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An independent daily news show that features the country's best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.
Episodes
Chanel Contos on the fight to turn off your algorithms
Speaking at the Press Club this week, consent education advocate Chanel Contos outlined how social media companies are feeding misogynistic content to young men online. Now, she wants the government to compel social media companies to give people the option to restrict their algorithm. So can, and should, the algorithm be contained? And would social media companies even comply? T
Should Meta’s “pervert glasses” be banned?
They’ve been dubbed pervert glasses. And with good reason – women around the world are reporting being sexually harassed, filmed without their consent, often without their knowledge. But this week, the federal government ruled out an import ban on smart glasses – as concerns about the technology rise and examples of their misuse flood the internet.Today, Associate Dean of I
Labor’s One Nation problem
One Nation has declared that “politics has changed” after snatching a formerly safe Labor seat in a surprise by-election victory in WA over the weekend. Until now, it had been the Coalition feeling the effects of the orange wave, but now Labor officially has a Pauline problem of its own. So what does this mean for the government, and the country? Today, WA political reporter for Busine
“Accident waiting to happen”: Why Nepal’s floods could happen again
A wall of grey, silted water tears through a Himalayan Valley. People look on in shock, disbelief and fear as buildings are swallowed. Cars are swept away and people run as the flood surges down below. In its aftermath, more than 800 people are dead and thousands are missing, including 43 Australians. In the search for answers, scientists now believe the disaster began high in the moun
Anthony ‘the Mooch’ Scaramucci: The man who turned on Trump
On day one of his role as communications director for the White House, Anthony Scaramucci sung Donald Trump’s praises. He would serve in that role for just another ten days, a span of time that has become known as a “mooch”. Since leaving the White House, Scaramucci has become one of the president’s most vocal and scathing critics. Now, he says Trump’s return to
Is Australia failing to teach kids to read?
The latest NAPLAN results show around a third of Australian students are still falling short in literacy and numeracy – results that have barely budged since 2023. At the same time, Australia is settling a decades-long fight over how children should be taught to read. For years, many schools relied on outdated methods that encouraged children to work out words using context, pictures and oth
The “three shocks” reshaping Australian politics
Australia has changed in ways our politics is still struggling to understand. We are now a majority migrant nation. Professional women have overtaken blue-collar men as the largest group in the workforce. And the two countries Australia has relied on most, China and the United States, have become less predictable. Labor has adapted to parts of this new reality. The Coalition, so far, h
“I feel sick about it”: Tanya Plibersek on the Swans, Scots College and rising misogyny
Over the past two weeks, allegations of sexual assault involving some of the country’s most powerful institutions – the Swans and Sydney’s Scots College – have forced an uncomfortable question about how Australia responds when women say they have been harmed. But behind those cases is an even more troubling shift. New research suggests some young men are becoming more hosti
Operation Economic Outcast: Can Trump really isolate Iran?
As Trump’s war with Iran reaches the six-month mark, the US is increasing its economic pressure – threatening harsher sanctions not just against Iran, but against anyone else who does business with it. That puts China, the country’s most important trading partner, directly in Washington’s sights. But how much of this is just bluster? And has Trump lost the ability to turn t
The manmade origins of bird flu and the mutations dangerous to humans
Bird flu has reached a new milestone, crossing over to infect and kill a seal in South Australia. It marks a new phase of the outbreak, and has sparked fears for many endangered wildlife species, which face the possibility of extinction. So how does the way we farm, eat, and live make us vulnerable to viruses like this? And could humans be at risk with the next mutation? Today, j
The “cult” church accused of paying far-right activists for election stunts
Last year, the Prime Minister was ambushed in his hotel lobby by far-right figures boasting of being fed “private intel” during the last election campaign. The incident was one of about a dozen stunts targeting Labor, the Greens and some Independents. It turns out, this wasn’t just about influencers trying to generate content. It was actually a co-ordinated campaign a
The $100,000-a-month market for Trump’s posts
Donald Trump has found a new way to make money. Trump Media and Technology Group is monetising the president’s social media posts, selling Wall Street firms early access to them for as much as $100,000 a month. And in the world of traders, a few milliseconds can mean millions of dollars. Now, Trump is being sued over the arrangement, amid claims it gives paying customers preferential access
‘You inflicted untold suffering’: the Erin Patterson sentence being appealed
Almost one year ago, the Supreme Court of Victoria allowed a television camera to broadcast a sentencing for the first time ever – the hearing for convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson. Justice Christopher Beale imposed life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years for murdering three in-laws – and attempting to murder a fourth – by lacing their beef Wellingtons with
“National shame”: Andrew Wilkie on the government’s gambling reforms
For more than a decade, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has been talking about gambling addiction. His advocacy means he’s become a lightning rod for people to share their stories. Now, as the government this week passed legislation aimed at reducing gambling harms, Wilkie is among an angry group of dissenters who say the bill is a “national shame”. If you enjoy 7am, the best
Pussy Riot’s Masha on Putin, democracy, and escaping Russia
In 2022, Masha Alyokhina escaped Russia disguised as a food delivery courier. She had spent years being arrested, imprisoned and watched by the state for her work with punk rock protest group Pussy Riot and for speaking out against Vladimir Putin. But Alyokhina says the Russia she fled wasn’t transformed by one dramatic moment. Repression came piece by piece, until fear, censorship and
The Sydney Swans scandal: How should the club, the AFL and the media respond?
