Best Project Derailed Podcasts (2025)

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The ‘subterfuge’ behind the March for Australia 15:01

Play Pause

4m ago15:01

15:01

When a group of Neo-Nazis recently took to the streets of Melbourne, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said that Nazi’s “don't belong” in Australia. But while that might be a good sentiment, is it actually true? Today, Arrernte writer and Crikey contributor Celeste Liddle, on Australia’s white nationalist past – and how in failing to reckon with it w…

1
Is Australia supplying weapons to Israel? 14:09

16h ago14:09

14:09

As Israel's assault on Gaza city continues, Israeli aircraft and tanks have pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of the city, destroying buildings and homes. It comes as a record number of Australians turned out this weekend in protest against the war – and as the relationship between the Australian and Israeli government worsens. But while A…

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How a grandfather died after a flirty Meta AI chatbot’s invite 17:24

1d ago17:24

17:24

“I’m REAL and I’m sitting here blushing because of YOU!” That’s the message 76-year-old Thongbue “Bue” Wongbandue received from a flirty Facebook Messenger chatbot before it proposed he travel to New York for a meet-up. Bue – who was cognitively impaired after suffering a stroke – packed a suitcase to catch a train, believing the woman was real. He…

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The economic roundtable: Where is Labor’s ambition? 15:05

5d ago15:05

15:05

This week in Canberra, the press, unions, business leaders and politicians have all been talking about one thing: the economic roundtable. It’s been spruiked by the government as a way to address a core problem with the economy – sluggish productivity. But what is actually on offer – and will it make a difference to the rising structural inequaliti…

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Is Qantas sorry – or just sorry it got caught? 16:12

6d ago16:12

16:12

Qantas has been told it’s the “wrong kind of sorry”. Five years after illegally outsourcing 1,800 ground staff, the airline has been hit with a record $90 million penalty on top of compensation for workers. Qantas is promising cultural change, but the court's judgment questions whether the airline’s remorse is real or just for show, given the move …

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Trump v Zelensky: Round 2 15:45

7d ago15:45

15:45

Fresh off the back of his meeting with Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump has held talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. While details of those talks are still trickling out, this time things seem to have gone well. Trump has promised Ukraine security, and is now talking about a peace deal – though not a ceasefire. Today, associate profe…

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Part 1: Inside Australia's secretive crocodile skin industry 14:23

8d ago14:23

14:23

Darwin’s crocodile farms supply some of the world’s most exclusive fashion houses. But as award-winning journalist Katherine Wilson started looking into this booming hundred million dollar industry, she knew she had to visit the Northern Territory herself. As she got closer to this secretive industry, what she found was shocking: animals being kept…

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Part 2: Crocodiles, crimes and conservation claims 14:41

8d ago14:41

14:41

This is part two of a two-part series. Start with Part 1: Inside Australia's secretive crocodile skin industry. The lucrative Australian crocodile skin industry has always sold its conservation credentials - arguing that by farming the animals, they were ensuring the future of the species. Two prominent scientists, using successful media businesses…

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Inside the Islamophobia envoy’s private briefings to parliament 13:18

9d ago13:18

13:18

When the Australian government appointed its envoy to combat Islamophobia, it came amid escalating violence in Gaza. But signs have emerged that the envoy chosen - Aftab Malik - appears to see his role as separate from the conflict in the Middle East. Now there are questions about why Malik was chosen, and concern about whether his report - due any…

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AI: ‘The biggest act of copyright theft in history’ 14:44

12d ago14:44

14:44

A few weeks ago, Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar addressed the National Press Club to discuss what he describes as the “next great industrial revolution”. Singing the praises of the economic opportunity of artificial intelligence, Farquhar called on the government to loosen the rules – allowing AI models to train themselves using creative works…

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Conspiracy Nation part 2: From fringe to Parliament 16:32

13d ago16:32

16:32

It’s easy to dismiss conspiracy theories as fringe or imported. But conspiratorial ideas are gaining traction with everyday Australians – about one in three endorse at least one conspiracy belief. They’re also being echoed by people in power, and have spilled into real-world violence. Today, Conspiracy Nation authors Cam Wilson and Ariel Bogle on h…

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Conspiracy Nation part 1: The COVID conspiracy pipeline 15:24

13d ago15:24

15:24

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia – like many countries – saw protesters take the streets. They weren’t just protesting lockdowns, they were rallying around a tangle of fears and conspiracies. Those threads fused into a broader worldview that pulled people down a pipeline and built a small industry of influencers. Today, Conspiracy Nation aut…

