Backchat Podcast
1) Palantir's involvement in Australian surveillance | The rise of traditional gender roles amongst young men | Bluesfest cancelled | Iranian women's soccer team granted asylum in Australia
Palantir Technology is in the news, and not in a good way. Tech reporter at Crikey Cam Wilson dives into the controversial tech company's growing influence on global politics, including how it's becom...Show More
2) Diversity in F1 | NSW's controversial new police taskforce, Operation Shelter | Improving queer rights pioneer Ayesha Kazan's quality of life | Thai Airways boycott campaign | Yanis Varoufakis at the Greek Festival of Sydney
Were you one of the hundreds of thousands gathered at Melbourne’s Albert Park to bring in the 2026 Formula One season last week? Producer Nyaboth Chuol breaks down F1's newfound popularity and d...Show More
3) Pride in Protest removed from Mardi Gras parade | Why are we so invested in Heated Rivalry? | Queer representation at Harbour Lights Hockey Club | ADHD diagnosis training roll out by NSW GPs
Have you been keeping up with the Heated Rivalry craze? Producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis breaks down why women in particular are loving the show, and our obsession with the gay romance genre. NSW’...Show More
4) Terror charge added over Boorloo Invasion Day rally bombing | Police tactics at the Sydney Herzog protest | Is Valentine’s Day consumerist and/or heteronormative?
A terrorism charge has been laid over an attempted bombing at the Invasion Day rally in Perth, nine days after the attack. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to Roxy Moore, Noongar organiser of the ...Show More
5) Israeli president visits Australia | links between mental health and homelessness | combatting AI misinformation | cinema workers' safety
Ahead of Israeli president Isaac Herzog's state visit to Australia, producer Gabriella Accaria breaks down his political background and the reception of his visit by politicians and activist groups.&n...Show More
6) The spectacle of the Australian Open | Pride in Protest censored | hating on the new hate speech laws | why Jan 26 is complicated for Indian-Australians
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 soc...Show More
7) TikTok Awards controversy | Would you swim in the Cooks River? | Ozempic in Australian healthcare | Sydney's viral food penalty map | Why can't we let go of Spotify?
Producer Pongyada Sootthipong breaks down the drama at last week’s TikTok Awards in Sydney following allegations of racism against its Black creators. Zee Feed founder Crystal Andrews unpacks th...Show More
8) Parramatta Council housing goss | 1800 RESPECT funding increase | How climate change is affecting your health | New busking reforms in Sydney
The City of Parramatta Council believes it has done its "fair share" in building housing, and will write to the state government to ask to be exempt from the Housing Development Authority. Backchat pr...Show More
9) Pharmacists and GPs debate over prescription power | Fight to protect public housing | Pride in Protest on over-policing at Mardi Gras | Do we need skincare for children? | Teen Vogue merger
Producer Euan Kielly breaks down the beef between pharmacists and GPs after a proposal to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to include medicine prescriptions. Demolition work has beg...Show More
10) Cairo Takeaway's legal battle | National Socialist Network protests | Rise in Australia's triple zero outages | Earlwood's Greek anarchist posters
Who is putting up, and now tearing down, the Greek anarchist posters in Sydney’s suburb of Earlwood? Producer Gabriella Accaria talks to Dr Sky Croeza to investigate. Producer Euan Kielly joins ...Show More