

The Briefing
LiSTNR
A daily news podcast, The Briefing gives you the latest headlines, discussion and explainer interviews to keep you informed and entertained.
Bringing you the news you need to know at 6am and 4pm Monday to Friday, and profile features across the weekend, The Briefing is Australia's go-to news podcast for your commute, coffee or exercise.
Hosted by journalists Sacha Barbour Gatt, Chris Spyrou, Natarsha Belling, Helen Smith and Antoinette Lattouf.
Bringing you the news you need to know at 6am and 4pm Monday to Friday, and profile features across the weekend, The Briefing is Australia's go-to news podcast for your commute, coffee or exercise.
Hosted by journalists Sacha Barbour Gatt, Chris Spyrou, Natarsha Belling, Helen Smith and Antoinette Lattouf.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 30, 2025 • 22min
Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral + Aussies take cops to court over Gaza
Thursday Headlines: Tsunami alerts lifted as record earthquake causes millions to evacuate, Ozzy Osbourne fans flock to Birmingham paying tribute to the Prince of Darkness, convicted triple-murderer Erin Patterson restricted from selling home, cars sold in Australia using more fuel and emitting more toxic fumes than advertised and Katy Perry spotted with former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. Deep Dive: The Sydney Harbour Bridge has been closed for reconciliation in 2000, World Pride month and even for a Hollywood movie, but what about Gaza? The Palestine Action Group are planning to defy police this weekend by marching across the Harbour Bridge over concerns of mass starvation in Gaza. But authorities have denied the request and threatened prosecution of protesters who attempt to cross the bridge. In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by David Mejia-Canales, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights law Centre, to explain what our rights are to protest in Australia. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 30, 2025 • 15min
Your receipt is watching you + Worldwide tsunami warning
Why are we forced to hand over so much private information when all we want is a receipt? As cyber-attacks become more commonplace, protecting our private information is more important than ever. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by consumer advocate Chandni Gupta who unpacks your legal rights and the need for an overhaul of privacy regulations to better protect consumers. Afternoon Headlines: Millions of residents across the Pacific are on tsunami alert after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Russia, Donald Trump claims Jeffrey Epstein was stealing female staff from his Mar-a-Lago resort, and inflation has eased for the June quarter. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 29, 2025 • 25min
MP says gender quotas are 'crazy ideology’ + The Gen Z stare explained
Wednesday Headlines: Israel accused Anthony Albanese of lying about Gaza, a Liberal MP’s made some divisive comments about gender quotas in parliament, a New York gunman who killed four people was meant to target the NFL headquarters, ChatGPT has announced they're launching a “study mode” to encourage responsible academic use of the chatbot, and apparently Sydney Sweeney has great jeans! Deep Dive: The Gen Z stare is taking over our algorithms, but what is the blank expressionless look young people are serving up trying to tell us? Millennials have the ‘millennial pause’, that happens before they record a video and baby boomers even have their own version of the stare, known as the "lead paint stare" allegedly from the amount of lead they consumed over the years. In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by TikTok expert Susan Grantham from Griffith University to unpack why the Gen Z stare is dividing the Internet and if there’s any scientific evidence to back it. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 29, 2025 • 15min
Trump’s new tariff threat + Shooter identified in NY attack
In another twist in the US trade war, US President Donald Trump has flagged some countries may face new penalties of 15 to 20 percent on their exports into the US. Our Trade Minister Don Farrell says the government is still assuming Australia’s tariff is 10 percent, but will watch and wait. In this Episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by international trade expert Dr Scott French to unpack today’s developments and whether Australian exporters should be concerned. Headlines: Authorities in the US have identified the gunman responsible for a mass shooting in a New York high rise, more than 40 jobs to be replaced with AI at the Commonwealth Bank, and Sir Michael Hill has died aged 86. Photo credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 28, 2025 • 22min
Court fight over definition of sex + Paying to be brought back to life
Tuesday Headlines: Trump will ‘bring an end to the misery' in Gaza, New child safety bill could see providers feel force of law within weeks, Equality body to argue over whether sex is ‘binary biological reality’, Webjet has been hit with a $9 million fine from the ACCC, and Bend It Like Beckham is set for a re-boot. Deep Dive: Would you pay for a second chance at life after death? Many Aussies are, having already signed up, and now paying to be the next to undergo cryogenic freezing when they die. Two people have undergone the procedure at a cryonics facility in Australia so far, and while it's drawn its critics, enthusiasts say most of history’s greatest achievements first endured similar sentiment. In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with South Australian resident Alex, a Southern Cryonics member, who’s signed up to see what the future holds. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 28, 2025 • 11min
How to steal $2 billion from the ATO + Did Trump get caught cheating?
