7am

For more than a week, Donald Trump has unleashed strikes against Iran, in a worsening cycle of attacks, including on civilian infrastructure. Trump has defended the strikes as honouring the deaths of up to three American service members in an Iranian attack. But the real goal is to get the Strait of Hormuz open again something that looks increasingly unlikely. So, with the region once again on a knife s edge, the US appears locked back into an escalating war, unless the interim ceasefire deal can be salvaged. Today, diplomatic correspondent at NOTUS Akbar Shahid Ahmed on the threat of all-out war, and who is really in charge of what happens next. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Diplomatic correspondent at NOTUS and author of Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel s War in Gaza, Akbar Shahid Ahmed Photo: US Central Command/ReutersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the other racism inquiry running at the same time as the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – the inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But while the royal commission has attracted rolling media coverage and government attention, the Aboriginal racism inquiry has been largely ignored. The inquiry was triggered by the alleged bombing of an Invasion Day rally – witnesses shining a light on the repeated inaction before, during and after the event as they testified about the fear still hanging over the Indigenous community. Today, National Indigenous Affairs Editor for NITV & SBS John Paul Janke, on how Australia treats different kinds of racism differently.  If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: National Indigenous Affairs Editor for NITV & SBS John Paul Janke Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De MarchiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than two decades at Nine, Karl Stefanovic has left the building. For years, he was the face of the Today show – surviving ratings slumps, public scandals, internal criticism and a revolving door of female co-hosts. But after launching his own podcast, and then interviewing far-right British figure Tommy Robinson, Nine finally cut him loose. Now, people who worked with Stefanovic are speaking out. Crikey contributor and Fourth Estate host Tina Quinn has spoken to current and former Nine insiders about what he was really like behind the scenes and why the network backed him for so long. Today, Tina Quinn, on Karl Stefanovic’s rise, his fall from Nine, and whether he can survive without the network that built him.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest:  Host of Fourth Estate on 2SER and Crikey contributor, Tina Quinn Photo: AAP Image/Tracey NearmySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, in the space of just three days, four women and girls in Australia were allegedly killed by men and boys known to them. Two months ago, the Prime Minister resisted calls for a royal commission into domestic violence. But women and girls continue to be killed – sometimes within hours of one another. Today, we’re bringing you an episode from 2024, where Ruby Jones speaks to Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, about why our domestic violence crisis is getting worse – and why years of plans, campaigns and promises have failed to stop it. This episode was originally published in July 2024.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Liberal Party has begun asking what it needs to do to modernise. Its answer, so far, appears to be Tony Abbott. As Angus Taylor tries to put some distance between the Coalition and One Nation, Pauline Hanson’s party has had a week that looks less like a political revolution and more like a holiday gone wrong. Away from the political theatre, do the Coalition’s proposed migration cuts stack up economically – at a time when one of the country’s most important systems is still failing the people it is meant to care for? Today, federal political correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Natassia Chrysanthos, on the Liberal Party’s identity crisis, One Nation’s fortunes and an aged-care system still not fit for purpose.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Federal political correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Natassia Chrysanthos Photo: AAP Image/Dan HimbrechtsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Barrier Reef has avoided being placed on UNESCO’s “in danger” list – for now. But the warning hasn’t gone away. UNESCO says Australia still needs to do more to protect it, including on water quality. And one of those problems starts far inland: when bushland is cleared, soil can wash into rivers that flow out to the coral. The Australian Conservation Foundation says bulldozing for beef production is a major driver of that runoff. And now, Australia’s new national environment watchdog – the National Environmental Protection Agency – has opened its doors with more than 100 potentially unlawful land-clearing cases already on its books. Labor says its new nature laws will protect the environment and speed up approvals for housing, renewables and infrastructure. But will they actually stop the clearing – or just speed up a broken system? Today, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation Adam Bandt, on the first test of Labor’s new nature laws – and whether they can make an impact before it’s too late.