The Professor and The Hack

It's February already, which means it's almost time for parliament to start sitting for the year. What can we expect to be on the agenda? As the saying goes, in this world nothing is certain except death and taxes. But what about death taxes? Hear Peter's thoughts on that topic. And what is it about the current state of Medicare that has Hugh all a-fluster?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Hugh and Peter discuss Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Alice Springs and whether the immediate actions he imposed will be effective in what is a very complex situation. They also think about how The Voice is conflated with other issues before surmising the state of politics in New South Wales. And what are the pressure points of any potential Medicare reform? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a new year, everyone's refreshed and raring to go, and The Professor and The Hack are no exceptions. So, what can we expect this year? Is it true that ‘inflation's back because Labor's back'? Can we look forward to a time when interest rates stop rising or are we headed for a recession? And is it the year of the rat, rabbit or Rabbitoh?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In which The Professor and The Hack spread some Christmas cheer throughout the land! Hugh and Peter take a look back at the year that was 2022, taking in all the highs and lows, winners and losers, before turning their attention to what's in store in 2023. This episode was also recorded as a video version, so if you want to find out whether PVO did in fact dress for the occasion you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/bGHaIajznQ4 Merry Christmas to all and see you in the new year!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well 2022 is drawing to a close, and there's no doubt it's been a pretty busy year in politics. Will the year end on a high for Anthony Albanese? Where will energy prices be in 2023? What are the key takeaways from the new Australian Election Study? And why will The Professor be donning a shirt next week?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may have been the last sitting week of parliament for the year, but it's been a busy one. Dan Andrews has kept his seat in Victoria, the National Party has announced it will oppose the Voice referendum, and Scott Morrison and his secret ministries are in the spotlight once again as he becomes the first former prime minister to be censured in Australian political history. And as Anthony Albanese visits Gough's Sydney home 50 years on, we look at the Whitlam legacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria is headed to the polls this weekend, so what does the future look like for Dan Andrews? We're seeing major party fatigue amongst voters so will Victorians stick with the devil they know? And with wages still way behind inflation and the banks forecasting interest rate rises to the end of this year and beyond, it's looking like the dragon that needs to be slayed is still evading capture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugh's been in Bali for the G20 summit and dials in direct from his hotel room to fill us in. So much to talk about, including what the future of trade relations between Australia and China is likely to be on the back of Albanese's meeting with Xi Jinping. Our prime minister has also formed bonds with a number of his international counterparts, including Narendra Modi and Emanuel Macron, but are we on the right path? Closer to home the industrial relations bill gets a bit of a going over. And of course we can't let this episode go by without discussing Trump's announcement that he will once again be running for the top job in the US. What's he got to lose?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a bit of an international flavour this week. As the results of the US midterms start to trickle in, The Professor and The Hack ponder the confidence trick that is Trump. And is Putin likely to put in an appearance at next week's G20 summit? Closer to home we look at the end of the Albanese year, and what could be in store for the government in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a quarter of Australian households currently worried about how they are going to pay their bills, is the treasurer right when he says it's time to slay the inflation dragon? And will it actually happen? Further afield, the US is gearing up for next week's midterms, we take a look at the situation in China, and a super spook gives some sound advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Albanese government has just delivered its budget, the first for Labor in nearly 10 years, and there's a lot to unpack. At a time when we're experiencing the highest inflation rate in Australia since 1990, Hugh and Peter look at who the winners and losers were in this week's federal budget. What happens when economic theory becomes lived reality?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's nearly budget time, again. That's two this year. It's an unusual situation, but an exciting time for anyone who loves policy and economics, including PVO. So is the forecast gloomy or bright? The Professor and the Hack deep dive into the realities of what we can expect – and it's a complex mix.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions of Australians are this week coming to terms with their information being compromised in the Optus data breach. But what about the pollies having access to a lot of our personal information that's stored in their database? It's exempt from the Privacy Act, but is it safe? Also up for discussion this week are the Stage Three Tax cuts and whether the National Integrity Commission does have teeth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, The Professor and The Hack take a moment to reflect on times past and times to come. Hugh and Peter also discuss the Integrity Commission, and think about what we can expect from the upcoming economic statement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So much to talk about this week. The interest rate rises just keep on coming, with the fifth one in as many months just announced. Can you believe it's been 30 years since superannuation was introduced? Paul Keating can, and has had something to say this week. And why are the Greens and Matt Canavan suddenly seeing eye to eye?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we move away from politics and talk about policy for a change. There's a lot to unpack from this week's jobs and skills summit, as news about an increased migration cap breaks mid-recording. Also up for discussion are the stage three tax cuts. And where was Peter Dutton?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With former prime minister Scott Morrison's secret self-appointments dominating the news, our dynamic duo discusses whether more of Morrison really was the solution to the problem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we digest the impact of yet another interest rate rise, Hugh and PVO don't even consider the fact that right now avocados are the cheapest they've ever been. Instead they look at the hot topics of the day, including the different forms cost of living relief could take, and the potential fallout of Peter Dutton going nuclear. And how well do you know your state premiers?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your favourite commentators are back after a well-earned break (or at least PVO is). They reflect on the aftermath of the election, and discuss the first week of parliament. And can we expect to see Scott Morrison on the evangelical speaking circuit any time soon?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Hugh and Peter take a look at the ministers gaining a seat on Labor's new front bench. Who are the rising stars in this new political environment?  And as celebrations begin the world over for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, what better time to discuss the appointment of an Assistant Minister for the Republic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Professor and The Hack get down to some more unpacking of the election results and what we can expect as the political landscape starts to change. What does all this really mean for the next three years? