In a sudden conclusion to one of Australia’s most intensive manhunts, self-described sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman was shot dead by police on Monday morning.

For more than 200 days, Freeman evaded police after killing two police officers at a rural property in Porepunkah, in Victoria’s High Country, on August 26 last year.

In a bonus episode today, crime reporter Melissa Cunningham on how the deadly saga of Dezi Freeman came to an end.

For all the latest on this story, visit theage.com.au or smh.com.au.

In a sudden conclusion to one of Australia&rsquo;s most intensive manhunts, self-described sovereign citizen Dezi Freeman was shot dead by police on Monday morning.
For more than 200 days, Freeman evaded police after killing two police officers at a rural property in Porepunkah, in Victoria&rsquo;s High Country, on August 26 last year.
In a bonus episode today, crime reporter Melissa Cunningham on how the deadly saga of Dezi Freeman came to an end.
For all the latest on this story, visit <a href="www.theage.com.au">theage.com.au </a>or <a href="https://www.smh.com.au">smh.com.au.</a>

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series. 

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series.&nbsp;

New episodes

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The dramatic end to the hunt for Dezi Freeman 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/f21fbbee-1202-4428-b38f-b41d00b25ddc/transcript

Melbourne’s nightlife industry has been beset by violent crimes for much of this year.
Under the cover of night, well-known venues - including an iconic French restaurant - have been targeted.

What makes this series of connected crimes interesting is the motive remains a mystery.
Some club owners have received an ominous message before an attack, but with no demand attached.

Also notable is the sheer number of teenagers, some as young as 13 years old, recruited over an encrypted messaging app to carry out the crimes.

Our episode today, with crime journalists Chris Vedelago and Carla Jaegar, is guest-hosted by Benjamin Preiss.

Melbourne&rsquo;s nightlife industry has been beset by violent crimes for much of this year. Under the cover of night, well-known venues - including an iconic French restaurant - have been targeted. What makes this series of connected crimes interesting is the motive remains a mystery. Some club owners have received an ominous message before an attack, but with no demand attached. Also notable is the sheer number of teenagers, some as young as 13 years old, recruited over an encrypted messaging app to carry out the crimes. Our episode today, with crime journalists Chris Vedelago and Carla Jaegar, is guest-hosted by Benjamin Preiss.

Why Melbourne's nightclubs have been targeted by a 'Fagin-like' mystery figure

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/c93d3dcb-c2da-46b5-a745-b44b0069caed/transcript

The federal budget was pitched as a big moment for a progressive government that wants to equalise wealth and home ownership.

And one of the main attacks from the opposition is that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has had to break a promise in order to get there.

So will the broken promise line resonate if the changes are broadly supported by the public?

Also today, Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal talk about Coalition leader Angus Taylor’s plan to centre immigration in his budget reply speech, including that non-citizens should be blocked from welfare payments.

We also check in on One Nation’s Farrer by-election win and how significant a threat the party now poses to Labor.

 

Background reading:
Budget fallout: Next tax war will be over rival income tax cuts
Confused by the federal budget? We answer your questions

The federal budget was pitched as a big moment for a progressive government that wants to equalise wealth and home ownership.
And one of the main attacks from the opposition is that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has had to break a promise in order to get there.
So will the broken promise line resonate if the changes are broadly supported by the public?
Also today,&nbsp;Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal talk about Coalition leader Angus Taylor&rsquo;s plan to centre immigration in his budget reply speech, including that non-citizens should be blocked from welfare payments.
We also check in on One Nation&rsquo;s Farrer by-election win and how significant a threat the party now poses to Labor.
&nbsp;
Background reading:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/budget-fallout-next-tax-war-will-be-over-rival-income-tax-cuts-20260513-p5zwfo.html">Budget fallout: Next tax war will be over rival income tax cuts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/confused-by-the-federal-budget-we-answer-your-questions-20260514-p5zx11.html">Confused by the federal budget? We answer your questions</a></li>
</ul>

Does a broken promise matter in a broken system, and Angus Taylor’s migrant plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/6da3ffd0-e0cd-4bf7-9ac1-b44a004fc8fc/transcript

When US President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping this week, it will be a geopolitical heavyweight match-up with enormous stakes, according to Joe Biden’s former deputy secretary of state, Kurt Campbell.

On the table is everything from global trade to security.

And, at a time when Trump is arguably at his weakest, and Xi at his most paranoid.

Today international and political editor Peter Hartcher on whether Trump may inadvertently lead the United States into unilateral concessions and unintentional appeasement, and what this might mean for the rest of us. 

 

Background reading:
Peter Hartcher - The empire of pain and paranoia that awaits Trump inside Xi’s China
Michael Koziol - The ‘big danger’ for Australia as Trump meets Xi 

When US President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping this week, it will be a geopolitical heavyweight match-up with enormous stakes, according to Joe Biden&rsquo;s former deputy secretary of state, Kurt Campbell.
On the table is everything from global trade to security.
And, at a time when Trump is arguably at his weakest, and Xi at his most paranoid.
Today international and political editor Peter Hartcher on whether Trump may inadvertently lead the United States into unilateral concessions and unintentional appeasement, and what this might mean for the rest of us.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Background reading:
<ul>
<li>Peter Hartcher - <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/the-empire-of-pain-and-paranoia-that-awaits-trump-inside-xi-s-china-20260511-p5zvno.html">The empire of pain and paranoia that awaits Trump inside Xi&rsquo;s China</a></li>
<li>Michael Koziol -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/the-big-danger-for-australia-as-trump-meets-xi-20260514-p5zwmm.html">The &lsquo;big danger&rsquo; for Australia as Trump meets Xi&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>

Taiwan, trade and the balance of power: What’s at stake when Trump meets Xi Jinping

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/64f92e01-0d12-4cf0-b412-b449006446a6/transcript

The dramatic end to the hunt for Dezi Freeman

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