Overnight With Michael Mclaren

Clinton is joined by ASIC's financial regulator Alan Kirkland, who highlights the significant strain on Australian households due to debt repayments. A recent Moneysmart survey of 1,000 people found that nearly 50% of Australians with debt struggled to make repayments in the last year. Additionally, almost a third of respondents preferred selling assets or getting a second job over seeking hardship assistance from their lender. Kirkland emphasises the importance of understanding the available system for reporting financial hardship, noting that lenders are legally obligated to respond to customers in such situations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt reveals to Clinton, “building approvals for new homes remained relatively flat in April, falling by 0.3 per cent from already-depressed levels,”  He notes a slight decrease of 0.3% in building approvals for new homes in April, with a 1.1% rise in multi-unit approvals offset by a 1.0% decline in detached housing approvals. Mr Devitt highlights that these low approval rates do not indicate a swift recovery from the weakest new home commencements in over a decade, despite record population growth and housing shortages expected to persist, while urging policymakers to address tax, planning, land, and regulatory constraints to meet housing targets and tackle the housing crisis. In seasonally adjusted terms, approvals increased in Western Australia and Victoria but declined in Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full show podcast for Tuesday 4th of JuneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinton Maynard chats with Russell Setright, Australia’s best known Naturopath & author of ‘Get Well in the Golden Years, to get the latest in health and well-being news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinton Maynard chats with Dale Sinden for the story behind today’s National Days for June 4th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full show podcast here:- Monday, 3rd of JuneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ticketmaster is reportedly the latest target of a cyberattack, potentially impacting around 560 million people globally. Mike speaks with Lisa Given, Professor of Information Sciences and Director of RMIT’s Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, who warns that such breaches expose consumers to scams and identity theft. In Australia and New Zealand alone, over five million Ticketmaster customers may be affected, risking personal data like names, addresses, and credit card details. The breach, totaling 1.3 terabytes of data across multiple countries, is appealing to criminal organizations. Professor Given advises consumers to protect themselves by changing passwords regularly, enabling multi-factor authentication, and being cautious of unsolicited communications. Monitoring bank accounts for unusual activity is also recommended.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike discusses the rise in cosmetic procedures with Associate Professor Gemma Sharp from Monash University. Professor Sharp, Head of the Body Image & Eating Disorders Research Program and senior clinical psychologist in the Monash University Department of Neuroscience, highlights a new online course developed by Monash University and the Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia called "On the face of it – Understanding AHPRA’s guidelines on mental health assessment of cosmetic patients." The course aims to equip health practitioners with the latest research and expertise to assess the mental health of cosmetic patients effectively. The professor emphasises the importance of collaboration between cosmetic and mental health practitioners, as body image concerns often drive individuals to seek cosmetic procedures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The public broadcaster ABC faces a serious issue highlighted by Laura Tingle's racism rant, revealing a breach of impartiality. Critics argue that the broadcaster, commonly known as Aunty, has grown too large, institutionally left-leaning, and arrogant, especially in handling dissenting voices. Mike discusses this with Tom Switzer, The Australian Newspaper contributor, Executive Director of the Centre for Independent Studies & former ABC presenter, whose programme aimed to challenge prevailing views with conservative perspectives. Despite past periods of national service, the ABC now appears to cater predominantly to a left-liberal demographic, neglecting its obligation to represent diverse viewpoints, causing frustration and alienation among many Australians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full show podcast:- Monday, 3rd of June.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Jeffreys chats with Dale Sinden for the story behind today’s National Days for June 3rd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Jeffreys talks movies and entertainment with Alex First, editor of itellyouwhatithink.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike is joined by Amanda Lambros, Relationship counsellor & best selling author, to discuss 'toxic masculinity following comedian Jerry Seinfeld lamenting about missing ‘real men’. Jerry Seinfeld expressed nostalgia for "dominant" masculinity in society during a discussion about his new Netflix film, "Unfrosted," on The Free Press' Honestly podcast. Reflecting on his desire to embody traditional masculinity icons like JFK and Muhammad Ali, Seinfeld humorously lamented that his pursuit of comedy hindered his attainment of this ideal. While acknowledging concerns about toxic masculinity, he admitted to still appreciating qualities associated with "real men."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full show podcast for Tuesday, 28th of May.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinton is joined by Mark Speakman, NSW Opposition Leader, to discuss analysis undertaken by the NSW Opposition.about Labor’s housing target announcement.  Under the Minns Labor Government's new housing targets, Western Sydney faces faster population growth compared to other parts of Sydney, according to analysis by the NSW Opposition.  The Hills Shire, for instance, is required to increase dwellings by 35% in just five years, while other areas like Wollondilly, Camden, Liverpool, and Ryde also face significant increases.  This contrasts with a Sydney-wide average of 14% growth. Despite talk of re-balancing growth, Western Sydney communities will bear the brunt, with little infrastructure support from the government.  The Hills Shire Council Mayor criticised the unachievable targets, attributing them to decisions made without consulting local authorities or considering logistical and financial constraints.  Mr Speakman concludes, “we’re in this position because Chris Minns signed up Canberra’s housing targets

Clinton Maynard is joined by Brendan O’Neill, journalist & Editor of ‘Spiked’ and host of the ‘Spiked’ podcast, to dissect the stories making headlines in the U.K. & the world over the past week. You can keep up to date with Brendan’s most recent work by visiting the ‘Spiked’ website www.spiked-online.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firefighters, NRL stars, and top athletes urge households to install working smoke alarms as Fire and Rescue NSW launches its Winter Fire Safety Campaign. Last winter, almost half of the 1080 homes affected by fires lacked functioning smoke alarms. Canterbury-Bankstown had the most residential fires (243), followed by inner-city Sydney (241), the Central Coast (235), and Blacktown (228), with kitchen fires being the most common. Winter 2022 saw a record 17 deaths and 87 injuries from house fires, with half of the 959 affected homes lacking working smoke alarms. Clinton is joined by Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib, who emphases “having at least 1 working smoke alarm installed in your home will help safeguard your loved ones and provide peace of mind." “But the alarms must be in working order to be effective, and we are finding this isn’t the case a lot of the time. In their home safety visits, firefighters have been finding outdated and broken smoke alarms, with some even hanging from ceilings by wir

Listen to the full show podcast for Friday 31st of MaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinton Maynard has a weekly chat with Sue Dodd from the Sydney Markets about what bargains are on offer at the markets this week…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aussie historian, author & entertainer Jim Haynes joins Overnight each week for his unique knowledge of Aussie Wit, Words and Wisdom from Australia’s history. This week Jim shines the spotlight on the poetry of Mary Gilmore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.