Thursday Breakfast

Emily, Inez, Leila, Priya, River, Candy

Current affairs, media analysis, alternative media.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Trans Life in Britain, Community Care and Disability Justice, Administrative Challenges of Incarceration, Victoria’s Opioid Pharmacotherapy Gap

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Coronial inquest begins into death in custody of Noongar man Jeffrey WinmarUpdates on us-israeli war on IranSudan drone strikes and sexual violence as a weapon of warFair Work Commission scraps discounted pay rates for workers aged 18-20Albanese’s emergency address targets fuel shortages We replayed an interview from Willow and Priya's 2026 Trans Day of Audibility Special Broadcast segment, 'Dispatches from TERF Island', which aired this Tuesday the 31st of March on 3CR. In this interview, Willow and Alara speak about experiences of everyday transphobia in Britain, and about the lifesaving importance of creating intentional community with other trans women. Listen to the whole segment and the rest of 3CR's Trans Day of Audibility Special Broadcast here.// We heard an interview with Li and Finn exploring community care and intersectional principles of disability justice. Li and Finn share their critical reflections on the social model of disability, unpack what disability justice informed care can look like on an everyday basis, and describe the resources that continue to shape their practice. Li is a mad and crip person that lives with ME and organises with COVID Solidarity "sydney," a project aimed at connecting the politics of sickness to broader liberatory politics. Finn is a transmasc autistic wheelchair user and former psychologist who has shifted their focus to gardening, craft, and building meaningful relationships after burning out.// We replayed an interview from 3CR’s Done By Law program this week, featuring Stacey, a trans writer and advocate with lived experience of incarceration, about the key challenges trans and gender diverse people face in and after prison. This conversation explored topics including reintegration within the community, and the ongoing administrative challenges, such as with banking, that keep people vulnerable. Stacey does vital decarceration work through Beyond Bricks and Bars, and her contributions span media, community advocacy, and justice reform. Beyond Bricks and Bars is a trans community-led decarceration project, aimed at getting people out of prison and supporting them to stay out. You can listen back to the full interview here, and catch Done By Law on Tuesdays on 3CR from 6-6:30PM.// Dr Jake Dizard, Penington Institute Research Director, joined us to unpack Victoria's opioid pharmacotherapy treatment gap. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's most recent National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data collection report, Victoria is lagging behind other States and Territories in crucial areas including the public provision of pharmacotherapy services, treatment retention, and matching rates of opioid use to service delivery resourcing. If you are in Victoria and are seeking pharmacotherapy support, you can contact the following services:For statewide alcohol and other drug support and referral pathways, call DirectLine on 1800 888 236, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.For pharmacotherapy-related advocacy,contact the PAMS Pharmacotherapy Support line on 1800 443, 11AM-5PM Monday to Friday, or head the PAMS page on Harm Reduction Victoria’s website.Your local community health centre may provide alcohol and other drug services and pharmacotherapy, and may also be able to provide you with support and advice.In an emergency, you can always access urgent care or the emergency department, or call 000 for ambulance services.

  2. 25 MAR

    Victorian Teachers’ Strike, Building Catalyst’s New Space, US Travel Alert for Trans and Gender Diverse People, Trans Day of Vengeance Rally, 3CR’s 2026 TDOA Broadcast