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Adam Bandt Photo: WWF AustraliaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has announced a plan for how Australia approaches AI, with a new office to be created, and new standards expected to be legislated early next year. As part of the plan new data centres can be fast tracked, but will have to supply their own power.  And while Anthony Albanese said that artists should be able to control the use of their work, there are still fears about what will happen when potential investment meets copyright law.  Today, Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea on whether the government can walk the tightrope of the AI boom, while protecting and benefiting all Australians.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea Photo: AAP Image/Dan HimbrechtsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Pauline Hanson was at the previous peak of her political popularity, in the late 90s, one journalist was there chronicling it.  Margo Kingston followed Hanson on the 98 campaign trail, and has followed her career ever since – pulled back in, even when she wanted to walk away.  So what do Pauline Hanson’s beginnings tell us about her future? And what are the parallels between 1996 and 2026?  Today, Margo Kingston, on what Pauline Hanson has come to represent, and how she’s using her past to fashion her present.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Journalist and author of Off the Rails: The Pauline Hanson trip, Margo Kingston Photo: AAP Image/Tony PhillipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the media’s reporting on Israel’s attacks on Gaza fuelling antisemitism? That’s the question facing the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – which has been examining the role of the public broadcasters – the ABC and SBS. Appearing before the commission was Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal – who came out swinging at the broadcasters’ Middle East coverage, reccomending it be overseen by an independent committee. But do Segal’s claims stack up? Today, former Media Watch host and ABC Alumni board member Jonathan Holmes, on the submission ABC Alumni put to the commission, and the role of the public broadcaster in reporting on war.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Former media watch host Jonathan Holmes Photo: AAP Image/Dominic GianniniSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York Times journalist Jonathan Swan is famous for his trainwreck interview with Donald Trump at the height of covid. Now, he’s exposing the US president again with a forensic look at what he says was the most consequential year of an American presidency in our lifetime. Donald Trump’s first presidency was defined by chaos – but also by the people around him trying to contain it. Swan says the second term is different. Trump has returned to the White House with a tighter circle of loyalists, and far fewer people willing to say no. In a new book Regime Change co-authored with Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan goes inside the first 14 months of Trump’s return to power, documenting a presidency using the machinery of government to punish enemies, pressure institutions and test what one president can get away with. Today, Jonathan Swan, on Trump’s second term – and how he’s changed America forever.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Co-author of Regime Change Jonathan Swan Photo: AP Photo/Francisco SecoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another major telco outage has raised the question: what happens when you call triple-zero and can’t get through? This week, Telstra blamed a software defect for a national outage that disrupted phones, payments and transport – and left more than 300 triple-zero calls failing to connect. The communications watchdog is now investigating. It comes after last year’s catastrophic Optus failure, when a 13-hour outage blocked hundreds of emergency calls across South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and was linked to deaths. ACMA opened an investigation into Optus, but still hasn’t published final findings. Today, journalist and Crikey contributor Michael Sainsbury – on what went wrong at Optus and how the government’s choices led us here. This episode was originally published in September 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Journalist and Crikey contributor, Michael Sainsbury Photo: AAP Image/George ChanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese has, with growing confidence, spent years trying to convince voters he's relatable But this week that confidence carried him somewhere the office of Prime Minister probably shouldn’t go – a game of “shag, marry, date” on a comedy podcast. The apology came quickly. Then, as the Prime minister turned to rugby league diplomacy in the Pacific, China tested a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.  It was a week that moved swiftly from political embarrassment to regional unease, and left Labor managing the Prime Minister’s image at home and Australia’s influence abroad. Today, press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno on a turbulent week for Anthony Albaense, marked with missteps, a communication breakdown and a focus on Pacific diplomacy in tumultuous geo-political waters.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno Photo: @nikkiosborneofficial via YoutubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call came through with a warning: political operatives were digging for dirt.  