Best Jade Byers Pointer Podcasts (2025)

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The war inside the Liberal Party over quotas 13:56

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1h ago13:56

13:56

The Liberal Party knows it needs to change. But the battle over how is already tearing the party apart. Sussan Ley has declared herself a “zealot” for getting more women into parliament. But she faces stiff resistance from the conservative wing of the party, including from some of its older statesmen which see quotas as undemocratic and an attack o…

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Fake bands, real weapons: How Spotify is fuelling the arms race 14:55

3d ago14:55

14:55

Spotify has transformed how the world listens to music. But as it’s grown, the company behind it, and its founder Daniel Ek, have been reshaping more than just the music industry. Ek has become a key figure in the global defence industry, investing more than a billion dollars into military technology based on artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Spo…

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Antoinette Lattouf on beating the ABC in court 16:56

4d ago16:56

16:56

When journalist Antoinette Lattouf picked up a casual contract with ABC Radio Sydney, she didn’t expect it to end in court. But after she reshared a Human Rights Watch post about Gaza, the ABC pulled her off-air on day three and ended her employment. Last month the Federal Court ruled that decision unlawful, finding senior executives acted after “a…

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How Kumanjayi Walker’s death should change the NT Police 16:03

5d ago16:03

16:03

In the Central Australian community of Yuendumu, Kumanjayi Walker’s family gathered this week to hear coroner Elizabeth Armitage share her findings into his death. Walker was a 19 year old Warlpiri-Luritja teenager who was shot and killed by former constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019. Today, investigative journalist Kate Wild on what the inquest reveal…

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Inside the courtroom for Erin Patterson's guilty verdict 14:56

6d ago14:56

14:56

Erin Patterson has been found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after serving her estranged ex-husband’s family beef wellington, which contained death cap mushrooms. Erin Patterson said the addition of death cap mushrooms to the dish was a tragic accident, and maintained her innocence throughout the trial. But afte…

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Adele Ferguson on why children aren’t safe at childcare centres 16:25

7d ago16:25

16:25

A child care worker in Victoria has been charged with more than 70 offences relating to the sexual abuse of children. Following the arrest, the state health authorities recommended 1200 children, some as young as five months old, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The government is scrambling to figure out how this happened, and how to s…

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Amy Remeikis on Australia's critical minerals bargaining chip 14:42

10d ago14:42

14:42

Australia is positioning itself as a critical supplier of the minerals the world needs to build clean technology. But for now, China dominates the market, and its grip on supply chains gives it enormous leverage. At the same time, the Albanese government is racing China to shore up its influence in the Pacific; a region already feeling the sharpest…

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Weaponising AI: How chatbots are becoming tools for domestic abuse 14:27

11d ago14:27

14:27

AI chatbots have crept into our lives – and some abusers are weaponising them. By feeding intimate details about their partners into tools like ChatGPT, they’re producing “performance reviews” that shame, degrade and control. Today, writer Madison Griffiths on this new form of tech-enabled coercive control – and why ChatGPT always sides with the ab…

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Part 1: The road to Yoorrook 17:44

12d ago17:44

17:44

For generations, First Nations people have called for a truth telling process so their stories can be heard. In Victoria, for the first time in Australia’s history, that has finally happened. For the past four years, the Yoorrook Justice Commission has been gathering the testimony of thousands of Victorians to put on record the truth about the stat…

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Part 2: The truth has been told 13:35

12d ago13:35

13:35

This is the second installment of a two part series about the history and impact of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. In this episode, we hear the stories of First Nations elders whose loved ones were stolen, and who lived through the racist policies whose legacies are still felt in society today. We also hear what happened when the Victorian Premie…

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'A horrifying new pattern': Palestinians killed as they wait for aid 18:29

13d ago18:29

18:29

Last week, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published testimony from Israeli soldiers who admitted to deliberately shooting unarmed Palestinian civilians while they waited for humanitarian aid – claims the Israeli government denies. According to authorities in Gaza, at least 583 people have been killed in the past month at aid distribution centres in …

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We love Read This 4:24

14d ago4:24

4:24

Two years ago, some of our colleagues had the idea to start a show about books. The result was Read This – a weekly podcast about the books we love and the stories behind them. In each episode, host Michael Williams speaks to an author about their work and their life. It’s a favourite show of everyone on the 7am team and as it finishes up as a Schw…

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Are BYD cars Chinese spyware? 16:05

14d ago16:05

16:05

A sleek Chinese-made ute is suddenly one of the most popular vehicles on Australian roads. It’s cheap, fast and packed with tech. But behind its rise are questions security agencies are struggling to grapple with. Because the cars we drive today are no longer just cars; they’re also data collection tools. And in a tense geopolitical climate – the l…

