ABC News Daily

After spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help put Donald Trump in the White House, Elon Musk is launching his own political party.  Musk says his ‘America Party’ will challenge the status quo, which he believes is bankrupting the United States.  Today, political scientist Geoff Kabaservice from the Niskanen Center on what the party stands for and who might vote for it. Featured:  Geoff Kabaservice, vice president for political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington, DC

The Reserve Bank board has defied the expectations of investors, many economists and even the treasurer.  It’s not giving borrowers an interest rate cut this month, revealing a six to three split on the decision to keep rates on hold.  Today, the ABC’s business editor Michael Janda on whether the RBA is playing it too safe.  Featured:  Michael Janda, ABC Business Editor

Cancer has traditionally been a disease of old age. But younger Australians aged in their 30s and 40s are increasingly being diagnosed with cancer and scientists are desperate to understand why.  Could it be processed foods, plastics, or exposures during childhood or birth? Today, Dr Norman Swan on his Four Corners investigation into what could be causing the sharp rise in cancer rates among younger generations and what can be done about it. Featured:  Dr Norman Swan, Four Corners reporter and host of The Health Report

After deliberating for a week, a jury has found Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three relatives by serving them a beef Wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms.  She had pleaded not guilty to the crimes, saying the mushrooms were accidentally included in the meals. The team at the ABC’s Mushroom Case Daily podcast has been following every development and today on ABC News Daily we bring you their coverage of the verdict.

Music has always been a powerful form of protest, but rap band Bob Vylan could be facing criminal charges after leading a chant at Glastonbury calling for ‘death’ to the Israeli military. The incident was shown on the BBC and the broadcaster, festival organisers and the UK Prime Minister have all raised concerns about anti-Semitism.   Today, British music journalist Dorian Lynskey on the controversy and when protests by musicians go too far.  Featured:  Dorian Lynskey, British music journalist, author and podcaster

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has set his sights on bold economic reform with options to be discussed at a meeting of some of the nation’s best policy minds next month.  It’s called the economic reform roundtable, but is a big shake up of the tax system, for example, even possible in the current political climate?  Today, the ABC’s finance expert Alan Kohler on why these experts would be better off talking about artificial intelligence and even a hike to the GST.  Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance expert

Parents send their young children to childcare trusting they’ll return home each day safely.  But families are in shock after a Victorian childcare worker was charged with 70 offences, including sexual assault and producing child abuse material. The alleged victims were as young as 5 months old.  The staff member had worked at 20 different centres and held a valid Working with Children Check.  Today, Caroline Croser-Barlow from The Front Project, which works to improve early childhood education, on whether the system is safe and how governments can fix it.  Featured:  Caroline Croser-Barlow, CEO of The Front Project

After the strikes against Iran, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is turning his focus back to the conflict in Gaza.  Talks are planned between Netanyahu and the US president at the White House next week, as Donald Trump insists “we’re going to get a ceasefire”.  Benjamin Netanyahu also faces public pressure in Israel to bring the hostages home, but is it really time to strike a deal with Hamas? Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on whether new talks with the US could deliver a lasting ceasefire. Featured:  Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute

The countdown is on to the start of the social media ban for Australian children aged under 16.  It’s due to start in December, but which platforms are banned and how users will have to prove their age is yet to be revealed.  Today, the ABC’s national technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre on the many unanswered questions.  Featured:  Ange Lavoipierre, ABC’s national technology reporter

How often do you use AI chatbots?   They’re becoming part of our everyday lives. But when you pump in a question into something like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, do you ever think about the energy it uses?  Today, Gordon Noble from the Institute of Sustainable Futures at UTS on the power hungry data centres driving AI, the water used to keep them cool and the cost for the environment.  Featured:  Gordon Noble, research director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney

Donald Trump was elected on the promise of putting America first and staying out of foreign conflicts.  So the US President’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities caused the first and very public split among his Make America Great Again base, with influential figures like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon leading the charge against US involvement. Today, senior political correspondent for the Wall Street Journal Molly Ball on the fighting MAGA factions and what it means for Trump.  Featured:  Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal

One of Iran’s closest allies outside the Middle East is Russia.  So, why did Vladimir Putin decide not to come to Tehran’s aid and provide military support as Israel and then America worked to destroy its nuclear program?  Today, Anna Borshchevskaya from the Washington Institute, an expert in Russia’s policy in the Middle East, on what the war means for Moscow and whether Putin might help Iran to rebuild its nuclear capacity. Featured:  Anna Borshchevskaya, senior fellow at the Washington Institute

Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire in the Israel-Iran war, declaring it should be called “The 12 Day War”.  But there was confusion over whether Iran and Israel had agreed in the hours following the social media post. It came not long after Iran fired missiles at an American military base in Qatar, retaliating against the US bombing of its key nuclear sites.   Today, Jonathan Panikoff from the Atlantic Council’s Middle East program on whether peace will hold.   Featured:  Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Program

After the US bombing of key nuclear facilities, Donald Trump is now raising the prospect of regime change in Iran.  He wants to Make Iran Great Again and says it’s not ‘politically correct’ to discuss the idea, but he asks ‘why wouldn’t there be a regime change?’.  Today, Ali Vaez from the International Crisis Group on the three options now open to Iran’s leaders and why surrender is not the one they’ll go for.  Featured:  Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group

The United States has joined the war with Iran, with American war planes dropping bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites.  Donald Trump addressed the American people from the White House.  He claims US bombs have “totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites.  Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thinks the action could usher in a future of peace in the Middle East. Today, international relations expert Rajan Menon on the widening conflict and what comes next.  Featured:  Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York and a senior research fellow at Columbia University’s Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies

