The Briefing

Friday Headlines:
Bianca Jones’ father calls on Albanese to intervene over inadequate methanol poisoning charges
Iran launches fresh attacks on Gulf states as US strikes ship attempting to breach blockade
Second case of bird flu detected in NSW
Smoking rates hit historic low across Australia
Pauline Hanson and Gina Rinehart spotted at White Lotus hotel
Deep Dive: Is Australia a world leader on AI? Anthony Albanese wants you to think so – he gave a speech last week in the Great Hall at The University of Sydney, where he implied that new Australian AI regulations could set a global benchmark – similar to superannuation and the social media ban.
Today we’re looking at Labor’s AI plan, and whether it really is a world-leading attempt to curb the harms of AI and harness its potential. What’s right with the plan, and what’s missing?
Joining The Briefing is AI expert Professor Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist of the Artificial Intelligence Institute at the University of New South Wales.
Further listening from the headlines:
Why smoking is ‘cool’ again
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Thursday Headlines:
Albanese’s plan to protect water, energy, and content from AI
Brisbane teen granted bail after alleged school stabbing
Trump threatens to expand strikes on Iran
A network of Australian doctors’ clinics have been hit by a cyberattack
Argentina v England World Cup semifinal is underway
Deep Dive: From the demolition of the White House East Wing to his push for a towering, 250-foot Triumphal Arch, Donald Trump is physically rebuilding Washington D.C. to match his personal brand.
But aside from an obsession with the grandiose, what is motivating the president to push for these ego-driven federal megaprojects?
In this episode of The Briefing, former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to explore why he believes this obsession with monarchical grandeur is a direct threat to democratic ideals.
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Wednesday Headlines:
Donald Trump walks back threat to charge toll on the Strait of Hormuz
Albanese to announce world-first AI office
Brisbane teen critical after school stabbing
Angus Taylor rules out a coalition with One Nation
First FIFA World Cup semi-final underway
Deep Dive: Beetlejuice has cancelled its national tour; Waitress is no longer coming to Sydney. The big musicals said that production costs were too high and sales were too low. The show could not go on.
This week, the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance held an emergency meeting to discuss the future of Australia’s musical theatre industry and how to save it.
In this episode of The Briefing, the Federal President of the MEAA, Michael Balk, joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to reveal the union's plan to save the industry, and how fans and the government can help.
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Tuesday Headlines:
Trump says US will collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz
Sydney daycare worker accused of abusing 150 children
Alleged DV murder victim’s family attend court vowing to fight for justice
Albanese to unveil AI vision as Labor plots hands-on approach
Tributes flow for actor Sam Neill, after his death at the age of 78
Deep Dive: Australia has been plagued by a chronic skills shortage in recent years, exacerbated by declining apprentice numbers, the pandemic and a cultural shift towards university as the preferred post-school pathway.
Labor has this week claimed a couple of big wins in this space, talking up 814,000 TAFE enrolments in the last three years and more than 30,000 new apprentices in the past 12 months, off the back of two key policy roll outs.
But do these numbers tell the full story? Is Australia’s tradie crisis really close to being solved? In this episode of The Briefing, Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles joins Sacha Barbour Gatt to discuss.
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Monday Headlines:
One Nation loses support to the Coalition
Trump says strait of Hormuz open despite Iran closure
Australian Universities forced to adopt new definitions on antisemitism and Islamophobia
Aussie students flock to free TAFE courses, but apprentice figures dip
Australia to wave goodbye to paper arrival cards for incoming travellers
Deep Dive: Pattaya has long traded on two reputations: a tourist playground by day, and one of the world's busiest red-light hubs by night.

That darker side made global headlines last month when the body of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla was discovered stuffed inside a suitcase beside a railway line on the edge of the city.

A 45-year-old Australian man has been accused of her murder, which he denies.
The case has reignited scrutiny of an industry that's technically against the law in Thailand, yet thrives in full view - raising questions about corruption, worker safety, and the surprising truth about who's actually driving demand.
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with emeritus professor at George Washington University and author of Sex Tourism in Thailand: Inside Asia's Premier Erotic Playground, Ronald Weitzer to unpack it.
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