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has voted, and after nearly 10 years Labor takes the top seat. The Professor and The Hack deep dive into the highs and lows of the election, and take a look at what lies ahead for Australia's 31st Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two days to the election and the polls are indicating a close race. As our starters inch towards the finish line, the Professor and the Hack discuss the absence of Labor's costings, whether Albanese will finish building his gaff-proof fence, and why numbers suddenly have Hugh all confused. And the Professor shares his predictions. You can catch Hugh and Peter on Channel 10's live election coverage from 5pm on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With less than a week to go, the Professor and the Hack delve into the new signature policy around super and housing for first-home buyers, and whether the promise of a Scott Morrison 2.0 is possibly too little too late. And exactly what can we expect in this last week of campaigning? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With nine days to go, all the major parties are campaigning hard. But is it all falling on deaf ears? This week's must-hear topics include the latest leaders' debate, the YouGov poll and whether Albanese is an economic destroyer or a leader in waiting. And PVO gets his hands on some leaked and rather interesting information about the current state of the polls in New South Wales. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With two weeks to go, the election campaign is nearly over, but is the reality actually that we are over the campaign? As we stumble towards the finishing line in this multi-horse race, The Professor and The Hack also look at this week's interest rate rise, and Peter has some great ideas for livening up the upcoming leaders' debates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suddenly we're almost halfway through the election campaign and, it seems, at a crossroads in political history. Albanese's in iso as competency ratings for both leaders hit their lowest levels in almost 30 years, and the Pre-Election Fiscal Update makes for some interesting reading. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rains have stopped, the scare campaigns have started and PVO is in Brisbane for the leaders' debate. As well as what's happening in Australia, The Professor and The Hack turn their attention to the deal between the Solomon Islands and China. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the East Coast of Australia under a blanket of rain yet again, Hugh and PVO discuss whether the weather is making those first tentative steps along the campaign trail a bit muddy. And as the dishes of election temptation start to be laid out on the table, they pull up a chair and take a look at the battle that's ahead for the marginal seats. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Professor and the Hack are back! And there's so much to discuss. From a deep dive into this week's budget to whether there will be a potential swan dive in the upcoming election, no stone is left unturned. Or untalked about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In which Hugh crunches some numbers, the electoral pendulum gets a swing, and Hugh and PVO work out their differences about Grace Tame. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy New Year from the Professor and the Hack! And what a start to 2022 it has been.  What with the covid catastrophe, the Djokovic disaster, and rumblings of a republic, there's a lot to get through. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're getting closer to the end of the year, so Hugh and Peter don their Christmas hats and indulge in some more election speculation, while lamenting the decidedly unfestive lack of wit in politics these days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the last sitting week of Parliament for the year, and there's a lot to talk about. Join Hugh and PVO as they delve into the politics of a virus, Kate Jenkins' Set The Standard report, defamation and China's new military exercise off the coast of Taiwan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Parliament enters its last sitting period for the year, the Professor and the Hack dissect Scott Morrison's handling of the most recent protests, and muse about where the upcoming election could be won or lost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trust issues, trickery and texts all come under the microscope this week, as Hugh and PVO tackle all the important issues including why it's never good to lie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, it's all climate talk and election speculation. From Glasgow to Canberra, join us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PVO and Hugh discuss the return to normal for our locked-down nation, an impending federal election and, of course, the goings on in state politics. Get your hit of the new normal on episode 106. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode traverses from the streets of Melbourne to future battles fought under sea and of course to Australian Parliament. Protests, submarines and China. Get your high vis on and be ready to down periscope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, and of course to Scott Morrison. The economy is bouncing back, what's going on with singles bubbles, and the most surprising of all - PVO got a prediction right!  In the latter part of the episode PVO mentions a drug used in the treatment of Covid. If you didn't get the spelling, it's Tocilizumab. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugh and PVO are back chatting about the handling of issues both domestic and international. Also included, a look at the opposition's chances in an upcoming election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The PM has shown his workings when it comes to the phases of his roadmap, but does it all add up practically? And where does this leave his plans on when to call the next election? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PVO tries to retire his 'kiss of death' this week before he and Hugh look again at the vaccine rollout and assess how fair it is for Scomo to be shouldering so much blame. Also up for discussion are the looming spectre of recession, farewell to Speaker Tony Smith, and what is the new normal that the world is going to be happy with? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here we are at the 100th episode! Hugh and PVO raise their bats before turning again to matters at hand: the vaccine rollout, Sydney in lockdown, hard borders, and the compliance blitz aimed at one part of the city but not others. Then they field some questions from listeners, mostly seeming to be seeking some reassurance about what the future looks like. The Professor and the Hack has been produced and edited across these 100 episodes by Monty Leadon and Stuart Buckland. Thanks to Ross Dagan, Anthony Murdoch and the 10 News First team for their support, and of course to Hugh and PVO who have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making sure the podcast made it to such a big milestone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an all-Barnaby, all-Nationals affair today on The Professor and The Hack. How will the party look going forward? And what does this mean for religious freedoms? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugh and PVO are talking McCormack, jobs, and Ben Roberts-Smith. With everything going on in Australia right now, what better way to keep up to date than with The Prof and The Hack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brrr! It's chilly all across the nation but that won't stop PVO and Hugh from talking elections, G7, potential wars and Phillip Ruddock. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time the Prof and the Hack are talking vaccines, lockdowns, and economic growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Victoria heading back into lockdown, this episode is all about the vaccine rollout and all things Covid, with a little bit of Clive Palmer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugh knows Albo can dance! Find out more about this, unemployment, vaccines and the troubles in the Middle East in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the budget play out for women? Are there possible issues with Labor leadership? And does Josh Frydenberg have a future? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.