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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.

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.

Earlier this year, authorities found something extraordinary inside a Cambodian scam compound: a fake Australian Federal Police office. There were Australian flags, AFP-style logos, and desks staged to look official – all part of a six-storey compound used by scammers impersonating police forces from around the world. It was a reminder that the scam messages Australians receive are often connected to a far more sophisticated and exploitative criminal industry. New figures show Australians reported more than $2 billion in scam losses last year, and a recent UN report has detailed how people are trafficked into scam centres, held against their will, and forced to target strangers online. In early 2024, Ben and his wife were kidnapped and trapped inside one of these Cambodian scam factories. This is the story of how they escaped – and why so many others can’t. This episode was originally published in March 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: Ben Yeo, ambassador for the Australian International Counter Slavery Alliance (AICSA) Photo: AP Photo/Sakchai LalitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Abbott is back at the centre of Liberal Party politics.  The former prime minister has been elected unopposed as federal Liberal Party president – a role that sounds administrative, but carries real political weight at a moment of deep trouble for the Coalition. The Liberals are watching voters drift to One Nation, while Abbott argues the answer is to take the fight directly to Labor. But his return sharpens a deeper question inside the party about whether the Liberals can rebuild by reviving the politics of the Abbott era, or whether that only deepens the crisis they’re trying to escape.  Today, press gallery veteran Paul Bongiorno, on Tony Abbott’s comeback, the future of the Liberal Party and how the government is trying to turn the opposition’s crisis into a test of its own authority.    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: AAP Image/Joel CarrettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Melbourne, few names carry the weight of Mick Gatto.  For decades, he’s been known as a survivor of the gangland wars, a man whose influence has stretched from the city’s underworld into the heart of the construction industry. This week, police raided his home. Gatto and his wife were arrested, then released without charge. He says it was all over a driving infringement. Police say they’re investigating alleged financial offences.  But the raid has landed in the middle of a much larger fight over corruption, intimidation and alleged underworld influence inside Victoria’s building sector.  Today, investigative reporter Nick McKenzie, on Mick Gatto, corruption in the construction industry, and the reckoning now facing the state’s Big Build.   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 reporter for The Age and SMH, Nick McKenzie Photo: AAP Image/James RossSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 women have been killed in Australia so far this year - most allegedly by their intimate partner. Their names sometimes hit the headlines, but often not. And even then, the outrage seldom lasts.  We’ve known for a long time that Australia has a problem with violence against women. Little seems to work to change the statistics. For some advocates - a Royal Commission is the only chance at making a difference.  A petition calling for that - now sits at more than 110-thousand signatures.  Today, writer and advocate Jess Hill on whether it will ever happen, and what it could achieve, if it did.    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 and advocate, Jess Hill Photo: Ye Myo Khant / SOPA Images/Sipa USA  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades Pauline Hanson has been on the fringe of politics. Sometimes mocked, often ignored, occasionally courted. Even from that position she’s been influential: her presence can be felt in our immigration policies, dating back to Howard.  But her power and her popularity have never been greater than they are today. A recent poll has one Nation as the most popular party in the country, surpassing Labor in primary support.  So just how possible is an Australia governed by One Nation?  Today, host of The Conversation’s The Making of One Nation podcast, Ashlynne McGhee, on the party’s popularity and what it will try to do with it.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   And you can check out The Making of One Nation podcast here    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Making One Nation podcast host, Ashlynne McGhee Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years on from COVID, a new report has found the world is even more vulnerable to new pandemics than it was before.  