For Amy Remeikis, it wasn’t the first time. But this time, she was told, it was more vicious than usual.  In Canberra, that kind of warning is part of the machinery: a whisper campaign, a rumour, a file passed around – backgrounding against opponents or perceived threats to vested interests. Enough to make a journalist think twice about who they speak to, where they go and what stories they pursue.  Too often for women in public life, the tactics are familiar and designed to cut deep.  Today, contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis, on the forces trying to intimidate journalists and why she decided to call it out.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Contributing editor for The New Daily Amy Remeikis Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survivors say it’s like being stabbed in the back; some were just days away from finally having their day in court against the Christian Brothers when their cases were suddenly put on hold. The Catholic religious order is crying poor, saying it doesn’t have enough money to pay child sexual abuse victims the compensation they’re owed. But it’s been revealed that assets worth billions of dollars – that could have been used in the payouts – were instead transferred just out of reach of survivors. Today, Managing partner at Marque Lawyers, Michael Bradley, on the multimillion-dollar properties sold off for just a dollar, and the crushing court decision that’s left victims in the cold.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Managing partner at Marque Lawyers, Michael Bradley Photo: AAP Image/Eoin BlackwellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the ceasefire was announced late last year, Gaza has faded from the headlines. But the horror of life there has not stopped. More than 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire was announced in October, and thousands more have been wounded, as people continue to face a daily struggle for survival. Independent journalist Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory, has recently travelled through the Middle East, including the West Bank, and has been speaking to people in Gaza. Today, Antony Loewenstein tells us what he saw in the West Bank, what he’s hearing from Gaza, and what it means for the future of Palestine 1,000 days on from the start of Israel’s war.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Independent journalist and author of The Palestine Laboratory, Antony Loewenstein Photo: Ramez Habboub/ABACAPRESS.COMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, Tracy Hall was sent a dating profile that sent chills down her spine. The name on the profile was different, but the image was that of notorious conman Hamish McLaren. He had been jailed for scamming 15 Australians out of $7.6 million – including Tracy, his girlfriend and final victim, whose life savings he stole after meeting her under a fake identity. Now, as McLaren prepares for release on parole this week, Tracy says the systems that allowed him into her life still haven’t been fixed. Today, Tracy Hall on the conman who stole her life savings, the growing romance scam industry costing Australians tens of millions of dollars a year, and whether dating apps are doing enough to protect the people using them.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Romance scam advocate and survivor Tracy Hall Photo: SuppliedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For generations of Australians, Powderfinger songs are tied to first loves, long drives, share houses, break-ups and summers that still feel close enough to touch.  They were written by people, played by a band, and carried by listeners into their own lives.  Now, that music has been found inside the machinery of artificial intelligence, harvested into vast datasets without permission and without payment.  At the same time, the federal government is fending off whistleblower claims of a “dirty deal” with tech giants that would give AI access to Australian music and art in exchange for billion dollar investments Today, Bernard Fanning on what happens when machines are trained on our songs, and who gets to tell Australian stories, us or AI.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Bernard Fanning Photo: bernardfanning.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been one year since Kumanjayi Walker’s family gathered in the Central Australian community of Yuendumu, to hear the findings of a coronial inquest into his death. Kumanjayi Walker, a 19 year old Warlpiri-Luritja man, when he was shot and killed by former constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019. In 2022, Zachary Rolfe was found not guilty of Kumanjayi Walker’s murder, but his family has always maintained that Rolfe’s racism played a role in Walker’s death – something the coroner said couldn’t be ruled out.Today, we’re bringing you an episode recorded just after the inquest, with investigative journalist Kate Wild – whose book, The Red House, examines Kumanjayi Walker’s death and how the racist culture of the Northern Territory Police enabled Zachary Rolfe to act with impunity. This episode was originally published in July 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Investigative journalist and author of The Red House, Kate Wild Photo: AAP Image/Aaron BunchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Hanson went to the National Press Club with a party polling like a threat to the old order. Then she had to explain what that party was actually for. Since her appearance, One Nation’s federal support has slipped. The speech, with its talk of monoculture and its familiar targets – migration, the ABC and renewables – gave voters a clearer look at the movement behind the momentum.  