The Front

Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly gravely injured in a strike during the Middle East conflict. Plus, Qantas settles a covid legal challenge for $105m and Bluesfest bites the dust.
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Two years, 500 gigabytes of audio, and more than 200 voice actors. The Australian’s podcast adaptation of Hedley Thomas’ best-selling book Sick to Death is nearing its conclusion. It’s the story of the havoc wrought on the Queensland medical system by the incompetent surgeon Jayant Patel 20 years ago – and there’s still more to come.
Today, Hedley and our production team get together to discuss this epic project – and why it still resonates in 2026.
Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.
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Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is shedding 10 per cent of Atlassian’s workforce. Also today in The Front’s afternoon headlines, Australia will lower stringent sulphur standards in petrol and diesel to increase fuel supply to the regions. That’s as the International Energy Agency agrees to the biggest ever release of emergency public oil stocks - but jittery markets are already sending prices up, not down. Plus, what now for the Bondi Royal Commission?
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45-year-old economist Matt Canavan, once the apprentice to Barnaby Joyce, takes the fight for regional Australia to One Nation and his old master. Dennis Shanahan - who routinely shredded the National Party’s ‘stupid’ ex-leader David Littleproud, says it’s at last a proper fight.
Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should the world release public emergency oil supplies to deal with wildly fluctuating oil prices, diesel shortages and petrol station queues? Plus - two more Iranian soccer representatives seek asylum.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.