What is it about modern men that has women lusting over everything from wicker furniture to dragon sex? It’s not even  in cinemas yet, but the new film Wicker has kicked our fantasy obsession into overdrive – and revealed something curious about the state of modern romance. 

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From wicker men to IKEA benches: The romantasy trend driving a new obsession

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and sound design by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.

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Anthony Albanese knew what he was in for when he appeared on a racy podcast, according to host Nikki Osborne, who says she invited the PM by sliding into his direct messages on Instagram. 

Plus, one of Australia’s top pilots says the air traffic control system at Sydney Airport is at “breaking point”, and Jacinta Allan quits politics. 

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Anthony Albanese defends controversial ‘melon’ remarks and shifts blame to comedian

Commentary by Gemma Tognini: DJ Albo’s latest spin can’t hide the rot at the top

Commentary by Dennis Shanahan: How did a podcaster catch a question-avoidant Anthony Albanese on Takaichi’s melons?

Sydney Airport air traffic control ‘at breaking point’ after three near-disasters

Former Victorian premier Jacinta Allan quits politics weeks after being forced from top job

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Three months after the budget that blew up the property sector, Anthony Albanese’s claiming triumph for first homebuyers - but if that’s the case, why are new mortgage applications crashing and auctions falling silent? And what about fresh predictions of 14.5 per cent price slumps crushing confidence so hard we end up in recession? We've brought our property writer Mackenzie Scott in to make it all make sense. 

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Anthony Albanese’s housing fix offers little hope for struggling first-home buyers

Perth and Brisbane property prices tumble as housing market enters ‘perfect storm’

Banks set to slash home loan rates in looming mortgage war

Property bosses warn the worst is yet to come for tenants

Albanese’s housing targets in doubt as new home construction faces slump

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Joshua Burton. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Tiffany Dimmack, and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady is getting a pay rise after an embarrassing network outage. Also today in The Front’s headlines edition: counsel for former radio host Alan Jones has asked a witness - the former girlfriend of a man known as Complainant J - if she fabricated her evidence in anticipation of financial reward. The witness rejected the suggestion - but there’s fresh drama in the proceedings after prosecutors amended the charges against Jones. 

Alan Jones trial: Crown prosecutors extend timeline of alleged assaults by two years

Telstra chief’s pay jumps 11pc to $6.8m despite bonus cut over triple-0 failure

Darwin slips disaster robs Bangladesh of dream start

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Something alarming is going on at Australian airports: aircraft on the tarmac involved in near-miss incidents that could have been catastrophic. Plus, critical shortages of air traffic controllers and a public fight between the Government and the agency in charge of keeping us safe.

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Flight attendant injured in second near miss at Sydney Airport in a fortnight

Sydney Airport near misses spark dressing down of Airservices chief by Minister King

Two Qantas planes in runway near-miss at Sydney Airport prompts safety probe

Sydney Airport chaos strands passengers as major airlines face widespread delays

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has put a number on immigration for the coalition, which says it wants to link net overseas migration to housing completions. Plus, Nigel Farage to face an opponent with a bin on his head in this week’s Clacton by-election.

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Bragg puts a number on Coalition migration plan, attacks One Nation monoculture

Nigel Farage faces off with Count Binface in very British by-election

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Nobody covers politics like Dennis Shanahan, and today our National Editor is here with a withering take on the big story lighting up politics this week: Anthony Albanese, a gross joke about melons and breasts, and a disastrous attempt to spin the PM out of trouble.

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Japan formally raises Anthony Albanese’s ‘melons’ podcast joke

Anthony Albanese denies he made a crude joke out of Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s ‘melons’

Anthony Albanese refuses to apologise to Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in QT ‘melons’ stoush

Commentary by Dennis Shanahan: 

Anthony Albanese mired in a melon-drama of his own making

Anthony Albanese’s ‘melons’ gaffe was bad – Tanya Plibersek’s defence is worse

Why shaky Albanese should be wary of his midterm slump

Commentary by Shingo Yagami: PM’s sexist melon joke was not only ungracious, it betrayed the close bond of our two nations

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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Is working from home a workplace right? That question is blowing up Victorian politics as Premier Ben Carroll seeks to appease furious businesspeople by delaying a work from home law until July 2027 - after the State election. Also in The Front’s afternoon headlines edition: the Reserve Bank keeps the cash rate on hold at 4.35 per cent but is still warning inflation is too high. 

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Commentary by Anthony Galloway: Victorian Labor wedged itself on work from home

Interest rates held steady as weak inflation and housing fears mount

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Warring wives, competing values and a broken culture: Tech Bros, a new book by The Australian’s John Stensholt and Perry Williams, reveals the inside story of how Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes built Australia’s most successful tech business and lost their friendship.  

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Atlassian founders’ rift so deep they endured a ‘year of not talking’

Scott Farquhar’s ‘easy’ password sparked crisis that almost destroyed Atlassian

‘Annie is going to be really jealous’: Mike Cannon-Brookes’ closest staffer ‘bullied’ wife

Margin Call: Billionaire Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes’ tough reading task for new hires

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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Sacked radio host Kyle Sandilands has returned to the airwaves in the hotly anticipated launch of his independent production. Plus, Iran releases footage of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, and Australians ditch diesel cars for Chinese EVs.

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Kyle Sandilands spotted leaving Sydney studio after podcast launch disaster

Iran releases video of supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Australian interest in diesel cars dives amid cheap Chinese EV boom

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Former broadcaster Ray Hadley will this week enter the witness box to give evidence in the criminal trial of his former close colleague and rival Alan Jones, who’s pleaded not guilty to 22 charges involving sexual contact with young men. Jones’ barrister has already told the trial Hadley wanted to destroy Jones, and he’ll be giving evidence for the Crown. Liam Mendes joins us. 

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Jones accuser lied to his mother, court hears

Sordid Alan Jones claims echo around his ears

Media Diary: Hadley to face off against Jones in court

This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our team includes Kristen Amiet, Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.