Tuesday Headlines: Albo backs removal of Andrew from royal line of succession, Coalition’s ISIS brides proposal slammed, Australia’s first bullet train could be “shovel ready” in two years, Trump Tower greenlit for the Gold Coast and punch the monkey soft toy sells out.

Deep Dive: Australians are about to see a major shift in how they access pornography online, with new age-verification rules set to require users to prove they’re over 18.

For Jason Blyth, the issue is deeply personal. He was first exposed to porn at just 10 years old, and what began as something secretive and normalised spiralled into addiction - one that ultimately led him to rehab at 30.

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with Jason about breaking a porn addiction, why many young people don’t recognise the warning signs, and whether Australia’s new age-verification laws can meaningfully curb harm.

Further listening from the headlines:
Secrets We Keep Uncovered | Confronting Prince Andrew on Epstein
The Weekend Briefing | Meet the journalist who brought down Prince Andrew

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New research surveying 16,000 Australian teachers over five years has revealed that mid-career teachers are the most likely to quit before retirement. These aren’t new grads struggling through their first years - they’re the mentors, subject leaders, and backbone of our schools. So why are they walking away?

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by research author and former teacher, Dr Fiona Longmuir from Monash University, who breaks down the two major driving forces behind the exodus, and what schools and governments need to do to retain our best educators.

Headlines: Authorities say they are deeply concerned for the welfare of a missing grandfather who was kidnapped from his Sydney home more than a week ago, violence has erupted on the streets of Mexico after the local military killed the country’s most powerful drug kingpin, and Prince William and Princess Catherine have made their first public appearance at the BAFTAs since the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

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Monday Headlines: Coalition to propose new ‘ISIS brides’ law, armed man shot and killed trying to enter Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Australia looking at ‘all options’ to avoid new 15% US tariffs, Bondi hero reveals what he said to gunman when he took his gun, and the Winter Olympics wraps up.

Deep Dive: Private health insurance is sold as peace of mind - faster surgery, money back on extras, a way to dodge the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

But with 15 million Australians now facing the biggest premium hike in nearly a decade, many are wondering who it’s really working for.

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by consumer and money-saving expert Joel Gibson to unpack why the government signed off on the increases, what’s driving it and whether it’s time to switch, downgrade or walk away altogether.

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