7am

By Schwartz Media

What's 7am about?

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Hear from the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

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7am episodes:

04.18.2024
The Great Housing Disaster: The minister for housing
At the end of the day, the people who decide what path Australia takes to solve the housing crisis are those in government. In this episode, we speak to the federal minister for housing, Julie Collins. Does the government think we’re in...
04.17.2024
The Great Housing Disaster: How to fix it
A solution to the housing crisis is one of the most sought-after ideas in Australia. Political careers, fortunes and the fate of a generation will rest on how we respond to the increasingly dire housing market, which means there are countless...
04.16.2024
The Great Housing Disaster: Who gets a say?
With federal, state and local governments promising to build more Australian homes, it’s fair to say that all levels of government want to fix the housing crisis. But are they building enough? Are they listening to the people they’re building it...
04.15.2024
The Great Housing Disaster: The renters' resistance
With home ownership out of reach, more and more younger Australians have no choice but to rent for much longer than their parents ever did – maybe for the rest of their lives. That puts younger Australians at the mercy of...
04.14.2024
The Great Housing Disaster: Who’s to blame?
This is the first episode of 7am’s new five-part special series on the housing crisis. What happened to housing in Australia over the past few decades wasn’t by chance. It’s the result of decades of deliberate decisions that have turned us...
04.11.2024
Penny Wong’s plan to recognise Palestine
When Penny Wong took the lectern for the keynote speech at a conference on foreign affairs this week, she could have done what politicians usually do at these events. She could have delivered a mundane speech about the same challenges we...
04.10.2024
Mark Zuckerberg is playing chicken with Australian news
Three years ago, Australia became the first nation in the world to make Facebook pay for news. Now, those deals are about to expire, and Facebook isn’t willing to renew them. That leaves Australia’s world-first deal hanging by a thread, and if...
04.09.2024
Does the Immigration minister really believe in what he's doing?
Australian Border Force and Western Australian police spent the weekend searching for 15 men who had arrived in the country by boat. Eventually, all 15 were arrested and put on a flight to Nauru. The arrival of this boat comes as the...
04.08.2024
The Lehrmann interview (Taylor's version)
Former Channel Seven producer Taylor Auerbach has given extraordinary evidence at Bruce Lehrmann’s trial against Channel Ten over defamation. Auerbach’s evidence is significant enough that the judge sensationally reopened the case, and it could impact the final verdict – but it...
04.07.2024
The fossil fuel approval that wasn’t published
The Albanese government was elected on a sense of optimism for the climate movement. But nearly two years later, there’s a growing sense of unease from the climate movement and traditional owners towards the government in Canberra. So, what’s going on? How...
04.06.2024
Sophie Cunningham on remembering Georgia Blain
Today, author and editor Sophie Cunningham reads her piece from a recent edition of The Saturday Paper. Australian author Georgia Blain chronicled her battle with cancer in a monthly column for The Saturday Paper, sadly passing away in 2016. Blain is remembered...
04.04.2024
The killing of Zomi Frankcom
Israel’s killing of seven aid workers in Gaza has been met with international outrage. The workers at World Central Kitchen, including an Australian woman named Zomi Frankcom, were providing critical relief to Palestinians in the form of food. Their deaths now risk...
04.03.2024
Can a gag order slow down Donald Trump?
Donald Trump is known for being the loudest, most controversial and outburst-prone politician of our time. Now, a judge has issued a gag order against him in an attempt to prevent further outbursts. Can Donald Trump really be told to be quiet?...
04.02.2024
Why the churches lobby is still so powerful in Canberra
Some of Australia’s most powerful religious bodies have taken aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and also the Greens – accusing them of threatening the future of religious freedom. But the cause of this backlash is simply the possibility that the government...
04.01.2024
Australia is exporting right wing media to the UK
With an election looming in the United Kingdom and chaos among the British Conservative Party, 2024 could see a new prime minister taking residence at 10 Downing Street. Amid the political drama, a right-wing broadcaster named GB News has been stirring...
03.31.2024
Read This: Friends, Mary Beard Fans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears
Over the long weekend, we're featuring episodes from the podcast Read This. Today, we have a treat for those who think about the Roman Empire more than once a week. Even if you’re not an obsessive Ancient Rome aficionado, you may...
03.28.2024
Read This: No Dogs Die in Briohny Doyle's New Novel
