The $6.5B surcharge trap + Top exec found dead after being granted bail

Afternoon Headlines: Bank exec charged with procuring under-age girls for sex found dead, Aussie dollar down as unemployment rate rises, Palestinian Ministry of Health reports over 58,000 killed in Gaza since October 7 and Tomorrowland mainstage engulfed by flames. Deep Dive: Credit and debit surcharges are costing Australians billions of dollars every year. But who’s making the profit? The RBA announced this week that it wants to crack down on a major loophole and abolish the surcharges.  In this episode, Natarsha Belling is joined by Brad Kelly, co-founder of Independent Payments Forum, who explains how the surcharges work and why the planned overhaul may actually be bad news for small businesses and consumers.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A little tracking tag in your bin might seem harmless - but what happens when that data is combined with all the other tech tracking your life?  From profiling your household habits to being used in ways you’d never expect, the risk goes far beyond waste collection.  In part two of this deep dive, Chris Spyrou speaks with former FBI and US intelligence officer turned cybersecurity expert Dr Dennis Desmond on how your everyday data can be harvested, weaponised – and how to protect yourself.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: Donald Trump turns on his own supporters labelling them weaklings over the Epstein Files saga, Israel has struck the capital of Syria killing at least three, birthrate's in Aussie cap cities declined further this year, Australians are losing $110 million a week in unpaid super, and two footy legends have gone head to head, not on the field but in the ring!  Deep Dive: Your bin is spying on youEver noticed a little green chip under your council bin? It's an RFID tag used by waste management services across Australia to boost efficiency, but could the data it collects be used for more than tracking collections?   In part one of this two-part deep dive, Chris Spyrou speaks with the CEO of Veolia Australia and New Zealand to find out why our bins are being fitted with this tech and whether fears of “Bin Brother” are justified.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afternoon Headlines: Two Sydney childcare workers charged with alleged assault, 10 million vapes seized as new data finds fewer young Aussies vaping and a global Matcha shortage.  Deep Dive: Bradley John Murdoch, the man convicted of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio, has died at 67, without ever revealing where Falconio’s body is. His death comes just weeks after police increased the reward for information relating to the murder to $500,000, reigniting hope Peter’s remains may finally be found.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with criminologist and associate professor Xanthé Mallett, who explains why Murdoch always maintained his innocence and refused to reveal what happened to Peter’s body.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday Headlines: Anthony Albanese signs six new deals with China, police warn list of childcare centres accused child abuser Joshua Brown worked at will likely grow, State schools reporting violent incidents in classrooms every four minutes, First nations peoples and climate activists share their disappointment in a Federal Court ruling over the Torres Strait islands, and the Emmy nominations are out! Deep Dive: A handful of decisions made by a young German backpacker were the difference between life and death, after she went missing in the remote WA wilderness for 11 days  Authorities and experts have dubbed Carolina Wilga's survival a miracle, with the 26-year-old being found alive and well after braving subzero temperatures, rain, wind and rocky terrain with limited food and water.  In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy is joined by survival expert and bushcraft teacher Jake Cassar on what likely saved the backpackers' life, and his non-negotiables for braving the bush, whether you're a tourist, seasoned camper or find yourself lost too.Further listening from the headlines: Red flags of a child predatorWhy Netflix is so not chill Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin is booming, reaching an all-time high this week with some experts saying it could be the next liquid gold.  The United States is now debating rules and regulations around crypto currencies with a push to shakeup the framework.  In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Investment Analyst Justin Lin to unpack why Bitcoin is surging and is it the new way to make a fortune?  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday Headlines: Trump threatens Russia with ‘very severe tariffs’ as he unveils new weapons plan for Ukraine, former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas to front court today as police investigate threat video to Melbourne tech business, German backpacker shares a heartfelt message to Aussies from her hospital bed, more than a third of young Aussies are exploited by their employers, and a Sydney man has been charged after trying to pinch the Stone of Scone in Scotland! Deep Dive: Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Chris Brown have all faced allegations of abuse - yet remain in “pass baskets,” where fans overlook their problematic track record and continue supporting their work.   In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with sex and relationship expert Georgia Grace to unpack why we keep putting celebrities in “pass baskets” and what it says about fame, accountability, and cultural change.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afternoon headlines: Government accidentally released Treasury advice to ABC, Country Road closes stores as operating profits drop more than 71% and Trump will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle Deep Dive: The Jeffrey Epstein files are threatening to destroy the Trump Administration with its powerful MAGA base demanding answers over broken promises. President Trump had promised to release the top-secret documents but now the FBI says they don’t exist. In this episode of the Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by US politics and foreign policy expert, Associate Professor David Smith, to unpack if there is a list and what these turn of events could mean for Trump. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday Headlines: Anthony Albanese continues his week-long visit to China, NSW Police defends actions of cop who shot dead machete-wielding man at a Westfield, disturbing findings in the Air India crash report, QLD Premier David Crisafulli announces CFMEU Inquiry, and we have a Wimbledon winner! Deep Dive: More than half of young Aussies are putting their lives at risk by taking part in choking during sex. That’s according to various experts who say it not only plays a significant role in domestic and family violence cases, but causes long term physical harm.  Those findings led the UK Government to announce it will ban the depiction of strangulation in porn, with advocates now calling for Australia to do the same.  In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with the CEO of the Red Rose Foundation, Lucy Lord, on the hidden dangers of strangulation in sex.   Further listening from the headlines: Fire, fear and politics at the CFMEU Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BONUS: This is a story that you've never heard before - what really happened in the lead up to Australia’s worst terrorist Brenton Tarrant opening fire on worshippers at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. For years, we’ve been told he was a “lone actor”.  But a new LiSTNR investigation Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor reveals this narrative is far from the truth.   In this podcast, our colleague Joey Watson traces the terrorist’s footsteps around the world, uncovering shocking new evidence of his interactions with a shadowy global network of far-right extremists.   In this episode of The Briefing’s we're giving you episode 1 as a bonus but if you’re hooked and want more, you can keep listening here: https://linktr.ee/secretswekeeppodcast  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.