We're back for 2026!

The Australian Open is one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, so how did it turn into a spectacle of everything but tennis? Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the social, cultural, economic and geopolitical issues at the Australian Open with Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Technology Sydney. 

Pride in Protest members and Mardi Gras board members Luna Choo and Damien Nguyen have been censored by the board's co-chairs after public internal struggles within the organisation. Founding PiP member Evan Ban Zijl joins us to chat more about the drama. 

In the wake of the Bondi attack, the Labor government has passed new hate speech laws at a speed which has activists, lawyers and human rights organisations concerned. Timothy Roberts, Presidents of the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties, joins us to break down these laws and question how much safer the community will be because of them.

The 26th of January is a day of mourning for First Nations people in Australia, but also marks Republic Day in India, when the country became fully independent from colonisation. Producer Jessica D'Souza discusses the complexities of this day for Indian-Australians with youth advocate Varsha Yajman and racial justice consultant and Democracy in Colour co-founder Neha Madhok. 

This episode of Backchat was produced by Gabriella Accaria, Holly Payne, Jessica D’Souza, Sana Shaikh and Bec Cushway.

Executive produced by Bec Cushway.

Hosted by Holly Payne and Dani Zhang. 

Aired 31 January 2026 on Gadigal land.