Best Jade Byers Pointer Podcasts (2025)

1
How Australia’s ‘blood oil’ imports are funding Russia’s war 16:46

Play Pause

2h ago16:46

16:46

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine almost four years ago, Australian leaders have repeatedly stated that Australia “stands with Ukraine”. But as the invasion has intensified – with nightly missile and drone attacks, rolling blackouts and water cuts across Ukrainian cities – Australia's support has slowed. The federal government hasn’t announced a f…

1
How teens are fighting the social media ban 14:49

1d ago14:49

14:49

Right now, Tiktok is awash with videos of how to get around the social media ban for under 16s, which is due to come into effect in a week. At the same time, fringe apps like Yope are rocketing up the Apple charts, as teenagers plan where they’ll go when the major platforms boot them off. There’s also a court case underway, challenging the governme…

1
The controversial limb-lengthening surgery set for Australia 14:52

2d ago14:52

14:52

Limb lengthening surgery – where bones in your leg are broken, a rod inserted and extended – can be high risk, and is especially controversial when it's done for cosmetic reasons. The procedure is a speciality of the Florida based Paley Institute, which now plans on opening an Australian arm. The centre is no stranger to controversy – and neither i…

1
The man who exposed corruption in offshore detention 15:27

3d ago15:27

15:27

At its height, in 2014, there were over a thousand people being held on Nauru, as part of Australia’s offshore detention system. But in the decade since, that figure has shrunk to less than 100. Yet the Department of Home Affairs continues to pay outsized and exorbitant fees on contracts no longer fit for purpose – all in the name of keeping Manus …

1
How the internet is about to change for everyone 15:29

4d ago15:29

15:29

Australia’s plan to ban teenagers from social media has been called “world‑leading”. The law, which comes into effect December 10, threatens platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook with fines of up to $50 million if they let under-16s open or keep accounts. But as implementation draws closer, questions remain about how the ban will be enfo…

1
How Labor struck a deal on environment 16:31

5d ago16:31

16:31

Environmental law reform has been sitting in the too-hard basket for years — under successive governments, the system stayed broken. Now, just days before the end of the parliamentary year, Labor has passed the first major changes in a generation. The government chose to work with the Greens, agreeing to scrap logging exemptions, close coal and gas…

1
Barnaby Joyce’s big move 17:57

6d ago17:57

17:57

When we heard news that Barnaby Joyce was quitting The Nationals – we knew we’d cover it with our friend in Canberra, Amy Remeikis – but the more we talked about it, there was someone else we needed to hear from too. Barnaby’s old sparring partner and the former member for New England, Tony Windsor, was loading cattle when we called. And he said th…

1
How long can the AI boom last? 13:55

8d ago13:55

13:55

Companies are betting big on AI – and burning through cash to do it. They’re pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into building data centres and developing new models – such as ChatGPT. And so far, these projects are yet to see a financial return. There is one clear winner: Nvidia – the company that makes the chips that power this tech. But how …

1
David Pocock vs AI 15:32

9d ago15:32

15:32

The year is 1934, and the setting is Scotland. Startling photos have emerged, appearing to capture the Loch Ness monster. Fast-forward 90 years to 2024, to an election campaign in Australia, and a video is released of a prime minister promising to ban gambling ads. Both are fake – designed specifically to deceive. And while humans have always had a…

1
COP30’s missing words: coal, oil and gas 15:55

10d ago15:55

15:55

Negotiators at this year’s global climate summit in Brazil almost didn’t reach a deal – but when they did, the watered down pledge left many countries reeling. While the agreement boosts finance for poorer nations experiencing the worst of global warming – it fails to even mention the fossil fuels driving it. Outside the official COP process, dozen…

1
Putin’s new wartime allies 17:37

11d ago17:37

17:37

In Russia, the rules of power are being rewritten. For decades, Vladimir Putin governed through a network of loyal elites — oligarchs, bureaucrats, security chiefs — each rewarded for their obedience and connections. But since the invasion of Ukraine, that system has begun to fracture. The old elite are being sidelined, and a new cast is emerging: …

1
Your BYD car is watching you 15:15

11d ago15:15

15:15

A sleek Chinese-made ute is suddenly one of the most popular vehicles on Australian roads. It’s cheap, fast and packed with tech. But behind its rise are questions security agencies are struggling to grapple with. Because the cars we drive today are no longer just cars; they’re also data collection tools. And in a tense geopolitical climate – the l…

