Politics Now

A scathing review of the Liberal party's election performance has been laid bare, despite the Liberal party's federal executive trying to suppress it. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used Question Time to table all 64-pages of the report, in what Andrew Hastie called a "boss move". The review slams a "notable absence of reflection" from key figures involved in the campaign, but former Opposition l...

As the war in the Middle East expands, the US President Donald Trump has warned a "big wave" of strikes is still yet to come. But back home, both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have repeatedly stated that don't expect the US to ask for Australian military support. The conflict is already sending shock-waves across markets, with RBA governor Michelle Bullock warning inflation expectat...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has endorsed the United States and Israel's joint strikes in Iran, saying Australia stands with the Iranian people. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has side-stepped questions about the legality of the operations, saying it was for the US and Israel to explain and suggesting the Government "wouldn't anticipate [Australia] participating in the future". But Shad...

The Treasurer has confirmed his department is looking at changes to both the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing rules ahead of the May budget. 

Former Opposition leader Sussan Ley has tendered her immediate resignation from parliament, officially sparking a by-election in her seat of Farrer.  In a statement Sussan Ley said she hoped her election as the first female to lead the Liberal party would "pave the way for the next woman to be elected to, and succeed" in the role.  Are changes to negative gearing and capital gains actually politic...

As Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to hand down his fifth budget, he's promising to focus on "economics over politics" - but what will Labor actually do to address intergenerational inequity?  The prime minister has attempted to walk back labelling former Australian of The Year Grace Tame "difficult", suggesting he was referring to her difficult life - a move Grace Tame has blasted on social media...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was briefly evacuated from the Lodge overnight, due to a bomb threat linked to performances in Australia by a classical Chinese dance and music group that is banned in China. It comes as threats against parliamentarians are on the rise and just weeks after the AFP Commissioner warned that federal politicians and high office holders were being targeted by violent off...

Anthony Albanese has voluntarily written to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to offer support for removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of royal succession. Australia is the first Commonwealth country to back the proposal, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made it clear his government doesn't have any plans to hold a referendum on becoming a republic, instead announcing this mornin...

Anthony Albanese has continued his hardline rhetoric on so-called ‘ISIS Brides’, but now Opposition leader Angus Taylor has upped the ante, with a bill that would make it illegal to assist Australians with links to the Islamic State return home. The Albanese Government has dismissed the idea, what role is One Nation having on the changing tone of the debate?  And the PM has been busy hitting the a...

The debate over immigration, border control and social cohesion hardened this week, after a group of women and children in northern Syria attempted to return to Australia. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken a tough line on the so-called 'ISIS brides' attempting to return to Australia from Syrian camps. So, how much is anti-immigration rhetoric and the rise of One Nation influencing the 'hard line' team Labor is taking? And Angus Taylor has unveiled his new look shadow frontbench, so what does it signal about the Coalition's agenda? Are are we hearing the same...

Liberal leader Angus Taylor has announced his shadow frontbench, promising to blend generational change with proven experience. Angus Taylor's key allies have been rewarded with big portfolios, but some key moderates — like newly minted shadow treasurer Tim Wilson — have also been kept in the tent. So, as the party turns their focus squarely to the economy, will the reshuffle pay dividends? And wi...

It's The Party Room live! Fran and PK were joined on stage by ABC Chief Elections Analyst Casey Briggs at the Mardi Gras Fair Day festival in Sydney on Sunday. There was wonderfully nerdy wordplay ("the member for Hume and the member named Hume"), Farrer by-election analysis and a look at what parties are offering Gen Z and Millennial voters — who are the largest voting bloc. Got a burning questio...

Newly minted Liberal leader Angus Taylor has made it clear a tougher approach to immigration is on the agenda. In his first address as Opposition leader, he declared that “the door must be shut” to people who don’t align with “Australian values.” So, if the party shifts further to the right, to chase voters back from One Nation, what does that mean for voters in the centre?  Patricia Karvelas and ...

The Liberal Party has elected Angus Taylor as its new leader, defeating Sussan Ley in a spill motion on Friday. 

Angus Taylor has emerged as the new Liberal leader, beating Sussan Ley 34 votes to 17. The new Liberal leader says the party is facing a "change or die moment" and has promised to "protect the Australian way of life." Following the defeat, Sussan Ley has confirmed she'll resign from her seat of Farrer, sparking a by-election. It'll be the first big test for Angus Taylor's leadership. So, what does...

After a drawn out process, Angus Taylor has officially announced he'll challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership. But while many Liberal frontbenchers have followed Angus Taylor and quit the shadow frontbench, it doesn't look like the Opposition leader will go down without a fight.  And while the Albanese Government has been throwing barbs from the sidelines in Question Time, do they need to...

Pressure is mounting on Liberal leadership hopeful Angus Taylor to declare his hand and mount a challenge against Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership. The Shadow Defence Minister is expected to quit the Shadow frontbench, with other Liberals expected to follow, paving the way for a leadership spill. But some moderates are calling on Angus Taylor to launch a petition and prove he has the numbers...

Around 6000 people gathered at Town Hall to rally against the Israeli President's visit overnight, 27 people were arrested during clashes with officers, with some footage appearing to show police throwing punches at demonstrators. NSW Police have defended their response, while Premier Chris Minns says their actions were "proportionate." Meanwhile, Liberal leader Sussan Ley has survived today's par...

Coalition members say they are united ahead of the Parliamentary sitting week...but are they? It’s only been three weeks since David Littleproud said a Coalition was “untenable” under Sussan Ley. So is it going to be different this time? Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has arrived in Sydney for a four day visit following the Bondi Beach terror attack. Anthony Albanese says he hopes the v...

Insiders On Background is back for 2026! This week we are diving into the federal government's model for its Thriving Kids program. The program is aimed at setting up services and supports run by states and territories outside the NDIS. 

It's been a week of high drama in parliament, from Shakespeare novels to soap opera references, but while the Liberal-Nationals chaos continued to take centre stage the RBA interest rate hike put the spotlight back on the Albanese Government.  It comes as the May budget draws nearer and it seems the Treasurer Jim Chalmers is unwilling to rule out changes to the capital gains tax. So, could big bol...

The Albanese Government is selling off an estimated $3-billion-dollars’ worth of defence sites, so what does the "significant" overhaul of Australia’s defence property portfolio mean for housing supply? And as the Treasurer Jim Chalmers continues to defend the Government's fiscal management in the wake of the RBA's latest interest rate hike, what does this all mean for the May budget? In the secon...

The RBA board has held its first monetary policy meeting for 2026 - and a cash rate lift is the result. After the Coalition split dominated the start of the year, will this bring the focus back onto the government — and whether the Treasurer is doing enough to ease the cost of living pressures facing Australians? Meanwhile, parliament is back, but things look different — with the Liberals now sitt...

The Albanese Government should have been starting the week on the backfoot, but the infighting of the Liberal and Nationals' has kept the focus squarely on them. And amid the Opposition chaos, the Prime Minister appears to have his mojo back, labelling the infighting "bizarre" and comparing it to "Married At First Sight". But with last week's hotter than expected inflation data and a possible rate...