The Briefing

A new landmark report has found there is no link between pregnant women taking paracetamol and a child developing autism and/or ADHD. The Lancet study contradicts the US administration’s advice last year when they warned women to stop taking paracetamol because of risks to their unborn child.
In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling, is joined by leading child disability expert Professor Helen Leonard, who explains what this latest study means and the new advice for pregnant women.
Headlines: A watered-down version of hate crime laws has passed its first hurdle in Parliament, there's been a fourth confirmed shark attack in NSW in just 48 hours, and the Bureau of Meteorology has issued an aurora alert amid a rare surge in solar activity.
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Tuesday Headlines: Labor’s Bondi bills set to pass today, Sydney beaches closed after three shark attacks in 24 hours, Police ‘traumatised’ after 19-year-old found dead on Queensland beach, Donald Trump declines to rule out seizing Greenland by force and Aussies advance through at the Aus Open in day two action.

Deep Dive: Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is polling higher than ever, overtaking the Coalition in one survey, prompting the Senator to declare she wants to run the country.
With Pauline Hanson’s primary vote surging and mainstream parties under pressure, what was once considered fringe appears to be shaping the national conversation.
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with political scientist Dr Jill Sheppard from ANU about the rise of One Nation, what the polling really tells us, and whether Hanson could ever translate her support on paper into real power.
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The collapse of key parts of the federal government’s legislation on hate speech is now raising serious questions about the Prime Minister’s leadership. Concerns have already been raised about key aspects of the proposed overhaul, with the Greens and Coalition stating they will not support it.
In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Crikey’s political editor Bernard Keane, who explains why rushing through the changes was a mistake, and why this political disaster is one of the worst he’s seen in Australian history.
Headlines: An emotional tribute for the victims of the Bondi Terror attack in parliament, at least 21 people have been killed and many more injured after two high-speed trains derailed in Spain, and Sydney’s Dee Why Beach has been closed after another shark attack.
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Monday Headlines: Politicians return to Canberra today ahead of contentious vote on hate speech laws, boy critical after Sydney shark attack, Anthony Albanese asked to join Gaza ‘Board of Peace,' Trump threatens tariffs on Europe over Greenland bid, and round one of the Aus Open is underway!

Deep Dive: In the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack, questions are being raised about how far governments should go in the name of security.
One company that’s surfacing in those conversations is Palantir - a powerful and controversial data firm used by both companies and intelligence agencies around the world.
In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with journalist Paul Gregoire about Palantir’s origins, its role in surveillance, and why its possible expansion in Australia is contentious.
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Donald Trump has been eyeing off a Nobel Peace Prize, after scoring nominations from countries including Israel and Pakistan - and it looks like he’s finally gotten one.
The Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has “presented” her gold Nobel peace prize medal to the US President in a meeting at the White House - nearly a fortnight after he ordered the arrest of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro.
In this bonus episode of The Briefing from 2025, Helen Smith is joined by Allan Behm, a special advisor at the Australia Institute, to unpack what a Trump win would mean for the award’s credibility, and whether he could be ruled out of the race altogether.

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