1
Sussan Ley's media blitz 15:20

12d ago15:20

15:20

This week, we had Sussan Ley on 7am. But we weren’t alone. Sussan Ley was everywhere, speaking with everyone – about scrapping net zero, and inevitably, about her leadership. So, did the media blitz work? And what has chaos in the Coalition meant for the government while the press gallery has been looking the other way? Today, Network Ten’s politic…

1
Donald Trump’s reversal on the Epstein files 15:11

13d ago15:11

15:11

This week, we saw something almost unprecedented in American politics: a unified Congress, as all but one person voted to have the Epstein files released. These documents have plagued Donald Trump since he campaigned to release them while running for his second term as president, then backtracked once he won – sparking a mass revolt from his otherw…

1
Sussan Ley on ditching net zero 17:37

15d ago17:37

17:37

Sussan Ley describes herself as a moderate – a Liberal leader who wants to keep her party in the centre. But last week, after months of internal pressure, she led the Liberal Party to formally abandon its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, a target first adopted under Scott Morrison, arguing that dropping it is the only way to deliver …

1
The new One Nation voters 14:57

16d ago14:57

14:57

For the first time in history, almost one in five Australians support One Nation. Their surge in popularity comes as the Liberal Party bleeds support from both ends of its base, as it tears itself apart over climate and immigration. So, is this just a protest – or the start of a permanent shift on the right of Australian politics? Today, Director o…

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Why Victoria's youth crime laws won't work 14:36

16d ago14:36

14:36

Last week, the Victorian government stunned even its own MPs – announcing laws that will allow children as young as 14 to be tried in adult courts and face life sentences. The proposal was rushed into Cabinet with no warning – ministers were given just minutes to read it before the meeting began. Only a year ago, Labor promised to raise the age of …

1
What does Albanese stand for? 16:13

18d ago16:13

16:13

Anthony Albanese leads a party that no longer argues in public. Labor presents as unified, consistent, and on message. But behind that unity is another story. One where a party once defined by its dissent and debate has become scared of conflict, to the point where its identity is formed not by beliefs, but by a commitment to staying in power no ma…

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The enabling of neo-Nazis 15:58

19d ago15:58

15:58

Last weekend, neo-Nazis gathered outside NSW parliament. Organisers had registered the protest with police – and nothing was done to stop it going ahead. When two female politicians spoke out against the fascists who gathered, they were targeted with threats of violence and death. The premier has said there will be an investigation into how this wa…

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Sussan Ley and the killing season to come 14:17

20d ago14:17

14:17

This week, the Liberal party officially scrapped net zero – a move widely expected, but out of line with public opinion and science. It also raised questions about Sussan Ley’s handling of the policy debate, and ultimately about her leadership. As the right faction of the Liberal party celebrates its victory, speculation continues about when Sussan…

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How the Catholic church fights abuse survivors 14:45

21d ago14:45

14:45

A year ago, the High Court handed down a decision that was a blow to survivors of child sexual abuse everywhere. In a case brought by a man who was abused as a little boy, the Catholic Church’s Diocese of Ballarat argued that they couldn’t be sued for the actions of one of their priests, because priests are employed by God – not by the Church. The …

1
Is Albanese pressuring Labor to keep quiet on gambling? 16:53

22d ago16:53

16:53

A letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reopened the fight over gambling reform. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is calling for a free vote in parliament on a ban on gambling advertising, saying it has significant support across the chamber. Inside Labor, many MPs say they want change – but are too afraid to speak publicly. It follows a Four C…

1
The kids being kicked off the NDIS 15:11

23d ago15:11

15:11

As the year winds to an end, kids with autism and developmental delay face an uncertain future. Back in August, the government revealed plans to kick them off the NDIS – announcing a new scheme called Thriving Kids, set to kick off next year. The health minister, Mark Butler, said it would give kids better support – and go some way towards curbing …

1
Elon Musk unleashed 15:57

24d ago15:57

15:57

The world’s richest man just got the world’s biggest pay rise, with Tesla shareholders approving a $1 trillion package for Elon Musk over the next decade. As he accepted the deal, Musk danced on stage with Tesla’s humanoid robots – and thanked his supporters – saying he “super appreciated it”. But as the company’s stock is known to plummet when Mus…

1
50 years on, could the Dismissal happen again? 14:46

25d ago14:46

14:46

Tomorrow marks fifty years since the infamous moment when a clearly nervous spokesperson for the Governor General stood on the steps of Parliament House and announced that Gough Whitlam had been dismissed. But what happened on Remembrance Day in 1975 wasn’t just an unprecedented political crisis — it was a warning. One that exposed the fragility of…