When news broke this week of an alleged sexual assault involving the Sydney Swans AFL team in Melbourne, old faultlines in the way the sport handles accusations against its players re-ignited. Everything from the players involved, to the language used by the club, and the way the media reported the allegations, came under the microscope. So how much has changed when it comes to footy p
“I would perish”: The human cost of the PM’s NDIS cuts
Over six days of public hearings, Australians with a disability told parliament what losing NDIS support would mean for their independence, their families, and their everyday lives. Despite more than 4,000 submissions and calls for reforms to be paused, the government’s overhaul of the scheme passed the senate yesterday, with support from the Coalition. By tightening access and reducing some
How Trump’s anti-vax agenda is infecting Australia
Last week Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines, sprouting links to autism – which have been definitively disproved by scientists and health organisations around the world. During Trump’s second term, the misinformation from the president and his health secretary, RFK Jr, has been relentless – undermining public trust in vaccines, as outbreak
Should Australia be preparing civilians for war?
For most of Australia’s recent history, preparing for war has meant preparing the military. Now, the government is turning its attention on the rest of us. A new parliamentary inquiry will examine Australia's civilian preparedness and whether we could keep fuel flowing, supply chains moving and essential services running through a major conflict. It comes as the government
David McBride on being sent to prison
Whistleblower David McBride has been released from prison on parole, after serving 27 months for leaking classified Defence documents to journalists. Those documents helped expose allegations of war crimes by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. Years on, he’s still the only person to have been sent to prison over the Afghan Files. Today, as McBride is released, we’re returning to an in
Immigration, gambling deals and Australia’s “gayest party”
After years of pressure to tackle gambling harm, the Albanese government is trying to get its long-awaited reforms through parliament, looking to cut a deal with the Opposition, sparking a debate over just how far the government is prepared to go to get its reforms through. Meanwhile, immigration is becoming one of the defining battles in federal politics, as One Nation’s growing suppo
‘Getting Murdoched’: How the Murdoch media attacks its targets
For decades, Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has helped shape politics and public debate, and in doing so, has often left lasting consequences for some of the people caught in its sights, from politicians, to public figures to everyday people. The consequences can be devastating. Journalists Matthew Ricketson and Andrew Dodd have a name for what happens when that attention becomes a camp
How Nigel Farage ended up facing off with a bin
Just when you thought world politics couldn’t get any more ridiculous: tonight, far-right British politician Nigel Farage is set to face a by-election of his own making. His main opponent? A joke candidate by the name of Count Binface, who says he’s an alien space warrior, and wears a superhero costume featuring a bin for a head. The contest has turned into a circus, but the five-milli
Is super a fairer way to fight inflation than interest rates?
The Reserve Bank of Australia yesterday left interest rates on hold at 4.35 per cent: a relief for those with a mortgage. But as the bank weighs up future interest rate hikes to try and combat inflation, some economists say there’s a fairer way to keep spending under wraps and spread the pain around. And the alternative could leave us all with bigger retirement nest eggs. Today,
Where is One Nation’s money coming from?