Over the long weekend, we're featuring episodes from the podcast Read This. In this episode, host Michael Williams chats with author Briohny Doyle, whose most recent novel Why We Are Here explores the complexities of grief, both individual and collective. They...
03.27.2024
What to know about the biggest Covid wave since Omicron
Many Australians could have been infected with Covid-19 for the second, third or even fourth time in the last couple of months. That’s because a new variant of the virus has caused the biggest wave in over a year. But while for...
03.26.2024
Labor’s ‘shameful’ last-minute immigration bill
Yesterday, Labor’s emergency legislation on immigration detention was slammed by crossbenchers and the Greens as a “race to the bottom” on the way governments treat asylum seekers. But in the lead up to that move, criticisms that Labor is trying to...
03.25.2024
Using psychotropic drugs to treat children
If a child experiences a complex mental health condition like psychosis, everyone would agree that someone at such a young age needs careful and considered care. If drugs are prescribed, the benefits must outweigh the risks. But there are fears that...
03.24.2024
Anjali Sharma on lobbying parliament from her dorm room
An Australian court once ruled that the federal government has a duty of care to young people, to protect them from harm the climate crisis will inflict during their lifetimes. That decision was overturned on appeal, but today there’s an inquiry...
03.23.2024
The Weekend Read: Elmo Keep on the insane spectacle of U2 at the Las Vegas sphere
On the Las Vegas strip, in a sea of casinos, sits an enormous dome that lights up the sky. It’s called The Sphere and it’s a performance venue where punters are dazzled by 54 thousand metres of LED screens capable of...
03.21.2024
Dutton and Albanese share a flight and talk God
There are laws in Australia that desperately need to be overhauled and amended for the modern era.. But even with almost universal agreement that these laws need to be updated, the challenge is to get our politicians to agree on how...
03.20.2024
The ‘beige’ man behind Australia’s nuclear plan
The Coalition is going all in on nuclear power. The opposition’s vision for Australia’s future puts the technology front and centre, despite experts’ concerns about its costs, risks and impracticalities. So, is there more to it than first appears? Have the...
03.19.2024
The Korean doomsday church targeting Australians
When starting out at university, it’s normal to want to meet new friends and establish a community. But for some young Australians, that formative time has led them down the path of a secretive and extreme religious sect that some former...
03.18.2024
The women who fought to expose the gender pay gap
The gender pay gap in Australia is well documented, with data on the difference between men’s and women’s wages more detailed and comprehensive than ever. But we haven’t always been on a course for greater transparency. Almost a decade ago, the...
03.17.2024
The truth behind Peter Dutton’s ‘strongman’ persona
Peter Dutton is a lot of things: a right-wing firebrand, a former Queensland cop and a champion of what he believes are simple Australian values. But he’s also a multi-millionaire who colleagues describe as pleasant, shy, but fiercely ambitious. Lech Blaine...
03.14.2024
Why Coles and Woolies have politicians 'oinking'
Coles and Woolworths are in the sights of a Senate inquiry, which has been hearing evidence across Australia this week. It’s looking into whether prices are set fairly and what could be done to make them more reasonable. While that was underway,...
03.13.2024
Can we believe anything the Royal Family say?
The royal family is no stranger to gossip, innuendo and controversy. But this week, the rumours and speculation over the whereabouts and health of Kate Middleton reached new, conspiratorial depths. So, after an official photo of Kate Middleton and her children was...
03.12.2024
Inside the Zachary Rolfe hearings: The culture of racism the police deny
Zachary Rolfe, the former Northern Territory police officer who shot and killed an Indigenous teenager, Kumanjayi Walker, has been back in the witness box. Rolfe was acquitted of Walker’s murder in 2022, but now he’s given new evidence in a coronial...
03.11.2024
Stan Grant on Sam Kerr and the media’s failings
Stan Grant left the ABC, citing the media had failed — it had failed him and his family, and it had failed the country. Last week, he was struck by a stark reminder when the news of the charging of Sam...
03.10.2024
Why Australia is heading for a minority government
It’s in the best interests of politicians to come up with policies that appeal to voters and secure their support at the next election. So it was particularly interesting when last week, Peter Dutton announced his first policy since becoming opposition...
03.09.2024
The Weekend Read: Ange Lavoipierre on how much sex is too much for one person
Today on the show, journalist Ange Lavoipierre will be reading her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly. In the suburb of Newtown, in Sydney, two support groups almost diametrically opposed are asking essentially the same question: how much sex...
03.07.2024
The Liberals’ failed bid for suburban voters