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Read This: We Went to Helen Garner’s House 30:23

15d ago30:23

30:23

In this inaugural episode of Read This, host Michael Williams and founding editor Sarah McVeigh head to Helen Garner’s house for cake and conversation. Helen shares what she’s writing about, how she problem solves, and the inspiration she gets from watching her grandson’s footy training. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

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Why Albanese backed Trump’s Iran attack 15:34

17d ago15:34

15:34

When US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the world watched for a response. But in Australia, there was silence. It took a day before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong addressed the media. When they did, they backed the US, tentatively, while calling for calm. For Albanese, a leade…

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The widening gaps in Albanese’s climate promises 15:16

18d ago15:16

15:16

Cyclone Alfred should not have tracked as far south as it did. But in March it tore through Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Northern Rivers, affecting about four million people. One of them was climate scientist and IPCC lead author, Joëlle Gergis. She says the storm’s freak southward drift, driven by record-warm ocean temperatures, shows the clim…

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Giving birth to a stranger's baby: The cost of IVF mistakes 14:52

19d ago14:52

14:52

A mistake at an IVF clinic has led to a woman giving birth to a stranger’s baby. It’s a catastrophic error and not the first one that’s recently come to light. Such risks are not covered in the marketing material of Australia’s major fertility clinics. But this mistake – at one of the oldest and most reputable clinics in the country – has had devas…

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A 'rathole of retaliation': Trump, Iran and what happens next 15:53

20d ago15:53

15:53

America’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend mark a terrifying turning point. Donald Trump has taken the US into direct conflict with Iran – and risked what the UN secretary-general is calling a “rathole of retaliation”. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth claims that Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated, but questions rema…

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‘A very dangerous man’: How Alex Antic is shaping the Liberals 15:51

21d ago15:51

15:51

Having fought his way to the top of the South Australian Liberal ticket, Alex Antic is working to reshape the party as a radical outfit more interested in ideology than governing. The Liberal senator calls himself an irrelevant backbencher, but he’s installed allies, toppled moderates and is pushing the party’s politics to the edge. His playbook mi…

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Read This: John Rebus Will Outlive Ian Rankin 31:16

22d ago31:16

31:16

Ian Rankin introduced Detective John Rebus in his 1987 novel Knots and Crosses. Since then, Rankin has published another two dozen books in the series and has sold almost 40 million books to date. Unsurprisingly, he’s now Sir Ian Rankin. This week, Michael sits down with Ian at Sydney Writers’ Festival for discussion about his latest Rebus book, Mi…

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What Trump’s no-show means for AUKUS 15:29

24d ago15:29

15:29

At the G7 summit in Canada, Anthony Albanese had prepared carefully for a meeting with Donald Trump – even reaching out to Trump’s golfing buddy, Greg Norman. But just before they were due to meet, the US president walked out of the summit and flew home to address the conflict between Israel and Iran. In some quarters, the snub has been portrayed a…

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How Trump could make Australian medicines more expensive 14:26

25d ago14:26

14:26

Medicine in Australia could soon become more expensive and harder to come by. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme – the safety net that keeps our prescriptions cheap – has been drawn into Donald Trump’s trade war, after the US president signed an order saying the United States should not pay more for medicines than its peer countries. Drug companies…

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How abortion is weaponised in the courts 15:22

26d ago15:22

15:22

Abortion was fully decriminalised across Australia in 2023, meaning people can end a pregnancy without fear of prosecution. But that hasn’t stopped abortion being weaponised against women in the courtroom. Writer and producer Madison Griffiths, who has spent a decade covering reproductive rights, was shocked to learn that abortion records were surf…

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Why Israel attacked Iran in the middle of US-Iran talks 15:49

27d ago15:49

15:49

On Friday, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, sending roughly 200 fighter jets to hit more than a hundred sites across Iran – including parts of its nuclear program. Israel says the attack was “pre-emptive”, meant to address an immediate and inevitable threat on Iran’s part to construct a nuclear bomb. As attacks from both countries continue, s…

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The consulting firms reshaping our universities 13:17

28d ago13:17

13:17

A quiet transformation is underway at Australian universities. Behind closed doors, powerful consulting firms are helping to reshape higher education; cutting courses, centralising power, and outsourcing staff. One firm in particular, Nous Group, is now embedded in some of the country’s most prestigious institutions. At the Australian National Univ…

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Read This: Hoot and Holler for Kaliane Bradley 27:49

