Inside Politics
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age with host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal.
Episodes
Labor’s tax changes hit the property market, will a Liberal ‘rebrand’ turn the party around?
The government's capital gains tax and negative gearing changes are now legislated, and this week there has been some early data on how these changes are hitting the property market. Plus, Labor's compromise on gambling advertising reforms and Angus Taylor's leadership of the Liberal Party. Senior economics correspondent Shane Wright and federal political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos join Ja
High risk or the right time? Zali Steggall on the new teal party
This week independent MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender announced they would form a new political party, Community Strong Australia. Steggall was successful as the first teal candidate, winning the prize seat of Warringah on Sydney’s north shore from former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2019. Spender took Sydney’s blue-ribbon electorate of Wentworth from Liberal David Sharma in 202
Falsities, nastiness and the Trump ‘vibe’ tapped: Hanson at the Press Club
The hottest ticket in Australian politics this week was Pauline Hanson's first address to the National Press Club, which happened on Wednesday. The Press Club, set up in the early 1960s, has become a rite of passage for any aspiring political leader. But Hanson has been an outsider, and the Press Club represents the type of institution she rejects, so until now the One Nation leader has never made
Polls, the media and what's really driving One Nation’s support
With the budget backlash era moving on to something like begrudged resignation, or budget fatigue, we’re expecting Treasurer Jim Chalmers to soon make a few announcements around the tax changes. While this bubbles along, the only story in politics continues to be One Nation. Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal debate whether the media and the n
A week of reality checks: ‘Pauline for PM’ and the true state of the AUKUS pact
This week polls showed, for the first time, One Nation ahead of the major parties and Pauline Hanson as preferred prime minister in second place ahead of Angus Taylor. Today we're talking about her strategy, her chances in the lower house and any parallels with the United States. Is it time to take Hanson seriously? And the week would not be over if we didn't mention submarines - but second-
‘Don’t say it’s a protest vote’: Pauline Hanson on One Nation’s resurgence
The debate on the rise of Pauline Hanson is shifting rapidly. This week, for the first time, polls are showing One Nation's primary vote has risen above the Labor Party's. A conversation that focused on One Nation and the Coalition swapping preferences has now shifted to more profound questions about the long-term configuration of the right flank of Australian politics. Hanson is yet to face the f
CGT shemozzle, risk thrown around like 'fairy dust' and...a Teal party?
We are officially in week two of budget backlash, and both sides seem pretty dug in. Today we’re talking about the disagreements about the capital gains tax - the most controversial part of the budget - and if, as some critics said, it will kill business aspirations. The other news that sparked our interest was the tantalising prospect of the Teal independents forming a party to consolidate
Most people don’t have trusts, or multiple houses: Bill Shorten on the budget’s tax changes
We’re officially in our budget backlash era, with claims of death taxes, of aspirations killed, and the outraged cries of crypto bros across the nation. Not to mention, of course, the genuine anxiety from regular small business owners and shareholders who are unsure of how all of these changes will affect them. Our guest this week is former Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten, who is n
Does a broken promise matter in a broken system, and Angus Taylor’s migrant plan
The federal budget was pitched as a big moment for a progressive government that wants to equalise wealth and home ownership. And one of the main attacks from the opposition is that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has had to break a promise in order to get there. So will the broken promise line resonate if the changes are broadly supported by the public? Also today, Inside Politics host Jacqu
‘Popcorn out’ for Farrer by-election, plus the RBA’s pointed comments on government spending
The electorate of Farrer is holding a by-election this weekend and we’re expecting the contest will be a good one. The NSW seat, which hugs the border with Victoria, belonged to former opposition leader Sussan Ley for 25 years. Now, it’s a microcosm of the pressures the Coalition is under from independent candidates and One Nation. And as Inside Politics host Jacqueline Maley puts
Why young people are so angry about housing, and whether this budget will fix it