A week since Israel began the conflict with Iran there’s been no great shock to the global economy.  But a significant escalation in the conflict could see a spike in oil and petrol prices, raising the prospect of surging inflation, once again.  Today, the ABC’s finance expert Alan Kohler steps through the potential impacts for Australians’ finances and why we shouldn’t be too worried, for now. Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance presenter

Israel’s strikes against Iran took the regime and residents in Tehran largely by surprise. Even though striking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure had long been part of Israel’s playbook, the Israeli people have been caught up as some Iranian missiles get through the defences. The conflict has been foreshadowed in warnings Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given about Iran’s nuclear program for decades.  But do Israelis back Netanyahu’s case for action and what is his endgame in Iran? Today, the ABC’s Middle East Correspondent Eric Tlozek on the ground in Israel.  Featured:  Eric Tlozek, ABC Middle East Correspondent

Israel has been ramping up pressure on Donald Trump for the US to join its strikes on Iran. It’s believed that only the US has the bombs that could destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities hidden deep underground.  But does the Iranian regime actually have the nuclear capability the Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu says it does and was it really close to building a bomb? Today, nuclear weapons expert Ben Zala from Monash University on Iran’s nuclear program and whether Israel really needed to strike now.  Featured:  Dr Ben Zala, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Monash School of Social Sciences

As Donald Trump was watching a military parade in Washington DC, huge numbers of Americans took to the streets in the largest nationwide protests against his administration since his return to the White House.  They were declaring ‘No Kings’, rallying against what they say is Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and the threat he poses to democracy.   Today, Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, on the shift in public mood and what it means for the president.  Featured:  Molly Ball, senior political correspondent for The Wall Street Journal

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu insists his sweeping attacks on Iran are a necessity to protect his country from a ‘nuclear holocaust’. But what is his ultimate aim?  The two countries are exchanging attacks, with an Israeli strike hitting the world’s biggest gas field and some Iranian missiles hitting buildings inside Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu insists the attacks were nothing compared to what Iran would see in the coming days.  Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on the risks of further escalation and America being drawn into the conflict.  Featured:  Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

Across America, protests against Donald Trump’s immigration raids are popping up, a week since the unrest in Los Angeles began.  Protesters are incensed that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue to enter workplaces to round up undocumented immigrants.  But it’s Donald Trump’s decision to send California National Guard troops and Marines to LA to protect federal agents and property that’s really causing a stir.  Today, Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, on why it’s an authoritarian move Trump has long wanted to take and the risks of normalising troops on the streets.  Featured:  Ilya Somin, Professor of Law at the George Mason University in Virginia and the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute

Since Israel began allowing a limited amount of food back into Gaza, the handout has been marked by disturbing scenes, including civilians being shot dead near the limited aid distribution sites. Today, we speak with Australian James Elder, the global spokesman for UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children.  He’s on the ground in Gaza and explains why the chaos was inevitable. Featured:  James Elder, Global Spokesman for UNICEF

California’s governor insists protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown in Los Angeles were being brought under control by local police.  So, why did the US president overrule the Democratic state leaders and send in National Guard troops and now the Marines?  Today, Melanie Mason, a senior reporter covering California politics for POLITICO on Trump’s dramatic intervention, fears it could escalate the unrest and what’s motivating the US president.  Featured:  Melanie Mason, senior political reporter covering California politics at POLITICO

The explosive break-up of Donald Trump and Elon Musk has been fascinating to watch as the pair trade insults and threats.  Could there be a reconciliation between the president and the billionaire? Or could Elon Musk follow through on his threats to start backing other political forces? Musk’s space and satellite businesses are heavily involved in the US government, so there could be real world consequences if the two don’t come to some sort of understanding.  Today, Geoff Kabaservice from the centre-right think tank the Niskanen Center explains why the disintegration of their relationship is entertaining but also disturbing.   Featured:  Geoff Kabaservice, vice president for political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington, DC

The oil and gas giant Woodside has been handed a big win by Labor, with the life of its massive gas plant in Western Australia extended until 2070. That’s great news for the company that wants to start extracting gas from a new basin off the WA coast. But given that almost all the gas is sent overseas, what’s it in for Australian taxpayers and what about the climate?  Today, reporter Jo Lauder from the ABC’s climate team on why the Albanese government has approved the extension even though we’re committed to net zero emissions by 2050. Featured:  Jo Lauder, ABC climate reporter

Donald Trump is demanding America’s allies massively boost defence spending and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be ‘imminent’. At the same time, the United Kingdom, one of Australia’s closest allies, is rushing to invest billions of dollars in its defence force to make sure it’s ‘war ready’. Today, Peter Dean from the United States Studies Centre at Sydney University on what that all means for us and whether our defence force is fit for purpose.  Featured:  Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney

Interest rates might be coming down, but house prices are heading in the other direction, once again. Given there is a major problem with housing affordability and there are so many people who can’t even afford to enter the market, who keeps pushing up prices? Today, the ABC’s finance expert Alan Kohler on why history is repeating and conditions are ripe for a housing price surge like that in the early 2000s.  He explains why housing really needs to become a bad investment.  Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance presenter

For a second day, the accused in the keenly watched mushroom murder trial has been questioned in court. Erin Patterson is accused of murdering her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson with death cap mushrooms served at a beef wellington lunch in 2023. She denies the charges.  Today, co-host of the Mushroom Case Daily podcast, Stephen Stockwell, on Erin Patterson’s evidence and the key evidence the court has heard over the past five weeks.  Featured:  Stephen Stockwell, Mushroom Case Daily co-host

