Politics Now

The government has quietly signed a $408 million (and then some) deal with Nauru to house members of the so-called NZYQ cohort. The deal was only made public via an end-of-week departmental upload, and the full cost could reach $2.5 billion. Why the silence, and what does it say about the politics of migration and dissent inside Labor right now? Meanwhile, immigration has dominated the national co...

The government is under increasing pressure to explain changes to Freedom of information laws, which could make it harder for journalists and members of the public to gain access to documents.  Labor says the current system is outdated and clogged with trivial requests, but critics warn the changes will come at the cost of transparency.  And the issue of migration is still dominating discussion in...

The government is facing increased criticism over the delays to the introduction of its new aged care reforms. It comes as Department of Health data reveals that 5000 Australians died in the last financial year while waiting for a home care package.  There are also questions being raised about Labor's plans to change Freedom of Information laws to make it harder to access government data.  And the...

Anti-immigration rallies took place over the weekend with known neo-Nazis speaking at events in Melbourne and Sydney. The Albanese government issued a statement saying that  “All Australians, no matter their heritage, have the right to feel safe and welcome in our community” and condemned the march as “hateful”. But is this enough? The government also made a $400 million deal to deport 280 non cit...

For years, experts have warned of the dangers of the so-called sovereign citizen movement. 

Parliament is back in full swing, and it's been a blockbuster sitting week in Canberra - with plenty on the agenda for both major parties, and even more happening off it. The biggest story by far? The government’s dramatic decision to downgrade ties with Iran after ASIO revealed credible evidence the regime orchestrated antisemitic attacks on Australian soil. The Prime Minister’s message was clear...

A developing story out of Victoria - a police double fatality and an active manhunt - has drawn federal attention to the rise of sovereign citizen ideology in Australia. Are our national security agencies watching closely enough? Meanwhile, the government has doubled down on its decision to significantly downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran, after ASIO confirmed it had credible evidence the Islamic...

Iran has “crossed a line” and “put Australian lives in danger". Flanked by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, the Prime Minister confirmed Australia will list Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation, following ASIO's “credible intelligence” to determine the Iranian government was behind attacks against the Adass Isra...

Parliament is back - and the government has come out swinging on housing, fast-tracking its First Homebuyer Guarantee and pausing energy efficiency requirements.  But is it bold enough to meet the moment? Meanwhile, the Coalition’s internal split on net zero takes centre stage, with backbencher Barnaby Joyce reigniting debate on Australia’s climate commitments - and the government is more than hap...

The Economic Reform Roundtable has concluded, and Treasurer Jim Chalmers has vowed to tackle “intergenerational equity” in the tax system.

It’s been a big week in Canberra, with unions, business leaders, and politicians of all stripes descending on Parliament House for the Economic Reform Roundtable. The vibe? 'Optimistic' and 'open' - no one wanted to be the spoiler, and everyone wanted to avoid “regulatory hairballs,” to quote Productivity Commissioner Danielle Wood. But as the meetings wrap up, the real test begins: which ideas wi...

“Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.” That’s the sharp response from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled Anthony Albanese a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews". As the war of words escalates, what are the implications of the deteriorating relati...

Australia has cancelled the visa of a Netanyahu government MP. Israel has swiftly retaliated, revoking visas for Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority. What does this latest tit-for-tat mean for the already strained relationship? Meanwhile, Canberra is buzzing as the guest list for the Economic Reform Roundtable arrives. The government’s word of the day is “optimistic” - but wha...

Australia’s productivity chief, Danielle Wood, has delivered a pointed reminder that growth hasn’t been a policy priority for far too long. With the Economic Reform Roundtable starting tomorrow, it’s one of the final public bids for what should top the government’s agenda. But with the messaging tightly controlled, is the outcome already locked in? And following a string of stories of abuse in chi...

The Reform Roundtable is getting underway from Tuesday, meaning we're about to find out exactly what the government plans to do with its super-sized majority. 

Productivity is the word of the week, dominating the lead-up to Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Economic Reform Roundtable.  Even the RBA’s rate cut - which had the Treasurer metaphorically dancing in the aisles - was quickly overshadowed by a warning from the RBA Governor: Australia’s productivity is falling faster than forecast. It’s shaping up as a summit with big stakes - and behind the scenes, there’...

Are you keen for a four-day work week to become the new normal? That’s the pitch from the Australian Council of Trade Unions, who want it firmly on the table at next week’s National Economic Reform Roundtable. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and the Treasurer are at pains to stress they’re perfectly aligned on the summit’s goals - but are they really seeing eye to eye? Patricia Karvelas and Raf Epst...

What a difference a month makes. Those with mortgages around the country got the change they were hoping for this afternoon, with the RBA board "unanimously" voting to cut the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 3.60 per cent. It’s an independent decision - but will Labor be counting it as a political win? Meanwhile, reaction continues to roll in from across the globe and here at home after Aus...

The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is “delivering a lifeline to the people of Gaza".  Australia will join allies the United Kingdom, Canada and France in recognising the state of Palestine. The announcement comes following mounting public pressure for the government to take action on the conflict in the region.  But in answering a question of recognition, new ones are formed. What tangibl...

They’re some of the biggest, best-resourced, and tech savvy companies in the world. But apparently Google and Apple can’t say how many complaints they receive about child sexual abuse on their platforms. 

A massive crowd braved Sydney’s pouring rain to cross the Harbour Bridge on Sunday. The message was clear, loud, and politically unmissable. By Monday morning, MPs from both major parties were forced to respond - but will increased public pressure lead to action? Meanwhile, the jostling has begun ahead of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Economic Reform Roundtable, now less than two weeks away. What starte...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has a message for working Australians: “treat AI as an enabler, not an enemy”.His comments come following a Productivity Commission report cautioning against heavy-handedness on regulating AI in the workplace - but will lay-off fears from unions win public sentiment on the right way forward? It all comes as submissions continue to roll in for what the focus should be for the...

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the government understands the "urgency" behind the global push to recognise a Palestinian state, with there being "a risk there will be no Palestine left to recognise" due to the conflict in the region. Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he's “in the business of stopping hatred from being imported to Australia," blocking dozens of visas from entering...

Productivity is shaping up to be the word of the month for the federal government. With the big economic reform roundtable fast approaching, is it time for Labor to show some progress and make a move on changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax reform? And two years after the failure of the Voice referendum, the Prime Minister has a new plan for First Nations Australians. But what was left...

Nearly two years on from the Voice referendum the latest Closing the Gap update has again revealed disappointing results.