7am

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 will happen when potential investment meets copyright law.
Today, Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea on whether the government can walk the tightrope of the AI boom, while protecting and benefiting all Australians.

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Guest: Chair of Digital Rights Watch Lizzie O’Shea
Photo: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
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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 between 1996 and 2026?
Today, Margo Kingston, on what Pauline Hanson has come to represent, and how she’s using her past to fashion her present.

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Guest: Journalist and author of Off the Rails: The Pauline Hanson trip, Margo Kingston
Photo: AAP Image/Tony Phillips
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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 swinging at the broadcasters’ Middle East coverage, reccomending it be overseen by an independent committee.
But do Segal’s claims stack up?
Today, former Media Watch host and ABC Alumni board member Jonathan Holmes, on the submission ABC Alumni put to the commission, and the role of the public broadcaster in reporting on war.

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Guest: Former media watch host Jonathan Holmes
Photo: AAP Image/Dominic Giannini
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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 it.
Swan says the second term is different. Trump has returned to the White House with a tighter circle of loyalists, and far fewer people willing to say no.
In a new book Regime Change co-authored with Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan goes inside the first 14 months of Trump’s return to power, documenting a presidency using the machinery of government to punish enemies, pressure institutions and test what one president can get away with.
Today, Jonathan Swan, on Trump’s second term – and how he’s changed America forever.

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Guest: Co-author of Regime Change Jonathan Swan
Photo: AP Photo/Francisco Seco
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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 Optus failure, when a 13-hour outage blocked hundreds of emergency calls across South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and was linked to deaths.
ACMA opened an investigation into Optus, but still hasn’t published final findings.
Today, journalist and Crikey contributor Michael Sainsbury – on what went wrong at Optus and how the government’s choices led us here.
This episode was originally published in September 2025.

If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support.

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Guest: Journalist and Crikey contributor, Michael Sainsbury
Photo: AAP Image/George Chan
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.