Fourth Estate
News & Politics
About
Every week, we discuss how the media has covered the news and analyse issues affecting the industry - with some of the biggest names in journalism in Australia and around the world. Broadcast live on Sydney's 2SER 107.3FM, with the financial assistance of the Community Broadcasting Foundation.
Episodes
- Red Scares: The Budget and the Backlash
In this episode, Tina Quinn examines the media and political reactions to the Australian federal budget. Guests discuss the framing of reforms such as negative gearing and capital gains tax, and analyze the nature of the policy debate.
- Blunt Tools: Rate Rises and Media Tropes
Fourth Estate episode "Blunt Tools: Rate Rises and Media Tropes" examines Australia's approach to inflation and its media coverage. Host Tina Quinn speaks with Stephen Long, Emilia Terzon, and Hugh Riminton about fiscal policy, media narra…
- A Woman Who Won: Antoinette Lattouf on Taking on the ABC — and Winning
Antoinette Lattouf joins Fourth Estate to discuss her book "Women Who Win," reflecting on the women who inspired it and her experience challenging her dismissal from the ABC. The Federal Court found her dismissal unlawful, ordering compens…
- 2SER on the Brink and Remembering James Valentine
This episode of Fourth Estate examines the financial crisis at community radio station 2SER, discussing funding withdrawal, leadership concerns, and potential salvation. It also pays tribute to broadcaster James Valentine, reflecting on hi…
- Ben Roberts-Smith: How Journalism Took on a War Hero
The Fourth Estate podcast discusses the investigation into Ben Roberts-Smith, an Australian soldier charged with war crimes. Journalists Nick McKenzie and Michael Bachelard share insights on the reporting process, editorial decisions, and…
- Dispatches from the Picket Line: Behind the ABC Strike
More than 2,000 ABC staff walked off the job in the broadcaster’s first strike in 20 years. While the dispute centred on pay, progression and job security, it also exposed deeper concerns about culture, leadership and editorial independenc…
- Profile: In Conversation with Virginia Trioli (Part 2)
"She seems unaware of just how inexperienced she is," was how one media commentator described Virginia Trioli when she first took her place behind the microphone of the Drive program on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne. She had by that point more t…
- Profile: In Conversation with Virginia Trioli (Part 1)
When Virginia Trioli stepped onto the floor of "this horrible soviet-style building" that was The Age newsroom as a young cadet journalist in 1990, she knew she’d found her place — despite the building doing its best to suggest otherwise.…
- Where It All Went Wrong: Amy Remeikis on John Howard
For eleven years, John Howard dominated Australian politics, winning four elections and reshaping the country’s political and economic direction. To many supporters, he remains the careful economic manager with a plain-spoken style and an…
- Fourth Estate Live: The Women Who Shaped the News
Fourth Estate goes live for this special International Women’s Day edition, as host Tina Quinn revisits some of the remarkable women who helped reshape Australian journalism. Featuring archival interviews with Margaret Throsby, Liz Hayes,…
- The Absence of Nuance in Iran Coverage and a Breakfast Radio Bust-Up
The United States and Israel have launched a joint military operation against Iran, killing the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and dramatically escalating tensions across the Middle East. But as the conflict unfolds, it…
- One From the Archives: Azadeh Moaveni on Iran and the Plight of “ISIS Brides”
In the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory missile attacks across the region, we return to the Fourth Estate archives. In this 2020 conversation, Iranian-American journalist, writer and academic Azadeh Moaveni…
- Marty Baron On The Gutting Of The Washington Post
Once a beacon of groundbreaking American journalism, the masthead that helped expose Watergate and held presidents to account is now undergoing sweeping cuts that have shaken its newsroom. More than 300 journalists have been laid off at Th…
- Force And Fallout: The Herzog Visit
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia was framed as routine diplomacy by political leaders and much of the press. But outside the official engagements, thousands protested — and in Sydney, violent clashes between demonstrator…
- Terrorism, Epstein And Other Fault Lines In Media-land
This week on Fourth Estate, we examine how the media covered the biggest stories of the week, from the attempted bombing at an Invasion Day rally in Perth, now declared a terrorist act, to the latest document dump linked to Jeffrey Epstein…
- Rushed Legislation And A Broken Coalition
A chaotic week in federal politics has left the opposition fractured and raised serious questions about how power is being exercised in Parliament. As the Albanese government rushed landmark hate-speech and extremism legislation through in…
- The Campaign For A Royal Commission And The Implosion Of A Writers’ Festival
In the aftermath of the Bondi massacre, a sustained media and political campaign intensified pressure on the government to establish a royal commission into antisemitism. Within a day of the Albanese government announcing that one would ta…
- Summer Series: Mike Carlton Talks On Air
In a special summer edition of Fourth Estate , we turn the clock back to December 2018, when broadcaster and journalist Mike Carlton joined then host Peter Fray for a wide-ranging conversation about his newly published memoir, On Air . T…