But the story doesn’t end there.  In Victoria, where the state election is now months away, One Nation is polling better than the Labor government. And now, Hanson’s message is being carried by a loud cast of celebrity sympathisers.  Today, founder and CEO of Cheek Media Hannah Ferguson on what happens when One Nation is no longer just a protest vote, and how the Liberals and the Greens have struggled to take advantage of an electorate clearly in the mood for change.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Cheek Media founder Hannah Ferguson Photo: Instagram @karlstefanovic_See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump returned to the White House promising to make America the crypto capital of the world, despite having once dismissed Bitcoin as “not money” and warned it was “based on thin air” in a 2019 tweet. In his first year back in office, Trump has set that scepticism aside as it has become clear crypto presents an extraordinary business opportunity. A new financial disclosure hints at just how lucrative those ventures have become, with Trump disclosing more than $1.4 billion USD in income from family crypto ventures last year, raising questions about how far a president can go in turning public office into a money-making machine. Today, journalist and research director for Public Citizen’s Trump Accountability Project, Zach Everson, on Donald Trump’s crypto empire and the new frontier of political corruption in America.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest:  Journalist and research director for Public Citizen’s Trump Accountability Project, Zach Everson Photo: AP Photo/Mark HumphreySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The temperatures were so high that roads melted and tram tracks buckled. Some locals even resorted to sleeping in parks and caves to escape the heat. And at the epicentre of the European heatwave? Paris – which recorded its hottest day in history.  It’s where Australian author and climate activist Sarah Wilson has called home for the past few years. Today, Sarah speaks with 7am from Paris, on the heatwave that’s ravaged Europe and what it tells us about how humanity will need to adapt to the extreme conditions to come.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Author and journalist Sarah Wilson Photo: EPA/ANTONIO BATSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They were some of the biggest stage productions in the country, starring some of the biggest names in the biz. But in the space of just two weeks, Beetlejuice and Waitress: The Musical have had their tours cut short, leaving the cast and crew devastated.  Now, stars like Nat Bass are sounding the alarm as the industry struggles to stay afloat amid rising costs and slumping ticket sales. Today, arts executive John Glenn on the crisis threatening the future of theatre and live shows, and what can be done to save the industry.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: CEO of AANT Centre, John Glenn Photo: waitressthemusical.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, the Dollarmites program turned schoolchildren into customers.  The controversial scheme, now axed, gave Australia’s biggest bank access to kids, classrooms and their cash under the guise of teaching financial literacy. Now it’s happening again.  A new report has found the country’s biggest fossil fuel companies are using the same strategy – with multimillion-dollar programs and sponsorships targeting millions of Australian children. Today, Comms Declare founder Belinda Noble on how the tentacles of big coal, oil, and gas are reaching into Australian classrooms and manipulating students.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Comms Declare founder, Belinda Noble Photo: Comms DeclareSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KPMG is one of the biggest, wealthiest and most powerful consulting firms in the country – auditing and advising everything from major companies to governments. It is trusted with some of the most sensitive information in Australia. Now that trust is at the centre of a major scandal.  A whistleblower raised concerns that confidential client information was being used to chase new work. What followed has forced out senior leaders, exposed the treatment of the person who spoke up, and raised bigger questions about the firms governments have come to rely on to do the work once done inside the public service.Today, ABC business reporter Daniel Ziffer on KPMG, the scandal inside one of the Big Four consulting firms, and why the fallout reaches far beyond one company. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: ABC business reporter Daniel Ziffer Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the teal independents swept through Liberal heartland, their pitch was simple: they were not like the major parties. They were community-backed, locally accountable, and free to vote how they wanted. Now, two of the best-known teals – Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender – are forming a political party. They say Community Strong Australia is a home for the politically homeless: people who want climate action, integrity, sensible economic management and a pro-business agenda. But can you build a party out of independents without sacrificing what voters liked about them in the first place? Today, independent MP Zali Steggall, on why the teals are becoming a party – and whether they can hold the centre as Australian politics becomes more divided.