The report, by a body linked to the World Health Organisation, has been released as the world grapples with Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks, as well as one of Australia's worst diphtheria outbreaks on record. The report found that, despite advances in vaccines and diagnostics, climate change, armed conflict and misinformation are undermining global preparedness. Today, Professor Sharon Lewin from the Doherty Institute, on the risk of a large-scale disease outbreak and what we should be doing to prepare for 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: Doherty Institute Director, Professor Sharon Lewin Photo: EPA/MARIE JEANNE MUNYERENKANASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world is facing a series of large-scale crises – war, declining democracy, climate catastrophe.  So, is it all a sign that our civilisation is reaching its limits – and that our economic and political systems are nearing collapse? That’s the question Australian author Sarah Wilson has been interrogating for the last three years for her new book, ‘I Eat The Stars’. Today, writer Sarah Wilson on what happens when the systems that hold us together begin to fray all at once – and what the future looks like after civilisational collapse.    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 Sarah Wilson Photo: sarahwilson.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One year ago this week, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, died after being restrained by police inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. This week, his family was told the officers involved will not face charges. The coronial investigation is still underway, with another directions hearing expected next month. Kumanjayi White’s grandfather – Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves – had already spent years calling for accountability after the death of another young Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot and killed by NT police officer Zachary Rolfe in 2019. For Jampijinpa Hargraves, the deaths of Kumanjayi Walker and Kumanjayi White are part of the same crisis: Aboriginal people living under a system that does not make them safe. Today, Jampijinpa Hargraves, on life under the watch of police, the pressure of systems that were never made to protect his people – and what real safety would look like. This episode originally aired in May, 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: Warlpiri elder Jampijinpa ‘Ned’ Hargraves. Photo: AAP Image/James RossSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, the budget blowback is showing no signs of easing but this week the government doubled down, introducing the legislation for its tax changes to parliament. Albeit with the detail around CGT still TBC and with an inbuilt political booby trap for the Coalition. At the same time, Pauline Hanson is floating her own negative gearing model - as One Nation surges in the polls. And while Labor and the Coalition wrestle with how to fend off Hanson’s rise - the Teals are mulling a plan of their own - a teal party combining the power of Independents like David Pocock, Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender. But are they really better together?  Today, political editor at news.com.au Sam Maiden on Albo’s budget resolve, Pauline’s proposal, and teal party 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: Political editor at news.com.au Sam Maiden Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Brereton – the outgoing head of Australia’s National Anti-Corruption Commission – was grilled at Senate estimates this week. Brereton’s time leading the body charged with investigating serious corruption in the Commonwealth public sector has ended in a crisis of confidence – over Robodebt, his ongoing Defence links, and whether the watchdog properly managed conflicts of interest. Brereton says he has become a distraction from the commission’s work. But his resignation raises the question: do the NACC’s problems end with him? Today, independent journalist Nick Feik, on how Australia’s anti-corruption watchdog ended up in crisis – and whether it can recover.   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 Nick Feik Photo: AAP Image/Dominic GianniniSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest host Waleed Aly joins the 7am team as the US launches fresh strikes inside Iran, in the middle of a ceasefire. Days earlier, Donald Trump had said an agreement to end the war was close. Now Iran is threatening to retaliate, amid fears the conflict could escalate again. And while Trump insists peace talks are still “proceeding nicely”, he has raised the stakes for negotiators – trying to turn a narrow deal over Iran, Hormuz and sanctions into something much bigger: an expansion of the Abraham Accords, normalising relations between Israel and more countries in the region. Today, Middle East correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom, on the fragile ceasefire, Trump’s bigger gamble, and who will blink first in the standoff between America and Iran.   