Inflation figures were out this week, and it wasn’t good news. Next week’s interest rates figures from the Reserve Bank aren't looking crash hot either. So how do these results impact Jim Chalmers’ impending budget and what are the chances the treasurer will press ahead with changes to taxes and housing? We also chat about the government’s new favourite buzzwords from &lsqu
Mark Butler on the NDIS, private health and vaccine hesitancy
When the National Disability Insurance Scheme was created in 2013, it was proof that a rich society could find the money to help people living with a disability. This was social democracy at work. Twelve years on, it has turned into a $62 billion behemoth, on track to cost more than the age pension. The Albanese government last week admitted the scheme was at risk of collapse. It announced a root-
Labor’s baby a ‘honeypot of fraud’ and the gas tax’s viral moment
Today, we are talking about one of the federal budget’s trickiest customers - the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Labor was once like a proud parent of the NDIS, but now even the minister in charge, Mark Butler, is describing the scheme as a honeypot for organised crime. Also this week, an inquiry about taxing offshore gas exports went kind of viral due to a David Pocock question about
No ‘drill baby drill’ moment: Chris Bowen on oil shock’s impact on green Australia
A fire at a Geelong oil refinery - one of two refineries left in Australia - has heightened anxiety around fuel supply. Energy Minister Chris Bowen joins the Inside Politics podcast today to address the impact of this fire and the scramble for petrol and diesel imports as the nation grapples with one of the most severe oil shocks in history. The pugilistic minister, a lighting rod in the debate ab
Matt Canavan on his love of EVs, and calling out Pauline Hanson
The new leader of the Nationals, Matt Canavan, is a former Marxist from the suburbs who was once a Productivity Commission economist and then, a firebrand right-wing senator. Canavan joins Inside Politics today with chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal at a time when the Nationals are battling for survival against an ascendant One Nation. The pair discuss Australia's over-reliance on the
A national address, nailing down the budget, and Hastie’s ‘striking’ interview
This week we debate the merits of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s national address before getting stuck into what’s happening with the budget. With the world in a bit of a shambles, we found it interesting that the PM hasn’t totally killed off the idea of reforms in the budget to things such as capital gains tax and negative gearing. But, as our guest and senior economics
The EU trade deal, and One Nation’s South Australian election
This week, while we were all freaking out about the oil crisis – and rightly so – European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen visited to finalise a trade deal between Australia and the EU. Negotiations for this have been on and off for eight years, so it was not a moment too soon that we signed it. But, as Jacqueline Maley and Paul Sakkal discuss, this wasn't just about deliciou
Is it really time to panic about petrol supply?
This week we’re talking about the enormous global volatility the government is dealing with, courtesy of the US-Israel war on Iran, and whether we need to be worried about things like our fuel supplies.Also, with this global instability and an interest rate rise this week, will Treasurer Jim Chalmers water down his budget ambitions, or press on with major changes to intergenerational equity
Why the timeline of the Iranian women’s football team defection makes some people liars
This week, we talk about the incredible story of the Iranian women's soccer team, some of whom defected and were given asylum in Australia. It was a wonderful story, and a great public relations coup for the government. Plus, the legacy of outgoing Nationals leader David Littleproud, and we examine the somewhat controversial style of the incoming leader Matt Canavan. Joining host Jacquline M
The politics of war, and why Peter Dutton was so upset over leaked Liberal Party review
Israel and the United States are at war with Iran in a rapidly escalating conflict that Australia seems to be trying to avoid as much as possible. Today, we'll talk about how viable it is to be neutral these days, and whether Australia is doing its duty as a middle power. We'll also discuss the Liberal Party review that Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and others tried to keep it secret, only t
Regrets? There are none. David Littleproud on Coalition split and what Nats do next
In this bonus episode of Inside Politics, we’re joined by the Nationals leader David Littleproud.He’s a man under pressure – commentators, Liberal MPs and some of his own colleagues blamed January’s split on the 49-year-old from Chinchilla in regional Queensland.Today, chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and Littleproud discuss the Coalition rupture and what’s n
Tim Wilson accused the treasurer of pouring fuel on the inflation flames – is he right?
