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Incisive analysis, fearless debates and nightly surprises. Explore the serious, the strange and the profound with David Marr.
1042 Episodes
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Donald Trump's war in Iran is certainly taking the world's attention away from the scandals of his administration, including the firing of former Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, and the latest allegations about Trump in the Epstein files. Speaking of the US military, what role does Christian nationalism play in the most lethal military in the world? Any role is too much for Mikey Weinstein, the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Plus: recovering a lost language for counting in Vanuatu.
Our Canberra correspondent on Australia's delicate positioning with the Middle East War. Why the French President is passionately arguing for no further attacks on Lebanon. And the mafia, even after all these years, still holds sway in Japan, the US, and Italy.
Yanis Varoufakis, the firebrand economist and former Greek Minister of Finance, joins David for a talk about the Iran war, Trump's tariffs and the new drug charges against him. Plus how our oldest library has been reflecting us for 200 years. The Mitchell Librarian, Richard Neville, talks about the living collection under his care.
For the first time, Late Night Live UK political commentator Ian Dunt, meets David Marr in person. In this special hour-long conversation, Dunt explores the parallels and distinctions between political developments in the United Kingdom and Australia, analyses the strains in relations between the UK and the US over the Iran conflict, and examines the recent Greens by-election win, in a long-held UK Labour seat.Guest: Ian Dunt: iNews columnist and regular LNL commentatorProducer: Ali Benton
What are Israel's ultimate objectives in Iran, Lebanon and the broader Middle East? The veteran journalist and author Gideon Levy joins the show to discuss Israel's role in the Iran war, and whether or not peace is possible in the Middle East. Then: what even is a battery? So much of modern life depends on our ability to store energy, and humanity's turn towards a green energy future is only possible because of the humble battery. But should you recycle your old AAs? Plus: new research on Australia's very, very early desert settlers.
Australian Government leaders have been taking a cautious 'let's just wait and see what happens' approach to the war in the Middle East. Bruce Shapiro explains the legal and political constraints on President Trump's war leadership. And the scandals scattered across the literary world.
Former NSW Premier and former Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr and his wife Helena were almost inseparable. When she suddenly died, while they were in Vienna on an opera and galleries tour of Europe, Bob was bereft. Back in Sydney, he took to walking the streets late at night.His memoir 'Bring back yesterday' pays tribute to Helena, born to Chinese and Tamil parents in Taiping. Bob Carr reflects on their life together, and on the work and politics that they both, and separately, have been involved in.Guest: Bob CarrProducers: David Marr/Ann Arnold
Our US political commentator Bruce Shapiro has watched the (very long) State of the Union address. The High Court has found the Catholic Church is liable for the actions of a priest who abused a boy in the 1960s in NSW. Lawyer and victim advocate Judy Courtin analyses what this decision might mean for the Church. Plus dams and desalination plants: will they supply sufficient amounts of water to cities in an extreme drought?
Richard Ackland discusses the scope and ambitions of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, and the challenges facing the enquiry. On the high seas, a major treaty aims to protect marine life from overfishing, climate change, shipping, and deep-seabed mining. Why hasn't Australia ratified it yet? Plus, Sir Douglas Mawson kept extensive diaries, which have taken the South Australian Museum 20 years to transcribe. What do Mawson's diaries reveal about one of Australia's greatest explorers?
Chief political correspondent for SBS, Anna Henderson, on the ongoing political wrangling over people who do or do not reflect 'Australian values'.And former New Zealand Prime Minister and former head of the United Nations Development Programme, Helen Clark, says it is high time the UN's top job went to a woman.
The PALM scheme, bringing Pacifika workers to regional Australia to work, has many fans, but significant problems also, a new report finds. Its author Peter Mares, a long time analyst of immigration policy, also discusses the current political hyperbole around immigration. And Irish author Ronan McCrea on the new sources of opposition to gay rights, and argues the movement needs to rethink its goals.
i Paper's Ian Dunt on Keir Starmer's political future and how UK asylum seeker policy is getting headlines in the tabloids. Plus why Germany is on a mission to revamp its military and defence systems. And the art of the dodge and deflect - how politicians spin their way out of answering questions
The Australian Democracy Network says our lobbying laws make it easy for the gambling industry to have the ear of our political leaders. After capturing Venezuela's leader, Cuba may be next on Trump's list, and questions are being asked about whether green burials are as environmentally friendly as they claim to be.
