Stand up comedian Monty Franklin tries to make the content audiences need- instead of what they think they want. Whether that’s explaining Aussie culture and slang to American audiences- or working on a film about the Great Emu War of 1932 with John Cleese, Jim Jefferies and Rob Schneider. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Monty talks about why the best comedy is authentic- and why he’s not worried his friendship with controversial podcaster Joe Rogan could lose him fans. Weekend List TO BUY: Olive ice cubes for martinisTO WATCH: One DayTO READ: All I Ever Wanted Was To Be Hot by Lucinda PriceTO TRY: Aspect Face MasksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology enables many athletes to compete in the Paralympics – whether it’s modified wheelchairs or carbon fibre running blades. But is some of this tech giving competitors an unfair advantage over their rivals? If one athlete can spend the cash for the latest running blades, putting them a few seconds ahead of their competition, is fairness lost? Professor John Cairney is the Head of School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. He joins Antoinette Lattouf on this episode of The Briefing to explore what technical advancement means for Paralympic athletes, both in Paris and into the future.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the Parliamentary Budget Office released costings for a Greens plan to add dental to Medicare. On the face of it, the fact that a major branch of healthcare is just not a part of the public health system might be surprising to many. But adding it now, according to the costings, would mean billions of dollars in new government spending – and the Australian Dental Association says we just don’t have the number of dentists required to do it. So how would it cope if we added a whole new category of medicine? Jordan Steele-John is the Greens Senator for Western Australia – he joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to make the case for dental to join Medicare.  Headlines: Paralympics update Federal government to announce domestic violence package   Donald Trump pleads not guilty to revised federal charges  Maori queen anointed  Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson has this week credited natural therapies with curing her cancer. Every day, 58 people in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer – one in seven Australian women will experience it in their lifetime. Diagnoses have increased by almost a quarter in the last 10 years – but the relative five-year survival rate is 92%. Despite most patients getting a positive prognosis, it is a disease that will impact every facet of a person’s life. When the 60-year-old former supermodel says she rejecting chemotherapy for an all-natural approach to treating her breast cancer, she raised some serious eyebrows. Are her comments irresponsible? Dr David Robert Grimes is a cancer researcher and author. He joins Sacha Barbour Gatt on this episode of The Briefing to explain why he thinks her comments could cause serious harm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday Australia’s economy got its quarterly checkup, and the results are in. Gross Domestic Product performance, or GDP, grew by 1.5% over a year. But what does that actually mean, and how does GDP growth affect our lives? Is this an economy at panic stations, or is there no real cause for concern? Motley Fool’s chief investment officer Scott Phillips joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the jargon and clear the mist on what these latest figures reveal about the state of the Australian economy. Headlines: Paralympics Update - Aussies win nine medals.  US School Shooting Australian gambling report  Rachel “Raygun” Gunn has broken her silence Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good news! Your mobile phone isn’t giving you brain cancer! Decades of worry about radio waves travelling out of our phones and into our skulls have apparently been put to rest with a massive World Health Organisation review published today, finding zero link between mobile phone use and brain, head or neck cancer. However, different groups of scientists conducting different kinds of studies on mobile phone radiation and possible health effects have suggested the opposite previously – so how are most of us non-scientists meant to tell who’s right? Assistant Director of Health Impact Assessment at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Ken Karipidis joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to unpack the findings, and what we should take from them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The situation for women in Afghanistan right now is bleak. After retaking control of the country in August of 2021, the Taliban has wasted no time reinstating a raft of rules stripping away the rights of females. A week ago, a decree made it illegal for women to speak outside their homes. Alongside having to completely cover their bodies head-to-toe in thick fabric, they’re also banned from working and can’t look directly at men they aren’t related to by blood. Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from attending school after completing the sixth grade. For activists and advocates, what’s happened since the Taliban came back into power is not surprising - but that doesn’t mean they’ve given up hope. On this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Shabnam Safa, a refugee advocate in Australia who here herself as an Afghani refugee, to hear what she thinks of the latest developments in the country. Headlines: Paralympics - Aussies have netted more gold Australian ambassador to Iran recalled after post supporting LGBTQIA+ community Two sailors have been rescued hundreds of kilometers offshore from Sydney Queen Camilla gives rare King Charles cancer update Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom   More info on Afghanistan from Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/afghanistan-0  International campaigns:The End Gender Apartheid campaign is run by experts and advocates from Afghanistan and Iran. https://endgenderapartheid.today/  - https://www.instagram.com/endgenderapartheid.today/  Follow and support journalism in/from Afghanistan Rukhshana Media - a women-led online news agency for women and children in Afghanistan - https://rukhshana.com/en/  - https://www.instagram.com/rukhshanamedia/ KabulNow - https://kabulnow.com/  - https://www.instagram.com/kabulnow.af/  In Australia: Action for Afghanistan campaign by the Afghanistan-Australian Advocacy Network - https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/  - https://www.instagram.com/actionforafghanistan/Australian Hazara Advocacy Network - https://www.hazaraadvocacynetwork.com.au/  - https://www.instagram.com/hazaraadvocacyau/?locale=kk-KZ&hl=af See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through TikTok being bombarded with food reviews? Sometimes they appear organic, with creators hopping on a trend or trying a viral product for their followers. Other times, these creators are being paid by restaurants and cafes to plug their businesses or products. There are legal and ethical guidelines in place to stop this content from appearing organically in your feed – but why are they being so rarely followed, and even more rarely enforced? In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by TikTok lawyer Jahan Kalantar to find out exactly how online creators are sidestepping consumer laws and what more, if anything, can be done.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much of Israel’s economy ground to a halt overnight, during the country’s first major workers’ strike since the start of the war. The strike shut down Israel’s international airport and disrupted banks, manufacturing facilities, healthcare facilities and businesses, as Israelis expressed their anger over six Israeli captives of Hamas found dead in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career has survived major demonstrations before, but could this strike finally force him to agree to a hostage swap deal and a ceasefire? On this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert is joined Dr Eyal Mayroz, a Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney to provide some insight into what impact it might have.  Headlines: Paralympics Update Britain is suspending dozens of weapons sales to Israel Wild weather wrap Famous Beluga whale found dead  Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renting in Australia can really suck. With winter over and the end of 2024 approaching, we’re heading towards peak moving season. Moving house can be one of life’s most stressful events – made even more stressful by the process of trying to get your bond back. In this two-part feature, The Briefing investigates the messy world of rental bonds. In Part Two, Bension Siebert speaks to Leanne Pilkington, President of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, on what the experience is like on the landlord and agent side of the bond system, and what she thinks might make the system fairer overall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renting in Australia can really suck. With winter over and the end of 2024 approaching, we’re heading towards peak moving season. Moving house can be one of life’s most stressful events – made even more stressful by the process of trying to get your bond back.  In this two-part feature, The Briefing looks into the messy world of rental bonds. In Part One, Bension Siebert speaks to CEO of the New South Wales Tenants’ Union Leo Patterson Ross on how to stop your landlord stealing your bond, and whether there’s a way to run this system that’s better for everyone. Headlines: Paralympics update Israeli military recovers bodies of six hostages in Gaza Australians advised to work from home due to wild weather  New survey asks Aussie teens what they want to be when they grow up Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Fatima Payman first won office in 2022 and dominated headlines this year when she crossed the floor over Labor’s refusal to recognise a Palestinian state. Her life since then has been a self-described “whirlwind.” Fatima now sits as an independent, and in this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, she reveals the inner workings of the Albanese government that led to her resignation and whether she was prepared for the wave of bigotry and intense scrutiny she and her family experienced. Her story begins in Afghanistan in the 1990s where she and her family fled the Taliban to Pakistan, before starting a new life in Australia. As a proud and determined independent voice for Western Australia, Fatima is committed to breaking stereotypes, saying she is “more than a Muslim senator.” Weekend List TO BUY: Sticky grippy phone stickersTO DO: Bye-bye text messages and hello voice memos!TO TRY: Korean skincareTO WATCH: Fatima Payman on Australian StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a big week of debate over the 2026 census and a handful of questions that might – or might not – be added to it. This episode, we speak to one of the Labor MPs who rebelled against the Government’s decision to exclude questions about LGBTIQA+ Australians from the Census – and get his take on a partial backflip from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning.   