Elon Musk has spent a lot of time inside the Oval Office since Donald Trump returned to the White House.  It was from there that the world’s richest man, sporting a black eye, was farewelled from his role in the Trump administration on Friday.  He insists his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has made great progress, cutting more than $150 billion from the US budget. But that falls well short of his initial wildly optimistic claims that he could slash one trillion dollars in government spending.  Today, staff writer at The Atlantic magazine, Ashley Parker, on Elon’s exit and whether that’s really the end of involvement with the Trump administration.     Featured:  Ashley Parker, staff writer at The Atlantic

Why would dozens of psychiatrists, dedicated to helping people at times of crisis, walk away from their jobs? On one hand it’s a simple pay dispute, but those who’ve been inside the system say it’s broken, with a demoralised workforce delivering substandard care. There’s a spotlight on the failures of mental health care in the New South Wales public system and a doctor has shared fears of another ‘Bondi Junction’ attack after witnessing someone with violent thoughts absconding from hospital. Today, Four Corners reporter Avani Dias on why dozens more doctors are threatening to quit and what it means for patients.  Featured:  Avani Dias, Four Corners reporter If this episode has raised any issues for you or anyone you know, Lifeline is one service that can help. Contact them on 13 11 14.

Donald Trump has spent a long time praising him, but now the US president’s view of Vladimir Putin is shifting.  Trump’s high hopes of getting Putin to the negotiating table are fading and Russia has recently launched one of the largest bombardments on Kyiv since the start of the war.   Now, the end of the war in Ukraine seems as elusive as ever and Trump says Putin is ‘crazy’ and ‘playing with fire’. Today, international relations expert Rajan Menon on why Putin is humouring Trump but will never do as he asks and end the war.  Featured:  Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York and senior research scholar at Columbia University

When it looked like heavy rain was on its way, Taree farmer Josh Hack knew he had to act and move his cattle to higher ground. Now, like so many others, Josh is facing the cleanup from the record-breaking floods that devastated large parts of the NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter regions.  Today, we consider the plight of Australia’s farmers like Josh, but also those further south fighting their way through severe drought and ask the question; is Australia still fit for farming?   Featured:  Josh Hack, Taree farmer Jess Davis, ABC climate reporter

Donald Trump is beginning to make a habit of confronting world leaders while the cameras are rolling in the Oval Office. His latest victim is South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa who was ambushed with Trump’s claims that white farmers are being persecuted in his country.   Today, Nancy Jacobs, a professor of history at Brown University on why Trump is so keen to spread false assertions of genocide and why white South Africans are moving to the US as refugees. Featured:  Nancy Jacobs, professor of history at Brown University

World leaders are strengthening their condemnations of Israel after it's renewed assault in Gaza and limiting the supply of humanitarian aid. Anthony Albanese described the ongoing blockade as 'an outrage' after the UK, France and Canada threatened sanctions last week, urging Israel to halt its latest offensive and allow more food and supplies into the besieged territory.  Nevertheless, Israel's leadership is pressing ahead. Today, a British surgeon in Gaza about the conditions on the ground, and a peace and conflict expert about what the world can do now. Featured: Dr Victoria Rose, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon in Gaza Dr Eyal Mayroz, Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict studies, University of Sydney

It was a decision driven by spite for Sydney man Peter Anderson.  He was determined to buy a solar battery for his home so he could take money away from the big power companies, while never receiving a hefty power bill again.  But his plan came unstuck after agreeing to participate in a so-called virtual power plant.  Today, energy reporter David Mercer on Peter’s dilemma, how giving back to the grid really works and whether it’s worth it.  Featured:  Dan Mercer, ABC energy reporter

Elon Musk’s once firm grasp on the EV market seems to be crumbling as Tesla sales slump, so bring in Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.  He’s investing in Slate, an auto start-up building a cheap bare-bones electric pick-up truck in the USA, called a ute in Australia.   It’ll be much cheaper than Musk’s controversial Tesla Cybertruck. Today, Giles Parkinson, founder and editor of websites Renew Economy and The Driven gives us an update on the EV market in Australia and how Slate could be a game changer if it ever came here. Featured:  Giles Parkinson, founder and editor of Renew Economy and EV website The Driven

Interest rates are falling, inflation is down and the Reserve Bank seems happier than it’s been in ages. So, have we achieved the so-called soft landing after all the economic turmoil we’ve suffered since the pandemic? Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on the latest rate cut, how many more we should expect and why Donald Trump could upend it all. Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC Chief Business Correspondent

It had been a constant of federal politics, but the coalition between the Liberal and National parties has come to a dramatic end following a disastrous election defeat. The Nationals are breaking away after the Liberals rejected a demand that key policy areas were part of the agreement between the parties.  Today, the ABCs chief digital political correspondent, Jacob Greber, on why they couldn’t move past their differences and what it means for Australian politics. Featured:  Jacob Greber, ABC chief digital political correspondent

He dropped out of the presidential race last July, but the focus is now back on Joe Biden.  The former US leader has not only been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, but a new book released this week has accused the White House of covering up a decline in his health before he stepped down to make way for Kamala Harris.   Today, Bruce Wolpe, a senior fellow from the United States Studies Centre on Biden’s cancer diagnosis and why staying in the race for so long may have changed the course of history.  Featured:  Bruce Wolpe, a senior fellow from the United States Studies Centre

