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Israeli airstrikes are targeting the southernmost city in Gaza and tanks have been seen entering the outskirts of the city. Rafah was once the last safe haven in Gaza, where civilians fleeing Israeli bombardment had been told to seek refuge. The United States, along with international allies, have long pushed for Israel not to invade the city. Today, Middle East correspondent for The Economist Gregg Carlstrom, on Rafah and what it would take to clinch a last-ditch ceasefire deal. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Middle east correspondent for The Economist, Gregg Carlstrom

It’s a small mystery in Australian politics: Why was Peter Dutton’s first major policy as opposition leader a promise to build nuclear power plants? On the surface, it doesn’t seem like an obvious vote winner and early polling shows most Australians are yet to be convinced. But this may be less about votes and more about holding the Coalition together, with the help of a lobby group most of us have never heard of. Today, investigative journalist and contributor to The Monthly Marian Wilkinson on the Coalition for Conservation lobby and their links to Peter Dutton’s nuclear promises. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Investigative journalist and contributor to The Monthly, Marian Wilkinson

In recent years, Australia has faced a reckoning over the actions of some of our special forces soldiers, who have gone from decorated heroes to murderers accused of horrific war crimes against civilians. David McBride is the former military lawyer who first gave journalists documentary evidence of civilian killings in Afghanistan. To his supporters he’s a war crimes whistleblower, but detractors say that was never his motivation. During a secretive national security trial, he pleaded guilty to handing over those files and this morning his sentencing hearing gets underway. Today, David McBride, on why he did it, whether he has any regrets and how Australia keeps its secrets. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: David McBride

Today, writer Angela Savage with her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly. Parents often face the dilemma of helping their children become independent, while not wanting to let them go. Angela’s story, ‘Fledglings’, tells the story of what changes when that moment finally comes.

As Australia demanded answers to the domestic violence crisis, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese became a focal point in all the wrong ways when he got into a confrontation with a rally organiser on Sunday. But this week’s national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders offered a chance to respond to the community’s concern and produce real solutions. So what solutions came out of that meeting? And will they genuinely help women who face domestic violence? Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on the crucial moment for Australia and whether governments are delivering on their mission to end violence against women. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

As Donald Trump zeroed in on his successful 2016 run to the presidency, he began to engage in what is called “catch and kill” journalism. Trump and his lawyers developed relationships with journalists, who were allegedly prepared to track down damaging stories aboutTrump, and then take money to ensure they would never be printed. Today, managing editor of The Saturday Paper Emily Barrett on the Australian who built a reputation as one of the best at “capture and kill” in America – and how he’s ended up being central to Donald Trump’s trial in New York. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Managing editor of The Saturday Paper, Emily Barrett.

It feels like hardly a week goes by where we don’t hear about a woman in Australia being killed by a man she knows. Intimate partner deaths increased by almost a third during the last reporting year and early counts by advocacy groups suggest this year is set to be even worse. The spike in killings has led to protests, a national outcry and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declaring that violence against women is a national crisis. Today, author of See What You Made Me Do and journalist Jess Hill, on what can be done to stop the violence – and why “awareness” is no longer good enough. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Author of See What You Made Me Do and journalist Jess Hill

There are strict rules around how drug company representatives can interact with doctors to ensure they aren’t influencing how medications are prescribed. But when it comes to expensive medical devices inserted in our bodies during surgery – all sorts of screws, pacemakers and implants – those same rules don’t apply. Medical device sales reps are scrubbed up and working in the operating theatre, even advising surgeons on which products to use. Today, national correspondent for The Saturday Paper Mike Seccombe, on whether the pursuit of profit risks driving clinical decisions. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: National correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Mike Seccombe

There’s an old adage in Canberra: every first-term government gets a second chance. But when voters head to the polls next year, could the current Labor government be an exception? With so many Australians feeling the cost-of-living crisis, and the government facing a slump in the polls, evidence is mounting that Labor will struggle to retain majority government. So what’s its strategy to change course? Today, special correspondent in Canberra for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis, on why Labor appears so calm in turbulent times. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Special correspondent in Canberra for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis

When Australia’s eSafety commissioner issued takedown orders to some of the world’s biggest tech companies at the beginning of this week, the commissioner probably didn’t realise it would put us on the frontline of a global battle over the internet. The orders were aimed at removing the kind of footage social media companies have agreed to remove in the past – but today things are very different, in large part because of Elon Musk. Today, columnist for The Saturday Paper Paul Bongiorno, on why Elon Musk and his fans turned on Australia and how one Senator in particular, ended up in the firing line. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Columnist for The Saturday Paper, Paul Bongiorno.