Labor's Federal Member for the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, Josh Burns, joins Bension Siebert for this episode of The Briefing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AFLW 2024 season kicks off today – but not everyone’s happy with the fixtures.  As the AFL works to manage the men’s finals being played alongside the start of the women’s game, fans and key stakeholders are asking why logistical confusion remains as the competition heads into its ninth season. Georgia Rajic is a sports commentator and reporter – on this bonus episode of The Briefing, she joins Helen Smith to unpack the complex start to the AFLW this year, where the competition is at almost a decade into running, and who looks set to top the ladder in 2024.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  Today on The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt, self-confessed magpie lady, is joined by Sean Dooley, conservationist and birdwatcher with Birdlife Australia, to break down the facts and myths around these fabulous birds, and encourage you to think differently about them this swooping season. Headlines: All the action from day one of The Paralympics  Israeli forces have carried out raids in the West bank for a second day in a row Labor party under fire for census   ABS Data shows more women than men in Australia Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Paralympics are on! In the very early hours of this morning Australia time, a spectacular opening ceremony kicked off the 2024 summer games in Paris, with more than 4,000 athletes from around the world preparing to compete over two massive weeks. How different is their experience from that of able-bodies athletes, and how do they feel about the competition starting so long after the first round of the Olympics has wrapped up? Carol Cooke is a Paralympic champion, competing on the world stage winning medals for Australia in London, Rio and Tokyo. She joins Bension Siebert on this episode of The Briefing to reflect on what it’s like to compete at the most elite level in Paralympic sport, and how it compares to the experience of able-bodied Olympians.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leonardo da Vinci + a Saudi Prince + one very old painting = a world of controversy. Salvator Mundi is the most expensive painting sold at auction. Dubbed the male Mona Lisa, Salvator Mundi is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci – but not all art experts agree that the work is by the famous artist. The painting sold for $450 million to Saudi Arabian Prince Mohamed bin Salman in 2017. After several years hidden away in storage, the Prince reportedly has plans to make the painting the centerpiece of what some of called the ‘Saudi Louvre’, and in turn creating a tourist attraction for the West. Is this art washing live in action? Professor Anne Dunlop is the Herald Chair in Fine Arts from the University of Melbourne. She joins Helen Smith on this episode of The Briefing to explain the backstory of the artwork, and what it might mean if it comes out of hiding and onto display.  Headlines: Paralympics opening ceremony  Israel West Bank attack Trump blames Biden and Harris for assassination attempt  New study shows dogs can communicate with humans Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study has found astrologers are no better at prediction than random guessing. Does that matter? Many of those obsessed with their astrological chart when pressed might still admit it’s probably a little bit bullshit – but they like it, it’s fun, and it doesn’t do any harm. But for those who use astrology to help them make significant decisions in their life, it sort of does matter whether this stuff is true. Enter Spencer Greenberg, the founder of ClearerThinking.org, a social enterprise in the US. He and his colleagues were so interested in the topic that they designed and conducted a study to hopefully settle the argument once and for all – on this episode of The Briefing, he joins Bension Siebert to help explain what they found. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Noel and Liam Gallagher, the two brothers behind the seminal British band Oasis, have announced they’re about to head out on a massive tour - the first time they’ve appeared together since 2009. Noel quit the band just before they were due to take the stage in Paris after a massive backstage fight, and the brothers have waged war against each other ever since. But in a twist, they're now reportedly saying it’s now or never. Once the biggest band in the world, this tour is expected to make in the vicinity of $1 billion. Music feature writer Cameron Adams joins Bension Siebert to explain what might have led to the change of heart, and why the two 'Don’t look back in anger'. Headlines: Hostage freed from Gaza Greens propose “Robin Hood” tax reform Zuckerberg says White House censored Meta during COVID-19  Trump agrees to debate Harris     Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Planning a wedding can be incredibly stressful - especially with the average wedding in Australia costing nearly $35,000. That’s a price tag that can cover everything from venue hire, catering, hair, make-up, photography and now a professional bridesmaid. It’s like paying for a best friend (who's not actually your best friend) to support you every step of the way. Is this a logical development meeting the needs of busy lives, or commercialisation and a wedding industry gone insane?  In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by Kerstyn Walsh, the director of Hire a Bridesmaid, to breakdown why more and more Aussies are turning to their services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.