"I was an absolute basket case": The powerbroker behind the politicians

Behind the people you see running the country, there is a powerful, faceless army of staffers, advisers and political analysts.  They can win and lose an election. They can be responsible for the most excellent policies, and they can be responsible for the dirtiest of dirty tricks.  For 14 years,…

“They’re just remorseless”: Why a father followed his son into policing

This a view of the world you don't normally get. It's a view of the world out there, most of us don't know about, from the front line of Policing. In this episode, I speak to two men: Senior Constable Tom Wilson, and his father, Constable Andrew Wilson, who followed his son into The Job.

“I thought I was going to die”: Domestic violence and the search for answers

Jade Benham is a survivor of harrowing domestic violence at the hands of her former partner. She's also a Politician; And she's choosing now to share her very personal story with the world. In this episode, I'm also joined by Stephen Wilson, the founder and CEO of Protective Group, a support servi…

Why AI has no conscience and what is means for humanity

There's no denying AI will shape the future of human life: How we work, live and communicate. In this episode, I speak to Australia's leading expert on Artificial Intelligence, Professor Toby Walsh, the Chief Scientist at the UNSW AI Institute. He's written a number of books on the subject, and be…

The Quarterly Review: With Tony Jones and Heidi Murphy

We're four months into the year, so i'm roping in friends and colleagues Tony Jones and Heidi Murphy, 'The Jock and the Beast', to re-cap this years events so far, debate and discuss the big issues. 

Why FUNGI will change the world

In this episode, I dive into the unexpected, unassuming world of fungi - and what I've found is astounding.  I speak to Mycologist Dr.Teresa Lebel and discover fungi has the potential to change, save and shape the world like you wouldn't believe. 

Why outer space is the wild west - and what it means for us on earth

Who controls space will control the Earth. What happens up there impacts every aspect of modern life: Satellites, GPS, power grids. And there are some weird things going on.  What's happing in space today could help save the world - but it could also help destroy it.  In this episode I speak to R…

Have Australia's watchdogs lost their teeth?

After ten years as the Victorian Ombudsman, Deborah Glass is now free to explain how the systems designed to keep the bastards honest are working, when they are failing, and WHY they are so important.  In one of her last interviews as Ombudsman, Deborah Glass opens up on the personal side of a lif…

Why Cannabis will be legalised in the next decade

They say it's inevitable. But what sort of world are we heading into with legalised cannabis?  In this episode, former head of the AFP, barrister and advocate for cannabis reform Mick Palmer, and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, discuss the PROS and CONS of an Australia where cannabi…

Why media is a 'bulls***ing job': With David Koch

For more than 20 years, David Koch had one of the most recognisable faces in Australian show biz. But very little is known about Kochie since he stepped down from his role as host of Sunrise in 2023, and what he’s planning for the future.  In this episode, David Koch tells Neil Mitchell WHY findin…