The very people who were meant to be closing loopholes in the Australian tax system have been using that information to advise their big corporate clients. The scandal engulfing PwC is one of the biggest to ever hit the cosy relationship between the government and private consultancy firms. And it goes beyond a few bad actors – pointing to a broken system, and a demoralised public service.  Today, associate editor of The Saturday Paper Martin McKenzie-Murray, on what happened when the Australian government trusted PwC to fix our tax system. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Associate editor of The Saturday Paper, Martin McKenzie-Murray

There’s been a delay in the release of what could be the most explosive findings from a royal commission in decades. The commissioner of the robo-debt investigation quietly wrote to the attorney general to request a delay in the publication of its final report. But this is no mere bureaucratic hold-up, there are other reasons behind it. And one of them has to do with when Australia’s new National Anti-Corruption Commission will be ready to receive referrals. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton, on how robo-debt could become one of the first topics for the brand new integrity watchdog. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.

After more than half of voters at the 2022 federal election said climate change was a top concern, helping Labor take power, it became known as the ‘climate election’. But a year on, how much has really changed? A 43 per cent carbon emission reduction target has been legislated, and the government promises we’ll reach net zero – but fossil fuel projects are still being approved. Today, director of the Australia Institute’s climate and energy program Polly Hemming on what a year of Labor government has delivered for the climate. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Director of the Australia Institute’s climate and energy program, Polly Hemming

The global cocaine business is controlled by cartels worth tens of billions of dollars – and in that world, Australia is drawing more and more attention as a particularly lucrative market. That’s because a gram of cocaine sells in Australia for as much as $400. But the public rarely gets an insight into this enormous sector of criminal enterprise. How cocaine gets into the country, where the money goes and the violence involved is often veiled in secrecy. Until now. Today, Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal on his investigation into the cocaine trade and how he came face-to-face with the people responsible for it. You can watch Mahmood Fazal’s investigation on the ABC’s Four Corners on iView, youtube, or ABC TV from 8:30 tonight. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal.

Today on the show, Sasha Gattermayr, with her piece on the fascination with carnivorous plants from The Monthly magazine.  Sasha takes us inside a band of collectors whose obsession with plants such as the venus fly trap turned into a lifelong devotion to plants that devour their prey. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Writer Sasha Gattermayr Background reading: Little club of horrors