Sally: I know I just said no particular order, but this podcast will always be at the top of my list. 

Two of Australia’s most respected journalists, Fran Kelly and Patricia Karvelas begin by breaking down the biggest political news of the week before another senior Australian journalist joins the discussion. It’s perennially insightful, occasionally sassy and Fran used to sing a lot but that’s gone now? ABC funding cuts, I guess. 

I also love the fact that they bring in journalists from across the political spectrum, though admittedly this may be a turn-off for some. Hearing alternative viewpoints is good for democracy, people!

Emily: You’re in good hands with Fran and PK as they unpack what’s making news in Australian politics and why it should matter to you. There’s something reassuring about hearing those voices we’ve grown so familiar with on ABC Radio.

If you want to hear from those at the top of their game go deep on political issues with their guests – who are usually well-respected political journos – this is the podcast for you. Professional and trustworthy with a dash of humour.

Sally: The pithy title of this podcast perfectly sets the tone for this duo’s answer to digestible Australian political coverage. Journalists Justine Landis-Hanley (also a former media advisor in federal parliament) and Matilda Boseley take you through the major political news of the week, and don’t take themselves too seriously doing it. 

Don’t let the laughter fool you though: they know their stuff and they are able to deliver a comprehensive look at the big political stories in a way that delivers on its promise of accessibility for a younger audience.

Admittedly, entertainment podcasts aren’t my thing so I always skip past the first few minutes of small talk.

As a final thought, it’s fantastic to see two talented and intelligent young women claim ownership of this space and I expect this podcast will only get bigger as it figures out exactly what it wants to be.

Emily: And the award for the most cleverly named podcast in the group goes to… Old Boys Club. As someone who wants to know everything about everything but suffers from information overload, hosts Justine Landis-Hanley and Matilda Boseley had me at “the podcast that helps you *actually* understand Australian politics.”

I’m going to forgive the mild irritations I have with the show because it’s in its infancy and I commend them for finding a gap in the Australian podcast market and getting out there and doing it. 

It’s a very similar style to Shameless (which is unsurprising given Justine works there) but I’m confident they’ll evolve to create something that is uniquely OBC. Extra points given for the catchy intro tune.

Sally: Two words: Katharine Murphy. She’s an industry giant for a reason and her insight always adds to my understanding of a political situation.

That being said, Australian Politics is fairly similar to The Party Room so I’d pick your favourite stick with it – you don’t really need both. Unlike its ABC cousin, politicians and advocates feature here alongside journos which adds some variety if that’s more your thing.

My only bugbear is that some panel episodes involve all guests agreeing with each other, which can feel a little samey.

Emily: Look, this podcast is fine. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it and of course, Katharine Murphy is incredibly accomplished. She gets great guests. I know a tiny fraction of what she does when it comes to politics. I really don’t have a bad word to say about it. 

But it’s just a bit vanilla. Someone told me recently that an estimated 17,000 podcasts were started each week during the height of the pandemic last year. You’ve got to have cut through and compared to the other podcasts on this list, it just doesn’t have enough for me.

Sally: Okay, full disclosure: I worked on The Briefing before I joined Future Women. However! This podcast is here for a reason and that reason is not that their first news producer was an absolute legend.

The Briefing brings you the news of the day before an extended interview on a specific topic, which makes it feel like you’re covering a lot of ground in 20 minutes.

Host Tom Tilley is joined by daily rolling co-hosts Jan Fran, Annika Smethurst and Katrina Blowers, and that’s a really magical point of difference. Four hosts in three different cities guarantees you a really delicious variety of opinions from some brilliant journalists. 

As an added bonus, Future Women’s Chief Creative Officer Jamila Rizvi drops in for The Weekend Briefing every Saturday, and her in-depth chats with high-profile personalities are the perfect palate cleanser to a week of (usually) heavy news.

Emily:  While technically more of a news podcast than a political one, what makes news is often political so here sits The Briefing as one of my faves. 

I’m a Tom Tilley fan from back in his Hack days and I love this format – rotating co-hosts,  a snapshot of what’s making news followed by a deepdive into an issue that’s grabbed the nation’s attention.

Bonus points awarded for briefing me in around 20 minutes each morning (perfect timing for the commute) and bringing a recent interview with MP Karen Andrews back to the important issue of border closures after she tried to derail it by revealing she’d been on a Contiki tour. Bravo.