2017 has drawn to a close, and despite a notable absence from the #auspol podcast spectrum, the Dishonourable Members are back to dissect the big issues. From Sam Dastyari and the debate over foreign influence on our political system, to the historic same-sex marriage debate and the citizenship fiasco, it’s certainly “Bennelong” year.
Interesting how a deadline tends to sharpen the focus, as the Coalition pushed through its schools funding package against unwavering opposition from Labor. As we hit the half way mark of 2017, we also take a look at the Federal Parliament report card.
The corridors of Parliament House are abuzz with whispers and allegations of who's had dealings with wealthy Chinese benefactors, as the Coalition deals with fierce internal debate about energy and trying to unwrinkle the Finkel report.
The Donald has said "au revoir" to the Paris agreement, but will Malcolm buckle to pressure do the same? And we discuss "to treaty or not to treaty", and whether the public could support a greater say for Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.
Is Australia both 'young' and 'free'? Who let the so-called 'Human Ken Doll' into the government's post-Budget party? Will the real Acting Deputy PM please stand up? These are some of the pressing issues discussed in Federal Parliament this week as part of Senate Estimates. Matthew Doran & Henry Belot try to make sense of it all.
It's week two of the #Budget2017 sell. Despite the gulf of policy difference between the Coalition and the ALP seemingly shrinking there's still plenty of argy bargy. As the banks argue the government is leaving it high and dry on the issue of a new tax, the pride of the Navy has limped into dry dock.
It’s the biggest week of the year in Canberra (at least when there’s no election), and the one big take out from #Budget2017 is that there is no avocado tax. In this bumper edition, join Matthew Doran, Lucy Barbour, Anna Vidot, Will Ockenden, Yasmin Parry, Shalailah Medhora and Sabra Lane as they try to cut through the spin, explain the creative accounting techniques, and in a non-Budget twist deal with the revelation there’s Landcare speed dating.
It's all about that fancy book learnin' in this week's edition of Dishonourable Members, as the Federal Government tries to give its education policies some clear air before next week's Budget. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's meeting with President Donald Trump was brief, but at least there was no weird handshake scenario. Join Matthew Doran and Louise Yaxley as they try to make sense of events.
Malcolm Turnbull is going to the US to make friends with Donald Trump, while Family First have a new step-family after merging with the Australian Conservatives, and the Liberal family in Melbourne is seemingly engaging in some infighting over Kelly O’Dwyer after she welcomed a new member of her family. There’s so much to get across this week with Matthew Doran, Caitlyn Gribbin and Andrew Probyn.
We play "So you want to be an Australian citizen?" and ask the perennial question in the Coalition "how do you solve a problem like Tony Abbott?"
The Federal Government told the Senate they weren’t going home until a deal was done on company tax cuts. And amid the fanciful and farcical filibustering to buy the Coalition time to strike a deal with Nick Xenophon, they got one – but at a cost. An abrupt backdown over the China extradition treaty also brought some headaches for the Prime Minister. Matthew Doran, Ashlynne McGhee and Stephen Dziedzic give you the lowdown on the showdown.
After another week of yelling and shouting, hyperbole and hyperventilating bring us to another episode of Dishonourable Members. It's just over a month out from the Federal Budget, but the Coalition decided now was the time to deal with the Racial Discrimination Act. Some are calling it a distraction, others reckon it's good internal politics. Combine that with the toing and froing on childcare, and it's been another big week in the Big House on the Hill.
Malcolm Turnbull wanted this week to be about his vision for an expanded Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme. But Jay Weatherill had other ideas, gate crashing a Josh Frydenberg press conference and subjecting him to a nationally televised shirtfronting. We’ll dissect that biffo and the fallout from the election whitewash in the west.
In another edition of "When the proverbial hits the fan", Centrelink officials were dragged to Parliament House for a grilling over their bungled robo debt recovery program. Meanwhile, the ways of the West are in the spotlight ahead of that state's election. Dishonourable Members - It's an "exegesis" of this week in #auspol. Don't know what that means? Ask George Brandis.
Haven’t we seen this movie before? This week, all eyes are on the brawl brewing between Tony Abbott and the man who ended his prime ministerial dream, Malcolm Turnbull. Combine that with the really easy issue of Middle Eastern religious politics and the landmark decision to cut penalty rates on Sundays, and political reporter Matthew Doran and our Parliament House team have plenty to chat about.
Another week, another round of bluff and bluster in the halls of Parliament House. Are the Liberals cosying up with One Nation? Have the wheels fallen off the Omnibus? What do former politicians entitlements have to do with Nazi Germany? Matthew Doran and Stephen Dziedzic try to make sense of the week that was.
In this week’s episode of “Days of our Parliamentary Lives” Cory announces he’s leaving the band to start a solo career, Malcolm gets an grumpy phone call from his US business partner, and the postman receives a less than friendly delivery from the Senate.
Life in Parliament House is finally winding down for 2016, after a long and bruising 12 months. Matthew Doran is joined by a number of special guests to in this special retrospective look at the year that was, and some are even brave enough to look into their crystal balls to predict what 2017 might have in offer.
This week, it's all about who said what, when, why they said it and what did they actually mean. Francis Keany and Alex Beech join Matthew Doran in trying to answer what Josh Frydenberg was talking about on Monday when he mentioned an emissions intensity scheme, only to say he hadn't mentioned it the following day? And what was Rod Culleton going on about outside the High Court - a court he doesn't even accept should be the highest in the land.
It's the final week of the 2016 parliamentary year, and there's been more of a ruckus than usual. Matthew Doran is joined by ABC National Rural reporter Anna Vidot and political reporter Uma Patel to try and sort through the rubble of superglue wielding protesters and a tax plan saga that took 18 months to solve.