This week we had some not-so-great inflation figures and also reports that there'll be another interest rate rise right before the government hands down its federal budget in May. Newly-minted shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, aka the "energiser bunny", accused Treasurer Jim Chalmers of pouring fuel on the economic flames, but what is the government saying about the situation? Also in this episode, we
Return of 'ISIS brides' raises many questions about what it means to be Australian
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia's ISIS brides - the women trying to return home with their children from Syria - are not getting help from the government, but it seems there is more to the story. Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss is senior writer Michael Bachelard, who has followed the story for years, and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https
The Sketch: Tony Wright on 'Nation's worst government? Jane Hume's hyperbolic historical claim'
Tony Wright, the associate editor of The Age, has been writing for 50 years. He is the master of what we call the political sketch. Sketches are akin to a verbal cartoon, and when done well, capture a moment in politics.Today, we bring you Wright's latest sketch, titled: 'Nation’s worst government? Jane Hume’s hyperbolic historical claim'. Read Wright's columns, and sketches, by c
Anthony Albanese interview: Police prayer disruption at Herzog protest needs ‘full explanation’
We're bringing you an extra episode of Inside Politics today because Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had an opening in his diary, and he's granted us an audience. His interview comes off the back of a difficult week, with a state visit from Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Herzog's visit was welcomed by the victims of the Bondi terror attack and their families, but his presence in Australia also sp
Is government spending really driving inflation?
There’s a bit going on with the Liberal Party this week, but while that unfolds we are going to look at some bigger issues. Interest rates went up recently, for the first time in two years, and there’s a question as to whether government spending contributed to inflation. So we're testing that today, with host Jacqueline Maley, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright and fede
Bill Shorten on his random, oblique reference in the Epstein files
Today on Inside Politics, we welcome back former opposition leader Bill Shorten, who is now the Vice Chancellor of the University of Canberra.It's a timely moment to have Shorten on the podcast as he obliquely (very obliquely, we stress) came up in the Epstein files this week.Strangely, in the massive dump of new documents from the files, there is a text message exchange between Steve Bannon,
A funeral, secret plots, and 'wayward children' — another messy week for the Coalition
The drama between the Liberals and the Nationals continued this week with what seems to be a total breakdown in the relationship between Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud. Meanwhile, Ley's leadership remains in mortal peril, and in a plot twist, Littleproud faces his own leadership challenge next week. Chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal joins Jacqueline Maley
The Sketch: Tony Wright on the Coalition’s 'ship of fools'
Tony Wright, the associate editor of The Age, has been writing for 50 years. He is the master of what we call the political sketch.Sketches are akin to a verbal cartoon and, when done well, capture a moment in politics.Today, in a bonus episode of Inside Politics, we bring you Wright's sketch on the disintegration of the Coalition, titled: It’s a mess of Titanic proportions on the Coalition&
Barnaby Joyce opens up on his defection to Pauline Hanson's One Nation
One Nation is having a bit of a moment. Pauline Hanson’s outfit, accused by both major parties of exploiting racial anxiety over her career, has faded into irrelevance at points since she burst onto the scene in the late 1990s. But two new polls have recorded record-high primary votes for One Nation. One of them saw One Nation’s vote rise above the Coalition, which split in spectacular
Littleproud fired the gun, but Ley set up the circumstances: The spectacular Coalition break-up
We are back with a special episode of Inside Politics as a few things have happened this week – namely the break-up of the Coalition, a century-old political alliance. Nationals leader David Littleproud announced the split on Thursday morning, blaming Liberal leader Sussan Ley in the process. Federal political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos joins chief political correspondent Paul S
Best of 2025: Bill Shorten on Albanese's Trump triumph, and the opposition's next move
Inside Politics is still on a break, but we’re set to return in two weeks. Today, we return to an episode released just after Anthony Albanese’s successful meeting with Donald Trump, and one in which we had a special guest - former Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten. Bill also has some advice for the opposition, and its leader Sussan Ley, before a slight diversion t
