Hack

They're the MVPs of our time – Uber drivers kept us fed during lockdowns and COVID outbreaks, even when we didn't know if a vaccine was possible. The job comes with huge safety risks (particularly for those on bikes) and instability. But it's looking like they're going to get a minimum wage and, oh, idk, like some basic job security. But does it mean the price of your Uber order is about to go up? And, we sometimes think volunteering is for Boomers and retirees with heaps of time on their hands, but we speak with three young people who found a way to fit it in, and say it's had a massive positive impact on them. Plus, save the bees! There's a deadly virus on the loose and they've gone into lockdown (sounds familiar) but will they be okay? Live guests: Michael Kaine, Transport Workers Union Mark Pearce, Volunteers Australia Cormac Farrell, beekeeper at Australian Parliament House

Imagine calling a ride to get home, but it never comes, and you realise you're stranded. That's what it's like for many people living with disability in the regions – sometimes they order a lift and are left waiting for literal hours in the cold. And it doesn't just make having a social life hard, but even just maintaining a job.  Plus, happy nerd christmas! The results from Australia's biggest ever quiz – sorry, survey – are in, and there are some interesting findings, (yes, we promise) including Millennials overtaking Boomers in the numbers game. But there were also some big questions that never made the survey.  Live guests:  Jordan Steel-John, WA Greens senator  Simon Kuestenmacher, demographer 

Many young Americans now have fewer rights than their mothers did at their age, due to the overturning of Roe v Wade. Access to abortion is no longer a guaranteed right in America, and states will be able to decide whether abortion is legal and accessible in their jurisdiction. This could dramatically shift the face of America.  And, for the first time in Australia we now have data on the gender pay gap that is broken down by age - and it's pretty grim. There is no age bracket where women don't earn less than men.  Live guests:  Dina Zirlott, US abortion advocate  Bonney Corbin, Marie Stopes Australia  Karen Gately, HR expert 

It's the Shakeup! And this week we're talking…  Whether there should be an age limit for politicians, our obsession with really big (and s**t) things, and this week's debate around the Australian flag following that move by Greens leader Adam Bandt to remove it from his press conference.  Join Hack's Dave Marchese with journalists Elfy Scott and Perry Duffin. 

Should there be an age limit in politics? An American wannabe pollie reckons people should get kicked out at 72. It's a pretty controversial idea, so naturally, we sent reporter Claudia Long out to pound the hallways of Parliament House and asked political journos what they think the expiry date should be.  Plus, have you been having super intense dreams or insomnia since the pandemic? It's not in your imagination. There's research to back it up.  And, we mostly hear about mums getting postnatal depression, but dads can get it too. It's just not discussed as much, but some people are trying to change that. Live guests  Max Chandler-Mather, Greens MP  Dr Melinda Jackson, Monash University  Mitch McPherson, Speak Up Stay Chatty   

Gabrielle from Perth was so sick of people on TikTok setting unrealistic beauty standards in their "glow up" videos that she decided to set a new challenge: the glow down. And people really got into it in a big way. Is this a new way to have healthy body image on social media? Or are glam, buff, botoxed bods taking up too much space already. Also, we'll find out why a Logies speech has resulted in a high rape profile trial being delayed and discuss whether new offence laws in Victoria are just enough or go too far. Guests: Claudia Long, Hack's political reporter Stephen Blanks, NSW Council of Civil Liberties Lauren French, sexologist

There are only six mental health beds in the Goldfields for a population of 60,000 — and none of them are for minors. The community is begging for a youth mental health ward ASAP to prevent any further loss. Plus, our native ingredients industry is thriving, but without proper regulation, a lot of Indigenous Australians are worried it's woven with cultural insensitivity and exploitation. And, a government report card for the environment does not read well, and we've got work to do. Or, the new government has work to do. Live guests:  Dr Skye Kinder  Pat Torres, Mayi Harvests Native Foods  Kelly O'Shanassy, Australian Conservation Foundation 

Picture this: you're minding your own business when your phone starts ringing. Why is someone calling, and why don't they just text? How dare they. In the olden days people would wait by the phone for a call. Now, we shudder at the thought of having to answer a stranger at the end of the line. And it's causing tension in the workplace. So what are we afraid of?  And, the spicy cough is striking again, with some people on their second, third, even fourth round of COVID in a couple of months since their last infection. Some experts thought immunity would last longer, but then Omicron happened.  Plus, a big call was made about trans athletes who compete in swimming, and activists say it's transphobic.   Live guests  Dr Kirsty Short, University of Queensland  Karen Gately, HR expert  Sally Goldner, trans activist 

It's the shakeup! We're talking...  Lizzo rapidly updating her lyrics after coming under fire, artificial intelligence catching the feels, and a new Australian airline doesn't care about its staff showing tatts, wearing sneakers and not following gendered uniforms.  Join Dave Marchese with Joy Ride and Eliza Barr.

Egg freezing has mostly been associated with women in their 30s and 40s, but a bunch of Hack listeners told us they're keen to get it done in their 20s.  Celebrity mum Kris Jenner suggested to Kendall recently that she should freeze her eggs – she's 26 – and Mary from Selling Sunset is telling women to do it while they're young to avoid future fertility issues. The fertility freak out is real.  Plus, we're being told to limit our power use, or risk accidentally sending the whole east coast into a blackout. So wtf is going on? Live guests:   Johanna Bowyer, Lead Research Analyst, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis  Dr Michelle Peate, Psychosocial Health and Wellbeing Research, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne   Dr Molly Johnston, Monash Bioethics Centre 

