The Briefing
We’re your friends in news. Sacha Barbour Gatt and Chris Spyrou wake up early to bring you all the important daily news headlines. Then, we deep dive on an essential news story that'll make you feel smarter about the world. Listen every weekday to know more in minutes.
Our Take: Sydney Sweeney's ad, we got hacked & the manosphere vs Chris
Oh, we are SO back - with our looser, lights off Our Take!
This weekend, Chris and Sach debrief the Sydney Sweeney drama, as the actress's latest ad - for a sports-prediction market she happens to have an equity stake in - kicks off online.
Then we crack open the inbox for your takes on Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour plus the Aussie HYROXer who shat herself in Beijing.
Taking on the Weekend Quiz this week is Isobel from marketing, who (to our surprise) smashed it out of the park.
A...
Hyrox poo athlete apologises + Unpacking Ed Sheeran vs Macklemore
Friday Headlines:
Labor faces criticism over new migration laws Australian accused of murdering Thai teen faces court Federal Government considers AI glasses ban Gov scraps planned veteran allied health cap Australian HYROX athlete apologises for poo incidentDeep Dive: Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour is making headlines after rapper Macklemore was dropped as a support act for saying ‘Free Palestine’ on stage.
It’s had a flow on effect, with all four of Ed’s other openers withdrawing in solidarity with the rapper.
In this episode of the Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Cathe...
How Labor plans to cut migration + The far-right win Australia can't ignore
Thursday Headlines:
Labor to unveil migration plan today More details emerge about Bali double murder suicide More than 100,000 displaced as Yemen conflict intensifies Anthropic signs agreement for the country’s biggest data centre Kim Kardashian awarded €1 in damages for Paris robberyDeep Dive: A far-right party just came closer to running a German state than any has since the Nazi era.
It's not a one-off. The same movement now sits in or beside government across Europe and it’s reaching Australia too, with a known neo-Nazi group fighting the government in the High Court for its right...
Ed Sheeran responds to Macklemore axing + No, AI isn't going to destroy us all
Wednesday Headlines:
Pauline Hanson apologises for comments about Indigenous Australians, PM's mum Gov accused of wanting to protect AI companies over Australians Ed Sheeran responds to Macklemore backlash One of Sydney’s biggest councils bans smart glasses at local swimming pools Karl Stefanovic and podcast partner in Supreme CourtDeep Dive: There have been renewed and urgent warnings this week from not only former staff, but also the big tech bosses themselves about the existential threat AI poses to humanity.
We've been warned by the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic and Grok that an urgent slowdown is neede...
Hanson MIA amid resurfaced 'racist' comments + The $855bn cost of rising seas
Tuesday Headlines:
One Nation's migration fight Pauline Hanson slammed for racist comments Indonesian police investigating death of Australian man and children in Bali as suspected murder-suicide Donald Trump claims there’s a 'sick conspiracy' against AI, that’s helping China Rates of Gonorrhea and syphilis up by more than 50% in Australia HYROX issues apology over Australian woman pooing during compDeep Dive: Rising sea levels are no longer a looming threat in the distant future, they're here right now and Australia is especially at risk.
We know the physical impacts of this; accelerated coastal erosion, property...
PM 'proud to be a houso' + Why Elizabeth Holmes is going viral again
Monday Headlines:
Pressure mounts, again, on Pauline Hanson to apologise Albo's approval slides as comms minister flags concessions to digital duty of care laws Australian woman identified after falling to her death from a poplar beach near Bali South Australia records first bird flu case in a sea lion New screen time limits for NSW public school students Celine Dion makes an emotional return to the stage in ParisDeep Dive: Clips from a new documentary about Silicon Valley start-up founder turned convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes have gone viral after a secret screening at the Telluride Film Fe...
BONUS: How to make friends with a magpie this swooping season
Spring brings with it some pretty wonderful things; blooming flowers, warmer weather and longer days. But it also means another thing that can strike fear into the heart of nearly every Australian – magpie swooping season.
From August to October, the black and white birds are nesting, which means they’re feeling extra protective and have been known to fly at humans as they pass by their babies.
In this episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting Sacha Barbour Gatt's chat with bird expert Sean Dooley to break down the facts and myths around these fabulous animals this swoopin...
Our Take: HBO's Harry Potter, a kidney donation & Chris loses to English (again)
Well, well, well… fancy seeing you here.
Welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.
This week Chris and Sach get into HBO's new Harry Potter series dropping on Christmas Day. They react to the latest trailer, dig through your comments on it, and discuss whether they’re going to watch it.
They're also joined in studio by 2DayFM's very own Emma Chow, who...
