Podcasts about australian politics

New polls are showing older Australians firmly standing behind One Nation as support for Labour and National wanes. Whereas, Australia Correspondent Murray Olds told Andrew Dickens, "young people are running running 100 miles an hour away from the conservative side of politics." And, questions of rising antisemitism continue as a car with Hanukkah decorations, belonging to Rabbi Effy Block, was firebombed on Christmas Day. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this year-end feature, we look back at major events including the Australian Federal Election, Australia's bid to host COP30, the tariff imposed on Australia by Donald Trump, the Pacific Nations Conference, the introduction of social media bans for children under 16, and many more significant developments. - ንፖለቲካ ኣውስትራልያ ኣብ 2025 ክንምልከት'ንከለና እቲ ዓመት ክትግምቶም ትኽእል ፖሊሲታት ግን ከኣ ዘሰንብዱ ውጽኢታት ዝነበርዎ ኔሩ። እዚ ድማ ሰልፊ ለይበር ብዓብላሊ ተዓዊቱ ናብ መንበረ መንግስቲ ዝተመልሰሉ ምርጫ ግንቦትን ክልተ ዝተፈላለዩ መራሕቲ ተቓወምቲ ሰልፍታት ፒተር ዳተንን ኣዳም ባንዲትን ወንበሮም ዝተመንጠልሉን ዘካትት ኔሩ። እሞ ዓመተ 2025 ኣብ መሳልላት ስልጣን ካንቤራ ከመይ ሓሊፉ፧

Now we are doing something a little bit different this week. Every day we will be reflecting on the year that was in different areas: like world news, pop culture, sport… It’s our way of sending off 2025 and reflecting on all the things you may have forgotten happened this year. Like, a federal election in Australia. On today’s podcast, we are reflecting on what happened in Australian politics this year. And as you’ll see as we go through it - this was a very historic year for politics in Australia. Let’s get into it! Hosts: Billi FitzSimmons and Sam Koslowski Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Jewish community continues to grieve after the Bondi beach terror attack, attention also turns to how another act of violent hate can be stopped from happening again. That includes a focus on antisemitism and a change to our gun laws. Investigations reporter Ariel Bogle and political editor Tom McIlroy speak to Reged Ahmad about the data showing Sydney has a ‘frightening concentration' of gun ownership and why the pressure is on the prime minister to do more to make the Jewish community feel safe

In this extraordinary Garage edition, Jeremy Cordeaux breaks his planned summer silence to address what he calls a national watershed moment following the Bondi Beach attack on the Jewish community. Jeremy condemns political platitudes and media theatrics, arguing the tragedy was preventable and had nothing to do with gun laws. He challenges the federal government’s response, criticises political correctness in national security, and questions why extremist threats were not acted on despite prior intelligence awareness. Jeremy delivers a blunt assessment of multiculturalism, border security, immigration screening, and the government’s reluctance to confront Islamic extremism for political reasons. He contrasts Australia’s approach with Israel’s security reality, warns against disarming law-abiding citizens, and calls for honesty about values, assimilation, and national identity. It is one of Jeremy’s most uncompromising commentaries to date — urgent, emotional, and unapologetically direct. Jeremy returns early due to a “national watershed moment” Bondi Beach attack targeting the Jewish community Media reaction and political platitudes Absence of condemnation from Muslim clerics Federal government’s focus on tightening gun laws Claim that Australia already has the world’s toughest gun laws Political sensitivity around Muslim electorates Government recognition of a Palestinian state Historical pattern of socialist governments disarming citizens ASIO’s prior investigation into the accused attackers Alleged Islamic State connections and extremist material Failure to deport or detain despite warning signs Comparison with Israel’s armed civilian culture Claim that terrorism is about ideology, not guns Distinction between peaceful Muslims and extremists Multiculturalism vs national security Border control as the first line of defence Political correctness blocking security decisions Immigration screening and values compatibility Criticism of the United Nations Surveillance impracticality at scale Religious extremism and anti-Semitism Western values vs incompatible belief systems Assimilation vs parallel communities Government priorities and political self-interest Absence of clerical condemnation post-attack Christmas message and sign-off See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our final episode for 2025, political editor Tom McIlroy speaks with Melissa Clarke from ABC RN Breakfast and Michael Read from the Australian Financial Review. The press gallery colleagues discuss the prime minister's performance and his seemingly mild ambition for bold reform, and assess the government's diplomatic balancing act of maintaining relations with the US president, Donald Trump. They also share their political predictions for 2026 – including the future of Sussan Ley's leadership, the ministers they will be watching closely and the policies that will resonate the most with voters

