Russia, If You're Listening

The sixth season of If You’re Listening tells the story of Australia’s turbulent history with climate change, and what that means for the future. As we approach a federal election where climate and energy is a key battleground, this 8 episode series will examine how Australia wasted decades fighting change, instead of capitalising on it. Episode 1 launches on February 23.

For months commentators and politicians in Australia have been talking about one of the most frightening topics imaginable — a war between the United States and China over the island of Taiwan. It's the last frozen remnant of a hundred year old Civil War — two governments both claiming to be the legitimate rulers of China, separated by 100 miles of ocean. In this episode, we explain the bizarre story which led to the current tension, and look at what might happen next. Guests: Katherine Wei, Taiwan Correspondent, The Straits Times Malcolm Turnbull, former Australian Prime Minister Dr Helen Sham-ho OAM, first Chinese-born MP in an Australian parliament

When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the shutdown of travel from China, it shone a harsh light on the way Australia treats Chinese students who come here to study. Some feel isolated and discriminated against, others feel they are being treated as "cash cows" by a university sector desperate for their fees. Can we do better? And can we handle it when problems arise inside the bubble we have created around Chinese students? Guests: Dr Fran Martin, associate Professor & Reader in Cultural Studies, University of Melbourne Catriona Jackson, CEO, Universities Australia Yaqiu Wang, researcher, Human Rights Watch 'Yuki', former University of Adelaide student Jane Poon, Australia-Hong Kong Link

From humble beginnings in a tiny town whose name means "deep drainage ditch", electrical engineer Ren Zhengfei grew his company Huawei into a global technology giant, delivering competitive telecommunications equipment at low prices. But when Australia accused Huawei of being a security risk, a snowball began to roll which led to arrests, hostages being taken, and pure white hot fury in Beijing. This is the story of how a decision made in the midst of a Prime Ministerial spill may lead to a new technology cold war. Guests: Sue-Lin Wong, China correspondent, The Economist and co-author of The Beijing Bureau: 25 Australian Correspondents Reporting China's Rise Malcolm Turnbull, former Australian Prime Minister

When China rolled out their trade sanctions regime against Australia to try and punish us for a litany of perceived insults, the trade of one commodity was conspicuously left untouched. China’s desperate need to stimulate economic growth through construction has left them with an insatiable appetite for Australian iron ore. In this episode, we look at the incredible things they’ve built using our most valuable resource, and what might happen if they decide to stop buying it. Guests: Dinny McMahon, author of China's Great Wall of Debt: Shadow Banks, Ghost Cities, Massive Loans and the End of the Chinese Miracle Dr Feng Chongyi, Associate Professor in China Studies, University of Technology, Sydney Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister

In 1989, five days after tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square in Beijing and brutally ended weeks of protests, the then prime minister Bob Hawke gave a horrifying description of what Australia thought happened. But where did the account come from? And what did it get wrong? Over the past three months China, If You’re Listening investigated the source of this description and found it was a previously undisclosed diplomatic cable from the Australian Embassy in Beijing, which subsequently had key details retracted. This is a bonus episode, produced with our friends at The Signal - a daily ABC News podcast. Guests: Blanche d'Alpuget, biographer and wife of late former prime minister Bob Hawke Richard Rigby, Emeritus Professor of the College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra Craig Emerson, former advisor to Bob Hawke, and cabinet minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments

For decades Australia has taken the approach that when it comes to China; we can criticise their human rights record without risking our trading relationship. We told China we disapproved of their crackdown on students at Tiananmen Square in 1989, but continued to sell them iron ore. Xi Jinping has made it clear that the arrangement has now changed, as he simultaneously takes the lessons Beijing learned at Tiananmen, and applies them to a crackdown on Muslims in his country’s far west.

At first glance, Chinese President Xi Jinping's life story seems simple. His father was a high-ranking Chinese government official, and opened doors for his son, who rose even higher. But his rise to become the most powerful Chinese leader since Chairman Mao Zedong seems far more unlikely when you find out what Mao's policies did to Xi's family during his childhood. In this episode we tell the story of Xi's - from its terrifying beginning to mysterious end - and ask if he is the catalyst for the deterioration of relations between China and Australia.

A podcast about how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse. Not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping was regularly having warm, friendly chats with Australia’s Prime Ministers. Now, he won’t even take our phone calls, trade is being blocked, and Australian politicians are talking about preparations for war. Episode 1 coming on the 1st of June.

When the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, killing hundreds of thousands in its wake, President Donald Trump's new way of running the country suddenly left America exposed.

For a decade Donald Trump railed against China. But once he was elected, Chinese President Xi Jinping quickly broke down Trump's defences. In today's episode, how President Xi turned Trump's disdain for China into a beautiful friendship. And created the perfect distraction from what China was really doing.

Just this month, the public finally got access to Donald Trump's tax returns. They revealed that he pays little to no tax, because he makes very little money. So what does a businessman do when he needs to revamp his image and make a little cash? Become the most famous person in the world. How Donald Trump tried to make money off the Presidency.

Donald Trump ran for election on some promises - building a wall between the US and Mexico, and stopping the immigration of Muslims. But instead of living up to his promise to stem the tide of immigrants, he resorted to truly shocking measures. How did Donald Trump push America's immigration system to the limits of what is legal, and what is morally justifiable?

When George Floyd was killed by police, protestors took to the streets in worldwide support of the Black Lives Matter protests. Donald Trump has a long history with speaking out on issues to do with race. So how far did his law and order response go toward soothing America's centuries old racial divide. When Donald Trump was elected, he promised to Make America Proud Again but did he just end up making it worse?

As a businessman and presidential candidate, Donald Trump was extremely harsh on Saudi Arabia. So when Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside a Saudi consulate, why did Donald Trump come to the Kingdom's defence?

Within months of taking office, Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury". Soon afterwards, he would tear up a nuclear deal with Iran and bring the US to the brink of war. And yet that war never came. This is the story of how Donald Trump resisted temptation and kept the peace.

The most powerful gun lobby group in the United States was brought to the edge of collapse. And right at that moment, Donald Trump vowed to do something about mass shootings. Could Donald Trump finally defeat the NRA, or when the moment came, did he flinch?

Hurricane Maria smashed through Puerto Rico in 2017, destroying everything in its wake. What did the worst American natural disaster in decades teach Donald Trump about how to be president? When Trump was inaugurated, he promised to Make America Safe Again... when the hurricane hit, did he live up to his promise? This is America, If You’re Listening. A podcast about how President Donald Trump has left his mark on the United States, and the world.

The 2020 US Presidential election is shaping up to be a historical moment. Voters are deciding if the America of the last four years is the one they want to live in in the future. President Trump's has presided over the most turbulent four years in living memory. He's dealt with crises, changed policies, and fought for his political survival. America, If You're Listening will look back at these astonishing four years, and shed new light on the incredible chaos of Donald Trump's first term as President.

Russian intelligence agencies and Vladimir Putin have spent three years spreading a conspiracy theory that Ukraine was the one who meddled in the 2016 election. The theory quickly reached Donald Trump, and he became obsessed with proving it. He's now being impeached for his scheme to get Ukraine to investigate it. While this scheme has blown up in Trump’s face, and allegedly harmed America and Ukraine’s national security, it has played out perfectly for Putin.