Saturday Extra - Separate Stories Podcast

Author Ashley Hay joins us to talk about her book Gum: the story of eucalypts and their champions which has been republished to include research about climate change and the tree's genetics. Turns out our hardy tree is more vulnerable than once thought.

Our three international experts look back at the major events that took place on the global stage in 2021 and forward, at what we might expect in 2022.

Journalist James Button discusses his recent series of articles for the Good Weekend where he lays bare some examples of individuals who have been caught in the crossfire of large debates taking place in society around gender, harm, and free speech. 

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has compared the current tensions with China to the 1930s, saying the price of inaction over Taiwan could be worse than coming to its aid. Does the historical analogy stack up? And is the government’s ramping of the rhetoric over possible war helpful or dangerous? Uni of Sydney Professor James Curran joins us. 

We tend to think of tax as dull, but in a new book Michael Keen, deputy director of the fiscal affairs department at the International Monetary Fund and Joel Slemrod, professor of economics at the University of Michigan argue that the history of tax is not only rich and colourful, but holds important lessons for dealing with some of our greatest challenges: from rampant inequality to climate change.  

At the last federal election the Liberal party won resounding victories in Western Australia and Queensland which led it to federal victory, but how will the two year pandemic and new found power of the premiers impact this election campaign?  Will we see a repeat of the Clive Palmer effect in the last election? Guests Samantha Maiden - political editor of news.com.au Antony Green - ABC’s election analyst

Controversy has been rife in the Australian casino industry for a number of years, and now Covid has come along and left the industry reeling. Can casinos expect much in terms of growth over the next few years? Stephen Mayne, director of the Australian Shareholders Association and business journalist joins us.

This week protests outside the national parliament calling for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s resignation descended into civil unrest. The main reason cited for the protests is the 2019 decision to switch diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan to China, but there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Nearly 2000 women will take part in a virtual investing competition designed to encourage women out of research mode and into practicing trades. Each entrant will be given $1000 virtual dollars to improve their confidence and skills – without financial risk. The competition reflects ASX research which found that more women are entering the share market than ever before. Guests: Molly Benjamin, founder, The Ladies Finance Club Stephanie Harrison, competition entrant

Psychological research has found that trigger warnings do not reduce negative reactions to disturbing material, and new Australian studies have found that the opposite occurs in some people – that negative or stressful feelings may be prolonged by the warnings. Guest: Victoria Bridgland, PhD Candidate, College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University

After suffering a dismal and unexpected defeat at the last federal election, all eyes are focussed on the policies and strategy of the federal Labor party ahead of next year's election.  What will this election campaign be fought on? 

Thousands of people stuck in limbo at the border between Poland and Belarus have become pawns in a geopolitical stoush. Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum gives her account of the humanitarian and political crisis unfolding at the border and why she thinks autocrats are 'winning', more broadly.

Australia has identified 63 critical technologies deemed vital to the national interest and will work with likeminded countries in developing and protecting breakthrough science, quantum and cyber technology, industrial capacity and supply chains. Guests: Rachael Falk CEO, Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre and Vikram Sharma CEO, QuintessenceLabs

In a new book titled Many Maps, Charting Two Cultures Bill and Jenny Bunbury explore the complex interaction between Aboriginal Australians and their European colonisers in Western Australia over 170 years.

Throughout the Covid pandemic Australian farmers have struggled to find enough workers to help with harvesting. In a unique collaboration former army personnel have banded together to help farmers assit bringing in their record wheat crops.

The Commonwealth bank has announced its 6.5 million customers will be able to buy and sell blue-chip crypto currencies on its platforms. Does this mark a turning point for the often maligned crypto currencies? 

The anti-corruption inquiry into the conduct of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has raised questions about conflict of interest, how it is defined and understood by those in positions of power.

President Xi Jinping has used the important Sixth Plenum Session of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee to pave the way to his third term in power. But is everyone in China on board with Xi's vision for 'common prosperity'?

James Curran, Professor of Modern History at Sydney University and Dr Jennifer Hsu, Research Fellow in the Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program at Lowy Institute join us with their foreign policy-related recommendations for reading, watching and listening this month.

Unlike in America there appears to be a paucity of evidence to support a theory of the 'great resignation' phenomenon post the Covid pandemic. In fact the resignation rate has fallen to an all time low according to experts at the University of Melbourne