Acknowledgement of Country//
Headlines:
We rebroadcast part of an exclusive Michael West Media interview with human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti on israeli president Isaac Herzog's recent visit to australia, discussing australia's legal and moral duties. This interview originally aired on the 4th of February, and you can listen to the rest of it here.//
Matt Ruchel, Executive Director of Victorian National Parks Association, joined us for part 2 of an interview on how the Victorian Government has introduced legislation to dismantle key institutions that protect habitats and wildlife, which will silence expert voices and strip away independent safeguards for nature. These institutions provide independent, evidence-based advice that underpins how Victoria’s parks and habitats are planned for and protected. In part 1, broadcast yesterday on 3CR’s Wednesday Breakfast show, Marty and Matt spoke about the history and value of these organisations, and in part 2 we discussed the impact of these cuts and how we can fight against it.//
Dr Islam Elhabil, a Gazan engineer and Malaysia-based microplastics specialist, spoke with Priya about the silent, cumulative harm caused by the breakdown of plastic waste in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. In this discussion, Dr Elhabil elaborated on a piece she recently authored for the Electronic Intifada titled 'The toxic legacy of genocide'. Beyond the immediate destruction of Israel's bombardment, Dr Elhabil spoke about the everyday environmental and health impacts of a total breakdown in Gaza's waste management and plastic recycling capacities.//
Josh Fear, National Policy Director at Palliative Care Australia, spoke with us about backing the latest calls to expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment and end placement poverty for medical and allied health students. The Commonwealth Prac Payment commenced on 1 July 2025 for nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students. Josh unpacks why we need to expand the Prac payment, remove barriers to access and education, and why this is particularly in palliative care. This comes after a recent survey showed that 42 per cent of health students went hungry while on placement.//
Cassie Derrick, Media Director at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), joined us to discuss the protracted campaign by ABC staff to win job security, fair pay, and improved conditions from the national broadcaster. ABC staff are set to vote on potential strike action after yet another failure by ABC management to table a reasonable offer last week, with staff calls for action on ethical and accountable use of AI, respect for the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics, and an audit into racial and disability pay gaps going unheard. Cassie Derrick has worked alongside MEAA members for over five years in the positions of Media Organiser, Organising Director and Deputy Director of the Media Section, as well as organising workers at Professionals Australia, the CFMEU and Unions NSW. She was appointed Director of Media in October 2022.//
Emily, Inez, Leila, Priya, River, Candy