1
Police v protestors 13:04

26d ago13:04

13:04

This week, more than a dozen people were arrested while protesting at a defence conference in Sydney. The demonstrators from Palestine Action Group were protesting the presence of Israeli defence contractors, who were exhibiting at the event. The riot squad, along with dogs and mounted police officers clashed with protesters and used pepper spray s…

1
Why scrapping net zero won’t save Sussan Ley 15:04

27d ago15:04

15:04

Back in 2021, the Coalition was united in their support for net zero, with then-prime minister Scott Morrison describing the plan as “100 per cent supported by the government”. Now, just four years later, the Nationals have walked away from it – and the Liberal Party is set to follow. Despite personally supporting net zero, Sussan Ley will scrap it…

1
The bloody war over Sudan's gold 16:06

28d ago16:06

16:06

The killing in the city of El Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region is so brutal and widespread that bloodstains on the ground can be seen from space. For a year and a half, a militia group called the RSF has been attacking the city – and last, week it fell, resulting in the mass slaughter of civilians. In the past two years, 12 million people in Sudan h…

1
Trump’s nuclear arms race 15:59

29d ago15:59

15:59

Last week, Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to “immediately” resume US nuclear weapons testing. The order breaks with more than three decades of protocol for the United States – justified, according to the president, by the actions of China and Russia. And as these nuclear-armed powers expand and modernise their arsenals, countries closer to Au…

1
Chat GPT’s new erotica mode 16:05

30d ago16:05

16:05

Recently, the creators of ChatGPT have made a surprising announcement: erotica is coming to the world’s most popular AI platform. It’s the latest step in a transformation of the internet — where artificial intelligence is shaping not just what we read or search, but how we think, feel and even form relationships. Today, associate editor for Crikey …

1
The Mum fighting Queensland’s puberty blocker ban 16:45

1M ago16:45

16:45

Last week, trans teenagers in Queensland and their families had a short moment of joy: the supreme court overturned the state government’s ban on gender affirming care. The judge found the decision to stop children from accessing puberty blockers was done without proper consultation. He found that the ban had been rushed through without giving medi…

1
The woman who exposed the childcare industry 18:51

1M ago18:51

18:51

Some childcare centres in Australia are so understaffed that children are left alone for hours. Other centres spend less than a dollar a day on feeding them. Yet the industry receives billions in public subsidies and dodgy centres are allowed to keep operating even after serious breaches. What’s emerging is a picture of a broken childcare system – …

1
Australia’s definitely-not-secret deal with Nauru has begun 15:55

1M ago15:55

15:55

Back in 2023, Australia’s top court made a landmark ruling: it was against the law for the Australian government to indefinitely hold people in immigration detention. That ruling had massive implications for our country’s border policies. It overturned 20 years of precedent – and it led to the release of people into the community who had been held …

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The secret ‘jobs for mates’ report Labor won’t release 16:22

1M ago16:22

16:22

Murray Watt has talked a big game about fixing our environment laws by the end of the year. But this week, the government’s attempt to do that fell apart – with the crossbench and Coalition senators refusing to back the changes. At the same time, Labor faced a dramatic revolt in the Senate over its refusal to release a secret report meant to fix th…

1
When Donald Trump met Xi Jinping 15:20

1M ago15:20

15:20

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have met face-to-face for the first time in six years. The meeting, on the sidelines of the APEC summit, comes at a time of deep tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Tariffs are soaring, critical minerals are being weaponised and the battle over tech dominance is reshaping global supply chains. Trump likes…

1
The cost of Trump's critical minerals ‘deal’ 16:04

1M ago16:04

16:04

Anthony Albanese’s $13 billion critical minerals deal with Donald Trump has been touted as a huge win – one that strengthens our relationship with our most powerful ally – and delivers massive US investment in our national interest. But while Australia and the US talk it up as a blow to China’s stranglehold on these important commodities, questions…

1
Why the ACCC is suing Microsoft 15:55

1M ago15:55

15:55

Tech giants have invested billions into AI – and are looking for ways to get a return. So when Microsoft offered its customers its new AI function “co-pilot” recently, it told them they’d need to pay a higher price for their subscription – or cancel. AI was now part of the deal, whether they wanted it or not. Except it wasn't. Now, the ACCC is suin…

1
How profit beats safety in childcare 17:38

1M ago17:38

17:38

When Joshua Brown was arrested for allegedly abusing children at childcare centers across Melbourne, it exposed a horrifying reality: patchwork regulation and an understaffed, profit-driven industry is failing children. Months on, as state and federal governments try to deal with the fallout – and as the Albanese government pumps record investment …