As One Nation’s political clout rises, so too does its bank balance, courtesy of the very elites Pauline Hanson often rails against. Now an investigation by the Brisbane Times and SMH has detailed some of the places One Nation’s cash is coming from: from exclusive parties hosted at Gina Rinehart’s mansion, to movies, to merch. But perhaps even more pertinent are the contributions
Australia’s first far-left terrorism investigation and the rise of political violence
In the early hours of July 5 last year, a group of masked people allegedly broke into a defence manufacturer in Melbourne’s north-east. Three cars were set alight. The building was vandalised, and later, a video message appeared online with a masked man claiming responsibility; warning workers involved in the weapons supply chain that they were being watched. Waleed Aly has a PhD
The fall of Alan Jones
This week, Alan Jones went on trial in Sydney, more than 20 months after his arrest. The once-powerful broadcaster is now facing 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching involving six complainants. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies any wrongdoing. When we recorded this episode, Jones had just been charged with 24 offences involving eight complainants. Since then the cas
“Pay $10,000, that gets you dinner”: Sean Kelly on how power is shaping politics
In Australian politics, access can be bought, factions can operate beyond public view, and conduct can be deeply troubling without ever meeting the definition of corruption. None of it is especially new, and maybe that’s the problem. Meanwhile, people are becoming more disconnected from the institutions that shape their lives, and less convinced that those institutions are working in their i
Our job system is broken: Are private providers to blame?
Almost 30 years ago the Howard government shut down Australia’s public employment service and privatised the system that helps unemployed people find work. Since then, repeated inquiries have found the system is failing the people who need it, while the companies paid to run it rake in huge profits. Now, the Albanese government has admitted the system isn’t working and promised its big
Alan Jones on trial: What we've learned so far
Alan Jones is used to attracting attention. But not like this. At 85, the once-powerful shock jock who for decades acted as judge, jury and executioner in the court of public opinion, is now the one on trial. Jones is accused of historical offences involving the indecent assault and sexual touching of teenagers and young men – claims he’s always denied. Now, a judge will decide, with t
Liberal party corruption claims & fugitive backers: ICAC’s Operation Rosny explained
For decades it’s shone a light on corruption of the highest order, even toppling premiers: Now NSW ICAC, the state’s corruption watchdog, has set its sights on a secretive right-wing Christian faction of the Liberal Party, “the Reformers”, and its cashed-up group of backers. Already the public inquiry, codenamed Operation Rosny, has heard of shit sheets, sham payments, phon
The secret nuclear waste files the government is fighting to keep hidden
What do Jacqui Lambie, Pauline Hanson, Lidia Thorpe and David Pocock all have in common? Usually not much. But they're part of an unlikely group of politicians backing former senator Rex Patrick in a legal fight with the Albanese government over information the government does not want released. At the centre of that fight are documents about potential sites for nuclear waste storage from AUKUS su
Is the US military secretly killing our planet?
It’s the largest institutional emitter in the world. A bigger polluter than 140 countries. And yet its emissions are hidden from sight. Now a new documentary ‘Earth’s greatest enemy’ is exposing the impact of the US military empire on the planet: the waste, the billion dollar budgets, and the political maneuvering that’s kept it all out of the public eye.Today, Journa
Is Qantas sorry – or just sorry it got caught?
This week, 7am spoke with former Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, as he returned to public life with a memoir defending many of the decisions he made during his final years at the airline. Joyce said the company was fighting for survival during the pandemic and that, while mistakes were made, the difficult decisions taken under his leadership were necessary to keep Qantas from going under. Today
Who is Australia’s Zohran Mamdani?
In America, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has turned anger over rent, groceries and childcare into a powerful movement on the left. One with real momentum. In Australia, that same anger is increasingly being captured by Pauline Hanson and the populist right, while Labor retreats towards the centre. So attention is turning to who in Australia could make a Mamdani-style case for eco
Gangsters, corruption and cover-ups: What Victoria's building royal commission could expose
Victoria’s new premier Ben Carroll has announced a royal commission into the state’s building industry. It follows years of reporting exposing alleged corruption, organised crime links and misconduct within the sector, and years of resistance from the government and former premier Jacinta Allan. The commission now has the potential to examine what happened and who knew about it, forcin
Albo vs Hannah Ferguson: Can the 28-year old media founder topple the PM?
Next election the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will have a new contender for his Sydney seat, with commentator and Cheek Media founder Hannah Ferguson announcing she’s taking a tilt. She says she’s started canvassing locals to find out what they want from their representative, and that she’s already been warned that attempts to build a dirt file on her have begun. Today,
“It’s ugly. It’s messy”: Inside the plot to bring down the Victorian premier
After a chaotic 24 hours of backroom plotting and mounting pressure, the Victorian premier resigned. Jacinta Allan’s replacement, and former deputy leader Ben Carroll, now has just four months to turn Labor’s fortunes around in what’s shaping up to be the most unpredictable election the state has ever seen. Polls show an unprecedented three-party contest – with voters split
Who decided AI was inevitable?