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Young First Nations man dies in Northern Territory Police custody in DarwinIran, Lebanon and Iraq updatesIsrael issues no prosecutions for killing of Palestinian civilians since 2020800 older Australians seek reviews of Integrated Assessment ToolSenate inquiry finds misinformation undermines policy responses to climate crisis We listened to speeches from the Australian Education Union teachers strike outside Victorian Parliament on Tuesday the 24th of March by AEU Victoria Deputy President Briley Stokes, early career member Erica and AEU Victoria President Justin Mullaly. We also heard vox pops with teachers attending the rally recorded by 3CR’s Annie McLoughlin, where interviewees spoke about teachers being undervalued and underpaid and the state government's inability or disinterest in delivering a fair deal. Victorian teachers are the lowest-funded and lowest-paid in the country, and the Australian Education Union Victorian Branch has said that the state government has left them with "no choice but to stop work." Tuesday’s rally saw 50,000 unionised teachers, support staff and principals from schools all over the state march from Trades Hall to Parliament, demanding fair pay and better conditions.// Lily, a member of the LIFT collective and fundraising working group of Catalyst Social Centre, speaks with us about progress on Catalyst's new space and fundraising to complete it, including an upcoming garage sale on Sunday the 29th of March. Catalyst Social Centre is a radical community space located in Coburg on unceded Wurundjeri Country, offering free meeting and event spaces for leftist and solidarity organising, free food and dinners, and community activities. Sunday's garage sale will be held at Catalyst's new site, 5 Munro Street in Coburg. Donate to Catalyst Social Centre's fit-out fundraiser here.// On Tuesday last week, Equality Australia released a travel alert for the US, with particular warnings for people carrying gender X passports and trans women seeking ‘extraordinary ability’ visas. Amongst LGBTQ+ people, trans and gender diverse people are susceptible to increased risks when crossing international borders, whether that be for leisure or compulsory travel such as work, immigration, or as a result of displacement. To understand more about the current travel risks for trans and gender diverse people globally, as well as recent changes to US border security protocol, we were joined by Equality Australia Senior Advisor Sav Tanhchareun. Sav is a social justice practitioner and international human rights expert who has worked across government and civil society for over a decade with a focus on disability and gender consciousness.//  Narrm-based musician, DJ, writer, artist, educator and organiser slumbi joined us to talk about this Saturday's Trans Day of Vengeance rally, which will be held outside the State Library of Victoria at 4PM on the 28th of March. Organisers are demanding accessible gender affirming care for all, cops and zionists out of pride, and no pride in detention. For more information and updates, follow @trans.action.network and @transqueersoli2026 on Instagram.// The incomparable Tilde Joy, 2025 winner of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia's Jane Brownrigg Award for Outstanding Volunteer Contribution and host of 3CR's Slacker Radio show, spoke with us about next Tuesday's Trans Day of Audibility Special Broadcast. 3CR's TDOA 2026 broadcast, running from 10AM-6PM on the 31st of March, features eight hours of exclusively trans, non binary and gender diverse programming, exploring the best and worst of the transgender experience in the age of reaction. Find out more about Tuesday’s line up here.//

  3. 18 MAR

    Return to the Birrarung, DID and Autism, Welfare Not War, First Nations Led Truth Telling Commission, Green Colonialism in Climate Activism