When Queensland woman Emma Lovell was stabbed to death by a teenager in 2022, the community and nation was shocked. The 17-year-old offender had broken into her home on Boxing Day as the family slept.  The crime was a catalyst for a campaign for stricter sentencing for youths and Queensland went on to become the first state to introduce ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ laws.  Today, ABC News Queensland presenter Jessica van Vonderen on why other states could follow suit.   Featured:  Jessica van Vonderen, ABC News Queensland presenter

This week, Donald Trump paused his massive tariffs on Chinese goods entering the US for 90 days, slashing the rate from 145 to 30 percent. China has also come to the bargaining table, dropping 125 percent tariffs on imports from the US to 10 percent.  So, is the US president’s economic dream of bringing manufacturing back to America dead?  Today, we speak with a US outdoor clothing designer caught up in the tariff chaos about what it’s been like and to an economist to make sense of it all.   Featured:  Cassie Abel, founder and CEO of Wild Rye outdoor apparel Justin Wolfers, professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan

Donald Trump has recently secured a luxury 747 jet from Qatar and billions of dollars in investment deals from Saudi Arabia.  But as the US president continues his tour of the Middle East, there’s been no talk of a plan for peace in Gaza.  Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on Trump’s tour and why he won’t be meeting the Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.  Featured:  Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington

The new Liberal leader Sussan Ley has promised a fresh approach after the party’s disastrous result in the federal election.  But will the first female leader of the party really be able to bring it back from the brink and build a policy offering that’s attractive to voters?  Today, host of ABC TVs 7.30 Sarah Ferguson on the future of the Coalition’s nuclear power plan and Labor’s factional stoush that saw two ministers axed.   Featured:  Sarah Ferguson, host of 7.30

When tensions flared between India and Pakistan last week the world held its breath because both nations have nuclear weapons. While a ceasefire has been agreed, it hasn’t stopped the clashes in the disputed Kashmir region.  Today, Aparna Pande from the Hudson Institute in Washington DC explains the long running conflict and what could come next. Featured:  Aparna Pande, director of the Initiative on the Future for India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute

What really lies behind Bunnings’ promise of lowest prices?  The hardware superstore has carefully built a reputation for being part of the local community with its famous sausage sizzles and friendly advertising.  But a Four Corners investigation has found that the haven for DIY enthusiasts has grown to dominate the market, squeezing suppliers and competitors.  Today, reporter Angus Grigg on why the Bunnings juggernaut isn’t facing the same scrutiny as the supermarkets.  Featured:  Angus Grigg, Four Corners reporter

A new pope has been elected to lead the Roman Catholic Church.  The moment was marked by white smoke billowing from a chimney above the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV from Chicago, who worked for years in Peru, has appeared on the balcony above St Peter’s Square to greet the thousands of faithful. Today, Andrew West, host of the ABC’s Religion and Ethics Report, on what we know about the first American pope and what his election means for the future of the church. Featured: Andrew West, host of the ABC’s Religion and Ethics Report

It’s an almighty fight. In one corner is Donald Trump and the other Harvard, one of the oldest institutions in America. The US president wants to defund the university, attacking it for alleged anti-Semitism on campus. But Harvard’s retaliating, making it among the few major institutions in the US willing to take Trump on. Today, Geoff Kabaservice from the centre-right think tank the Niskanen Center on why Trump’s targeting Harvard and whether Americans will stand for it.  Featured:  Geoff Kabaservice, vice president for political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington, DC

Ian Wilkinson was the sole surviving guest of a deadly beef wellington lunch and now he’s had the chance to tell his story in court.  He has given evidence in the trial of Erin Patterson who’s accused of attempting to murder him and of murdering his wife and another couple.  The jury has also heard that before the lunch Erin Patterson told friends she had been “hiding powdered mushrooms in everything”. Today, investigative and true crime reporter Rachael Brown on the key evidence so far from the mushroom murder trial and how the prosecution is not alleging a motive.  Featured:  Rachael Brown, ABC investigative and true crime reporter

The votes are still being counted but when the new parliament is formed there will be more female MPs than ever before. But fewer than 10 will be on the Coalition benches.  Labor continues to get more women elected and put them into senior roles.  Polling suggests Peter Dutton also had a major problem attracting votes from women during the campaign.  Today, the ABC’s Annabel Crabb on whether the Coalition can ever win back the female vote. Featured:  Annabel Crabb, ABC political journalist

We were told time and again cost of living was the biggest issue for voters at the election. So, now Labor has secured a thumping victory, what’s it going to do to make things easier?  There are some extra tax cuts to come and price increases are slowing, raising hopes of happier economic times.  Today, Ian Verrender, the ABC’s chief business correspondent, on what to expect over the next three years and why the Trump factor could change everything. Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC chief business correspondent

It was a Labor win and a Coalition defeat of a magnitude few expected. Anthony Albanese has become the first prime minister to win re-election in more than 20 years, leaving the Liberal party gutted and its leader kicked out of parliament.  But what will Labor do for Australians over the next three years?  Today, Laura Tingle, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program on the landslide result and how it will change the political landscape for a long time to come.  Featured:  Laura Tingle, 7.30 political editor

Anthony Albanese has been returned as Prime Minister, in a Labor landslide. On top of a bruising defeat for his party, Opposition leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat of Dickson. The victory makes Anthony Albanese the first Prime Minister to win back-to-back elections in 20-years. So, where did it go wrong for the Coalition?  In this episode from the Politics Now podcast, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas breaks down the election results with political correspondent Jacob Greber.  Read more of Jacob's analysis here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-03/voters-reject-peter-dutton-vision-labor-victory/105247610  ABC News Daily's Sam Hawley will be back with Laura Tingle's analysis late on Sunday. Subscribe to ABC News Daily on the ABC listen app.

