Advertise on podcast: Backchat

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 become entangled with Australian surveillance and international conflict.  Is conservatism making a comeback among young people? A new report from IPSOS and the King’s College London suggests Generation Z may be embracing more traditional gender views. We speak with University of Melbourne PhD candidate Claudia Young about what’s driving this shift, from economic anxiety to the influence of the manosphere.  Later, we look at yet another collapse of a major Australian music event - Bluesfest. After decades as a staple of the Easter long weekend, the long anticipated festival has been cancelled, raising fresh concerns about the future of live music. Olly Arkins from the Australian Festivals Association explains why festival costs keep rising and what it means for artists, workers and regional communities. We also break down the members of the Iran women's national football team being granted humanitarian visas after a protest during the AFC Women's Asian Cup. Analyst Neha Madhok helps explain the political context behind the decision and tensions between Iran, Australia, Israel, and the United States.  This episode was produced by Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Bec Cushway, Holly Payne and Olivia Nunes-Malek. Executive produced by Bec Cushway.  Hosted by Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis and Pongyada Soothipong.  Aired 14 March 2026 on Gadigal land.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 diversity in the sport. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson joins to discuss the risks associated with Operation Shelter, a controversial new police operation initially designed to combat anti-semitism and islamophobia, which has since shifted to become a permanent command unit. Backchat speaks to Lillian, one of the volunteers fighting to restore trans advocate Ayesha Kazan's quality of life. Best known as one of the original members of Les Girls, Ayesha is one of the pioneers of Sydney's drag scene. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to protest organisers Zelda and Heike Weber about last week's protests to boycott Thai Airways in Sydney and Melbourne, after an investigation revealed the airline was transporting Australian-made weapons parts on passenger flights to Israel.  Greek economist, politician and author Yanis Varoufakis chats to producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis at the Greek Festival of Sydney about his recent memoir Raise Your Soul, and the “little fascist” within all of us. This episode of Backchat was produced by Nyaboth Chuol, Jess D’Souza, Olivia Nunes-Malek, Pongyada Sootthipong and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Jess D’Souza and Bec Cushway. Aired 7 March 2026 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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’S first queer ice hockey club, Harbour Lights Hockey Club, celebrated Mardi Gras with the Pride on Ice Tournament. Producer Jess D’Souza speaks to Harbour Lights’ president Brigitta Slinn about the club’s pushes for queer representation in sport. Producer Gabriella Accaria spoke to Dr Kenneth McCroary from the ACM and Dr Christopher Timms from the RACGP to find out more about the roll out of training for NSW GPs to diagnose and prescribe patients for ADHD. Queer advocacy group Pride in Protest were banned from the Mardi Gras parade overnight. Evan Gray from PiP joins to talk about the decision to remove their float.   This episode of Backchat was produced by Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Jess D’Souza, Gabriella Accaria, and Bec Cushway.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis. Aired 28 February 2026 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Boorloo Invasion Day rally, about the aftermath of violence on a day of mourning and solidarity for the First Nations community. Anti Cop founder Tom Raue joins to break down the heavily criticised police tactics used on peaceful protesters in Sydney who were rallying against Israeli president Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia last Monday. Jaded with the sight of roses and chocolates on Valentine's Day? Producer Gabriella Accaria spoke to couples about the consumerism and heteronormativity that come with the holiday. This episode of Backchat was produced by Pongyada Sootthipong, Sana Shaikh, and Gabriella Accaria.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Bec Cushway. Aired 14 February 2026 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.  The findings from the coronial inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbing were recently handed down, highlighting the importance of housing for people living with a mental health condition. Habilis in Summer Hill provides low-cost housing for people living with a chronic mental health condition— their centre manager Linda Bowden joins us to explain how stable housing helps people get better access to mental health support.  Have you ever had a family dinner ruined because your Worst Uncle decided to share his awful AI-informed hot takes? Molecular biologist and president of the Science Journalists Association of Australia Dr Jackson Ryan is here with some strategies on dealing with misinformation from your family and friends.  Cinema workers at Village Cinema at the Crown Melbourne expressed concerns about their safety during a one-night only screening of Pauline Hanson's new animated film 'A Super Progressive Movie'. Producer Jessica D'Souza chats to the director of the Young Worker's Centre Victoria, Yolanda Robson to discuss the safety concerns cinema workers face during conservative film screenings.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Gabriella Accaria, Dani Zhang, Holly Payne and Jessica D'Souza.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Tanita Razhagi and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis. Aired 7 February 2026 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 social, cultural, economic and geopolitical issues at the Australian Open with Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management at the University of Technology Sydney.  