Insiders

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Every Sunday morning, the ABC's national political lead David Speers unpacks the major stories shaping Australia's future. Each episode includes a major interview with an Australian politician and an extensive discussion with a panel of the country's best journalists. This show will help you understand the major factors behind the decisions and debates driving a national conversation.

ABC News


    • May 31, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 145 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Insiders

    Donald Trump strikes again, vowing to double tariffs on steel and aluminium

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 54:16


    Donald Trump has flagged a further trade hit, hurting exporters and adding to global volatility. And the decision to green light the extension of a major gas project has raised questions about how climate targets will be met. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen joins David Speers on the Insiders couch. 

    Analysis: The Coalition now has two months to address its splits before parliament resumes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 4:30


    The opposition now has two months to settle down internal tensions before parliament resumes. When it does, the prime minister won't be giving them an inch.

    Analysis: Will Labor seize the moment and make big reforms or waste a rare opportunity

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 5:00


    Research shows voters want the government to seize the moment after its landslide win and do something big.

    'Two separate party rooms': Liberals and Nationals still thrashing out Coalition agreement

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 55:38


    Analysis: Anthony Albanese knows he isn't politically invincible

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 5:00


    The Liberals will need as much time as possible before taking on a prime minister determined to tidy up outstanding problems.

    Ed Husic labels Deupty Prime Minister Marles 'factional assassin'

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 53:57


    The fall-out from Labor's landslide election win has been almost as extraordinary as the result itself. The leadership of the Liberals, Nationals, and Greens are all now in play. The direction of each party is up in the air. It hasn't been entirely smooth sailing for Labor either, with two Cabinet Ministers pushed out by the factions. One of them – Ed Husic – joins David Speers for Insiders.

    Analysis: Tim Wilson might still back nuclear but the Coalition is divided

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 5:30


    The Nationals remain wedded to nuclear while the Liberals are more divided.

    Labor's landslide election win

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 75:00


    Anthony Albanese enters the history books – while Peter Dutton exits the parliament. 

    Albanese and Dutton race to the election finish line

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 80:00


    We're into the final week of the election campaign – and this morning we're in the marginal seat of McEwan. Peter Dutton has been here several times during the campaign. His promise to cut fuel excise is aimed at commuters in seats like this. But is it enough?

    Analysis: Peter Dutton is treading carefully when it comes to China

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 6:00


    The opposition leader is being cautious with his language as he doesn't want to turn off Chinese-Australian voters, as the Coalition did last election, but he also doesn't want to upset those on his right flank. 

    Coalition losing ground ahead of early voting

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 85:00


    With two weeks to go in this election race – polls continue to show the Coalition losing ground. Support for Peter Dutton is slipping away in the very suburbs he's targeting. And time is running out. Early voting begins on Tuesday.

    Analysis: The next week is crucial in the election campaign

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 4:30


    The third week on the campaign trail will be critical, before the Easter break and the commencement of early voting, and polls suggest the contest remains tight.

    Tariff turmoil right in the middle of the election campaign

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 83:00


    We knew they were coming – but few expected Donald Trump's tariffs to go this far.

    Analysis: Peter Dutton is caught in a Trump-shaped wedge

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 4:30


    The opposition leader is trying to talk to two audiences: the pro-Trump supporters on his right flank, and the Trump-anxious voters in the middle. 

    Election 2025 is off and racing! || Insiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 84:00


    A hip-pocket bidding war. Competing plans for the power sector. And taunts about Donald Trump. 

    Analysis: Dutton is grappling with his fourth major political call as opposition leader

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025


    Politics is about principles and the opposition leader's decision to say no to a tax cut sends a signal. 

    Labor promises energy bill relief; Coalition "won't stand in the way"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 55:10


    More energy bill relief being promised in the latest pre-election sweetener from the government.

    Analysis: As the federal budget nears, the only sure thing is uncertainty

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 6:30


    If two ongoing wars weren't enough uncertainty into which to deliver a federal budget, there's the precariousness of the Trump administration's trade agenda.

    Bandt calls for govt to "get out" of AUKUS, amid uncertainty over the US alliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 54:31


    Donald Trump smashing norms on both the trade and security front.

    Analysis: Labor ditches softly-softly approach to Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 5:00


    The government is banking on voters appreciating that this time around with Trump is different.

    Labor's third thumping WA election win

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 55:01


    It was the win Labor expected in Western Australia, but what does the state's contest tell us about the upcoming federal election?

    After Trump & Zelenskyy's heated clash - what now for Ukraine?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 55:06


    US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's jaw dropping clash in the Oval Office caused global shockwaves and left allies questioning if the US was a reliable security partner.

    Analysis: Trump is set on tariffs, and he wants allies like Australia to lift defence spending

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 6:00


    Donald Trump is determined to impose tariffs and linked to the trade threat is a requirement for allies to lift their defence spending.

    Labor goes big on $8.5b medicare election promise, but who is footing the bill?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 54:21


    The election date may not have been announced yet, but all the factors of a campaign are beginning to shine.The Albanese government has announced a big election promise worth $8.5b. Labor says 9 out of 10 GP visits will be free, if Labor is re-elected. While the Coalition has been criticising government spending, it says it won't stand in the way of this new announcement.

    Analysis: Will Dutton stand in the way of cost-of-living relief?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 4:30


    The Coalition has blamed inflation on government spending. It remains unclear if it will hold the line and oppose further relief to struggling households.

