The Front

The Australian

The Front brings the unrivalled journalism of Australia’s national broadsheet to audio, featuring each day’s essential page one stories, journalists’ candid take on the issues that matter and behind-the-scenes insight from our newsrooms.

To find out more about The Front you can link here and for more from the newsroom at The Australian link here or search for The Australian in your app store.

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1,487 episodes
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Episodes1487

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March 16 · 18 min
From Iranian jail to reporting on the Lionesses - our journo’s incredible story
What fate awaits the Lionesses who are returning to Iran? Iranian-Australian journalist Shokoofeh Azar is hoping for the best – that the women will be forced into a humiliating public confession - but won’t be imprisoned, tortured or executed. Shookofeh has personal experience of how the Islamic Republic treats women. After several arrests and stints in prison in Iran, Shookofeh came to Australia on a people-smuggling vessel, via Christmas Island - a path many Iranians have taken in their desperation to be free. Now, she works for The Australian. See the video of this interview on our YouTube channel and read some of Shookofeh’s work here: Bombed, afraid, defiant: Iranian voices from the war Sexual torture, Koran beatings: the horrors women face in Iran’s prisons Amid regime repression, Iranians are so angry they can’t feel fear This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 16 · 4 min
An Oscar win we can all sing along to
Golden - the huge girl-power anthem from KPop Demon Hunters - is officially Best Song at the 98th Academy Awards. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was the night's major victor, while Australian nominees Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi went home without a statue. Plus, Donald Trump’s latest warning over the Strait of Hormuz. Relive all the action on our Oscars live blog and see the best looks from the red carpet at theaustralian.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 15 · 12 min
Hunting out a hermit billionaire
Crypto-currency titan - and occasional astronaut - Russell Wilson has an incredible story of bouncing back from a multi-million dollar fraud committed against his company CoinSpot. But when we tried to track him down for The List: Australia’s Richest 250, Wilson proved elusive - which made us even more intrigued. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Joshua Burton. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Lia Tsamoglou, Tiffany Dimmack and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 13 · 17 min
Why are Oscar-nominated films such a slog these days?
If you love movies as escapist art, you might find the Monday’s Oscars ceremony a bit tedious. Today, our cheat’s guide to the movies vying for Best Picture – and a flashback to when movies used to be … fun. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. The weekend edition of The Front is co-produced by Claire Harvey and Jasper Leak. The host is Claire Harvey. Audio production and editing by Jasper Leak who also composed our theme. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 13 · 3 min
Missing Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly ‘in a coma’
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly gravely injured in a strike during the Middle East conflict. Plus, Qantas settles a covid legal challenge for $105m and Bluesfest bites the dust. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 12 · 20 min
How we made the smash-hit Sick to Death podcast
Two years, 500 gigabytes of audio, and more than 200 voice actors. The Australian’s podcast adaptation of Hedley Thomas’ best-selling book Sick to Death is nearing its conclusion. It’s the story of the havoc wrought on the Queensland medical system by the incompetent surgeon Jayant Patel 20 years ago – and there’s still more to come. Today, Hedley and our production team get together to discuss this epic project – and why it still resonates in 2026. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 12 · 3 min
Atlassian blames AI for sacking 1600 staff
Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is shedding 10 per cent of Atlassian’s workforce. Also today in The Front’s afternoon headlines, Australia will lower stringent sulphur standards in petrol and diesel to increase fuel supply to the regions. That’s as the International Energy Agency agrees to the biggest ever release of emergency public oil stocks - but jittery markets are already sending prices up, not down. Plus, what now for the Bondi Royal Commission? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 15 min
Luke Skywalker vs Barnaby Joyce: the Nats’ new hope
45-year-old economist Matt Canavan, once the apprentice to Barnaby Joyce, takes the fight for regional Australia to One Nation and his old master. Dennis Shanahan - who routinely shredded the National Party’s ‘stupid’ ex-leader David Littleproud, says it’s at last a proper fight. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 4 min
Petrol panic: a new plan to release millions of barrels of oil
