Matthew Reilly went from self publishing to Hollywood Netflix director

Matthew Reilly is one of Australia’s most prolific authors, selling more than 8 million books worldwide and even directing a Netflix film starring Chris Hemsworth. The Sydney-born author’s has written over 30 action thriller books that dominate airport bookshelves, with his latest novel, The Detective, continuing the streak. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Matthew opens up about being rejected by every major publisher before becoming an international best seller. Weekend list with Helen Smith TO WATCH: Twinless the movie in cinemas  TO EAT: Lettuce cup burgers with the lot! TO TRY: Beli restaurant rating app Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dating in your 40s isn’t anything like dating in your 20s, the baggage is heavier, the stakes are higher, and the apps are brutal. In this episode, writer Kerri Sackville joins Natarsha Belling to share the realities of finding love later in life, from red flags and emotional readiness to why some men just aren’t doing the work. Headlines: Thousands of female ADF members are set to join a landmark class action against the Australian Defence Force, Three men have been arrested over the alleged kidnapping and murder of a Sydney woman, and a major betting scandal has rocked the NBA in the US. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines: Around 44,000 Aussies overpaid their Centrelink debt, Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes US sanctions on Russian oil, King Charles and Pope Leo XIV become first British monarch and pontiff to pray together in 500 years, eSafety Commission issues legal notices to four chatbot creators over sexual and suicidal content, and the annual migration of crabs has begun on Christmas Island! Deep Dive: Kim Kardashian is bringing the merkin back into mainstream fashion with her sell-out full bush thong, reigniting conversations around pubic hair and societal beauty standards, particularly for women.   In a world where the hair removal industry is worth billions, does this mean the bush is back?   In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Dr Esme Louise James an educational content creator who explains the origins of our obsession with hairlessness and whether we’re finally seeing a shift in body hair norms. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fierce internal battle for the highly-coveted number one driver status at McLaren has intensified rivalry between Formula One teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. With both young guns contracted long-term, this dramatic feud is spilling onto the track and could even jeapordize McLaren's bid to become F1 champions. In today's episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks how healthy competition between the Australian and Brit has morphed into a beef and reached boiling point at high-stakes moments, triggering wider repercussions and a PR nightmare.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sanae Takaichi has become Japan’s first female Prime Minister, but many experts say it’s not a win for women. The former TV host is a conservative with hardline views on marriage and family, and has promised to turn around a tanking economy and a cost-of-living crisis. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by ABC’s North Asia Correspondent, James Oaten, to unpack the new PM’s policies and why the world is watching.   Headlines: There are calls for a new police investigation into the decades-old cold case of missing toddler Cheryl Grimmer, The UNs’ top court has ruled that Israel must allow aid groups unrestricted access to Gaza, and Journalist Michael Wolff has filed a lawsuit against US First Lady Melania Trump.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: ADF official to join Trump’s Gaza peace team, two dead in Melbourne waters during wild weather, Telstra warns some Samsung phones can’t call 000, grocery delivery via apps costs up to 39% more, and what's the weirdest fine you've copped?  Deep Dive: A multi-agency investigation is underway after a suspected piece of space junk crash-landed in remote Western Australia, reigniting concerns over what and how much of it is floating above us.  In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with astrophysicist Brad Tucker from the Australian National University about what likely landed in the Pilbara, whether we should be worried about being hit by falling space debris, and what it tells us about the growing mess orbiting Earth.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is mounting on the Royal family as the fallout from Virginia Giuffre's bombshell new memoir continues, which was released this week. The book has more damaging allegations about Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew, with some Royal experts saying this latest scandal may even force King Charles to abdicate.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by journalist Angela Mollard to unpack this week’s developments and why the Monarchy is facing its biggest crisis in decades.  Headlines: South Australia’s Attorney-General has called for a review of the decision to grant parole to Snowtown killer James Vlassakis, INTERPOL has issued a global alert after the multi-million dollar Jewellery heist at the Louvre, and police have arrested a man after uncovering 43 allegedly stolen Labubu dolls.  This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: Extreme weather lashing Australia, woman accused of brazen daylight stabbing remains behind bars, Aussie mum’s landmark work from home win, tougher penalties for companies breaking environmental laws, and over a third of you support the government ‘stealing’ from us.  Deep Dive: AI cheating is rife at universities across the country, with educators struggling to crack down.  In recent months, over a dozen universities were found to have wrongly accused students of cheating with AI, while failing to catch others who were.  In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with AI cheating researcher, Professor Phillip Dawson from the University of Deakin, about the flow-on effects of AI cheating in academia and what we can do about it.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rudd’s the strategist and Gillard’s the negotiator - two Labor leaders, two Prime Ministers and one political party locked in a cycle of self-destruction. What began as a dream team that swept the Howard Government from power in a historic landslide soon descended into one of the most bitter rivalries in Australian political history. In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks the rise of Kevin Rudd in the 'Kevin 07' era, the dramatic downfall that followed and how Julia Gillard became Australia's first (and only) female Prime Minister.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was almost 12 months in the making, but finally Anthony Albanese has met with Donald Trump for their long-awaited sit down. While there was a little distraction with US Ambassador Kevin Rudd, most experts say the meeting was a major success and the US Australia alliance is firmly back on track.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by International Affairs expert Bec Strating who unpacks the key takeaways and why this is the good news story Australia needs.  Headlines: China has hit back at Australia claiming it illegally entering its airspace, major arrests in a nationwide crackdown on illegal weapons, and Amazon Web Services has returned to normal after a massive internet outage.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.