Politics Now

After months of division and public front-running — and even some added excitement of diverted planes — it's D-Day for the Liberals to decide the party's future direction on net zero. So, what direction is the party moving in — and can Sussan Ley keep them united? Patricia Karvelas and David Speers break it all down on Politics Now. FILL OUT OUR AUDIENCE SURVEY HERE: https://forms.office.com/r/rGw...

With an impartial and beloved electoral body, preferential and compulsory voting — and of course election day sausage sizzles — Australia's democratic system is the envy of much of the world. Today, Annabel Crabb joins PK to explore what exactly makes our democratic processes so unique (and the democracy sausage is just one part). And it's the 50th anniversary of the Whitlam dismissal, all these y...

After months of division, the Liberal party room is finally set to meet and thrash out their future direction on net zero this week. But it's also shaping up as a challenge for Sussan Ley and her hold on leadership. So, does Sussan Ley look like she's been lacking political conviction on the issue, and is that what voters look for in a leader? And Sussan Ley isn't the only Liberal leader in troubl...

It's been 50 years since arguably the most dramatic moment in Australia’s political history – the dismissal of the Whitlam Government. It came at a time of enormous political upheaval and debate still rages about how it all happened.  David Speers sat down with journalist Niki Savva, who was there on the day, and Troy Bramston, the author of Gough Whitlam: the vista of the new.

It's been another turbulent week for the Coalition, with the Nationals ditching net zero — and leaving the Liberal party divided on whether to do the same. And while the moderate and conservatives pull in different directions, the fallout has only further destabilised Sussan Ley's hold on the leadership. But as Jason Koutsoukis tells PK and Mel the events have also highlighted the "lack of respect...

As the turmoil continues over net zero, Opposition leader Sussan Ley has defended her approach — and her hold on the leadership — in a series of media interviews. And while she says she's "completely confident" she'll retain her position until the end of the year, is the internal pressure mounting? Meanwhile, Labor's renewable energy roll-out is experiencing it's own challenges. Patricia Karvelas...

In a widely expected decision, RBA Governor Michele Bullock has confirmed interest rates will be held at 3.6 per cent. So, is this just a "bump in the road" for the Albanese Government, or a sign of further economic turbulence ahead? It comes as first homebuyers struggle to enter the market, with new data from Cotality showing house prices rose at their fastest rate in two years in October, follow...

The Nationals have officially ditched net zero by 2050, issuing a test for Sussan Ley and the Liberal party.  So, can the Coalition find a path through this? It comes as Optus executives have faced a grilling at a Senate inquiry into the fatal triple-zero outage.  Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now. Fill out our survey here: https://forms.office.com/r/rGwzw6Xu32 G...

How is it possible to both save the environment, while also speeding up decisions on mining, housing and energy projects? Environment Minister Murray Watt thinks he's found the answer, and is confident he will pass new laws with support from either the Coalition or the Greens. Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry says reforming the laws would provide a big boost to productivity in Australia, and he...

Environment Minister Murray Watt has introduced environment reform laws into parliament — but it's still not clear if the Greens or the Coalition will support the bill. So, beyond the politics — what's the policy itself? And where has Labor left themselves wriggle room? And Sussan Ley used parliament to call into question the prime minister's fashion choices this week, suggesting the Joy Division...

Support for One Nation has surged in recent polls and now Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is eyeing off a tilt to Pauline Hanson's party. But it's not the first time the minor party has caused issues for the Coalition. Today, ABC election icon Antony Green joins PK for a special look at the history of One Nation. What can the party's enduring battles with the Coalition teach us about today? Patricia Ka...

The Albanese Government came to power promising to increase transparency and integrity in politics, but a new report card shows Labor is failing on six out of seven fronts. So, will they do anything to "correct course", as the report calls for? And as debate on the Triple Zero custodian legislation continues, the Greens and Coalition are pushing for a Senate inquiry into the Optus network outage....