The Liberal Party has to make some big decisions about its direction, and journalist Anna Henderson is watching closely. Author Antony Dapiran on how the sentencing of publisher Jimmy Lai points to a rapidly changing Hong Kong. And Conny Aerts, a pioneer in making music from the vibrations of stars.
Trump flies over a US city in a jet, dumping excrement on protesters; welcome to the era of government-endorsed AI slop videos. Charlie Warzel from The Atlantic joins the show to talk about the US's experiment in government-by-meme. Plus: psychologist Steven Pinker argues that what drives society is knowing that what we know is widely know — in his term, "common knowledge". But what if our beliefs about everyone else's inner thoughts turn out to be wrong?
Gaza is today in ruins, with over seventy thousand dead and buildings everywhere rendered rubble by the onslaught from Israel since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. Many argue the war on Gaza began at this point, but historian Julie Norman has traced the history of both the land, its people and the terrible wars that have plagued what was once a beautiful and prosperous place for a century and destroyed the dreams of the Palestinian people. Guest: Julie M. Norman, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at University College London, and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. Author of Gaza: The Dream and the Nightmare, co-authored with Maia Carter Hallward, Director of the PhD Program in International Conflict Management and Professor of Middle East Politics at Kennesaw State UniversityProducer: Catherine Zengerer
NSW Police responded with violence to a Sydney protest against Israeli President Herzog's support of Israel's war on Gaza. An American journalist describes the challenge of working through the Epstein files. And an Australian university librarian found a drawing and an inscription in the back of a very old book, which helped to reveal a 500-year-old mystery about the life of a famous Italian painter.
In parliament's second sitting week of the year, the Liberals are contemplating "non-existence". Australia recently formalised a major security treaty with Indonesia, which Albanese described as a "watershed moment". Plus: the toads are feral. How did cane toads get this way? And what can Australia do about these hopping menaces?
An unauthorised biography of US broadcaster Tucker Carlson shows how he wields his influence. And it's 100 years since the creation of Winnie the Pooh.
Ian Dunt does not spare Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US who was pictured in his underwear in Jeffrey Epstein's mansion and accused of sharing "market-sensitive information" with Epstein. That's just one of the bombshells from the latest tranche of documents from Epstein's files. In other world news, India has cut two huge trade deals recently; the first with the European Union, followed by one with the United States. Then: a new documentary that exposes the trade in polar bear fur.
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What a train wreck of an interview. Resign David
An excellent episode by you 3! It absolutely sums up the Liberal mess.
Thank you, I finally have some understanding about the gas issue! Important for us to understand before this election.
This was disappointing. David you were rude. This man confirms what we heard from Gideon Levy about the Israeli state's treatment of non-Jews. You cut him off and it seemed the fear of the "anti-semitic" slur has affected LNL.
A brilliant conversation with Geoffrey Watson.Thank you Phillip!
Ironic the Germany continues to support the Zionist state that has carried out a genocide since it's formation.
Such a wonderful podcast, Philip. Thank you! 🙏
Fails to address the literal apartheid that existed and still exists in some Australian pubs - separate white and black bar areas.
Philip you are a national treasure
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One of the best episodes ever!
great guest. Philip got on really well with him
What a joke this token conservative commentator is
A giant among men. A gravitational force drawing Australians to the centre of truth during the growing maelstrom of human folly.
I don't generally support bonded labour, but you're not allowed to retire!
Phillip, like millions of others, I reckon you put on one of the best talk shows, I ever heard. long live Phillip Adams.
Excellent, informative discussion and interviews. A voice of tolerance and curiosity. from a rusted on Gladdy, long may you, Philip, and your programme, run.
LNL: simply the best take on world affairs with the most informed comment on every conceivable important aspect of the human condition and environment.