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This week, Labor expanded Australia's first home guarantee to allow more buyers access to a mortgage with a reduced deposit of 5%. But the plan has many critics. Guardian Australia political editor, Tom McIlroy, speaks to the federal minister for housing and homelessness, Clare O'Neil, about why she thinks the government is pulling on the correct levers to address the housing crisis
Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy speaks to executive director of Essential Media Peter Lewis about Australian voters' views on the government's climate action ambition and the immigration debate. Lewis also explains why he thinks The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a perfect analogue of the prime minister's approach to politics in the midst of global instability
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie's hardline rhetoric on migration and manufacturing have led many to question whether the opposition frontbencher plans to pull his party to the right and go for the leadership. Guardian Australia political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy speaks to Nour Haydar about the rise of the SAS soldier turned politician and if he could be successful in importing US-style politics to Australian shores
Jeremy Cordeaux returns to the garage for the Court of Public Opinion with sharp takes on daylight saving health risks, inflation, rising energy prices, crime surges in Victoria, AI job losses, and childcare controversies. He reacts to Trump’s fiery UN speech, Anthony Albanese’s UN ambitions, Benjamin Netanyahu’s warnings on Hamas, and Australia’s climate policy. Jeremy also reflects on falling childhood vaccination rates, historic events of September 30, and the enduring debate over law and order, cost of living, and global politics. Topics discussed; Tribute to fallen police officers on National Memorial Day Health dangers of daylight saving time Inflation creeping up and electricity costs soaring 24% Gold and silver prices rising AI threatening 13% of jobs (ANZ report) Recent Telstra triple-0 outages Aldi remains Australia’s cheapest supermarket Rising crime rates in Victoria (car thefts, aggravated burglaries) Childcare closures and the “mum vs workforce” debate Trump’s UN speech: climate change, immigration, UN criticism Albanese revives Australia’s UN Security Council bid Netanyahu’s UN speech on Hamas and Palestine Concerns over falling childhood vaccination rates Historic anniversaries: The Flintstones, Munich Treaty, Boeing 747, Pinewood Studios, Robinson Crusoe, gun buyback scheme, etc. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Political reporter Josh Butler speaks to Amanda Rishworth, the minister for employment and workplace relations, about the Albanese government's upcoming reform agenda for workers. They also discuss the latest figures on enterprise agreements and why she thinks AI is more likely to ‘augment' rather than displace workers in the near future
The race discrimination commissioner, Giri Sivaraman, speaks to Nour Haydar about the recent spate of anti-immigration rallies, how he is ‘attacked all the time' for calling out racism, and why some politicians don't want to talk about the issue
On Thursday, Optus users across four states attempted to call for help – but they couldn't get through. The 13-hour outage has been linked to three deaths and met with outrage. RMIT telecommunications expert Mark Gregory speaks to Reged Ahmad about what went so terribly wrong that day, and why it's time for urgent reform to ensure it never happens again
On Monday, standing outside the UN headquarters in the US, Anthony Albanese announced Australia's formal recognition of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state. Guardian Australia's political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Nour Haydar from New York on why the prime minister chose this moment to make the landmark decision and whether the move will deepen the divide between Australia and the US on the war in Gaza
The Albanese government has put a number on its climate ambition: a target of a 62-70% emissions cut compared to 2005 levels. It comes after the release of the national climate risk assessment, which described a disastrous future for Australians on a warming planet. In this bonus episode of the Australian Politics podcast, climate and environment editor Adam Morton speaks to the chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, on the advice that informed the government's long-awaited emissions reduction target for 2035 Read more: What is a climate target, and how does Australia's new one for 2035 stack up against other countries? Albanese's Oprah-style emissions target aims to please almost everyone but risks falling short on climate action How vulnerable are Australia's cities to extreme heat? Explore our maps
In a defining week for climate action, the Albanese government has unveiled a commitment to cut emissions between 62% and 70% on 2005 levels by 2035. But vocal climate advocate Senator David Pocock says a minimum of 75% is needed to ‘do our bit'. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to the ACT independent about his pessimism about political leadership on climate ambition – despite the government's own warnings against a lack of action. He also discusses his criticism of ANU leadership, Labor's declining political will on gambling reform and why he thinks Canberra is one of Australia's best-kept secrets
This week Anthony Albanese left the comforts of his high approval rating at home to land in the Pacific, hoping to sign historic defence agreements with Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. But he has returned to Australia empty-handed, with the influence of China looming large over negotiations. The prime minister now heads to the US where a high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump poses its own challenges. Bridie Jabour talks to deputy editor Gabrielle Jackson, head of newsroom Mike Ticher and political editor Tom Mcllroy about the tricky diplomatic tightrope the PM is walking
Many had hoped that a global UN plastics treaty would finally curb pollution. But last month talks between representatives from more than 180 countries failed to reach a deal. Climate and environment reporter Petra Stock tells Nour Haydar about Australia's rising plastic waste problem and what needs to be done to tackle one of the biggest environmental threats of our time You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry unpack another bad week for the Coalition after Sussan Ley sacked senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the shadow cabinet. But that wasn't the only political story this week – the Barries also examine Victoria's historic treaty with First Peoples and the prime minister's attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum.