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: Middle East correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Sipa USASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most of us, facing court with no lawyer and no legal advice in a case that could change the course of your life would be unthinkable. But that’s the situation currently facing dozens of defendants in the Northern Territory – many of them disadvantaged or with English as their second or third language, some just children – all being forced to go it alone in a legal system most adults would struggle to navigate. Lawyer Clancy Dane says a shortage of legal aid, exacerbated by the state government’s tough-on-crime agenda, is leaving vulnerable people without the right to a fair trial. Now, he’s fighting to change that. Today, Territory Criminal Lawyers principal Clancy Dane, on what he says is the worst legal aid crisis the country has ever seen.   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: Territory Criminal Lawyers principal, Clancy Dane Photo: AAP Image/Esther LinderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, seven Australians returned home after being detained by Israel. They had been part of the Global Sumud Flotilla – more than 400 activists from 56 countries trying to reach Gaza by sea, carrying food and medicine. Four days after they set sail from Turkiye, Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters and took the passengers to Israel. Then Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, released footage of detainees bound on the ground, as he stood over them and taunted them. Israel says the operation was lawful and that no one was harmed. But the Australians who have now returned say they were beaten, humiliated, denied food and water, and held for almost 80 hours. Today, in part one of a two-part episode, filmmaker and flotilla participant Juliet Lamont on what she says happened from the moment Israeli forces reached her boat. 7am has contacted the Israeli embassy for comment. And a warning, this episode contains reference to sexual assault.   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: Flotilla activist, Juliet Lamont Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De MarchiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawyers for the Australians detained after Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla are now building a record of what happened.  They’re reviewing footage, collecting medical evidence, and taking witness statements alleging beatings, humiliation, denial of food and water, and detention in harsh conditions.  The legal team says the evidence points to serious abuse of Australian citizens – and amounts to crimes. So now the Australians are home, the question is what happens next: whether Australia will do more than condemn, and whether Israel will face any consequence. Today, human rights lawyer Bernadette Zaydan, who represents the 11 Australians on the Global Sumud Flotilla, on what accountability looks like. This is part two of a two part episode. If you haven’t already, go back and listen to our conversation with flotilla participant, Juliet Lamont.   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: Lawyer representing the Australian flotilla activists, Bernadette Zaydan Photo: @itamarbengvir via XSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is again being forced to reckon with the violence being inflicted on women and children.  The PM is adamant a royal commission isn’t the answer, dismissing the idea in an interview that’s gone viral. But his sudden disdain for royal commissions is out of step with what thousands of Australians want to see in response to the scourge of domestic violence.  After another devastating week, thousands of people from all walks of life have backed calls for a royal commission into the killing of women and children at the hands of an intimate partner or someone they know. Today, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, on the pressure for a national reckoning, the limits of government response, and the growing concern about how violence is shaping the lives of young people.    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: Social Services Minister, Tanya Plibersek Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Federal Court has ordered Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue to pay the Yindjibarndi people $150.1 million. It is the biggest native title compensation payout in Australian history. But for Yindjibarndi leaders, the judgment is complicated. The payout is historic, but it is far below the $1.8 billion they were seeking. The case goes back more than two decades – to Fortescue’s Solomon Hub mines in the Pilbara, which were built on Yindjibarndi land without the agreement of the traditional owners. And the payout includes only about $100,000 for economic loss, despite Fortescue making billions from the mines. Journalist Ben Abbatangelo tells the story of Michael Woodley – the Yindjibarndi lawman who took on Andrew Forrest – and asks: what is the true cost of mining someone else’s Country? This episode was originally published in May 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: Ben Abbatangelo Photo: AAP Image/Richard WainwrightSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal budget has been hit by a fierce campaign from large sections of the media and a handful of high-profile millennial entrepreneurs. But so far, Labor’s polling has remained relatively unscathed. But that doesn’t mean voters are happy. People might not be shifting their votes over this budget, but many still feel there’s nothing in it for them right now.  