Calls for influencer ban + Australia’s ‘sickening’ obsession

In 2021, a neatly dressed man in his 60s walks into a Sydney Police Station. He looks like a regular guy. But police are stunned - this isn’t just any man. It’s Darko Desic. A fugitive who escaped from Grafton Prison with a hacksaw and bolt cutters three decades earlier. A man who was a prolific weed grower. A man who lived in hiding for 30 years - right under the noses of the police.  How did he do it? How did he evade capture for so long? And why, after all that time, did he finally give himself up?  That’s what journalist Tim Elliot set out to uncover in the latest season of LiSTNR’s documentary series, Secrets We Keep. If you’re hooked and want more, click here to go straight to episode 2.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Toohey calls himself a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ but his viral videos on the housing crisis suggest otherwise.  After a privileged start at private school Jack swapped out the business world for advocacy, walking away from running his own company to tackling climate change, housing and gender equality. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Jack unpacks why the housing system is stacked against young Australians and why the creator economy might just be a shiny scam propping up tech bros. Weekend list with Helen Smith TO WATCH: Uproar on Netflix TO READ: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad TO EAT: Beetroot dip TO TRY: Turkish bath house Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the new bombshell Charlie Sheen documentary that’s making headlines around the world. The US actor says he’s finally telling the truth about his drug addiction, wild partying and how he’s lost hundreds of millions of dollars.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by LiSTNR entertainment reporter Justin Hill to unpack all the explosive new revelations and how the troubled star has tried to turn his life around.  Headlines: Australia’s special envoy on Islamophobia has delivered a landmark report, PM Anthony Albanese has responded to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and Australia’s best meat pie has been crowned.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: FBI locate rifle believed to have killed Charlie Kirk, Brisbane teen on terror charges granted bail, Jeffrey Epstein scandal spills into the UK, dementia is the new leading cause of death among Aussies, and which capital city has the cheapest petrol? Deep Dive: A film about a demon-slaying K-pop girl group has taken over the world - becoming Netflix’s most-watched film of all time, with hundreds and millions of streams on its soundtrack.   So what is it about KPop Demon Hunters that’s struck such a global chord?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with K-pop expert and PhD candidate Megan Moon about the film’s explosive success and what it reveals about the growing cultural power of South Korea.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political fallout has already begun from the assassination of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The 31-year-old was shot dead in front of thousands while speaking at Utah Valley University. Now there are serious concerns that this shooting will only spark more political violence and deeper divisions within the US.   In this episode of The Briefing, US Politics Expert John Barron joins Natarsha Belling to unpack who Charlie Kirk was and the implications this latest political assassination will have on a divided America.  Headlines: Julie Bishop has broken her silence over bullying and harassment allegations, Opposition leader Sussan Ley has apologised to the Australian Indian community, and Prince Harry has met with King Charles.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: Support for Sussan Ley after Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price dumping, popular right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk shot at Utah rally, flash floods kill at least 11 people in Indonesia, ringleader behind antisemitic Sydney attacks charged, tens of thousands of Aussies at risk of identity fraud, and Elon Musk is no longer the world’s richest person! Deep Dive: Hundreds of thousands of men become new dads each year, a milestone marked with joy, but also poor mental health outcomes for many.  One in ten fathers will experience depression, one in five anxiety, while research shows a man’s mental health has lasting impacts on not only himself, but his kids, and society more broadly.   In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with young dad Luke McClounan about his experience with postnatal depression and the ongoing stigma men face, while Dad’s Group CEO Thomas Docking weighs in on what’s behind the issue, and what needs to change.    Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under attack from leaders across the world after he launched missile attacks on Qatar. Qatar has threatened to respond, with the world nervously watching on to see what happens next after this dangerous escalation.   In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Defence Expert Jennifer Parker, who unpacks what this latest attack means and whether this may spark all-out war.  Headlines: Poland has shot down multiple Russian drones, the federal government has announced it will spend nearly $2 billion arming Australia with dozens of autonomous submarines, and Apple has unveiled its slimmest ever smartphone.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: World leaders condemn Israeli strikes in Qatar, nationwide protections urged amid retail crime wave, penalties tripled for dodgy childcare centres, travel ban proposed on US influencers over wildlife encounters, what we hate most about other drivers Deep Dive: Sunscreen, tanning and the way we regulate products have all been thrown into the spotlight this year, after a CHOICE report found some popular sunscreens were well below their published SPF claims.  It comes as tan lines have started trending across social media, with some unregulated tanning methods like tanning injections, nasals sprays and tanning gummies booming.   In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by leading dermatologist and sun safety expert Dr Ryan de Cruz to explain the science behind tanning gummies. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new deal has been reached, which cements Lachlan Murdoch’s power to run his father’s multi-billion-dollar media empire.  After bitter family and court battles over the family trust, a new settlement has now been reached with Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son taking the reins and his siblings Prudence, Elisabeth and James cutting ties with the family business.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by journalist Calum Jaspan to discuss the latest twist in this Succession-like drama and what it means for the future of the Murdoch empire.  Headlines: A boat carrying Greta Thunberg heading to Gaza has allegedly been hit by a drone, ANZ to slash thousands of jobs, and another twist in the Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump saga. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines: Aussie kids will be banned from having violent, harmful and sexual conversations with AI chatbots, Victorian Premier’s orders crisis talks with a South Sudanese community after double stabbing, man accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump faces trial, search for Dezi Freeman enters third week as officer laid to rest, and Mary Fowler hits the catwalk. Deep Dive: After nearly four years on the run, New Zealand fugitive Tom Phillips was shot dead following an armed standoff with police on Monday.  Phillips had been in hiding with his three children since 2021, prompting one of the country’s most high-profile missing persons investigations.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with private investigator Chris Budge about the final moments of Tom Phillips’ life, the years he spent in hiding, and what the future holds for the children at the centre of it all. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.