Hack

A Hack investigation has uncovered a co-ordinated effort to scalp Fred again.. tickets. One analyst reckons 20% of ticket purchases being made were done by bots and sold on for huge markups, and experts say big businesses can't keep up. 

And a kill notice, some dodgy photoshop and an Instagram apology: what is going on with the royal response to those Princess Kate rumours? 

Plus, a food bank in regional Victoria is trialling a new kind of food shop: a free supermarket for uni students. 

Guests: 

• Dr Shaanan Cohney, cybersecurity expert, University of Melbourne 
• Sean-Paul Stephens, CEO, Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation

Matildas captain Sam Kerr has fronted court in London, charged with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer. The Sun newspaper is reporting Kerr called a police officer a "stupid white bastard", but Kerr denies that and will plead not guilty. Some are claiming "reverse racism", but is there more to the story? 

And it turns out 1 in 5 Aussie adults is a fully fledged sport hater. 

Plus, Virgin Australia has announced plans to allow pets on domestic flights. What could go wrong?

Host Dave Marchese is joined by reporter Daany Saeed and sports journalist and reporter Lavendar Baj. 

A bunch of historical single-sex schools are going co-ed, and people have lots of feelings about it. So, should single-sex schools disappear for good, or do they have a place?  And Samantha Murphy left her home for a morning run 32 days ago. Today, a 22-year-old has been charged with her alleged murder.  Also, the latest data from the Closing The Gap report has revealed only 5 of 19 targets are being met.  Plus, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, has announced it won't renew its digital news deal with the Australian government. So, what will that mean for how we get our news online?

Guest:

• Laura Mayers, Ballarat reporter, ABC 
• Dr Claire Charles, senior lecturer, Deakin University

The Greens want the federal government to enter the property development game, calling on it to develop 360,000 homes for Aussies to buy or rent. So could the plan work?

Plus, a couple of German tourists followed glitchy Google Maps directions in Far North Queensland. After a 60km trek through croc-infested bushland, they've got a warning for others. 

And one of Australia's OG YouTubers has left the platform. Georgia McCudden has hundreds of millions of views and a huge online community, but she reckons YouTube isn't supporting the average creator anymore.

Guests:

• Hal Pawson, associate director, UNSW's City Futures Research Centre
• Georgia McCudden, content creator

Matildas captain Sam Kerr is known worldwide for her sporting achievements, but now her alleged actions off the field are making headlines. Kerr has been charged with (and pleaded not guilty to) alleged racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in London early last year.  Plus, the US Supreme Court has overturned a decision to exclude Trump from the upcoming presidential election. So what does this mean ahead of Super Tuesday? And 1 in 5 Australians is a so-called "sport hater". We get into what's driving the dislike. 

Guests

• Emma Shortis, US politics expert, The Australia Institute
• Tracey Holmes, professorial fellow in sport, Canberra University
• Hunter Fujak, sports management lecturer, Deakin University

Aussies are losing close to a billion dollars through regular card surcharges. In the UK and European Union, these charges are banned. 

Plus, as the deadline for a Ramadan ceasefire deal creeps closer we unpack the latest on Israel-Hamas negotiations, aid drops, and the terrible conditions Palestinians in Gaza are living under. 

And it’s the source we all rely on, but how reliable is it? Researchers reckon a huge chunk of Wikipedia mods are leaving the platform and the walkout is warping the site’s content.

Guests:

• Marika Sosnowski, research fellow, Melbourne Law School
• Brad Kelly, managing director, Payment Services

Should cops be marching at pride? The debate continues as Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras rolls on. 

Plus, where is Kate Middleton?  Is she growing out bangs or getting a BBL? Or, is she just recovering from a reported medical procedure? 

And Glasgow's Willy Wonka Experience has captured the internet's attention. Was it worth its weight in chocolate? 

Host Dave Marchese is joined by content creator Simran Pasricha and newsreader Brooklyn Ross. 

While you might think buying a rip-off designer bag seems like a good deal and isn't harming anybody, experts say fake fashion is actually tied to organised crime.

Plus, a new Aussie drinking and drug survey has been released today and found young women are drinking at riskier levels and using more illicit drugs than ever before. 

Also, the head of Australia’s spy agency has revealed a former Aussie politician was recruited by an international spy ring.

And a coronial inquest into the death of 19-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker is starting to wrap up in the Northern Territory, and the former NT police officer who fatally shot him, Zachary Rolfe has been giving evidence this week.

Guests

• Melissa Mackay, Northern Territory court reporter, ABC
• Dr Amy Pennay, senior research fellow, the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University

Hitler salutes, white supremacy slogans and symbols of hate. An investigation by Hack has uncovered so-called “Nazi bands” within Australia’s metal scene.

Plus, Australian universities are falling short on key measures to tackle sexual violence, according to a new report. 

And one of Australia's most popular sports, cricket, has struggled with representation of First Nations players at the elite level. Why has this sport fallen behind when other codes seem to have gotten better? 