Best of 2025: Albanese meets with Trump next week. Anything could happen
We’re on a break over summer, our dear chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal is probably off to a yoga retreat somewhere in Bali, and we return at the end of January for another fun-filled year of Inside Politics. Well, we can’t ignore the impact that Donald Trump had on domestic politics last year and for this episode, we return to a point in time when most of the press pack was o
Best of 2025: The rallies, the neo-Nazis, the flag-draping: How politics on immigration have led to this point
Happy New Year. We’re on a break over summer - lucky us - before we return at the end of January for another year of Inside Politics. Today, we’re returning to an episode recorded in the wake of the divisive ‘March for Australia’ protests, which became the vehicle for a hodgepodge of causes, including immigration, an issue that would lead to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s
Best of 2025: A Labor 'landslide' and disaster for Dutton
Hi and Merry Christmas! Your Inside Politics team is on a little hiatus over summer before we return at the end of January. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy some of our favourite episodes of the year, starting with a trip down memory lane to election night with our former chief political correspondent David Crowe before he passed the baton to BFF of the podcast Paul Sakkal.Subscribe to The Age &
Anger in the aftermath: Albanese and the Bondi attack
This week it feels wrong to talk about politics in the wake of the horrific antisemitic massacre at Bondi Beach on Sunday. Australians and Sydneysiders in particular are still trying to make sense of the senseless. But the fact is that the response to the massacre has been deeply political, and things got divisive very quickly. So this week on Inside Politics we are going to discuss th
Tony Abbott on running for Senate, AUKUS and cultural ‘self-loathing’
In this bonus episode of Inside Politics, former primer minister Tony Abbott joins host Jacqueline Maley and chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal. Abbott has penned a new book, Australia: A History, describing a more positive view of our past. He also discusses the current political and cultural challenges facing the Liberal Party, as well as reflecting on his own political career,
The ‘dirty business’ of MP expenses
Today, we're delving into the expenses scandal, if indeed we are calling it a scandal, that has engulfed the Communications Minister Anika Wells. A $100,000 taxpayer funded flight to New York snow-balled into a drip-feed of information about flights to the Formula 1 grand prix, the Boxing Day tests and even a family reunion at Thredbo. All of this dropping at precisely the moment the min
$100k flights, uncomfortable truth about PM's wedding, and the social media ban fight
This week the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was on his honeymoon after his low-key Lodge wedding last weekend, while Senate estimates rolled on in Canberra, uncovering some interesting secrets. Notable was the head-scratching amount that Communications Minister Anika Wells spent on flights to New York, made public ahead of the mammoth social media ban coming into effect. Chief political correspo
Barnaby defects, Hanson offends and Sussan Ley comes on the podcast
Well, Barnaby Joyce finally announced his resignation from the Nationals this week, paving his way to join One Nation, in a week where Pauline Hanson recycled a burqa stunt from 2017.And it’s amid this turmoil that we have a special guest with chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and Jacqueline Maley - Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au
Albanese wants to protect Australia ‘as it is’. But is it good enough?
Recently on this podcast we have been highly fixated on the problems within the Liberal opposition and we have neglected the government somewhat. So this week we are going to focus on Labor, and to that end we have a real treat for listeners. Sean Kelly, a columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, was previously a Labor staffer with Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. He is th
The Coalition’s net zero word salad, and Ley’s leadership ‘not safe’
This week in federal politics there was really only one show in town, and that was the compelling and 'can't look away' car crash that is the Liberal party's continued ructions on its net zero policy. They culminated, or maybe even concluded, on Thursday afternoon, when the Liberal Party met and finally came up with a policy. Today, host Jacqueline Maley is joined by chief political correspondent
Jane Hume on rebranding net zero, and Hastie's abortion comments
It’s been a rather torrid week for the Coalition, with yet more messy fighting over whether it will dump its commitment to Australia achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This was followed by controversial comments by former frontbencher Andrew Hastie on late-term abortions. Today’s guest is Senator Jane Hume, a Liberal moderate, joining chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and ho
The inflation figures were bad, so why focus on Albanese’s T-shirt?