29d ago27:49

27:49

On the surface, Kaliane Bradley’s debut is a time-travel novel — it’s speculative fiction meets romance and espionage. But underneath? It's a sharp, satirical exploration of institutional control — of what happens when government red tape meets the impossible. On this episode of Read This, Michael sits down for a conversation with Kaliane Bradley t…

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From AUKUS to tariffs: Should Albanese repair ties with Trump? 16:18

1M ago16:18

16:18

As Anthony Albanese heads to the G7 summit, the future of Australia’s most important defence pact is suddenly uncertain. The Trump administration is reviewing AUKUS, pushing for more military spending, and condemning Australia’s new sanctions on Israeli ministers – all signs of a once stable alliance under pressure. Today, press gallery journalist …

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Trump, Musk and the big, beautiful break-up 16:18

1M ago16:18

16:18

Elon Musk and Donald Trump were once political partners – sharing praise, power and ice-cream parties. Now the pair have been trading insults on their own social media networks. In what started with Musk’s opposition to the president’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill”, that proposes extensive tax cuts, the feud has sparked threats that could ground N…

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How Trump’s mass deportations sparked a riot 16:35

1M ago16:35

16:35

US President Donald Trump’s agenda of mass deportations has reached a tipping point. After ICE raids in Los Angeles sparked street riots, the president dispatched the National Guard and active duty Marines to confront protestors, while threatening to arrest California Governor Gavin Newsom if he stands in the way. Today, senior political correspond…

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Albanese’s ‘bizarre’ reversal at Home Affairs 14:00

1M ago14:00

14:00

When Anthony Albanese first became prime minister, he began dismantling the Home Affairs super-ministry, which had been overseen by Peter Dutton. Labor had long opposed a model which saw such significant power contained within one portfolio – and removed ASIO and the AFP from Home Affairs. Now, in a spectacular reversal, and without explanation, Al…

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What young voters want from Albanese 16:16

1M ago16:16

16:16

At the recent election, a generational shift became undeniable. Nearly half of all voters were Millennials or Gen Z – and their votes helped deliver Labor its biggest lower house majority ever, returned a sizable crossbench, and left the Coalition reeling. But despite their decisive influence, young voters are still waiting for answers – especially…

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Read This: Torrey Peters’ Never-Ending Transition 38:20

1M ago38:20

38:20

Torrey Peters’ debut novel, Detransition, Baby, was an instant sensation. Longlisted for the Women’s Prize in the UK and named one of the New York Times’ best books of the 21st century so far, the book catapulted Torrey into the limelight. Her second and latest book, Stag Dance, is a collection of four stories that are brutal, funny, and brilliant.…

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Albanese’s push-back against Trump 15:52

1M ago15:52

15:52

Donald Trump’s return to power is testing Australia’s decades-old reflex to stand with the United States. When the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, demanded Canberra nearly double its military spend, Anthony Albanese answered that Australia will decide its own defence policy – and has been vocal in his criticisms of Trump’s tariffs on steel and …

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The years of lobbying behind Woodside’s North West Shelf approval 15:13

1M ago15:13

15:13

Greg Bourne, former BP Australasia president, once worked alongside Australia’s biggest LNG venture: Woodside’s North West Shelf. Now a councillor at the Climate Council, he warns extending the project will unleash billions of tonnes of emissions and threaten tens of thousands of ancient rock carvings, while delivering a “pittance” in economic bene…

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How Labor’s new super tax works 15:36

1M ago15:36

15:36

Labor is poised to move forward with its plan to increase the tax on superannuation balances over $3 million. Critics are calling the idea unfair and questioning why Labor’s super tax will apply to unrealised gains, rather than just money made. But with Labor’s super majority in parliament – and support from the Greens in the senate – their opponen…

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How Advance ‘siphoned’ funds and helped the Liberals lose 15:45

1M ago15:45

15:45

As the search to explain the Coalition’s disastrous election results continues, there’s one group being singled out inside Liberal campaign headquarters: the right-wing lobby, Advance. Flush with a multi-million dollar war chest, Advance promised to “take back” the country – yet Labor won 17 new seats and the Greens vote barely moved. As Advance an…

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Sussan Ley: ‘I’ve been underestimated a lot’ 15:51

1M ago15:51

15:51

For anyone doubting her ability to rehabilitate the Coalition after its thumping May 3 loss, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has a message: people have questioned her capability and drive before. Ley says she’s proven them all wrong – as a roustabout picking up fleeces in 40-degree heat or piloting aeroplanes low over western Queensland to muster catt…

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Read This: Kevin Wilson Is Wonderfully Weird 31:34

1M ago31:34

31:34

Kevin Wilson writes weird books about weird people — in the best possible way. In 2019’s Nothing to See Here, two children have a condition that means they spontaneously combust. In Now Is Not the Time to Panic, two lonely young artists wreak havoc on their small town, prompting fears of Satanism. This week on Read This, Michael sits down with Kevi…

