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Guardian Australia's political team examine what’s happening in Australian politics and why it matters to you
455 Episodes
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This week Labor committed additional military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia as part of a Nato-led initiative. The government also announced new sanctions on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, which are a source of revenue for Moscow. Amid these announcements and in the last week of Senate estimates, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about a tumultuous year in international affairs. The senator reflects on attending the second inauguration of Donald Trump and her continued close engagement with Australia’s Pacific neighbours – in an increasingly unpredictable world order
Ever since she was elected opposition leader, Sussan Ley has faced strong criticisms from within her party and across the parliament. Some commentators even predicted she’d be out of the job already. But she has made it to the last sitting week of parliament for the year. On the other side of the aisle, the Albanese government managed to meet their own deadline to legislate changes to outdated nature laws – by settling on a deal with the Greens. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Ley about her disappointment about the long awaited reforms, Barnaby Joyce resigning from the Nationals and why she thinks ‘it’s never been about me’
Just over half of voters say that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. The same number of voters had the same response more than 15 years ago, so Essential Media’s executive director, Peter Lewis, and political reporter Josh Butler unpack the difference between the science and politics of climate action in Australia. They also explore why self-aware AI – rather than the climate crisis – ranked as our greatest existential threat, and how the overwhelming support for gambling reform exposes the gap between Albanese’s current commitments and the public mood for change
Author and columnist Sean Kelly says despite Labor’s overwhelming majority and an opposition largely consumed by its own infighting, there are signs that Anthony Albanese’s government will waste the opportunity handed to them by the Australian people. Kelly talks to Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy about his new Quarterly essay, which examines the Labor party’s move away from idealism towards pragmatism. And the former Rudd and Gillard staffer argues that while Albanese’s caution has won him two elections, it could also become the prime minister’s greatest weakness
In conversation with political editor Tom McIlroy, deputy leader of the Greens Mehreen Faruqi says a neo-Nazi rally in front of NSW parliament this month caused fear for many Australians – and the federal government is yet to respond to recommendations for a national framework for anti-racism. And with both houses of parliament returning for their last sitting week for the year, Faruqi says a possible decision by Labor to team up with the Coalition – rather than the Greens – to pass nature law reforms next week would lack credibility, especially when the opposition has now decided to ditch a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050
It’s been six months since the May election, which brought new personalities to Parliament House – along with an even larger majority for the Albanese government. Labor MP Renee Coffey, who beat the Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather, and Liberal MP Leon Rebello, a former staffer and parliamentary attendant, join political editor Tom McIlroy to discuss the start to their first terms. In this bipartisan conversation, the two Queenslanders also talk about the Coalition’s net zero debate this week and Labor’s fight to pass new environment laws before Christmas
Speaking at Cop30 in Brazil, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the ‘consensus is gone’ on tackling the climate crisis. It’s an apt assessment because this week Australia’s two major political parties have had very different commitments when it comes to climate action. The minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, speaks to Guardian Australia’s political editor, Tom McIlroy, about Labor’s free solar power scheme for some homes and the Coalition’s continued infighting on emissions targets
From cyberattacks to disinformation campaigns, hybrid warfare is reshaping global security. Visiting the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, Guardian Australia’s political editor, Tom Mcllroy, speaks with its director, Teija Tiilikainen, about how the EU and Nato are confronting covert interference from Russia, China and other non-democratic countries – and what Australia can learn from Europe’s approach
Anthony Albanese might have had his rock star moment upon his return from the US, but the latest Guardian Essential poll shows voters are unconvinced about the outcomes of his negotiations with US president Donald Trump. Political reporter and Canberra chief of staff Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media’s executive director, Peter Lewis, about why parliament lacks the necessary friction for good government and why the Liberal party is like a bird with two wounded wings
1In the aftermath of former frontbencher Andrew Hastie’s fighting words, opposition leader Sussan Ley continues to struggle with persistent internal tensions in the Coalition over its direction on immigration policy. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to shadow minister for immigration Paul Scarr about why he rejects rhetoric about ‘mass migration’ and argues that those seeking to inflame emotions are hurting the national interest. The Queensland senator speaks about his passion for connecting Liberal party values with multicultural communities in Australia, and gives us a glimpse of his well-loved antique collection
This week, the Albanese government has been criticised for a tactical backdown on its plan to wind back tax concessions on superannuation balances worth more than $3m. But the assistant minister for productivity, competition, charities and treasury, Andrew Leigh, argues that this change in approach has maintained fairness in the super system. The MP for Fenner also talks to political editor Tom McIlroy about the challenge of AI for lawmakers, why competition policy is key to productivity growth and his early morning training for an upcoming ultramarathon
As Labor’s new aged care system gets set to begin on 1 November, Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne speaks about her father’s recent move into residential aged care and the personal stories she has heard as chair of a Greens-led inquiry into the sector. She speaks with Guardian Australia’s political editor, Tom McIlroy, about how she has seen lives put at risk by a for-profit system, and why she thinks the government is not doing enough for those waiting for a home care package
This week, Labor expanded Australia’s first home guarantee to allow more buyers access to a mortgage with a reduced deposit of 5%. But the plan has many critics. Guardian Australia political editor, Tom McIlroy, speaks to the federal minister for housing and homelessness, Clare O’Neil, about why she thinks the government is pulling on the correct levers to address the housing crisis
Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy speaks to executive director of Essential Media Peter Lewis about Australian voters’ views on the government’s climate action ambition and the immigration debate. Lewis also explains why he thinks The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a perfect analogue of the prime minister’s approach to politics in the midst of global instability
Political reporter Josh Butler speaks to Amanda Rishworth, the minister for employment and workplace relations, about the Albanese government’s upcoming reform agenda for workers. They also discuss the latest figures on enterprise agreements and why she thinks AI is more likely to ‘augment’ rather than displace workers in the near future
The Albanese government has now put a number on its climate ambition: a target of a 62-70% emissions cut by 2035 compared to 2005 levels. It comes after the release of the national climate risk assessment, which described a disastrous future for Australians on a warming planet. In this bonus episode of the Australian Politics podcast, climate and environment editor Adam Morton speaks to the chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, on the advice that informed the government’s long-awaited emissions reduction target for 2035
In a defining week for climate action, the Albanese government has unveiled a commitment to cut emissions between 62% and 70% on 2005 levels by 2035. But vocal climate advocate Senator David Pocock says a minimum of 75% is needed to ‘do our bit’. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to the ACT independent about his pessimism about political leadership on climate ambition – despite the government’s own warnings against a lack of action. He also discusses his criticism of ANU leadership, Labor’s declining political will on gambling reform and why he thinks Canberra is one of Australia’s best-kept secrets
The fallout in the Liberal party over Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s inflammatory comments about Indian migrants has now culminated in her sacking from the shadow ministry by Sussan Ley. In the lead-up to this decision by the opposition leader, Victorian senator Jane Hume described it as a situation that ‘escalated well out of control’. Hume speaks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about the need for her party to rebuild the trust of mainstream Australia – and why she thinks this was eroded during the election campaign
While many Australians are feeling relieved about the end of a cold winter, the minister for emergency management and regional development is already eyeing the upcoming summer bushfire season. Kristy McBain talks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about the importance of social license for renewables and climate action in regional Australia, and shares her latest audiobook playlist for long drives to weekend sport
Fresh off the government’s reform roundtable and an address to the press club on skilling Australia’s future, the minister for skills and training, Andrew Giles, says he’s focused on making sure every Australian is able to reach their full potential in the workforce. He talks to Tom McIlroy about how to solve Australia’s skill shortage, the importance of skills recognition in the economy, why fairness is so important to the skills sector and the key to growing the economy
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seriously, Bragg is a total flog.
They had the opportunity to do something for the nearly decade-long period they were the government, rather they became expert at rewarding their own and punishing everybody else. How about they fighting against the enquiry into financial institutions, major rent seekers.
why does the media continue to give the COALititon air time. there is no one inspiring in their ranks.
God, listening to the coalition decreases your intelligence. maybe pull them up on some of their lies and spin instead of letting them waffle on.
I wish more reporting was around the shadow far right industry front groups who were funding and delivering 'talking points' to the No campaign and the links they have to the main no players. also how manning companies and big buisnes, whilst public facing Yes, were secretly funding these right-wing lobost groups. Talk about having your cake and eating it too. They got what they paid for and got away without losing face.
Housing issues in this country are a result of policies implemented by the Howard Coalition and the power of the investor class to ensure beneficial policies stay in place.
You would think from listening to Sussan's derisive spiel about the current government, that she has been out of government for quite some time. Courageous of you to consider having a conversation with her, as I don't think her listening skills have improved since the last election, despite what she claims.
listening to this drivel from Susan ley, the incredulous way she claims that Australia and the no campaign aren't rascist, speaks volumes of her own rascim and how she cannot see rascism because she doesn't see what doesn't affect her and tze privileged possition she holds. disgusting
the liberal party, every time they open their mouths, nothing but lies come out. seriously, how about challenging their rhetoric more instead of letting them waffle on with platitudes and half truths. this goes for interviewing the Labor party as well. mid interviewing Herr.
I flew on a commercial flight out of my home town. Only person on board with a mask. 2 days later, Darwin -Adelaide, full flight, me and one other wearing a mask. Scary stuff!
A great conversation. I for one love the clarity of this government's communication.
Good attempt at trying to make this interview about more than just attacking the opposition.
friednberg is really boring.
The health system is in crisis; I live on a DSP and can not access bulk billing primary health care in the town I live in in geraldton, West Australia. I have repeatedly pleaded my case to the dozen or so doctor surgeries in town because I need to access bulk billing to manage my health conditions, but none of them will bulk bill DSP recipients, or people on other centerlink payments, except age pensioners. On the poverty payments we receive, I can not afford the co payments required, which can be anywhere from $50 upwards. I have given up on treatment, and my health is declining rapidly; my only option is to end up in the emergency department of the hospital. This is where the poor people who can't access primary health care end up in crisis in hospitals for illness that could have been treated before it became chronic. debilitating or life threatening. I wish someone would listen and report on this issue as many thousands of us are suffering under systemic neoliberal cuts, all design
Thanks Murph and your wonderful team! Great to "hear" you back!
Thank you for another intelligent and informative episode.
Thanks, Katherine, for your wonderful pods !
Please NEVER talk to that apologist and propaganda merchant Corey again.
Good to hear a politician is working across party lines to achieve a goal which is beneficial to the community.
where can I get the transcripts? is there any?