This week we're going to talk about the government's weaknesses, which might seem a little bit counter-intuitive, because Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been flying so high on the international stage, where he dined with US President Donald Trump at a dinner at ASEAN. But back on the domestic front, there are a few weaknesses, particularly in the economy. Chief political correspondent Paul Sa
Bill Shorten on Albanese's Trump triumph, and the opposition's next move
The week in federal politics could not have been more fun. We had Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travel to Washington, finally, for his meeting with US President Donald Trump. The meeting was a total hit, and Albanese came home with a deal on critical mineral supply and reassurances on the AUKUS submarine pact.Jacqueline Maley is joined by chief political correspondent, Paul Sakkal and special gu
Albanese meets with Trump next week. Anything could happen
They said he couldn’t do it, but he’s doing it. In a few days, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, fresh from a week’s holiday, will be flying to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump. And also, what really went on between the PM and his Treasurer over the super reforms that Jim Chalmers abandoned this week. Paul Sakkal says the Treasurer had his pants pulled down by th
Tim Wilson on Hastie's exit, and bringing back that 'big Liberal energy'
The member for Goldstein, Tim Wilson, is a guest on the podcast this week during a very interesting time for the Liberal Party. Last week, home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie quit the front bench, followed by infighting and internal leaking.Wilson talks about his relationship with Hastie and the former frontbencher's 'fraught' decision to step back, and where the party's soul-searching could
Can Albanese claim credit for Trump’s peace plan?
The prime minister has just returned from 10 days of high-wire diplomacy, initially at the United Nations in New York before swinging through London and stopping by Abu Dhabi on his way home. He’s claimed some credit for helping push along a potential peace plan for Gaza, spruiked Australia’s social media ban on the global stage, and drummed up interest in Australia’s green trans
Albanese’s warning on tyranny, dictators, and his selfie with Trump
Today we are bringing you a special international episode of the pod. The prime minister has spent the week in New York addressing the United Nations, recognising Palestinian statehood and chasing Donald Trump around Manhattan trying to get a meeting. We talk about all these capers with host Jacqueline Maley and our chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, who are joined by foreign affairs and n
Coalition combust over net zero. Will the anti-climate action stance work?
The government announced its 2035 emissions reduction target this week, committing Australia to climate action despite a retreat from the United States. Meanwhile, the Coalition looked a lot like it was about to take up arms in the climate wars - again. Chief political commentator James Massola joins host Jacqueline Maley.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/
Why the sacking of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price could turn the senator ‘into a martyr’
Controversial Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was sacked from the Coalition frontbench this week. Price left Opposition Leader Sussan Ley with little choice, after she refused to apologise for comments she made about the Indian community, and then refused to publicly affirm her faith in Ley’s leadership. Chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and federal political correspondent N
The rallies, the neo-Nazis, the flag-draping: How politics on immigration have led to this point
Political debate was dominated this week by the topic of immigration after anti-immigration rallies in major cities last weekend.Politicians from both major parties tried to strike a balance between listening to people’s legitimate concerns while condemning the extremist fringe of the anti-immigration movement.Chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and federal political correspondent Nata
Like a spy novel: How Iran orchestrated attacks on Australian shores
This week Canberra turned into a John le Carre novel, with the stunning revelation from the head of ASIO Mike Burgess, that the state of Iran directed at least two attacks on Australia’s Jewish community, on Australian soil. As a consequence, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expelled the Iranian Ambassador from the country. Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss these dramatic developments
‘Intergenerational bastardry’ in our tax system: Do older Australians have it too good?
This week was an exciting one in Canberra, especially if you’re the kind of person who digs the philosophy of tax and transfer. We are talking, of course, about the economic roundtable, hosted by Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Meanwhile Health Minister Mark Butler began the necessary but painful process of reining in the enormous growth of the NDIS. Chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal,
Is there beef between Chalmers and Albanese? And, we talk Palestine, and productivity mixed-messages
This week the Albanese government announced it would recognise Palestine as a state, a huge foreign policy shift that was greeted with approval by many and criticism by others. Plus, the Reserve Bank assumes a fall in productivity right before the government's productivity summit, and is there tension between the PM and Treasurer?Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss is chief political corresp
The ‘Coachella of Canberra’, A.I is coming for us, and is the government serious about tax reform?
This week on the pod we are going to delve into what we are calling Canberra’s Coachella - AKA the Productivity Summit, which is happening the week after next. What is the point of it? And what is productivity anyway? Here to discuss, we have Chief Political Correspondent, Paul Sakkal as usual, and special guest star and productivity king, Senior Economics Correspondent Shane Wri
Palestinian statehood: The UK has moved, so has Canada. What’s Albanese waiting for?
