The Morning Edition

The end was months in the making, but David Jones’ eventual collapse was dramatic. High-end designers fled the store and shelves were stripped bare, while the jobs of thousands of staff suddenly hung in the balance . So does David Jones’ collapse into administration signal the end for the 188-year-old department store? Today, business reporters Colin Kruger and Jessica Yun on David Jon...

One Nation has gone from being a minor irritant to a major player and third-party force. But with power comes expectation and scrutiny. A joint investigation between our mastheads and 60 Minutes reveals allegations of links between a One Nation candidate and bikie figure, while a whistleblower who was part of the party’s inner sanctum described it as "weirdly incompetent" and "chaotic". Toda...

For 35 years, political scientist Francis Fukuyama has tracked the evolution, vulnerabilities and psychological backlashes within liberal democracies to help us make sense of profound societal shifts. So, who better to help us understand the broader implications of the Democrats sweep to power within the arc of history. And where it might take all of us? Today, Francis Fukuyama, one of the 21st ce...

This week the 2026 McKinnon Index was released, and it showed what so many of us feel – that trust in federal politicians has fallen further – from 35.9 per cent of people to just 30.5 per cent, in one year .  The McKinnon Index is an annual survey that tracks public perceptions of Australian democracy, and this year’s is full of juicy insights.  Joining Jacqueline Male...

It’s official – a political blue tsunami has hit the United States, with the Democrats gaining control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is seismic change, with wins in many states that have upended decades of political loyalty. Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher, discusses what this means for the US, whether "Trumpism" is dead, and if thes...

In a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry of over 11,000 Australians who’d been diagnosed with depression, researchers from University of Sydney have discovered about one in four participants met the criteria for what they’re calling "circadian depression." Today, lifestyle and health writer Sarah Berry on the sleep habits that may point to this type of depression, and...

The Reserve Bank governor is expected to announce, today, the 17th rate rise under the Albanese government, in a bid to lower inflation. Today, senior economics correspondent Shane Wright on the risk of recession. And when we can likely expect these rises to stop. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans head to the polls tomorrow to vote in the pivotal mid-term elections, which many view largely as a referendum on President Donald Trump. Polls suggest voters are shifting away from Republicans amid high fuel prices and a perception the president is not focused on their needs.  But are the MAGA faithful still loyal to Trump?  Today, North America correspondent Michael Koziol sha...

This week, we take a look at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's incorrect claim about a $6 million grant to his local golf club – which has become another instance of the government fumbling potentially trivial political issues.  Plus, tensions between the Liberal and National parties, and mounting pressure on treasurer Jim Chalmers to tackle Australia's economic challenges – notab...

Strong man populism has grown so much over the years that analysts have expressed despair about whether democracy could have a future. Even former US president Barack Obama, a famously hopeful politician, recently resorted to trolling Donald Trump in a bid to call out the current president’s alleged corruption. And yet, events of this week suggest we may be witnessing a new politic...

For more than a decade, Sam Wood was one of the greatest success stories to come out of the reality TV series, The Bachelor . He met the love of his life, Snezana, on the show. And he built a hugely popular, multi-million dollar fitness franchise, geared at women, off the back of their joint fame. But now the 46-year-old faces charges of domestic violence against Snezana, including an allegation t...

The treasurer's position is known to be one of, if not the, most difficult spots in any Australian cabinet in modern history, and the current climate is no exception. On the domestic front, interest rates are at a 15-year high, which could become an 18-year high if the RBA jacks  them up again on Cup Day. Overseas, Donald Trump's war is keeping prices elevated. All this is happening as Labor...

After the October 7 attacks, Benjamin Netanyahu’s prime ministership seemed in ruins. His government repeatedly looked on the verge of collapse. Today, Israelis head to the polls for Israel’s first national election since that harrowing day three years ago. So, how are they viewing the prime minister now? Today, foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott rep...

It's being hailed as a cancer breakthrough so monumental, the lead scientist is describing it as a “moon landing moment”. And it's not just any scientist, but Professor Georgina Long - the Australian oncologist already credited with boosting the survival rate of advanced melanoma from 5 to 50 per cent. In a world first, a stage three clinical trial led by Long has shown success in usin...

After the attack on Independent MP Helen Haines, it's been a real horror week in Australian politics. Last week SMH and The Age columnist Waleed Aly wrote a column titled, "More Australians believe in political violence than go to church each week. This won't end well". Given the chilling prescience of that column and its title, Aly joins Jacqueline Maley on Inside Politics this week to discuss th...

An increasing number of commentators and American politicians - including Republicans - are becoming vocal in their opposition to Donald Trump’s assistance of Russia, and the country’s dictator, Vladimir Putin. They say, variously, that Ronald Reagan would be rolling in his grave, and that Trump is “just plain evil”. Today, political and international editor Peter Hart...

It was only last week that independent MP Helen Haines spoke about why Australians were so angry – citing the cost of living, insurance premiums, the price of groceries, and fuel. And, for people living in regional areas like hers, access to healthcare was a massive issue. Now many are wondering how such a popular, uncontentious MP could have become the target of what appears to be an act of...

Riots broke out across France on the weekend, said to be the worst in decades. The violence began on Saturday after more than half a million people attended rallies to protest about the cost of living and school standards, with masked rioters setting fire to cars and buildings. Today, Europe correspondent David Crowe reports from Paris on what makes these protests and riots so different than the r...

On Friday, Exclusive Brethren world leader Bruce Hales gave evidence before a federal parliamentary inquiry. This was a significant moment in a story with many twists and turns about power and influence in Australian politics. Today, senior writer Michael Bachelard on the Exclusive Brethren, now called the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, and its "Man of God", Bruce Hales. Further reading &lsqu...

This week – again – is all about the economy, which includes a visit from a ghost of the past in the form of former treasurer Josh Frydenberg. But the big topic for today is current treasurer Jim Chalmers and a speech he gave this week, in which he warned progressives not to mock One Nation voters. The far-right strategy to divide people was working, he said, and although facts could p...

The Pentagon’s plans to livestream the execution of a former US army psychiatrist who murdered 13 soldiers at an army base has been met with disbelief in many quarters. Even so, the plan, which would mark the first US military execution by firing squad since the end of WWII, was overshadowed by even more destabilising announcements by President Donald Trump over the last week. Today, interna...

A senior Australian partner at global consultancy firm McKinsey made global headlines this week when he was stripped of a key leadership position after deriding the so-called “glass cliff” for women at work. Chris Bradley, who remains a senior partner at the firm, was dumped from a leadership role after he said on LinkedIn that the glass cliff was  a “very convenient way to...

Dementia is the No.1 cause of death here. And it’s a uniquely terrifying one, given it can often lead to an eroded sense of self, and lost memory of loved ones. The number of cases are set to double by 2061, when it’s expected 1 million Australians will suffer from dementia. But now, some Australians are accessing new therapies, which can, in the case of Alzheimer’s disease - the...

Lucia Chicaiza lives in northern Ecuador, in a sleepy farming town of just over 2000 people, at the foot of the Andes. She also happens to live near a lucrative gold and copper deposit that has caught the eye of Australia’s richest person: Gina Rinehart. Investigative reporter Marta Pascual Juanola spent a month in Ecuador investigating a mining industry that operates in shades of grey, wher...

It’s been a year since Liberal MP Andrew Hastie quit Sussan Ley’s frontbench to speak his mind on migration. His decision fractured the Coalition and Ley’s ambition to woo back multicultural communities with a more moderate stance. How things change in a year. But through it all, migration has become a more heated political issue. On Tuesday, Angus Taylor announced the Coalition&...