Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

Episodes

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  Flavio Bolsanaro flees Brazil after losing election 29.10.2026 26m

  One day after vowing to remain in Brazil after losing the election to Lula da Silva, Brazil's opposition leader, Flavio Bolsonaro, has sought asylum in the United States, fleeing an investigation into money-laundering. Brazil has form when it comes to locking up past leaders – Jair Bolsanaro remains under house arrest, serving a 27 year sentence for leading a coup against Lula. Lula himself served 580 days in prison for a corruption conviction that was later overturned by the Supreme Court. Lula won a decisive victory in the run-off election, but at 81, questions are being asked about how long he can hold on to the leadership. Guest: Deborah Barros Leal Farias, Associate Professor in politics at UNSW Producer: Catherine Zengerer
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  Geoffrey Bardon and Papunya art 29.10.2026 27m

  The prevailing view of the origins of the Aboriginal art movement, as we know it today, is that it was started by Geoffrey Bardon, a white school teacher from Sydney who went to Papunya in Central Australia in the early 1970s. A new biography paints a complex picture of a man whose mental ill-health both hampered and helped his passion for this art. Guest: Kitty Hauser, Sydney-based historian and author. New book 'Art Mania: Geoffrey Bardon and the painting men of Papunya' (Giromondo Publishing, 1 Nov, 2026) Producer: Ann Arnold
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  The lawyers who fled fascism, and started again in Australia 28.10.2026 27m

  Around 300 European lawyers fled totalitarian regimes and arrived in Australia between the 1920s and 1950s, only to find their qualifications and experience counted for little. Some were interned as 'enemy aliens', others were sent to work in the fields and factories. A new podcast, Emergency Exit, explores their stories and the intellectual legacy they left behind. Guest: Katherine Biber, historian and Professor of Law, University of Technology, Sydney Podcast: Emergency Exit Producer: Ali Benton
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  Israel's deadlocked election 28.10.2026 24m

  Correspondent Irris Makler joins Late Night Live from Israel, as the votes continue to be tallied. Neither PM Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main opponent Gadi Eisenkot look to have a clear pathway to forming a coalition majority of 61 seats, while the so-called Arab parties look to have made gains. So, what happens next?  Guest: Irris Makler, veteran Middle East correspondent, SBS, ABC, France24 Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you. Email us at latenightlive_rn@abc.net.au
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  Was the Voice referendum doomed from the start? 27.10.2026 36m

  Three years ago, 60 per cent of Australians voted to reject the Voice to Parliament proposal in a referendum. A new book seeks to understand why, through analyses of extensive polling and survey data. Guests: Professor Murray Goot, Macquarie University and Professor Emeritus Tim Rowse, Western Sydney University, co-authors 'The Year Our Voice Broke' (2026)    
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  Ian Dunt's UK: Britain’s budget, Brexit, and the battle over Reform 27.10.2026 16m

  The UK prepares for its budget, with the cost of living, public services and a struggling economy high on the agenda. Meanwhile, Andy Burnham has reopened the debate over freedom of movement with Europe, and an undercover ITV investigation has raised fresh questions about racism and sexism in Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Guest: Ian Dunt, I-Paper columnist and regular LNL correspondent Producer: Ali Benton
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  Decoding the language of bones 26.10.2026 22m

  Bones are an archive of human experience, preserving traces of disease, violence, labour and time. In The Language of Bones, forensic anthropology reveals what human remains can tell us about lives long since ended. From ancient ossuaries and catacombs to modern forensic investigations, skeletons offer clues to the past that written history often overlooks. Guest: Carla Valentine, author, The Language of Bones Producer: Jackie Dent
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  France on the brink: debt, revolt and Marine Le Pen’s moment 26.10.2026 17m

  France’s political crisis is deepening, with a mounting debt burden, a paralysed parliament and growing public anger over the future of the country’s social model. As governments struggle to agree on a budget, Marine Le Pen’s far right is waiting in the wings.   Guest: James Waterhouse, BBC Paris Correspondent Producer: Ali Benton
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  Anna Henderson's Canberra: the debate over political violence 26.10.2026 14m

  Anna Henderson discusses the ongoing debate over the connection between the tone of political rhetoric and real world acts of violence, since the attack on Independent MP Helen Haines, the motive for which is still under investigation. Federal parliament spent the day allowing time for reflections on the attack, and sending messages of support for Dr Haines.  Meanwhile the Ombudsman has criticised the federal government for its use of algorithms in aged care assessments, warning the government has not learned the lessons from Robodebt.  Guest: Anna Henderson, chief political correspondent, SBS  
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  From Truman to Trump: how Queen Elizabeth II handled 13 US presidents 22.10.2026 26m

  Over her 70 year reign, Queen Elizabeth II encountered 13 US presidents - from Harry S Truman to Donald J Trump. The journalist Susan Page details how the Queen wielded her subtle influence over the world's most powerful men.  Guest: Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for USA Today, author of 'The Queen and Her Presidents' Producer: Ali Benton 
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  The countdown to Israel's monumental election 22.10.2026 27m

