Cheaper petrol is weeks away + Inside the fight to end Big Tech addiction

Wednesday Headlines: Trump tells allies to ‘get your own oil’   Israel's ambassador defends new death penalty for Palestinians Dezi Freeman’s family speaks out after his death Hip pocket changes coming in from today Kris Jenner becomes Chinese cultural icon Deep Dive: Despite its insanely strict, all-encompassing rejection of meat and animal by-products, veganism was once the darling of sustainable and ethical consumption.  But lately, many are reporting a decline in interest in the lifestyle, with areas once dominated by vegan restaurants and stores now seeing a move away from it.  In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by freelance food journalist Quincy Malesovas to try to answer the question – is veganism in Australia dying?  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dezi Freeman was shot dead by Victorian police early Monday morning. He’d been on the run for almost seven months after shooting and killing two police officers outside the regional Victorian town of Porepunkah in August last year.  Police are now trying to determine if he was helped by anyone else. Freeman considered himself to be a sovereign citizen, so he believed Australian laws didn’t apply to him.  How did he survive for so long on the run, how did he evade police for all that time, and what can we learn from the investigation now underway?  In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Macquarie University’s Dr Vincent Hurley, one of Australia leading policing and criminological academics…  Headlines:  RBA scraps card surcharges in big win for consumers Jackie O sues ARN Media Iran says there have been no negotiations with US + Further Attacks Celine Dion to return to live performing Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines: Cheaper fuel could take weeks to flow despite excise cut Albanese calls on Donald Trump to be clearer about his war plans Vaping likely causes cancer Five social media platforms are being investigated for potentially failing to comply with the social media ban Latest additions to the National Film and Sound Archive revealed Deep Dive: A landmark US court ruling has found Meta and Google legally responsible for the way their platforms are designed, declaring Instagram and YouTube addictive by design.  The decision is being framed as big tech’s “big tobacco moment,” raising the prospect of global lawsuits while intensifying pressure on governments, including in Australia, to regulate algorithms before more harm is done.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young about her party’s proposed ‘Fix Our Feeds’ bill, how it would give users control over algorithms, and whether Australia is ready or even capable to take on the power of big tech.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deep Dive: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced he will halve the fuel and diesel excise, after a National Cabinet meeting this morning over the fuel crisis.    In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Katina Curtis, Canberra bureau chief at The West Australian, to bring you everything you need to know and the PM’s plans for the nation for challenging times ahead. Headlines:  Dezi Freeman shot dead in rural Victoria after seven months on the run Trump claims Iran has agreed to most of 15-point peace plan One Nation wins third seat in South Australia ARN to call Jackie O as witness in case against Kyle Sandilands   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BREAKING: Dezi Freeman, the man at the centre of one of Victoria’s most extensive manhunts, has been shot dead by police, ending a six-month manhunt.   In this breaking news update from The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt gets you up to speed on what we know so far.  Further listening: Inside the hunt for Dezi FreemanFollow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines: National Cabinet to discuss fuel crisis today Iran says it will ‘rain fire’ on US troops Emergency relief announced for residents after tropical Cyclone Narelle Australia to play a key role in this week’s moon expedition  Kylie Minogue to headline AFL grand final Deep Dive: The state of democracy is always up for debate here in Australia - whether it’s the rise of One Nation, the influence of Donald Trump and his “voter fraud”, social algorithms, or just how well our democratic society is really functioning.  While democracy is often seen as stable or even untouchable, that may not actually be the case. So, what does it take for a democratic society to function successfully?  In this episode of The Briefing, David Moscrop, a Canadian political scientist and author of Too Dumb For Democracy, unpacks what happens when factors like emotion, technology, AI and our values begin to work against it. David Moscrop appears at Melbourne Writers Festival (7-10 May) and Sydney Writers' Festival (17-24 May) Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The multi-billion dollar fertility industry brings joy to so many who need medical assistance to have a baby. But it's also described as the "Wild West" for a lack of regulation. In the latest case to make headlines, twin sisters discovered they weren't biologically related to their parents following a DNA test. The woman they knew as mum had been implanted with the wrong embryos in an IVF mix-up 30 years ago in Sydney. They're not alone. In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling talks with Amelia Oberhardt, who investigated the fertility industry for her podcast Secrets We Keep: By Any Means Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katherine Bennell-Pegg is the 2026 Australian of the Year and the first person to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s own space program. She’s an engineer, a space leader, and one of just a handful of people on the planet to complete astronaut training with the European Space Agency selected from more than 22,000 applicants. In this chat with Helen Smith, Katherine unpacks what it really takes to become an astronaut, the invisible ways space technology shapes our everyday lives, and whether we’ve truly made progress for women in STEM. Find Katherine on Insta @aussieastrokatherine Weekend list with Dan Mullins Listener X TO WATCH:  TO WATCH: Project Hail Mary  TO DO: Walk 🚶🏼‍♂️ TO WATCH: The Magic Faraway Tree Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastListenerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a new TikTok wellness trend doing the rounds: so-called 'Trimester Zero'. But experts warn online fertility advice can be exploitative and is creating unnecessary pressure and anxiety among people trying to conceive. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Rachel Rodgers, fertility specialist at IVF Australia, to discuss the growing focus on health before pregnancy - and sort fact from fiction. Headlines:  PM responds to Trump condemning Australia's lack of support for US in war  Calls to cut fuel excise amid skyrocketing costs Cyclone Narelle smashes WA coast Kyle Sandilands has his day in court over $100 million contract Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: Trump says it’s up to Iran to make ceasefire deal Fuel crisis continues with more than 650 stations running dry Tropical Cyclone Narelle heads to north west WA IOC bans trans athletes from women's Olympic events Former Venezuelan president appears in court in New York Deep Dive: The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton is one of those stories that’s been loved across generations and now, it’s getting a fresh life on the big screen.   The new film tackles our addiction to technology and follows a modern family who swap screens for the outdoors, only to discover a magical world that helps them reconnect with each other and themselves.   In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with Jessica Gunning, who plays Dame Washalot and who you might also recognise from Baby Reindeer. She joined us while in Australia ahead of the film’s premiere to unpack why nostalgia continues to resonate, and whether the Faraway Tree series reminds us of the wonder we lose when we’re always looking down at our devices.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.