SPECIAL: The long shadow of 9/11 twenty-five years on
Twenty-five years ago, the September 11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and changed the course of history. The images of hijacked planes striking the World Trade Center, the collapse of the Twin Towers and the devastation left behind became defining images of this century.
But the consequences of 9/11 reached far beyond the United States. The attacks triggered America’s longest war - a 20-year conflict in Afghanistan that began with the fall of the Taliban. This year also marks five years since the war came full circle: the Taliban returned to power as the US withdrew its troops.
<...Is Trump buying votes? + Insta warns killing the algo will 'overwhelm' you
Friday Headlines:
Head of Instagram warns against turning off algorithm Barnaby Joyce apologises to Andrew Hastie over 'traitor' video Donald Trump accused of bribery over 5k election promise August declared hottest month on record Historic NFL game takes over MelbourneFollow The Briefing:
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'Wanker': Hanson slams Hastie + What can save Australia's ski industry
Thursday Headlines:
Pauline Hanson defends Victorian One Nation leader, Andrew Hastie cartoon Anthony Albanese defends pork barreling allegations Another man killed in Sydney's escalating gangland war Melbourne council bans smart glasses from public pools and playgrounds Apple unveils new folding iPhoneFurther listening from the headlines:
Sach's deep dive on Sydney's gangland war Chris' chat with David ShoebridgeDeep Dive: Australia's not really well known for skiing, but there is a dedicated ski fraternity who love getting to the slopes each winter. So, what happens if there’s no snow?
That’s the question...
Aus readies fresh Israeli sanctions + Is the gov really taking on big tech?
Wednesday Headlines:
Labor unveils new laws to govern social media giants Missing Australian found alive in Nepal Penny Wong prepares new sanctions against Israeli settlements One Nation Victorian leader says he's no angel, admits to previous drug use Aussie kids record their worst reading and maths resultsFurther listening from headlines:
How Australia funds Israeli settlements
Deep Dive: Does Australia need a Minister for AI?
That's the call from Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who this week was appointed the party's first-ever spokesperson for Digital Rights and AI.
It comes as the government insi...
Barnaby Joyce isn't Jesus Christ + Opting out of the manosphere
Tuesday Headlines:
One Nation has been forced into a quick defence of its plan for superannuation Australian bureaucrats want to ban videos from parliamentary hearings being shared on social media Trial of alleged killers of Australian brothers in Mexico gets underway Food prices could be pushed higher by record strength El Niño King Charles issues clarification on Harry and MeghanDeep Dive: For years, a secret formula has dictated everything we see on social media, hooking our attention spans at the expense of our mental health.
Now, the federal government is unveiling a plan to let us...
Is banning the algorithm censorship? + The teens being hired to kill
Monday Headlines:
Gov to strengthen teen social media ban as it looks to create an opt-out approach to social media One Nation reveals superannuation policy Coalition wants to ban flag burning Manhunt underway for Victorian man who allegedly attacked his family with an axe US envoys hold peace talks with Russia and Ukraine Lindsay Clancy trial ends in a mistrialDeep Dive: In Sydney, a staggering six cases of mistaken identity in the city’s bloody gangland war has left innocent people dead, exposing a horrifying shift toward young, inexperienced gunmen carrying out underworld hits.
The body co...
Lifeblood | Why you need to think about donating blood
One in 3 Australians will need blood in their lifetime, but 1 in 30 donate across the country.
Lifeblood says recent appeals have prevented supplies falling to critical levels but have not been enough to replenish low supplies of O-positive and O-negative blood types, which are the types used in emergencies. A-positive blood stocks have also dropped in recent weeks.
In this episode of The Briefing, we talk about why our listeners should consider donating blood and we learn the extraordinary story of Krishan Lal who is the perfect example of how donating blood can change not just the reci...
Our Take: Raygun's doco, suburban slugs + Father's Day socks
Despite suffering through a week of technical failures, we're back for this weekend's instalment of Our Take - our looser, goosier look back at the week that was, and what you and we made of it all.
We kick off by debriefing the Raygun doco on Netflix. Chris has watched it, Sach hasn't - and no spoilers, but prepare for your jaw to hit the floor.
Then we dig through the Inbox, which was surprisingly dominated by your reactions to the KPMG scandal, and less surprisingly, your take on Pauline Hanson's claim that the PM was inciting poli...
Teachers slam 'woke' school claims + Is Hughesy a political genius?
