Backchat

This week, hosts Maddison Connaughton and Swetha Das discuss all things federal budget. Who are the winners and losers this year? What sneaky cuts has Scott Morrison introduced? Later, Jackson Kwok, policy analyst at China Matters, drops by the studio to chat about the NSW government's relationship with Confucius Institutes. Gavin Walker, an activist co-chairing this week's FIRE rally, also comes in to discuss Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Hosts Maddison Connaughton and Swetha Das bring you the freshest wrap of news this week, including the latest in the banking royal commission, Australia's first pill testing trial, and free TAFE in Victoria. We welcome Jodie Pall from the University of Sydney into the studio to discuss the university's investment in arms manufacturing after her protest video went viral earlier in the week. Drew Rooke, the author of One Last Spin: The Power and Peril of Pokies, also drops by the studio to chat about Australia's pokies epidemic.

Sydney’s Western Suburbs was formerly considered a ‘first-time homebuyers’ haven, now it seems like the housing crisis has hit the West. Charlton Wun from the Western Sydney Community Forum joins us to discuss the mounting housing stress that is facing homeowners and renters in Sydney’s Western suburbs. Also in the show, Backchat reporter Eamonn Snow takes a look into Mumble Rap, pop-culture and prescription drug abuse. Later, the proposal that comes up every election cycle—a high speed train connecting capital cities on the East Coast of the country. Joey Watson, a features writer at Radio National, and presenter of Out of the Box here on FBi Radio, joins to talk about just how feasible this proposal is.

A new era of Backchat begins! It's our first show off the block with new hosts Maddison Connaughton and Swetha Das. First up, we chat about this week's Korean Summit - making history as the first time North Korea's Kim Jong Un crossed over to the DMZ to meet South Korean president Moon Jae-in for peace talks. Next we welcome Brad Esposito from Buzzfeed into the studio to talk us through pill testing and the trial at Groovin the Moo festival. We also have Robin Eames, one of the Disability Officers at the University of Sydney, chat to us about the NDIS.

It's a big one on Backchat this week - we're saying goodbye to our longtime hosts Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle! We give a warm welcome to our new presenters, Maddison Connaughton and Swetha Das. Plus, we run through the hottest news in politics from the past few days, including the banking royal commission and the weed legalisation debate.

This week, hosts Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle discuss the disappearance of athletes at the Commonwealth Games, suspected as a bid to gain asylum in Australia because of human rights concerns in their home countries. Later, we welcome in lecturer at the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Gorana Grgic, to discuss the latest developments in the US-Syria conflict and deteriorating East-West relations.

This week, hosts Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle discuss Richard Di Natale's pivot to big government policy, including his Universal Basic Income proposal and interventionist push into the housing market. Later, we talk to Karly Warner, Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, about the ALRC's recent inquiry concerning Indigenous incarceration.

American feminist activist and writer Rebecca Walker joins Backchat to discuss feminism, race, and power. She talks about growing up as a child of the civil rights movement, intersectional feminism and the #MeToo era, and reframing beauty as a form of resistance.

This week, hosts Ariel Bogle, Swetha Das, and Maddison Connaughton discuss Obama's visit to Australia and University of Sydney debating society's affirmative action policies. Later, we turn to the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal. Could this be the beginning of the end of Facebook?

This week, Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle plus special guest Maddison Connaughton talk about tampon tax cuts and Greg Norman's involvement in tariff lobbying with Trump. Later, we welcome in Guardian reporter Michael McGowan to discuss Australia's gun lobby groups and their links to far-right anti-Islam organisations.

This week, hosts Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle talk about the Tasmanian state elections. Later, we welcome in Anna Hush, ambassador for End Rape on Campus and co-author of The Red Zone report, to discuss sexual assault on uni campuses. What is feeding this culture and how can we go about changing such behaviours?

Backchat returns for our first show of 2018 with the freshest wrap of news and current affairs. This week, hosts Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle discuss the parliamentary turmoil following the resignation of Nationals' leader Barnaby Joyce. Next, we look at the rise of teen activism in America following the Florida school shootings. How effective has the youth crusade for gun control been so far?

This week for our very last episode of 2017, we're doing a recap of the year. Think marriage equality, Malcolm Trumble, Barnaby Joyce's NZ citizenship, Ja Rule's epic Fyre Festival, Katter's crocodiles and last, but not least, Sean "Spicey" Spicer. Join our hosts Osman Faruqi, Sam Jonscher and Selena Shannon as they look back at their favourites stories, political blunders and predictions for next year.

This week, we chat to Josh Butler about professional right-wing troll Milo Yiannopoulos, why he's chosen to come to Australia and what his press conference was like. We also talk about the internal divisions within the Coalition, the New England by-election and calls for Malcolm Turnbull to step down as PM.

Have you spent the last few weeks boycotting Paddlepops, Magnums and Golden Gaytimes? This week, George Simon from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union joins us to discuss the end of the Streets boycott and what it means for the company's workers. We've also thrown in some parliamentary chit-chat for good measure, focusing on Bob Katter's crocodiles, more citizenship drama and PM Malcolm Turnbull's decision to suspend the House of Representatives for a week.

This week, our Backchat hosts Ariel Bogle and Osman Faruqi break down the result of the same sex marriage survey with Ben Raue, a data analyst from Get Up, and Carrie Hou, who campaigned with Democracy in Colour for the Yes vote in Western Sydney.

This week, we chat to Shaun Carter from the Save Our Sirius Foundation about the fight to save Sydney's Sirius building. What does the future hold for it, and why is it so important to the city's heritage? We also talk about the citizenship scandal rocking Australian politics. Even after the High Court challenge last month, a number of politicians have been found to be dual citizens. Backchat hosts, Osman Faruqi and Sam Jonscher look into the issue, discussing the latest developments in the saga.

Youth unemployment rates are currently at a staggering 17 per cent in Australia. We talk to some recent graduates to hear their struggles on finding a job. We also welcome in Dr Vicki Sentas, senior lecturer at UNSW, to talk about NSW Police's latest "Suspect Target Management Plan." The "secret blacklist" policy targets children as young as ten and is being criticised for criminalising young people.

This week we have a special edition of Backchat for FBi Radio's Go For Gold supporter drive. Joining us as our extra guest host is Backchat alumnus Luke Marshall. We talk Jacindamania in New Zealand, Malcolm Turnbull's new energy policy, diversity in music, and black holes.

Listen back to our panel discussion on the politics of pop culture at the National Young Writers' Festival. Our panelists are poet and activist Evelyn Araluen, and writers James Colley and Sinead Stubbins. Moderated by Backchat hosts, Osman Faruqi and Ariel Bogle.