Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

ABC Australia
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Feb 24, 2026 • 15min

What do Mawson's diaries reveal about the Flinders Ranges in South Australia?

As well as his Antarctic work, the explorer Sir Douglas Mawson had a deep interest in the Flinders Ranges. A team has been working for years to decipher his poorly written diaries, to understand more about the other aspects of Mawson's work and life.Guest: Mark Pharaoh, Manager of the South Australian Museum’s Australian Polar CollectionProducer: Ann Arnold
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Feb 24, 2026 • 17min

A new treaty for the High Seas

Ocean advocates call it 'the most exciting thing that's happened this century'. The lawless High Seas have a new international Treaty - the UN's High Seas Biodiversity Treaty. It came into force in January, and is the first international agreement to protect the marine environment.  Guest: Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, an international not-for-profit organisation which provides governments with expert advice on the treaty. Producer: Ann Arnold
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Feb 24, 2026 • 18min

What can and can't the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion decide?

As the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion gets underway, legal writer Richard Ackland discusses what the Commission can and can't cover, and the challenges of making determinations around social cohesion. Guest: Richard Ackland, publisher of Justinian and Spilled Ink
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Feb 23, 2026 • 38min

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark: The UN has a woman problem

A new report from the group GWL voices (Global.Women.Leaders) has highlighted the scarcity of women at the top of international organisations, across the world. Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark says it's about time the UN had a female Secretary General.
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Feb 23, 2026 • 14min

Anna Henderson's Canberra: ISIS women and children, One Nation policies, and Australian values

As the debate continues over what to do about the Australian ISIS women and children in Syria, Anna Henderson discusses the current political obsession with 'Australian values'.Guest: Anna Henderson, chief political correspondent, SBS
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Feb 19, 2026 • 25min

The end of the gay rights revolution?

The LGBTQI rights movement in the West has succeeded beyond its wildest dreams,  but gay author Ronan McRea argues this success seems suddenly fragile.  He says forces favourable to gay rights, such as the wider cultural shift towards greater sexual freedom,  are weakening while political developments, cultural changes, and migration patterns mean that sources of opposition are gaining strength.  Guest: Ronan McCrea, professor of Constitutional and European law at University College London and author of “The end of the gay rights revolution: how hubris and overreach threaten gay freedom,” published by PolityProducer: Catherine Zengerer
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Feb 19, 2026 • 26min

Immigrant labour from the Pacific: are we getting it right?

With political rhetoric around immigration firing up again, we look at the great potential, but very real problems, of a temporary migration policy, PALM - The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. Guest: Peter Mares, author of a report on PALM for the not-for-profit Scanlon Foundation Research Institute Adjunct senior research fellow, Monash University. Author of several books on immigration Producer: Ann Arnold
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Feb 18, 2026 • 15min

Deflect, distract, deny: how politicians avoid direct answers

The  best political communicators don’t just speak, they position. They don’t just answer, they frame. They don’t just promise, they hedge. A look at the daily battle between politicians and journalists in the twenty four hour news cycle. Guest: Toby Ralph, marketer, strategist and Liberal Party campaign veteranProducer: Ali Benton 
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Feb 18, 2026 • 20min

The return of Germany as a military power

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a Zeitenwende, a “watershed moment”, in the words of Germany’s chancellor at the time. Germany shook itself out of its long, post-World War Two pacifism and began to rearm. Now, stuck between an expansionist Russia and an economically aggressive China, what does a militarised Germany look like?Guest: Michaela Kuefner, Chief Political Editor of Deutsche Welle and co-host of the Berlin Briefing podcastProducers: Alex Tighe and Catherine Zengerer
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Feb 18, 2026 • 16min

Ian Dunt's UK: is Keir Starmer's leadership is risk?

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's has spruiked Britain's necessity to be closer to Europe, both in defence and economic terms, at the Munich Security Conference, telling the audience "we are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore." But at home his own security as leader is still under a cloud, with calls for him to resign over the Jeffrey Epstein/Peter Mandelson scandal. GUEST: Ian Dunt, columnist with i-news; co-host of the Origin Story podcastPRODUCER: Catherine Zengerer 

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