For the Coalition, that should be an opening. Instead, it's One Nation turning that frustration into real momentum. Today, Director of Strategy and Analytics at RedBridge Group, Kos Samaras, on Labor’s budget woes, the Coalition’s failure to capitalise, and the populist right’s growing hold on Australian 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: RedBridge Group Director, Kos Samaras Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It started with a single nightclub attack and escalated into what’s been dubbed Melbourne’s hospitality crime war. More than 30 clubs, pubs and restaurants have now been targeted in drive-by shootings, break-ins and firebombings. And while dozens of arrests have now been made, the people behind the attacks remain a mystery. One theory? That an international crime syndicate led by a man called “the Ghost” is ordering the hits from a bunker in Iraq.  Today, senior reporter at the Herald Sun, Seb Costello, on the escalating attacks threatening the lives and livelihoods of Melbourne venue owners. 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: Senior reporter at the Herald Sun, Seb Costello Photo: AAP Image/Joel CarrettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For two decades, we’ve had a tax policy that pushed up house prices, gave landlords huge advantages, and ultimately created an intergenerational wealth divide.  A week ago, the government said it wanted to do something about that and announced changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax.  But the budget hasn’t gone down well – for some, it doesn’t go far enough to make a real difference to the housing market. For others, particularly in business, changes to capital gains go too far.  Today, Treasurer Jim Chalmers defends his budget.    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: Treasurer Jim Chalmers Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may know him as Keli Holiday, one-half of Peking Duck, or even as Abbie Chatfield’s boyfriend… Now, Australian musician Adam Hyde has become the latest high-profile victim of Trump’s tough border rules – after he was denied re-entry to the States in the middle of his North American tour. The explanation? National security concerns. That’s it – nothing more. And it’s not an isolated incident. In Trump’s America, Australian artists are increasingly finding themselves blocked from entry, threatening their careers and livelihoods in a market that’s crucial for their success. Today, co-founder of Lamestream, Osman Faruqi, on border control, censorship and why the Australian government should be pushing back   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-founder of Lamestream, Osman Faruqi Photo: AAP Image/Sitthixay DitthavongSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend in Vegas, athletes including Australian swimmer James Magnussen will take part in the Enhanced Games – a competition that freely allows doping.  It's the creation of controversial Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, and it's bankrolled by Peter Thiel and one of Donald Trump’s sons.  The competition has enticed athletes with huge cash prizes – and is, in turn, selling the performance-enhancing drugs those athletes will experiment with.  Today, Chief Sports Writer at The Sydney Morning Herald Tom Decent – on the spectacle, and the seediness of the Enhanced Games. 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: Chief sports writers at the SMH, Tom Decent Photo: Instagram: james.magnussenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, Eurovision got a feel-good ending. Bulgaria won the contest for the very first time with their infectious song Bangaranga. And Australia came close - with Delta Goodrem placing 4th. But the controversy over Israel didn’t go away. Israeli singer Noam Bettan finished second, after getting a huge huge public vote – despite protests outside the contest, boycotts from five countries, and warnings over the Israeli broadcaster KAN running a campaign telling people to vote ten times. Eurovision insists it’s a non-political contest... but over the past three years, Israel’s place in it  has exposed how political that stage can be – and how useful it can be for a government trying to shape how the world sees it. Today, author of Eurovision!: A History of Modern Europe Through the World’s Greatest Song Contest, Chris West, on the boycott, the vote, and how Israel turned the world’s biggest song contest into a soft-power campaign.   If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.   And Eurovision audio is courtesy of SBS.