- Summer Series: In-Conversation With Lisa Millar
In this special Fourth Estate summer re-release, we revisit Tina Quinn's conversation with Australian journalist, Lisa Millar, from September, 2021. From her years as a foreign correspondent with the ABC, first in Washington, then later on…
- Erosion: Press Freedom In The Trump Era
How is press freedom being tested in the Trump era? In this episode of Fourth Estate , Tina Quinn is joined by Media Correspondent with NPR, David Folkenflik and Chief Political Correspondent for The Washington Post, Karen Tumulty, examini…
- When Tragedy Is Weaponised: The Media And Bondi
After the mass shooting at Bondi, Australia became a global headline, and a case study in how tragedy is rapidly politicised. Before facts were established, misinformation surged, racial vilification followed, and political narratives hard…
- Virginia Haussegger On The Unfinished Revolution In Australia's Media
Journalist, author and feminist thinker Virginia Haussegger joins Tina Quinn to examine why the feminist revolution — inside Australia’s media and beyond — remains unfinished. Drawing on her latest book, Unfinished Revolution: The Feminist…
- Profile: In Conversation With Liz Hayes (Part 2)
After ten years co-hosting The Today Show , Liz Hayes made a decision that would reshape her life — she walked away from the top breakfast-television gig in the country. In this second part of this conversation with Tina Quinn, Liz shares…
- Profile: In Conversation With Liz Hayes (Part 1)
Liz Hayes is one of Australia’s most trusted and enduring journalists — but her story begins far from the studio lights. In this first part of our profile, Liz joins Tina Quinn in-studio to reflect on her upbringing on the Mid North Coast,…
- Empire of the Elite: Condé Nast’s Reign and Reinvention
For more than a century, Condé Nast defined taste, power, and aspiration. From Vogue and Vanity Fair to The New Yorker and GQ, its magazines didn’t just chronicle culture — they shaped it. In this episode, Tina Quinn speaks with media corr…
- What Remains: Surviving Gaza, Speaking Truth
Just weeks ago, Palestinian media worker Samer Tarazi was struggling for survival amid the devastation of Gaza. Now safe in Sydney, he reflects on what he witnessed — the destruction of his city, the loss of his journalist colleagues, and…
- Inside The Room: Fourth Estate At Women in Media 2025
From the main stage at Sydney’s ICC, Women In Media's national conference brought together some of the sharpest voices in journalism and storytelling — Claudia Karvan, Hanna Rosin, Libbi Gorr, Hannah Ferguson, and Monica Attard among them.…
- Profile: In Conversation With Anna Funder (Part 2)
When Stasiland was first published in 2003, it became an international sensation — winning the UK’s top non-fiction prize and propelling Anna Funder onto the world stage. In part two of this conversation with Tina Quinn, Anna reflects on t…
- Profile: In Conversation With Anna Funder (Part 1)
She may not call herself a journalist, but Anna Funder ’s work is a fearless meditation on truth, and a masterclass in pushing the boundaries of genre to capture it. Her writing tackles the great arcs of 20th-century history, from the tota…
- One From The Archives: 9/11 And The Liberal Media's Dark Legacy
As we mark 24 years since the September 11 terror attacks, we revisit the Fourth Estate archives with a special episode first broadcast in September 2021 on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Hosted at the time by Prue Clarke — who herself was…
- Iran, Nauru And What The Media Missed
Last week, Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador in a move that dominated headlines. But while the media focused on the diplomatic drama, the government quietly introduced legislation that would strip certain migrants of their right to proc…
- Profile: In Conversation With Laura Tingle
Laura Tingle is widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest political journalists, with nearly four decades spent in the Canberra Press Gallery covering every government Malcolm Fraser’s to Anthony Albanese’s. But this year she stunned ev…
- The Unified March Which Divided Australia's Media
A historic moment of civil disobedience took place across the Sydney Harbour Bridge last week, as hundreds of thousands of people came out to demonstrate against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Although some media outlets chose to report on the…
- 'A Slaughter Not A War': David Leser On The Moral Catastrophe Of Gaza
All eyes are again firmly on Gaza this week as the enclave faces mass starvation that human rights groups and aid organisations have been loudly warning of for months. Media outlets that seemed to previously play down the plight of Palesti…
- Daniel James On Truth-Telling
For generations, First Nations people have called for a truth-telling process — a way to formally acknowledge the harm caused by colonisation and ongoing injustice. In Victoria, that process has taken historic form through the Yoorrook Jus…
- Jan Fran On Speaking Truth To (Media) Power
Journalist, author and television presenter, Jan Fran joins Tina Quinn in studio to talk the launch of Ette Media , a new independent venture she's co-founded with fellow journalist, Antoinette Lattouf. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi…
- The Unlawful Sacking Of Antoinette Lattouf
What began as just five casual shifts behind the microphone has escalated into one of the most high-profile legal battles in Australian media. In 2023, Antoinette Lattouf was dropped as a fill-in presenter on ABC Radio Sydney after she sha…
- One From The Archives: Can The Media Do Better On Palestine?
