ABC News Daily

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

US President Donald Trump insists that Russian leader Vladimir Putin would allow peacekeepers into Ukraine as part of a deal to end the war. But how would that work and would it be risky having soldiers from European nations on Russia’s doorstep? Today, Russia expert Matthew Sussex on the three-year anniversary and what version of peace the US and Russian leaders are aiming for.  Featured:  Matthew Sussex, associate professor at the Centre for European Studies at the Australian National University

Labor and the opposition are in furious agreement, each committing to boost funding for Medicare to stop the decline in the number of GPs bulk billing. But what was behind the fall in the first place and can $8.5 billion fix it?  Today, health economist Stephen Duckett on how the bulk billing incentive policy could work and whether your GP is about to offer bulk billing.  Featured: Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor in the School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne

You’ve heard of IVF, now scientists are working on the next generation of reproductive technology, called IVG or in vitro gametogenesis.  It’s technology to produce eggs and sperm in a lab, possibly from just the skin cells of a prospective parent.  It would, in theory, allow three people to create a baby or even just one person, alone.  Today, Dr Alexandra Harvey, a senior research scientist with Melbourne IVF on the science behind it and the ethical dilemmas it will bring. Featured:  Dr Alexandra Harvey, senior research scientist at Melbourne IVF

Donald Trump declared Ukraine had started the war with Russia and labelled its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a dictator.  Trump’s vice president JD Vance has thrown his support behind far-right parties in Germany. At the same time, talks on ending the war in Ukraine began with only the US and Moscow at the table.  It was a week where we saw an extraordinary shift in American foreign policy, which led to European leaders holding crisis talks.  Today, Samir Puri, director of Chatham House’s centre for global governance and security on how it all unfolded and the consequences that could follow.   Featured:  Dr Samir Puri, Director of the Centre for Global Governance and Security at Chatham House and author of Westlessness: The Great Global Rebalancing

The RBA’s interest rate cut has been largely welcomed but it won’t make much difference to the family budget.  So, why is there speculation that the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese might call an early election because of it? Today, we speak to someone whose life was upended by the 13 interest rate rises and to a pollster about why Labor’s finding it hard to convince voters it’s not to blame for the financial pain.   Featured:  ‘Jane’, former home owner Kos Samaras, former Labor strategist and director of the RedBridge Group

It’s almost three years since the Reserve Bank began the most aggressive cash rate hiking cycle in its history to combat surging inflation. Now, Australia’s central bank has delivered a slight reprieve to borrowers, taking 25 basis points off the interest rate for mortgages, once the banks pass it on.  Today, the ABC’s finance expert Alan Kohler on what it means for households and when the next cut might be.  Featured:  Alan Kohler, ABC finance expert

Within hours of its release, the Chinese-owned AI chatbot called DeepSeek became one of the most downloaded apps in the world. Most commentators say it performs just as well as the market-leader ChatGPT, but should we be wary of it?  Each time users open it up and type something into that box, the app is gathering information and sending it back to servers in China.  Today, ABC technology reporter Ange Lavoipierre on why the Australian government has banned it on its devices and whether the rest of us should avoid using it.  Featured:  Ange Lavoipierre, ABC national technology reporter

Emily’s son loved sport, animals, reading and music, but when he turned 16, everything changed.  He started to get obsessed by politics and thought the country was headed in the wrong direction.  It wasn’t until his mother saw a photo of her son on the news that she realised he’d joined a neo-Nazi group.  Emily hopes a deradicalisation program will keep her son safe from extremists, but there’s concern about the availability and quality of the services.  Today, Four Corners reporter Avani Dias on Emily’s case and a rise in extremism among young Australians.    Featured:  Avani Dias, Four Corners reporter

Donald Trump says negotiations to end the war in Ukraine have begun and both Russia and Ukraine want peace.  The US president chose to call the instigator of the war Vladimir Putin first to discuss a potential deal, raising fears he’ll push Ukraine to the sidelines.  The US is already insisting that Ukraine can’t restore its territory to what it had in 2014 and it says Ukraine won’t join the NATO military alliance.  Today, international relations expert Rajan Menon on what peace might really look like under Trump.  Featured:  Rajan Menon, professor emeritus of international relations at the City College of New York and senior research scholar at Columbia University

Two nurses from a Sydney hospital have been stood down while police and the health department investigate them for making threatening comments about Israelis.  One says they’ll refuse to treat Israeli patients and the other even claims he’s killed Israeli patients. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the comments made by the pair were "vile, dehumanising and unacceptable". Today, Deborah Stone from The Jewish Independent news website on the footage and the response to it.  Featured:  Deborah Stone, editor-in-chief of The Jewish Independent

Donald Trump says no nation will be exempt, although there’s a prospect of Australia winning a rare reprieve from hefty tariffs being imposed on all steel and aluminium imports to the United States.  Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been on a phone call with the US president, urging him to exempt Australia from the 25 per cent import tax.  The key argument is that Australia imports a lot more from the US than it sells there.  Today, economist Susan Stone on the latest front in the trade wars and what it means for us.  Featured:  Dr Susan Stone, Credit Union SA Chair of Economics at the University of South Australia

