7NEWS Spotlight

7NEWS Spotlight (2020- )

RunningNews show

A series of investigative specials focusing on major breaking news events and long-form investigations of national significance.

Network
Scheduleevery Sunday (60 min)

Last Episode

Inside Australia's AI Data Factories
Year 2026Episode 1160 min

Inside Australia's AI Data Factories

7News Spotlight sees Sarah Greenhalgh inside Australia's AI data centres, processing everything from online searches and streaming services to the AI tools millions now use every day.

Across the country, giant data centres are springing up in suburbia and regional communities, some just metres from homes – powering every scroll, every search and every AI prompt reshaping our lives.

But the race to build Australia's AI revolution is also fuelling a growing backlash, with battles intensifying over water and electricity resources, infrastructure, pollution, and the impact on local communities.

As governments and tech giants lead the charge to secure Australia's place in the global AI boom, critics are raising concerns about the hidden costs. These facilities draw on enormous amounts of electricity and water, while communities fear the centres are being built too close to homes and without enough scrutiny.

From the NSW Southern Highlands to Melbourne's city centre, 7News Spotlight explores the rapid expansion of an industry expected to transform the country's economy, and meets the residents, experts and industry leaders grappling with the real-world impact of the data centres already on our doorstep.

The question isn't whether we need them. It's what we're prepared to sacrifice to keep them running. And 7News Spotlight heads to Loudoun County, Virginia – the data centre capital of the world – to see what lessons Australia can learn before it's too late.

Jul 12, 2026

Next Episode

One Nation's Pauline Hanson
Year 2026Episode 1260 min

One Nation's Pauline Hanson

7News Spotlight on Sunday sees Liam Bartlett join One Nation's Pauline Hanson in the UK.

Liam Bartlett said: "Spending time with Senator Hanson outside her usual comfort zone has provided quite a unique opportunity for Australian voters to see and hear her in a context that may surprise them.

"And like with any candidate who could potentially be a Prime Minister, we have challenged her views so that viewers can make an informed decision".

With One Nation riding high in the polls, Pauline Hanson has been greeted as a major figure on the political world stage.

In this 7NEWS Spotlight exclusive to air on Sunday at 8.50pm on Seven and 7plus, Liam Bartlett follows Senator Hanson from Australia to the UK, gaining extraordinary access as she seeks guidance from the darlings and delinquents of the UK's far right.

But has Hanson's UK visit taken her views to the extreme?

Bartlett sits down with an emboldened Hanson who for the first time reveals how her listening tour has reshaped her views on Australia's future.

In their fiery exchange, she makes no apologies – defending new plans for the Australia she wants to see, informed by the elements of Britain she doesn't want us to emulate. It's raw, unguarded and at times explosive.

It's Pauline Hanson as you've never seen her, with renewed determination to fight for what she believes. As she tells 7NEWS Spotlight: "This is a chess game that we're playing at the moment and it's a hell of a chess game. But at the end of it, I want One Nation to win because if we can win, the people will win." in the UK.

Liam Bartlett said: "Spending time with Senator Hanson outside her usual comfort zone has provided quite a unique opportunity for Australian voters to see and hear her in a context that may surprise them.

"And like with any candidate who could potentially be a Prime Minister, we have challenged her views so that viewers can make an informed decision".

With One Nation riding high in the polls, Pauline Hanson has been greeted as a major figure on the political world stage.

In this 7NEWS Spotlight exclusive to air on Sunday at 8.50pm on Seven and 7plus, Liam Bartlett follows Senator Hanson from Australia to the UK, gaining extraordinary access as she seeks guidance from the darlings and delinquents of the UK's far right.

But has Hanson's UK visit taken her views to the extreme?

Bartlett sits down with an emboldened Hanson who for the first time reveals how her listening tour has reshaped her views on Australia's future.

In their fiery exchange, she makes no apologies – defending new plans for the Australia she wants to see, informed by the elements of Britain she doesn't want us to emulate. It's raw, unguarded and at times explosive.

It's Pauline Hanson as you've never seen her, with renewed determination to fight for what she believes. As she tells 7NEWS Spotlight: "This is a chess game that we're playing at the moment and it's a hell of a chess game. But at the end of it, I want One Nation to win because if we can win, the people will win."

Jul 19, 2026

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
2026-07-12Inside Australia's AI Data FactoriesJul 12, 2026
2026-07-05Ditching Diets, Dependence & Death?Jul 5, 2026
2026-06-28Missing PiecesJun 28, 2026
2026-06-21The Gus Lamont MysteryJun 21, 2026
2026-06-14Tobacco WarsJun 14, 2026
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

Liam Bartlett

Liam Bartlett

plays himself
Michael Usher

Michael Usher

plays himself
View all cast

Characters

Presenter & Reporter

Presenter & Reporter

played by Liam Bartlett
Host

Host

played by Michael Usher
View all characters

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