A weekday magazine-style current affairs program hosted by one of Australia's pre-eminent and loved interviewers. Drawing on Fran's extensive current affairs and cultural knowledge, The Radio National Hour takes a thoughtful, deep dive into the important and challenging issues, and brings insightful and engaging conversations with big names in the arts, sport and culture.
Latest episodes
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55 min
The no names shaking up Serbian politics
Serbia has voted for change, but its new student-led political party has no leader and a caucus that includes opera singers, professors and sportspeople. Is this Europe’s next anti…
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55 min
Benjamin Netanyahu's fight for political survival
Israelis head to the polls tomorrow in an election that’s being described as ‘existential’. After nearly 20 years in power, strongman Benjamin Netanyahu is pitching for the securit…
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55 min
Position Vacant: America's empty embassies
. Generation Z is angry - in Asia, Africa and more recently Europe. They say governments aren’t listening to their concerns - about housing, jobs and the future they’re inheriting.…
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55 min
The global scramble to fix the internet
Two thirds of the world’s websites use an open source programming language called PHP. For years we’ve known it has some security flaws, but no one was smart enough to exploit them…
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55 min
The community of Indi rallies for 'one of us', local member Helen Haines
Helen Haines' husband Phil has given a heartbreaking update on his wife's condition, confirming she has now had both legs amputated. We take you into her electorate of Indi and spe…
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55 min
Governor General urges Australians to exercise their 'decency muscle' in wake of Helen Haines attack
As the independent member for Indi Helen Haines fights for her life in a Melbourne hospital the Governor General of Australia Sam Mostyn reflects on the ugly forces working to unde…
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55 min
Democrats have a clear midterm edge, but are the polls to be believed?
Democrats are being urged not to count their chickens after the latest Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, which shows President Trump's approval rating has plummeted to a new low…
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55 min
A shaky start for Trump's new press secretary
It’s one of the most scrutinised jobs in the world. On Tuesday Donald Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia stepped up to the lectern for her first press briefing, an awkward…
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55 min
Political junkies and the books they read
Paul Keating once said, "anyone who’s any good never writes about themselves.” Luckily, plenty of others have and last weekend Fran sat down in front of a live audience, with celeb…
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55 min
What does the collapse of the Firmus IPO tell us about the hype surrounding AI?
We’re told it’s bigger - much bigger - than any technology revolution that’s come before, but are we buying the AI hype or, perhaps more crucially, are we willing to pay for it? Ch…
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55 min
Not just a few bad eggs: ACCC sues producers over 'cartel' behaviour
In 2023 oncologist Ophira Ginsburg blew the whistle on the scandal of millions of women dying prematurely because of medical misogyny in cancer care. Three years on she says progre…
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55 min
'What have I created?' The scientist on a mission to protect our thoughts
More than a decade ago, neuroscientist Rafael Yuste made a startling discovery: enabling the technology that is now being used to read and manipulate human minds. Now he's working…
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55 min
Michael Pollan on why humans are squandering the gift of consciousness
When Jenny Bloomfield arrived in Australia from Greece at the age of 12 she felt like an alien landing on a strange planet, little did she know three decades later she would be rep…
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55 min
Work, wages and shopping in the age of AI
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
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55 min
Who's responsibile for the emissions from Australia’s exported coal?
Fran Kelly brings you compelling conversations on issues that challenge,entertain and inspire us.
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55 min
Adam Liaw's quest to revive the 'everyday' dishes that bring us comfort
It's like something out of a Dickens novel: Australians sleeping rough, veterans, migrants and those suffering severe mental health are being buried in unmarked, mass graves in New…
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55 min
The cruel irony of Christa Pike's botched execution
Tennessee prison authorities tried for more than an hour to kill her with two doses of a lethal poison before doctors intervened to save her life. Murderer Christa Pike remains on…
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55 min
Kevin Rudd on what the West and China misunderstand about each other
Former Australian Prime Minister and Ambassador to the United State Kevin Rudd joins The Diplomats to reflect on his differing roles in diplomacy, as well as explore the misinterpr…
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55 min
'Clowns out, Cowboys in' The meaning behind Pete Hegseth's latest announcement
The latest 'State of the Force' was another firey speech from US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth signposting an American focus on autonomous warfare, 'Fortress America', faith an…
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55 min
The Greens choose a new leadership team
With David Shoebridge voted in by his peers as the new federal leader of the Greens, Phil Coorey, Political Editor of The Australian Financial Review looks at where the party could…