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The giant cuttlefish and the deadly algal bloom 14:31

14d ago14:31

14:31

When dead fish began washing up on South Australian beaches earlier this year, Dr Scott Bennett was alarmed. Scott’s a marine ecologist at the University of Tasmania, and knew that dead fish on shore meant trouble under the surface. On a dive in June, Scott came face-to-face with the devastating impact of the largest algal bloom Australia has ever …

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What does Australia’s recognition of Palestine actually achieve? 14:03

15d ago14:03

14:03

Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced. Albanese claims the move will help advance a two-state solution and is “humanity’s best hope” for peace in the Middle East. But as Israel intensifies its military campaign in Gaza once again, what difference does recogniti…

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‘We do not feel safe’: Kumanjayi White’s grandfather on the danger of the NT police 15:14

16d ago15:14

15:14

In May this year, Kumanjayi White died after being restrained by police inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Just weeks later, the coroner released her findings into the fatal police shooting of Kumanjayi Walker, who was killed in Yuendumu in 2019. Both men were Warlpiri, and both died after encounters with Northern Territory police. Jampijinpa H…

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The political calculations behind Albanese’s economic roundtable 15:12

19d ago15:12

15:12

Labor is laying the groundwork for a major overhaul of Australia’s tax system. In just over a week, a hand-picked group of people from business, unions and government will gather in Canberra for an economic roundtable. Already, a range of ideas are being touted for debate: from lowering company tax rates, to rethinking negative gearing, and a carbo…

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Collapse or coexistence: Avoiding Israel and Palestine's bleakest futures 16:10

20d ago16:10

16:10

As ceasefire talks with Hamas stall, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to convene his security cabinet to agree on a new Gaza strategy. He’s been pushing for a full military takeover of the strip – but that plan is exposing deep divisions inside his own government. The meeting was postponed, senior defence officials warn the op…

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Why “Summer Build Season” No Longer Works: Climate Risk Is Reshaping Project Schedules 43:47

21d ago43:47

43:47

Albert and Nate talk through a quiet shift happening on capital projects: climate adaptation is no longer a long-term planning exercise — it’s a short-term delivery problem. Schedules that used to anchor around stable permitting windows, predictable summer outages, and long-established build seasons are now under pressure. What project leaders are …

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Part 1: The spiritual leader of Sydney’s pro-ISIS network 11:50

21d ago11:50

11:50

At the height of the Islamic State’s power in Syria, hundreds of Australians are thought to have joined their ranks. But as security agencies cracked down on people leaving the country, Australian ISIS supporters turned their focus here. What followed was a string of attacks and foiled plots. Now, as ISIS once again gains a foothold in Syria, attac…

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Part 2: A warning from an undercover ASIO informant 14:57

21d ago14:57

14:57

When ASIO’s spy chief Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, it was widely seen as a recruitment drive. He talked about the crucial role of human intelligence in ASIO's work – and sang the praises of the people who make huge sacrifices, in secret, to keep Australians safe. But while Burgess insisted informants collec…

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Could Australia get a national truth telling commission? 15:47

22d ago15:47

15:47

For nearly two decades, Australian governments have pledged to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians — in health, education, employment and justice. But year after year, the data tells a grim story: modest improvements in some areas and deepening crises in others. Behind the national figures, and in the shadow of the faile…

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A collective howl of protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge 13:50

23d ago13:50

13:50

In spite of pouring rain, government opposition and a failed police ban, 90,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday. It was the largest pro-Palestinian protest in Australia’s history. It was a moment of mass demonstration against 21 months of war in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians, including children, have been kill…

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Anthony Albanese's long held hopes for Palestinian statehood 16:22

26d ago16:22

16:22

Anthony Albanese has been waiting decades to recognise a Palestinian state. Now, as countries like France, Canada and the UK all declare their own intention to do so, the Prime Minister is weighing up how Australia will respond. It’s a delicate balance – with competing pressures from within his own party, and an opposition denying there’s a starvat…

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How the internet is about to change for everyone 15:47

27d ago15:47

15:47

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…

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How China uses persuasive technology for social control 15:14

28d ago15:14

15:14

As companies across the world pursue generative AI technology, new forms of manipulation become possible. At the forefront of this are neurotechnologies, which directly connect to your brain and collect your brain data, and persuasive technologies, which can use that data to influence how you feel. In countries like China where the tech industry is…

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Richard Flanagan on the 'ludicrous' deal derailing Tasmanian politics 14:26

