In this week’s episode, the SHY Report is back with Sarah home from a trip overseas. One morning last week in London, Sarah woke up to the shocking news of the alleged attack on MP Helen Haines. Sarah reflects on how devastating the attack on Helen is and how it makes the abuse, death and rape threats that she’s copped over the years even more terrifying. Sarah talks about the crisis of violence against women in society more broadly and the role the tech giants play in driving hate and normalising violence and why she will be going hard to rein in their profiteering off division and anger. Sarah also reveals that while in the UK she met with the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, and the need for compassion and civility when we disagree in order to protect our democracy.

Sarah’s special guest this week is Dr Kirsten Banks aka @astrokirsten on social media. Dr Kirsten is an astrophysicist and science communicator with more than 800k followers across Instagram and TikTok, she has a passion for making the wonders of the universe accessible and engaging for everyone. Together, Dr Kirsten and Sarah talk about what an astrophysicist actually does, the importance of science research and curiosity, the intersection of Indigenous knowledge and western science, and space junk! Dr Kirsten’s new book Lost In Space is out today and available in all good book stores or online here.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline at 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT at 1800 737 732.

Sarah’s special guest this week is Janet English - bass player and singer in iconic Aussie rock band Spiderbait. Janet joined me for a conversation last week while the band were playing at Parliament House as part of an event that ARIA hosts each year to promote Australian music. Spiderbait have played together for three decades, holding firm in the playlists of millennials and Gen Xers and now resurging with the next generations. Together, Janet shares with Sarah her experience being a woman in music and how that’s changed since the 80s, growing up in a rural river town and how art and music is always political. They also discuss being a musician in the battle against big AI companies.

SHY Report is on a break this week as Sarah is away.

In this week’s episode, Sarah says she has called on the Australian Government and e-Safety Commissioner to ban the livestream of an execution by firing squad in the US to ensure it is not shown in Australia. Sarah says this is an unconscionable, abhorrent act which will expose an immeasurable amount of people to harm, including children. She calls this heinous act by the Trump administration, a PR stunt and says this politics has echoes here in Australia with the likes of Pauline Hanson advocating to bring back the death penalty. Sarah says we got rid of the death penalty for a reason, believing the state shouldn’t be able to kill its own citizens and we must continue to reject this dangerous, ugly politics. Sign the petition here.

Sarah’s special guest this week is Bob Brown - founder and former leader of the Australian Greens, a mentor to Sarah and a shot of inspiration when she needs it. Bob and Sarah talk about his long history of environmental campaigning, entering the Tasmanian parliament after a stint in jail for protesting the Franklin Dam, and giving his first speech in the Australian Senate at the exact same time as Pauline Hanson 30 years ago. Bob shares with Sarah whether he believes the Greens should still be aiming for government and what keeps him optimistic in a time of environmental, political, humanitarian, and democratic turmoil.