After a week of infighting, Sussan Ley was left with no other choice but to sack controversial conservative Jactina Nampijinpa Price. As Price and her supporters push for a more Trumpian turn, Ley is fighting to bring the opposition back to the centre. But as the Coalition continues to tear itself apart, should the media's attention be more focused on the party in power? Bridie Jabour talks to the Guardian Australia editor, Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keneally and the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, about who is holding Labor to account when the Coalition is constantly in chaos
Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 33 years after murdering three people and attempting to murder a fourth with a lunch laced with death cap mushrooms. Justice and courts reporter Nino Bucci tells Nour Haydar how Justice Christopher Beale arrived at his decision and how Patterson reacted when she learned her fate
While many Australians are feeling relieved about the end of a cold winter, the minister for emergency management and regional development is already eyeing the upcoming summer bushfire season. Kristy McBain talks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about the importance of social license for renewables and climate action in regional Australia, and shares her latest audiobook playlist for long drives to weekend sport
The violent and confronting scenes that took place at anti-immigration rallies across the country last weekend continue to reverberate throughout Australian politics. Protesters said they marched because migration levels have reached record highs. Despite the real figures telling a different story, some sections of the media ignored the issue of racism and claimed those taking to the streets were motivated by legitimate concerns. Bridie Jabour speaks to Guardian Australia's editor, Lenore Taylor, and the national news editor, Josephine Tovey, about the challenges of covering the far right without amplifying their dangerous views
Thousands attended the ‘March for Australia' anti-immigration rallies around the country on the weekend. Among those there were neo-Nazi groups and far-right figures who have captured the headlines. While the organisers have distanced the events from white supremacists, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said some good people attended too, the protests have still been widely condemned as hateful. Reged Ahmad speaks to independent researcher into rightwing extremism Dr Kaz Ross on whether we are seeing a growing anti-immigration movement in Australia and an emboldened far right
On Friday, the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, released a six-line statement announcing a new deal struck with Nauru. The deal allows the government to deport about 280 members of the NZYQ cohort, a group of noncitizens living in Australia whose visas were cancelled on character grounds. And despite costing hundreds of millions of dollars, the public have been told little detail about how the arrangement will work. Senior reporter Ben Doherty speaks to Nour Haydar about why critics have labelled the government's plan to deport people to its Pacific neighbour ‘discriminatory, disgraceful and dangerous'
Fresh off the government's reform roundtable and an address to the press club on skilling Australia's future, the minister for skills and training, Andrew Giles, says he's focused on making sure every Australian is able to reach their full potential in the workforce. He talks to Tom McIlroy about how to solve Australia's skill shortage, the importance of skills recognition in the economy, why fairness is so important to the skills sector and the key to growing the economy
Why do most Australians back recognising a Palestinian state, yet nearly half dismiss it as merely symbolic? The executive director of Essential Media, Peter Lewis, shares the latest poll findings with the Canberra chief of staff, Josh Butler, about Palestine, as well as fears of AI-driven job losses fuelling strong calls for regulation, a four-day work week and the need for bold reform
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss the expulsion of Australia's Iranian ambassador and Anthony Albanese's plan to help first home buyers. They also examine what the Coalition could do to get out of its post-election slump
Since Tuesday morning, police have been searching for Dezi Freeman, a so-called ‘sovereign citizen'. Police say he has fled into bushland after the killing of two police officers, allegedly in ‘cold blood', at a property in the Victorian town of Porepunkah. Reged Ahmad speaks to Catie McLeod, who is on the ground in Porepunkah, and Nino Bucci about what we know of the suspect and the manhunt for him
Iran directed at least two attacks against Australia's Jewish community, the domestic spy agency has determined, prompting the Albanese government to expel Tehran's ambassador from Australia. The prime minister announced on Tuesday that Asio had ‘credible intelligence' to determine the Iranian government was behind the attacks against the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis's Continental Kitchen in Bondi, Sydney. Iranian diplomats posted to Australia were not involved, the Asio director general, Mike Burgess, said. Nour Haydar speaks with political correspondent Tom Mcilroy and senior reporter Ben Doherty about why the Albanese government has taken this historic step against Iran
Earlier this month an Australian-based Uyghur group launched legal action against Kmart in the federal court. The case has put the retailer's supply chain under scrutiny for potential links to forced labour in China's Xinjiang province. Nour Haydar speaks with senior reporter Ben Doherty about the legal action against Kmart and the warnings that Australia could become a dumping ground for products linked to forced labour