29d ago14:26

14:26

When Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff struck a deal with the AFL to build a brand new stadium in Hobart's historic center, it was a decision made without cabinet, treasury or parliamentary backing. It's that stadium that's kicked off a messy fight over who will lead Tasmania. It’s now been over a week since the election that delivered a hung parli…

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The students behind the historic ICJ climate ruling 14:46

1M ago14:46

14:46

Countries have a legal obligation to tackle climate change, according to a landmark finding from the world’s highest court. Last week, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion that said climate change is an “urgent and existential threat” to humanity and countries have a “duty to cooperate” on addressing it. For the Pacific Isl…

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Amy Remeikis on parliament’s ‘messy’ return 15:40

1M ago15:40

15:40

When parliament returned this week, the seating chart said it all. With 123 Labor members in the parliament – the government is taking up much of the room. But it was the Nationals taking the oxygen with their growing calls to abandon net zero. Their position is at odds with science, economics and many within the joint party room. Meanwhile Opposit…

1
Could Syria be headed for another civil war? 15:46

1M ago15:46

15:46

When an Israeli airstrike hit the gate of Syria’s Defence Ministry in central Damascus, the blast echoed far beyond the capital. It was a warning shot in a growing fight over who controls Syria’s fractured south. With sectarian tensions reigniting between Druze militias, Bedouin fighters and government troops, the country’s uneasy calm is close to …

1
The AFP's failure to investigate itself 12:59

1M ago12:59

12:59

The Australian Federal Police investigate some of the country's most serious crimes - terrorism, corruption, drugs, and human trafficking. But a new report from the Commonwealth Ombudsman has found that the one thing the AFP is not good at investigating is itself. It's found that the agency is dismissing complaints that should be investigated, incl…

1
The gas project threatening a world heritage site 14:39

1M ago14:39

14:39

When UNESCO voted to put the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in north-west Australia on the World Heritage List, they recognised the ancient rock art as a “masterpiece of human creative genius”. It was a reflection of the work of the Murujuga traditional owners who fought for the carvings to be recognised on the world stage. But what went on behind the…

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Part 1: How the Epstein conspiracy turned MAGA against Trump 14:04

1M ago14:04

14:04

As Donald Trump tries to hose down criticisms over his mishandling of the Epstein files, some of his most ardent supporters are now turning against him. For years Donald Trump fueled conspiracy theories related to the notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. For Trump’s MAGA base, his re-election meant finally uncovering the truth about the powerful…

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Part 2: 'Another wonderful secret': The letter Trump denies sending Epstein 11:45

1M ago11:45

11:45

This is the second episode in a two part series. If you haven’t yet, start by listening to Part 1: How the Epstein conspiracy turned MAGA against Trump. Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein have a well documented history together. What started off as a friendship eventually turned sour, with Trump claiming he never really liked him. But even though the…

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Will Australia go to war over Taiwan? 15:08

1M ago15:08

15:08

Australia is caught in a perilous balancing act. This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Premier Xi Jinping to stabilise ties with China; as leaks from Washington revealed the steep demands of our AUKUS agreement with the United States. In the shadow of rising tensions over Taiwan, the question of where Australia stands, and who we stan…

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Data, Digital, and Uncertainty: Capital Project Professionals Share What's Next at AACE 2025 33:18

1M ago33:18

33:18

Albert Brier returns from the AACE conference in Anaheim with insights from 13 industry professionals on the future of capital projects. From the dominance of Excel to the rise of AI-enabled scheduling tools, this episode explores how project controls professionals are navigating digital transformation while facing unprecedented uncertainty. Hear f…

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‘Mabo didn’t win the first time’: Torres Strait Islanders will continue climate fight 15:43

1M ago15:43

15:43

The Federal Court has dismissed a landmark class action brought by Uncles Paul Kabai and Pabai Pabai – two Torres Strait Islander men who said Canberra owed them a duty of care to safeguard their homelands from rising seas. Justice Michael Wigney accepted the islands are being “ravaged by human-induced climate change,” yet ruled the law offers “no …

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Rebranding 101: From Builder-Grade to High-End Clientele 43:10

1M ago43:10

43:10

How do you go from flipping builder-grade homes to designing multi-million-dollar projects that align with your true creative vision? In this episode, Darla chats with Bre Hance, the powerhouse Founder of InHance Design Build, about the real mindset and strategic pivots that helped her level up her business and attract high-end interior design clie…

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Why the Envoy’s plan to tackle antisemitism could backfire 15:49