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Author of Eurovision!: A History of Modern Europe Through the World's Greatest Song Contest, Chris West. Photo: EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s budget shows AUKUS is getting bigger. The government is putting more money into the agencies, workforce and infrastructure needed for nuclear-powered submarines. But the deal still relies on the US agreeing to sell them to Australia, and on a Trump administration that has already reviewed AUKUS through an “America First” lens. And as the program grows, the public still knows very little about what Australia is trading away to keep it alive. Today, former Director of War Studies for the Australian Army, Dr Albert Palazzo, on the secrecy around AUKUS – and the US military expansion on Australian soil. This episode was originally published in December 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: Former Director of War Studies for the Australian Army and adjunct professor at UNSW, Dr Albert Palazzo Photo: AAP Image/Pool, Colin MurtySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Labor handed down its fifth budget, Anthony Albanese spent the week answering one question: had he broken his promise? The government wanted the budget framed as a fairness agenda built around changes to negative gearing, capital gains tax and trusts, and a pitch to younger Australians locked out of housing. Instead, the immediate political fight became whether voters could trust the prime minister. But the noise around broken-promises obscures deeper conversations about what the housing tax changes will actually deliver, the omission of a gas export levy, and the tens of billions of dollars being cut from the NDIS. Meanwhile, Angus Taylor’s budget reply showed where the Coalition wants the argument to go next: migration, welfare and net zero – as One Nation surges in the polls. Today, Cheek Media CEO and host of Big Small Talk, Hannah Ferguson, on the ambition, compromises and contradictions in Labor’s budget – and what young voters are being asked to accept.   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 CEO and host of the Big Small Talk podcast, Hannah Ferguson. Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator David Pocock has been one of the fiercest advocates for the You win some, you lose more report, known as the Murphy Review, and its recommendations to reduce the harms of online gambling. It took the Albanese government 1,049 days to formally respond to the landmark inquiry that called for urgent action to reduce gambling harm, including a phased ban on gambling advertising. When the government did finally release its response this week, it was hidden on budget day and stopped well short of that central recommendation, prompting anger from advocates and crossbenchers who say the government has failed to meet the scale of the problem. Today, Senator David Pocock on the government’s handling of the Murphy Review, the power of the gambling lobby and why he says the response shows a failure of political leadership.   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 senator David Pocock Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a case where the art has been overshadowed by the drama.  The star of Australian film The Deb, singer Charlotte McInnes, is suing Australian actor and director Rebel Wilson for defamation.  Over two weeks of hearings, the court was told about smear campaigns, hacked Snapchats, and the central claim: that Rebel Wilson lied about her star actress. Rebel is accused of being a fantastical liar who orchestrated a ‘complete revision of history’. She maintains she’s telling the truth – and that she’s a whistleblower who supports women.   A judge is deciding which version of events is true – with a decision expected any day.  Today, senior reporter at The Daily Telegraph, Nathanael Cooper, on the trial, the movie, and the consequences for everyone involved.   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: Senior Reporter at The Daily Telegraph, Nathanael Cooper Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The housing market – and young people without rich parents being locked out of it – has dominated dinner table conversations for years.  This budget the Albanese government decided to try and do something about it: limiting negative gearing and replacing the capital gains tax.  So what difference will that make and how long will it take for anything to change?  One person who can help answer those questions is Stephen Koukoulas. He’s been an economist for decades, including as Senior Economic Advisor to then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard. He’s seen first hand how these tax policies have shaped the housing market and how reversing them has seemed impossible.  Today, economist Stephen Koukoulas on the future of housing 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: Economist, Stephen Koukoulas Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a budget framed around fairness for workers and for young people locked out of the housing market.  Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ fifth budget restricts negative gearing – though not for anyone who was already doing it – while also promising to increase housing supply and deliver a $250 tax cut for workers.  Chalmers wants the budget to be seen as ambitious – but is it?  Today, press gallery journalist Karen Middleton, on what the Treasurer is promising - and whether it delivers.    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.