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Community Strong Australia MP Zali Steggall Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia – like many countries – saw protesters take the streets. They weren’t just protesting lockdowns, they were rallying around a tangle of fears and conspiracies. Those threads fused into a broader worldview that pulled people down a pipeline and built a small industry of influencers. Today, Conspiracy Nation authors Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson on the conspiracy pipeline: how it works, who benefits, and where it’s heading now. This is part one of a two-part series that was originally published in August 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Authors of Conspiracy Nation, Cam Wilson and Ariel BogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s easy to dismiss conspiracy theories as fringe or imported. But conspiratorial ideas are gaining traction with everyday Australians – about one in three endorse at least one conspiracy belief. They’re also being echoed by people in power, and have spilled into real-world violence. Today, Conspiracy Nation authors Cam Wilson and Ariel Bogle on how conspiracies leap from the fringe to the mainstream – including all the way to Parliament house. This is part two of a two-part series that was originally published in August 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Authors of Conspiracy Nation, Cam Wilson and Ariel BogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Hanson’s call for Australia to become a monoculture was meant to draw a line around national identity. Instead, it opened up a new split inside the Liberal Party. This week, the idea left Opposition Leader Angus Taylor looking bewildered, unable to say clearly where he stood on multiculturalism. Andrew Hastie took the opposite approach in navigating the challenge presented by One Nation, launching a full frontal assault on One Nation from inside the Coalition party room.  And as the right fights over Hanson’s rise, a new party from two teal independents is trying to offer voters another way out. Today, news.com.au political editor Samantha Maiden, on a week of conservative confusion, One Nation pressure, and the teal independents trying to turn disillusionment into votes.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: news.com.au political editor Samantha Maiden Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karl Stefanovic has spent decades as one of the most recognisable faces on Australian television.  A household name from the largely inoffensive world of breakfast television.  Now, that multi-million dollar career at Nine is officially over, after Stefanovic published an interview with Tommy Robinson, a British far-right activist with a long criminal history, who has built a large following based on hate-driven rhetoric towards Muslims, immigrants, the changing face of Britain; and on the claim that he’s being silenced by the establishment. But the fall out from the podcast, including his split with Nine, may have worked in Stefanovic’s favour as he tries to forge a new career in outrage podcasting.  Today, Crikey’s media reporter Daanyal Saeed on Karl Stefanovic, the interview that ended his time at nine, and the audience he may have been chasing all along.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Crikey media reporter Daanyal Saeed Photo: The Karl Stefanovic ShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bird flu has reached mainland Australia – with cases first confirmed in WA and now South Australia. The strain, detected in three seabirds, is H5N1 – a deadly form of the virus that has swept through wild birds overseas, forced farmers to slaughter millions of chickens, spread to mammals, and, in the United States, infected dairy cows and farm workers. Authorities in Australia say the risk to the public is low – but for wildlife, an outbreak could be devastating. Experts fear it could become the tipping point for species already endangered or close to extinction. Today, CEO of the Invasive Species Council Jack Gough, on the race to stop bird flu becoming a wildlife disaster in Australia.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: CEO of the Invasive Species Council, Jack Gough Photo: PR Handout/Lori-Ann Shibish, Esperance Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the seismic political shift currently underway in this country, there’s been one party missing from the conversation: the Greens. And it’s curious, because the conditions that have seen One Nation rise – frustration with the major parties, a slip in living standards, appetite for change – should suit the Greens and their anti-establishment politics. So why are they lost in the political wilderness?Today, former Greens MP and Greens Institute CEO Max Chandler-Mather on whether the Greens can mount a comeback and tap into the progressive version of Pauline’s populist politics. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister of the UK Keir Starmer has announced his resignation – meaning Britain is preparing for its seventh leader in just ten years.  