Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

Renowned human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson KC says the killing of two people who survived a US strike on a speed boat off the coast of Venezuela on 2nd September 2025, constitutes a war crime, as does the initial strike on the boat. In his new book, Robertson says we need a clearer definition of war crimes and genocide to inform military rules of engagement and to give journalists and diplomats the confidence to describe crimes. He also argues the UN Security Council is ineffective and we need a new global method to effectively prevent and prosecute perpetrators. Guest: Geoffrey Robertson KC, Founder of Doughty St Chambers and author of World of War Crimes, published by Penguin.Producer: Catherine Zengerer

This year in British politics was defined by constant upheaval: leaders under pressure, parties fractured over strategy, major policies overturned or delayed, and a public increasingly frustrated by the gap between promises and delivery. Every month brought a new confrontation, a new resignation threat, or a new crisis to manage—leaving the political system looking exposed, tired, and in urgent need of clarity. Ian Dunt examines the political landscape of 2025, and sets out what next year looks like in UK politics.Guest: Ian Dunt: iNews columnist and regular LNL commentatorProducer: Ali Benton 

Late Night Live regular Bruce Shapiro looks back at a remarkable, often febrile year in US politics, under President Donald Trump's second administration. Guest: Bruce Shapiro, contributing editor at The Nation and Executive Director of the Global Centre for Journalism and TraumaProducer: Jack Schmidt

As the mercury rises for another summer, millions of Australians will flock to the local municipal pool. There are some 1300 public pools across the country. But all is not well for this great Australian institution. Many public pools are now well over 50 years old. Hundreds are at risk of closure in the next decade without significant repairs, according to Royal Life Saving Australia. And council budgets are tight.  Guest: Dr. Liz Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning and Design, Monash University

The government has taken much greater control of the defence budget and tries to marry defence land acquisitions with their housing targets; Prime Minister Albanese weds his long-time sweetheart and Pauline Hanson continues to woo Barnaby Joyce. Guest: Anna Henderson, SBS World News Chief Political Correspondent | National Press Club DirectorProducer: Catherine Zengerer

In the 1960s when counter-culture and unrest was peaking around the world, India's left-wing protest movement took the form of a group of militant Maoists, determined to bring an end to capitalism in the wake of British rule and partition. Now after more fifty years the Maoist insurgency has finally surrendered, and the surviving leaders have issued an historic public apology to India’s people for their long reign of violence. Guest: Rahul Pandita,  journalist and author of “Hello, Bastar: The Untold Story of India’s Maoist Movement.” Producer: Catherine Zengerer

In 1945, sixteen Aboriginal men working at Birrundudu Station created 810 crayon drawings, commissioned by anthropologists Ronald and Catherine Berndt. Using this unfamiliar medium, the men documented their extensive knowledge of Country, ancestral creation, history, and ceremonies of the region.GUEST: Dr John Carty, Professor of Museum and Curatorial Studies at the University of Adelaide ; Robert McKay, Djaru man, collaborator on the Birrundudu project.

In 1925 in Melbourne, two young men were having lunch in a cafe in King Street, Melbourne when one of them lit a cigarette. Another diner confronted them and a brawl ensued outside. The complainer, Bill Wallace, was set upon and bashed. He pulled out a pistol and shot one of the men. With no court appearance, Wallace was incarcerated for the rest of his extraordinarily long life in mental asylums. At 107, Bill made it into the Guiness Book of Records as the oldest prisoner in the world. But his schizophrenia was never treated. Guest: Gideon Haigh, journalist and author of Who is Wallace? The Enigma of the World’s Oldest Prisoner” published by the Archives Liberation Front.Producer: Catherine Zengerer

Niki Savva, a seasoned Canberra political journalist and author of 'Earthquake: the election that shook Australia,' dives into the seismic shifts following the 2025 federal election. She reveals why the Coalition's massive defeat was shocking yet predicted and how their cultural war focus alienated voters. Savva discusses Albanese's recovery post-referendum and critiques Dutton's missteps and alignment with Trump, which harmed the Coalition's credibility. Additionally, she highlights the evolving political landscape and the need for Labor to leverage its mandate for reform.

In ancient times, limb loss was not uncommon, and often deadly. For those that survived - and had money to spend - commissioning a bespoke prosthetic was an opportunity to display one's prestige, valour and stoicism. Guest: Dr Jane Draycott, historian and archaeologist, University of GlasgowProducer: Jack Schmidt