Wednesday Headlines: Anthony Albanese has delivered his official Christmas message to Australians, Canterbury-Bankstown Council shuts down prayer hall linked to Naveed Akram, and Aussies expected to spend nearly 4 Billion dollars this Christmas.

Deep Dive: The Christmas break often brings families together and with that can come awkward, uncomfortable, or even confronting conversations.

From navigating tense dynamics with relatives you’d rather avoid to responding to racist or misogynistic comments at the dinner table, these moments can be hard to handle in the heat of the moment.

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Carly Dober, Director of the Australian Association of Psychologists, about why these conversations tend to surface during the holidays and how to tackle an unwanted comment thrown your way.

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Tuesday Headlines: 3/4's of Australians want tougher gun laws, Britain wants to follow our under 16 social media ban, New warnings to keep Christmas snacks away from pets.

Deep Dive: Australia has recorded one of its worst road tolls on record this year. New data from the National Road Safety Hub shows 1,340 people died on our roads across the country in the 12 months to July 2025.

In this episode, we’re joined by the NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison, who explains why the death toll is so high and her important message for every driver this holiday season.

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Monday Headlines: Albo booed at Bondi memorial a week after terror attack with his approval rating plunging, Red Cross see a spike in blood donations, and Interest rates likely to go up twice in 2026.

Deep Dive: Christmas leftovers are often one of the best parts of the holidays, but they can also make you wonder, is this still safe to eat?

Every year, hospital emergency departments across Australia see a spike in food poisoning cases over the Christmas and New Year period, often linked to improperly stored leftovers.

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by food technologist Cheryl Hughes from Facts on Food who explains how to safely store, freeze and reheat leftovers, what the ‘sniff test’ can tell you and how to avoid getting sick while still making the most of your festive food.

Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcast
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.