  Journalist and former correspondent Irris Makler joins Late Night Live from Israel, days away from the nation's elections. Polling suggests neither Netanyahu's Likud party, nor the challenging bloc lead by Gadi Eisenkot will win enough seats to form a majority.  Guest: Irris Makler, journalist and former Jerusalem correspondent, France24
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  A teenager in the Indonesian coup 21.10.2026 26m

  A rare bystander's view of the 1965 coup where neighbours, including soon to be President Suharto, were key players. Tari Lang's family were radical intellectuals, working for the Sukarno Government. Sukarno was ousted, and their lives would never be the same. Guest: Tari Lang, author of 'My neighbour, the dictator' (Published by Monsoon, distributed by Simon & Schuster) Producer: Ann Arnold
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  What's next for Iraq, after final US withdrawal? 21.10.2026 26m

  Veteran Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad surveys Iraq's uncertain future, as the US makes its final withdrawal of personnel, and the Iraqi government unleashes a familiar 'crackdown' on corruption.  Guest: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, journalist for the Guardian Producer: Ali Benton
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  The mysterious Inca code of knotted strings 20.10.2026 17m

  500 years ago, the Incas ruled the western half of South America with the help of a unique form of writing based on coloured and knotted strings. Researchers think they're getting closer to deciphering these strings, known as khipus.  Guest: Professor Sabine Hyland, anthropologist from the University of St Andrews Producer: Sarah Allely Originally broadcast in June 2025.
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  Children left behind in the Ebola response 20.10.2026 18m

  The current Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest and most lethal in that country’s history, with 4536 deaths so far from 9415 cases, and it continues to spread at an alarming rate in communities already facing violent conflict, food insecurity, and other health emergencies. The latest outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a different strain from the one responsible for the devastating 2014–2016 West African epidemic. During the first 100 days of the outbreak, the DRC recorded nearly six times as many infections as were reported during the early stages of the previous epidemic. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) has been there from the beginning,  providing patient care and treatment. Dr Rupa Narra is a paediatrician who has undertaken three deployments to care for people with Ebola, and she says children are the most vulnerable, but are being left behind in the Ebola response.  Guest: Dr Rupa Narra, Paediatric Medical Expert Officer with Médecins Sans Frontières Producer: Catherine Zengerer
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  Bruce Shapiro's USA: seats to watch in the midterms plus Trump's strange Russia ploy 20.10.2026 18m

  With two weeks to go before the midterms, Bruce Shapiro runs through which states to watch for changing seats, and why many of them are former Republican strongholds. And he examines President Trump's strange diesel deal with Russia - will it win him any votes?  Guest: Bruce Shapiro, contributing editor with The Nation magazine and Director of the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma.  Producer: Catherine Zengerer
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  Australian yabbies are trashing rivers in Africa 19.10.2026 13m

  Hordes of yabbies are trashing rivers in southern Africa - an Australian native crayfish that has rapidly become a devastating pest. Can the crustaceans be curtailed, or is this an unstoppable invasion? 
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  Cockroaches: are they good for India's democratic health? 19.10.2026 24m

  The youth movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party is testing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's iron grip on power in India. Our guest, a global democracy expert, believes it's the most important challenge to Modi yet, and that the Cockroaches may represent a renewed prioritising of democratic ideals in that country. Guest: Maya Tudor, Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford Producer: Ann Arnold
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  Independent MP Helen Haines critically injured in 'attack' 19.10.2026 13m

  SBS Chief political correspondent Anna Henderson on the attack on Independent MP for Indi, Helen Haines. Plus tensions between the PM and Treasurer Jim Chalmers over credit card payments, and why the Nationals won't support the EU trade agreement.  Guest:  Anna Henderson, chief political correspondent, SBS
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  Sacred women’s business: the Hindmarsh Island bridge affair 15.10.2026 26m

  In 1988 developers Tom and Wendy Chapman decided to expand their marina on Hindmarsh Island in the mouth of the Murray river which people usually accessed by ferry. But to get the development approved they needed to build a bridge from the mainland. Opposing them were the Ngarrindjeri women on the basis of what became known as ‘secret women’s business’.   The island, which they call Kumarangk, was for them a place of birth, burial and sacred ceremonies. The Hindmarsh Island bridge affair would go on to become of the most controversial disputes over Aboriginal heritage in modern Australian history.   Premiering at the Adelaide Film Festival this weekend is a new documentary about the scheme which would embroil the developers, the women, a lot of lawyers, both the state and federal governments and the media, in protracted battles spanning decades.    Guests:  Tracey Rigney, writer/director KUMARANGK: Sacred Women’s Business and Steve Kenny, one the lawyers who represented the Ngarrindjeri people. Producer:  Catherine Zengerer