It’s being reported as the biggest GST scam in Australian History. Tonight, the ABC is running a special investigation into how everyday fraudsters allegedly ripped the ATO off billions of dollars through an apparent loophole. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with Tax expert Ali Noroozi, about how the scam happened, what it means for the ATO and what happens next. An ATO spokesperson said, "Through Operation Protego, we stopped $2.7 billion in false refunds quickly, raising nearly $2 billion in liabilities, and secured over 120 convictions – while strengthening our systems and pursuing every dollar owed." PM Headlines: Barnaby Joyce introduces bill to scrap net zero target, Celebrity Crocodile Wrangler, Matt Wright, has plead not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice & a video of Donald Trump allegedly cheating in golf has gone viral. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 27, 2025 • 26min
Trump offers up own Epstein list + Exposing man-made starvation in Gaza
Monday Headlines: Anthony Albanese says Israel is "quite clearly" breaching international law by withholding aid from people in Gaza, US Gov divided over Ghislaine Maxwell pardon, YouTube is continuing to try and persuade the government not to include them in the under-16s social media ban, Do shark nets save lives or not?, and Gwyneth is now involved in the Coldplay kiss cam saga. Deep Dive: What does it take to stop starvation being used as a war crime? Over 28 countries, including Australia are calling on Israel that the war on Gaza “must end now”, with the United Nation saying one in five children are malnourished due to Israel blocking aid from entering the strip. Now, over 20 months in, Israel is allowing small airdrops of aid in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, but the United Nations agency has called the announcement of the drops a ‘distraction’. In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Georgia Tacey from Save The Children, about what she witnessed on the ground in Gaza, and the people fighting to expose Israel’s use of starvation as a war crime. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 26, 2025 • 28min
BONUS: Killer Charm
You know Tara Cassidy as the smart, genuine and self-deprecating host of The Briefing's morning edition, who is across everything from hard news to the latest reality show. But did you know she's also an acclaimed investigative journalist who had her own chart-topping LiSTNR crime podcast series before joining our team? Today our bonus episode is episode 1 of Tara's podcast Crime in Focus: Killer Charm. You'll hear how a murder investigation opens after a man falls into a woodchipper in suspicious circumstances. And what has a suburban grandmother in a bizarre love quadrangle got to do with it? To keep listening, you can get the full series of Crime in Focus: Killer Charm for free on Apple, Spotify, LiSTNR or wherever you get your podcasts. All people convicted of murder related to this case have lodged their intentions to appeal the outcomes. At the point of publishing this podcast those appeals have not progressed further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 25, 2025 • 34min
Obsession drove Joey Watson into the warped mind of a terrorist
Joey Watson has spent years inside the minds of extremists - diving deep into the dark world of white supremacy and far-right radicalisation to figure out what makes them tick. The award-winning investigative journalist’s latest project, Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor, uncovers the Christchurch attacks - one of the deadliest terror attacks in modern history where 51 Muslims were murdered as they prayed. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Joey explains what led him to believe, Australian gunman and terrorist, Brenton Tarrant wasn’t acting alone and how his family history heavily impacts his work. Weekend list with Helen Smith: TO EAT: Dumpling bake TO EAT: Lebanese Mujadara TO TRY: ByStorm beauty products TO WATCH: Untamed on Netflix Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jul 25, 2025 • 17min
MP guilty of sexual assaults + Solving our concussion crisis
Research shows almost 70% of parents cite concussion and CTE risks as a key reason for discouraging their children from participating in contact sport. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with former AFL player Nathan Murphy, who was forced to medically retire at only 24 years old, because of repeated concussions. He now wants to educate others and is using his challenges to help find solutions, including working on an innovative new mouthguard. PM Headlines: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's stern criticism of Israel, NSW MP Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual abuse, and the US Department of Justice meets with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.