1
The NACC has a trust problem 16:12

1M ago16:12

16:12

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has over 200 employees, an annual budget of $60 million, and has received more than 5,000 referrals. It also hasn’t made a single major corruption finding in the two years it’s been operating. And adding to questions around performance and credibility, it was recently revealed that the NACC’s Chief Commission…

1
How China took over the world’s critical minerals 13:26

1M ago13:26

13:26

When Anthony Albanese met with Donald Trump, the two leaders cut a deal on critical minerals worth $13 billion. And as we settle into a new phase of the relationship with our most important ally – this is Australia’s crucial bargaining chip, as the US tries to break China’s grip on the supply chain of critical minerals. China’s global domination ha…

1
Is Barnaby at home in One Nation? 15:43

1M ago15:43

15:43

Barnaby Joyce has announced he would not recontest his seat of New England, saying his “relationship with the leadership of the Nationals in Canberra has unfortunately, like a sadness in some marriages, irreparably broken down”. People are now guessing whether his flirtation with One Nation will turn into marriage. So does the former Nationals lead…

1
Prince Andrew, Epstein and the emails 16:34

1M ago16:34

16:34

“We are in this together… we’ll play some more soon.” That’s what Prince Andrew wrote to Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 – the day after a photo of Andrew with accuser Virginia Giuffre hit the papers. The email undercuts the prince’s claim that the two had cut ties in 2010, and is part of a new stream of documents surfacing as US Congress releases tens of …

1
The ‘playbook’ lobbyists use to delay climate action 16:14

1M ago16:14

16:14

When Professor Christian Downie appeared before a Senate inquiry into climate and energy misinformation, he warned that Australia is facing coordinated campaigns designed not to debate climate solutions, but to stall them. Professor Downie has spent years inside boardrooms and the lobbying world studying how these campaigns are built – tracing the …

1
Trump and Albanese’s new friendship 16:44

1M ago16:44

16:44

Anthony Albanese was so chuffed with his meeting with US President Donald Trump that the prime minister joked he’d use Trump’s endorsement in his next campaign ads. While Trump is used to a procession of world leaders coming through his door, there was more at stake for Albanese, who is trying to manage an increasingly difficult relationship. In th…

1
Russia can be beaten 14:05

1M ago14:05

14:05

When Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Alaska back in August, he rolled out the red carpet, talked up his ability to end the war, but ultimately came away with no deal. Now, high off his recent Middle East peace deal, Trump is saying he’s “gotta get Russia done”. He met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky last week – and he’s preparing ano…

1
The world according to Tony Abbott 14:39

2M ago14:39

14:39

Charlie Lewis writes about politics for Crikey. He’s been a close observer of Tony Abbott – from his time as a Liberal Party bomb thrower, to his face-offs with Julia Gillard, to his short ‘Prince Philip-themed’ time as prime minister. Now, Charlie’s tracking Abbott’s political afterlife: which brings him to Sydney’s affluent Northern Beaches, and …

1
This is Alice Springs: Children of the Intervention 29:38

2M ago29:38

29:38

From afar, Alice Springs is a whirlpool of myth and truth. A town with competing interests and few solutions, marked by chaos and decades of government overreach. That all came to a head earlier last year, with what’s been described as a “youth riot” in town. The violence led to the Northern Territory government imposing an emergency curfew. This i…

1
This is Alice Springs: The coppers 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

Police are everywhere in Alice Springs. You see them driving pursuit vehicles and caged vans on the streets, or stationed outside the bottle shop checking IDs. But more police doesn’t mean less crime – it just means more people are getting locked up. As Alice Springs reels from the police shooting of Warlpiri teenager Kumanjayi Walker, and in the w…

1
This is Alice Springs: Mparntwe 29:09

2M ago29:09

29:09

Alice Springs is littered with “For Sale” signs as those who can afford it are packing up and leaving. Punitive government curfews made daily life more challenging, and families struggle to see a future for themselves if things continue the way they are. With the Country Liberal Party elected on a promise to be even tougher on crime – and lowering …

1
Why Chalmers backtracked on big super balances 15:29

2M ago15:29

15:29

This week, the federal government dramatically re-wrote its signature tax policy. The changes mean that a small section of people with very high super balances will pay less tax. That backflip has big consequences – for the government's budget, and for its commitment to addressing wealth inequality in this country. Today, press gallery journalist P…