Opinion polls suggest Labor and Anthony Albanese will win Saturday’s election, but the ABC’s chief elections analyst Antony Green says it’s not worth predicting results. He’ll let the numbers do the talking as they come in on election night. Antony is usually the first to accurately reveal the result and this election will be his last as a presenter on the ABC after more than 30 years in the role. Today, from seats, swings and preferences to minority governments, he tells us what to look out for and shares his message to voters about the democratic process.  Featured:  Antony Green, ABC chief elections analyst

We’re now in the dying days of the election campaign with the polls suggesting enough Australians will vote Labor to return Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister.  While more than four million voters have already cast early ballots, there are 18 million people in all who’ll need to make a choice and so the race isn’t over and there’s still hope for Peter Dutton and the Coalition.  Today, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program Laura Tingle on how the past five weeks have unfolded and the missteps in the opposition’s campaign.  Featured:  Laura Tingle, 7.30’s political editor

Listeners have asked us to explain the childcare policies on offer at this election.  There’s a crisis in the quality of care, with Four Corners recently revealing alarming cases of mistreatment and even abuse of children.  Parents also want to see improvements on childcare affordability and access to places. Today, ABC investigative reporter Adele Ferguson answers your questions about the crisis and whether any party has policies that could fix childcare.  Catch our past episodes explaining energy, housing and defence policy, the backstories of the leaders and political donations.  Featured:  Adele Ferguson, ABC investigative reporter

One of the most highly anticipated murder trials in recent memory is about to begin in regional Victoria.  Erin Patterson is accused of murdering three people and attempting to murder another after serving up a Beef Wellington allegedly laced with lethal death cap mushrooms.  Today, Stephen Stockwell co-host of the ABC podcast Mushroom Case Daily on what to expect as jury selection begins.  Featured:  Stephen Stockwell, co-host of Mushroom Case Daily

Last year, more than one million Australians travelled to the United States. But if you’re planning a visit soon, be aware that under Donald Trump things have changed. The border checks have intensified, some travellers are unexpectedly being denied entry, detained and deported. Today, Sarah Kopit, editor-in-chief of travel industry news site Skift, on what's been happening to travellers at the border and how it’s leading people to postpone trips to America. Featured:  Sarah Kopit, Skift editor-in-chief

It’s a battle between Katy Perry and Katie Perry. One is an international pop super star, the other an Australian fashion designer.  Now after 15 years the case has reached its climax, landing in the High Court.  So, who will get to claim the name?  Today, Dr Sarah Hook an intellectual property law expert at UTS steps us through the trademark fight and what it could mean for all Australian brands.  Featured:  Dr Sarah Hook, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law at University of Technology Sydney

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was sent to a brutal prison in El Salvador, even though the migrant living in the United States had never been convicted of a crime.  Now, Donald Trump is refusing to follow a Supreme Court order to bring the man back to the United States.  Today, we take you inside the notorious prison where the migrant was first held with SBS Dateline reporter Catalina Florez and look at President Trump’s deal with El Salvador’s president, the self-described ‘world’s coolest dictator’.  Featured:  Catalina Florez, SBS reporter

There’s a stark difference between Labor and the Coalition on energy policy at this election.  Listeners of ABC News Daily have asked us to delve deeper into how Labor’s renewable energy targets stack up against the Coalition plans for nuclear power and gas.  Today, political correspondent Melissa Clarke steps us through the fork in the road facing voters.   Featured:  Melissa Clarke, ABC Radio National Breakfast political correspondent

Pope Francis has died.  The Vatican announced his death on Easter Monday.  He appeared at St Peter’s Square to bless thousands of people on Easter Sunday just hours before his death.   The head of the Catholic Church had been in increasingly poor health including spending a lengthy time in hospital with pneumonia.  The Catholic world is now in mourning for the 88 year old who was elected in March 2013. He’ll be remembered for the progressive, no frills approach he brought to the church. Today, Vatican Correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, Christopher White on Pope Francis’s life and legacy.   Featured: Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter

A big concern since Donald Trump returned to the White House has revolved around his authoritarian style and what it means for the future of US democracy.  So when he says he’s not joking about the possibility of serving another term as President, which is banned under the US constitution, it’s not just seen as a flippant comment.  Today Philip Klinkner a professor of government at Hamilton College in Clinton New York on how Trump could actually do it  Featured: Philip Klinkner, Professor of Government, Hamilton College, New York

This week, Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese unveiled big new policies supposed to make it easier for young Australians to buy their first home. From a five percent deposit scheme to tax deductions for mortgage interest, will the policies really help and which party will leave Australians in a better position? Recently, we brought you our Housing Hostages series with our business editor Michael Janda, all about the housing crisis, how we landed in it and how we get out of it. Today, Michael is back to explain the new policies and analyse what they’d do to the housing market. Featured:  Michael Janda, ABC business editor

In two and a half weeks you’ll be heading to the polling booth to decide who you want to lead the country for the next three years. Right now, the polls suggest that Labor’s Anthony Albanese is on track to be elected again, with Peter Dutton’s Coalition trailing. Today, host of the ABC’s 7.30 program, Sarah Ferguson, on what you need to know about the campaign so far and why anything associated with Donald Trump is now toxic to Australian politics. She explains how the Coalition’s apparent nods to ‘Trumpism’, like appointing a shadow minister for government efficiency and targeting work from home policies have seemingly backfired.  Plus, her analysis on a listener question about the relevance of the Labor and Liberal leader’s backstories; Albanese from public housing and Dutton the Queensland police officer.  Featured:  Sarah Ferguson, host of 7.30