Cory Doctorow is the author and tech critic who brought us the term ‘enshittification’ – which refers to the gradual decline in the quality of digital platforms and services over time. Now he’s warning that what we’ve been led to believe is the inevitable march of AI towards world domination isn’t that inevitable after all, and actually what we’re marching
‘I know I’m a polarising figure’: Alan Joyce on Qantas, reputational collapse and his legacy
Alan Joyce was once one of Australia’s most admired business leaders. By the time he left Qantas, he had become one of the country’s most hated men. His final years at the airline were marked by unlawful sackings, cancelled flights, withheld refunds and a collapse in public trust. But in a new memoir, Riding the Jet Stream, Joyce defends many of the decisions that made him a symbo
RFK Jr’s anti-vaccine obsession
When Robert F Kennedy Jr was sworn in as Health and Human Services Secretary, his confirmation came off the back of a fiery questioning from Democrats and Republicans alike about RFK Jr’s record on vaccines. And under oath, RFK Jr denied he was against them. But now, Reuters reports he considered scrapping the entire childhood immunisation schedule, removing polio and MMR vaccines, and spend
Labor’s promise of a ‘fairer’ gas deal
Australia is one of the world’s biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas. Over the past 25 years, the value of those exports has increased more than twentyfold. Yet revenue from the tax designed to capture the extraordinary profits made from petroleum resources has gone backwards. This week, at its national conference, the Labor Party formally acknowledged that Australians deserve a "faire
Is Trump trying to rig the midterm elections?
In the East Room of the White House, Donald Trump made an extraordinary accusation of election interference: Beijing had illegally obtained the voter files of 220 million Americans. He also accused US intelligence agencies of hiding the extent of China’s activity. Later, Trump claimed a Homeland Security review had found around 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote. Trump’s mot
Who is Lily Jay? The Australian influencer accused of using AI in aid videos
A blonde woman stands among smiling children holding lollipops. A foundation banner hangs behind them. She announces that a new orphanage has opened in Africa. But evidence collected during an ABC investigation suggests that the woman in the video isn’t real. Neither are the children or the banner behind them. The scene appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence. Millions o
Is this the most dangerous era of the Iran war?
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 onc
The racism inquiry ignored by mainstream media
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 tr
The '24-carat f*ckwit' who became Nine's golden boy
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 a
The truth about men who kill women
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 spe
The Liberals face old problems with no new answers
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 cu
Adam Bandt on the first big test for Labor’s nature laws
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 Foundat
Albo’s plan to harness the AI boom
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 w
The evolution of Pauline Hanson
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 bet
Do Jillian Segal's claims of ABC-fuelled antisemitism stack up?
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
Inside the Trump ‘Regime Change’ with Jonathan Swan
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
Labor’s guilt in the Triple Zero failures
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 Opt
Relatable or risky? The PM’s podcast problem
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 mi
“Get the b*tch”: The political dirt units targeting journalists
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. Enou
Sold for $1: The Christian Brothers tactic denying victims justice
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
Life after Gaza’s “ceasefire”
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
The dating app conman who stole millions and the victim pushing for change
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 fo
“It’s f***ing bad manners” Bernard Fanning on AI robbing Australian music
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 an
How Kumanjayi Walker’s death should change the NT Police
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
Senator Stefanovic? Hannah Ferguson’s wild One Nation prediction
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 mo
Trump’s billion-dollar crypto empire
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 disc
Sarah Wilson from the eye of Europe’s road-melting heatwave
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 fr
“The arts is dying in this country”: The crisis threatening live shows
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
The new Dollarmites: how fossil fuel giants are targeting kids
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 multi
Big money, client secrets, and a silenced whistleblower: Inside the KPMG scandal
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.
Zali Steggall on the teal party gamble
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: peopl
Conspiracy Nation part 1: The COVID conspiracy pipeline
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
Conspiracy Nation part 2: From fringe to Parliament
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 fr
One Nation’s “monoculture” splits the Liberal Party
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 Nat
Is this the demise or rise of Karl Stefanovic?
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 follo
The race to stop bird flu becoming a “wildlife massacre”
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
What the hell happened to the Greens? Max Chandler-Mather explains
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 los
Emily Maitlis on the fall of Keir Starmer and the UK’s next PM
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 E
Police trial live face-scanning technology: what could possibly go wrong?
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 h
“Too many abortions”: The growing push to wind back reproductive rights
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.
Paul Barry on the billionaire who failed Whyalla
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 administ
Pauline Hanson and the end of political consequence
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 t
