Insiders ABC News

Sydney has been reeling this week from two horrific attacks. Both the Bondi Junction and the Wakeley attacks have raised all sorts of questions about terrorism, mental illness, the spread of misinformation on social media, and community cohesion.There’s also a big question over the safety of women. The Bondi Junction attacker – Joel Cauchi – killed 5 women and one male security guard. The majority of those injured were also women. The NSW Police Commissioner says it’s obvious he was targeting women. This attack may not have been declared an act of terrorism – but it certainly is terrifying, particularly for women.

David Speers speaks to Australia’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin about whether this aspect of the horrific attack is likely to bring about any policy change.




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Given these two horrific attacks happened within days of each other in the same city, the debate over how they've been differently labelled is perhaps inevitable.

Visiting a shopping centre on a Saturday is such a familiar thing to do. The horrific attack at Westfield Bondi Junction has understandably shocked many. And given heightened community tensions – there were fears over what might have motivated such an attack. The NSW police commissioner was last night confident enough to say she did not believe this was an act of terrorism. David Speers interviews Treasurer Jim Chalmers about the latest, as well as getting his take on Iran’s attack on Israel and the government’s new Future Made in Australia act.

The panel John Kehoe, Anna Henderson, and David Crowe also turn their minds to the government’s new Future Made in Australia Act. The Prime Minister wants to see a new wave of local manufacturing – powered by clean energy. And to get there – he’s willing to seriously ramp up government subsidies and incentives. How much taxpayers’ money will be spent? And who will be the winners? Also discussed is Penny Wong’s speech on the possibility of Palestinian statehood before a two state solution. Mike Bowers talks the week in pictures with Mark Humphries.

Just how far should the government go when it comes to trying to keep manufacturers in Australia and attract new ones? In a significant pre-budget speech this week, the Prime Minister has suggested the role of government needs to evolve as he flagged a much more interventionist approach and what he's calling a future made in Australia. But why should Australian taxpayers be funding local production of things like solar panels? And how far do you go with this? Where does it end? What or who deserves support? Who doesn't?

David Speers talks to the Business Council’s Chief Executive Bran Black about the government’s ambitious new agenda.

The prime minister sees an agenda to grow local green manufacturing as not only economically and strategically vital, but a political no-brainer. But that's only if it all works.

Not good enough.  Australia is demanding more answers and greater transparency – over how Israel managed to launch deadly air strikes on an aid convoy in Gaza. Israel is blaming poor visibility and a communications stuff-up. That hasn’t satisfied the Albanese Government.

David Speers interviews Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham about the Coalition’s view of the incident, and how the Opposition believes the government should proceed in their relations with Israel.

The panel Paul Sakkal, Karen Middleton, and Katina Curtis also discuss the continuing debacle over migration laws, the appointment of Sam Mostyn as Governor-General, and the Opposition’s position on breaking up the big supermarkets.