Episodes

  • Episode 193 - Milat - Age Checks - Gaetzy - Aug 31 - 4 corners - PETE!

    Episode 193 - Milat - Age Checks - Gaetzy - Aug 31 - 4 corners - PETE!
    Aug 24 2025

    It has been a busy time on the right wing fringe of politics with a lot of dickheads having tantrums for reasons we can't fathom and they can't articulate. It's been a lot!

    But first up we have the very much not right wing but still slightly fringe tale of Jeremy Buckingham's search for truth regarding Ivan Milat's actual body count. The problem is, he's gone a bit off track and started making some fairly baseless claims. These can do more harm than good - and it's a classic case of when a politician thinks he's a cop and ends up doing both jobs terribly. We love Jeremy but this one's not going well.

    Cookers are upset about the coming 'backdoor' to digital tyranny that will see us having to identify ourselves on the internet to get past age checks for naughty content. And while the proliferation of awful content online is something worth looking at, this response ain't it.

    AND we have Gaetzy who has a solution to the war in Ukraine. It's really dumb. No spoilers.

    Cooker update has a bit of a lead up to next weeks racist picnic in the park where a lot of people will unite for the cause of - uh - straya? It's vague. We don't really know who is organising it. But they put Bec Freedom out as the media scapegoat and wow she's copped a shellacking. I tell ya what though - if you want to distance this rally from the Nazis who endorsed it, maybe don't put people that endorse nazis in charge? Just a thought, guys.

    In SovCits we look at the 4 corners episode that recently had a crack at the Common Law folks who love a good mock trial and dashing custom printed polo shirt. It was a good effort, but worth a chat nonetheless.

    I also preview the first few pages of Pete's new book and it sucks so much more than expected. Like, I knew the premise was silly but WOW does this thing suck. And the price is insane.

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    As usual, if you have any money you must give it to us. Preferably all of it, but if you want to be a jerk you can keep some. Best way to do that is https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

    If you have money and you don't want to give us any of it - but you like beer - then go buy a case or three from https://cbco.beer/ - and use the coupon code CRP10 to get 10% off. It's genuinely good beer and their prices are properly decent.

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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • The Two Jacks - Episode 124 - Stadiums, Surface Wars, and the Cost of Cutting Corners