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle threatens Far North QueenslandNauiyu residents evacuated to Darwin face distress in evacuation centres Iran and Lebanon updatesHigh Court again rules ankle bracelets and curfews unconstitutional for refugeesClimate Council report finds fossil fuel pollution overrides natural climate patterns Gurrnoong (Jasper Cohen-Hunter) is a Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung gulinj from Narrm (Melbourne). He is a media practitioner, writer and community organiser dedicated to advancing the struggle for Wurundjeri Sovereignty. Jasper joined us this week to critically analyse past and present colonial assaults on the Birrarung (Yarra River), and to discuss the upcoming exhibition occupation studies: ngayanhurra bayarral Birrarung (they tried to tame Birrarung) which he collaborated on with artist Tahlia Palmer (Yuwaalaraay/Gamilaraay and mixed European descent). occupation studies is showing at the Koorie Heritage Trust in the Birrarung Building, Fed Square, from this Saturday the 21st of March until the 13th of September.// We played part of an interview from 3CR's Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day 2026 special broadcast featuring Amy Ciara and guest Jack discussing the intersections of DID and Autism, problems with the NDIS and what helpful therapy looks like. Listen back to the whole special broadcast here, and catch Amy Ciara on Kill Your Lawn and Kick Your Fence every Friday at 9AM on 3CR 855AM.// Antipoverty Centre’s Jay Coonan joined us to talk about the Centre’s article 'Welfare not War', published on the 10th of March, which urges the Albanese government to withdraw material support and diplomatic cover for the US and Israel’s imperial wars and to instead prioritise investment in welfare, education, healthcare and other essential supports that benefit the public.// Dale Ruska, Goenpul Jandaiwal Yuggerabul Nunugal Gubbi Gubbi Goori Inherent member of the Aboriginal Struggle and Director of Minjerribah-Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council (MMEIC), came on the show this morning to talk about a newly launched petition from MMEIC calling for a national, independent First Nations-led truth-telling and healing commission of inquiry. The inquiry is intended to increase awareness about the historical truths of colonisation, intergenerational harms and ongoing impacts for First Nations people. The petition reiterates long-standing calls to formally recognise the overt racism that underpins the nation state of Australia, and follows two recent acts of racist violence including the attack on Camp Sovereignty last year and the terror attack at this year’s Invasion Day march in Boorloo-Perth. During the interview, Dale mentioned the upcoming national Walk for Truth led by Travis Lovett, which will be held from Sunday 19th April to Wednesday 27th May. MMEIC will be sending a delegation to participate in the Walk for Truth, and you can join in too - register here.//We listened back to an interview from 3CR's Climate Action Show on the 9th of March where Shae interviewed Tiahni Adamson, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Manager for Bush Heritage Australia, about green colonialism in climate activism, the need for a nuanced consideration of solutions to climate change, and what it means to better ourselves as climate activists. Listen back to the full conversation here, and catch the Climate Action Show on Mondays from 5-6PM on 3CR 855AM.//

  4. 11 MAR

    Australia’s Nuclear Ties, Tempi Train Crash Anniversary, Regenerative Farming and Climate Crisis, Palantir Embedded in Department of Defence

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Australian Government playing multiple roles in US-Israeli attacks on IranProposed changes to Migration Act condemned by community, Senator ThorpeParliamentary inquiry into racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopleVictorian prisoners spend over $12m on phone calls between 2021 and 2024 Tilman Ruff, co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), joined us to discuss Australia's entanglements with nuclear-armed states in light of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran. Australia's military and intelligence relationships with the United States are a particular cause for alarm, especially under the AUKUS agreement and Five Eyes alliance. Tilman also spoke about international developments in nuclear agreements including the expiry of the New START Treaty between Russia and the US, and emphasised the urgent need for Australia to ratify the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.// We played an excerpt of a speech by Agapi Pashos of the Greek Democritus Workers League from February 28th this year commemorating the third anniversary of the Tempi tragedy. Agapi spoke about the decades of austerity and endemic corruption that led to the death of 57 people in the 2023 head-on collision between a passenger and a freight train south of the Tempe Valley, and the diaspora's role in fighting for justice and systemic change in Greece.A public meeting has been called by the Greek Democritus Workers League to discuss the political crisis in Greece at Democritus House (583 High St, Northcote) on Saturday March 14th at 4PM. For more information, head to their Instagram page.// We played an excerpt of 3CR’s Women on the Line program from March 17th, 2025, where host Kannagi spoke with regenerative farmer Avika about combating the climate crisis through regenerative farming, the role of women in sustainable farming, the links between corporate farming and patriarchal culture and the benefits of growing your own food. Avika is based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and is passionate about regenerating soil. She works with farmers across the country to make regenerative farming tools and techniques more accessible. Listen back to the full conversation here, and catch Women on the Line on 3CR 855AM on Mondays from 8.30-9.00AM.// Lucinda Thorpe from Digital Rights Watch joined us to continue the conversation about the Australian Government's relationships with US-based data analysis software company Palantir in light of exclusive reporting this week by Crikey on the contents of a contract that embeds Palantir staff within the Department of Defence. You can read Cam Wilson's article, 'Palantir embedding staff in Defence and mining Australian data under contract with Trump-aligned company' here.//

  5. 4 MAR

    Energy Crisis in Cuba, Australian SIGINT and War on Iran, Operation Pulse Extended, Ending Strip Searches in Australian Prisons, Don’t Fly Thai Campaign