French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian and UK prime ministers Mark Carney and Keir Starmer have all called for Palestine to be recognised one way or another. But Anthony Albanese remains cautious. So what is the Australian Prime Minister waiting for? This week on Inside Politics, European correspondent David Crowe, national security correspondent Matthew Knott and chief pol
A case of 'burger diplomacy' for Trump, while Barnaby Joyce puts his beef aside to oppose net zero
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces tricky terrain with the government lifting a ban on US beef imports to Australia this week, leaving him open to suggestions he has capitulated to pressure from Donald Trump. We also witnessed a democratic festival in the form of the opening of the new parliament, with former foes Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack putting differences aside to attack the gover
‘Killing season’ is over, so what will Anthony Albanese do with this moment?
Well, here we are, a new term of parliament begins next week. There’ll be fresh faces and, hopefully, fresh ideas. So will the government use its massive majority to press ahead with major reforms in housing, or tax, and how will opposition leader Sussan Ley and her team rebuild their battered party? Before we get to that, the news this week has been dominated by Anthony Albanese’s tri
Did Anthony Albanese just give his most important speech?
What do the great war time Prime Minister John Curtin, and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have in common? Well, a little bit, according to Albanese. On the weekend the PM delivered the John Curtin Oration and set tongues wagging with hints about his newly independent stance when it comes to our relationship with the United States. But how will this land with the Trump ad
Salacious texts and detail, but did the corruption watchdog’s first case fall flat?
The creation of a National Anti-Corruption Commission was a key Labor promise before it won Government in 2022. The Commission was duly created and this week it released the findings of its first ever investigation. But was it a little anti-climactic? Can we hope for bigger and better corruption-busting in the future? Plus, interest rate cuts and the confusing matter of the Trump tarif
Sussan Ley: From punk teenager to rebuilding the Liberal Party
She is a former shearer, a pilot and a mother of three children. She has a dark past as a punk in Canberra. She has been one of the only women in the room in successive Liberal cabinets. She was the deputy to former opposition leader Peter Dutton, and following the last election, she took his job. She is, of course, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. Today, chief political commentator James Masso
Albanese ghosted by Trump at G7 summit
This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelled to the G7 summit with high hopes of scoring a sidelines-meeting with US President Donald Trump. The PM wanted to discuss the AUKUS pact, and the tariffs that the US government has put on Australian aluminium and iron ore among other things. But events overtook, and Trump left the summit to deal with the escalating conflict between Israel a
How Albanese could use his huge majority to introduce major reform
This week the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a big speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, and used it to dangle the prospect of economic reform. During its first term, the Albanese government was criticised for not being bold enough in its agenda. So is the PM signalling he will use his huge majority to institute major reform? What would a daring economic reform agenda look lik
Why Dorinda Cox's Greens defection was personal for the PM
The dramatic shakeout from the general election continued this week, this time from the left wing of Australian politics, with WA Greens senator Dorinda Cox defecting to Labor. It was a coup for a triumphant Prime Minister. But will the PM live to regret his new recruit? What does Senator Cox’s defection mean for the much-depleted Greens party? And how does it fit with the PM&rsquo
Who lost the game of brinkmanship, and Albanese hardens on Israel
Well, they fight, they break up, they kiss, they make up. Never before have the lyrics of a Katy Perry song been more relevant to federal politics. After last week’s shock split, this week the Coalition got back together again. But at what cost? What compromises have been made on both sides? And will the Nats and the Libs be able to work constructively together after all the drama?&nbs
Will the Coalition split or stay together? We explain the dramatic about-face
It was high drama this week with the Nationals telling the Liberals they wanted a political divorce. But by Thursday, the separation – like a marriage on the rocks – was placed on hold while further conversations took place. So what happened? And what’s going to be better for both parties, and the political health of the nation? Here to discuss the drama, we have our
Anthony Albanese's exclusive interview on 'progressive patriotism' and his thumping mandate
Newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins chief political correspondent David Crowe and federal political reporter Paul Sakkal for an exclusive interview on Inside Politics. They chat about the new Labor cabinet, Albanese's thumping mandate, plans for the term ahead and a new phrase the prime minister is trying out - progressive patriotism.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.sm