    The Two Jacks - Episode 124 - Stadiums, Surface Wars, and the Cost of Cutting Corners
    Aug 22 2025
    As usual, AI slop shownotes for anyone who wants to read them. Enjoy!In this packed episode of The Two Jacks, Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack cut through a huge week in politics, policy, and sport. They kick off with life on the bike lanes and the four‑day work week debate before diving into Australia’s productivity roundtable: where progress might actually come from, why energy costs and regulation matter most, and how timid politics strangles reform. They spar over tax design, housing, stamp duty, and the red tape that inflates costs without improving quality.From there, the Jacks range across global flashpoints and US turbulence—Israel–Australia tit-for-tat visas, the Ukraine–Russia talks fallout, the limits of sanctions, and whether the West has the will for long wars. Stateside, they dissect rising US inflation pressures, Congress’s stock-trading problem, and the “picking winners” trap in industrial policy. Locally, they tackle the Greens in Tasmania, crime perception vs data, and Australia’s defense priorities in a drone-dominated future—before a big sports wrap: AFL finals implications from homophobic slur bans, NRL ladder-shaping clashes, cricket’s farewell to Bob Simpson, the Wallabies’ breakthrough at Ellis Park, and Sydney’s Allianz Stadium turf debacle.Timestamped segments and takeaways 00:00:01 – Cold open, weather and bike lanesBanter on soggy Sydney/Melbourne and bike lane hazards.Takeaway: Urban transport design vs pedestrian safety—light opener that foreshadows policy tradeoffs.00:02:23 – Four‑day work week and productivity roundtableJack the Insider outlines ACTU’s four‑day week ask; government quickly cools it.Hong Kong Jack: flexible, case-by-case four‑day arrangements can work well; blanket mandates don’t.Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “It really is a case-by-case basis… it can be done—it just can’t be done across the board.”00:04:26 – Housing, commuting, and productivity dragLong commutes as a hidden productivity killer; WFH rights expanding in Victoria but role-dependent.00:06:47 – AI regulation “light touch”Productivity Commission signals minimal regulation; Jack the Insider flags creator rights concerns.00:07:51 – Where productivity gains might come fromHong Kong Jack: “The two obvious areas to attack are regulation and energy costs.”00:08:17 – Energy transition, prices, and investmentJack the Insider: transition and decades of policy drift drove high prices; grid infrastructure is the bottleneck.Coal vs renewables economics; investment won’t return to coal due to horizon risk.00:12:00 – Cutting “red tape”: harmonization and tax settingsFederation frictions; harmonise state regs; stamp duty singled out as a worst tax.Building codes ballooning costs while quality supervision lags.00:14:24 – Build quality crises and supervision gapsMascot/Zetland examples; spate of vacated towers; cheap builds, high prices.00:15:40 – Political capital, timid reform, and election calculusIs Albanese Labor’s John Howard—few big-ticket reforms, focus on winning?Take reforms to an election (GST precedent), but reformers often punished at the polls.00:24:45 – Israel–Australia visa spatSimcha Rothman’s visa withdrawn; Israel responds by revoking visas for Australians to the Palestinian Authority; both sides flex sovereignty.Notable quote (Hong Kong Jack): “This is just how it works.”00:27:28 – Failed asylum seekers backlog nearing 100kProcessing delays create perverse incentives; most rejected claimants retain work/study rights—encourages low‑merit claims.Enforcement throughput is minimal; backlog self‑feeds.00:32:07 – Tasmania: Greens hold line on stabilityGreens won’t back Labor no-confidence; Premier continues; different cultures in Tas vs NSW Greens.00:36:32 – Vale Terence StampPersonal memories; Priscilla role noted; a prickly but great actor.00:38:00 – Ukraine–Russia: Alaska talks flop, semantics vs substanceOptics criticised; ceasefire vs peace semantics; limits of sanctions and Western will.Debate: Can Ukraine regain Crimea/Donbas? Is a negotiated end inevitable? Historical echoes (appeasement vs long war).00:49:05 – US inflation watch and tariffsProducer prices beat; risks of re‑acceleration; fuel prices helping headline but underlying pressures rising.Tariffs’ pass-through to consumers; political messaging vs data; Fed unlikely to cut on these numbers.00:54:24 – Crime, stats vs street realityDC deployments; media narratives vs lived experience; class/education divide shapes perceptions.00:58:26 – Drones, defense, and future warfareUS behind China on cheap drone swarms (DJI dominance); implications for Australia: missiles, subs, strike aircraft, drones, and a modern surface fleet.01:00:42 – Congressional stock trading and transparencyBipartisan enrichment via informational access; “broadcast trades in real-time” proposal; ban vs radical transparency.01:04:27 – ...
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • The Two Jacks - Episode 123 - Patterson, Palestine & Pendlebury: Crime, War and the Business End of Footy

