalisations, and Oscar Piastri wins the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix.  Deep Dive:  Bots that refuse to shut down, threaten blackmail, and generate entire soundscapes without human help are the latest developments in artificial intelligence.  From ChatGPT sabotaging its own kill switch, to Claude spinning up dystopian blackmail plots, are we rapidly losing control of the machines we built?  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with UNSW’s Chief Scientist Toby Walsh about how worried we should be, what’s actually happening behind the scenes and whether AI is already rewriting the rules of reality.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Michelle Wong is a chemist, beauty myth-buster and the brain behind the viral sensation Lab Muffin Beauty Science.  What began as a side project to make sense of skincare labels has grown into a trusted online destination for over a million people, where Michelle dishes no-nonsense, science backed beauty advice.  In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Michelle explains the psychology behind beauty marketing and why even the most rational among us can be seduced by miracle serums.  Weekend list with Helen Smith TO WATCH: Sirens on Netflix TO READ: How to Dodge Flying Sandals and Other Advice for Life by Daniel Nour TO WATCH: Funny dog videos @funnydogsonly Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.   She’s pled not guilty to all charges.   In this special series of The Briefing, Holly Mitchell unpacks day twenty-three of the trial in under two minutes.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They were one of Hollywood’s rock-solid couples, married for almost 30 years. Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness announced their split in 2023, but it’s a shock statement from Deborra-Lee this week that has shone a new light on the relationship between the two Aussie actors.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Entertainment Reporter Richard Reid to unpack what went wrong between the superstar couple and why it’s now all playing out on social media. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: Albanese criticised as 'misinformed' by the President of Israel, markets continue surging after US court blocks Trump’s tariffs, Bondi Junction inquest ends with emotional impact statements, we’re in for a warmer winter across and NSW win Women's Origin 2025 series! Deep Dive: We throw the word ‘narcissist’ around a lot - but do you really understand what it means?  New research suggests that while the label may be overused, the roots of narcissistic traits are more complex than we think.  In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with Associate Professor Megan Willis from Australian Catholic University, whose work focuses on dark personality traits and the way we think and behave in social settings.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.   She’s pled not guilty to all charges.   In this special series of The Briefing Helen Smith unpacks day twenty-two of the trial in under two minutes.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.