6000 students. 1000 places. Competition for our best schools has never been tougher

The hottest ticket in Australian politics this week was Pauline Hanson's first address to the National Press Club, which happened on Wednesday. The Press Club, set up in the early 1960s, has become a rite of passage for any aspiring political leader. But Hanson has been an outsider, and the Press Club represents the type of institution she rejects, so until now the One Nation leader has never made an appearance there. Her speech, as Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political commentator James Massola discuss, was extraordinary for her position on Australian culture, late-term abortions, Muslim migration and her attack on female journalists.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big first-game upset over Turkey sets the scene perfectly for a grudge match in Australia’s crucial game against the World Cup hosts at 5am on Saturday morning (AEST).Behind the scenes, a fiery cocktail of history, spiteful friendlies, and straight-up disrespect from American soccer pundits has turned this Group D clash into a highly personal grudge match.In this bonus episode, host Samantha Selinger-Morris talks to sports reporter Vince Rugari, who will be on the ground in Seattle, to break down the trash talk, the tactical madness of Tony Popovic, and why this insanely talented, multicultural Australian squad might just have the youth and stoicism to silence a hostile American crowd.Background reading: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/yank-hypocrisy-why-mike-grella-s-socceroos-slander-rings-so-hollow-20260615-p606xk.htmlSubscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What have Iran and the United States actually agreed to in the memorandum of understanding that the two countries announced over the weekend? Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher breaks it down for us, to work out if it’s a peace deal, a ceasefire, or something else entirely. Background reading  Trumped-up peace deal at the mercy of another nation, and it’s not Iran Everything you need to know about the US-Iran peace deal Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend thousands of teenagers will sit the entry exam for one of four select-entry government schools for high-achieving students in Victoria. It’s a nerve-recking experience and the stakes are high. Many students will miss out on a place.In NSW, competition is also fierce for a spot at select-entry schools. Students in both states spend countless hours preparing for the exams. Today, Age education reporter Jackson Graham and Sydney Morning Herald education editor Christopher Harris explain how select-entry schooling became such a big deal and such big business.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are one of the big four accounting firms. Government agencies and major corporations trust them to audit their books and ensure everything is above board.So what happens when one of these auditors is accused of a catastrophic failure of integrity?KPMG will face this question and many others when it fronts a Senate inquiry this week. The explosive claims emerged after a whistleblower brought allegations the firm misused confidential client data to potentially win business with other companies.Today, senior business reporter Colin Kruger explains why this scandal extends well beyond the big end of town and might affect anyone with an investment or super fund.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week there were a couple of shocking crimes in Sydney. In one, a father and his 15-year-old daughter were forced to flee when a gunman approached them at school pick-up time. In another, assailants in a car filmed themselves as they sprayed bullets from a high-powered firearm into a funeral home.Today, crime reporter Perry Duffin discusses the gang war in Sydney, and how the underworld is still accessing military-style guns after Port Arthur, and in the wake of the Bondi massacre.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the budget backlash era moving on to something like begrudged resignation, or budget fatigue, we’re expecting Treasurer Jim Chalmers to soon make a few announcements around the tax changes. While this bubbles along, the only story in politics continues to be One Nation. Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal debate whether the media and the near-daily reporting on polls are driving more support or exaggerating Pauline Hanson’s true popularity in Australia. Outside of this, the hard-right party purportedly raised $1.5 million in a single day via a crowd-funding campaign called Fire the Liar. And the Coalition is squabbling over whether to preference One Nation in the next federal election, which is still two years away. In the meantime, Labor by way of Foreign Minister Penny Wong says in the face of chaos, the government wants to go back to basics and focus on health, education and all the policies it says the other parties are lacking in.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to North Korea this week has put the world on notice that Kim Jong-Un's nuclear program, and ambitions, are stronger than ever. But has Donald Trump taken note? Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher on how North Korea has gone from global pariah to earning the respect of some of the world’s great capitals.   Background reading The Chinese president has arrived in North Korea. The world is watching Xi Jinping is feted in Pyongyang as Kim Jong-un swivels to Moscow Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this week, it looked as though tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran had jeopardised a two-month ceasefire. The new hostilities threatened to once again place the Middle East on the precipice of a full-blown regional war. And then Donald Trump stepped into the fray. Today Middle East and security analyst Rodger Shanahan discusses what led to these strikes, and what they mean for the fragile negotiations between Iran and the United States.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When one of Australia’s most infamous Victorian gangland figures was arrested last week over an alleged traffic infringement, it raised some eyebrows.So given Mick Gatto’s centrality in the building industry, was this the Victorian police pulling at straws in some last ditch attempt to crack down on suspected corruption?Today, investigative reporter Nick McKenzie on whether this arrest was, as Gatto asserts, “a load of crap”. Or if it’s illustrative of a new dedication by police to clean up an industry that’s been rife with alleged corruption for decades.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.