7am

Last year, the company that ran Australia’s immigration detention network for over a decade, British conglomerate Serco, lost its contract, but not before helping build what’s been called one of the world’s ‘most extreme and secretive’ detention regimes.
The question at the time was whether its replacement – American private prison operator MTC – would be any better.
Eighteen months later, we have an answer. Recorded incidents across the detention network have more than doubled – from almost 800 to over 1,600 – since MTC took over.
At the same time, Australia’s offshore detention system on Nauru is expanding – hundreds more people are being transferred to the island, and the Albanese government has announced plans to expand immigration detention as part of its crackdown on visa overstayers.
Today, journalist Denham Sadler on the private companies paid billions to run Australia’s immigration detention system – and the warnings that were there before MTC took over.
This episode was originally published in January, 2025.

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Guest: Journalist Denham Sadler
Photo: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
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Migration is shaping up to be the next big battleground in federal politics as Labor desperately tries to wrestle back control of the narrative from One Nation.
But does this week’s long-awaited plan leave the government stronger or weaker politically?
And could going harder on Pauline Hanson hold the key to tackling One Nation? This week, the major parties gave it a try as some of Hanson’s nasty comments came back to bite her.
Today, Contributing Editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis on immigration politics and whether some things are off limits, even for Pauline Hanson.

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Guest: Contributing Editor at The New Daily, Amy Remeikis
Photo: AAP Image/Dean Lewins
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After one false start and a hell of a lot of political pressure from the right, Labor has finally unveiled its long-awaited immigration plans.
Backpackers, students and visa overstayers will all be targeted by the measures – designed to bring net overseas migration down from around 300 thousand, to 225 thousand by 2028.
So what impact will the overhaul have on our economy, our communities, and on Labor’s re-election prospects?
Today, journalist Peter Mares – who writes extensively on immigration for Inside Story magazine – on what’s in store, and whether the issue Labor’s addressing is a political problem, or a real one.

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Guest: Inside Story Magazine journalist Peter Mares
Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch
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Last week, countries including the UK, Canada and France announced plans to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In the past, Australia has joined its overseas allies in actions on Israel. This time it’s different – with Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, saying Australia isn’t considering joining the ban.
So – why not?
Today, Commissioner on the UN’s Commission of Inquiry into the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel, Chris Sidoti, on Australia’s responsibilities, and its failures.

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Guest: Commissioner on the UN’s Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Chris Sidoti
Photo: AP Photo/Leo Correa
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In the last week, AI bosses around the world have suddenly grown a conscience – urging a global slowdown amid fears the race to develop artificial intelligence could outstrip humanity’s ability to control it.
For Dex Hunter-Torricke, that realisation came a little sooner. The big-tech insider walked away last year, disillusioned, after spending 15 years inside the belly of the beast.
He wrote speeches for Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, worked with Elon Musk at SpaceX, and most recently helped Google DeepMind explain the rise of artificial intelligence to the world.
Now, he says society is making the same mistakes with AI as it did in the social media era – sleepwalking into what comes next.
Today, founder and president of The Center for Tomorrow, Dex Hunter-Torricke gives us a glimpse inside the big tech firms shaping our future.

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Guest: Founder of The Center for Tomorrow Dex Hunter-Torricke
Photo: @dexhuntertorricke via Instagram
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