7am

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. Enough to make a journalist think twice about who they speak to, where they go and what stories they pursue.
Too often for women in public life, the tactics are familiar and designed to cut deep.
Today, contributing editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis, on the forces trying to intimidate journalists and why she decided to call it out.

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Guest: Contributing editor for The New Daily Amy Remeikis
Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
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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 billions of dollars – that could have been used in the payouts – were instead transferred just out of reach of survivors.
Today, Managing partner at Marque Lawyers, Michael Bradley, on the multimillion-dollar properties sold off for just a dollar, and the crushing court decision that’s left victims in the cold.

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Guest: Managing partner at Marque Lawyers, Michael Bradley
Photo: AAP Image/Eoin Blackwell
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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 Palestine Laboratory, has recently travelled through the Middle East, including the West Bank, and has been speaking to people in Gaza.
Today, Antony Loewenstein tells us what he saw in the West Bank, what he’s hearing from Gaza, and what it means for the future of Palestine 1,000 days on from the start of Israel’s war.

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Guest: Independent journalist and author of The Palestine Laboratory, Antony Loewenstein
Photo: Ramez Habboub/ABACAPRESS.COM
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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 for release on parole this week, Tracy says the systems that allowed him into her life still haven’t been fixed.
Today, Tracy Hall on the conman who stole her life savings, the growing romance scam industry costing Australians tens of millions of dollars a year, and whether dating apps are doing enough to protect the people using them.

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Guest: Romance scam advocate and survivor Tracy Hall
Photo: Supplied
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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 and without payment.
At the same time, the federal government is fending off whistleblower claims of a “dirty deal” with tech giants that would give AI access to Australian music and art in exchange for billion dollar investments
Today, Bernard Fanning on what happens when machines are trained on our songs, and who gets to tell Australian stories, us or AI.

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: Bernard Fanning
Photo: bernardfanning.com
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