Labor won the Dunkley byelection last weekend, but the Liberal Party spent most of the week claiming the result was a win for them as well. But even while the Liberal Party was claiming a groundswell in support, Opposition Leader Peter...
03.06.2024
The people pushing Australia’s gas expansion
Despite the government’s commitment to cutting emissions and reaching net zero, Australia’s gas industry is expanding – and we’re making it easier for gas companies to do their business. So, who is behind the gas lobby? Who puts the most pressure...
03.05.2024
The Australian teachers quitting over Andrew Tate
An alarming number of Australian boys are engaging with, and looking up to, the misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate. Tate’s influence is warping classroom conversation, driving female peers to the fringe of discussion and even causing some teachers to quit. So why are...
03.04.2024
‘Enough is enough’: a mother’s fight for justice over her son’s death in custody
Aunty Donnas Kerr has spent her life fighting for Indigenous rights. A member of the stolen generations, she grew up seeing members of her family die in custody and marching the streets for justice. In 2022, Aunty Donnas received a phone call...
03.03.2024
The most powerful minister you’ve never heard of
A new bill that redefines Australia’s gas industry has a surprising section smuggled into the fine print. It’s designed to change not just the way we approve gas projects, but reshape the balance of power inside the Labor cabinet and take...
02.29.2024
Rosie Batty and a decade of public grieving
Ten years ago, Schwartz Media launched its weekly independent newspaper, The Saturday Paper. On page three of its first edition was a story about a woman who had just become a household name: Rosie Batty. Thrust into the spotlight while grieving the...
02.28.2024
Scott Morrison leaves parliament: A winner or a loser?
Scott Morrison has left the building. The former prime minister was known for his finely crafted personal image, a dad from the shire who loved rugby league. But Morrison’s career was more notorious than that. From being the minister who forged ahead...
02.27.2024
Why Labor is being accused of pork-barrelling
Pork-barrelling isn’t illegal, but it's one of the dark arts of politics: governments spending money in seats they want to win. So, when does the practice cross the line from politicians faithfully serving the public into pork-barrelling and using taxpayer dollars...
02.26.2024
Everything Peter Dutton is getting wrong on asylum seekers
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton may have found the message he’s taking to the federal election: stop the “armada of boats”. It hasn’t been high on the agenda for years, but a couple of weeks ago a boat arriving in far north...
02.25.2024
‘They don't know much’: Politicians spending on the military
Australia has spent almost 15 years trying to buy new surface ships for the navy, but they are still yet to arrive. That’s because governments have repeatedly thrown out the old plan to introduce their own. Last week, the Albanese government was...
02.24.2024
The Weekend Read: Jane Gleeson on why we need decay to save the planet
Today on the show, writer Jane Gleeson-White, with her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly. In inner-city Sydney, the heart of the urban jungle, Jane meets environmental lawyer turned activist, Michael Mobbs. His ambition is to transform the concrete warren...
02.22.2024
The two days that could decide Julian Assange's freedom
Julian Assange has spent years fighting to prevent his extradition to the United States and this week, the battle has come down to just two days in court, when his lawyers made what could be their final stand. The British High...
02.21.2024
Jon Ronson on who really started the culture wars
Jon Ronson has spent time with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, uncovered the secret US military program to train psychic soldiers and told the stories of the first people to be publicly shamed in the age of social media. Now, Ronson’s investigating...
02.20.2024
A missing $80 million to keep asylum seekers in limbo
After asylum seekers arrived by boat in Western Australia last week and were sent to Nauru, old debates about offshore immigration detention have been reanimated. It comes as the government has admitted they aren’t able to account for $80 million paid...
02.19.2024
Why the Bureau of Meteorology lied to court
The Bureau of Meteorology determines a lot: from whether we bring an umbrella to work, to how much warning we get of a natural disaster – all the way to what we know about climate change. But now, serious questions are...
02.18.2024
Texts, calls and a Brisbane lunch: Murdoch press and the Bruce Lehrmann inquiry
It was three years ago last week that Brittany Higgins made allegations that rocked Australia. Those allegations resulted in a mistrial, and while Bruce Lehrmann strenuously maintained his innocence, many questions were raised about the handling of Higgins’ claims. So, an inquiry...
02.15.2024
Can Labor be forced to end negative gearing?
Following its loss at the 2019 federal election, touching negative gearing — tax concessions that benefit property investors — has been unthinkable for the Labor Party. But this week the government was drawn into discussions about ending it by The Greens’...