    The Two Jacks - Episode 123 - Patterson, Palestine & Pendlebury: Crime, War and the Business End of Footy
    Aug 22 2025
    As usual, AI slop shownotes for anyone who wants to read them. Enjoy! -----------------------------------------------Content warning: violent crime, child deaths, war, famine, and historical mass-casualty events.— Description — Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack cover a packed week: the Erin Patterson verdict and sentencing expectations; the Folbigg exoneration and compensation debate; AI’s promised productivity vs. creators’ rights; New Zealand politics and travel flows; Australia’s recognition of Palestine and the “day-after” security problem in Gaza; the 80th anniversary debate over Hiroshima/Nagasaki; U.S. housing, tariffs, and political incentives; food-stamp restrictions; Trump–Putin optics; pasta wars over cacio e pepe; plus NRL, AFL, cricket (Darwin’s case for a Test), and rugby’s Giteau Law change. They finish with an Iranian TV claim on “weather manipulation” and call it a week.Summary of key pointsCourts & media: Patterson likely long sentence; Folbigg’s payout criticized; cautionary tales of media rush-to-judgment.Tech & policy: AI productivity promises vs. creator consent; scraping controversies; children’s online safety beyond blunt bans.Geopolitics: Australia to recognize Palestine; post-war Gaza security unsolved; Hiroshima/Nagasaki debate reopened.Economics: U.S. housing pressures; tariffs as stealth consumption tax; political incentives realign.Sport: NRL finals picture tightening; AFL contenders wobble; cricket’s northern push; Wallabies selection flexibility returns.— Timestamped segments — 00:00:01 — Cold open & banterHong Kong heat, black short-sleeve “uniform,” bulk-buying Marks & Spencer basics.Light teasing about Melbourne’s love of black attire.00:01:22 — Erin Patterson: new disclosures, appeal posture, sentencingResurfaced material about alleged prior poison attempts on Simon Patterson (penne bolognese, chicken korma, vegetable wrap).Serious illness and surgery for Simon Patterson after the korma.Expectation of a long sentence for premeditated murder; talk of 35–45 years non-parole.Prison remand at Dame Phyllis Frost; media rumors inside; psychiatric assessments and caution about conflating autism with criminality.John Ferguson’s reporting; documentaries and books incoming; a true crime podcaster’s about-face post-disclosures.Confidence in trial thoroughness; appeal anticipated but unlikely to overturn on process.00:12:30 — Kathleen Folbigg: exoneration, “skinny” compensation, media reckoningNSW offers ~$2m after 20 years in prison; hosts call it low given Lindy Chamberlain’s historical payout and inflation.Books still in print labeling Folbigg a serial killer; calls for accountability among journalists.Comparison with Patterson media handling—less rush to judgment this time.00:19:19 — Productivity Commission on AI: 4.3% productivity vs. IP rightsLight-touch copyright reforms vs. creators’ consent/compensation.Corporate uptake (e.g., JPMorgan’s uplift) and the productivity juggernaut.Tech scraping (e.g., use of pirated libraries) and lawsuits (e.g., Sarah Silverman case).Social media harms and late-stage regulation; kids outmaneuvering adult-written rules.Data demands to verify age -> more privacy tradeoffs; grooming on gaming platforms; neurodivergent vulnerability.00:29:05 — New Zealand: travel flows, cost of living, politicsKiwis using Australia as a launchpad; departures muddying migration stats.Cost of living pressures; coalition under Chris Luxon trailing in polling.Dairy dependence on China moderated; Christchurch rebuild once boosted the economy, now cooled.00:33:32 — Australia to recognize Palestine: symbolism vs. securityPlanned announcements at the UNGA alongside France/UK/Canada.Netanyahu’s pushback; everyone says “no role for Hamas” in the day-after.Israeli protests against extended occupation; Arab League reluctance to police Gaza.A (half-flippant) British “mandate” idea vs. feasibility; Somalia as an example of regional peacekeeping success; current leadership gap to assemble an Arab-led force.00:43:05 — Hiroshima & Nagasaki at 80: necessity debate revisitedImmediate vs. long-tail casualties; cancer and birth defects; legal actions in Japan.Senior U.S. military figures (Eisenhower, Nimitz, others) cited as skeptical of necessity; Soviets’ late entry in the Pacific war as a factor.Recommendation to read widely; Paul Ham’s “Hiroshima Nagasaki” as a starting point.00:53:29 — U.S. housing and politics: who sets the agenda?First-home median age moving from ~28 to ~38; 2008’s lingering scars.Young men shifting toward Trump; Democrats’ reactive posture.Tariffs as a consumption tax; pass-through risks to inflation; corporate strain and loan-taking; watch upcoming indicators.01:01:50 — Food stamps & junk food limits12 U.S. states considering restrictions (especially sodas).Government paternalism vs. personal choice; cooking skills gap; case for basic food education over ...
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • Episode 192 - Conspiracy Nation with Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson

    Episode 192 - Conspiracy Nation with Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson
    Aug 18 2025

    Wasn't going to use AI slop for shownotes this time but these are quite good! But you know who the authors are, you know the book and if you haven't already - buy it! It's genuinely good.

    and remember you get 10% off delicious tins at https://cbco.beer/ and if you want to keep this thing going - and like naughty bonus episodes - please support us at https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

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    Ever wondered what drives conspiracy theories in Australia? Authors Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson take us on a fascinating journey through their research for "Conspiracy Nation," revealing the complex web of beliefs, profiteers, and digital ecosystems that shape modern conspiracy culture.