Elon Musk thinks the peak US foreign aid agency is ‘evil’ and so in his powerful position as Donald Trump’s cost cutter he’s getting rid of it. USAID was set up by President John F. Kennedy and supports humanitarian projects across the globe.  Already there are reports of people dying on the Thai-Myanmar border when a US supported hospital in a refugee camp was abruptly shut down.  So, what’s Mr Musk up to and why? Featured:  Matthew Maury, interim CEO of The Australian Council for International Development Alan Yu, senior vice president for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress

BMI, or body mass index, has long been used as a simple calculation to determine if someone is underweight, a ‘healthy’ weight or obese. But when it was devised by a Belgian mathematician almost 200 years ago, it was never supposed to be a tool to measure health. Now, researchers are challenging the way obesity is defined and diagnosed. Today, a look at the new approach and why there’s a global push away from BMI. Featured:  Willow Moscarda, Perth student Dr Louise Bauer, Professor of child and adolescent health, University of Sydney

The police bodycam vision has been beamed around the world after being played in a London court.  It shows Sam Kerr calling a police constable ‘f***ing stupid and white.’  Now the Matildas captain is on trial over allegations she racially harassed him. Today, host of The Sports Ambassador podcast Tracey Holmes walks us through the case.  Featured:  Tracey Holmes, The Sports Ambassador podcast host

Donald Trump wants America to take over Gaza and for all Palestinians to leave so it can be turned into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”  The idea, unleashed in a joint press conference with the Israeli Prime Minister at the White House, is a complete upending of decades of Middle Eastern policy that could involve American troops on the ground.  Today, Hussein Ibish from the Arab Gulf States Institute on the implications of Trump’s words and what might come next.   Featured: Hussein Ibish, senior scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, Washington D.C.

Donald Trump says he loves tariffs but just hours after he slapped massive levies on Mexico and Canada he’s taken them away.  The surprising U-turn has rattled financial markets and revived fears of a global trade war.  So, what on earth is the US President up to and how will the global economy respond?  Today ABC TV’s finance expert Alan Kohler on what Trump’s tariff moves mean for Australia.  Featured: Alan Kohler, ABC TV finance expert

The raids and deportations have begun and undocumented migrants in the United States are being rounded up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.  President Donald Trump is making good on his threats to target those accused of crimes first, with plans to send tens of thousands of people to Guantanamo Bay detention centre.  Today, an immigration attorney from Texas explains how the new policy is playing out on the ground. Featured: Ruby Powers, immigration attorney in Houston, Texas

From this week all Australian kids will be back at school for the year, but what can we do to improve their results?  There has been a concerning decline in performance in numeracy and literacy tests over the past two decades.  Today, education reporter Conor Duffy on why Australian students underperform and how one group is bucking the trend.  Conor Duffy explains that the most recent NAPLAN tests show one third of students not meeting minimum benchmarks.  He says students from language backgrounds other than English are consistently outperforming their peers.  Conor Duffy emphasises the importance of parental engagement in improving student outcomes.  Featured:  Conor Duffy, education reporter Key Topics: Australian education  NAPLAN test results Literacy and numeracy performance Language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE) Parental engagement in education Inquiry-based learning vs. explicit teaching

The caravan was carrying enough explosives to cause mass casualties if detonated, so why did police keep its discovery secret for 10 days?  A note found in the van indicated that Jewish sites were the targets.  Today, terrorism expert Greg Barton on what we know about the case and if anything can be done now to stop the rise in anti-Semitism.  Police say the explosives could have had a blast zone radius of 40 metres. Professor Barton explains that the use of explosives usually used in mining suggests links to organised crime.  He also highlights the chilling possibility of a mass casualty event targeting Jewish sites.  The discussion delves into the complexities of labelling the incident as terrorism and the potential involvement of foreign actors.  Featured:  Greg Barton, terrorism expert and Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Deakin University Key Topics: Anti-Semitism in Australia Terrorism threats Explosives Jewish community  Counter-terrorism  Social cohesion

When Donald Trump returned to the US presidency, he unveiled DOGE, the Department Of Government Efficiency.  It’s a cost cutting body for government spending run by the world’s richest man Elon Musk.  Last weekend, the opposition leader Peter Dutton unveiled the Coalition’s brand-new spokeswoman for government efficiency, supposed to cut wasteful spending here in Australia. Today, host of The Party Room podcast, Patricia Karvelas on why Mr Dutton will only go so far down the Trump path.   She highlights eerie similarities between Dutton's new portfolio and Trump's DOGE. She also explains how Dutton is selectively adopting parts of Trump's agenda that he believes will resonate with Australian voters.  Patricia Karvelas says Dutton's approach is tailored to the unique political landscape of Australia, which differs from the US in key ways. Featured:  Patricia Karvelas, host of The Party Room podcast Key Topics: Donald Trump DOGE (Department Of Government Efficiency) Elon Musk Peter Dutton Jacinta Nampijinpa Price Australian politics Government efficiency Gina Reinhart Voice referendum Culture wars

It shocked Silicon Valley and set tech stocks tumbling on Wall Street. When a little-known Chinese company DeepSeek launched its own surprisingly capable artificial intelligence chatbot, the sector panicked.  DeepSeek claims to have developed its model despite spending far less money on expensive computer chips than its US-based competitors.  Today, Professor Michael Blumenstein from the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute at UTS on what DeepSeek has managed to pull off and how it could change the entire AI landscape.  Featured:  Michael Blumenstein, University of Technology Sydney