What lessons from 2025 can Labor and the Coalition take into their summer break? After a landslide election win, will Albanese maintain his lead in the polls and use the momentum to achieve ambitious reform? And can the Liberals come back into public favour? Niki Savva, award-winning author of Earthquake: The Election that Shook Australia, joins Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry in this bumper final episode for 2025. The Barries will return to your feed in February 2026

After the furore over Pauline Hanson's burqa stunt and Barnaby Joyce's defection to One Nation, the latest Guardian Essential Poll shows a surge in the party's primary vote. Essential Media's executive director, Peter Lewis and Guardian Australia political reporters Josh Butler and Krishani Dhanji unpack whether or not the Joyce factor played a part in One Nation's uptick. They also pull apart voters' views of this week's social media ban for under-16s and discuss criticisms that the Albanese government's technology measures are more performative than substantive, in the face of AI's growing influence

As the year rounds to a close, Anthony Albanese has been on a victory lap, while the Coalition continues to pick up the pieces after a bruising election defeat. But as Labor has slowly been delivering election promises, is there a disconnect between Albanese's cautious approach and the way Australians feel about their lives? Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, and deputy editors Patrick Keneally and Gabrielle Jackson about Labor's ambitions, the Coalition's existential crisis and the stories that will define the year to come

The communications and sport minister, Anika Wells, should be flying high this week spruiking Australia's world-first social media ban – instead she is defending her use of travel entitlements. Political editor Tom McIlroy joins Reged Ahmad to discuss whether this latest controversy will see a change to politicians' perks

In the final Garage edition for 2025, Jeremy Cordeaux delivers a sharp, wide-ranging commentary that pulls no punches. From the long-delayed Jobs for Mates review exposing political nepotism in government board appointments, to the continued failure to implement child safety recommendations from the Royal Commission, Jeremy questions integrity, accountability and public trust. He criticises the $1.6 million renovation of the Greens’ party room, calls out ideological overreach in schools with gender-neutral toilets for young children, and challenges the credibility of Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner. Jeremy also recommits to the fight against the ongoing brumby cull in Kosciuszko National Park, accusing government boards and the media of silence and cruelty. The episode wraps with reflections on governance, values, cultural priorities and a festive sign-off, marking the end of another uncompromising year from the garage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Affairs journalist, Jason Koutsoukis joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the year that was, an historic election victory, the vexed question of political authority, and declining trust in major parties.Will Albo develop a significant reform agenda in 2026 or will he stick to the modest election promises that delivered him a landslide election victory? Can Labour effectively manage a progressive Senate and will Democracy Sausage LIVE return in 2026?Jason Koutsoukis is a highly experienced and well-regarded Australian journalist with a strong background in both political and foreign correspondence. Marija Taflaga is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a senior lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the Australian Studies Institute. He came to the Australian National University after a high-profile journalistic career culminating in 6 years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At an anti-immigration rally in Sydney late last month, pamphlets for a new populist political venture were being handed out to the crowd bearing the name and the colours of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. So who is behind the group calling themselves Reform Australia, and what does its digital footprint reveal? Nour Haydar speaks with investigations reporter Ariel Bogle and political reporter Sarah Basford Canales on the rightwing group seeking to recruit at rallies

After phenomenal success in reducing HIV transmissions, the former AIDS Council of NSW - ACON - pivoted to become a hugely influential lobby group with a new focus: trans rights. Today - the deep concerns of lesbian and LGBT groups about how ACON wields its power. The Australian’s New South Wales Editor Stephen Rice explains the story. Read more about this story, plus see photos, videos and additional reporting, on the website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented by Kristen Amiet, produced by Stephanie Coombes and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our regular host is Claire Harvey and our team includes Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton, and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Labor committed additional military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia as part of a Nato-led initiative. The government also announced new sanctions on Russia's so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, which are a source of revenue for Moscow. Amid these announcements and in the last week of Senate estimates, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about a tumultuous year in international affairs. The senator reflects on attending the second inauguration of Donald Trump and her continued close engagement with Australia's Pacific neighbours – in an increasingly unpredictable world order

Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry are back and there's a lot that's happened since they last sat down together. In this week's episode they examine the Liberals' abandonment of net zero emissions, whether Barnaby Joyce could help or hinder support for One Nation and why the Liberal party needs to start courting young people if it is to survive

In this year-end feature, we look back at major events including the Australian Federal Election, Australia's bid to host COP30, the tariff imposed on Australia by Donald Trump, the Pacific Nations Conference, the introduction of social media bans for children under 16, and many more significant developments.

