The Radio National Hour

Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us. 

They call her ‘Q’ and she’s here to shake up New Zealand politics. Qiulae Wong is the leader of New Zealand's Opportunity Party which is tipped to pick up its first seats in the parliament at tomorrow's general election. And that might just make her a Kingmaker.Not many of us get to fall in love with a 300-year-old but, Cello virtuoso Mischa Maisky has enjoyed one particularly enduring love affair - with his instrument - built in the age of Bach. He's touring Australia and performing with his pianist daughter Lily Maisky. And true crime author and podcaster Vikki Petraitis talks about watching her novel come to life on the ABC in the new hit series Dustfall. 

David Jones is fighting for its life after entering voluntary administration today. The iconic retailer has survived 188 years, but can it weather its biggest crisis yet? And is there any future for up-market department stores, like DJs?A new report has found that more than 8,200 sharks and rays have died as a result of South Australia's algal bloom, potentially making it one the largest natural mass mortality events for these species ever recorded. Vincent Raoult, Senior Lecturer in Marine Ecology at Griffith University says it's just one of many human-made crisis threatening the sharks. After three decades probing and exposing the biggest stories of our time Investigative journalist Sally Neighbour has turned her gaze to the sixteenth century court of Suleyman the Magnificent for her latest project a work of historical fiction. 

First came South Carolina, then Texas, followed by the once unthinkable - Kansas. One by one these deep red states flipped, as Americans turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in the midterm elections, delivering a stunning repudiation of President Donald Trump. Veteran political commentator E J Dionne says the historic result marks the end of the Trump era. A crowd funded, community inquiry into AUKUS has delivered its verdict calling for the $368 billion project to be sunk. Immediately. Former chief of the Australian Defence Force retired Admiral Chris Barrie says the project is a costly mistake that undermines our sovereignty. Iran’s regime is continuing to terrorise its citizens, making an example of athletes who joined the protests earlier this year. At least two have been executed in the past month and there are grave fears for another seven waiting on death row. Dr Zohreh Abdollahkhani, a former member of Iran’s national ice-climbing team and the chair and founder of Human Rights for Sport is campaigning to save them in exile in Norway. 

The Reserve Bank has moved again, pushing the cash rate to the highest level in 18 years whilst warning that inflation will remain above 3 percent for the coming year. Former NAB chief economist Alan Oster says The government insists its world-first social media ban is protecting children from harmful content online. NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick say it’s a violation of their right to free speech and he's challenging the ban in the High Court.And for decades the US state of Texas has been the shiniest red ruby in the Republican political crown, but that could all change after tomorrow's midterm elections. Will a blue wave wash over the Lone Star State or will the Democrats have their hearts broken again?