Tim Tams and Tiny Teddies aren’t usually the stuff federal court cases are made of, but product by product, dollar by dollar, the ACCC has been building its case against supermarket giants Coles and Woolies over what it claims were fake discounts. Now, both cases have wrapped and the judge is reviewing the evidence.  With inflation and grocery prices soaring, the timing couldn’t be more crucial.Today, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute, Greg Jericho on the case against the supermarket giants, and its implications for Australian shoppers.   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: Chief Economist at the Australia Institute, Greg Jericho Photo: AAP Image/Sam MooySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s something Pauline Hanson has been eyeing for years – and on the weekend, she finally got it: a seat in the lower house. Her candidate for Farrer, David Farley, did even better than expected: he was elected on 57 per cent of the vote.  It changes things not just for Pauline Hanson and One Nation, but for the country. Today, contributing editor for The New Daily, Amy Remeikis, on the power of populism right now, and what One Nation wants 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: Contributing editor for the New Daily, Amy Remeikis Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De MarchiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first week of hearings at the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion opened with Jewish Australians describing what life now feels like. Jewish community groups say reported antisemitic incidents in Australia have surged since October 7. But the commission is not only hearing about what’s happened. It’s also being asked to answer a difficult question: what counts as antisemitism  – and where is the line between political speech, criticism of Israel, and hatred directed at Jews? Today, historian of modern Jewish life and culture David Slucki, who leads Monash University’s research into antisemitism, on how antisemitism should be understood, measured and responded to. 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 Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, David Slucki Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year – after months of pressure over youth crime, and claims the system had become too soft – Victoria passed what it proudly called the toughest bail laws in the country. At the time, legal and human rights experts warned the laws would put more children in custody and disproportionately affect First Nations people. Now, the Allan government is doubling down. In this week’s state budget, it said bail refusals were at record highs – and promised more money for corrections, faster youth crime hearings and a rewrite of sentencing laws. But the deeper question hasn’t changed: should bail be a right or a tool for crime prevention? Today, we’re returning to Daniel James’ conversation with legal academic Professor Marilyn McMahon on how media pressure and politics are reshaping bail – and what that means for justice. This episode was originally published in March, 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 in Deakin Law School, Dr Marilyn McMahon Photo: AAP Image/Con ChronisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The seat of Farrer in NSW has been empty since the resignation of former Liberal leader Sussan Ley.  Today, a new member will be elected, and while the race is tight – One Nation’s David Farley is ahead in the polls. He’ll be picking up Coalition preferences, but faces a strong challenge from independent Michelle Milthorpe. So will One Nation win its first federal lower house seat? And if so, what will that signal for the future of conservative politics? Today, ABC Election analyst Casey Briggs on the fight for Farrer.    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 Election Analyst, Casey Briggs Photo: AAP Image/Simon DallingerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Late yesterday, four women and nine children arrived in Australia from Syria.  The women, who originally left the country to be part of the Islamic State caliphate, have spent the years since its collapse in Syrian refugee camps.  Many of their children, who are Australian citizens too, have never been here before.  But they aren’t the first to come back – since 2019, women and children like them have been returning.  What they’re returning to has become more and more hostile, with politicians maintaining they aren’t welcome, and police threatening arrest.   Today, Professor Michele Grossman, expert on violent extremism from Deakin University, on our responsibility to these citizens and the danger of politicising their position.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. And special credit for the audio of Australian children inside al-Roj refugee camp goes to William Christou and the Guardian.   Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Expert on violent extremism from Deakin University, Professor Michele Grossman Photo: AP Photo/Baderkhan AhmadSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A flotilla of boats carrying aid towards Gaza was still hundreds of kilometres from the coast when the Israeli navy moved in. Australian activist Zack Schofield was on one of the 50 boats. He says the first sign something was coming was the sound of drones overhead; then radio warnings, military vessels, and soldiers boarding the ship. What happened next is now the subject of serious allegations and competing accounts.  Today, Zack Schofield on the interception at sea, what he says happened in Israeli custody, and why the flotilla may still try to reach Gaza.    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: Australian activist, Zach Schofield Photo: SuppliedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank has raised interest rates again. The cash rate is now 4.35%, after the third rate hike in a row.  For Australians already stretched by the cost of living, it means another hit to mortgage repayments, rents and household budgets.  