Starmer, who won in a landslide victory for the Labor party only two years ago, has been haemorrhaging support from the public and the party for months. The man likely to replace him: Andy Burnham.   Today - host of the News Agents Emily Maitlis on Starmer’s downfall, who Burnham is, and how he’s poised to take power.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Host of The News Agents Emily Maitlis Photo: AP Photo/Thomas KrychSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Western Australia, police have just started trialling technology that can identify people as they walk past.  A marked police van will scan faces outside major events, cross-checking them against a watchlist of people wanted by authorities. Police say it’s targeted and that innocent people have nothing to fear. But once this kind of surveillance is switched on, the question becomes how far it spreads, and who decides when it stops.  Today, UNSW cyber security expert Professor Richard Buckland, on the scope creep of live facial recognition technology, and the danger of normalising police powers before the public understands them.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: UNSW cyber security expert Professor Richard Buckland Photo: WA PoliceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anti-abortion activists say it was the most successful pro-life campaign in Australia - last week a bill to overturn abortion access after 25 weeks was voted through the upper house of South Australia’s parliament. It didn’t make it through the lower house, but women's advocates are still sounding the alarm amid a growing push against reproductive rights - led, in part, by One Nation. Pauline Hanson, once a supporter of a woman’s right to choose, has changed her tune, as her colleague Malcolm Roberts pushes for the party to adopt a blanket abortion ban. Today, writer, peer-support worker, and reproductive health advocate Hannah Bambraon the local and international forces looking wind back abortion access in Australia   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Writer & reproductive health advocate Hannah Bambra Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, billionaire businessman Sanjeev Gupta rescued the Whyalla steelworks from administration, becoming known as the “saviour of steel”. There was hope in this small South Australian town that steelmaking – and the thousands of jobs tied to it – would survive. But since then, Gupta has lost control, the South Australian government has forced the steelworks into administration, and taxpayers are now underwriting the rescue to the tune of $2.4 billion. Now, the sale of the steelworks is in its final stages, but the question of whether Whyalla becomes the green steel town politicians promised, or whether public money is being used to keep an ageing steelworks alive, remains. Today, investigative journalist and former host of the ABC’s Media Watch Paul Barry, on the billionaire who brought Whyalla to the brink – and what it would really take to save the town. This episode was originally published in January, 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Investigative journalist and former host of the ABC’s Media Watch Paul Barry Photo: AAP Image/David MariuzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Pauline Hanson took to the National Press Club stage with a greatest hits collection of the grievances that have fueled her political career.  Immigration. Multiculturalism. Trans rights. Indigenous Australians. The “political elite”. The changing face of the country.  The backlash from the government, sections of the community and commentariat was immediate. But that may no longer be enough. For years, Hanson has survived controversies that would have ended most political careers. And as One Nation support grows, one thing is becoming more evident: we are now entering a political era where outrage carries no penalty. Where the shock of what politicians say matters less than the anger they channel.  Today, columnist Sean Kelly on Hanson’s resurgence, the opportunities it creates for politicians of every persuasion, and what becomes possible when voters decide the old political order is broken.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Former Labor advisor and The Age & SMH columnist, Sean Kelly Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Pauline Hanson called for multiculturalism to be replaced with monoculturalism.  At the same time, the Soccerros were capturing the hearts and minds of Australians everywhere on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup.  It’s a team filled with players from multiple cultural backgrounds and one,  that if Hanson’s vision of the nation came to bear, simply wouldn’t exist.  Today, former Soccerroo and refugee advocate, Craig Foster. On the team that’s quietly challenging one of the most divisive debates in the country, simply by taking the field.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Former Socceroo and refugee advocate, Craig Foster Photo: Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via APSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the world. And in some Australian farming communities, doctors are questioning why so many seem to be getting it. For years, some farmers and doctors have drawn a link to paraquat – a powerful weedkiller still used widely on Australian farms, despite being banned in more than 60 countries, including the UK, China and Brazil. This month, Australia’s chemical regulator is expected to decide whether paraquat can keep being used here – after a review that’s been going on since 1997. Professor Wesley Thevathasan is one of about 50 neurologists who made submissions to that review, calling for paraquat to be banned. But he says the regulator has ignored them – as well as some of the strongest evidence linking exposure to the chemical to Parkinson’s. Today, Associate Professor Wesley Thevathasan, on the farmers who fear paraquat made them sick, and whether Australia’s regulator is listening. Farmer audio courtesy of ABC rural.