Australia’s split right down the middle this week — half underwater, half celebrating. In the north, floodwaters are rising fast in the Northern Territory and Queensland, with the Katherine River peaking at 19 metres and locals spotting crocodiles in their streets. In the south, Melbourne just wrapped up a sun-soaked Labour Day long weekend that featured F1 fans, footy crowds, massive gigs by international acts, and the iconic Moomba Festival’s Birdman Rally over the Yarra.

But amid all the fun, Australians face serious shocks — both economic and geopolitical. A spike in global oil prices is fuelling panic at the pumps as Sydney residents fill jerrycans ahead of a possible supply crunch. The local stock market tumbled in the wake of the Trump-Netanyahu conflict with Iran, wiping billions from the ASX. And with airfares skyrocketing, many families are swapping Berlin for Ballarat and Budapest for Bendigo.

We unpack how Australia’s fragile fuel reserves — just 21 days of diesel onshore — could trigger a major supply crisis. Plus, what it says about the country’s supermarket duopoly and fragile supply chains, where prawns caught in Far North Queensland go on a 5,000km detour before landing back in local stores.

It’s a tale of two weather systems, two economies, and one increasingly jittery nation — from the flooded Daly River to the crowded Yarra.

(Mostly) new Australian music played on RTHK3 radio:

Antenna - Come On Spring

The Hard-Ons - Getting Older

Jake Mason Trio - Sharks in a Paddock

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This week's episode begins with discussion of the some of the reasons Melbourne has so many magnificent bands with amazing brass sections - and some chit-chat about one of those bands, Jazzparty, who are in the process of delivering more quality Australian-made music on all your favourite listening platforms.

Trump bombs Iran, Albanese gets on board as Canada's PM Mark Carney flies in for some middle power broking

But we start in Melbourne’s CBD, where Iranians gathered on Bourke Street on Sunday in a spontaneous show of solidarity and slightly anxious-flavoured optimism at the end of the Ayatollah's rule in Iran as bombs continue dropping and missiles continue flying. After the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran that are illegal according to international law and the global "rules based order" as well as America's own Constitution requiring Congressional approval for wars, Australia’s government faces renewed scrutiny over its alliance with Washington — and a decades-long pattern of following U.S.-led wars without parliamentary debate.

As more and more scrutibny falls on Australia’s links to the American war machine via the Pine Gap satellite spy base and its role in the supply chain to build the stealth bombers and drones used in Israel's genocide of Gaza, Prime Minister Albanese also is receiving an official visit from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, on his tour through India, Australia and Japan to realign “middle powers” through new trade and defence partnerships. This week’s events show a shifting world order and Carney’s official visit to Canberra — his first in nearly 20 years for a Canadian leader — underscores a push for cooperation beyond the U.S. orbit.

Your free fun factoid of Australia-Canada relations: it was a Canadian named Charles Ross who died fighting the British redcoats at the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat in 1856 who designed the Southern Cross flag, the insignia included on the Australian flag as well as being tattooed on every bogan across Australia.

Massive AI scandal brewing: multimillion dollar mortgage fraud

Plus, a new front in Australia’s financial world: the Commonwealth Bank reports what could be one of the country’s largest-ever fraud cases — and the first major example of artificial intelligence used to commit large-scale banking crime. With fake mortgage documents built from stolen data, the case reveals both the promise and peril of AI-driven finance.

New Australian-made songs played on RTHK3

Mick Daley - Tangerine Believers

Jazzparty - Not Human

Birdsnake - Hydrostatic Pressure

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The big low over the big red heart

Australia is bracing for its biggest rains in decades as a massive monsoonal low over central Australia threatens to dump up to 30 centimetres of rain across the country’s red heart — cutting off roads and towns in South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales. After one of the driest summers in a century and multiple major bushfires, the shift to autumn brings flash flooding warnings across Victoria and beyond.

Downgrading relations with the disgraced former Royal Priince

In Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes world headlines by becoming the first Commonwealth leader to back moves to strip Prince Andrew of his succession rights — though many note deeper questions about the monarchy itself and the balance between Australia’s republican ambitions and its royal ties.

Trump Tower on the Gold Coast: spare us the cliche

Meanwhile, U.S. headlines ripple across the Pacific: Donald Trump reintroduces 15% tariffs amid a swirl of controversies linking him once again to the Epstein saga. And in unlikely real-estate news, plans for a $1.5 billion Trump Tower on the Gold Coast raise eyebrows — the developer behind the deal has a questionable track record, renewing questions about the Trump brand’s global footprint.

A new non-American social media platform

We talk about the Australian-Palestinian invented Upscrolled, a new social platform challenging Silicon Valley’s dominance.

Songs played on RTHK 3

Bumpy - Nan’s the Word

Kylie Auldist - One Time Offer

Glenys Rae Virus - One Heartache per Annum



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