Rear Vision - Podcast

China and Russia have what they describe as a very special relationship, one that some analysts claim is establishing a new world order. What role did it play in Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine and what does it mean for the rivalry between the United States and China?

In November, Barbados, a tiny Caribbean island, replaced the Queen as its head of state with a Barbadian president. How did Barbados succeed where Australia failed and what does it mean to be a republic in the Commonwealth?

For weeks, Russian troops have massed on the Ukrainian border. It’s still unclear if Europe will be plunged into war or if a diplomatic solution can be found. What role has NATO—the West’s military alliance—played in the crisis?

As Fortress Australia crumbles, Rear Vision dusts off the history of the passport.

Since the onset of the Covid pandemic, state and territory leaders have emerged as key players in dealing with the crisis. They have also increasing taken the lead on issues like climate change, gay marriage, and voluntary euthanasia. Are we seeing a fundamental shift in the power balance between the two levels of government?

Most of the drug companies that developed Covid vaccines have made massive profits. But where does the money and scientific research for these medical breakthroughs come from and who shares in the profit?

China is one of the key diplomatic and economic power on the planet today. Yet just 50 years ago it was one of the poorest and most isolated nations on earth. So how and when did that isolation end and did President Richard Nixon visit in 1972 play a role.

Around the world there is a rapidly growing body of scientific evidence suggesting that psychedelic drugs are safe and highly effective when used under medical supervision. Why did promising treatments first become illegal and how did drugs once seen as possibly leading to madness or death become once again treatments for mental illness?

For fifty years, governments have cut taxes for corporations and the wealthiest people, arguing that this will stimulate the economy and lead to prosperity for us all. Known as trickle-down or supply-side economics, does it make any sense, and has it worked?

Barnaby Joyce’s return to the leadership of the National Party is bound to stir things up in Australian politics. Where does he fit in the story of one of Australia’s oldest and most unusual political parties?

The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most vital trade routes. It’s the shortest sea link between Asia and Europe and about 12% of global trade passes through it each year. But the Canal is situated in one of the most volatile regions in the world and its history has been defined by that geography.  

Prince Harry’s decision to renounce his royal role was not the first time a member of the British monarchy decided to opt out. Almost a century ago, King Edward VIII gave up the crown to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. These two decisions, several generations apart, engulfed the monarchy in turmoil and sent the media into meltdown. What do these two stories tell us about the British monarchy?

What are calories and can you lose weight by eating fewer of them? The story of the calorie shadows the Western struggle with diet and obesity.

Fifty years ago, a genocidal crackdown, a war of liberation, an overwhelming flood of refugees and finally, military conflict between India and Pakistan, gave birth to a new nation.

Despite popular belief, medical conspiracy theories aren’t new. What can we learn from their ancient history and about the people who believe in them?

Pharmacists stopped making their own medicines and began selling ready-made drugs almost a century ago. In Australia, it led to an unusual arrangement that has put chemists at odds with doctors and supermarkets.

Commentators are talking about a new Cold War between the world’s two great powers but are there any similarities between the Cold War – between the Soviet Union and the United States – and the tensions today between China and the US?

What role do these agencies play in ensuring that politicians and the rest of our public sector behave the right way?

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, elected earlier this year, is taking a strong stand on climate change, challenging the Australian government to do more to cut carbon emissions.

The e-book has turned the book industry upside down affecting bookshops, publishers, authors, libraries and readers.