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Parkinson’s disease specialist, Associate Professor Wesley Thevathasan Photo: ABC / Jake HamiltonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For three decades, Pauline Hanson has built a career on grievance.  In all that time she hasn’t fronted to the bastion of political journalism, the national press club. That was until yesterday where she appeared for the first time. In a long address she laid out how she aims to turn her politics of grievance into policy; targeting immigration, the ABC, multiculturalism, renewable energy, transgender rights and journalists.  It was a performance that will play to her base and one that helps explain her rise in the polls. But she also gave her opponents a clearer picture of what they’re running against and what to target in the two years until the next election. Today, press gallery journalist Karen Middleton, on Pauline Hanson’s big moment, and the fight now coming for One Nation.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Press gallery journalist Karen Middleton Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire. It came after his company, SpaceX, was publicly listed, reaching a valuation of more than two trillion dollars. Elon’s wealth is now the equivalent of the bottom one-third of the entire globe’s population. It’s more than the entire annual GDP of Belgium, Sweden or Ireland. But while some are celebrating Musk’s milestone, for others it’s jarring to see in the hands of someone who uses their power for political purposes – and at a time where so many are living with so little. Today, author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire, Carl Rhodes, on what the world’s first trillionaire means for the distribution of power and wealth. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Author of Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire, Carl Rhodes Photo: REUTERS/Mike SegarSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump said what he wanted for his 80th birthday was world peace And now, alongside the UFC spectacle on the White House lawn, he appears to have given himself the headline he wanted: a so-called peace deal with Iran. Or more accurately - a sixty day “pause” – while negotiations continue.  Today Director of the Australia Institute's International & Security Affairs Program Dr Emma Shortis on the latest end of the war announcement - and what could derail it.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Director of the Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program, Dr Emma Shortis Photo: Bonnie Cash/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aukus is the most expensive defence project in Australia’s history; a project, that at its heart has the plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines through the United States and the United Kingdom.  But the doubts around it are growing: over the cost, over whether Australia will get the submarines it’s been promised, and over what the deal means for our sovereignty. Now, a public inquiry, in lieu of parliamentary debate, led by former Labor minister Peter Garrett is putting Aukus under scrutiny.  Today, Peter Garrett on why he believes Australians deserve answers, and whether it’s too late to walk away.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Lead commissioner of the Aukus Inquiry, Peter Garrett Photo: AAP Image/Con ChronisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Professor Christian Downie appeared before a Senate inquiry into climate and energy misinformation, he warned that Australia is facing coordinated campaigns designed not to debate climate solutions, but to stall them. Professor Downie has spent years inside boardrooms and the lobbying world studying how these campaigns are built – tracing the billions spent on messaging by lobby groups, PR firms and think tanks – and outlining what he calls “the climate obstruction playbook”. It’s a strategy refined in Washington and increasingly echoed in Australia. Today, Professor at ANU’s School of Regulation and Global Governance, Christian Downie, on how the obstruction playbook has been so successful in stopping action on climate change. This episode was originally published in October, 2025.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Professor at ANU’s School of Regulation and Global Governance and Director of the Governing Energy Transition Lab, Christian Downie Photo: REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauline Hanson has spent decades casting herself as the outsider, the voice of people who feel ignored by the political class.  Now, One Nation is surging in the polls and in donations. On Friday their fundraising site crashed under the weight of more than three million dollars in new money, forcing Labor to treat Hanson less like a fringe dweller and more like a direct threat. But as Hanson’s popularity grows, so does the scrutiny of what sits behind it. This week, she admitted she’s taking policy advice from Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart, the billionaire mining magnate she describes as a friend and supporter.  