Two years ago, on the day after the Labor government was sworn into office, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen called a press conference. In those very first remarks, the new minister said the climate wars were over. Some scoffed at the time. There were still plenty of political fights to be had over how Australia would reach net zero – but there was nonetheless a belief that Australia would move forward with climate policy. This week that changed. Today, columnist for The Saturd...
Jun 13, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1268
The US has a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, and this one seems to be gathering momentum. It’s not much different to the previous plans, except that it’s backed by the UN Security Council. The council’s resolution says Israel has accepted the deal, and Hamas has welcomed its adoption, but it hasn’t been signed. So, why not? What’s preventing an agreement on a ceasefire? Today, senior foreign affairs reporter for the Huffington Post Akbar Shahid Ahmed on whether Gaza is any closer to a ceasefir...
Jun 12, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1267
If you were a public service chief picking a firm to run ethics training, would one of the big four consulting firms be your first pick? They have faced intense scrutiny both in the media and in a recent senate inquiry, which will today release its report with recommendations to keep the private consultancy sector in check. Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis, on what the crackdown might entail and why the public service still thinks a consulting firm is best pla...
Jun 11, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1266
Australia is about to receive a visit from the most senior Chinese leader we've had on our shores in almost a decade. But this visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang comes at an interesting time for China. President Xi Jingping is contending with economic stumbles and looming sanctions, making his vision for the future more precarious than ever. So what is going on inside Xi's inner circle? And what message will Xi’s close political ally bring with him when he lands in Australia? Today, contributor t...
Jun 10, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1265
When the robodebt royal commission’s final report landed, it was scathing. It condemned the entire scheme, the individuals who rolled it out and the government culture that enabled it. The commissioner went to significant lengths to refer six people to the then very fresh National Anti-Corruption Commission. But last week, the NACC decided to drop the investigation, essentially saying it had nothing to add. So, what’s the motivation behind this shift? Why not take a swing at the architects of su...
Jun 09, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1264
Over 90 years ago, a Swiss astrophysicist theorised there was an unseen, unobservable force that sits behind the universe we know. He called it ‘dark matter’, and today we’re not much closer to understanding it than he was. But that could be about to change, as a group of Australian researchers are part of our most promising effort yet to uncover the nature of this unseen force Today, Atticus Bastow will read his piece, ‘The search for dark matter’ from The Saturday Paper . Socials: Stay in touc...
Jun 08, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1263
There’s an issue exposing fault lines within our political parties and pitting their traditional supporters against each other, fracturing the electorate. That issue is the new ban on vapes, which is set to pass parliament at the end of the month. The Albanese government’s proposed ban is putting pressure on the Coalition, which has already been losing ground with professional women tired of catching their kids with a vape, while the Greens fear they will alienate their younger voters if they op...
Jun 06, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1262
There’s been a slow but steady reckoning on sexual harassment and discrimination in workplaces across Australia. That reckoning should have already come to the most high-profile workplace in the country – Parliament House. But several years on from the Jenkins report, has the culture really changed? Today, chief political correspondent The Saturday Paper Karen Barlow, on the challenges of policing parliamentarians and why alcohol is so ingrained in political culture. Socials: Stay in touch with ...
Jun 05, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1261
There are two things to know about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The first is that it makes an immense difference to many lives across Australia. The second is that it’s wildly expensive and is projected to cost even more in the future. So, how to reconcile those two realities? It’s what the government is trying to solve with a new piece of legislation that’s been shrouded in secrecy for months – but some in the sector say this legislation could hand government authorities more power...
Jun 04, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1260
Many Australians have an idea of New Caledonia. It’s just two hours away by plane and is sold to travellers with images of luxurious hotel complexes and pristine beaches. But riots in the capital, a state of emergency and the intervention of the French military have been reminders that the future of New Caledonia is a fraught political question sitting on our doorstep. So, what provoked the unrest? How are we involved? And why are the French still trying to hold on to a Pacific nation? Today, jo...
