Shows / Background Briefing
Background Briefing
Background Briefing is the ABC's flagship investigative journalism podcast. Its award-winning investigations and documentaries expose cover-ups, corruption, real-life mysteries, whistleblowing, crime, fraud and miscarriages of justice — often before these stories receive mainstream attention. The Background Briefing podcast brings you true stories not everyone will want you to hear, told by trusted reporters across Australia. This Australian podcast makes investigative journalism bingeable…
Episodes
- Background Briefing
Rugby League: More than just a game
One hundred years ago this month, there was social ferment in Australia. Industrial unrest, crime and political changes were widespread giving the working…
- Background Briefing
Israel: selling out secularism?
The Olmert government is dependent on the support of the extremist, ultra orthodox religious movement in Israel. They now make up 10 per cent of the…
- Background Briefing
The climate engineers
For years it's been one of the science community's great taboos but the idea of global climate control is starting to be openly discussed. Ideas like placing…
- Background Briefing
The three trillion dollar war
Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, and co-author Linda Bilmes, argue the Iraq war has led directly to America's current economic crisis. The price…
- Background Briefing
Australia's new baby boom
An extra 30,000 births a year has caught government by surprise, with immediate and long term consequences.
- Background Briefing
Sports wars
While the success of the 27-year-old Australian Institute of Sport has been the envy of other nations, the expertise it has bred is being used against us, and…
- Background Briefing
After the KGB
As the former KGB man Vladimir Putin passes the presidential baton to his nominated successor, the BBC's Martin Sixsmith looks at the remarkable resurgence of…
- Background Briefing
Sovereign wealth funds
As the effects of the subprime credit crunch continue to be felt around the world, the new global investors bailing out Wall Street banks are the sovereign…
- Background Briefing
Paying the medical piper
Many GPs get regular education over the year, for up to date information on modern medical and prescribing practices. We examine aspects of this education of…
- Background Briefing
Where is the Middle Class?
Princeton Professor of Economics Paul Krugman talks about how the New Deal society has been dismantled in America, and the reasons for it. He brings it back to…
- Background Briefing
Greenwashing
It's not easy being green; Kermit's lament haunts us as we are bombarded with advertising, labels and marketing promising consumers a positive outcome for the…
- Background Briefing
Lost planes, lost men
Hundreds of Australian war planes crashed in Queensland, PNG, and the Pacific during WW2. Many haven't been found, and the remains of their crew still lie…
- Background Briefing
Fur families
KPMG analyst Bernard Salt says that within a few years 30 percent of people will live alone. The accompanying boom in pets is a looming political reality, and…
- Background Briefing
Your money dot con
No one's telling how much of our money is being stolen through the Internet because no one wants us to lose confidence in the system. The banks are making so…
- Background Briefing
Atul Gawande
He is a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, and has several other prestigious roles in the US health policy and public health system. As well, he's…
- Background Briefing
Stronger, smarter, nicer humans
Professor Julian Savulescu is an eminent ethicist from Oxford University. He believes we should proceed with research into enhancing not only the genetics of…
- Background Briefing
Beautiful science
Pulitzer prize winning science writer Natalie Angier talks in an inspiring and entertaining way about the basics of science: from the wonders of the cell and…
- Background Briefing
Tackling Indonesian terror
In a first for the international media, Bali bomber Ali Imron is let out of prison to explain why he's now working to stop terrorism. In this exclusive…
- Background Briefing
Climate and councils
The end of soaring waterfront properties is in sight. Insurers have begun investigating policies to cover plummeting land values as climate change predictions…
- Background Briefing
The marketing of Putin
He's manufactured the image, set up the totalitarian theatrics, and stabilised Russia. Now the world will see what Vladimir Putin is really like. Russians who…
- Background Briefing
Trouble with bees
Australian bees are doing very nicely. But unless we're careful problems plaguing American hives could turn up here. There are several theories on why colonies…
- Background Briefing
Where is the Middle Class?