The Albanese Government is muscling up for a fight on its key environmental reform bill, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. Labor says it will work with the Greens or the Coalition to pass the legislation, but both sides have raised concerns. It comes after EPBC report lead author Graeme Samuel accused the Opposition of standing in the way of the reforms. So, is t...

Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Donald Trump this week was widely hailed as a triumph. There was an awkward exchange with Kevin Rudd but also comments from the US President dismissing the prospect of China invading Taiwan. And as the alliance with the U.S. is deepening, what does this mean for Australia’s defence spending and military planning? Justin Bassi is the Executive Director of the Austral...

Anthony Albanese has received high marks across the board for his White House meeting with Donald Trump. The US President even parroted many of Labor's own talking points, so does this meeting knock the wind out of the Opposition's attacks on AUKUS, defence spending and even tariffs? And Opposition leader Sussan Ley hasn't reiterated her call for Kevin Rudd to step down as US Ambassador, after Lib...

Anthony Albanese says Donald Trump's comments about US Ambassador Kevin Rudd were "just banter", while Liberal Senator Jane Hume says calls for the Ambassador to stand down — which came from the Opposition leader — were "churlish". But it was the US President's comments downplaying the likelihood of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan that raised broader strategic questions. So, what is Donald Trump sign...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have finally met. The two world leaders inked a landmark deal on critical minerals, while Donald Trump gave reassurances on the AUKUS deal and heaped praise on Anthony Albanese for "doing a fantastic job". But while the meeting was a resounding success for the PM, it was US Ambassador and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who found himse...

PK is back in the podcast chair — and she has LOTS of thoughts to share with Jacob. Like, why Barnaby Joyce is flirting with One Nation, and if other Nationals MPs opposed to net zero might do the same. And what Anthony Albanese needs to achieve in his meeting with Donald Trump for it to viewed as a success. Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now. TICKETS TO THE LIVE...

The long-awaited sit-down meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump is about to take place.  So – what should we expect? Will there be a blow-up over defence spending or AUKUS? What about a deal on critical minerals? What does the future hold for the US-Australia relationship under these two leaders?

The Treasurer capitulated on Labor's proposed super tax changes this week, but while Jim Chalmers fronted the media for the fallout, was the backdown actually driven by Anthony Albanese? It comes as Senior Liberal James Paterson has laid out his vision for the future of the party and cautioned against splitting. But the Coalition finds itself wedged between Pauline Hanson's One Nation and Nigel Fa...

What do Nigel Farage and the Teals have in common? James Paterson thinks they’re both dead ends. In a keynote speech, the conservative senator warned it would be a “disaster” if the Liberal party split along ideological lines. So, was it a rallying cry for party unity? Or a warning shot for those stepping out of line? Brett Worthington and David Speers break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burn...

As Liberal infighting continues to play out publicly, support for One Nation has skyrocketed in a series of recent polls. So, what's behind the shift — and how much of a threat are grievance politics to the major parties? And Opposition leader Sussan Ley has announced a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, but Jane Hume remains on the backbench and in the political wilderness. Brett Worthington and Shalailah...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced a surprise backdown on the Albanese Government's controversial super tax plans. It comes after Labor failed to secure the support needed to pass the changes in their current form earlier in the year - but the announcement also comes as Anthony Albanese is on leave - so has the Prime Minister handed the Treasurer an "excrement sandwich" to deal with in his absen...

Last month’s fatal Optus outage exposed vulnerabilities in the triple-zero network. As pressure mounts on the telco,  key questions remain unanswered: how could this have happened? And what can be done to prevent future outages?   Luke Coleman from the Australian Telecommunications Alliance joined David Speers for this week's Insiders On Background.

The Albanese Government's agenda was derailed by some spicy scenes in Senate Estimates this week, with revelations an email detailing the Optus outage was sent to the wrong departmental address. In question time, the heat was on Communication Minister Anika Wells over the outage. The Opposition took the opportunity to lob a barrage of pointed question her way, but did they manage to strike a blow?...