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Fresh cabinet, old wounds: The Coalition’s uneasy truce 16:44

2M ago16:44

16:44

After a week of turmoil, the Coalition has patched things up and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has unveiled her new shadow ministry. The appointments show the Coalition’s wounds are still raw. Nationals Leader David Littleproud secured key concessions in the renewed pact, but his hardball tactics have colleagues wondering how long he’ll last. Meanwh…

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‘A total, miserable, self-loathing poser’: The neuroscientist taking on Elon Musk 16:05

2M ago16:05

16:05

Philip Low’s brain-mapping breakthrough made him a billionaire. Now a blistering Facebook post has thrust the neuroscientist into a new fight – with his old friend, Elon Musk. Low called Musk a “narcissist with an obsessive lust for power” in a post shared nearly 50,000 times before it mysteriously vanished. Now Low is claiming X and other social m…

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Syria’s president: From rebel fighter to meeting with Trump 16:30

2M ago16:30

16:30

Until late last year, the United States had a US$10 million bounty on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. A former leader of the al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Sharaa was once an enemy of America. Now Syria’s transitional leader, al-Sharaa has just met US President Donald Trump, who called him “an attractive young guy” with “a strong past” a…

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‘A cancer’: How Abbott and Credlin control the Liberals 16:48

2M ago16:48

16:48

Tony Abbott was on a layover in Dubai when he phoned Natasha Griggs – the president of the Country Liberal Party – and set off a chain reaction inside the Coalition. Hours later, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defected to the Liberals and a surprise leadership ticket was taking shape. For moderates, it was another sign that the former prime minis…

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The ‘carbon bomb’ awaiting Australia’s new environment minister 16:53

2M ago16:53

16:53

Australia has a new environment minister – and he has a big job ahead of him: fixing the country’s broken environment laws. Murray Watt has replaced Tanya Plibersek, whose efforts at reform were famously thwarted by the prime minister. But before Watt can begin that task, he faces another critical decision: whether to let Woodside Energy extend its…

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Read This: What’s On Jessica Stanley’s Bookshelves? 23:40

2M ago23:40

23:40

London-based Australian author Jessica Stanley’s second novel, Consider Yourself Kissed, opens with all the beats of a classic romantic comedy – a meet-cute, a grand gesture, instant attraction – but what follows is a book about the next bit, the day to day reality of just living. But Jessica writes it with grace and wit and compassion, finding the…

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Is the Coalition back from the dead? 13:26

2M ago13:26

13:26

Yesterday we were saying “rest in peace” to the Coalition – but today there are signs it could be reborn. The Liberal and National parties are back at the negotiating table to see if they can repair their broken bond. How Sussan Ley handles this moment will say a lot about the future of the Liberal Party under her leadership. It’s a choice between …

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RIP the Coalition 16:34

2M ago16:34

16:34

Just a week after taking charge in the wake of the Liberals’ disastrous election result, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley now finds herself without a coalition partner. Nationals leader David Littleproud says he walked from the agreement after the Liberals refused to lock in a list of policy commitments, while Ley accused the Nationals of holding the a…

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The fake orphans trafficked to Australia 16:35

2M ago16:35

16:35

Thousands of children from South Korea have been adopted by Australian families over decades. In many cases, these children were raised to believe they were orphans – and their adoptive families believed they were doing something loving and selfless by giving them a home. But a much more sinister truth has been laid bare: South Korea’s own Truth an…

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Why Trump didn’t visit Israel and what it means for Gaza 16:10

2M ago16:10

16:10

Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plans to step up his country’s attacks on Gaza, with “extensive ground operations”. Israeli officials have described the strategy as “conquering” and occupying the strip. That plan is now underway, with ground operations in the north and in the south. In the past week, hundreds …

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Larissa Waters seems nice 17:08

2M ago17:08

17:08

Larissa Waters is the new leader of the Australian Greens. She steps in as the party reels from its election wipe-out, losing three of its four seats in the House of Representatives – including that of Adam Bandt. Senator Waters’ task is to repair the Greens’ image: Labor has painted the party as obstructive and militant, and that perception has co…

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Read This: Josephine Rowe Isn’t Interested In Efficiency 25:56

2M ago25:56

25:56

Josephine Rowe’s writing has been described by the New York Times as “gorgeous” and “precise”. This is particularly evident in her latest novel, Little World; a slender book that offers a deeper, denser exploration of ideas than its modest page count might suggest. This week on Read This, Michael sits down with Josephine to discuss the genesis of L…