Move beyond the headlines to see how the past defines our world. Whether it's a local or international story, Rear Vision's expert analysis gives you the background you need to understand today's news.
Latest episodes
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30 min
How an obsession with time has come to enslave us
The English language is dotted with expressions that betray a distrust of time – we talk of “racing against time” or we express a frustration that “time is not on our side”. In thi…
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30 min
The American Israel lobby – powerful political force or antisemitic fiction
Depending on who you talk to the American Israel Lobby is either one of the most powerful forces in US politics or an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.In this Rear Vision we explore…
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30 min
Ebola – a fifty-year history of outbreaks, fear and misunderstanding
Once again communities in Central Africa are plagued by Ebola and the current outbreak shows no sign of being brought under control any time soon. What have medical researchers and…
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30 min
Pacific pit-stop: cannabis to cocaine
Drug trafficking across the Pacific. Why is it increasing and can it be stopped?
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30 min
Alberta Separatists and the grey hand of foreign interference
Separatist sentiments are stirring in the Canadian province of Alberta. Voters will soon cast their ballots in a referendum on whether to begin moves to formally separate from the…
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30 min
Pine Gap - 60 years of Secrecy
How a Cold War listening post in outback Australia has become a nerve centre of U.S. surveillance
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30 min
Why Australian history has always had a revisionist edge
Our understanding of the past has always been contentious and ripe for argumentation. How we think and write about historic events changes as new sources of information are found,…
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29 min
The Red Sea - maritime mayhem at Bab el-Mandeb
Today the Red Sea’s crucial choke-point at the Bab el-Mandeb is becoming as infamous as the Strait of Hormuz.
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30 min
Reality check - why a belief in human rights has never really been universal
Dictators and autocrats deride human rights as a “western concept” – think Vladamir Putin and Xi Jinping, among others. They reject the narrative that a global concern for individu…
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30 min
North Korea - powerplay in the Northwest Pacific
This year has seen an uncharacteristic flurry of meetings and engagement between North Korea, China and Russia.Is a North Asia bromance blossoming or are we seeing a calculated col…
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30 min
Israel Lebanon and the Palestinian story
The conflict between Israel and Lebanon that flared up in March this year is not new. Despite having no major border dispute or a struggle over resources, Israel and Lebanon have b…
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27 min
Hezbollah: Resistance fighters or terrorists
Hezbollah has been a key political and military player in Lebanon for decades. In 2000 it forced the Israeli military out of Southern Lebanon and since then has been in almost cons…
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30 min
Whatever happened to Libya?
Fifteen years ago, events in Libya dominated world headlines. In 2011, during the “Arab Spring”, Western leaders pledged their determination to free the Libyan people from decades…
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30 min
Islam in Australia - history and hysteria
Despite their long history in this country, Muslims in Australia are often the flashpoint for immigration fears and concern about extremism.
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30 min
Understanding slavery as an enduring form of economic and social control
The United States has just imposed new tariffs on Australia and other countries for supposedly not doing enough to combat forced labour in international supply chains. Analysts say…
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30 min
War damage - the cost of rebuilding after conflict
What happens when the bombs and the fighting stop? Who pays for all the damage?It’s estimated that rebuilding Gaza alone, will cost more than US$70 billion. What strategy is needed…
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30 min
Are France’s indo-pacific ambitions coming unstuck?
The government of Emmanuel Macron is struggling to deal with ongoing tension and resentment in France’s external territory, New Caledonia. The latest diplomatic and legislative eff…
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28 min
Gas to grain - when fertiliser supply stops
One third of the world's fertiliser is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. How did fertiliser supply become so concentrated in the Middle East and what happens when this supply i…
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30 min
The true story of the American Revolution
Americans are preparing for an orgy of red, white and blue as the 250th anniversary of their Declaration of Independence draws near. But what’s not likely to be widely mentioned is…
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29 min
Saudi Arabia and the U.S - a marriage of convenience under strain
As the war in the Middle East teeters on a peace deal, the carefully managed relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States is starting to show cracks.