The wait for elective surgery in our public hospitals is longer than ever, but it seems there’s a way to jump the queue. If you can afford to pay for private care in a public hospital, you might find yourself being offered more perks than just a free bathrobe and some slippers. Today, lawyer and contributor to The Monthly Russell Marks, on whether our public health system is truly fair and what happens when your own child’s health is on the line. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Lawyer and contributor to The Monthly, Russell Marks

An attack at a Western Sydney church last week was inextricably linked to social media. The bishop who was stabbed is a social media celebrity, the attack itself was live-streamed, and both the attack and the reaction may have been inflamed by online extremism. The Australian government is so concerned it has picked a fight with the global social media giants X and Meta, ordering them to pull down content about the attack. Today, counter-terrorism expert and Lowy Institute fellow Lydia Khalill, on the attack, whether it was an act of terrorism and how we can do more to prevent extremism. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Project director of the Lowy Institute’s Digital Threats to Democracy Project and expert on counter-terrorism, Lydia Khalil

Grace Tame knows how to advocate. Her campaigning for survivors of sexual assault and abuse helped to create real change and pushed powerful institutions to be better. Now, Tame is turning her focus onto something she has lived with her whole life and which is now on the agenda in Canberra, – autism and neurodivergence. Today, former Australian of the Year and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Grace Tame, on Australia’s first attempt at a national autism strategy – and why we must get it right. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: former Australian of the year and Contributor to The Saturday Paper, Grace Tame

It’s now been a week since the Federal Court of Australia’s Justice Michael Lee ruled it was substantially true that Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittney Higgins in a minister’s office at Parliament House back in 2019. In other cases, that may have been the end of the matter. But this case has drawn in dozens of characters, with careers ended, others on the rocks and Channel Seven appearing as if it could implode. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on who emerges from the wreckage of one of the most dramatic defamation cases we’ve seen in years. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton

Today, columnist Elizabeth Farrelly will read her piece about our modern cities and how they relate to the history of how humanity has imagined the perfect city. Farrelly is one of Australia’s foremost writers on urban development and the communities of our cities – having earned devoted readers at the Sydney Morning Herald and now at Schwartz Media, inThe Saturday Paper. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Columnist Elizabeth Farrelly

At the end of the day, the people who decide what path Australia takes to solve the housing crisis are those in government. In this episode, we speak to the federal minister for housing, Julie Collins. Does the government think we’re in a crisis? How does she plan to ensure we all have a safe and affordable place to call home? And how will she convince voters in the next election that Labor has the boldest ideas? In this final episode of 7am’s five-part series, we dive into what the government is doing and whether there is more that could be done. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Federal minister for housing, Julie Collins

A solution to the housing crisis is one of the most sought-after ideas in Australia. Political careers, fortunes and the fate of a generation will rest on how we respond to the increasingly dire housing market, which means there are countless solutions to this crisis being debated throughout the country. In this episode of 7am’s five-part series, we explore four of these possible solutions to the crisis. You will hear from finance expert Alan Kohler, Greens spokesperson for housing Max Chandler Mather, housing advocate Maiy Azize and former deputy lord mayor of Sydney and author, Jess Scully. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Finance expert, Alan Kohler; Greens spokesperson for housing, Max Chandler Mather; housing advocate, Maiy Azize; former deputy lord mayor of Sydney and author of Glimpses of Utopia, Jess Scully.

With federal, state and local governments promising to build more Australian homes, it’s fair to say that all levels of government want to fix the housing crisis. But are they building enough? Are they listening to the people they’re building it for? And who really benefits from the way we build housing in Australia? In this episode of 7am’s five-part special series on the housing crisis, we find out who gets a say when it comes to housing, and why that can get in the way of building the homes Australia needs. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Public housing tenant, Carolyn Ienna; Housing expert, Nicole Gurran; Sydney Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, Michael Koziol.

With home ownership out of reach, more and more younger Australians have no choice but to rent for much longer than their parents ever did – maybe for the rest of their lives. That puts younger Australians at the mercy of landlords, making some intensely angry and leading to what might be described as a “renters resistance”. In this episode of 7am’s five-part special series on the housing crisis, we meet the people who are trying to make it better: the people who are mobilising, taking matters into their own hands and fighting back. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Tenant, Blake Hesketh; founder of shitrentals.org and social media figure, Jordan van den Berg; Senior lecturer in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Sydney, Dr Sophia Maalsen.

This is the first episode of 7am’s new five-part special series on the housing crisis. What happened to housing in Australia over the past few decades wasn’t by chance. It’s the result of decades of deliberate decisions that have turned us into a nation of landlords and property speculators. This episode uncovers who broke the housing market, and introduces one of the few people who saw what was coming and tried to warn us. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram Guest: Economist Saul Eslake; Television producer Julian Cress; Housing expert Professor Nicole Gurran