After a week of turmoil, the Coalition has patched things up and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has unveiled her new shadow ministry. The appointments show the Coalition’s wounds are still raw. Nationals Leader David Littleproud secured key concessions in the renewed pact, but his hardball tactics have colleagues wondering how long he’ll last. Meanwhile, Labor is wrestling with its own debate over Gaza, as party elders and backbenchers push for tougher action against Israel. Today, press gallery j...
May 29, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1575
Philip Low’s brain-mapping breakthrough made him a billionaire. Now a blistering Facebook post has thrust the neuroscientist into a new fight – with his old friend, Elon Musk. Low called Musk a “narcissist with an obsessive lust for power” in a post shared nearly 50,000 times before it mysteriously vanished. Now Low is claiming X and other social media platforms are silencing dissent, and has set aside US$250 million to test in court whether their promises of “free speech” are really false adver...
May 28, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1574
Until late last year, the United States had a US$10 million bounty on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. A former leader of the al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Sharaa was once an enemy of America. Now Syria’s transitional leader, al-Sharaa has just met US President Donald Trump, who called him “an attractive young guy” with “a strong past” and pledged to lift sanctions on Damascus. Today, Damascus-based correspondent, Heidi Pett, on meeting al-Sharaa in person, how he won an audience with...
May 27, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1573
Tony Abbott was on a layover in Dubai when he phoned Natasha Griggs – the president of the Country Liberal Party – and set off a chain reaction inside the Coalition. Hours later, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price defected to the Liberals and a surprise leadership ticket was taking shape. For moderates, it was another sign that the former prime minister and his confidante, Peta Credlin, are still pulling the party’s levers from the outside. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jaso...
May 26, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1572
Australia has a new environment minister – and he has a big job ahead of him: fixing the country’s broken environment laws. Murray Watt has replaced Tanya Plibersek, whose efforts at reform were famously thwarted by the prime minister. But before Watt can begin that task, he faces another critical decision: whether to let Woodside Energy extend its North West Shelf gas project to 2070 – opening new gas fields and unleashing a “carbon bomb” worth roughly 10 times Australia’s current annual emissi...
May 25, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1571
London-based Australian author Jessica Stanley’s second novel, Consider Yourself Kissed , opens with all the beats of a classic romantic comedy – a meet-cute, a grand gesture, instant attraction – but what follows is a book about the next bit, the day to day reality of just living. But Jessica writes it with grace and wit and compassion, finding the romance in what comes next when two people decide to be together. In this episode of Read This , Michael sits down with Jessica for a conversation a...
May 24, 2025•24 min•Ep. 1570
Yesterday we were saying “rest in peace” to the Coalition – but today there are signs it could be reborn. The Liberal and National parties are back at the negotiating table to see if they can repair their broken bond. How Sussan Ley handles this moment will say a lot about the future of the Liberal Party under her leadership. It’s a choice between a strained partnership or a future free from the constraints of compromise. Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Barlow,...
May 22, 2025•13 min•Ep. 1569
Just a week after taking charge in the wake of the Liberals’ disastrous election result, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley now finds herself without a coalition partner. Nationals leader David Littleproud says he walked from the agreement after the Liberals refused to lock in a list of policy commitments, while Ley accused the Nationals of holding the agreement “hostage”. The split is a major setback for the Liberals, but it may be worse for the National Party – now relegated to a minor party on the ...
May 21, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1568
Thousands of children from South Korea have been adopted by Australian families over decades. In many cases, these children were raised to believe they were orphans – and their adoptive families believed they were doing something loving and selfless by giving them a home. But a much more sinister truth has been laid bare: South Korea’s own Truth and Reconciliation Commission exposed how many of those adoptions were built on falsified orphan records, and traced trafficking and forged documents ba...
May 20, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1567
Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plans to step up his country’s attacks on Gaza, with “extensive ground operations”. Israeli officials have described the strategy as “conquering” and occupying the strip. That plan is now underway, with ground operations in the north and in the south. In the past week, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, making it one of the deadliest periods in Gaza since ceasefire negotiations broke down in March. Last week, Donald T...