Jun 03, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1259
Donald Trump’s conviction in a New York courthouse has led to furious reactions from his supporters and allies. A presidential candidate has never been convicted of a felony during their campaign and that historic first is just the latest uncertainty thrown into an already fractious election campaign. So, could things combust? Has the risk of political violence just gone up? Today, senior researcher at The Australia Institute Dr Emma Shortis, on the mind-boggling logistics and the risk of violen...
Jun 02, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1259
Some non-Australian citizens facing deportation for convictions of serious crimes like domestic violence and child sexual abuse are managing to hang onto their visas and stay in the country. It’s sparked fierce debate in Canberra this week, as both sides of parliament attempt to answer one question – who is to blame? So, why are non-citizens in Australia being allowed to stay after they have served their time? Why are tribunals finding they shouldn’t be deported? And is the system working? Today...
May 30, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1258
Nine years ago, the Liberal Party said it was aiming for gender parity by 2025. Since then, the number of Liberal women in parliaments across the country has actually fallen. And it’s costing the party seats in the federal parliament, with professional women abandoning the party in droves – often in favour of the teal independents. Now, with another election approaching, the Liberals have a fresh batch of candidates. Some of them look and speak like teals, but will it be enough to win back scept...
May 29, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1257
As many as 2000 people have been buried under rubble and dirt after a landslide in Papua New Guinea’s remote highlands this week. Video released days later showing locals digging with their hands is a reminder of how difficult disaster response is in a country that’s just four kilometres from the top of Australia. The PNG highlands are an inaccessible and dangerous part of the world. Now, after a natural disaster, conditions are even worse. Today, senior lecturer at the Centre for Advancing Jour...
May 28, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1256
There are currently a number of running campaigns concerned about the effects of social media on young people. These effects include exposure to harmful content to mental health issues, cyberbullying, depression and even suicide. And the proposed solution is to simply ban anyone under the age of 16 from social media for their own protection. But how realistic is that solution? And would it even work? Today, chief anchor and managing director of 6 News Australia Leo Puglisi on what he thinks of t...
May 27, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1255
Here’s a question for you: can you place a value on lost cultural heritage, on separation from land and on families divided? It’s not only a moral quandary. The Federal Court is currently trying to calculate how much compensation is owed in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Yindjibarndi Traditional Owners have been locked in a long-running legal battle with Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue Metals Group and the WA government over what the Federal Court ruled was illegal mining on their land. Today, c...
May 26, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1254
The 2024 Euros are just weeks away – with some of the best footballers in the world competing in an event that draws in hundreds of millions of viewers. But the legacy of the last Euros is still an uncomfortable topic for many in England. Not only because they lost, but also the scenes of violence and hooliganism that led to a national debate and a new Netflix documentary. Today, journalist Martin McKenzie-Murray reads his piece from this weekend’s edition of The Saturday Paper. Socials: Stay in...
May 25, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1253
On Monday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan announced he would apply for arrest warrants for senior Hamas leaders as well as Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant. So, how did the ICC’s prosecutor come to the point of applying for arrest warrants? What happens next? And can international law survive the scrutiny it’s now under? Today, expert in international law and professor at the University of California Davis Chimene Keitner...
May 23, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1252
The members of this federal Labor government have been pretty disciplined on not publicly criticising party policy. So it raised a few eyebrows when MPs from inner-city seats took aim at the government’s Future Gas Strategy. The plan pumps up gas as a vital part of the energy transition through to 2050 and beyond, which is at odds with moves to get households off gas as quickly as possible. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on what’s behind the gas plan and why ...
May 22, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1251
Julian Assange’s lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, describes the long, meandering court process Assange has faced as “punishment by process”. Just this week, in a decision that may have saved Assange from being immediately extradited to the United States, the British High Court ruled it will hear one more appeal against his extradition – but not until later this year. The only other literal get-out-of-jail card for Assange is if the US drops the charges against him. Today, Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Rob...