Should the world release public emergency oil supplies to deal with wildly fluctuating oil prices, diesel shortages and petrol station queues? Plus - two more Iranian soccer representatives seek asylum. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 10 · 18 min
The agonising choice of Iran’s soccer heroines
Go home to war and oppression - or live in fear for your family’s life: that’s the terrible dilemma faced by Iran’s women’s soccer team. Today we go inside their incredible bid for freedom, and explore what happens next with Asia-Pacific correspondent Amanda Hodge. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 10 · 5 min
King heckled over Andrew at Westminster Abbey
Why republican protesters are demanding answers from King Charles - plus, Australia’s missiles are rerouted to the Middle East, and Donald Trump’s latest declaration on Operation Epic Fury. That’s all in today’s afternoon headlines from theaustralian.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 9 · 16 min
Did Jackie O give herself a nasty surprise?
As one half of radio’s warring superstar duo lawyers up, the other says everyone’s got it all wrong. Media Diary editor Steve Jackson is here with the latest Kyle and Jackie O drama, plus an ABC reporter’s very sweary outing on social media - and is Karl Stefanovic an anti-vaxxer now? Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 9 · 3 min
Iranians chant ‘Death to Mojtaba’ at new Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khameini, the hardline son of the assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is elevated in Iran thanks to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Today in The Front’s headlines edition: the immediate crises on his desk, from ballistic missiles to fury from Iran's Gulf neighbours. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 8 · 17 min
Israelis scoff chips and chocolate as the missiles rain down
Iran has reneged on a promise to stop attacking its neighbours and assaulted the Gulf states with an array of drones and missiles - that’s as the US indicates the war is nowhere near over. Today, our correspondent in the Middle East, Yoni Bashan, is here to talk about the mood in Israel as this war widens. Spoiler - it involves a lot of chocolate. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet with Lia Tsamoglou and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 6 · 15 min
Sherlock Holmes, action hero
A new generation of the Fiennes family is taking on the most-adapted role in entertainment, with Hero Fiennes Tiffin playing Young Sherlock in Amazon Prime’s new series, directed by Guy Ritchie with all the British director’s characteristic fast-moving smart-talking attitude. Today, we rate this Gen Z take on the 1870s Holmes origin story. You can watch The Front on our YouTube channel anytime Read more: Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock is finally here. Will you watch? Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. The weekend edition of The Front is co-produced by Claire Harvey and Jasper Leak. The host is Claire Harvey. Audio production and editing by Josh Burton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 6 · 4 min
Iran-backed Houthi rebels ‘ready to strike’
In a televised speech, Houthi rebels leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the Iran-backed proxy militia had their “fingers on the trigger, ready to respond at any moment, should developments warrant it”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 5 · 18 min
Is the Iran war legal? Does it matter?
The White House compares Operation Epic Fury to the video game Call of Duty. Pete Hegseth says ‘no mercy’. Should any of that make us squeamish? And can the Iranian people possibly pull a secular democracy out of the rubble? Greg Sheridan is here. Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 5 · 4 min
US boasts of ‘punching Iran while it’s down’
War secretary Pete Hegseth goes on the offensive, saying Operation Epic Fury is not a fair fight - and America will show no mercy. Also in The Front’s afternoon headlines, more stranded Australians make their way home from the Gulf. Follow our Middle East live blog here Read more of our coverage on the Middle East: Carney trip long on symbolism, short on substance If at first you don’t succeed, die, die again Decisive, devastating and without mercy: Hegseth’s update on crushing Iran Canadian PM Mark Carney urges new ‘trusted coalitions’ across critical minerals, defence, AI Iran regime removal will cut global antisemitism, Ryvchin says See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 4 · 19 min
Inside Kyle and Jackie O’s $200m bust-up
After years of laughing along, the highest-earning woman in media finally gets sick of her loudmouth co-star’s antics and walks away. But what’s really fuelling the drama - and why are their bosses secretly delighted? Read more about this story at theaustralian.com.au and see the video by subscribing to our YouTube channel. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 4 · 4 min
Iran’s ‘new leader’ is the Ayatollah’s son
Reports are emerging that the so-called Assembly of Experts has elected a new supreme leader: Motjabah Khameini, the son of slain Ayatollah Ali Khemenei. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.