A Guardian exclusive this week revealed the national disability insurance scheme is set to be dramatically overhauled, with participants' plans now being assessed by a computer and human oversight dramatically reduced. Advocates have called it a ‘nightmare scenario for disabled people'. Bridie Jabour speaks with the editor, Lenore Taylor, the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, and deputy editor Patrick Kennelly about what happens when you take the human out of human services, and if the government has learned any lessons from robodebt

A Guardian Australia exclusive report has revealed details of a planned major overhaul to the national disability insurance scheme. Under the new model, funding and support plans will be generated by a computer, with human involvement dramatically reduced. Senior reporter Kate Lyons speaks to Nour Haydar about what this means for the more than 750,000 Australians relying on the scheme, and why some staff and disability advocates are raising the alarm

Historian and author Frank Bongiorno joins Democracy Sausage to discuss the year that was, a landslide federal election victory, the rise of Teal and independent politicians and the split in the conservative Coalition.Will Labour grasp the reform ‘nettle' and tackle complex structural issues facing Australia or will Albo take a small C approach to governing? Can the Liberal party survive in a new political landscape and are Australians getting the democratic system they deserve?Frank Bongiorno AM is an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University, Donald Horne Professor and inaugural Director of the Centre of Public Ideas (COPI) at the University of Canberra.Dr Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larissa Waters has been at the helm of the Greens since the federal election saw former leader Adam Bandt unexpectedly lose his seat. Last week, her party secured a deal with Labor to pass new environment laws – a deal her predecessor didn't deliver. The senator talks to Reged Ahmad about what it was like taking over after the dramatic election loss earlier this year and why she compromised to get the reforms over the line.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has ended the parliamentary year on a high, passing the long-promised nature laws and celebrating a wedding. But inflation is moving in the wrong direction, far-right populist sentiment is on the rise, and gambling and housing reform are continuing to fester. Does Labor have a plan to confront these big social and economic challenges? Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy and chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy join Nour Haydar to discuss what lies ahead for Labor as the sun sets on the 2025 parliamentary year

Ever since she was elected opposition leader, Sussan Ley has faced strong criticism from within her party and across the parliament. Some commentators even predicted she'd be out of the job already. But she has made it to the last sitting week of parliament for the year. On the other side of the aisle, the Albanese government managed to meet their own deadline to legislate changes to outdated nature laws – by settling on a deal with the Greens. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Ley about her disappointment over the long-awaited reforms, Barnaby Joyce resigning from the Nationals and why she thinks ‘it's never been about me'

Ever since she was elected opposition leader, Sussan Ley has faced strong criticisms from within her party and across the parliament. Some commentators even predicted she'd be out of the job already. But she has made it to the last sitting week of parliament for the year. On the other side of the aisle, the Albanese government managed to meet their own deadline to legislate changes to outdated nature laws – by settling on a deal with the Greens. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Ley about her disappointment about the long awaited reforms, Barnaby Joyce resigning from the Nationals and why she thinks ‘it's never been about me'

This week, senator Pauline Hanson donned a burqa in parliament and refused to remove it, attracting significant attention. Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, and the national news editor, Josephine Tovey, about political stunts and how the media should cover them.

It’s a huge move for the longtime Nat, who says the party simply doesn’t allow him to properly represent his constituents in the NSW seat of New England any more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just over half of voters say that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. The same number of voters had the same response more than 15 years ago, so Essential Media's executive director, Peter Lewis, and political reporter Josh Butler unpack the difference between the science and politics of climate action in Australia. They also explore why self-aware AI – rather than the climate crisis – ranked as our greatest existential threat, and how the overwhelming support for gambling reform exposes the gap between Albanese's current commitments and the public mood for change

Political journalist and author Sean Kelly joins Democracy Sausage to discuss his Quarterly Essay examining the Albanese government and asks what today's Labor actually stands for.Why has Labor become a graveyard of lost futures, discarding reform policies after political failures? Can Anthony Albanese's vision of 'kindness' translate into material policy? And has Labor's 94-member caucus become toxically obedient, failing to provide the internal opposition necessary for good government?Sean Kelly is a political journalist, author and former adviser to prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. His Quarterly Essay The Good Fight: What Does Labor Stand For? is the landmark 100th essay in the series, published by Black Inc.Dr Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author and columnist Sean Kelly says despite Labor's overwhelming majority and an opposition largely consumed by its own infighting, there are signs that Anthony Albanese's government will waste the opportunity handed to them by the Australian people. Kelly talks to Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy about his new Quarterly essay, which examines the Labor party's move away from idealism towards pragmatism. And the former Rudd and Gillard staffer argues that while Albanese's caution has won him two elections, it could also become the prime minister's greatest weakness

