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August 16, 202610 min
Sat, 15th, August, 2026: The Anti-Pauline Hanson Student Protests!
Nevena and John discuss the mass student walk-out during the week, in an anti-racism, anti-Pauline Hanson protest.
Students around the country walked out of school to join protests in capital cities and some regions against One Nation and its leader Pauline Hanson.
The rallies have been condemned by Ms Hanson, who wrote a message to students on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying: “Whether you know it or not, One Nation and I are fighting for you.”
In Melbourne, hundreds of students gathered outside the State Library in the CBD carrying anti-One Nation signs, banners and a pinata designed to look like Ms Hanson which was broken apart to reveal lollies.
Organised by the National Union of Students, the rally saw speeches from both high school students and political leaders, including former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam.
Ms Ratnam said she was impressed by the turnout.
“It gives me hope that we can stop the rise of One Nation,” she said.
“Everything is on the line right now.”
Courtesy of ABC.
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August 16, 202611 min
Sat, 15th, August, 2026: The Plight David McBride; Whistleblower!
Nevena and John discuss the plight of David McBride.
Former Australian Army military lawyer David McBride was released from a Canberra prison on parole after serving a 27-month non-parole period, having been sentenced in May 2024 to five years and eight months for leaking classified defense documents that exposed alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
McBride was sentenced to a maximum five years and eight months in jail in May 2024, but is being released on parole after serving his full non-parole period of 27 months.
McBride pleased guilty to three charges in November after the ACT supreme court upheld a commonwealth intervention to withhold key evidence the government argued had the potential to jeopardise “the security and defence of Australia”. The charges included stealing commonwealth information and passing that on to journalists at the ABC.
The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, approved McBride’s release on Thursday. A spokesperson for Rowland confirmed his release to Guardian Australia. “Mr McBride’s parole was considered and granted,” the spokesperson said.
“The government does not provide specific commentary or details about individual parole matters.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/13/david-mcbride-released-jail-prison-parole
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August 16, 202617 min
Sat, 15th, August, 2026: Al Cossar Artistic Director, Melbourne International Film Festival
We are officially at the halfway mark of the 74th Melbourne International Film Festival! Over 300 films, retrospectives, and red-carpet galas have been taking over Melbourne’s cinemas. But beyond the popcorn and packed theatres, what does the festival tell us about the state of cinema today—and where local Australian stories fit on the world stage? Joining us is MIFF Artistic Director, Al Cossar.
The 74th edition features over 300 films, shorts, and XR experiences. Due to record audience demand, MIFF expanded into Southbank (Village Cinemas Crown) alongside staple venues like ACMI, The Capitol, Kino, and The Forum.
There’s a strong presence of Australian feature premieres (including The Fox and Sweet Milk Lake in the $140,000 Bright Horizons competition), plus queer cinema highlights like John Cameron Mitchell’s live 25th-anniversary event for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
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August 16, 202612 min
Sat, 15th August, 2026: James Noble, Creative director and founder of Reigner Clothing; State of Fashion in Melbourne
Nevena and John are joined live on air by James Noble, Creative director and founder of Reigner Clothing.
James Noble is an Australian fashion designer, film producer, and the founder and creative director of Reigner Clothing, an eclectic Melbourne-based label famous for its vibrant, rhinestone-encrusted, and heavily embroidered western-style suiting
Noble originally worked in film production and hated traditional, corporate clothing. When planning his wedding to prominent Melbourne jeweller Millie Savage, he refused to wear a “boring old suit.” He decided to craft a Nudie Cohn-inspired rhinestone suit himself, sparking the official launch of Reigner Clothing in early 2020.
Noble draws visual inspiration from retro Vegas casinos, California deserts, native Australian wildlife, and legendary country music tailors. His bespoke garments frequently feature playful, hyper-customised elements ranging from bedazzled eagles to pearl-encrusted prawns.
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August 16, 202611 min
Sat, 15th August, 2026: Elliot Constable, Filmmaker, Race Around the World Winner
Nevena and John are joined live on air by Elliot Constable, who was recently crowned the winner of Race Around the World, bringing to an end 100 days on the road.
Unlike previous weeks, contestants on the ABC iview series were able to select their own destination for the reboot’s finale.
For Constable, it was the favelas of Brazil.
Topping the leaderboard of six filmmakers, Constable has won the crown and funding to produce his own project for the ABC.
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August 16, 202615 min
Sat, 15th August, 2026: Olivia Jenkins, ABC Crime Reporter; Crime in Melbourne: what is changing, who is behind it, and are police and governments keeping up?
From the death of underworld matriarch Kath Pettingill to the tragic killing of Sunshine shopkeeper Van Viet Truong, Melbourne’s crime headlines have felt non-stop lately. At the same time, fire-bombings linked to illegal tobacco are allegedly spilling over into Melbourne’s bars and nightlife. But are these just isolated headlines, or is the face of crime in our city fundamentally changing? ABC Crime Reporter Olivia Jenkins joins us now to make sense of it all. Welcome to Saturday Magazine, Olivia
Two men have been charged and one arrested after a joint agency investigation into the alleged movement of millions of dollars in cash from Tasmania to Victoria, suspected to be the proceeds of crime from the sale of illicit tobacco.
The action was the result of a long-term Tasmania Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (TAS JOCTF) investigation into illicit tobacco in Tasmania.
