As Donald Trump zeroed in on his successful 2016 run to the presidency, he began to engage in what is called “catch and kill” journalism. Trump and his lawyers developed relationships with journalists, who were allegedly prepared to track down damaging stories aboutTrump, and then take money to ensure they would never be printed. Today, managing editor of The Saturday Paper Emily Barrett on the Australian who built a reputation as one of the best at “capture and kill” in America – and how he’s ended up being central to Donald Trump’s trial in New York. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitte ..read more

It feels like hardly a week goes by where we don’t hear about a woman in Australia being killed by a man she knows. Intimate partner deaths increased by almost a third during the last reporting year and early counts by advocacy groups suggest this year is set to be even worse. The spike in killings has led to protests, a national outcry and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declaring that violence against women is a national crisis. Today, author of See What You Made Me Do and journalist Jess Hill, on what can be done to stop the violence – and why “awareness” is no longer good enough. Socials ..read more

There are strict rules around how drug company representatives can interact with doctors to ensure they aren’t influencing how medications are prescribed. But when it comes to expensive medical devices inserted in our bodies during surgery – all sorts of screws, pacemakers and implants – those same rules don’t apply. Medical device sales reps are scrubbed up and working in the operating theatre, even advising surgeons on which products to use. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on whether the pursuit of profit risks driving clinical decisions. Socials: Stay in ..read more

There’s an old adage in Canberra: every first-term government gets a second chance. But when voters head to the polls next year, could the current Labor government be an exception? With so many Australians feeling the cost-of-living crisis, and the government facing a slump in the polls, evidence is mounting that Labor will struggle to retain majority government. So what’s its strategy to change course? Today, special correspondent in Canberra for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis, on why Labor appears so calm in turbulent times. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Gues ..read more

When Australia’s eSafety commissioner issued takedown orders to some of the world’s biggest tech companies at the beginning of this week, the commissioner probably didn’t realise it would put us on the frontline of a global battle over the internet. The orders were aimed at removing the kind of footage social media companies have agreed to remove in the past – but today things are very different, in large part because of Elon Musk. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on why Elon Musk and his fans turned on Australia and how one Senator in particular, ended up in the firing ..read more

The wait for elective surgery in our public hospitals is longer than ever, but it seems there’s a way to jump the queue. If you can afford to pay for private care in a public hospital, you might find yourself being offered more perks than just a free bathrobe and some slippers. Today, lawyer and contributor to The Monthly Russell Marks, on whether our public health system is truly fair and what happens when your own child’s health is on the line. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Lawyer and contributor to The Monthly, Russell Marks ..read more

An attack at a Western Sydney church last week was inextricably linked to social media. The bishop who was stabbed is a social media celebrity, the attack itself was live-streamed, and both the attack and the reaction may have been inflamed by online extremism. The Australian government is so concerned it has picked a fight with the global social media giants X and Meta, ordering them to pull down content about the attack. Today, counter-terrorism expert and Lowy Institute fellow Lydia Khalill, on the attack, whether it was an act of terrorism and how we can do more to prevent extremism. Soci ..read more

Grace Tame knows how to advocate. Her campaigning for survivors of sexual assault and abuse helped to create real change and pushed powerful institutions to be better. Now, Tame is turning her focus onto something she has lived with her whole life and which is now on the agenda in Canberra, – autism and neurodivergence. Today, former Australian of the Year and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Grace Tame, on Australia’s first attempt at a national autism strategy – and why we must get it right. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: former Australian of the year and ..read more

It’s now been a week since the Federal Court of Australia’s Justice Michael Lee ruled it was substantially true that Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittney Higgins in a minister’s office at Parliament House back in 2019. In other cases, that may have been the end of the matter. But this case has drawn in dozens of characters, with careers ended, others on the rocks and Channel Seven appearing as if it could implode. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on who emerges from the wreckage of one of the most dramatic defamation cases we’ve seen in years. Socials: Stay in touch with u ..read more

Today, columnist Elizabeth Farrelly will read her piece about our modern cities and how they relate to the history of how humanity has imagined the perfect city. Farrelly is one of Australia’s foremost writers on urban development and the communities of our cities – having earned devoted readers at the Sydney Morning Herald and now at Schwartz Media, inThe Saturday Paper. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Columnist Elizabeth Farrelly ..read more