May 19, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1566
Larissa Waters is the new leader of the Australian Greens. She steps in as the party reels from its election wipe-out, losing three of its four seats in the House of Representatives – including that of Adam Bandt. Senator Waters’ task is to repair the Greens’ image: Labor has painted the party as obstructive and militant, and that perception has cost the Greens votes. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Mike Seccombe, on Larissa Waters – why she won, and whether she can rebuil...
May 18, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1565
Josephine Rowe’s writing has been described by the New York Times as “gorgeous” and “precise”. This is particularly evident in her latest novel, Little World ; a slender book that offers a deeper, denser exploration of ideas than its modest page count might suggest. This week on Read This, Michael sits down with Josephine to discuss the genesis of Little World and why a library card might be her most prized possession. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 17, 2025•26 min•Ep. 1564
When Labor insiders are asked who was responsible for their thumping election victory, one name keeps coming up: Paul Erickson. Even though Erickon likes to keep a low profile, Anthony Albanese made a point of thanking him in his victory speech on election night. So, who is Paul Erickson? And what is next for the quiet force behind Labor’s landslide win? Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Jason Koutsoukis, on the electoral battles that shaped Paul Erickson and whether he has a ...
May 15, 2025•13 min•Ep. 1563
Three years ago this month, Sussan Ley stood beside Peter Dutton as his deputy, the newly installed pair projecting confidence about the contest ahead. Ley backed Dutton enthusiastically. But now, in 2025, she faces the public as the Coalition’s new leader after voters rejected the Dutton-Ley project and handed the Liberals its worst defeat on record. The task before Ley is threefold: unite the Coalition, reset its policy platform, and win back the city women and younger voters who deserted the ...
May 14, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1562
When Anthony Albanese’s new ministry was sworn in this week, it was overshadowed by the axing of Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus. Husic in particular didn’t go quietly, calling Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles a “factional assassin”. After a landslide victory – with 93 seats and counting – the prime minister could choose from a significant talent pool to assemble the ministry. But the process was limited by longstanding factional rules. Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Jason K...
May 13, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1561
Today, the Liberal Party will elect a new leader. Whoever is chosen will have to figure out how to attract women back to the party – both candidates and voters. But Julia Banks thinks that ship has sailed and it’s time for a new coalition. Today, the former Liberal MP on what it’s like to be a woman in the party – and why she’ll never go 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 ...
May 12, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1560
Just before 4.30pm last Wednesday, Antony Green called it for the ABC: Greens leader Adam Bandt had lost his seat. Fifteen years after Bandt won the inner-urban seat of Melbourne from the ALP, Labor has taken it back – along with two of the Greens’ other three seats – leaving the party with just a single MP in the House of Representatives and without a leader. The wipeout came as a shock to the Greens, who had high hopes of increasing their number of representatives in parliament. But despite th...
May 11, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1559
In addition to being an established novelist, James Bradley is also a journalist and writer of non-fiction, much of it concerned with the natural world and the myriad threats it faces. Set in the near future, in a world that is in the grips of climate catastrophe, his latest novel, Landfall , is a crime thriller at its heart. On this episode of Read This, Michael and James discuss what it means to write into a specific genre and why kindness is so important in both this novel and the world. See ...
May 10, 2025•22 min•Ep. 1558
A week ago, most pundits were predicting a hung parliament as the likely outcome of Australia’s federal election. Instead, Labor has secured one of its largest majorities in recent decades – eclipsing even Bob Hawke’s first-term result. Anthony Albanese now commands near-unquestioned authority within his party. But as the celebrations subside, questions are already emerging about how his government will use that mandate and whether hubris could undo it. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper, P...
May 08, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1557
In 1999, Ali Jafari fled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and was resettled as a refugee in Australia. But then, while visiting Pakistan, his permanent residency was suddenly cancelled. Now, 12 years later, he’s still stranded – separated from his family and fighting ASIO’s allegations that he is a people smuggler. In court, Jafari’s family and legal team are up against it. They have discovered that the evidence behind his adverse security assessment is deemed confidential and will only be pres...