Minimum wage got a small bump today and will make life a little more affordable for people on the lowest salaries. But there are some Ts&Cs which mean it won't exactly break even for everyone when it comes to inflation and cost of living. Plus, drink driving can lead to some pretty intense trauma, not only for the victim and their family, but also the perpetrators. Experts say we need to seriously consider why it’s men who take these massive risks on the road (and off), especially when the risks are an expression of masculinity.  And, smile, you're on camera! Facial recognition is being used in shops and supermarkets more frequently, and it's dictating the types of ads you're seeing.  Live guests:   Tony Burke, Minister for Workplace Relations  Dr Michael Flood, Associate Professor in Sociology  Amy Pereira, CHOICE 

There have been some pretty creepy developments in the world of artificial intelligence, recently. One Google employee was put on leave for publishing a conversation he had with the Google AI bot, which shows signs of sentience, and even fear of death. Everybody stay calm.  Plus, remember that Christmas recently when bushfires ravaged the country and put entire species on the brink of extinction? Well, it turns out that one of the last things the Coalition did in office was scrap recovery plans for almost 180 threatened species and habitats. And, the Socceroos have had one of their "greatest achievements ever" overnight, meaning we’ll be heading to the World Cup.  Live guests:   Elise Bohan, University of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute   Professor Euan Ritchie, Deakin Uni   John Aloisi, Western United coach and former Socceroo 

It's the Shakeup and we're talking… Un-sending and editing texts, the benefits of moderate swearing, and our desperation to bust out the puffer jacket, even though internationals think we're taking the piss with these temps. Join Hack's Dave Marchese with Mamamia's Em Gillespie and model Christian Wilkins.

It's been a long four years since the Nadesalingam family, Tamil asylum seekers, were suddenly moved from their home in central Queensland's Biloela, and into immigration detention. Tomorrow, after a long and very public battle, they'll finally return to Bilo', but their fight to stay in Australia isn't over. Plus, Tasmania has committed to raising the minimum age of detention from 10 to 14 -- it's the first state or territory to make the call.  And, finally a good news story about the environment! The CSIRO says plastic pollution along Australia's coast has decreased by 30 per cent, and the scientists are happy. Well done, everyone! You all get a lolly. Live guests: Nick McKim, The Greens   Sophie Trevvitt, Change the Record Denise Hardy, CSIRO

Are our humble beachside chippies creating killer seagulls? The birds have increased in strength, stamina and population over the years because they've been fed by humans. And now they're travelling longer distances and even preying on vulnerable wildlife. Plus, teen girls bucked a few trends in the pandemic, and not in a good way. A new study has found their drinking bumped up, contrasting to the move of young people drinking less than previous generations. And, the Italian mafia aren't just a movie trope. The AFP are targeting Italian organised crime in Australia, with one group, known as the 'Ndrangheta', thought to control 70 per cent of the world's cocaine trade. Live guests; Dominique Robert-Hendren, Hello Sunday Olivia Molly McKeone, former Miss Universe Dr Xanthe Mallet, criminologist

Today the RBA announced interest rates will go up  -- even higher than the experts anticipated. The Government is warning that things could get tough. Mortgages will get more expensive, and rent could, too. Buckle up. Plus, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson weathered a pretty intense no-confidence motion overnight, and even though he's trying to play it down, many MPs think he’s not fit to lead the country. And, a couple of years ago, when the Black Lives Matter movement was gripping the world, actor Meyne Wyatt gave a passionate and emotional monologue on Q&A that went viral around the world. Dave speaks with him and director Shari Sebbens about his play City of Gold. Live guests; Leo Patterson Ross, The Tenants' Union Nick Dole, ABC Europe correspondent Meyne Wyatt, actor

Elon Musk is demanding everyone get back to the office already, but the whole pandemic proved desk jobs can be done from almost anywhere. And while some are debating the rights of employees to negotiate flexible work arrangements, others are concerned that the WFH life could make some gender inequalities worse. Plus, cross-examinations of witnesses in the long-running Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case have finally ended. And, Yassmin Abdel-Magied is talking about a revolution and why she left Australia in her new book. Live guests:  Dr Sean Gallagher, Centre for the New Workforce at Swinburne University of Technology Perry Duffin, The Daily Telegraph Yassmin Abdel-Magied, author 

It's the Shakeup and we're talking… Australia's potential future as a republic, why the Swedes don't feed their dinner guests, and our obsession with youth; would you eat shit to keep youthful skin? Because Kim K would, and she's quite the trend setter… Join Hack's Dave Marchese with The Feed’s Alice Matthews and KIIS FM's Brooklyn Ross.

An energy crisis is here, and your power bill will probably go up -- just in time for winter. A big combo of factors mean Australia can't keep its own power prices down, even though we supply so much energy. How much will your bill go up? It depends on where you live. Plus, most Aussies support decriminalisation of some drug use, and there's a lot of discussion around drug reform at the moment, particularly in the ACT and NSW. But what would decriminalisation actually look like? And after six weeks, Johnny Depp's defamation case -- which was streamed and memed around the world -- has come to an end. Depp won out, but Amber Heard had a small win too. Live guests: Gerard Brody, Consumer Action Law Centre Prof Dan Howard, former commissioner for the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug Ice Barbara Miller, ABC North America Correspondent

After two years of lockdowns, Aussies are getting TF outta here and taking a holiday. But the huge influx in passport applications mean some people are waiting months to get their new documents, and scarily close to their departure date. So is there anything you can do to speed it up? And it's been a while -- how do we holiday, again? And, there are some new kids on the block of Labor's new cabinet, including some interesting role switches and a brand new youth minister. Plus, around 15,000 suspected war crimes have been reported in Ukraine since the war started, with some prosecutions already underway. Live guests; Fran Kelly, ABC journalist Ben Groundwater, travel writer Dr Sonia Mycak, Australia National University's Centre for European Studies Dr Martin Breed, Flinders University