Princeton Professor of Economics Paul Krugman talks about how the New Deal society has been dismantled in America, and the reasons for it. He brings it back to…
- Background Briefing
Testing times for schools
There's a new kind of primary school coming -- ready or not. Bigger schools, different ways of learning, more special interest groups in class. Not just the…
- Background Briefing
Glam reaper
It's 20 years since the Grim Reaper campaign, when a hooded, decomposing creature with a scythe bowled down men women and children with Aids. Cases of HIV are…
- Background Briefing
Timor's unpredictable rebel
Rebel soldier Alfredo Reinado is young, Australian trained, armed and ready for a fight. From a mountain hideout (where he says he can order pizza and…
- Background Briefing
Fur families
KPMG analyst Bernard Salt says that within a few years 30 percent of people will live alone. The accompanying boom in pets is a looming political reality, and…
- Background Briefing
The radioactive rebellion
Niger has lots of uranium, and the world wants it. Australian companies are there, pegging out their stakes. There's murder, kidnapping, hijacking and…
- Background Briefing
Exporting Livestock
Conditions have improved for the cattle, sheep, and goats Australia sends overseas for slaughter in other countries, but animal welfare groups have continued…
- Background Briefing
Mexico: Magnates, monopolies and masses
The world's richest man is Mexican entrepreneur Carlos Slim, and Mexico City has the population of Australia. Mexico is one of the worst countries in the world…
- Background Briefing
Bushfire season
Across Australia 220,000 volunteer firefighters are ready to protect our lives and property. If we had to pay them for their time, it would cost us something…
- Background Briefing
Tackling Indonesian terror
In a first for the international media, Bali bomber Ali Imron is let out of prison to explain why he's now working to stop terrorism. In this exclusive…
- Background Briefing
Timber, tax and the Tiwis
Australia has promised $200 million to Southeast Asia to stop deforestation, but on the rich Tiwi Islands priceless and irreplaceable native forests are cut…
- Background Briefing
AAA ratings on rates
Across Australia, many local councils have invested their money in high yield, but risky investment schemes. Now, with the whole low-doc, subprime world so…
- Background Briefing
History of Israel
How Israel handles itself in the Middle East is a challenge to Jewish morality, says renowned historian Professor Michael B Oren. Now with the Shalem Centre in…
- Background Briefing
Mentally ill children
Can a two year old - or a foetus - show symptoms of bi-polar disorder? In America, they think so, and, of course, there are medications for it. There is no…
- Background Briefing
Stronger, smarter, nicer humans
Professor Julian Savulescu is an eminent ethicist from Oxford University. He believes we should proceed with research into enhancing not only the genetics of…
- Background Briefing
Murder most Territorean
The Northern Territory murder rate is the highest in Australia - and killings there have particular characteristics. Aboriginal murders are usually…
- Background Briefing
The rise of VSU
From the l920s, it was compulsory for most university students to join the student union. Now it's voluntary, and there's a distinct change in the campus…
- Background Briefing
Trouble with bees
Australian bees are doing very nicely. They are in huge demand here for pollinating local almond orchards and in huge demand overseas because they are disease…
- Background Briefing
Sex on the Net
Whether adults like it or not, the Internet is where life's at for young people now - friendships, games, school stuff, comedy, adventure and sex. Teenagers…
- Background Briefing
Beautiful science
Pulitzer prize winning science writer Natalie Angier talks in an inspiring and entertaining way about the basics of science: from the wonders of the cell and…
- Background Briefing
Animal rights
Should animals have rights? Under the law animals are treated as things just as human slaves were treated as things. Is there an argument that the intelligence…
- Background Briefing
Weeds: Enemy or ally
There's an invasion of noxious weeds on the way as the planet heats up and dries out. Invasive plants could flatten Australia's native vegetation, blowing out…
- Background Briefing
Your money dot con
No one's telling how much of our money is being stolen through the Internet because no one wants us to lose confidence in the system. The banks are making so…
- Background Briefing
Hired armies
Mercenary armies are making up the shortfall, in a $50 billion industry. There are 50,000 in Iraq alone. In interviews with of some main players, this…
- Background Briefing
Guns and the military
For decades questions have been asked about how Defence keeps track of its guns, bullets and rocket launchers. In coming weeks there will be two cases before…
- Background Briefing
Atul Gawande
He is a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, and has several other prestigious roles in the US health policy and public health system. As well, he's…
- Background Briefing
Children of Zimbabwe
One third of the entire population of Zimbabwe has fled the violence and terror. The governing elite can send their children overseas to study. Many are in…
- Background Briefing
Politics and the Internet
No one really knows if the Internet will be a force for a new kind of democracy, or just another (albeit miraculous) technology. Shifting sands in demography…
- Background Briefing
Dry rivers, high hopes
Millions of dollars have been spent on building an enormous irrigation infrastructure on the Murray Darling system. The rivers are dry, and the pumps stand…
- Background Briefing
Big business and carbon dioxide
Heads of some of the biggest corporations in the world - Dupont, LaFarge, Eskom and Shell, as well as Otto Poon from Analogue, Hong Kong, talk about corporate…
- Background Briefing
The law and gambling
Who's to blame when gamblers go berserk? Wealthy high roller Harry Kavakas is suing Crown Casino to get back $30 million he says they illegally encouraged him…
- Background Briefing
Bad teeth, bad economics
About 30,000 hospital admissions every year are for dental problems. The main reason children under five get admitted to hospital is teeth troubles. And now…
- Background Briefing
Iraq: new team, new strategy, new tensions
America has a new policy for Iraq: soft power. It's cultural counterinsurgency. Possibly too little too late, it may even be impossible. Americans don't speak…
- Background Briefing
Australia's Pacific paradox
Canberra's low key intervention in Bougainville has helped shape a peace agreement now used as a model in many parts of the world. Yet its billion dollar state…
- Background Briefing
Privatising Palm Island
It's a tropical paradise worth many millions on the open market. The debate is intense about how the indigenous people will fare when new laws allowing…
- Background Briefing
Mentally ill in Queensland
Psychiatric consultants in Queensland speak out about gross inadequacies in the mental health system in that State, placing lives at risk. Documents show there…
- Background Briefing
Ghana after 50 years
It was the first country in Africa where Europeans arrived to trade, in gold and slaves, and 50 years ago it became the first black African nation in the sub…
- Background Briefing
Patient responsibility and self care
In the health industry and government circles patient responsibility and self care are the new buzzwords. It's all about getting people out of the expensive…
- Background Briefing
Chesting up for the climate
One was a campaigning greenie rock star, the other a silvertailed barrister, businessman, and republican. Now both Peter Garrett and Malcolm Turnbull are in…