China has been the main target of Donald Trump and his big tariffs. But can the world’s second largest economy weather the storm and even win the trade war against the United States?  Today, an expert in China’s politics, Neil Thomas, from the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington on why President Xi Jinping already has the upper hand.  Featured:  Neil Thomas, fellow of Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington DC

The rental crisis remains one of Australia’s biggest issues as rent rises increasingly outpace wage growth.  Families on an average income have been priced out of a third of postcodes in five capital cities, with Perth now overtaking Sydney as the least affordable place to rent.  Today, data journalist Inga Ting on the latest data, what the problem is doing to our cities and how the plight of renters can be improved.  Featured:  Inga Ting, data journalist with the ABC's Digital Story Innovations

US tariffs have caused Trump-supporting billionaires to lose big in market turmoil, but none more so than Elon Musk, whose net worth has shrunk by $130 billion this year.  Now, open feuding with another advisor in the Trump administration over tariff policy could mark a shift in Musk’s relationship with the White House. But when Musk’s time leading the Department of Government Efficiency is over, will it have been worth it? Today, Wired reporter Vittoria Elliot on what comes next for the world’s richest man.  Featured:  Vittoria Elliot, Wired reporter

The US is pushing ahead with its trade war with China, imposing a huge tariff on all Chinese goods entering America.  Given China is our largest trading partner, what does it mean for our hip pocket?  Today, economist Susan Stone explains what the economic chaos means for the dollar, shares, superannuation and interest rates.  Featured:  Dr Susan Stone, Credit Union SA Chair of Economics at the University of South Australia

Last week, two men allegedly each carrying a gun managed to get into the MCG for a packed AFL match. So how could that have happened in Australia, where gun control is so tight and where security screening should be amongst the best in the world?  Today, investigative reporter Josh Roberston on what unfolded and whether a new AI security system at the country’s largest stadium is really fit for purpose.  Featured:  Josh Robertson, ABC investigative reporter

Stocks are tumbling, the value of the Australian dollar is falling and the scene looks set for a US recession with global fallout.  The tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on imports to the United States are rattling global markets with potential wide ranging impacts for our economy. Our biggest trading partner China is one of the hardest hit, so what happens next?  Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on why stock market falls could signal something more ‘sinister’ ahead and how Trump’s tariffs have destroyed investor confidence.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC chief business correspondent

Both major political parties think Australia needs to spend more on defence in an increasingly uncertain world. But what is the threat we have to be ready for? Our listener, Eric, asked us about defence funding and whether boosting it can be justified when so many Australians are struggling to get by.  Today, Sam Roggeveen, director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program on whether Trump’s America is a reliable ally and why he thinks the Australian continent can be protected without breaking the bank.  Featured:  Sam Roggeveen, director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program

The US president says America has been looted and plundered for decades.   Global trade is his enemy and his response? Big tariffs, or taxes, charged on goods imported to the United States, from another 34 percent on Chinese imports to 10 percent on everything sent from Australia. They’re coming into effect this weekend and Trump thinks they will revitalise the American manufacturing industries and the economy.  The Australian treasurer describes it as a dark day for the global economy. Today, North America correspondent Carrington Clarke explains what it means for all of us.  Featured:  Carrington Clarke, ABC North America correspondent

The power of the unions has always been a huge battleground for Labor and the Coalition. Now there are revelations about the role the former Prime Minister John Howard and his ministers really played in one of the biggest, most divisive industrial disputes in Australia’s history.  In April 1998 Patrick Stevedores dismissed and locked out 1400 wharfies from their worksites, planning to install an alternate non-union workforce.  Today, Jan Fran host of the podcast series Conspiracy? War on the Waterfront on what was hidden from the public until now.  For the whole series, look for Rewind on the ABC Listen app. Featured:  Jan Fran, host of Conspiracy? War on the Waterfront

We won’t know until after this election who has donated to the political parties for this campaign and how much they’ve handed over.  But voters are sceptical, with some of our listeners questioning the role of billionaires in our politics.  Evalyn from Bendigo in Victoria asked us about the mining magnate Gina Rinehart. What influence do donations to political parties get you? Today, Kate Griffiths from the Grattan Institute explains what we know about political donors.  Featured:  Kate Griffiths, researcher at the Grattan Institute

It’s just a TV show, it’s not real, but the series Adolescence has really got people talking.  The Netflix crime drama is about a teenage boy accused of murdering a female classmate and it takes the issues of toxic masculinity, loneliness and the gender divide to the extreme.  It’s got a lot of parents thinking about what their children are seeing on their phones when they’re in their rooms.  Today, parenting author and educator Michelle Mitchell on what the show gets right and wrong and the responsibilities of parents.  Featured:  Michelle Mitchell, parenting author and educator

Last week, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young stood up in the Senate chamber holding a big dead fish. Almost all of us have eaten Tasmanian farmed salmon at some point, so why has it become so contentious ahead of the federal election?  Today, Leon Compton, host of ABC Radio’s Tasmania Mornings program, explains the controversy and what it means for the pink flesh fish on so many dining tables.  Featured:  Leon Compton, host of ABC Radio Tasmania Mornings