Friday Headlines:
Teachers union hit back at Matt Canavan's claims Australia's education system is 'anti-boy' World told to brace for strongest El Nino on record Lindsay Clancy jury remains deadlocked France targets Temu and Shein with world-first fast fashion crackdown It’s 20 years today since Steve Irwin diedFurther listening from the headlines:
The real victims of the manosphere with the CEO of The Man Cave, Ben Vasiliou about the lessons we need to learn about the manosphere and ‘toxic masculinity’. Why the Lindsay Clance case mattersDeep Dive: Dave Hughes has gone from making Australia laugh...
Aus accused of 'environmental vandalism'+ Why is China censoring the Tibet floods?
Thursday Headlines:
Police identify four Swans players in sexual assault investigation Coalition to legalise vapes, lower cigarette prices if elected NSW police probe potential second mistaken identity fatality in Sydney Australia accused of 'environmental vandalism' at Pacific meeting Apple’s new CEO scores massive paydayDeep Dive: Just over a week ago, a glacier collapsed high in the Himalayas and sent a wall of water, mud and rock tearing down the Nepal–Tibet border, killing more than a thousand people and leaving thousands more missing.
Australians have seen the footage: the torrent flattening the border crossing as pe...
Aussie found alive after Nepal flood + The legal trap silencing #MeToo victims
Wednesday Headlines:
Second missing Australian found after Nepal flood US launches fresh strikes on Iran Australia pledges $600 million to tackle drug smuggling in the Pacific Hanson demands apology as political violence war of words escalates NSW to make drug testing at music festivals permanentDeep Dive: Nearly a decade after #MeToo exposed systemic sexual misconduct and sparked global reform, a powerful legal backlash is threatening survivors who dare to speak out.
Behind closed doors, the legal system is increasingly being used to muzzle victims, leaving the true extent of this intimidation hidden from the public.
In...
Albo eyes an algorithm off switch + Blowing the whistle on KPMG
Tuesday Headlines:
Gov backs algorithm 'opt-out,' rules out banning smart glasses as part of privacy overhaul Grave fears for 33 Australians thought to be in one of the worst-hit part of Nepal floods Hanson thanks Liberals as One Nation unveils first major Victorian election pitch Property prices fall for a fifth straight month Lionel Messi announces his retirement from ArgentinaFurther listening from headlines: Higgins responds to Lehrmann appeal + The fight to ditch the algorithm
Deep Dive: Macquarie Bank has recently walked away from a muti-million-dollar deal with KPMG, over concerns over its auditing practices.
It...
Another historic win for One Nation + Is male fertility really in crisis?
Monday Headlines:
One Nation claims top spot in Newspoll after winning WA by-election Mourners gather for vigils across Australia for victims of Nepal and Tibet flash floods New privacy laws to be unveiled today Calls grow for Australia to follow the UK in banning strangulation in porn Record crowd turns out for Sydney MarathonDeep Dive: A group of scientists are warning the world is walking headfirst into a male fertility crisis, with crashing testosterone and sperm count levels witnessed in two major studies.
While their research has been widely quoted, some in the scientific communit...
BONUS - Exposing the dark side of facial recognition technology
Would you be happy having your face not just surveilled, but scanned every time you walked into the supermarket?
It's no longer a hypothetical.
Coles and Woolworths have both now admitted to trialling facial recognition technology, while Bunnings has won the right to scan customers' faces in limited circumstances - a shift privacy experts warn could creep from spotting known troublemakers to tracking every shopper who walks through the door.
So what do we know about facial recognition technology and just how invasive can it really be?
To make sense of it, we're r...
Our Take: Jackie O's PTSD, our haters & why Sach can't get on Survivor
Welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, the time each week that we kick off our shoes, loosen our (non-existent) ties and chat the week that was.
This weekend we debrief the latest in the Jackie O vs ARN court battle, with court documents revealing the former KIIS host claims she is suffering from PTSD after working with Kyle Sandilands.
Then we crack open our inbox, getting across your thoughts, feelings, concerns and praise from the week’s stories, featuring superannuation and whether Chris and Sach are too childish to host a news show.
We also...
The latest out of Nepal's flash floods + How to stop your TV spying on you
Friday Headlines:
Death toll rises in Nepal amid fears of a second flood Albanese steps in to guarantee refugee intake won't go backwards One Nation tipped to win WA by-election NT passes VAD laws, Queensland introduces ‘breach bail, go to jail’ legislation UEFA plans criminal complaint against FIFA President Greens move to ban the import of smart glassesDeep Dive: That cheap smart TV in your lounge room might be paying for itself by spying on you.
In this episode of The Briefing, we unpack ACR - Automated Content Recognition - the little-known tech that quietly logs...
Meta drops $23bn to settle lawsuit + Are Zelensky’s days numbered?