May 21, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1250
When observing the Al Roj refugee camp in Northern Syria on Google Maps, you can see it’s only a few hundred metres away from an airport tarmac. But for the 40 Australian citizens stranded at the camp – with no water, electricity or any real plan for the future – getting on a plane home could still be years away. Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis, on why the government seems to have abandoned its plans to bring them home. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitt...
May 20, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1249
If you’ve bought salmon at the supermarket, there’s a strong chance it came from Tasmania. The island state is home to a billion-dollar salmon farming industry and much of it is located at Macquarie Harbour. That harbour is where Booker Prize-winning author Richard Flanagan grew up. But it’s also home to a 60-million-year-old creature whose fate appears to be the first Australian species to be wiped off the face of the earth during this federal government. Today, writer and contributor to The Mo...
May 19, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1248
This week, Jim Chalmers delivered what could be the most politically significant budget of his career – with the future of a Labor government and the country’s cost of living crisis on the line. Today, he joins 7am to discuss his vision for Australia’s economy and whether the government has done enough to end the living crisis. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Treasurer of Australia, Dr Jim Chalmers See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 16, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1247
It’s a budget we’ll be talking about for a long time, as we head to the next election and try to escape the cost of living crisis. But even though the budget is only 36 hours old, we’re starting to see the early criticisms from rival politicians emerge. So, has Labor spent enough to ease the cost of living? Or spent too much? And do the critics have plans of their own that would actually benefit Australians? Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on where the battle lines are bei...
May 15, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1246
Jim Chalmers delivered what could be the most important budget of his political career last night. But how much will it help with the cost of living and how will we feel the impact? Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Barlow on the budget that’s attempting to reshape Australia’s response to the living crisis. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper , Karen Barlow See omnystudio.com/listener ...
May 14, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1245
It’s budget week, which means crunch time for the leaders tasked with tackling how expensive Australia is right now. And the thing we’re all talking about is our grocery bills, why food seems to cost more each time we visit the supermarket. Today, national affairs correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe on what some call the great price gouge and whether the government is doing enough to address the rising cost of putting food on our plates. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter a...
May 13, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1244
This week, as the federal budget is handed down, we’re bringing you The Cost: Inside the living crisis. We’ll explore the impact this crisis is having on our country, why it just isn’t ending and whether our leaders are doing enough to protect our standard of living. Today, executive director of the Australia Institute Richard Denniss on when prices will finally stop going up – and the kind of country we risk becoming once the crisis is finally over. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and...
May 12, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1243
The tasering of a 95-year-old grandmother, the double-murder of a Surry Hills couple, the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial and now the spike in domestic violence. These are some of the biggest stories in Australia over the past 12 months, and all of them have drawn in one very powerful woman – Karen Webb, the commissioner of the NSW Police Force. The veteran cop has found herself at press conferences and interviews having to defend herself and the force to a national audience. Today, senior repor...
May 09, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1242
One of Australia’s favourite shows has a contentious sponsor this year. MasterChef , a show that delivers fairytale stories of home cooks rising to national celebrity, is being supported by the gas industry. So what does big gas want with MasterChef ? And what are they paying for? Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on the fight over the future of our kitchens and whether the gas industry can survive their next major elimination challenge. Socials: Stay in touch w...
May 08, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1241
Israeli airstrikes are targeting the southernmost city in Gaza and tanks have been seen entering the outskirts of the city. Rafah was once the last safe haven in Gaza, where civilians fleeing Israeli bombardment had been told to seek refuge. The United States, along with international allies, have long pushed for Israel not to invade the city. Today, Middle East correspondent for The Economist Gregg Carlstrom, on Rafah and what it would take to clinch a last-ditch ceasefire deal. Socials: Stay i...
May 07, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1240