    Acknowledgement of Country// HeadlinesUpdates from US-Israel war on IranAnti-protest laws case in NSW Supreme CourtIBAC apologises for mishandling Victoria Police domestic violence caseFormerly incarcerated advocates call for ban on prison strip searching We listened to a recent conversation between Alice and Spanish and Latin American Studies PhD Researcher Sasha Gillies-Lekakis about the energy crisis facing Cuba due to the recently increased fuel blockade by the United States. Catch Sasha on 3CR's Latin American Update and Unitarian Half Hour shows, and follow the work of the Australia Cuba Friendship Society at melbourneacfs.org.// Peter Cronau, award-winning, investigative journalist, writer, film-maker, and co-founder of Declassified Australia, caught up with Priya earlier this week to discuss the Five Eyes intelligence agreement between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the role of Australia's Pine Gap signals intelligence (SIGINT) facility in light of the US-Israeli offensive on Iran. Head to DeclassifiedAus.org for rigorous, in-depth coverage of Australia's role in the global military industrial complex.// Ilo Diaz from the Centre Against Racial Profiling joined us to discuss safety and accountability concerns aroundVictoria Police’s extension of Operation Pulse until the end of this year, continuing targeted Protective Service Officer (PSO) and police patrols at shopping centres across the state. The Allan Labor Government announced its investment of a further $6.5 million to extend the operation, which allows officers to search people without warrants at targeted shopping centres in significantly racially diverse areas. Ilo works directly with communities experiencing human rights abuses in Melbourne, South America and Palestine.// CONTENT NOTE: this interview contains distressing themes, including discussion of state-sanctioned sexual violence. If you need to speak with someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467.Georgia Sheals and Nina Storey from the Formerly Incarcerated Girls Justice Advocates Melborne (FIGJAM) Collective spoke about the dehumanising practice of strip searching in the Australian corrections system, and why this practice needs to end. FIGJAM, Flat Out and Human Rights Law Centre have just launched a co-authored report titled 'Ending Strip Searches in Australian Prisons', which details the harm, prevalence and ineffectiveness of strip searching drawing on a combination of information obtained by Freedom of Information requests and the testimony of formerly incarcerated people including members of FIGJAM Collective. The report, published at EndStripSearching.com, is accompanied by a petition calling on the federal government to ban strip searches across all Australian prisons. Donate to support FIGJAM Collective's work here.//Sarah Blumfeld shared updates on the Don’t Fly Thai campaign, which rejects Thai Airways’ transport of F35 fighter jet parts from Australia to Israel on commercial passenger planes. Sarah discussed the campaign’s 25th February protests held at Melbourne and Sydney international airports, which prompted a global response via social media coverage. We recommend revisiting our two part interview with Peter Cronau from Declassified Australia broadcast on the 16th and 23rd of October last year for more information on the transport of F35 parts on commercial flights. You can view the known locations of weapons manufacturers in Australia here, and email Thai Airways’ bosses to tell them what you think about their involvement in weapons components transport here.//

  6. 25 FEB

    Vic Pol fail duty of care to Aboriginal people in custody, RACGP on ADHD assessment and treatment reforms, Victoria's windfall gains tax, "Browne vs Assistant Commissioner of Police" case win, data centre fast-tracking

