Hamish Macdonald

The senator says comments he levelled at Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young were not a sexist taunt, and that he tells people they're "bastards" or "bitches" irrespective of gender.

Born in Iran, now a Dane, Ellie Jokar struggles to understand why her once-friendly country has pulled up the welcome mat. Hamish Macdonald explores a nation having an identity crisis.

The Chinese leader may be one of the most powerful people in the world, but how did he get there? And what makes him tick?

Vladimir Putin grew up in “brute, almost Darwinian conditions”. But his skills as a master manipulator would take him far.

Hamish Macdonald delves into the lives and motives of eight leaders. From autocratic strongmen to democratic internationalists, from left to right to far right, Take Me To Your Leader! examines the cultural, historical, geographical and personal origins underpinning the ambitions of the people on the world stage. How well do we really know them, and what would we uncover if we asked their friends, enemies, colleagues and observers to ‘Take me to Your Leader!’

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy has captured the world’s attention and admiration like few leaders can.  When Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, the comic actor turned wartime leader became the face of Ukraine’s resistance. He refused offers of evacuation, famously telling Joe Biden he needed ammunition, not a ride.

Joe Biden is America’s oldest ever president. He wants to stay in the White House another four years and is now campaigning for a second term. If he wins that term, he’ll be 86-years-old by the time he leaves office.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr, better known as “Bongbong”, is the president of the Philippines. His popularity skyrocketed in recent years, particularly among Gen Z, thanks to his stardom on tiktok. But it was almost 40 years ago that he fled the country as a young governor when his father’s authoritarian and corrupt government was overturned in a dramatic coup. 

In a special mini-series, Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald get the answers to all your burning questions about AUKUS.  In this first episode, we investigate how AUKUS came about - who spoke to who, what the true motivation was for going nuclear and whether the total secrecy around the deal was justified.  GUESTS:  Andrew Fowler - investigative journalist and author of Nuked: The Submarine Fiasco that Sank Australia’s Sovereignty (MUP), which won the 2024 Walkley Book Award. Scott Morrison - 30th Prime Minister of Australia, now Non-Executive Vice Chairman of the US-headquartered advisory and consulting firm American Global Strategies LLC and member of several advisory boards, including the DYNE Strategic Advisory Board. GET IN TOUCH:  We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au

Daniel Mookhey joined Hamish Macdonald on 702 Mornings to discuss the latest in pay disputes with the RTBU, what a decision on interest rates might mean, and how to have kids engage more keenly with politics.