    Their investigation spans from the historical Port Arthur incident to today's online communities, where fringe beliefs find fertile ground. Through firsthand experiences—including a memorable visit to a conspiracy theorist meeting in Byron Bay—the authors demonstrate how empathy and critical thinking can coexist in journalism.

    The discussion illuminates the fine line between genuine independent journalism and sensationalist commentary, highlighting how the attention economy fuels misinformation. Bogle and Wilson masterfully balance compassion for those caught in conspiracy networks while exposing the opportunists who exploit them for profit.

    Ready to understand the fascinating world of conspiracy theories and their impact on Australian society? Tune in to this eye-opening episode that challenges our assumptions about belief, truth, and the power of digital communities.

    Listen now to discover how conspiracy theories shape our nation and why understanding them matters more than ever.
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    45 mins
  • The Two Jacks - Episode 122 - Tasmania’s Numbers Game, Nazi Clowns, and Gaza’s No-Good Options

    The Two Jacks - Episode 122 - Tasmania’s Numbers Game, Nazi Clowns, and Gaza’s No-Good Options
    Aug 10 2025
    As usual, AI slop shownotes. They're all about 30 seconds off due to theme music. Enjoy! The Jacks start in Hong Kong’s downpour before unpacking Tasmania’s post‑election arithmetic and a machete “amnesty” with bins outside cop shops. They wade through protests, policing, and the far‑right’s antics, then dig into the Gareth Ward case and the thorny politics of expulsion. There’s a sharp turn into AI copyright fights, family life vs screens, and a listener letter on pilot mental health.Mid‑show is a deep dive on ME/CFS’s genetic breakthrough, then a long, unsentimental look at Gaza, Hamas, ceasefires, and who could plausibly govern anything next. Stateside, Tulsi, Brennan, Mueller, and the Epstein files swirl together with youth‑vote and gerrymander chat. They close with sport: Wallabies’ best fortnight in ages, a cracking England–India Test, Ashes nerves, AFL chaos at Melbourne, and a quick NRL/Swans CEO note—before ending on a Trader Joe’s chicken funeral and a cheeky Ozempic joke.Chapters00:00:00 — Hong Kong’s black rainTriple black rain signals; ~300mm in a day at Mid‑Levels.City empties as people stay home; flood photos doing the rounds.00:01:36 — Tasmania’s numbers gamePremier commissioned without a majority; Greens won’t move no‑confidence.Governor Barbara Baker’s “test it on the floor” remark and what’s in scope.Labor/Greens maths; low appetite for another poll, but conditions exist.00:05:49 — Bins for blades: the machete “amnesty”Drop‑off slots outside police stations; comparison to firearms amnesties.Media flurries vs actual incident data; last big cluster months ago.00:07:21 — Protests, policing, and the far‑rightSydney Bridge March crowd size; VIPs photographed with Khamenei backdrop.Nazis on Parliament steps in balaclavas; state‑by‑state policing contrasts.Flags, chants, and where police draw the line on intervention.00:14:18 — The Gareth Ward messConviction details; bail, incarceration, and expulsion difficulty.Kiama re‑election as an independent, salary while imprisoned.Appeals, precedent, and public disgust.00:20:20 — Farewells and AI fightsDavid Dale and Col Joy remembered.Productivity Commission’s AI stance; artists vs scraping; Zuckerberg’s book haul.Peter Garrett’s industry savvy; JP Morgan’s internal AI rollout.00:26:16 — Kids, screens, and breakfastThe great iPad panic; why we don’t judge strangers’ mornings.Family meals are good; mind your own business is better.00:28:23 — Mailbag: pilots and mental healthFAA caution vs counselling stigma; past “deliberate crash” cases.Policy that pushes people away from help is bad policy.00:31:10 — ME/CFS: genetics change the storyDecodeME links to immune and nervous system pathways.It’s physiological, not psychosomatic; GET/CBT harm for PEM sufferers.RACGP guidance lag vs UK/US updates; a long‑overdue turn.00:37:10 — Gaza, Hamas, and the absence of good options2005 pull‑out, tunnels, aid skimming; ceasefire vs aid corridors.Who could govern Gaza; peacekeepers, UNRWA skepticism, and Hamas reality.Ehud Barak’s Qatar funding allegations; elections, starvation, ethics.01:03:21 — US politics: Russiagate reruns and Epstein filesTulsi’s evolution; Brennan on TV; Mueller was Trump‑era appointed.“Lock her up” vs AI Obama arrest video; the file‑release calculus.Youth‑vote shifts; Republicans’ state‑house gerrymanders.01:21:42 — Media Watch vs SkyThe TikTok immigration clip Sky ran and then pulled.Why mainstream reporting beats cherry‑picked viral outrage.01:24:44 — Sport: a proper weekendWallabies find a game fans can love; Lions tour lifts the code.England–India: great chase, Siraj’s spell, and pressure’s toll.Ashes preview: Bazball mettle in Aus conditions; pace attack is the key.AFL: Simon Goodwin sacked, Melbourne chaos, Adelaide surging; NRL Panthers steady.Swans appoint Matthew Pavlich CEO.01:36:54 — Chicken funerals and closingA full black‑robed rite in a US supermarket.“Put Ozempic in the water” gag; letters and see‑you‑next‑week.Notable quotes00:00:25 — “We had three black rain signals… 300 mils in a day here at Mid‑Levels.”00:03:31 — “It’s not for the governor to be deciding when numbers are tested.”00:06:01 — “Bins outside the police station so miscreants can slide the machete through the slot.”00:08:43 — “They stood on the steps of Parliament and zig‑hiled their way across that protest.”00:14:09 — “Personally, I think let people tell you who they are.”00:18:50 — “He’s essentially been convicted of rape… he’s going to get a holiday.”00:24:49 — “To boost productivity by 4%, it’s decided you just let AI go.”00:33:59 — “It is neurological and immunological. It is not psychiatric.”00:47:42 — “There are no good choices at the moment.”01:25:26 — “The best fortnight for the Wallabies in a very, very long time.”Who and what gets ...
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Episode 191 - The Murder Business with Emily Webb