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Sudan updatesGaza and West Bank updatesAnti-genocide protestors occupy Richard Marles’ office, target Thai AirwaysGovernment repeats Robodebt failures with inaccurate aged care assessments  Nerita Waight, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, spoke with us about how Victoria's tough on crime agenda is exacerbating systemic failures in duty of care to Aboriginal people in custody. The Allan Labor Government's regressive bail law reforms have resulted in rising numbers of uncharged people being shuttled between police stations in Victoria, with particularly dire consequences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are already subjected to systemic racism and intense targeting by police. In a media release published this Tuesday, VALS described the ordeal of their client Nathan, a proud Gunaikurnai man who was subjected to abhorrent treatment and conditions in Victoria Police custody, leading to the service seeking an emergency injunction in the Supreme Court to demand a life-saving transfer.// Dr Anita Muñoz Chair, RACGP Victoria, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners joined us to discuss how GPs having independent decision making around the assessment and treatment of ADHD creates greater accessibility for patients with barriers to care, and allows GPs to support "whole person care".// Prosper Australia's Executive Director Rayna Fahey unpacked Victoria's windfall gains tax, a state government taxation measure applied to land that has significantly increased in value due to rezoning. Earlier this week, the Property Council of Victoria put out a media statement and report urging the Victorian Government to abolish the windfall gains tax, claiming that it "kill[s] projects and deter[s] investment" - but as we heard from Rayna, that's not the whole story. Prosper is a not-for-profit organisation advocating for tax reforms to improve equality, productivity and sustainability in Australia.// Last month on 3CR’s Done by Law show, Human Rights Law Centre director Sarah Schwartz joined presenters Marissa and Beth to unpack the findings from the Federal Court Case "Browne vs Assistant Commissioner of Police". In this segment, Sarah Schwartz detailed the three challenges brought by HRLC on behalf of their clients Tarneen Onus Browne, Benny Zable and David Hack. The court ruled that Victoria Police’s declaration of the entire Melbourne CBD for six months was unlawful and invalid. This win calls into question the legality of other designated areas and the thousands of police searches that have taken place under the declaration. If you want more background on this case, you can revisit our show from 22nd January 2026. Catch Done by Law on 3CR every Tuesday from 6-6:30pm.//Mitchell Price, a PhD researcher at Monash University's Emerging Technologies Research Lab, joined us to discuss the growth of the data centre industry in Victoria and the potential impacts of this industry in the wake of the Allan Government fast-tracking the approval of a $1bn data centre at Port Melbourne this summer. The Allan Government has been open about its ambition to ruthlessly attract data centre investment, raising questions about the place of regulatory protections and public consultation when weighing up the the industry's impacts. Mitchell's research focuses on the growing data centre industry in Australia and examines its social, economic and environmental consequences. To understand more about what goes into building a data centre and what's at stake in their development, check out this article.//

  7. 18 FEB

    Chris Sidoti on Herzog Visit, Victoria Dismantles Key Environmental Protections, The Toxic Legacy of Genocide, Palliative Care Placement Poverty, ABC Staff Fight for Fair Work

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Ramadan in occupied Palestine Maribyrnong council to transition away from six-month private security trialGovernment responds to Victorian healthcare workers strike with 12% pay rise offerAustralian Human Rights Commission publishes results of Racism@Uni StudyVictorian government bill set to dismantle key environmental institutions We rebroadcast part of an exclusive Michael West Media interview with human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti on israeli president Isaac Herzog's recent visit to australia, discussing australia's legal and moral duties. This interview originally aired on the 4th of February, and you can listen to the rest of it here.// Matt Ruchel, Executive Director of Victorian National Parks Association, joined us for part 2 of an interview on how the Victorian Government has introduced legislation to dismantle key institutions that protect habitats and wildlife, which will silence expert voices and strip away independent safeguards for nature. These institutions provide independent, evidence-based advice that underpins how Victoria’s parks and habitats are planned for and protected. In part 1, broadcast yesterday on 3CR’s Wednesday Breakfast show, Marty and Matt spoke about the history and value of these organisations, and in part 2 we discussed the impact of these cuts and how we can fight against it.// Dr Islam Elhabil, a Gazan engineer and Malaysia-based microplastics specialist, spoke with Priya about the silent, cumulative harm caused by the breakdown of plastic waste in Gaza during the ongoing genocide. In this discussion, Dr Elhabil elaborated on a piece she recently authored for the Electronic Intifada titled 'The toxic legacy of genocide'. Beyond the immediate destruction of Israel's bombardment, Dr Elhabil spoke about the everyday environmental and health impacts of a total breakdown in Gaza's waste management and plastic recycling capacities.// Josh Fear, National Policy Director at Palliative Care Australia, spoke with us about backing the latest calls to expand the Commonwealth Prac Payment and end placement poverty for medical and allied health students. The Commonwealth Prac Payment commenced on 1 July 2025 for nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students. Josh unpacks why we need to expand the Prac payment, remove barriers to access and education, and why this is particularly in palliative care. This comes after a recent survey showed that 42 per cent of health students went hungry while on placement.// Cassie Derrick, Media Director at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), joined us to discuss the protracted campaign by ABC staff to win job security, fair pay, and improved conditions from the national broadcaster. ABC staff are set to vote on potential strike action after yet another failure by ABC management to table a reasonable offer last week, with staff calls for action on ethical and accountable use of AI, respect for the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics, and an audit into racial and disability pay gaps going unheard. Cassie Derrick has worked alongside MEAA members for over five years in the positions of Media Organiser, Organising Director and Deputy Director of the Media Section, as well as organising workers at Professionals Australia, the CFMEU and Unions NSW. She was appointed Director of Media in October 2022.//