New Labor faces, the divisive Tim Wilson and David Crowe’s farewell
It will go down as one of the most resounding victories in Australian political history. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese out-performed the expectations of just about everyone last weekend, decimating the Liberal party to the extent where even its leader lost his own seat. So, what next for Labor? As the caucus gathers in Canberra on Friday, we look at the new faces in the team and discuss which ar
A Labor ‘landslide’ and disaster for Dutton
Well, that was quick, about two and a half hours after the polls had closed, the election had already been called for the incumbent Labor government. But as the night went on, Anthony Albanese’s win was looking like a landslide, and Labor increased its majority in parliament. For the opposition, it was disastrous, its leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat in parliament and recriminations wil
Welcome to Wannon: Inside the challenge for a Liberal Party jewel
Today we bring you a special episode recorded in the south-west Victorian electorate of Wannon. The seat encompasses tourist towns from Lorne along the Great Ocean Road, to Warrnambool. And who better to tell the evolving story of Wannon than our associate editor and special writer Tony Wright. He was born in Heywood, grew up on sheep and cattle properties in the Western District, went to sc
The seats we’ll be watching on Saturday
Well, it’s finally here. Saturday is election day, and by Saturday night we will have some idea of who is going to govern Australia for the next three years, during this volatile and pivotal moment in global history. Today, we talk about the seats to watch on election night, the ones that will determine the outcome of the poll. And we will also zoom out to the bigger picture.&nbs
Why the environment is MIA in this election
Salmon farming is not something most voters consider when they go to the polls on election day. But for Tasmanian voters, it is a huge and often divisive issue. This debate about the environmental effects of salmon farming is playing out in an election where any other discussion of the environment is pretty much non-existent. Which is curious because energy policy goes hand-in-hand with the enviro
How does polling work and will it be right this time?
This week we are doing a special podcast about our complicated relationship with political polls. As journalists, we like them because, maybe, they can tell us something about what voters are really thinking. But we are a bit wary of them too. Especially after the federal election in 2019, where the polls were wrong. That caused a massive rethink in how polling is done, and how we in the media rel
The battle of the teals in Kooyong and Bradfield
The threat teal independents pose in this election - to the dominance of the two-party system, to the stability of our parliament and to the Liberal Party’s base - is very real. Today, we focus on two of these seats: Bradfield in Sydney and Kooyong in Melbourne where the teals and the Libs are neck and neck. City reporter for The Age Rachael Dexter and NSW political editor Alexandra Smith jo
Is the campaign getting away from Peter Dutton?
This week on the campaign saw the release of competing housing policies, and the appearance of Peter Dutton’s son Harry. But in many ways the campaign continued to be overshadowed by Donald Trump. Labor is making increasingly explicit attacks trying to link Dutton to the US president. And Dutton’s cause wasn’t helped with one of his key frontbenchers aped a Trump slogan. Do
What we must learn from our 'worst' election campaign
This week our revered economics editor Ross Gittins wrote an essay for the Age and Sydney Morning Herald, in which he lamented the state of this election campaign in particular, and Australian politics in general. The essay was titled “They treat us like mugs”, and Ross did not miss with his critique of the timidity and cynicism of the two major parties’ campaigns. Gi
‘Gaslighting’ or gas-led recovery?
No one fell off a stage this week, but we did see the two party leaders face off for their first debate, plus the Coalition released modelling of its gas policy. With energy prices so crucial in this election, we are going to take a closer look at the Coalition’s gas plan - is it credible or is it just a cover-up for a nuclear policy that may never come off? Chief political corresponde
Dutton's massive WFH backflip was the 'right decision'
US President Donald Trump has officially unleashed chaos on the world's financial markets. It's a strange time to be campaigning for election, but Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton must adjust and carry on. So how is the incredible international volatility impacting the election campaign? Will all this disruption be favourable for the incumbent PM? And do Australian voters really want a candidate
What actually happens on the campaign bus
Week one of the election campaign is done. Albanese has been hammering his Medicare message. Dutton has sought to broaden his image but is still playing to type, telling Sky News that he is ready to “fight” Donald Trump on Australia’s behalf, if necessary. So who won the week? And what is it like to be on the campaign trail with the leaders as a journalist, catching mystery fligh
