A quiet transformation is underway at Australian universities. Behind closed doors, powerful consulting firms are helping to reshape higher education; cutting courses, centralising power, and outsourcing staff. 

One firm in particular, Nous Group, is now embedded in some of the country’s most prestigious institutions. At the Australian National University, its role in a $250 million restructure has been concealed, even from parliament, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability. 

Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on how consultants gained control of the university sector, and what it could mean for the future of higher education.

 

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: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.

Photo: University of Sydney

A quiet transformation is underway at Australian universities. Behind closed doors, powerful consulting firms are helping to reshape higher education; cutting courses, centralising power, and outsourcing staff.&nbsp;
One firm in particular, Nous Group, is now embedded in some of the country&rsquo;s most prestigious institutions. At the Australian National University, its role in a $250 million restructure has been concealed, even from parliament, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability.&nbsp;
Today, senior reporter for&nbsp;The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on how consultants gained control of the university sector, and what it could mean for the future of higher education.
&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: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton.
Photo: University of Sydney

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.

The consulting firms reshaping our universities

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/1ccf3794-a476-4443-b5fb-b2fb0068ec2b/transcript

On Sunday night, after Iran’s final game of the Women’s Asian Cup on the Gold Coast, protesters surrounded the team bus, banging on the windows and shouting “let them go”.

Later, five members of the Iranian squad broke away from their minders. By Tuesday, the federal government had confirmed they had been granted humanitarian visas.

The move followed days of concern about what the players might face if they returned to Iran, after several were denounced on Iranian state television for refusing to sing the national anthem at the start of the tournament.

The government says the same option remains open to the rest of the team, but for now they look set to return to a war zone.

Today, former Socceroo and human rights advocate Craig Foster on what this moment says about football’s failure to protect women players when they needed them most.

 

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: Former Socceroos captain and human rights advocate, Craig Foster

Photo: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

On Sunday night, after Iran&rsquo;s final game of the Women&rsquo;s Asian Cup on the Gold Coast, protesters surrounded the team bus, banging on the windows and shouting &ldquo;let them go&rdquo;.
Later, five members of the Iranian squad broke away from their minders. By Tuesday, the federal government had confirmed they had been granted humanitarian visas.
The move followed days of concern about what the players might face if they returned to Iran, after several were denounced on Iranian state television for refusing to sing the national anthem at the start of the tournament.
The government says the same option remains open to the rest of the team, but for now they look set to return to a war zone.
Today, former Socceroo and human rights advocate Craig Foster on what this moment says about football&rsquo;s failure to protect women players when they needed them most.
&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: Former Socceroos captain and human rights advocate, Craig Foster
Photo:&nbsp;AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Craig Foster and the rescue mission to save Iran's soccer stars

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/6facb8fe-162d-42da-a827-b409004f7aac/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

The consulting firms reshaping our universities

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