7am

This podcast explores the idea of storing carbon emissions underwater and its effectiveness. It discusses a controversial petrochemical plant and the skepticism towards carbon capture and storage. It also delves into the introduction of a deep sea dumping bill and the potential harm it may cause. Additionally, it examines Australia's proposed carbon capture storage in the Timor Sea and the exploitation faced by Timor Leste. The chapter highlights the implications of the bill passing and the future of gas exploration.

Today on the show, author Christos Tsiolkas with a recent piece from The Monthly.“The Past is a foreign country: they do things differently there” – is the memorable opening line of L.P. Hartley’s 1953 novel, The Go-Between.It’s a line that has stuck with Christos Tsiolkas since he read it in high school - and a sentiment that has made him reflect on his life, his migrant parents’ lives, and the value of creating foreign worlds through fiction. Christos Tsiolkas will read his story, ‘The Past is a Foreign Country’, after a short conversation with 7am host Ange McCormack. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Author, Christos TsiolkasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Anthony Albanese became prime minister he imagined an optimistic future for his government.Sensible reform in the first year that the public would warmly welcome, followed by boldly winning the first referendum since 1977.But the reality is far from that. A win in the referendum is looking less assured than ever, while the cost of living crisis has almost everyone feeling miserable. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Chris Wallace on how economic pain is hurting the Voice campaign and what Labor will do if the referendum is lost.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Chris WallaceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As rent prices continue to spiral and many tenants finding themselves at breaking point, the rental crisis shows no sign of slowing.The Greens are calling for a national freeze on rents, which they say would save households thousands of dollars per year.But in a country where renters have been overlooked, is there political will to address rising rents? And would capping rents even work?Today, former Labor campaign strategist turned pollster, and director of the Redbridge Group, Kos Samaras, on why the major parties could face a rebellion from voters if they ignore renters any longer.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Director of the Redbridge Group, Kos SamarasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was an inquiry meant to get to the bottom of why the trial of Bruce Lehrmann had to be abandoned. Its goal was to improve the justice system and how it handles sexual assault cases.Instead, the inquiry itself has ended in a complete shambles.The man who brought on the report, Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold, has resigned. The head of the inquiry, Walter Sofronoff, KC, was talking to journalists throughout the whole process, and they received a copy of the final report before the ACT chief minister.Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton, on how an inquiry meant to restore faith ended up doing so much damage.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen MiddletonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iconic words of Martin Luther King Jr are now being used to promote the exact causes that the civil rights activist would have opposed. In the United States, conservatives quoted him to celebrate the supreme court’s ban on affirmative action based on race in university admissions.Here, people like Peter Dutton are invoking MLK to rally opponents of the Voice to Parliament.Today, writer, lawyer and contributor to The Saturday Paper Nyadol Nyuon, on why the right is stealing language and history and how it threatens to divide us.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Director of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre at Victoria University, Nyadol NyuonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Pocock admits that sometimes he's had to vote for policy he doesn’t fully agree with.The first-term senator came into parliament with the best intentions to avert the climate crisis, but has sometimes found himself having to work to make legislation he thinks is bad, a little bit better.Now, he’s trying to put forward a solution he does actually believe in: a private senator’s bill that would force politicians to consider the impact on the health and wellbeing of future generations when they make decisions on climate.Today, independent senator David Pocock on his new bill and whether he’s always lived up to his own duty of care for future generations.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Independent senator for the ACT, David PocockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament is back – and it ain’t pretty!The government is pushing ahead with its contentious housing bill and finds itself, once again, sparring with the Greens.Meanwhile, the Coalition has a new strategy for encouraging a ‘No’ vote in the Voice referendum.So will the combative nature of this parliament stop Labor from being productive in government and could they lose key bills in the senate? Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno on what lies ahead for the second half of the year in Canberra. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The royal commission into robo-debt found Scott Morrison to have allowed cabinet to be misled. Commissioner Cathrine Holmes also found he provided untrue evidence to the commission and that he pressured departmental officials over the scheme.It took a few weeks, but the former prime minister this week addressed those findings head-on: denying it all.Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper and host of 7am’s special Inside Robo-debt series, Rick Morton on Scott Morrison’s return to Parliament and how much longer he’s likely to have a seat there.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick MortonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s offshore processing facility on Nauru now sits empty. The detention centre has been a feature of Nauru’s identity for over a decade, but now we’re learning extraordinary details about how millions of Australian taxpayer dollars were spent in questionable deals to keep the facility running.Last week, the focus turned to the then-Home Affairs minister, Peter Dutton, who awarded a lucrative contract to a businessman who had been accused of bribing Nauruan government officials. Today, associate editor of The Saturday Paper Martin McKenzie-Murray, on what impact Australia has really had on Nauru and whether we’ve spent a fortune to make a tiny island nation worse off.Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and InstagramGuest: Associate editor of The Saturday Paper, Martin McKenzie-Murray.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.