Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

Simon Smith, a curator at the National Film and Sound Archive, unravels the mystery of the lost footage from Gough Whitlam's 1975 dismissal. He discusses how technical limitations led to minimal filming that day and the bizarre vanishing of key ABC reels. Simon reveals intriguing surviving clips, like Whitlam with a megaphone and footage of his filing cabinets being packed up. The conversation highlights the effort of Channel 7 in preserving what little exists, making for a captivating exploration of a pivotal moment in Australian history.

In this engaging conversation, Anna Henderson, Chief Political Correspondent for SBS World News, shares insights on Canberra's political landscape. She discusses Prime Minister Albanese's announcement of a statue for Gough Whitlam amid the 50th anniversary of the dismissal. Anna delves into the Liberal Party's potential abandonment of their net zero policy, citing the struggle to define their identity against rural pressures. With the mining lobby's influence looming, she highlights the risk of losing younger urban voters as moderates grapple with these changes.

Declan Walsh, the Africa Bureau Chief for The New York Times and author on Sudan, shares his insights into the brutal civil war and its connection to gold. He discusses how rebel forces capture cities like el-Fasher, the staggering economic impact of gold smuggling estimated at $16 billion annually, and the power dynamics between the RSF and Sudanese army. Walsh reveals how Commander Hemedti’s rise correlates with gold mines and explores the international implications of foreign powers backing rival factions in this violent conflict.

The war medic Edward 'Weary' Dunlop became legendary in the POW camps of World War II for his courage and leadership, including putting his body between a patient and a Japanese bayonet. From the football field through to the horrific working conditions on the Thai-Burma Railway, Peter FitzSimons traces the life of an Australian hero.Guest: Peter FitzSimons, journalist and authorProducer: Alex Tighe

The dismissal of Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam by the Governor-General on November 11, 1975 is perhaps the most dramatic and most contentious moment in Australian political history. 50 years on, do modern Liberals still back Governor-General Sir John Kerr's decision to sack a sitting PM?Guest: Julian Leeser MP, shadow Education Minister, Liberal Member for BerowraProducer: Jack Schmidt

When New York based, Queer thriller writer Andrea Bartz, discovered the AI company Anthropic, had pirated her book to train its AI large language models, she decided to sue. Alongside two other authors, a class action suit was filed. In a landmark settlement, Anthropic agreed to pay 2.28 billion dollars to five hundred thousand authors. It’s the largest payout in the history of U.S copyright cases.GUEST: Queer thriller writer Andrea Bartz, author of The Last Ferry OutPRODUCER: Ali Benton

Despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees building projects, US President Donald Trump has commenced major renovations at the White House. The East Wing, has been flattened, and a new, 90000 square foot ballroom will be built in its place. Heritage architects are concerned about the new design, claiming that one of America's most famous landmarks could be compromised.GUEST: Jan Werner Muller, Professor of Politics at Princeton University.PRODUCER: Ali Benton

After a stunning ascent, Zohran Mamdani is the youngest mayor of New York in more than a century. Mamdani is a fierce critic of Donald Trump, and Trump had endorsed an alternative candidate. But New York wasn't the only anti-Trump election result; Democratic governors were elected in New Jersey and Virginia, and Californian voters approved a measure designed to bolster the number of Democrats in the House. What do all of these results mean for Donald Trump's second presidency?Guest: Bruce Shapiro, Contributing Editor at The Nation and Executive Director of the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma

Elisa de Corsi, a historian and curator specializing in 19th-century colonial Australian photography, discusses the fascinating arrival of the first camera in Australia and the initial public reaction. She highlights the 1845 William Bland daguerreotype as the earliest surviving photograph and shares intriguing details about the lost portraits and their global journey. The conversation also touches on photography's role in documenting Indigenous people and the colonial landscape, and how it served both as a celebration of empire and a tool for surveillance.

Thant Myint U, historian and grandson of U Thant, discusses his grandfather's pivotal role as UN Secretary-General amid Cold War crises. He explores U Thant's transformation from a Burmese teacher to a global diplomat, emphasizing his Buddhist principles that shaped his calm mediation style. Myint U highlights U Thant's critical interventions during the Cuban Missile Crisis and his advocacy for nuclear disarmament. Despite facing challenges, including strained relations over Vietnam, U Thant's vision for a just world remains a legacy worth remembering.