7.30
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | March 7, 2011 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Current affairs television show |
| Website | www |
7.30 is a nightly Australian current affairs television show broadcast on ABC TV and ABC News from Monday through Thursday, currently anchored by Sarah Ferguson.
History
The show premiered on 7 March 2011, taking the place of both The 7.30 Report and Stateline. Its initial hosts were Leigh Sales alongside Chris Uhlmann.
In 2012, Uhlmann transitioned to the role of political editor, stepping away from hosting duties until 2013 when he departed to create a documentary focused on the Rudd and Gillard government administrations. He was succeeded as political editor by Sabra Lane, who later moved on to lead ABC's radio current affairs program, AM.
The executive producer position was filled by Jo Puccini in 2015. In December 2016, Andrew Probyn took over the political editor role from Lane and advanced in August 2017 to become ABC’s chief political editor, replacing Uhlmann who had joined the Nine Network. In February 2018, Laura Tingle assumed the position of political editor.
During Leigh Sales’ maternity leave in 2014, Sarah Ferguson served as host and received praise for her sharp interviewing technique.
Justin Stevens was appointed executive producer in 2018. Leigh Sales announced her exit in February 2022 after nearly twelve years; she concluded her tenure in June but continued working with ABC. In April 2022, ABC declared that Ferguson would succeed Sales starting July. Joel Tozer replaced Stevens as executive producer in June 2022 when Stevens advanced to network news director.
In May 2025, after six years with the program, Laura Tingle departed 7.30 to take on the role of ABC’s global affairs editor. She was succeeded by Jacob Greber, previously ABC’s chief digital political correspondent.
Description
7.30 is a thirty-minute current affairs broadcast airing immediately following the evening news on ABC TV. It is regarded as the network’s premier program, with The Sydney Morning Herald describing it as "arguably [the ABC's] most impactful daily program" and frequently its most viewed nightly show.
Hosts
| Presenter | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Kerry O'Brien | 1995–2010 |
| Leigh Sales | 2011–2022 |
| Chris Uhlmann | 2011–2012 |
| Sarah Ferguson | 2022–present |
Substitute hosts have included David Speers, Michael Rowland, Virginia Trioli, and Ellen Fanning.
Political editor
| Presenter | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Chris Uhlmann | 2012–2013 |
| Sabra Lane | 2013–2016 |
| Andrew Probyn | 2016–2017 |
| Laura Tingle | 2018–2025 |
| Jacob Greber | 2025–present |
State editions
The regional editions of 7.30, which aired at 7:30 p.m. across eight Australian states and territories, were discontinued in December 2014 following the departure of Quentin Dempster. These localized broadcasts were also available nationally on ABC News during weekends.