Why gangland figure Tony Mokbel could walk free

No one fell off a stage this week, but we did see the two party leaders face off for their first debate, plus the Coalition released modelling of its gas policy. With energy prices so crucial in this election, we are going to take a closer look at the Coalition’s gas plan - is it credible or is it just a cover-up for a nuclear policy that may never come off?  Chief political correspondent David Crowe and special first-time guest on the pod, business reporter Nick Toscano, join Jacqueline Maley to discuss the intricacies of gas supply. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To say that American president Donald Trump’s global tariffs have sparked chaos around the world is an understatement. One analyst called the result, “a self-induced economic nuclear winter”.                                                 And that was before the tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China escalated today with Trump imposing an additional tariff on China, taking the total to 104 per cent. Today, international and political editor, Peter Hartcher, on where this trade war with China could lead. And the mini-rebellion among Republicans to Trump’s tariffs.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extraordinary scenes unfolded outside an Australian court last week when one of the last remaining figures from Melbourne's gangland war, Tony Mokbel, was released on bail. And there watching it all unfold was crime writer Chris Vedelago, who has been following the Mokbel story for years.  Today, we delve into a legal scandal like no other, and one that could ultimately see the likes of Mokbel have their convictions overturned.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has officially unleashed chaos on the world's financial markets. It's a strange time to be campaigning for election, but Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton must adjust and carry on.  So how is the incredible international volatility impacting the election campaign? Will all this disruption be favourable for the incumbent PM? And do Australian voters really want a candidate promising change at this moment in history?  Regular columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, and former adviser to Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, Sean Kelly, joins Jacqueline Maley to discuss. You can read Sean Kelly's column here: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-want-change-but-not-if-it-looks-like-donald-trump-20250406-p5lpii.htmlSubscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like you, I’ve seen the reports about the hemorrhaging of the American stock market, and wondered where this is going to lead. I can’t get my head around what it all means that trillions of dollars have been wiped from the American stock exchange. And as we record this, we’re being warned that the Australian share market is in for a bloodbath.Today, deputy business editor Clancy Yeates, on where Trump’s trade war will leave Australia’s economy, both in the short term, and the longer term. And whether this foreshadows a global financial crisis.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s one of the greatest joys of being pregnant: getting an ultrasound, to see a picture of your unborn child’s face. But now many medical experts are sounding the alarm about the increasingly popular trend of so-called “reassurance” ultrasounds. These are scans that pregnant women frequently opt for, not only to get a chance to see their child, but also to allay anxieties over their baby’s health, or just nab a souvenir image.  But in some cases, these scans have led to stillbirths, late-term abortions and incorrect diagnoses. Today, senior health reporter Henrietta Cook, on why these scans have sometimes led to heartbreaking outcomes, and the push to regulate sonographers.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Week one of the election campaign is done. Albanese has been hammering his Medicare message. Dutton has sought to broaden his image but is still playing to type, telling Sky News that he is ready to “fight” Donald Trump on Australia’s behalf, if necessary. So who won the week? And what is it like to be on the campaign trail with the leaders as a journalist, catching mystery flights to places unknown and travelling with your colleagues on an actual bus?Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American president Donald Trump announced this morning that he would issue a 10 per cent tariff on all Australian exports to the US, and he singled out Australia's main export beef, saying our current trade relationship on the product was unfair.  Today, we bring you a bonus mini episode with international editor Peter harcher on what these tariffs mean for us and what might come nextSubscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In four weeks, we’ll be voting to choose our next Prime Minister. The race is tight.  And, arguably for the first time in a long time, Australian voters will be swayed by an unusual metric: who’s best at handling the American president. Today, international and political editor, Peter Hartcher, on how strong, or weak, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have been, in the face of Donald Trump's increasing threats. And if Trump poses a threat to our own sovereignty.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government and the opposition have been fighting over power strategies for months now; just about assaulting us with a flurry of numbers and claims over which method will lead to cheaper household bills.And now, the Coalition has announced a shock new gas policy. So, is Peter Dutton’s unprecedented scheme just a bid to win political points, rather than a legitimate means to keep our appliances running, and us warm, at relatively little cost? Or is the opposition leader on to a winner?Today, business reporter Nick Toscano, and climate and energy reporter Mike Foley, help us wade through the spin, to tell us which energy plan is best: for both us, and the environment.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.