    Donald Trump's trade threats, and what it means for Australia

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 54:35


    As an election looms, there's one man who could disrupt both the campaign and the economy - Donald Trump. His plans to punish trading partners are more sweeping - and could prove more costly - than many expected.

    On Background: How to negotiate with Trump?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 21:04


    As speculation builds over when the prime minister will call an election, another major player looms over the campaign — Donald Trump. The US president's latest wave of tariffs could send shockwaves not just through Australia but across the global trading system. So, how can Australia come out winning in this game of tariffs?

    Analysis: The tariffs problem is more about the Coalition than Rudd

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 6:00


    Continuing to highlight Labor's past critique of Donald Trump carries political risk for the Coalition. Not least because it ignores what's really driving those encouraging Trump to apply tariffs to Australia.

    How to deal with Donald Trump 2.0

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 55:35


    How to deal with Donald Trump 2.0?

    On Background: Will Trump's trade war hurt Australia?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 18:56


    The world was understandably gripped this week by Donald Trump's rather surprising suggestion that the US might take ownership of Gaza and turn it into what he's called the Riviera of the Middle East. Whether this was his intention or not, the bombshell announcement did take a lot of attention away from something else the President had done just a day or two earlier, roll out his grand tariff strategy. His threats to impose hefty tariffs on both Canada and Mexico didn't actually eventuate, at least not yet, but a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods did, and China didn't take this hit lying down. It's responded with trade sanctions of its own. So is this the beginning of a wider US-China trade war, and what does that mean for Australia? 

    Analysis: Albanese's careful formula for dealing with Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 5:30


    Heads are best kept below the parapet for now, in what's already proving to be a more difficult environment to navigate than the first Trump presidency.

    The election year begins

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 53:54


    Hopes of a rate cut. Fears of another antisemitic attack. The election year begins with intense debate over the economy and national security. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton joins Insiders. 

    On Background: Will RBA cut rates?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 21:25


    Wednesday's inflation figures came in lower than either the Reserve Bank or most market economists predicted. So, will we see a rate cut in February? 

    Analysis: The ball is in the RBA's court on interest rates

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 5:30


    It's the start of the election year Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers were banking on and the reason why talk of an early poll, either late last year or at the very start of this year, was always misguided.

    On Background: Election year preview

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2025 28:32


    Happy new year. And happy election year! We may not know exactly when Anthony Albanese will send us all to the polls – but we do know it has to happen by May. So, for this special holiday edition, we thought it would be worth setting the table for what we can expect over the weeks and months ahead. What are the issues that will decide this election? How are the major parties approaching them? And what can we expect from Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton in this campaign?David Speers speaks to Patricia Karvelas to look into the political crystal ball for 2025.

    Parliament adjourns for the year, as election looms

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 44:06


    The Albanese Government heads into the summer break with a major win.

    On Background: Immigration crackdown

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2024 21:12


    The final week of parliament for the year has involved an avalanche of legislation. Most of it has been well ventilated and debated over recent months – think social media age limits or changes to the Reserve Bank board structure.But there was a batch of bills involving tough immigration reforms that didn't receive as much attention. These changes involve new deportation powers and travel bans – and they're due to whip through with bipartisan support – despite howls of protest from human rights groups.By the time you're listening, they're likely to have passed the Senate. David Speers speaks to Dr Abul Rizvi, a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, about what these changes will mean in practise. 

    Analysis: A week of parliamentary whiplash and the PM's dropped promises

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 5:45


    Before the last election, Anthony Albanese often talked about "kicking with the wind" in the final quarter. Now, he's talking about "leaving nothing on the field", even if he's leaving a few promises behind in the interests of improving Labor's election chances.

    Social media ban set to pass, as Govt dumps misinformation bill

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 54:08


    As the clock ticks down on the parliamentary year – it's do or die for a stack of government reforms.

    On Background: Global climate crossroads

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 20:44


    The direction of global action on climate change is at a juncture. Donald Trump's impending return to the White House and his promise to rip-up the Biden administration's climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act is prompting a reassessment of the landscape.In Azerbaijan, the UN's climate change talks are in their final days trying to reach agreement on financing to help developing countries take climate action... the ambition of some countries tempered by the antipathy of others. While here in Australia, work is underway on what our 2035 targets might look like; where and when that lands is not yet clear.Melissa Clarke, filling in for David Speers, speaks to Matt Kean, Chair of the Climate Change Authority and the former NSW state Liberal Treasurer, to give us a rundown of the feeling on the ground at COP29. 

    Will Trump fire Kevin Rudd?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 54:25


    The Prime Minister on the global stage this week talking trade and what the return of Donald Trump means for the world. While here at home the government is preparing to push a raft of legislation through parliament in the last sitting fortnight of the year… as speculation mounts it could be the last before an election.Patricia Karvelas anchors Insiders from Canberra this week, while David Speers interviews the Prime Minister in Lima, Peru from the APEC security conference.Karvelas is joined by Annabel Crabb, Peter Hartcher and Katina Curtis on the couch.

    On Background: How to stop big money influencing elections

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 0:19


    The concern over big money having an outsized influence on Australia's politics prompted the Government to promise electoral reform. This is expected to include caps on individual donations and campaign spending, as well as real-time disclosures of donations. Now - with limited time left in parliament before the next election - the pressure to reveal the plan is on. 

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