1M ago15:49

15:49

It’s been a year since the Albanese government appointed Jillian Segal to the role of Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia. Last week, alongside the Prime Minister, Ms Segal released her plan. It recommends media organisations should be monitored and funding should be withheld from universities and cultural institutions if they don’t s…

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How China took over the world’s critical minerals 13:48

1M ago13:48

13:48

Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Xi Jinping this week is a crucial opportunity to strengthen relations with our biggest trading partner. But it comes at a time when Australia is trying to break China’s grip on the supply chain of critical minerals. China’s global domination has been in the works for decades – a grand plan that gives China ready acce…

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The war inside the Liberal Party over quotas 13:56

1M ago13:56

13:56

The Liberal Party knows it needs to change. But the battle over how is already tearing the party apart. Sussan Ley has declared herself a “zealot” for getting more women into parliament. But she faces stiff resistance from the conservative wing of the party, including from some of its older statesmen which see quotas as undemocratic and an attack o…

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Fake bands, real weapons: How Spotify is fuelling the arms race 14:55

2M ago14:55

14:55

Spotify has transformed how the world listens to music. But as it’s grown, the company behind it, and its founder Daniel Ek, have been reshaping more than just the music industry. Ek has become a key figure in the global defence industry, investing more than a billion dollars into military technology based on artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Spo…

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Antoinette Lattouf on beating the ABC in court 16:56

2M ago16:56

16:56

When journalist Antoinette Lattouf picked up a casual contract with ABC Radio Sydney, she didn’t expect it to end in court. But after she reshared a Human Rights Watch post about Gaza, the ABC pulled her off-air on day three and ended her employment. Last month the Federal Court ruled that decision unlawful, finding senior executives acted after “a…

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Live with HighPoint Market Style Spotters 49:08

2M ago49:08

49:08

Stop Treating High Point Like a Buying Trip. Do This Instead… High Point Market isn’t just a place to shop for furniture. It’s one of the most underused marketing tools you have at your disposal. Many designers make the mistake of approaching it like a giant showroom, simply hunting for products to fill their client projects. However, by doing so, …

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How Kumanjayi Walker’s death should change the NT Police 16:03

2M ago16:03

16:03

In the Central Australian community of Yuendumu, Kumanjayi Walker’s family gathered this week to hear coroner Elizabeth Armitage share her findings into his death. Walker was a 19 year old Warlpiri-Luritja teenager who was shot and killed by former constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019. Today, investigative journalist Kate Wild on what the inquest reveal…

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Inside the courtroom for Erin Patterson's guilty verdict 14:56

2M ago14:56

14:56

Erin Patterson has been found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after serving her estranged ex-husband’s family beef wellington, which contained death cap mushrooms. Erin Patterson said the addition of death cap mushrooms to the dish was a tragic accident, and maintained her innocence throughout the trial. But afte…

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Adele Ferguson on why children aren’t safe at childcare centres 16:25

2M ago16:25

16:25

A child care worker in Victoria has been charged with more than 70 offences relating to the sexual abuse of children. Following the arrest, the state health authorities recommended 1200 children, some as young as five months old, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The government is scrambling to figure out how this happened, and how to s…

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Amy Remeikis on Australia's critical minerals bargaining chip 14:42

2M ago14:42

14:42

Australia is positioning itself as a critical supplier of the minerals the world needs to build clean technology. But for now, China dominates the market, and its grip on supply chains gives it enormous leverage. At the same time, the Albanese government is racing China to shore up its influence in the Pacific; a region already feeling the sharpest…

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Weaponising AI: How chatbots are becoming tools for domestic abuse 14:27

2M ago14:27

14:27

AI chatbots have crept into our lives – and some abusers are weaponising them. By feeding intimate details about their partners into tools like ChatGPT, they’re producing “performance reviews” that shame, degrade and control. Today, writer Madison Griffiths on this new form of tech-enabled coercive control – and why ChatGPT always sides with the ab…

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The Interior Designer's Guide to Simplifying Sourcing 35:42

2M ago35:42

35:42

Are your vendor spreadsheets quietly killing your profits and sanity? Fragmented sourcing isn’t just an inconvenience; it drains time, eats into margins, and creates chaos you can’t afford. Host Darla Powell talks with Lee Anne Blake, CEO of The Expert, about why many designers are frustrated with juggling numerous vendors and outdated processes. T…

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Part 2: The truth has been told 13:35

2M ago13:35

13:35

This is the second installment of a two part series about the history and impact of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. In this episode, we hear the stories of First Nations elders whose loved ones were stolen, and who lived through the racist policies whose legacies are still felt in society today. We also hear what happened when the Victorian Premie…