On May 3rd, just five weeks from now, Australians will be heading to the polls.  The campaigning is underway after a visit to the Governor General by the Prime Minister.  So, who will convince Australians they deserve to lead the country for the next three years, Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton?  It’s an election with key policy differences so far all about the cost of living and energy policy.   Today, election analyst Casey Briggs explains why there’s a growing number of swing voters. He’s been looking at what they’re thinking as politicians begin the hard sell.   We want you to help shape ABC News Daily’s coverage of this election campaign. Send us a short voice memo telling us what’s caught your attention in this campaign. We’ll dedicate one episode each week of the campaign to explain a policy area and the politics around it with an expert or a journalist. We need topics and policies that a lot of people will be interested in. Email us: abcnewsdaily@abc.net.au Featured:  Casey Briggs, ABC election analyst

Very senior members of the Trump administration have this week been caught mistakenly sharing secret plans to bomb the Houthi rebel group in Yemen with a journalist. It happened when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic was added to a group chat on the popular messaging app Signal, in what appears to be a spectacular breach of US national security. Today, David Smith, from the United States Studies Centre on the great ‘Signalgate’ scandal.  Featured:  David Smith, associate professor of American Politics and Foreign Policy at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney

It’s a budget with a surprise tax cut, so there must be an election coming up.  Today, Laura Tingle, political editor for the ABC’s 7.30 program tells us the new tax cut is the world’s biggest ‘neon sign’, giving the Labor government a selling point for its fourth budget.  She says there are a few things working politically for the prime minister at the moment as the Coalition ‘implodes’. But everything can change in the upcoming election campaign.  Featured:  Laura Tingle, 7.30 political editor

Every taxpayer is getting a new tax cut in a pre-election pitch from Labor revealed in the federal budget.  It’s not much extra, starting at just a few hundred dollars extra over the whole year in 2026-27 for a worker on average earnings.  At the same time, the budget’s back in red, with a decade of deficits forecast. So, how is Labor managing the economy? Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender joins Sam Hawley in the budget ‘lock up’ where reporters and experts get early access to the government’s economic plan. Featured:  Ian Verrender, ABC Chief Business Correspondent

The Trump administration insists there’s been real progress towards a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, but is Donald Trump being played by Vladimir Putin? Talks continue this week in Saudi Arabia, but it’s questionable whether Russia’s conditions can ever be accepted by the Ukrainians.  Today, Matthew Sussex from the Centre for European Studies at the Australian National University on where the talks are up to and what Putin really wants.   Featured:  Associate Professor Matthew Sussex, Centre for European Studies at the Australian National University

We’re being told to expect our electricity bills to go up again this year.   So why is it that we keep seeing hikes above the inflation rate and are extra government subsidies in this week's budget the best solution?  Today, energy expert from the Grattan Institute Alison Reeve explains why consumers keep being slugged and what the long-term outlook is for our power costs.  Featured:  Alison Reeve, energy and climate change deputy program director at the Grattan Institute

Donald Trump’s showdown with the courts reached a new level this week when it appeared that the US government defied a judge’s order blocking the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.  The US president invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to send alleged gang members to El Salvador where they’re being held in a harsh prison.  It seems that planes were in the air when the judge made the ruling, so why weren’t they turned around?  Today, what happens if the Trump administration ignores the courts. Ilya Somin, law professor at George Mason University, on the risks of a constitutional crisis in the United States.  Featured:  Ilya Somin, Professor of Law at George Mason University in Virginia and the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute

Buying a carton of eggs at your local supermarket has become a lot harder in the past year.  The shelves are often bare, there’s a limit on the number of cartons you can take home and prices are rising.  Today, Landline reporter Tim Lee explains how bird flu is leading to a major egg shortage and why it could last for years.  Featured:  Tim Lee, Landline reporter

Married at First Sight is the highest rating show on Australian television. It’s been around for a while but the toxic relationships it features are increasingly being called into question, with one incident this season being investigated by police.  Today, Beverley Wang, host of the ABC’s pop culture podcast Stop Everything, on why so many Australians are drawn to the reality show and whether it’s fit for television.  Featured:  Beverley Wang, ABC national culture correspondent and host of Stop Everything!

If the Coalition wins the federal election, Peter Dutton wants to appoint his own Elon Musk to cut government spending.  Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is now the shadow minister for government efficiency, a title that echoes the Department Of Government Efficiency in the United States.  So, what will be on the chopping block? And do Australians really want a Trump-style DOGE? Today, Mark Kenny, director of the Australian Studies Institute at the Australian National University, on whether slashing the public service really saves money in the end.  Featured:  Mark Kenny, director of the Australian Studies Institute at the Australian National University and host of ‘Democracy Sausage’ podcast

It’s a $20 billion industry charged with the care of almost one and a half million Australian children.  But is the child care sector being run by the wrong people? Can parents trust their kids will be safe when they drop them off each day?  Today, Adele Ferguson on her Four Corners investigation into how profits are often put ahead of care and how some centres are not what they seem.  Editor's note: Adele's investigation 'Betrayal of Trust' goes to air on Monday 17 March at 8.00pm on ABC TV and ABC iview Featured: Adele Ferguson, ABC investigative reporter

Donald Trump, a long time electric vehicle sceptic, is now the owner of a brand new Tesla.  But can the US president’s new found love for EVs save the brand, with Tesla stock tumbling since CEO Elon Musk took on his high profile role in the Trump administration? Today, an EV expert on all things Tesla and where EV sales are heading in Australia. We also speak with an Australian Tesla owner who’s struggling with having a Musk-mobile in her driveway.  Featured:  ‘Vanessa’, Tesla owner Giles Parkinson, founder and editor of The Driven