In conversation with political editor Tom McIlroy, deputy leader of the Greens Mehreen Faruqi says a neo-Nazi rally in front of NSW parliament this month caused fear for many Australians – and the federal government is yet to respond to recommendations for a national framework for anti-racism. And with both houses of parliament returning for their last sitting week for the year, Faruqi says a possible decision by Labor to team up with the Coalition – rather than the Greens – to pass nature law reforms next week would lack credibility, especially when the opposition has now decided to ditch a commitment to net zero emissions by 2050

Author and columnist Sean Kelly says despite Labor's overwhelming majority and an opposition largely consumed by its own infighting, there are signs that Anthony Albanese's government will waste the opportunity handed to them by the Australian people. Kelly talks to Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy about his new Quarterly essay, which examines the Labor party's move away from idealism towards pragmatism. And the former Rudd and Gillard staffer argues that while Albanese's caution has won him two elections, it could also become the prime minister's greatest weakness

The Coalition has abandoned net zero and announced its new energy policy, promising to strip emissions reductions from the objectives of the electricity market operator and focus on lowering consumer prices. The climate and environment editor, Adam Morton, and Reged Ahmad factcheck the opposition's new energy claims and discuss why dropping net zero is dragging the country backwards in the battle against climate change

Independent ACT Senator David Pocock joins Democracy Sausage to challenge both major parties on climate policy, gambling reform and political transparency.Have gas companies captured both major parties on energy policy? Why won't Labor ban gambling advertising when 80% of Australians support it? And why do universities have governance structures that lack basic accountability mechanisms found in well-run companies?Senator David Pocock is an independent Senator for the Australian Capital Territory, elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2025.Dr Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International relations and geopolitics have become increasingly complex in the last few decades, many countries in the Pacific pulled between China and the United States – the two superpowers at odds with each other. But former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull believes the relationships with the two are equally important. “The relationship with the US is obviously the bedrock of our security relationship,” he told Mike Hosking. “Whereas the relationship with China is, you know, much more focused on economics and trade, but the two, these two superpowers are absolutely critical partners.” China has been working to grow its influence in the Pacific, the area presenting several strategic opportunities for the nation – but is it a cause for concern? “The reality is that China is a superpower,” Turnbull told Hosking. “It is, you know, an economic peer equal or close to an equal of the United States, and they're seeking to exert influence around the world and in our region.” He says they want to maintain strong relationships with their Pacific Island neighbours, and one way they did that while he was Prime Minister was through the funding of the Coral Cable, which links Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. “We thought that was a better outcome from a security point of view,” “But also, it was a better outcome for them because they weren't in debt.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been six months since the May election, which brought new personalities to Parliament House – along with an even larger majority for the Albanese government. Labor MP Renee Coffey, who beat the Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather, and Liberal MP Leon Rebello, a former staffer and parliamentary attendant, join political editor Tom McIlroy to discuss the start to their first terms. In this bipartisan conversation, the two Queenslanders also talk about the Coalition's net zero debate this week and Labor's fight to pass new environment laws before Christmas

It took nearly five hours, but Liberal MPs emerged from today's party meeting with a decision on whether to drop net zero. And while leader Sussan Ley is holding off until tomorrow to announce the final outcome, senior Liberal sources say 28 speakers wanted to jettison the 2050 target entirely, 17 expressed a desire to retain it in some form, while four were on the fence. Chief political reporter Dan Jervis Bardy tells Nour Haydar what happened inside the meeting, what tomorrow's outcome means for the future of the Coalition, and whether Sussan Ley's leadership is on the line

The International Olympic Committee will ban men from competing in women’s sport in time for the 2028 Olympic Games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

50 years ago today, an Australian governor-general sacked the Prime Minister. A new book reveals something about Gough Whitlam’s character that might explain why the PM didn’t see the ambush coming. You can read more about this story, plus see photos, videos and additional reporting, on the website or on The Australian’s app. This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Claire Harvey and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. and our team includes Kristen Amiet, Tiffany Dimmack, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaking at Cop30 in Brazil, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the ‘consensus is gone' on tackling the climate crisis. It's an apt assessment because this week Australia's two major political parties have had very different commitments when it comes to climate action. The minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, speaks to Guardian Australia's political editor, Tom McIlroy, about Labor's a free solar power scheme for some homes and the Coalition's continued infighting on emissions targets

