Saturday Extra - Separate stories podcast

Are universities vending machines for degrees, or are they the a breeding ground for community and collaboration?The University of Sydney's project, Campus Collaboration is facilitating conversations around the value, purpose and identity of universities.The project is lead by English literature academic Sophie Gee, who has 25 years' experience teaching and researching at Harvard and Princeton Universities.

More than 20,000 files from the estate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were released this week by Democrat and Republican US lawmakers.Several of the emails added some details about Trump’s past relationship with Epstein but the White House has dismissed the significance of these files, with deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson saying  "These emails prove literally nothing".

The UK's public broadcaster was mired in a major scandal this week, leading to the resignation of two senior executives, its head of news Deborah Turness and its director general, Tim Davie.The debacle follows accusations of "serious and systemic" bias in news coverage.At the centre of the controversy was misleading editing of a speech by Donald Trump ahead of the storming of US Capitol on January 6th, 2021, which aired on its flagship current affairs show, Panorama.Donald Trump has threatened to take out a billion dollar lawsuit against the BBC, and while the broadcaster has apologised it refuses to pay compensation.

When Governor John Kerr sacked Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on 11 November 1975, Michelle Grattan was a young reporter for The Age.The dismissal had been brewing with a government pushing through change at breakneck speed, and a series of scandals surrounding key figures. Michelle remembers absolute pandemonium unfolding as shock waves from this historic event ricocheted across the country. Guest: Michelle Grattan, chief political correspondent at The Conversation.

Australia's uncontroversial electoral system and the compulsory voting requirement means that participation in elections is high – around 90 per cent. But it's a system that's arguable taken for granted. Public trust in our democratic system – and knowledge of  how it functions – is on the decline in Australia.In Civic Duty, Annabel Crabb explores a democracy like no other, with sausage sizzles, Saturday voting, cake stalls and asks important questions about its future.

It’s been one of Australia’s most elusive ambitions - a high-speed rail network connecting the East coast of Australia, it's now starting to gain momentum. Infrastructure Australia has released a blueprint for how the first stage of the track, between Sydney and Newcastle might look. Eventually there could be high-speed trains linking Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane - will it happen? 

We live in a world built on the idea that freedom equals choice — and choice equals freedom. We get to choose what to buy, what to believe, who to love, where to live.We can go onto the internet and be overwhelmed with options, we can swipe right or left on a dating app to choose a potential life partner, we go to a restaurant and are given a menu of choices. Every day, we're told that the more options we have, the freer we are.But what if the very thing we thought defined our freedom — our ability to choose — was actually overwhelming us? A new history explains how choice has evolved to dominate modern life.

The Democrats celebrated victories across the United States this week, including in New York where 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani convincingly defeated Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race.Mamdani is a self-confessed democratic socialist and his supporters insist he is the new face of the Democratic Party.Meanwhile in Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, a moderate, centrist Democrat who used to work for the CIA, also won a convincing victory.So who are the players in the Democratic Party's search for its future direction?

International leaders are gathering in the Amazonian city of Belem, Brazil for the annual UN climate change summit, COP30.Leaders from four of the world's five biggest polluting economies are not attending: The United States, China, India, Russia.Against that backdrop, what will be achieved by the talks to chart a path forward? 

The 32nd World Porridge Making Championship has just wrapped up in the small Scottish town of Carrbridge. Each year, porridge makers and aficionados gather for a live-streamed cook-off, as judges poise their spoons and scorecards. This year, Melbourne food stylist and writer Caroline Velik won the speciality prize for her inventive porridge jaffle. A documentary about the much-loved competition, The Golden Spurtle, is screening nationally at the 2025 British Film Festival.Guest - Caroline Velik