Thursday Headlines:
Meta agrees to settle for $23bn in teen social media addiction lawsuit More than 150 dead in devastating flash floods in Nepal and China Albanese caves on data centre renewables as Queensland wins coal-and-gas carve-out Antisemitism royal commission wraps up with powerful message from Sydney Rabbi Legendary actor Tim Curry dead at 80 Miley Cyrus pays tribute to Dolly PartonDeep Dive: Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, the country hasn't held an election due to martial law, which bans a vote while the war is on.
Volodymyr Zelensky's term expired back in 2024, and now, for...
Dolly Parton dies aged 80 + Inside ARIA's war with AI music
Wednesday Headlines:
Dolly Parton has died at 80 Three Scots College students face court over aggravated sexual assault charges Man arrested after Melbourne mum repeatedly stabbed and her son punched in 'random' CBD attack Home ownership levels among young Aussies hits 80-year low Jai Arrow to make 100 game mileston after MND diagnosisDeep Dive: One of the biggest songs on Australian radio last month was a cover of Madonna's Like a Prayer. It’s racked up tens of millions of streams and even cracked into the top five on the ARIA charts. But what a lot of listeners didn't know...
Iran's $10m bounty on Barron Trump + Should we raid our super?
Tuesday Headlines:
PM to announce block on data centres near homes and schools Family of murdered Thai teen respond to alleged Australian killer’s comments from behind bars Trump Administration announces economic 'D-day' on Iran as Tehran announces $10m bounty for Barron Trump World’s oceans record hottest temperature on record Specialist cargo ship arrives to remove SpaceX rocket from Christmas IslandDeep Dive: Pauline Hanson says Australia's superannuation system is broken. Senior Liberal Andrew Bragg has branded compulsory super a "loss of liberty." Suddenly, the four trillion dollars of retirement savings sitting in Australians' names is the subje...
Record crowd for Swans AFLW clash + Australia’s gun buyback explained
Monday Headlines:
Record crowd turns out for Swans AFLW clash after tumultuous week for the club Australia records first case of bird flu in a mammal Pauline Hanson steps in after One Nation MP says party's targets 'not too different' from Labor's Sydney shark attack victim speaks publicly for the first time Major blunder found on Sydney Marathon medalDeep Dive: The federal government is attempting to roll out its largest gun buyback in a generation in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
New South Wales is the first state to sign on - paying lice...
In conversation with Zomi Frankcom's brother
The Israeli military drew international criticism this week after finding it had no criminal case to answer to in the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza in 2024, including Australian woman Zomi Frankcom.
April 2026 marked two years since the drone strikes which killed the staff from World Central Kitchen, and at the time, The Briefing sat down with Zomi’s brother Mal to discuss her family’s fight for justice.
In this episode we’re revisiting Sacha Barbour Gatt’s chat with Mal Frankcom.
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast <...
Our Take: Spilling Logies tea, the Lindsay Clancy trial & Sach’s big news
Heyo, welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.
This weekend Chris and Sach sit down for a heavier debrief than usual: the Lindsay Clancy trial, the case of the Massachusetts mother whose insanity defence has turned an unthinkable tragedy into a wider reckoning about postpartum psychosis.
From there the mood lifts as they crack open the inbox – to get your reactions on arming guards in hospita...
Breaking down the Lily Hooper tragedy + Why the Lindsay Clancy case matters
Friday Headlines:
Police commissioner apologises for miscommunication after family told missing bushwalker was alive Alleged Swans victim speaks out Zomi Frankcom's family slams IDF for clearing soldiers over her death Erin Patterson appeal wraps Harry and Meghan's UK returnDeep Dive: A murder trial in the US is making global headlines and has sparked a passionate conversation about the mental health of mums.
Lindsay Clancy is accused of murdering her three children, and while she’s admitted to the killings, her lawyers say she can’t be held responsible because she was suffering at the time from pos...
IDF clears itself over Zomi Frankcom’s death + Pocock on Labor’s ‘tragic’ gambling laws
Thursday Headlines:
Swans players issue apology as investigators travel to Sydney IDF clears soldiers over Gaza strike that killed aid worker Zomi Frankcom Jacqui Lambie’s emotional plea to the PM over plan to cap veterans’ health spending Nick Kyrgios suspended from tennis after positive cocaine test Karl Stefanovic responds to Robert Irwin’s Logies jabDeep Dive: Today, the Senate is expected to pass the government's long-awaited gambling reform package, with tougher rules on advertising and inducements.
Labor is calling the legislation the toughest gambling reforms the country's ever seen, but critics say they don't even scratch th...