The Prime Minister has agreed insurance companies are ripping us off and there are many Australians who would have experienced that firsthand. So, how will they respond as tens of thousands of claims are lodged after flooding in the wake of ex-Cyclone Alfred?  Today, national consumer affairs reporter Michael Atkin on why premiums keep rising and what can be done to level the playing field.    Featured:  Michael Atkin, ABC national consumer affairs reporter

Donald Trump will impose tariffs on Australian aluminium and steel imports this week, but in the lead up, the government was still hoping for an exemption. So, how should we be dealing with the US president?  The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, for one, isn’t holding back. His criticism of Donald Trump has landed him in the president’s firing line. But the real casualty of Trump’s trade policies can be seen on the stock markets, which are suffering heavy falls as the president refuses to rule out a recession. Today, chief business correspondent Ian Verrender on what’s got the markets so worried and what a Trump recession could mean for all of us. Update: After we published this episode, the White House confirmed Australia would not be granted an exemption on aluminium and steel imports.  Featured:  Ian Verrender, chief business correspondent

The world was shocked by Donald Trump’s oval office clash with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US president has been aligning himself with Russia’s view of the war in Ukraine and pressuring the Ukrainians to start negotiating, without any iron-clad security guarantees.  As Donald Trump takes a less adversarial approach to Vladimir Putin, who else wins?  Today, Dan Blumenthal, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a centre right think tank, on what it all means for China’s ambitions in our region and around the world.  Featured:  Dan Blumenthal, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute

Just before midnight on Friday millions of people living in south-east Queensland were told to take shelter, to go to the strongest room and stay there.    Tropical Cyclone Alfred was coming their way and for most residents it was the first time they’d faced such a threat.    By the next morning Alfred would be downgraded to a tropical low, even before it reached the mainland.    So what happened? How did it unfold and how should we assess the warnings, preparation and response?   Today, we speak to a cyclone expert and go to Lismore in northern New South Wales where the community is breathing a sigh of relief.    Featured:  Jonathan Nott, professor of Geoscience at James Cook University Jenny Dowell, Red Cross deputy team leader and former mayor of Lismore

For so many experts and politicians, the answer to Australia’s housing crisis is simple. Rejig zoning rules, build more homes and get Australians into increasingly dense developments. But is the supply ‘solution’ the cure-all it’s made out to be?  In this final episode of our series, ABC business editor Michael Janda looks at what really needs to be done on supply and demand to make it just a little bit easier for people to buy a home.  We’ll also take you to Melbourne, where apartment prices have flatlined over the past five years and first home buyers are flooding into the market.  We’ll explain what it will take to finally free Australia’s housing hostages.

Has a housing bubble ever burst without devastating pain across the economy and society?  New Zealand is in a recession and home values are more than 17 per cent lower than the post-COVID peak. In Ireland, a massive house price surge and crash in the 2000s saw house prices in Dublin more than half.  So, does Australia need a crash and what would that mean for all of us?  Some economists think recessions are needed occasionally to reset the economy. In this episode ABC business editor Michael Janda explains how a shock wave would ripple through the economy if the housing bubble bursts.  Is the medicine worth the pain?

How did Australia go from a place where most middle-class people could own their own house, to one where even a small apartment is out of reach for so many?  You can pick your villain. Is it immigrants, investors, Howard and Costello, the big banks, or something else?  In this episode, ABC business editor Michael Janda identifies the key moments and policies that cemented property as a lucrative investment, creating a mismatch in supply and demand and sending house prices to extraordinarily high levels.

Imagine it’s 2050 and the housing bubble in Australia never burst. Where do we live, how do we pay for it and what is day to day life like?  Exorbitant home prices not only keep Australians in the crowded and expensive rental market, but they also change life plans and society.  In this episode, ABC business editor Michael Janda explains why housing crisis is the country’s biggest issue. It locks people into debt, delays retirement, creates stress and insecurity, contributes to falling birth rates and exacerbates inequalities between the generations.  We’re hostage to housing.

Housing has become a dream for investors and a nightmare for those struggling to get a slice of the pie. We find ourselves increasingly mired in a debt trap at both an individual and economy-wide level.  This is Housing Hostages; a five-part series from ABC News Daily. With the help of ABC business editor Michael Janda, we’ll get to the heart of the housing crisis and explain why we’re all hostage to housing.  Imagine owning dozens of properties at once. In this episode, investing expert Margaret Lomas explains how climbing the property ladder over decades delivered her housing and financial security. We meet desperate first home buyers and explain why emulating Margaret’s property success is now impossible.  In this series, we’ll scrutinise the possible culprits for this crisis and look at how our housing fortunes influence everything from birth rates to retirement plans. Is it time for the housing bubble to burst and what lessons are there from overseas about what happens next? Finally, we examine the supply solution that so many vested interests reach for and ask; what really needs to be done to boost the supply of housing and dampen demand for it, to try to make things just a little bit better?

It was Donald Trump’s first cabinet meeting of his second term, sitting at a table with his controversial picks, all dressed in suits and smiling for the cameras. But it was a man dressed all in black, wearing a T-shirt, jeans and a black MAGA cap who dominated the room.  Elon Musk is the man of the moment, as he goes about slashing government spending and jobs.  Today, Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic, on what Musk and Trump are really trying to achieve.  Featured:  Tom Nichols, staff writer at The Atlantic

At 4.1 percent, Australia has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world. That should mean that most people who want a job, have a job.  But for anyone looking to switch jobs or climb up the ladder it’s really hard.  Experienced professionals who have decades of experience are being overlooked for cheaper, younger talent.  Today, business reporter Nassim Khadem on why job hunting’s become like online dating, where hirers ‘ghost’ applicants.  Featured:  Nassim Khadem, ABC business reporter