    Episode 191 - The Murder Business with Emily Webb
    Aug 10 2025

    Emily Webb joins Jack to talk about her new book, Murder in the Suburbs.

    Talk turns to Erin Patterson and the Leongatha Mushroom Murders, the truth about murder and the often lurid business of True Crime reporting.

    Support us at Patreon:

    https://www.patreon.com/theconditionalreleaseprogram

    Buy Emily's book:

    https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/books/murder-in-the-suburbs/
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • The Two Jacks - Episode 121 - The Cunning Stunts and Blunt Instruments of July: Debt, Diplomacy & Dramas

    The Two Jacks - Episode 121 - The Cunning Stunts and Blunt Instruments of July: Debt, Diplomacy & Dramas
    Aug 5 2025

    The episode title is completely ridiculous. Thanks, ChatGPT 4.1. Also it thinks Jack is me. I'm not here to change that. Any of you people seen us in the same room? Yeah, I thought so.

    🏄‍♂️ Episode Overview

    This round of The Two Jacks is a beaut: Joel (Jack the Insider) and Jack (Hong Kong Jack) serve up their signature Aussie banter and sharp intellectual takes, tackling everything from Oz politics and housing to international chaos, with a healthy dose of sports, climate woes, and top-shelf ribbing. Whether it’s decoding Albanese’s courage (or lack thereof) or marveling at St Kilda’s miracle comeback, this episode’s got more zingers than a Bunnings sausage sizzle. Settle in for a jam-packed ride through the headlines, global drama, and just enough nonsense to make your brain hurt (in a good way).


