Politics Now

An email detailing the Optus outage was sent to the wrong government address, a spicy Senate estimates hearing has revealed. But while the inbox wasn't being monitored, it was still active, with Senators asking how it could have been missed. It's a lot like an episode of Utopia — and comes as the Opposition ramps up pressure on Communications Minister Anika Wells. And the Coalition is also questio...

The CEOs of Australia's big telcos have met with Communications Minister Anika Wells after major triple zero outages last month. It comes as Labor introduces legislation to enshrine the powers of a triple zero watchdog — but have they moved "too slow"? What if "red flags" not acted upon lead to failures this bushfire season? And politicians on both sides have marked the two-years on from the Octob...

In a submission to the Liberal's election review, former Opposition leader Peter Dutton has accused Andrew Hastie of costing the Coalition the election, according to reporting in the Nine papers. It comes after Andrew Hastie quit the Coalition frontbench, citing key differences over immigration policy. But the West Australian Liberal MP has made it clear he won't be contesting Sussan Ley's leaders...

Senior Liberal Andrew Hastie has spectacularly quit the Coalition frontbench, saying he could not maintain cabinet solidarity due to disagreements over immigration policy. And while the Liberal MP was emphatic there was "no challenge" to Sussan Ley and the move was "done in good faith", he suggested the centre right was "fractured." It comes just weeks after the Western Australia MP suggested he w...

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the Israeli Prime Minister, U.S. President Donald Trump told the world that his peace plan will end the war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just returned home from a whirlwind international trip, immediately turning his attention to domestic matters like Labor's first home-buyer deposit scheme. But from the corridors of the UN to a mosque tour in the UAE - how did the prime minister perform on the global stage? And is Australia now more than just a "bit player" on matters in the Middle East? Meanwhi...

The Prime Minister is back on home soil - and back to hitting the pavement in the electorate. After a week on the world  stage, the government is eager to turn its attention to a major domestic fire they need to fix - Australia’s housing crisis. It insists it’s doing more than just throwing water on the blaze, pointing to the expansion of the government's home guarantee scheme. But is it a genuine...

Donald Trump once promised he’d bring peace to the Middle East the moment he returned to the White House. Now, he’s backing a new 20-point plan with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - a proposal he says will lead to "eternal peace" in the region.  It’s a bold claim for one of the world’s most intractable conflicts - so can it deliver peace in Gaza? And back home, the government has finall...

Anthony Albanese has wrapped up a quick UK visit, where he and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have reiterated the close partnership between the two nations.  The Australian Prime Minister also spoke at a UK Labour Party conference in Liverpool, where he promised to "defend democracy itself" and lamented the rise of a "politics of fear".  But his attendance raised some eyebrows back home,...

How do progressive leaders navigate turbulence of the Trump era? 

Anthony Albanese has been flexing Australia's middle-power muscle at the 80th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly this week. But while he was affirming Australia's recognition of Palestine and spruiking Australia's social media ban for under 16s, broader global shifts were on display.  So, how is Anthony Albanese navigating the new world order? And can he balance closer ties with Eu...

A date has officially been set for a meeting between Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese.  The White House has confirmed the one-on-one will take place in Washington next month, with Anthony Albanese telling reporters that the US President had agreed to a meeting "some time ago." On Politics Now David Speers joined Brett Worthington live from NYC to discuss the "risks" and possible rewards for Antho...

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has vowed to revoke Australia's recognition of Palestinian statehood, taking the unusual step of writing to US Republicans to flag the Coalition's position. It came as Anthony Albanese took to the stage at the United Nations General Assembly, where he spoke about Australia's recognition of Palestine and commitment to delivering the two-state solution. Foreign Minister...

Australia has formally recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, with the prime minister suggesting the move was "the world saying that the cycle of violence has to stop". But while the declaration was matched by allies, including Canada and the UK, it puts Australia at odds with the United States. So, what impact will the move actually have? Meanwhile, the telecommunications regulator has launch...

Australia will soon submit a 2035 target to cut emissions by 62 to 70 per cent to the United Nations.

The Albanese Government has unveiled its long awaited 2035 emissions reduction target, confirming it will sit in a range of 62 - 70 per cent. But in the Coalition ranks, the climate wars have re-emerged with Opposition leader Sussan Ley forced to reassure her party room that she won't pursue net zero by 2050 at "any cost." The Opposition leader has delivered her first major economic speech since t...

Donald Trump has rebuked questions from ABC America's Editor John Lyons, suggesting they were “hurting Australia" when speaking to reporters at the White House. But the real "Easter egg" in the heated exchange was the US President seemingly confirming he would be meeting with Anthony Albanese "very soon" - the clearest indication to date the two leaders will meet. But in a blow to the prime minist...

As the Albanese Government prepares to release its 2035 emissions reduction target, the Coalition's deep divisions on climate change have re-emerged. Senior Liberal Andrew Hastie has threatened to quit — or be sacked — from the Opposition frontbench if the Coalition doesn't abandon the target. While fellow Coalition frontbencher Jonno Duniam is warning of a "mass exodus" if the party pursues the p...

As the Albanese Government prepares to unveil its 2035 emissions reduction target, a new climate assessment has painted a dire picture of the future. On Politics Now PK and Brett Worthington discuss how this "sequencing" from the Labor may be laying the groundwork for more ambitious climate targets. And as the PM heads to PNG to ink a new security agreement, the government has unveiled $12 billion...

The Albanese Government is preparing to set Australia's next climate goal: the 2035 emissions reduction target, as required under the Paris agreement.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has demoted prominent Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the backbench, after a turbulent week of factional infighting. But the Senator has made it clear she "won't be silenced" on what she calls mass immigration. So, as the factional battlelines are drawn what does this mean for Sussan Ley's authority? Patricia Karvelas and Melissa Clarke are joined by Anna H...

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Israel's strike in Qatar as a "violation" of the country's sovereignty, while US President Donald Trump says he's "not thrilled" by the situation. So, does the move jettison the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza? And the Prime Minister rubs shoulders with world leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum, how is Australia countering the rising influence of Chin...

The Prime Minister has now added his voice to growing calls for Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to apologise for her remarks about Indian migrants. Shadow Attorney General Julian Leeser has apologised to the Indian Australian community for her remarks, while the Senator has doubled down, urging the Opposition leader to force her colleague Alex Hawke to apologise for the way he raised the...

Tensions are threatening to boil over in the Liberal party in the wake of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s comments about Indian migration. The NT Senator has now accused her colleague and factional powerbroker Alex Hawke of  “cowardly and inappropriate” behaviour and threatening remarks over the matter. While Alex Hawke has taken to the media to hit back, calling on the Senator to apologise for...

Dan Andrews had a front row seat to China flexing its military might this week.