What's 7am about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

7am episodes:

The Great Housing Disaster: The minister for housing

The Great Housing Disaster: How to fix it

The Great Housing Disaster: Who gets a say?

The Great Housing Disaster: The renters' resistance

The Great Housing Disaster: Who’s to blame?

Penny Wong’s plan to recognise Palestine

Mark Zuckerberg is playing chicken with Australian news

Does the Immigration minister really believe in what he's doing?

The Lehrmann interview (Taylor's version)

The fossil fuel approval that wasn’t published

Sophie Cunningham on remembering Georgia Blain

The killing of Zomi Frankcom

Can a gag order slow down Donald Trump?

Why the churches lobby is still so powerful in Canberra

Australia is exporting right wing media to the UK

Read This: Friends, Mary Beard Fans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears

Read This: No Dogs Die in Briohny Doyle's New Novel

What to know about the biggest Covid wave since Omicron

Labor’s ‘shameful’ last-minute immigration bill

Using psychotropic drugs to treat children

Anjali Sharma on lobbying parliament from her dorm room

The Weekend Read: Elmo Keep on the insane spectacle of U2 at the Las Vegas sphere

Dutton and Albanese share a flight and talk God

The ‘beige’ man behind Australia’s nuclear plan

The Korean doomsday church targeting Australians

The women who fought to expose the gender pay gap

The truth behind Peter Dutton’s ‘strongman’ persona

Why Coles and Woolies have politicians 'oinking'

Can we believe anything the Royal Family say?

Inside the Zachary Rolfe hearings: The culture of racism the police deny

Stan Grant on Sam Kerr and the media’s failings

Why Australia is heading for a minority government

The Weekend Read: Ange Lavoipierre on how much sex is too much for one person

The Liberals’ failed bid for suburban voters

The people pushing Australia’s gas expansion

The Australian teachers quitting over Andrew Tate

‘Enough is enough’: a mother’s fight for justice over her son’s death in custody

The most powerful minister you’ve never heard of

Rosie Batty and a decade of public grieving

Scott Morrison leaves parliament: A winner or a loser?

Why Labor is being accused of pork-barrelling

Everything Peter Dutton is getting wrong on asylum seekers

‘They don't know much’: Politicians spending on the military

The Weekend Read: Jane Gleeson on why we need decay to save the planet

The two days that could decide Julian Assange's freedom

Jon Ronson on who really started the culture wars

A missing $80 million to keep asylum seekers in limbo

Why the Bureau of Meteorology lied to court

Texts, calls and a Brisbane lunch: Murdoch press and the Bruce Lehrmann inquiry

Can Labor be forced to end negative gearing?