The Briefing

It’s official, Warner Bros and Paramount are now one company.   The $159 billion merger is the biggest in media history, bringing both studios under Skydance Corp, led David Ellison – the son of a powerful tech titan and Trump-backer, Larry Ellison.  Larry is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and his company Oracle doesn't just do business with governments - it helps run them, including here in Australia.  In this bonus episode of The Briefing, we revisit Chris Spyrou’s chat with NPR host Roben Farzad to unpack what the Ellison empire controls and what its latest moves tell us about who really holds power in 2026.   Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back with The Briefing: Our Take, the weekend hangout where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes and take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.   Chris and Sacha kick off by debriefing the botched execution of Christa Pike, who’s now woken up, and is speaking and even walking in hospital after two doses of a lethal injection.   We crack open the inbox to get your thoughts on some of the biggest stories this week with plans for a public supermarket and the latest One Nation ad blowing up our inbox, and one listener teaches us a new word!   We’re also joined by LiSTNR’s head of social media, Brett, who takes on the weekend quiz, before topping it all off with some recommendations on the weekend list!   As always, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us on Instagram @thebriefingpodcast and feel free to leave a comment if you’re listening on Spotify.   The Weekend Quiz:   The Coalition leader Angus Taylor released the party’s migration plan this week. What does it want to cut net overseas migration to, for the first two years?A) 100,000B) 160,000C) 225,000 The Greens official think tank wants to create new public supermarkets called what? We spoke with two federal leaders this week, who were they?  The logos for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics have been released after a leak over the weekend. What animal inspired them?  Who won the 2026 NRL men’s and women’s Grand Final?   The Weekend List:  To do: Containers for Change Scheme (Listener Scott) To watch: Bledisloe Cup (Sacha)  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday Headlines:  Sam Wood denied bail Former Prince Andrew wins case against UK Police ATO facing pressure from government over credit card ban Greens celebrate ‘biggest surge in new members’ since leadership change  Christa Pike ‘up and walking’ after surviving two lethal injections Further listening from the headlines: Sach's chat with David Shoebridge Deep Dive: Eight years ago, a young Aussie cricketer was caught on camera stuffing sandpaper down his pants during a Test match in Cape Town.   It became known as Sandpapergate - Australian cricket's biggest cheating scandal.   The fallout was brutal. Captain Steve Smith cried on live TV, players were banned, the coach quit and sponsors walked. Now, for the first time since, Australia is back playing Test cricket in South Africa.   So how did a bit of sandpaper become a national crisis? And was the outrage ever worth it?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by sports journalist Sam Ferris, who covered the series from South Africa, to unpack what happened, who knew what, and how it still follows the team.  Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines:  Anthony Albanese facing increasing scrutiny over golf club grants 1 in 6 cafes now charging more for coffee after card surcharge ban Sam Wood to apply for bail after DV charges Abortion pill access jumps 50% after improved access Pornhub is returning to Australia ... with a catch Further listening from headlines: Surcharges are going. Will prices drop? Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Coalition has finally put numbers on its migration plan, and it's betting voters want a smaller, more selective system.   Net overseas migration down to 100,000 a year. Around 650,000 fewer temporary visa holders. Graduate visas gone. So can it cut this deep without leaving hospitals, farms and pubs short of workers?   In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by Deputy Liberal Leader Senator Jane Hume to unpack the plan, what Angus Taylor meant when he said Labor's immigration policy is "threatening our way of life", and whether the Coalition accepts any blame for building up the system it's now trying to dismantle. And if you haven't already, you can check out today's headlines in your feed as a separate ep now. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpod Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.