On The Call

Capital Brief
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On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia’s centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down each week with our journalists to dissect what we’re watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers, live.

  1. 1 hr ago

    The data centre backlash

    Community anger over AI data centres has found its epicentre in Sydney's Lane Cove of all places, a well-heeled North Shore suburb now facing five proposed data centres in its industrial park. Meanwhile, AI infrastructure company Firmus is turning on the charm offensive to win over sceptical communities in Tasmania and South Australia as it pushes ahead with its "AI factory" ambitions. We discuss: Why Lane Cove's proximity to Sydney’s CBD, power and fibre infrastructure makes it a prime location for data centres.How an organised, high-income resident base has turned Lane Cove into a flashpoint of grassroots opposition.AI infrastructure company and ASX hopeful Firmus hustling to win over communities in South Australia and Tasmania that are resistant to its ambitious projects.Widespread national unease about living near data centres and fears over AI-driven job losses.Anthony Albanese’s national AI agenda and why Queensland and Northern Territory aren’t on board.What EY's new modelling says about AI's likely GDP impact and job creationHow the US data centre backlash — from New York's moratorium to local anger over jobs and power — is shaping the debate playing in Australia On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEDT: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  2. 6 days ago

    Tim Doyle on CGT, selling Eucalyptus, and the future of healthcare

    Eucalyptus co-founder Tim Doyle joins the Capital Brief newsroom for On The Call’s first ever guest episode. Doyle has been one of the most prominent voices in the startup sector’s response to Labor’s capital gains tax reforms, arguing the sector’s backlash against the reforms is rooted in self interest. This discussion revisits the debate and where the discourse on the tax reforms has landed. It also delves into the USD1.15 billion sale of Eucalyptus to Hims and Hers, as well as Doyle’s takes on the future of healthcare. We discuss: Tim Doyle's past gig buying political ads for Labor and his view on the social media proficiency of Pauline Hanson’s fast rising One Nation partyParallels between the fracturing of political parties and the disruption of mega-brands like NikeZohran Mamdani's campaign playbook and what global politicians are copying from itWhy Doyle thinks the tech industry's backlash to Labor's CGT changes was 'absurd"The case for carving out CGT relief for startup employees, not just foundersAustralia's shortage of experienced startup CFOs and operators to scale companies past Series AHow young Australians' risk appetite is misunderstoodLife reporting to a CEO again, and what he's learned from Hims and Hers' bolder capital allocationThe rise of consumer-led healthcare, AI diagnosis, and the regulatory challenges of an empowered patientWhat's next as Eucalyptus's brands fold into the Hims and Hers nameOn The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEDT: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  3. 23 Jul

    Australia's startup deal drought; The rise of Chinese AI.

    A new report suggests that Australia has seen the strongest first half in venture funding since 2022 — but the number of deals is actually a quite a bit lower. Meanwhile, the conversation around Chinese AI is heating up with the release of new frontier model Kimi K3 and Xi Jinping’s speech at a major Chinese AI conference.We discuss: The numbers in the new Cut Through Venture reportWhether the reduction in deal numbers is a warning sign — or just evidence of where the market is going globallyThe ongoing instability in software investment, in Australia and beyondHow AI is changing the venture capital landscapeChina’s ambitions in AIAustralia’s position in the AI boom between the US and China. On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power.Stand-in host James Hennessy sits down with Capital Brief's journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live.Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEST: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  4. 9 Jul

    Anthropic's Australian ambitions

    AI giant Anthropic is circling Australia, with reports suggesting it is looking to secure a massive amount of data centre capacity Down Under. That has kicked off a cycle of debate about what companies will build those data centres, whether copyright reform will be needed, and the biggest question of all: is this good for Australia?We discuss: The leaked request for proposal which revealed Anthropic's Australian plansThe shares that popped on the newsThe uncertainty over whether Anthropic plans to train new models hereA counterintuitive take on the copyright reform debateWhy former industry minister Ed Husic is a skeptical voiceThe growing data centre backlash in AustraliaHow the global markets are feeling about the AI boomOn The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power.Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live.Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEST: ⁠https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/Sign up to our free weekday newsletter, The Edition: ⁠https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  5. 2 Jul