We turn the clock back this week and revisit former Fourth Estate host, Monica Attard's conversation with Sophie McNeil, previously the ABC's Middle East Correspondent, and Hugh Riminton, National Affairs Editor for 10 News First. This epi…
- Lindsey Hilsum On The West's Warning Shots To Israel
As the latest uprising of violence in Gaza surpasses 600 days, the government of Israel is facing unprecedented condemnation from its Western allies. France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have provided the most surprising about-face, with…
- Election 2025: A Post-Mortem
In what turned out to be a much more definitive result than most pundits were expecting, the Labor government of Anthony Albanese has been returned to office for a second term with an increased majority. Meanwhile, the Coalition suffered d…
- Election 2025: The Final Stretch
After what's been a largely uneventful election campaign, Australian's are only days away from heading to the ballot box, and analysts are predicting the result could bring some surprises yet. So, will Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and t…
- Election 2025: Dutton Falters As Albo Obfuscates
Australia is three weeks into the 2025 federal election cycle, and this time around the issues dominating the agenda have been as wide-ranging as housing, energy prices, climate change and somehow even, American President Donald Trump. But…
- A Tale Of Two Cities: Reporting From Gaza Vs Jerusalem
As the as the so-called ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has collapsed, the official death toll in the region has surpassed 50,000, although experts warn the real number is much higher. Of those many thousands who have perished are hundr…
- Election 2025: The Horse Race Begins
After what seemed like an interminably long lead-up, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has finally called the election for May 3 - ending weeks of speculation about when Australians will head to the polls. The date was seemingly ‘leaked’ an…
- Is Anti-Semitism Being Weaponised?
As Fourth Estate returns this week, we examine whether the issue of anti-Semitism is being weaponised by both our media and political class. Joining Tina Quinn to discuss is investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein, Crikey's Rachel With…
- One From The Archives: Lynne O'Donnell On Being Kidnapped By The Taliban
This week we turn back the clock to Tina Quinn's conversation with foreign correspondent, Lynne O'Donnell. Lynne has spent close to 30 years covering terrorism, conflict and war across Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In 2022, Lyn…
- One From The Archives: In Conversation With Geoffrey Robertson
This week we step back into the archives to Tina Quinn's conversation with famed human rights lawyer, author and broadcaster, Geoffrey Robertson. The year was 2021. Scott Morrison was still prime minister of Australia, it was the early day…
- Eric Beecher On The Men Who Killed The News
Crikey’s proprietor Eric Beecher, is a rare combination of journalist, media owner and idealist. “A media mongrel”, he says his friends call him, at 33 he became the youngest-ever editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, but was wooed away by…
- From One Macdonald To Another: The Changes Afoot At ABC Radio
After close to two months of speculation, Hamish Macdonald, the former Q+A host and current Radio National and The Project presenter has been confirmed as the new Mornings host on ABC Radio Sydney. Macdonald replaces Sarah Macdonald, who a…
- One From The Archives: The Misogyny Speech A Decade On
This week we dip back into the Fourth Estate archives to Tina Quinn's 2022 discussion with Samantha Maiden and Jess Hill, reflecting on the ten year anniversary of the famous and historic 'misogyny speech', delivered by Australia's then Pr…