Gov's gambling reforms a ‘betrayal’ + Unpacking the 'disastrous' Swans coverage
Wednesday Headlines:
Swans board meets to decide on player sanctions over incident that lead to a sexual assault allegation NDIS reforms pass senate as Labor strikes deal with Coalition over gambling regulations Landmark trial against Meta begins Erin Patterson’s appeal begins SpaceX rocket splashes down off Christmas Island, Musk called in to remove itDeep Dive: Several Sydney Swans players are at the centre of a police investigation in Melbourne, over an alleged sexual assault at the team's hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.
The club has confirmed its players were involved, notified the...
Sydney Swans under investigation + Trump’s mouthpiece has quit. What now?
Tuesday Headlines:
Sydney Swans footballers involved in 'alleged incident' in Melbourne hotel Pauline Hanson’s plan for $21 cigarette packets American actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36 Coles and Woolworths test facial recognition technology to combat crime Ten Aussie YouTubers added to the National Film and Sound ArchiveDeep Dive: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is on her way out, marking the fifth high-profile woman gone from Donald Trump's second administration, though how they went varies.
Her announcement landed days after news broke that Trump had been secretly moved off Air Force One le...
Sam Pang wins Gold Logie + Can guns keep our nurses safe?
Monday Headlines:
NSW to begin Australia’s biggest gun buyback in decades Gov confirms it’s slowing the processing of backpacker visas Anthony Albanese deepfakes featured in celebrity scams to con Australians out of $7.4 million DRC Ebola outbreak set to become the deadliest ever Sam Pang takes out the Gold LogieFurther reading from the headlines: Andrew Thorpe's Ebola piece in the ABC
Deep Dive: The Victorian Opposition has announced a two-year trial of 70 PSOs across seven major hospitals, including emergency departments, high-risk areas and staff car parks. The proposal comes amid almost 24,000 violent incidents in Victorian h...
BONUS: No more ‘good blokes’: Inside the fight to scrap character references
Australia’s courts have long allowed judges to consider “good character” references during sentencing, even in child sexual abuse cases.
For many survivors, hearing offenders described in court as “good people” or “champions of young people” can be deeply retraumatising and after years of campaigning, the laws are being changed right around the country.
NSW changed its laws earlier this year, and this week Victoria announced it intends to do the same.
In this episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting Chris Spyrou's powerful conversation with survivor advocate and Your Reference Ain't Relevant co-founder Harrison James - on why the...
Our take: Bension’s spicy new chapter, melon-gate and we 💛 Ted Lasso
We're back with The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.
This weekend Chris is joined by Dan Mullins - LiSTNR's Acting Head of Factual, and a voice you'll already know from The Briefing - to debrief the story we couldn't stop talking about: Bension Siebert turning to sex work to fund his investigative journalism.
From there Chris and Dan crack open the inbox and read your com...
Third near miss at Sydney airport + Tupac's "thug life" on trial
Friday Headlines:
Third near miss at Sydney airport Meta, TikTok, Youtube and Snapchat to face Social Media ban enquiry today Penny Wong to speak on the dangers of Monoculturalism Popular weight loss drugs suspected links to more than 60 deaths in AustraliaDeep Dive: It's been 30 years since rapper Tupac Shakur was shot dead in the streets of Las Vegas, his death sparking three decades of conspiracies, mysteries and an enduring question: who killed him?
Amid disappearing witnesses and a street code that made talking to police punishable by death, the case went cold.
But in 2023...
Mass school walkout over Hanson + How sex work saved Bension’s career
Wednesday Headlines:
Students to stage school walkout over Pauline Hanson One dead and more than 200 rescued after Bali ferry fire News bargaining incentive hits parliament today Victorian authorities prepare for mass vaccine event of little penguins Tooth decay cases soar across Australia as people put off expensive dentist workDeep Dive: When Bension Siebert's role was made redundant here at The Briefing, the award-winning journalist found himself staring down a shrinking media industry that no longer seemed willing to invest in the investigations he'd spent his career chasing.
A week later, he was walking out of a...
Coalition backs One Nation bill + Harry Potter and the undersea cables
Wednesday Headlines:
Coalition to back One Nation’s foreign fighters bill PM refuses to apologise over melons comment Colombia quake death toll climbs above 200 RBA leaves door open to hikes after leaving rates on hold Donald Trump signs executive order to reduce the number of childhood vaccines New canine study reveals they're skilled in responding to human emotionDeep Dive: Harry Potter fans this week had a major win. They managed to have critical infrastructure worth almost a billion dollars moved to protect a memorial for Dobby the house elf.
That critical infrastructure was a single undersea c...
