Lech Blaine’s debut book Car Crash, told the gripping story of his life in the aftermath of a horrendous road accident that killed several of his friends. Since then he’s written political essays and thoughtful journalism for The Monthly, the Quarterly Essay and beyond. On this week’s episode of Read This we’re bringing you Michael’s conversation with Lech at Canberra Writers’ Festival, where they discussed his latest book Australian Gospel: A Family Saga. The book details the outrageous true story of the tangled fates of two couples and the children trapped between them.

Lech Blaine&rsquo;s debut book&nbsp;Car Crash, told the gripping story of his life in the aftermath of a horrendous road accident that killed several of his friends. Since then he&rsquo;s written political essays and thoughtful journalism for&nbsp;The Monthly, the&nbsp;Quarterly Essay&nbsp;and beyond. On this week&rsquo;s episode of&nbsp;Read This&nbsp;we&rsquo;re bringing you Michael&rsquo;s conversation with Lech at Canberra Writers&rsquo; Festival, where they discussed his latest book&nbsp;Australian Gospel: A Family Saga. The book details the outrageous true story of the tangled fates of two couples and the children trapped between them.

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 Tangled Branches of Lech Blaine’s Family Tree

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/52b97a42-fa5c-4343-b66c-b276003ef114/transcript

Like so many stories about misinformation, this one starts with a social media post. 

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM.”

Not long after that, Donald Trump backtracked and set the record straight. 

“He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.”

But in those few short hours before clarification, misinformation had already taken hold.

Social media posts accusing Australia of inaction on the soccer team, and falsely claiming Albanese lied to Trump about granting the women asylum gained millions of views on X.

Meanwhile, news commentary which wrongly portrayed Trump as triggering Albanese’s decision hit the mainstream media.

It’s just one recent example of the wave of misinformation making it increasingly difficult for all of us to work out what is and isn't factual in this ‘post truth’ world.

Today ABC journalist and host of new doco ‘The Matter of Facts’ Hamish Macdonald on the misinformation and disinformation taking over our online 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: Hamish Macdonald, ABC journalist

Photo: Samuel Corum/Sipa USA

Like so many stories about misinformation, this one starts with a social media post.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman&rsquo;s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed. Don&rsquo;t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM.&rdquo;
Not long after that, Donald Trump backtracked and set the record straight.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way.&rdquo;
But in those few short hours before clarification, misinformation had already taken hold.
Social media posts accusing Australia of inaction on the soccer team, and falsely claiming Albanese lied to Trump about granting the women asylum gained millions of views on X.
Meanwhile, news commentary which wrongly portrayed Trump as triggering Albanese&rsquo;s decision hit the mainstream media.
It&rsquo;s just one recent example of the wave of misinformation making it increasingly difficult for all of us to work out what is and isn't factual in this &lsquo;post truth&rsquo; world.
Today ABC journalist and host of new doco &lsquo;The Matter of Facts&rsquo; Hamish Macdonald on the misinformation and disinformation taking over our online world.
&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: Hamish Macdonald, ABC journalist
Photo:&nbsp;Samuel Corum/Sipa USA

Disinformation Wars and a ‘Post Truth’ World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/43f7fd95-0a8b-46ad-8951-b41300689746/transcript

It’s been one year since dead fish began washing up on South Australian beaches, as the largest algal bloom in Australia’s history spread along the coast.

Marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett was part of the team that first surveyed the bloom – coming face to face with the algae’s devastating impact.

Twelve months on, the bloom is still there, the damage has spread, and many of the warnings scientists made in those early days have proved well founded – particularly the damage to marine life.

Today, we’re bringing you an episode from 2025 with marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett, on what caused the bloom, what he saw beneath the surface, and what it means for the fate of the ocean.

This episode first aired in August 2025.

 

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: Marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett

It&rsquo;s been one year since dead fish began washing up on South Australian beaches, as the largest algal bloom in Australia&rsquo;s history spread along the coast.
Marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett was part of the team that first surveyed the bloom &ndash; coming face to face with the algae&rsquo;s devastating impact.
Twelve months on, the bloom is still there, the damage has spread, and many of the warnings scientists made in those early days have proved well founded &ndash; particularly the damage to marine life.
Today, we&rsquo;re bringing you an episode from 2025 with marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett, on what caused the bloom, what he saw beneath the surface, and what it means for the fate of the ocean. This episode first aired in August 2025.
&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: Marine ecologist Dr Scott Bennett

The giant cuttlefish and the deadly algal bloom

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/b21456a9-4152-45b7-b8e6-b413005a5464/transcript

South Australia does not usually wake up on election day at the centre of the national mood. But this morning, a contest that looks settled on paper is carrying a much stranger energy.

Peter Malinauskas is expected to win comfortably. The real movement is happening elsewhere; in the noise around One Nation, the protest vote in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis gathering around the once marginal party, and the possibility that a state election could end up telling us something bigger about where Australian politics is heading. 

Today, Editor of InDaily SA, Belinda Willis, on the state election that may be a whitewash for Labor, but a warning for everyone else. 

 

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: InDaily SA Editor Belinda Willis

Photo: AAP Image/David Mariuz

South Australia does not usually wake up on election day at the centre of the national mood. But this morning, a contest that looks settled on paper is carrying a much stranger energy.
Peter Malinauskas is expected to win comfortably. The real movement is happening elsewhere; in the noise around One Nation, the protest vote in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis gathering around the once marginal party, and the possibility that a state election could end up telling us something bigger about where Australian politics is heading.&nbsp;
Today, Editor of InDaily SA, Belinda Willis, on the state election that may be a whitewash for Labor, but a warning for everyone else.&nbsp;
&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: InDaily SA Editor Belinda Willis
Photo:&nbsp;AAP Image/David Mariuz

Will SA be hit by One Nation’s ‘orange wave’?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/b71e546d-780c-48b5-94a2-b41300596203/transcript

Read This: The Tangled Branches of Lech Blaine’s Family Tree

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