May 07, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1556
In January, Katie Tangey was killed in a Melbourne house fire believed to be part of the ongoing “tobacco wars”. Police say she was an innocent victim and the arsonists got the wrong address. The tobacco wars are driven by rival gangs fighting over a black market worth billions, and have been marked by firebombings, extortion and murder. While headlines focus on the violence, skyrocketing government taxes on tobacco have long been fuelling the fire behind the scenes. Today, associate editor for ...
May 06, 2025•13 min•Ep. 1555
As Peter Dutton conceded his 24-year hold on the Brisbane seat of Dickson, he said the Liberal Party will “rebuild”. The party’s soul-searching has begun, as it looks to select a new leader and consider its future direction. But a return to the Liberal Party’s traditional values is complicated by Peter Dutton having led the party further to the right and the election having diminished much of its moderate wing. Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Karen Barlow, on what’s...
May 05, 2025•17 min•Ep. 1554
Karen Middleton has known Anthony Albanese for more than 30 years – since before he entered parliament. She’s watched his rise, and documented the moments that have shaped the leader he is today. And Karen says this election is going to change Anthony Albanese, in ways that will change the country too. Today author of Albanese: Telling it Straight Karen Middleton, on why Anthony Albanese won – and what the next three years of Labor government will look like. If you enjoy 7am , the best way you c...
May 04, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1553
The mood inside Labor HQ was jubilant as it became clear that against all expectations, Anthony Albanese had led the Labor party to victory, with a significantly increased majority. For the coalition the outcome is devastating, and Peter Dutton is out of a job. On top of that, the next generation of Liberal leadership has been wiped off the electoral map, setting the party back for years to come. Today, we take you inside Anthony Albanese’s election night party with special correspondent for The...
May 03, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1552
It’s election day! While Anthony Albanese’s campaign has been modest and predictable, Peter Dutton’s has been marked by missteps and backflips. It seems the traits that powered Dutton’s rise are now holding him back. Today, columnist and former adviser to two prime ministers, Sean Kelly, on the decisions that shaped both leaders – and what killed Peter Dutton’s campaign. If you enjoy 7am , the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support . Socials: Stay in...
May 02, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1551
Since the election was announced, just five weeks ago, at least five women have been killed by their partners in Australia. Yet this crisis has barely received a mention in either of the two major parties’ campaigns. Dr Tracy Westerman, a Nyamal woman from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, has worked as a psychologist in remote communities for 25 years. She says where she works, the silence from politicians has been especially deafening. Aboriginal women face a significantly higher risk o...
May 01, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1550
There’s one question Grace Tame is asked all the time: when is she going into politics? And her answer is always the same – never. Like many younger Australians, Tame is disillusioned with the two-party system, which she says serves a dwindling minority of morbidly wealthy players rather than the general public. But as Australia heads into an election where Gen Z and Millennials outnumber Baby Boomers for the first time, she thinks it’s a chance to move beyond the two-party games. Today, 2021 Au...
Apr 30, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1549
Under Peter Dutton’s leadership, the Coalition has placed One Nation candidates second on scores of how-to-vote cards across the country. In return, Pauline Hanson has switched One Nation's how-to-vote cards to preference the Liberals second in seats where the Coalition is under threat. The decision goes against decades of principled condemnation of Hanson and One Nation inside the Liberal Party, and normalises what has for almost 30 years been a shunned fringe voice in Australian politics. It s...
Apr 29, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1548
If things go the Greens’ way this weekend, the party could hold the balance of power in a minority Labor government. But given the prime minister’s famed antipathy towards the Greens – and the Labor Party’s continual approvals of new coal and gas projects – questions remain about whether they’ll really have any power at all. Today, Greens leader Adam Bandt, on working with Albanese and what the Greens have to show for their record win last time around. If you enjoy 7am , the best way you can sup...
Apr 28, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1547
As we head to the polls this weekend, election analyst Ben Raue has been calculating the path to victory for the major parties. The Coalition needs to pick up 18 seats to win, while if Labor loses four seats, they lose their majority. But as the electorate shifts in all kinds of surprising ways, the path to victory is becoming increasingly complicated for the major parties. Today, analyst at The Tally Room Ben Raue, on the seats that will decide the election – and why Victoria matter...
Apr 27, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1546
