How to teach kids about money with The Barefoot Investor

**Rhianna Patrick** (0:07)
Hey, Rhianna Patrick here with The Briefing. In today's episode, the barefoot investor Scott Pape turns his attention to Kids with a new book called Barefoot Kids, Your Epic Money Adventure.

**Scott Pape** (0:19)
I wrote the book as really a consolation prize for the fact that I spent two years trying to get financial education in schools, and I failed.
My view is that learning about money is the one thing that every kid is going to be tested on every day of their lives.
And the fact is, we just don't teach it.

**Rhianna Patrick** (0:38)
So you'll be learning all about how to prepare the younger people in your family so they can become confident, money savvy adults in the second half of this episode. But first today's headlines with Eleanor Harrison Dengate. It's Thursday, the 22nd of December.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (0:57)
The ACT government has announced a board inquiry into the now dropped Bruce Lammon trial where he was accused of raping Brittany Higgins in Parliament House. It follows claims made by the ACT's chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold that he was pressured to not pursue the charge against Lammon.

**Andrew Barr** (1:14)
This was a high profile trial, an independent review into the roles played by the criminal justice agencies involved is the most appropriate response.

**Rhianna Patrick** (1:25)
That's the ACT chief minister Andrew Barr. The trial was abandoned in October after a jurist misconduct, then a retrial was cancelled over concern for Brittany Higgins' mental health.
Lammon has maintained his innocence and there are no findings against him.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (1:40)
So the inquiry is equivalent to a royal commission and will look into the conduct of police and prosecutors, the appropriateness of the ACT victims of crime commissioner supporting Higgins during the trial and penalties for juror misconduct.

**Rhianna Patrick** (1:54)
Yes, the inquiry has been welcomed by Lammon who issued a statement hoping the inquiry would examine all aspects of the matter. The Australian is reporting Lammon's team wants the inquiry to examine whether pressure was applied not to prosecute Higgins for contempt over remarks that she made outside the court.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (2:11)
While Higgins posted, sunlight is the best disinfectant on her Instagram yesterday afternoon, the ACT government is currently looking for someone to conduct the inquiry.

**Rhianna Patrick** (2:21)
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has made his first trip abroad since the start of the Russian invasion 11 months ago. He'll land in Washington to meet the US President Joe Biden and deliver an evening address to Congress.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (2:33)
It's believed the visit will coincide with an announcement of a new $3 billion weapons package for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia has warned supplying more weapons would only escalate the war.
It's after Russian President Vladimir Putin told his defence chiefs there's no limit on military spending, while his defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the total size of the army now needs to be increased from 1 million to 1.5 million personnel.

**Rhianna Patrick** (2:58)
So Eleanor, this is Zelensky's first known trip abroad.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (3:01)
It is, and it's believed what he's going to get out of it is what's called a Patriot missile defence system. So that's basically going to allow Ukrainian forces to intercept long range Russian missiles. They'd also really like to get some long range missiles and drones themselves, but that's not going to happen.

**Rhianna Patrick** (3:20)
Foreign Minister Penny Wong is coming home after her meeting with her Chinese counterpart in Beijing. So far, $20 billion worth of trade sanctions is still in place despite the talks, with Wong noting ice thaws but slowly.

**Penny Wong** (3:33)
Particularly in the context of trade, there was a discussion about opportunities for further dialogue to work through how we might do what I think is in the best interests of both countries and consumers in both countries, and that is for the trade blockages to be removed.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (3:49)
The pair also discussed human rights issues and spoke about resuming consular visits for the two Australians currently detained in China. That's writer Yang Hengjun and journalist Cheng Lei.
The two have not had consular visits since September. Wong also advocated for them to be reunited with their families as soon as possible. Cheng Lei has two young children living in Melbourne. If you want to hear a bit more about her story, you can check out our episode from June 9th.

**Rhianna Patrick** (4:14)
While China's president Xi Jinping has said his country is ready to advance relations with Australia based on mutual respect and win-win principles, according to Chinese state media.

**Eleanor Harrison Dengate** (4:26)
Slain Queensland police officers Rachel Macro and Matthew Arnold have been posthumously honoured.