Intro

Take-Home Assessment Restrictions

Pill Testing Made Permanent

Emergency Department Winter Surge

Sydney Fringe Festival

The New South Wales Department of Education has announced restrictions on take-home assessment tasks for Year 11 and 12 students starting later this year in response to the rise of generative AI use to complete assessment tasks. But is this change going to help, and what does the presence of AI mean for education at large? We hear from producer James de Fraine-Murphy, who spoke with Dr Matthew Hill to gain further insight on the topic.

It’s music festival season, and we’re looking into the New South Wales government’s plans to make drug checking a permanent scheme in music festivals across the state. CEO of Unharm, Dr Will Tregoning, joins us to talk about the scheme, and why community-based drug testing could be the next step.

New South Wales hospitals have been pushed to their limits this winter surge, with a record breaking number of patients admitted this year. We’re joined by Dr Fred Betros, the Australian Medical Association’s NSW branch president, to talk about where our hospital systems are failing to address the yearly surge.

The Sydney Fringe Festival started this week, and while the festival has historically played an important role for up-and-coming artists working outside the mainstream and in queer-focused spaces, cost-of-living struggles have transformed it into a space where young Sydneysiders can access entertainment for a reasonable price. Producer Birdie Rinaldi is joined by Georgia Gray-Spencer and Scott Whitmont to talk about the festival and its growing viewerbase.

This episode of Backchat was hosted by Holly Payne and Ella Hosty-Snelgrove.

Produced by James de Fraine-Murphy, Holly Payne, Maya Sathi, Euan Keilly, and Birdie Rinaldi.

Aired 5 September 2026 on Gadigal Land.

The New South Wales Department of Education has announced restrictions on take-home assessment tasks for Year 11 and 12 students starting later this year in response to the rise of generative AI use to complete assessment tasks. But is this change going to help, and what does the presence of AI mean for education at large? We hear from producer James de Fraine-Murphy, who spoke with Dr Matthew Hill to gain further insight on the topic.
It&rsquo;s music festival season, and we&rsquo;re looking into the New South Wales government&rsquo;s plans to make drug checking a permanent scheme in music festivals across the state. CEO of Unharm, Dr Will Tregoning, joins us to talk about the scheme, and why community-based drug testing could be the next step.
New South Wales hospitals have been pushed to their limits this winter surge, with a record breaking number of patients admitted this year. We&rsquo;re joined by Dr Fred Betros, the Australian Medical Association&rsquo;s NSW branch president, to talk about where our hospital systems are failing to address the yearly surge.
The Sydney Fringe Festival started this week, and while the festival has historically played an important role for up-and-coming artists working outside the mainstream and in queer-focused spaces, cost-of-living struggles have transformed it into a space where young Sydneysiders can access entertainment for a reasonable price. Producer Birdie Rinaldi is joined by Georgia Gray-Spencer and Scott Whitmont to talk about the festival and its growing viewerbase.
This episode of Backchat was hosted by Holly Payne and Ella Hosty-Snelgrove.
Produced by James de Fraine-Murphy, Holly Payne, Maya Sathi, Euan Keilly, and Birdie Rinaldi.
Aired 5 September 2026 on Gadigal Land.

Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting.

Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Dani Zhang, Holly Payne, Tanita Razaghi, Libby Hopper, Sana Shaikh, Lilly Grainger, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Euan Kielly, Elisa Papaioannou, Grace Pittar, Jaspar McCahon-Boersma and Bridgette Donnellan. 

Got an idea for a story? Email us: backchat@fbiradio.com We're also on Instagram @backchatfbiradio and X @BackchatFBi.

Your alternative to talkback.&nbsp;Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting.
Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Dani Zhang, Holly Payne, Tanita Razaghi, Libby Hopper, Sana Shaikh, Lilly Grainger, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Euan Kielly, Elisa Papaioannou, Grace Pittar, Jaspar McCahon-Boersma and Bridgette Donnellan.&nbsp;
Got an idea for a story? Email us: backchat@fbiradio.com We're also on Instagram @backchatfbiradio and X @BackchatFBi.

Backchat

Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting from Sydney's best young news journalists.

Hosted by Holly Payne and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Sana Shaikh, Libby Hopper, and Nic Huntington. 

Got an idea for a story? - backchat@fbiradio.com. We're also on X (Twitter) and Instagram - @BackchatFBi

Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting from Sydney's best young news journalists.
Hosted by Holly Payne and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Sana Shaikh, Libby Hopper, and Nic Huntington. 
Got an idea for a story? - <a href="mailto:eamonn@fbiradio.com">backchat@fbiradio.com</a>. We're also on X (Twitter) and Instagram - @BackchatFBi