The Briefing

Monday Headlines:
One Nation becomes most popular political party in Australia
Defence Minister reveals changes to AUKUS pact
Searches continue in flooded Laos cave for missing miners
Australian house prices fall
Socceroos lose friendly as countdown to the World Cup hits two weeks
Deep Dive: The government last week launched its biggest lawsuit ever: Australia is suing the US corporate giant 3M for $2 billion, alleging that 3M concealed the fact that its firefighting foam was harmful.

3M's firefighting foam was made from PFAS chemicals which scientists now say are environmental contaminants, and the government is seeking damages for the contamination of 28 military bases around Australia.
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Ian Wright, Associate Professor in Water Science at Western Sydney University, to unpack what we know about PFAS and whether the Commonwealth's case goes far enough.
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk has sparked fresh space-race chatter after revealing SpaceX is shifting its focus from Mars to the Moon, with ambitions to build a “self-growing” lunar city within the next decade.
With multiple countries and private companies rolling out lunar missions, the push to develop Earth’s only natural satellite is heating up fast.
In this bonus episode of The Briefing, astrophysicist Brad Tucker from ANU joins us to break down who the major players are, what a self-growing city actually means, and why inflatable moon hotels might not be as sci-fi as they sound.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Safran is a cult Australian documentarian and professional bear-poker whose career has included everything from trying to join the Ku Klux Klan to getting crucified in the Philippines - and he says he’d probably still do it all again.
The filmmaker first gained fame in Race Around the World in 1997 and since then has always inserted himself into the centre of uncomfortable stories, including squatting inside Kanye West’s abandoned mansion while trying to understand the psychology behind Ye’s antisemitic spiral.
In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, John shares his take on free speech in 2026, why censorship means something completely different in the internet age and how Australians are smarter than we give them credit for.
Weekend list with Helen Smith
Listener Daniel TO READ: Griefdogg by Michael Winkler

TO WATCH: Prime Minister (Jacinda Ardern) on Netflix
TO TRY: Uber pool

TO DO: Check out Broadsheet
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Headlines:
Aussie Rents could increase
Opposition Leader withdraws his comments
Amazon Backpack in trouble with ACCC
Tribute show to John Farnham announced
Deep Dive:
Sports journalist Emma Lawrence made history this year as the first woman to call an NRL game, with her achievement being hailed as a win for all women in broadcasting and the industry.
In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Emma who reveals why she wanted to smash the glass ceiling and how her young daughter inspired her to take on one of the toughest jobs in a male dominated industry.
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:
90% of young Aussies will be better off under tax overhaul
US and Iran agree on 60-day ceasefire extension
Australian joins rescue mission for Laos villagers trapped in a cave
AFP commissioner defends Ben Roberts Smith airport arrest
Blues women win clean sweep of Origin
Deep Dive: The way Australians think about their money has shifted amid years of uncertainty and global impacts outside their control, according to a new report.
One of the big ways we’re seeing this is in Aussies focusing on the things they can control, from joining loyalty programs and rentvesting, to splurging on things that bring them joy and prioritising travel.
In this episode of The Briefing, ING’s CEO Melanie Evans sits down with Sacha Barbour Gatt to reveal why we’re seeing this, and whether the great ‘Australian dream’ has permanently shifted from full time work and houses to side hustles and investing.
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.