Today, contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis, on Pauline Hanson’s growing momentum and the billionaire and corporate backing of her outsider politics.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis Photo: AAP Image/Paul MillerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The scenes in Belfast this week have been horrifying to watch - ugly clashes, masked men rioting in the streets, immigrant families begging neighbours to hide their children - fearing for their safety. Politicians, far-right agitators, and billionaire Elon Musk have been accused of sparking the riots - weaponising a brutal stabbing attack, to ramp up anti-migrant rhetoric and whip protestors into a frenzy. Today, British journalist and host of The News Agents, Emily Maitlis on the far-right forces at play in the UK, and why the Belfast riots should serve as a warning to Australia, and the world.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Journalist Emily Maitlis Photo: PA/PA WireSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump is right now following through on his threats to “hit Iran hard again” unleashing another round of strikes. Trump says he wants a peace deal, but in the past 24 hours, the war has escalated again. Iran and the US have traded strikes, and one of the most important oil routes in the world remains severely restricted. The ceasefire is still supposed to exist, as is the promise of an imminent peace deal. But the closer Trump says he is to ending the war, the harder it is to tell who's actually in control of it. Today, editor-at-large of The National Interest, Steve Clemons, on Trump's war with Iran, the fragile push for a deal, and why Benjamin Netanyahu may still be the person most capable of blowing it all up.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Editor-at-large of The National Interest, Steve Clemons Photo: Samuel Corum/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Julia Gillard delivered her now-famous misogyny speech in 2012, it was against a backdrop of some horrendous sexist attacks. One of the most prominent was “Ditch the Witch” – a slogan on a placard then-opposition leader Tony Abbott was photographed standing in front of at an anti-carbon tax rally. Now, the ugly slogan is back. This time, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is the target. “Ditch the Witch 2.0” has put a spotlight on the treatment of women in politics. Today, Victorian MP Georgie Purcell on her own experience of sexist abuse, the threat it poses to democracy, and why she’s putting political differences aside to stand up for her rival.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell Photo: ABCSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last month, the federal government announced that the biggest neo-Nazi organisation in the country would be listed as a hate group. A few days ago, The Age revealed the group’s former leader, Thomas Sewell, has been living in a $2.5 million estate in Melbourne’s suburbs.  So what are Sewell’s plans for the compound, and who are the wealthy backers making it possible? Today, crime reporter at The Age Sherryn Groch on the neo-Nazis’ next move.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Crime reporter at The Age, Sherryn Groch Photo: AAP Image/James RossSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The conversation you’re about to listen to is almost certainly unlike any interview you’ve heard before. It’s unlike any 7am has ever done.Dr Jeni Haynes has dissociative identity disorder, otherwise known as multiple personality disorder. In 2019 she set a world first legal precedent when her alters were allowed to testify in court against her abusive father, who was later sentenced to 45 years jail. Now, she and her two thousand plus alters are speaking out in a new SBS documentary We Are Jeni. Today you’ll hear from Dr Jeni Haynes, as well as from some of her alters in a rare glimpse into multiple personality disorder, and how it saved Jeni from her abusive father, who triggered the disorder in the first place. And a warning, while this story doesn’t go into graphic detail - it does reference child abuse.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   And We Are Jeni is available to stream now on SBS On Demand    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Dr Jeni Haynes Photo: AAP Image/Jeremy PiperSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right now, AI data-centre mega-hubs as large as 350 hectares are being planned across Australia – that’s the equivalent of 175 MCG playing fields. And the energy they need to fuel them is just as huge: more than the total output of an entire coal plant. The solution? So-called “shadow grids” built in partnership between the data centres and big gas, where gas-fired power plants are placed directly on site, powering the centres and generating huge emissions in the process. Today, Ketan Joshi, climate expert and co-author of a new Greenpeace report, on the relationship between fossil fuel companies and data centres, and Australia’s vulnerability in the AI race.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Climate expert Ketan Joshi Photo: REUTERS/Pascal RossignolSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.