Guests:

• Josh Roose, associate professor, Deakin University 
• Daanyal Saeed, reporter, Crikey

Late on Monday night, NSW Police were uninvited from marching in this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. So, we're getting into the history of Mardi Gras and how what started as a party with an air of optimism ended with ‘hatred and blatant homophobia’, and violence by police. 

One question remains: should cops be allowed to march at pride?

Plus, for the first time ever, the gender pay gap at some of Australia's biggest employers has been revealed with some companies seeing a 50% difference between what is paid to men and women. 

Guests: 

• Jacqui Munro, NSW Liberal Party MP
• James Breko, performer and former member of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras board
• Valeria Ignatieva, co-founder, Work180

The government has unveiled the Universities Accord – it's a 400 page document full of recommendations to make university cheaper, safer, and more accessible overall. We're breaking down what the Uni Accord means for average students and how it could impact placements, HECS debts, youth allowance and more. 

But is it a good thing for all? We ask Education Minister Jason Clare and the national student union. 

Plus, every day new details are being released about the alleged murder of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird. There's a lot we don't know and the story keeps growing. 

Guests:

• Jason Clare, Federal Minister for Education
• Grace Franco, education officer, National Union of Students

So many Aussie workers get drug and alcohol tested at their jobs, so why don't our politicians? 

Plus, the world's oldest dog has (controversially) had its world record stripped. Justice for Bobi? We discuss. 

And run clubs have infiltrated our feeds and our footpaths. 

Host Dave Marchese is joined by sports podcasters Marlee Silva and Josh Garlepp. 

This weekend marks the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When Ukrainians were forced to flee their country, some came to Australia on temporary protection visas which are now due to expire in the next year.  Plus, Senator David Pocock has proposed an amendment to the Climate Change Act to include a duty of care for young people. We chat to Anjali Sharma who's been fighting for this recognition for years.  And it feels like Taylor Swift is the biggest thing to ever land in Australia.  But while she may be the latest cultural giant to capture the attention of the Australian public, she's far from the first.

Guests:

• Jon Richardson, researcher from Australian National University and former diplomat 
• Anjali Sharma, climate activist 

Over 18,000 people have signed up for the government’s BetStop register to block them from online gambling and the majority of them are young people. 

Plus, asbestos has been found in contaminated mulch all over Sydney and now it’s spreading to other areas of the country. So, what are the health implications from a bit of asbestos getting in the way of your park run?

And it’s O-Week season at a bunch of unis across the country. We ask how school-leavers are feeling about making their first moves into the “adult” world.

Guests: 

• Peter Franklin, director of occupational respiratory epidemiology, University of Western Australia
• Louise Francis, gambling researcher, Curtin University

Last week, 39 asylum seekers were found wandering the streets of Beagle Bay, a remote town in northern WA. Now the men have been sent to Nauru for offshore processing and it’s reignited political debate about boat turnbacks and Australia’s treatment of people seeking asylum.

Plus, how are up and coming musicians meant to crack the regional market? For some bands, touring regional Australia's gotten too expensive, but for others it's been an essential part of their rise to the top.

And new Aussie research has uncovered a supermassive black hole that eats one sun every day to become the brightest object in the universe.

Guests:

• Dr Daniel Ghezelbash, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, University of New South Wales
• Simone Schinkel, CEO, Music Victoria
• Samuel Lai, researcher, Australian National University

Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s biggest rival, is dead. It has world leaders pointing the finger at the Russian president, saying he’s behind it. 

Plus, men make up only 3% of the early childhood workforce. So why is the rate so low?

And community-led run clubs are having their moment. From central Queensland, to Brisbane, to Sydney, a whole lot of people are gathering to jog with friends or strangers, and experts say it's doing a whole lot of good for our bodies and our minds. 

Guests:

• Matthew Sussex, expert in Russian foreign policy, Australian National University
• Dr Martyn Mills-Bayne, senior lecturer in early childhood education, University of South Australia

Groovin the Moo cancelled its run of regional festivals after low ticket sales while Taylor Swift is about to play to the biggest crowd in Australian history. Aussies want to see live music but habits are changing, so can anything be done to save the music scene outside of the big cities? 

Plus, call centres timing toilet breaks is only the beginning of the micromanagement nightmare. 

And do we care about the PM's engagement?

Host Dave Marchese is joined by journalist and presenter Elfy Scott and culture producer Michael Sun 

With a growing number of countries at war, experts in Australia have been discussing how to best protect our country.  So, could mandatory conscription be on the cards for young Australians?

Plus, a motion urging the US and UK to allow WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to return to Australia passed federal parliament this week. We speak to his brother Gabriel Shipton ahead of a potential High Court hearing in the UK about Julian's case. 

Guests:

• Gabriel Shipton, human rights advocate and brother of Julian Assange
• John Blaxland, professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies, Australian National University 

Groovin the Moo says it's been forced to cancel its 2024 festivals after low ticket sales, just a week after they went on sale.

Also, how long is okay for a wee at work? One government agency is allegedly timing its staff's toilet breaks....

Plus, Independent Senator David Pocock drops by to talk us through his proposed changes to the indexation of HECS-HELP debts. 

And the last Liberal government in the country, Tasmania, has called an election, a year earlier than needed.