"I am no longer Erin Patterson's victim. She has become the victim of my kindness." Those are the words of mushroom lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson, who read a victim impact statement to court alongside Patterson’s husband and other victims of her triple murder. Today, voice actors read the statements in full. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A terrorist next door and constant lockdowns - a court has heard mushroom murderer Erin Patterson is doing it tough with Victoria’s most dangerous female convicts, finding comfort in crochet and books. Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Joshua Burton. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Tiffany Dimmack, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Australia's gun laws are often called the gold standard for community safety, but almost 30 years on from the Port Arthur massacre that led to decisive reforms, there are more legal firearms in the country than ever before. Nour Haydar speaks with senior correspondent Sarah Martin and investigations reporter Ariel Bogle about why the number of guns in Australia is on the rise, the escalating threat of 3D-printed weaponry and why the gun lobby claims it's ‘winning' the fight against firearm control
Fresh from the government's economic roundtable, the independent Wentworth MP Allegra Spender is optimistic about the future of tax reform in Australia. Talking to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy, she argues Labor must speed up approvals for housing and clean energy, shift the tax mix to ease pressure on young people and boost investment, and responsibly embrace the ‘freight train' that is AI
Calls for childcare reforms have become louder since revelations surfaced of multiple sexual abuse charges laid against a Victorian worker. Federal and state education ministers are set to meet on Friday in an attempt to restore faith and safety to a service few can live without – but is real change possible? Senior reporter Kate Lyons talks to Reged Ahmad about whether the government's next moves will give parents and carers the reassurance they desperately need
It used to be a view held by a secretive few on the fringes of society, but preparing for disaster has now grown in popularity, with many believing having a backup plan just makes good sense. Senior reporter Kate Lyons speaks to Reged Ahmad on whether there is value in preparing for an apocalypse that may never come
British-Australian doctor Mohammed Mustafa has seen first-hand the horrors occurring daily in Gaza from his time working in hospitals across the region. Speaking to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy, he describes life on the ground in the war zone, says that Australian politicians are clinging to talking points while children die, and warns that recognition of Palestinian statehood must be matched by real action to end the humanitarian crisis
Next week – just over 100 hundred days into its second term – the Albanese government will bring together business leaders, unions and interest groups at an economic roundtable to try and figure out how to best jumpstart the economy. Big ideas such as a four-day work week and limiting negative gearing have been put forward, but the prime minister has been quick to dampen expectations.Bridie Jabour talks with the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, and Guardian Australia's economics editor, Patrick Commins, about whether the Albanese government has the ambition for big reform
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has confirmed his government will join other allies to formally recognise Palestinian statehood. Guardian Australia's chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, speaks to Nour Haydar about why the Australian government is making this move now, and if it will change anything for the Palestinians living under attack in Gaza
When Adani first sought government approval for its Carmichael coalmine in Queensland, a major selling point was the company's pledge to deliver $22bn in taxes and royalties. While the mine is now smaller than originally planned, it still generates millions in revenue each year of operation and the Australian government has not received a single cent in corporate tax. Business editor Jonathan Barrett speaks to Reged Ahmad about how the company has generated a loss on paper and why it's time for a rethink on how we tax corporate wealth You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Two weeks out from Labor's economic roundtable, the Coalition's shadow minister for productivity, housing and homelessness, Andrew Bragg, joins us to talk about the biggest challenges facing the economy. Speaking to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy, he cautions against over-regulating artificial intelligence, reflects on the Coalition's missteps with migrant communities, and reveals how he still carves out time for long runs and audiobooks amid the chaos of federal politics
Palestinian paediatrician Abdalkarim Alharazin has seen more suffering and death than most over his time as a junior doctor on Gaza's frontlines. Amid relentless Israeli bombardment, displacement and starvation, he applied for and has been accepted into a master of public health at the University of Sydney. With significant hurdles ahead, logistically and financially, Alharazin joins Nour Haydar to talk about what he's witnessed and his plans to rebuild Gaza's health infrastructure
For some years, there have been suggestions that in the 1860s Tom Wills, Australia's first sports hero and the founder of the AFL, may have taken part in the massacres of Gayiri people in Central Queensland. Now, in a Guardian Australia investigation, Indigenous Affairs reporter Ella Archibald-Binge travels in search of the truth behind the allegations. In this two part special Full Story, she and Lorena Allam from UTS's Jumbunna Institute discuss how families on both sides of the conflict are reckoning with the truth of their ancestors' colonial past Warning: This episode contains historical records that use racist and offensive language, and descriptions of events that will be distressing to some.
