John Safran has been a fixture in Australian media since his breakthrough in 1997 with ABC TV's Race Around the World. After several TV series of his own that explored ideas about faith, race and culture, John made the shift to book-length journalism. On this episode of Read This, Michael sits down for a conversation with John about his latest book, Squat, and John reveals the deeper story behind his week living in Kanye West’s Malibu mansion.

John Safran has been a fixture in Australian media since his breakthrough in 1997 with ABC TV's Race Around the World. After several TV series of his own that explored ideas about faith, race and culture, John made the shift to book-length journalism. On this episode of Read This, Michael sits down for a conversation with John about his latest book, Squat, and John reveals the deeper story behind his week living in Kanye West’s Malibu mansion.

An independent daily news show. We feature the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

An independent daily news show. We feature the country&rsquo;s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper.

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.

Read This: The Only Difference Between Kanye and John Safran

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/199d12b2-1861-4956-9750-b25e018512c0/transcript

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 Coch

Independent MP Monique Ryan can remember a time in Australian politics when small breaches could cost a career.&nbsp;
Now she says we&rsquo;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&rsquo;ve spoken to and why.&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at <a href="http://7ampodcast.com.au/support">7ampodcast.com.au/support</a>.
&nbsp;
Socials: Stay in touch with us on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/7ampodcast">Instagram</a>
Guest: Dr Monique Ryan, Independent MP
Photo:&nbsp;AAP Image/Lukas Coch

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/5a385ec9-73d3-4152-88d2-b40500471c25/transcript

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 USA

Who should hold the power to decide how AI is used on our battlefields? That&rsquo;s the question being debated after a face-off between the Pentagon and one of the world&rsquo;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 &ndash; 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.
&nbsp;
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at <a href="http://7ampodcast.com.au/support">7ampodcast.com.au/support</a>.
&nbsp;
Socials: Stay in touch with us on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/7ampodcast">Instagram</a>
Guest: David Wroe, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Photo:&nbsp;Xinhua/Sipa USA

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/862385b8-fa4d-4b42-a221-b404005f8733/transcript

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 Lewins

It&rsquo;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 &ndash; one of them giving birth to a stranger&rsquo;s baby.
At least three families have now received compensation for the bungle, which was caused by human error.
But these mistakes &ndash; at one of the oldest and most reputable clinics in the country &ndash; 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.
&nbsp;
If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at <a href="http://7ampodcast.com.au/support">7ampodcast.com.au/support</a>.
&nbsp;
Socials: Stay in touch with us on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/7ampodcast">Instagram</a>
Guest: Hannah Bambra, writer and public health campaigner
Photo:&nbsp;AAP Image/Dean Lewins

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/7b13813c-bd96-4239-b8e9-b404005c10ee/transcript

Read This: The Only Difference Between Kanye and John Safran

In 1 playlist(s)

7am

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips