The Briefing

Australia is facing growing concern over its fuel security, with experts warning the country remains dangerously dependent on overseas supplies.
In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by defence analyst, John Blackburn, who’s been sounding the alarm for more than a decade, warning governments from both sides of politics that Australia’s fuel supply chain leaves the nation vulnerable in a global crisis...like the one we’re currently unfolding in the Middle East.
Headlines:
Donald Trump has warned it would be “very bad for the future of NATO” if allies fail to help protect the Strait of Hormuz
Australia’s media watchdog has cracked down on ARN, the radio network behind The Kyle and Jackie O Show
Controversy at the Oscars
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The 98th Academy Awards are underway. Hosted by TV presenter and comedian Conan O’Brien in Hollywood, they honour the best films from 2025.
In this special Oscars coverage from The Briefing team, we unpack the latest from the red carpet, the big winners and how the internet is reacting in real time.
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Monday Headlines:
Four more Iranian soccer players give up asylum in Australia
Gov expects inflation to rise, while facing pressure to send warship to Middle East
New leader has little impact on Coalition’s polling
Vape catches fire on Virgin Australia flight
Queen Mary and King Frederik tour Uluru
Further listening from the headlines:
Is it unethical for us to read the lips of famous people?
Deep Dive:
Porn sites like Pornhub, RedTube and YouPorn have gone dark for Australians, not because they were banned, but in protest of our new age-verification rules.
The government says it’s about protecting kids from “lawful but awful” content, but it could mean handing over your ID, credit card, or even your face just to access parts of the internet.
In today’s deep dive, Chris Spyrou chats with Dr. Giselle Woodley from the School of Arts and Humanities at ECU about how teens are reacting to the new rules and how it’s not just them that could be pushed to very dark corners of the web as they come into effect.

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Getting ahead in the workplace is something many Australians aspire to - but for a lot of women, the hurdles can be higher and more complex.
So, what does it really take to succeed at work? How do you ask for a pay rise or a promotion? And why do so many of us still hesitate to put ourselves forward for leadership roles?
In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Helen McCabe, who left one of Australian media’s most coveted roles as editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly to launch her own business, Future Women - a platform dedicated to helping women grow their careers and leadership skills.
Read about Helen in the The Nighty On Leadership here
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Matt Okine’s resume reads like that of a classic overachiever. He’s a comedian, actor, writer, podcaster and radio host, with Logie and ARIA award nominations and a critically acclaimed TV show to his name.
But after doing just about everything in Australian media, he’s returning to where it all started - stand-up, for the first time in six years, with his new tour No. 10 Hope St, which touches on everything from family to failure and full-body ringworm.
In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Matt debates dogs versus cats, reflects on going bald, and gets really candid about losing his mum when he was just 12.
Weekend list with Helen Smith
Listener Kate TO WATCH: Beetlejuice
TO EAT: Bingsu dessert
TO WATCH: Taskmaster UK series
TO BUY: Mode Mischief
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