A 33-year-old from Hoppers Crossing, Victoria, and a 22-year-old from Sorell, Tasmania, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on 12 August, 2026. Both were charged with knowingly dealing proceeds of crime and recklessly dealing proceeds of crime. They face a maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment if convicted.
It is alleged they facilitated the movement of criminal proceeds in cash from Tasmania and Victoria using hire cars and a commercial passenger and freight vessel.
Both were bailed to reappear at the court on 2 December, 2026.
During the search warrants, officers seized more than $2.5 million worth of tobacco product, more than $1 million in cash, 9kg of silver bars (worth more than $30,000) and one ounce of gold (worth more than $4000).
Police also seized five imitation firearms, including a gel blaster firearm, three registered firearms, a .22 rifle and ammunition, a cash-counting machine and mobile devices.
The Sunshine Tragedy: Shopkeeper Van Viet Truong (60) died after allegedly intervening in a youth theft outside his grocery store. Five teenagers were charged (a 15-yo with manslaughter has been remanded in custody; others granted bail).
Kath Pettingill’s Death (Age 91): Matriarch of the infamous family tied to the 1988 Walsh St police killings. Serves as the historical marker for Melbourne’s “old” underworld—identifiable family hierarchies now replaced by untraceable digital networks.
Dating App Arrests: Five teenagers, aged between 16 and 18, have been arrested this week after allegedly using dating apps to lure men before assaulting and robbing them. To date, 47 similar arrests have been made across the state. Police say they have seen similar incidents occur right across the state, “particularly in local government areas taking in Manningham, Casey, Hume, Moorabbin and Knox”.
Olivia Jenkins is the ABC’s crime reporter in Melbourne.
She is the winner of a Young Walkley for public service journalism and has been the Melbourne Press Club’s young journalist of the year.
She was previously a crime reporter at the Herald Sun
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August 15, 202615 min
Sat, 15th August, 2026: Anthony Galloway, Victorian Political Editor, The Australian
A new Premier, new rules for how we vote, and growing fights over energy and workplace rights—Victorian politics is undergoing a massive reset. Premier Ben Carroll is attempting to carve out a ‘new direction’ for Labor, but with intense pressure over state debt, construction rorts, and controversial legislation, can he reset the narrative in time? With his take is Anthony Galloway, Victorian Political Editor of The Australian.
Anthony had a story last week that the Victorian Labor Government had explored privatising Melbourne Water for five years to rescue the state’s finances. Named “Project Nerva”, the business case examined ways to attract private investment to fund infrastructure upgrades, such as the Western Treatment Plant. Ben Carroll has been under pressure to rule out doing any sale in the future but is yet to do so.
Jacinta Allan announced yesterday that she would not contest the next election after her resignation as Premier.
Political Stakes: With the November State Election fast approaching, Carroll has very little time to turn around Labor’s polling trajectory while facing aggressive attacks from Coalition Leader Jess Wilson on budget waste and project blowouts.
Anthony Galloway is The Australian’s Victorian political editor, having reported on some of the nation’s biggest security and political stories over the past decade. He was previously foreign affairs and national security correspondent at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, chief political correspondent at Capital Brief and earlier a political reporter at the Herald Sun.
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August 15, 20268 min
Sat, 15th August, 2026: Weekly Wrap Up with Nevena and John Safran
Nevena is in the hosting seat this week and her very special guest host is Author and Media personality John Safran, as they discuss what’s coming up on this week’s programme and the week that was in news, views and reviews.
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August 10, 202612 min
Sat, 8th August, 2026: Reverend Tim Costello — Alliance for Gambling Reform
Fiona, Robbie, Kenny, John and Macca are joined live on air by Reverend Tim Costello — Alliance for Gambling Reform
The federal government’s proposed gambling reforms have come under sustained criticism from anti-gambling-harm advocates, and this week Reverend Tim Costello told a Senate committee that the legislation fails the Prime Minister’s own tests for reform.
Costello argues that the bill doesn’t do enough to separate gambling from sport, protect children or reduce the saturation of gambling advertising.
He says Australia needs a national gambling regulator, a ban on inducements and stronger action on gambling advertising — and argues that incremental reform simply won’t work.
Reverend Tim Costello is Chief Advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and he joins us now.
Reverend Tim Costello put some very strong arguments to a Senate committee this week.
He told senators that the proposed gambling legislation is, in his words, a “lineball” call as to whether it is actually better than the status quo.
He also argued that Australia needs a national regulator, stronger restrictions on inducements and a much tougher approach to gambling advertising.
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August 10, 202611 min
Sat, 8th August, 2026: Fiona Patten, Former Victorian MP; Incoming CEO, Medical Cannabis Council
Macca and Kenny are joined by Fiona Patten — Former Victorian MP &a Incoming CEO, Medical Cannabis Council and Robbie Swanks live in the studio
Before she was a Victorian MP, Fiona Patten spent years campaigning on some of the issues politicians were
often most uncomfortable talking about — sex, censorship, reproductive rights and personal freedom.
She went on to help establish the Australian Sex Party with her partner, Robbie Swan, and eventually took that
campaign for law reform into the Victorian Parliament.
Now, as she prepares to move to Canberra to become CEO of the Medical Cannabis Council, another chapter
of that story is being told in Robbie Swan’s new book, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sex Party.
It’s part memoir, part social history — and a look at the strange intersection of the sex industry, politics,
censorship and activism in Australia.
The post Sat, 8th August, 2026: Fiona Patten, Former Victorian MP; Incoming CEO, Medical Cannabis Council appeared first on Saturday Magazine.
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