  8. 11 FEB

    Slavery in Ansell’s Supply Chain, AI Adoption in NDIS Plan Reviews, Naarm Rally Against Herzog, Take Back the Track Day 2026

    Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines:Gaza and West Bank updatesPolice violence at protests against Herzog’s Australia visitAncient Gunaikurnai scar trees and river red gums along Sale Canal at risk of collapseAustralian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association bring legal challenge against Kmart Lelianna, a lead marshal from Community Defence Marshalling System, joined us to discuss the fight for justice by Bangladeshi migrant workers subjected to appalling unlawful treatment by Malaysian company MediCeram, a glove mold supplier of Naarm-based multi-billion dollar latex corporation Ansell. MediCeram has gone bankrupt after years of alleged labour violations including passport confiscation, wage theft, debt bondage and unsafe working conditions, but Ansell, despite having profited from these practices, has chosen to abandon MediCeram workers. The 'Slavery in the Supply Chain' rally will be held at 5PM on Saturday the 14th of February at Ansell's head office, 678 Victoria Street, Richmond, mobilising Australian worker solidarity with migrant workers impacted by MediCeram's violations and Ansell's neglect.// Emma Bennison, CEO of Disability Advocacy Network Australia, spoke with us about the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) adoption of artificial intelligence for the development and review of NDIS plans. There is widespread concern from Disability Representative Organisations about the use of computer automated systems to determine how people living with disabilities access support. In this interview, Emma unpacks how AI is being used by the NDIA, who these systems impact most, and how they might change NDIS plan review processes.// Naarm-based organiser Renee came on the show to talk about today's rally against israeli president Isaac Herzog’s visit at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. Herzog’s Naarm visit follows his presence in Sydney on Monday, where a protest by tens of thousands of people was met with what legal observers and groups describe as unchecked police brutality. Alongside direct police violence against protestors and Muslims praying at the rally, police were seen to have brought a long-range acoustic device or ‘sound cannon’, a militarised crowd control device emitting directional sound blasts of over 160 decibels, which can cause permanent hearing damage. NSW Premier Chris Minns has defended Herzog’s visit as well as actions taken by police. Join the rally today in Naarm, Thursday 12 February, from 5PM at Flinders Street Station. Victoria Police have been granted special powers today under the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act 2003 - find out more about what to expect and how to stay safe here, and follow Melbourne Activist Legal Support and Fitzroy Legal Service on Instagram for updates and legal support information.//Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong and Djap Wurrung runner Sissy Austin, founder of the Take Back the Track movement, spoke with us about the ongoing fight to ensure the safety and bodily autonomy of women and gender diverse people running in public space in the lead up to Take Back the Track Day on Sunday the 15th of February. This Sunday marks the second year of Take Back the Track, which has grown from a community-led action into a nationwide movement advocating for the right of women and gender diverse people to run without the fear of violence, with events planned in over 70 locations around the country. Find an event near you and register to run here, and follow Take Back the Track on Instagram here.//

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Current affairs, media analysis, alternative media.

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