Conspiracy theories and fringe ideas are now increasingly a visible part of Australian politics and public life. But what pushes people to abandon our shared reality, and what is responsible for the rapid rise in false truths?Reged Ahmad talks with Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson about the threat conspiracy theories pose to Australia
Colonial pastoralist Major Logue is a figure of note in the city of Geraldton, Western Australia. But his diaries, written partly in code, reveal a dark and confronting chapter of Australia's past – a history that Yamatji people already know all too well. Descendants of some perpetrator families are now challenging what they call ‘colonial silence'. For them, truth-telling is real, personal and local. There are no guidelines or rulebooks, and it can lead to denial and indifference – but it can also be a liberation. In this two-part special Full Story, Guardian Australia's Indigenous affairs reporter Sarah Collard and Lorena Allam from UTS's Jumbunna Institute discuss decoding the truth behind Logue's diaries, and how descendants of colonial violence are coming together to heal from the horrors of the past Warning: This episode contains historical records that use racist and offensive language, and descriptions of events that will be distressing to some
Tanya Plibersek, one of Labor's most recognisable political figures and the minister for social services, joins us as the government faces big decisions at home and abroad. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to her about the push to recognise Palestinian statehood, the jobseeker rate and the urgent fight to keep children safe online
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine Labor and Liberal positions on recognising Palestine and ask: will the prime minister change Australia's position on the issue? They also discuss the many obstacles to net zero, if 16-year-olds should be given the vote and why Barrie came last in maths at school
As Anthony Albanese readies his second‑term reform agenda, Guardian Australia's Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media's Peter Lewis about the elephant in the room: Australia's dependence on the US and how its high‑stakes defence gambles could shape both his leadership and the nation's strategic future
On Wednesday, Australia joined 14 other countries to describe the recognition of Palestine as ‘an essential step towards the two-state solution', linking progress on statehood to the upcoming United Nations general assembly meeting in September. But the prime minister has resisted demands for increased sanctions on Israel as clamour grows to follow the UK, France and Canada in recognising Palestine as a state. Reged Ahmad talks to deputy editor Patrick Keneally and the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, about the pressure pushing Australia towards Palestinian recognition
Earlier this month the Greens officially terminated the membership of one of its founders. Drew Hutton, the expelled member, criticised the party as ‘authoritarian', claiming it is silencing members who challenge its official policies on gender identity – but the party says it will not tolerate harmful commentary within its membership. Queensland state reporter Joe Hinchcliffe tells Nour Haydar why the Greens have terminated Drew Hutton's life membership over debate that the party considers harmful to trans people, but which Hutton has framed as an issue of free speech
As parliament resumes, the focus shifts to how the major parties plan to reset. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Liberal MP for Flinders and shadow assistant minister Zoe McKenzie. She isn't convinced by quotas but says the party needs meaningful reform if it's serious about bringing more women into the fold – and winning back their trust at the ballot box. She also weighs in on the climate challenge ahead for her party and for Sussan Ley as they try to find a credible path to net zero
Evidence shows urgent action is needed to prevent the climate crisis from worsening but political will is waning. As the Coalition takes the debate back to the future on the merits of net zero, questions remain about Labor's willingness to act on its own policies. Reged Ahmad speaks to editor Lenore Taylor, head of newsroom Mike Ticher and climate and environment editor Adam Morton on what's distracting Australia from acting on the climate emergency
Mark Latham came close to becoming an Australian prime minister, but it's very different headlines being made now. After a career of controversy, the New South Wales upper house MP is being taken to a NSW local court by an ex-partner seeking an apprehended violence order. Separately, there have also been claims of inappropriate behaviour directed towards other female MPs. Latham will contest the allegations in the AVO matter in court and has otherwise denied any wrongdoing. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Reged Ahmad about how this latest controversy has ricocheted to the upper echelons of federal Labor and sparked a debate about his portrait, which still hangs in Parliament House
As Australia's federal parliament resumes, Reged Ahmad speaks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy and political reporter Krishani Dhanji about our new political reality Read more: New parliament seating chart shows how Labor's election win shifted the tectonic plates of federal politics
Treasurer Jim Chalmers tells Guardian Australia chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy one of his key measures of success in the future is making Australia's budget more sustainable. They discuss the challenge of meeting housing targets, how the morning news affects his plans and what he hopes can come out of his meeting with the G20 finance ministers this week