    ⏰ Timestamped Segments

    00:00:00 — Opening Chit-Chat

    • Joel welcomes listeners and checks in with Hong Kong Jack about life in the steamy east. The Ozzy Osbourne tribute gets a look-in, and there’s reminiscing on royal and celebrity antics.

    00:01:30 — Listener Mailbag: Student Debt, Housing, and the Millennial Squeeze

    • The lads unpack a heartfelt letter about HECS/HELP debt, housing affordability, and why millennials reckon “the pollies don’t do shit for us.” Jack isn’t convinced the taxpayer should cop uni fees, but both agree the system’s a dog’s breakfast.

    00:06:25 — Policy Wonkery: Productivity, Summits, and Gough Whitlam Ghosts

    • From Hawke, Keating, and risk-taking, to whether Chalmers or Albo has the guts for big reform. Productivity and “just take a punt, mate!” dominate the yarn.

    00:12:12 — Climate Change: Veggies as Luxury, Alarmism, and the Gospel of Catastrophe

    • UN predictions, cost-of-living in Granada (spoiler: beer’s cheaper), and a healthy scepticism of alarmists like Al Gore. The boys debate whether scare tactics will help or just bore Aussies senseless.

    00:19:22 — Social Media: Bans, Privacy, and the Perennial Parental Panic

    • Joel’s cranky about logins and privacy on streaming, while Jack shreds online age bans. Are parents just outsourcing discipline to Canberra? “You know who’s going to win? The 14-year-olds, mate.”

    00:33:11 — World in a Pickle: Cambodia-Thailand Fracas & Middle East Mess

    • Cambodia and Thailand nearly square up thanks to colonial lines, but settle down. In the Middle East, aid drops, Gaza’s tragedy, and the endless two-state solution dance. Digressions into dodgy politicians’ connections and international finger-pointing included.

    01:00:05 — Trump Watch & Global Popcorn

    • Trump cheats at golf but still rules the news cycle. Immigration, EU trade stoushes, and the French PM’s sooking—more international theatre than the Sydney Festival.

    01:07:42 — Epstein Files & Legal Shenanigans

    • Maxwell’s appeal for a pardon, congressional escapades, and why the Epstein saga just. won’t. die. Is Trump untouchable, or just the most Teflon bloke on the planet?

    01:19:30 — Sports Blitz: Rugby, Cricket, and AFL Madness

    • The Wallabies almost pull off a miracle, rucking it with the best. Cricket sledges, doctored pitches, and Test matches tighter than Jack’s pub budget. AFL chaos: Saints’ wild comeback, player transfer drama, and a sneaky NRL update to boot.

    01:33:08 — Wrapping Up: Listener Love and Where to Find the Jacks

    • Call-outs for commentary, plugs for the Facebook page, and reminder you can email, DM, or find Jack on Substack (hongkongjack.substack.com) and Joel (Jack the Insider) on X.


    🦘 Wrap-up

    This episode’s a ripper—classic Two Jacks with brain, heart, and tongue firmly in cheek. If you want deep dives and laughs in the same breath, you’re in the right spot. Get around it, drop the crew a line, and don’t forget: when in doubt, blame the streaming fees.

    (what streaming fees?!?)
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Episode 190 - Who Killed 'Lizard' Locksley? With Ray Mooney

    Episode 190 - Who Killed 'Lizard' Locksley? With Ray Mooney
    Aug 1 2025

    Playwright, author, artist and former resident at HM Pentridge Prison, Ray Mooney sits down with Jack to discuss an infamous case, the murder of Raymond Francis 'Lizard' Locksley in 1979.

    Locksley's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds in Menai in Sydney's west.

    Melbourne criminal Christopher Dale Flannery was charged with the murder, he went through a committal hearing before being acquitted in 1984.

    Ray was Flannery's alibi witness along with many others at Mickey's Disco in St Kilda but the charges proceeded amid a flurry of police verbals from some of the most infamous police officers in Victoria and New South Wales at the time.

    In this episode Ray proves that Flannery could not have committed the murder of Locksley. If Flannery didn't do it, who did?

    Ray and Jack discuss whether this was a blue murder or where other criminal elements not related to Flannery may have been involved.


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    1 hr and 16 mins