And while the decision was widely expected, the reason behind it is more complicated. Some economists are calling it the “Hormuz hike”, a response to global oil prices, the war in Iran and fears inflation could skyrocket. Today, economist and co-CEO of the Australia Institute, Dr Richard Denniss, on why the Reserve Bank is making Australians pay more to contain inflation, and the risk that it goes too far.    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: Economist and Co-CEO of the Australia Institute, Dr Richard Denniss Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 25, Kumanjayi Little Baby was reported missing from her bed at the Old Timers town camp, just south of Alice Springs. Five days later, after a community-unifying effort, her body was found. She was five years old. Soon after, community members found the man accused of killing her. They called police and now a 47-year-old man has been charged with murder, and other charges we can’t mention for legal reasons.   For the past week, as her family and community have mourned, Alice Springs/Mparntwe has once again been placed under the intensity of the national gaze; its grief, anger and calls for justice broadcast across the country. Today, the Chief Executive of SNAICC, the national peak body advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, Catherine Liddle, on Kumanjayi Little Baby, the grief in Mparntwe, and the questions that need to be asked without turning her death into another political fight.    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: SNAICC CEO, Catherine Liddle Photo: Matt Garrick ABC NewsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2023, Antionette Lattouf was sacked by the ABC after sharing a Human Rights Watch post about Gaza.  What followed became one of the most closely watched employment cases in the country, raising questions about political pressure, media independence and whose voices are allowed to be heard.  Now, after winning her case, Lattouf has written a book about her fight, and the women who’ve taken on powerful institutions and won. She’s also become part of a new independent media movement, as audiences look beyond legacy institutions for voices they feel they can trust.  Today, Antoinette Lattouf, on the cost of challenging the system, and what comes after winning.    If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. And you can check out Antoinette’s book ‘Women Who Win’ here    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Journalist and co-founder of Ette Media, Antoinette Lattouf Photo: AAP Image/Bianca De MarchiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December last year, in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, Anthony Albanese promised the biggest national gun buyback since Port Arthur. He wanted states and territories to agree to new gun laws by March and legislate them by July. But that first deadline has passed – and the national response is fracturing. Queensland and the Northern Territory are refusing the buyback, Tasmania is rejecting a cap on the number of firearms a person can own, and a national register is not expected to be running until 2028. The Royal Commission into Antisemitism has also weighed in, saying Australia should waste no time in implementing the buyback. So today, 30 years after Port Arthur, we’re returning to our January episode – where Nicole Johnston speaks with Ebony Bennett from the Australia Institute on why Australia has more guns than ever, and why reform is still so difficult. This episode was originally published in January, 2026.   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: Deputy director at The Australia Institute, Ebony Bennett  Photo: AAP Image/Joel CarrettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Albanese government has moved quickly on the royal commission into antisemitism, accepting all the recommendations from its first report, before public hearings begin.  It comes at a volatile moment in national politics, after the issue was seized on by the opposition in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, and as the issue of the conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon continue to expose deep division across the country. Meanwhile, One Nation is trying to turn its momentum in the polls into something more lasting, backed by a private plane from Gina Rinehart and millions in donations from her allies.  Today, ABC Radio Melbourne’s Raf Epstein, on the royal commission, the politics of One Nation, and whether the divisions running through the country are likely to deepen.    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 Radio Melbourne, Raf EpsteinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first report from the Royal Commission into Antisemitism has landed at a volatile moment.  Australia’s terrorism threat level is already listed as probable, and the war in Iran is adding new pressure to an already fragile security environment that risks fuelling grievances, inflaming extremism, and increasing the risk facing Jewish communities in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.  But the interim report leaves some of the hardest questions for later, including whether warnings before the attack were properly acted on and whether security agencies were on the same page when it came to identifying the threat.  Today, counter-terrorism expert Greg Barton on what the report reveals, and why the threat facing Australia may be growing faster than the systems built to stop 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: Counter-terrorism expert at Deakin University, Professor Greg Barton Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran’s war time propaganda videos featuring AI rap music and Lego characters are getting millions of views online. They praise the Islamic Republic, and mock Trump. But their message is also dark, anti-semitic and leaning into conspiracy theories.So how has a regime that’s shut down the internet, and isn’t known for its sense of humor captured the zeitgeist so well? Today, Holly Dagres, an Iranian-American analyst from the Washington Institute on Iran’s viral meme war and what it tells us about the regime.    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: Senior fellow at the Washington Institute, Holly DagresSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.