7am

Big Tobacco, Big Coal, Big Banks: The Lobbyists Charming our Leaders

Independent MP Monique Ryan can remember a time in Australian politics when small breaches could cost a career. Now she says we’ve been gradually conditioned to tolerate corruption and the loss of transparency in parliament. Over recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of lobbyists with access to Parliament House. Literally thousands move through the building, meeting politicians and staffers; often leaving little public trace of who they’ve spoken to and why. Today, Independent MP, Monique Ryan on the thousands of lobbyists roaming the halls of Parliament House and the system she says allows them to influence, behind closed doors, the decisions that affect us all. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Dr Monique Ryan, Independent MP Photo: AAP Image/Lukas CochSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Killer Robots and AI on the Battlefield: the Pentagon vs Anthropic

Who should hold the power to decide how AI is used on our battlefields? That’s the question being debated after a face-off between the Pentagon and one of the world’s biggest AI companies. Anthropic ultimately lost its contract with the US military after refusing to let its Claude program be used for mass surveillance of American citizens, or for fully automated weapons capable of killing with no human oversight. But now that its rival, OpenAI, has stepped into the ring and cut its own deal with the government, what does that mean for how AI is used in our current wars – and the wars of the future? Today, David Wroe from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on tech titans, robodogs and whether AI should be used to kill. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: David Wroe, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Photo: Xinhua/Sipa USASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giving birth to a stranger’s baby: the cost of IVF mistakes

It’s been revealed this week that Monash IVF has paid millions of dollars in secret settlements, after two nightmare mixups saw women implanted with the wrong embryos – one of them giving birth to a stranger’s baby. At least three families have now received compensation for the bungle, which was caused by human error. But these mistakes – at one of the oldest and most reputable clinics in the country – have had devastating consequences that reach far beyond the affected families, damaging the confidence of anyone relying on fertility treatment in Australia. In this episode, which first aired in June 2025, Ruby Jones speaks with writer and public health campaigner Hannah Bambra on why the IVF industry is so vulnerable to human error. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Hannah Bambra, writer and public health campaigner Photo: AAP Image/Dean LewinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Deputy Sheriff” Albo’s Wartime Transformation

When the United States launched strikes on Iran, Australia was quick to back the move. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it’s about defending global security. But critics say that argument sounds familiar. More than two decades ago, another Australian prime minister used almost identical arguments to justify joining America’s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Back then, Albanese himself warned those decisions would redefine Australia as a willing backer of US militarism no matter whether it is in the national interest. Today, political editor at Crikey, Bernard Keane, on why he believes the Prime Minister has undergone a remarkable transformation, and what it means for Australia as the conflict grows. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Bernard Keane, political editor at Crikey Photo: AAP Image/Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The Law of the Jungle”: How Trump’s war is causing chaos

An effort by Congress to rein in President Trump’s war in Iran has failed. Democrats and a few Republicans tried to use the War Powers Resolution to force Trump to get approval from Congress to keep fighting – but it didn’t pass. Now the war is dragging in more countries, fuelling a global crisis and dividing nations. Today Jasmine El-Gamal, former Pentagon adviser and founder of Averos Strategies, on Trump’s war – is it ego, blind ambition or part of a plan to reshape the world? If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Jasmine El-Gamal, founder and CEO of Averos Strategies Photo: Abbas Hassan/TASS/Sipa USASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.