Speaking at Cop30 in Brazil, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the ‘consensus is gone' on tackling the climate crisis. An apt assessment, as this week Australia's two major political parties have had starkly different commitments on climate action. The minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, speaks to Guardian Australia's political editor, Tom McIlroy, about Labor's free solar power scheme for some homes and the Coalition's continued infighting on emissions targets

Winning victory on the back of a campaign that preached a message of affordability, and never backing away from his principles, Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City. His surprise win has been hailed as a path forward for Democrats around the US who are struggling to connect with the American people. Back in Australia, the Coalition continues to tear itself apart. The Liberals are poised to ditch their net zero pledge after conservative powerbrokers urged Sussan Ley to follow the Nationals in dumping the emissions reduction target. Bridie Jabour speaks with the editor, Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keneally and the national news editor, Josephine Tovey, about what Australian political parties could learn from Zohran Mamdani

Political journalist and author Troy Bramston joins Democracy Sausage to discuss his new biography of Gough Whitlam and asks how a government could be so transformative yet so chaotic.How did Whitlam's government profoundly change Australia in less than three years despite being shambolic and scandal-prone? Could Whitlam have avoided the Dismissal if he'd passed supply in the House of Reps? And did the hostile media environment contribute to the government's downfall, or simply report on its dysfunction?Troy Bramston is a political journalist with The Australian and author of Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New, published by HarperCollins to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dismissal.Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.This podcast is produced by The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From cyberattacks to disinformation campaigns, hybrid warfare is reshaping global security. Visiting the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, Guardian Australia's political editor, Tom Mcllroy, speaks with its director, Teija Tiilikainen, about how the EU and Nato are confronting covert interference from Russia, China and other non-democratic countries – and what Australia can learn from Europe's approach

Anthony Albanese might have had his rock star moment upon his return from the US, but the latest Guardian Essential poll shows voters are unconvinced about the outcomes of his negotiations with US president Donald Trump. Political reporter and Canberra chief of staff Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media's executive director, Peter Lewis, about why parliament lacks the necessary friction for good government and why the Liberal party is like a bird with two wounded wings

A report by the Centre for Public Integrity has accused the Albanese government of ‘leaning into a culture of secrecy'. Labor's record on transparency also featured in parliament this week after independent ACT senator David Pocock led a revolt against the government for failing to produce a key report into ‘jobs for mates'.Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, and the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, about whether the Albanese government is failing to live up to its own expectations on transparency

Parliament is back and the political fight over long-awaited legislation updating the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is expected to dominate debate. Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy tells Nour Haydar why the government is racing to negotiate a deal with either the Coalition or the Greens to fix Australia's broken nature laws

In the aftermath of former frontbencher Andrew Hastie's fighting words, opposition leader Sussan Ley continues to struggle with persistent internal tensions in the Coalition over its direction on immigration policy. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to shadow minister for immigration Paul Scarr about why he rejects rhetoric about ‘mass migration' and argues that those seeking to inflame emotions are hurting the national interest. The Queensland senator speaks about his passion for connecting Liberal party values with multicultural communities in Australia, and gives us a glimpse of his well-loved antique collection

After finally meeting with Donald Trump, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese passed another political test and returned home with a win. Domestically, the Coalition continued to battle over net zero and generate its own headlines for all the wrong reasons. Bridie Jabour talks to editor Lenore Taylor, national news editor Josephine Tovey and head of newsroom Mike Ticher about what Albanese's and Sussan Ley's two very different weeks tells us about the state of Australian politics

The former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has confirmed his intention to quit the Nationals, further fuelling suspicions he could join Pauline Hanson at the far right of the parliament. It's not the first time the member for New England has made headlines, but the move raises questions about the direction of the Coalition – particularly when it comes to climate policy. Guardian Australia political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy speaks to Nour Haydar about why the well-known backbencher says he wants to quit the Nationals and what this says about the Coalition's looming crisis over net zero

This week, the Albanese government has been criticised for a tactical backdown on its plan to wind back tax concessions on superannuation balances worth more than $3m. But the assistant minister for productivity, competition, charities and treasury, Andrew Leigh, argues that this change in approach has maintained fairness in the super system. The MP for Fenner also talks to political editor Tom McIlroy about the challenge of AI for lawmakers, why competition policy is key to productivity growth and his early morning training for an upcoming ultramarathon