Pride in Protest members and Mardi Gras board members Luna Choo and Damien Nguyen have been censored by the board's co-chairs after public internal struggles within the organisation. Founding PiP member Evan Ban Zijl joins us to chat more about the drama.  In the wake of the Bondi attack, the Labor government has passed new hate speech laws at a speed which has activists, lawyers and human rights organisations concerned. Timothy Roberts, Presidents of the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties, joins us to break down these laws and question how much safer the community will be because of them. The 26th of January is a day of mourning for First Nations people in Australia, but also marks Republic Day in India, when the country became fully independent from colonisation. Producer Jessica D'Souza discusses the complexities of this day for Indian-Australians with youth advocate Varsha Yajman and racial justice consultant and Democracy in Colour co-founder Neha Madhok.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Gabriella Accaria, Holly Payne, Jessica D’Souza, Sana Shaikh and Bec Cushway. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Holly Payne and Dani Zhang.  Aired 31 January 2026 on Gadigal land.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 the discussions kicked up around Australia’s media diversity. Would you swim in the Cooks River again? Backchat speaks to Brooke about her ventures diving in the river, amidst council plans to clean up the previously gorgeous swimming spot. Ozempic-style medications are now poised to lead obesity treatment with support from the WHO. Dr Terri-Lynne South joins to discuss the future of Ozempic in Australian healthcare. Producer Imogen Brosnan talks to Aussie Data Girl about her viral data map tracking which popular restaurants are getting away with food penalties right under our noses. With Spotify Wrapped stories flooding our feeds last week, producer Dani Zhang investigates why we continue to use Spotify despite its ethical failings in recent years. This episode of Backchat was produced by Pongyada Sootthipong, Gabriella Accaria, Euan Kielly, Imogen Brosnan and Dani Zhang. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Bec Cushway and Pongyada Sootthipong. Aired 6 December 2025 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 producer and local council head Holly explains what this means for development in Western Sydney.  The Albanese government increased funding for 1800 RESPECT by 40% in light of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Sherele Moody, founder of the RED HEART Campaign and Australian Femicide Watch joins us to discuss what more needs to be done to eliminate gender-based violence.  How does climate change intersect with health? Dr John Van Der Kallen from Doctors for the Environment Australia breaks it down for us and speaks about how climate policy can better address the national health impact of climate change.  Last month, the City of Sydney updated Sydney's busking code that relegated buskers to specific spots in the city. Producer Nyaboth Chuol unpacks the changes and the impact it will have on Sydney's busking scene.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Holly Payne, Euan Kielly, Nyaboth Chuol, Jess D’Souza and Bec Cushway. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Aired 29 November 2025 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 begun on a 35-year-old public housing estate in Glebe. Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the fight to defend public housing against privatisation with ACP member Dan Miller and Socialist Alliance seat for Sydney Rachel Evans.   Backchat speaks to Pride in Protest candidate for the Mardi Gras board, Luna Choo, about the new petition to stop over-policing at Mardi Gras parades, board elections, and what this means for Sydney’s queer community.   Has social media’s obsession with skincare gone too far? Producer Nyaboth Chuol breaks down the controversy around ‘Rini’, the new skincare brand made for children, and the exploitation of self-care with Dr Michelle Wong.   Producer Jess D’Souza discusses the implications of Teen Vogue’s merger with Vogue.com on youth media diversity and takeaways for the Australian media landscape. Founder of news initiative In My Head Kriti Gupta and Zee Feed co-founder Crystal Andrews pitch in.   This episode of Backchat was produced by Gabriella Accaria, Nyaboth Chuol, Jess D’Souza, Euan Kielly and Bec Cushway. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Aired 15 November 2025 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 to break down the uptick in triple-zero outages and telecommunications failures in Australia.   Have you stumbled upon the ‘Cairo Takeaway needs our help’ posts on your social media feed? Backchat breaks down the legal defence battle between pro-Israel activist Ofir Birenbaum and much-loved Inner West restaurant Cairo Takeaway.   Recently, members of the National Socialist Network were seen protesting outside the Parliament House. Backchat spoke to what’s doin media founder Scobie McKay about the neo-Nazi organisation and its worrying impact on our communities.   This episode of Backchat was produced by Gabriella Accaria, Euan Kielly, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis and Bec Cushway.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway.  Hosted by Bec Cushway and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis.  Aired 22 November 2025 on Gadigal land.  Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with police outside the recent Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney. Dani Zhang takes us through how the government's support of the defence expo contradicts its public statements about Australia's role about the war in Gaza.  Producer Jessica D'Souza chats to NSW Treaty Commissioner Naomi Moran about the process towards a treaty with Aboriginal people in the state, following Victoria's passing of treaty legislation. Can't keep up with Australia's climate policy updates? Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis breaks down all the latest flops from Labor and the Coalition with the Climate Council's Ben McCleod.  Producer Jaspar McCahon-Boersma unpacks the circumstances surrounding the government's recent murky deportations to Nauru with the Refugee Council of Australia's Dr Graham Thom. He also speaks to Zaki Haidari from Amnesty International, who speaks about his experience seeking asylum in Australia by sea.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Dani Zhang, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Jessica D'Souza, Jaspar McCahon-Boersma and Bec Cushway.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway.  Hosted by Dani Zhang and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis.  Aired 8 November 2025 on Gadigal land.  Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis speaks about the controversial opening of a kebab shop by notorious Sydney influencer and outspoken homophobe, Spanian, in Sydney's queer capital, Newtown. Executive producer Bec Cushway gives an update on the recent highs and lows of trans healthcare policies in Queensland. Eva and Bec discuss the Labor Party's leaked talking points on Israel and Palestine and it's political ramifications wth Deep Cut News journalist Alex McKinnon. They also highlight international AI copyright laws with Dr. Louise Buckingham, looking into artists' rights amid AI advancements.  Producer Nyaboth Chuol delves into ASMR - a phenomenon that has gone from the fringes of the Internet to garnering mainstream attention.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Bec Cushway, Eva-Sikes Gerogiannis and Nyaboth Chuol.  Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Bec Cushway and Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis Aired 1 November 2025 on Gadigal land. Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Good Food Guide has announced that they are no longer recommending Merivale venues due to allegations made against the company, shortly after dropping Swillhouse venues late last year. Producer Bec Cushway joins to explain the impact on venues and food media. Producer Gabriella Accaria investigates why Orthodox Christianity is seeing a revival among young people. Have you wrestled with a chatbot while trying to make an insurance claim? Dr Alexandra Bratanova breaks down the Insurance Council of Australia and CSIRO's joint report on AI use in the insurance industry, and what the risks and benefits this move could pose for you. Tim Roberts, President for the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, joins us to discuss the courts' decision to dismiss the cases for some of the 129 Rising Tide protesters charged after protesting the world’s largest coal port in Newcastle. As his AURA tour in Australia began in Parramatta last weekend, producer Jessica D'Souza looks into Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh and how he’s inspiring a new generation of South Asian-Australian artists. This episode of Backchat was produced by Bec Cushway, Gabriella Accaria, Pongyada Sootthipong, Sana Shaikh and Jessica D'Souza. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Pongyada Sootthipong.  Aired 25 October 2025 on Gadigal land.  Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDIT: This episode has been edited after broadcast to accurately reflect the input of the author of the petition to Mandate Trauma-Informed Training for All NSW Police Officers, Claudia Kuper. Over ten thousand people have signed a legislative assembly petition calling for mandated trauma-informed training for NSW Police. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to lead petitioner Claudia Kuper and solicitor Sam Lee about trauma-informed responses and what systemic reforms are needed to implement them.  Cameron Francis, the CEO of not-for-profit drug testing service organisation The Loop joins us to discuss Queensland's recent ban on public and private pill testing operations. We unpack the impacts of keratoconus (a chronic eye condition) on young people with Dr Jingjing You, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney's School of Medical Sciences.  Have raves lost their meaning? Producer Bec Cushway investigates the history of raves and how Sydney's rave scene is being diluted.  The National Association of Renters' Organisations and National Shelter have released their second report card on renting in Australia. Producer Sana Shaikh speaks to CEO of the Tenants' Union of NSW Leo Patterson Ross on how New South Wales fared and what the results mean for Sydney renters.  This episode of Backchat was produced by Pongyada Sootthipong, Nyaboth Chuol, Elise Papaioannou, Sana Shaikh and Bec Cushway. Executive produced by Bec Cushway. Hosted by Dani Zhang and Bec Cushway.  Aired 27 September 2025 on Gadigal land.  Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five-star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report from market research behemoth Roy Morgan has shown that, while fewer people think homosexuality is immoral than they did 20 years ago, the rate at which that is changing has slowed dramatically. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine joins the show to break down the findings.  As neo-nazis become increasingly visible on streets all around Australia, we're rerunning producer Emilios Kwasner-Catsivelakis' package on the psychology of radical political views. General practice is increasingly hitting the headlines as sweeping Medicare changes loom. But will the November 1 reforms actually make it easier to see a doctor? Tasmanian GP Dr Toby Gardner is here to answer your questions.  This episode of Backchat was hosted by Pongyada Soothipong and Tanita Razaghi, and produced by Holly Payne, Rebecca Cushway and Emil Kwasner-Catsivelakis. Executive Produced by Rebecca Cushway. Aired 11 October on Gadigal Land.  Want to support our show? Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, leave us a five star review, and share an episode with a friend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.