    The KPMG whistleblower scandal

    KPMG's whistleblower scandal has snowballed into a reckoning for the Big Four. A number of senior executives have resigned. Lendlease has ended its 68 year old relationship with the firm. Government departments, including the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian National Audit Office have put their contracts with the firm for its own whistleblower service under review. Now, Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino is weighing tougher rules for the sector. We discuss: KPMG's whistleblower scandal and the parliamentary testimony that took it to the next level.The cascading resignations and client losses, including the RBA, ATO and Australian National Audit Office dropping KPMG's FairCall service.Are Australia's whistleblower protection laws strong enough?The role of external law firms Ashurst and Allens in KPMG's internal investigations.The callback to PwC’s tax scandal and EY allegations over the Prime Minister's bank details and what they say about cultural issues across the Big Four.Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino's consultation paper and the case for splitting audit from consulting. On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEDT: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  6. 25 Jun

    Coalition support collapses; CGT overhaul to pass the Senate

    The latest Capital Brief/DemosAU poll shows the Coalition's primary vote has collapsed 5% in a single month, putting the Liberal party closer to the Greens than to One Nation. Meanwhile, Labor's CGT and negative gearing reforms have passed the Senate after a deal with the Greens. We discuss: The Coalition's freefall and why Angus Taylor is struggling to cut through.One Nation's social media dominance. Whether or not preference flows will work in Pauline Hanson’s favour.The global trend of insurgent right-wing parties cannibalising the centre-right.Labor's  loss of female support and what's driving itThe Greens deal with Labor to pass the CGT and negative gearing tax reforms - SMSF borrowing to buy propertyEucalyptus founder Tim Doyle's provocative call for founders to stop their uproar about CGT reform On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEDT: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  7. 18 Jun

    CGT carveout; Canva's AI squeeze.

    Labor revealed its long-awaited CGT carve-outs for startups and small businesses minutes before Capital Brief went live with this conversation. Meanwhile, complexities arise around Canva's path to IPO as its first investor puts forward the bear case. We discuss: The nuts and bolts of the CGT carve-out announcement.What the Innovative Business CGT Concession will mean for startups, VCs and ESOP holders.The challenges yet to be resolved, including defining what a startup actually is.How the startup sector grew up in public through this fight, and what it means for its relationship with CanberraAlbanese's pivot to talking about One Nation Bill Tai's leaked comments on Canva's IPO challenges and the bear case for Australia's beloved design giant.Canva's awkward transition from SaaS darling to AI company. On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEST: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

  8. 11 Jun

    One Nation polling, CGT frustration in deep tech and passport profiteering.

    This week, Newspoll had One Nation jumping ahead of Labor on the primary vote, confirming what the exclusive DemosAU and Capital Brief poll first revealed last month. Meanwhile, frustration over the government's capital gains tax reforms continues to mount. We discuss: One Nation's polling surge and why both Labor and the Coalition have been slow to respond.Tony Abbott's new role as President of the Liberal Party.Expectations for the upcoming Victorian state election.Why the CGT changes are both a political and policy mistake. Malcolm Turnbull's call to separate residential and non-residential CGT changes.The government’s too little too late CGT consultations.Australia's $422 passport — the most expensive in the world.  On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia's centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down with Capital Brief's best journalists to dissect what we're watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers live. Subscribe to join our weekly live discussion on Thursdays at 12pm AEST: https://www.capitalbrief.com/on-the-call/ Sign up to our free weekly newsletter, The Edition: https://www.capitalbrief.com/newsletters/the-edition/

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On The Call is a weekly live conversation with the Capital Brief newsroom on the stories driving the agenda in Australia’s centres of power. Host Harshdeep Kaur sits down each week with our journalists to dissect what we’re watching and why it matters, and answer questions from our subscribers, live.

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  • Creator
    Capital Brief
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Capital Brief
  • Show Website
    On The Call

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