Latest Episodes
Politics Podcast: Tanya Plibersek on Labor's taxing times
Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek talks on Anthony Albanese's Whitlam oration, Bill Shorten's unexpected announcement on rolling back company tax for medium sized firms, the "tough" Braddon and Longman byelections - and really fires up about mobile phones and over connected children.
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics Podcast: Attorney-General Christian Porter on a crowded agenda
Attorney-General Christian Porter says the response to the consultations for the national apology to victims of child sexual abuse has been very strong with a total of 167 attendees at consultation sessions so far. "There are further consultations coming up in Ballarat, Melbourne, Bendigo, Newcastle and Sydney ... it is a very important process and is going very well," he said. Porter also says there's…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics Podcast: Brotherhood of St Laurence's Conny Lenneberg on Newstart, poverty and inequality
The Brotherhood of St Laurence has underway a campaign with the slogan "Share the Pie" highlighting the inadequacy of the Newstart allowance. The Brotherhood is also arguing the social safety net more generally is fraying. Executive Director of The Brotherhood Conny Lenneberg spoke to The Conversation about the inequality created by the low level of Newstart, which hasn't been boosted for many years…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Michael McCormack on Barnaby's future, latte sippers and other matters
With yet another round of the Barnaby Joyce affair distracting the government, the next question will be whether the beleaguered MP runs again in his New England seat at the election. In this interview with The Conversation, Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack pointedly avoids saying Joyce should do so. "That’ll be a matter for him and that’ll be a matter for the National party…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Anthony Albanese on Labor's National Conference
Labor is facing tough tests in coming byelections in its narrowly held seats of Longman in Queensland and Braddon in Tasmania. Later on, managing the ALP national conference will be a challenge for Bill Shorten who will be anxious to avoid damaging displays of division over controversial issues. Labor Frontbencher Anthony Albanese is putting on a confident face about the byelections. On the conference…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Dean Smith on the pros and risks of new religious freedom protections
The Liberal party is currently fighting fires on various fronts - from a revolt on the live sheep trade to preselection power struggles. Western Australia Liberal Senator Dean Smith is putting up another push, as he challenges the decision not to run Liberal candidates in the two WA byelections. In this podcast he also speaks about the need for rigorous debate on religious freedoms, diversity in the…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Mathias Cormann and Jim Chalmers on Budget 2018
With the government's election focused budget released it's now a tax showdown between the two sides. Finance minister Mathias Cormann says the government is committed to the whole of their seven-year personal tax relief plan and is determined the three-part package not be broken up. Meanwhile, shadow finance minister Jim Chalmers says Labor is disappointed with the government's inflexibility on their…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Tim Colebatch on the 2018 budget
From inside the lockup political and economic journalist Tim Colebatch speaks to Michelle Grattan about his assessment of the budget. He says the income tax cuts are "well targeted" and that he can't see any "significant negatives" from the budget. However Colebatch is "surprised the government hasn't made more effort to find other sources of compensating tax income or making bigger spending cuts in…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Chris Bowen on the budget and Labor's policies
Ahead of Tuesday's budget that will unveil the goverment's tax cut plans, the Coalition is painting Labor as the big taxing party, while the ALP is attacking the government's push to cut company tax for big business. Meanwhile the Business Council of Australia is taking its message to the public with a grassroots campaign. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen tells The Conversation he accepts that big business…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Robert Kelly on the Korean summits
Professor Robert E Kelly from the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Pusan University is pessimistic about how much the upcoming Korean summits will achieve this Friday. He told The Conversation that the Trump-Kim summit is likely "to be a bust" because the Americans aren't prepared for the negotiations, while the summit between the two Koreas is more important for issues of economic…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Clive Hamilton and Richard Rigby on Chinese influence in Australia
The Australia-China relationship is again in the headlines, with reports of strains between the two countries, resulting in federal ministers who want to visit finding it hard to get visas. China is reacting against the Australian government's rhetoric and especially its legislation, now before parliament, to combat foreign interference in Australian politics. Malcolm Turnbull plays down the issue…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Michael Keating on a Fair Share
With the debate about equality heating up ahead of the federal election, Dr Michael Keating, the former head of three federal government departments, warns that while past economic reforms have served Australia well, there's a risk some people may be left behind if we don't "change the debate". A new book co-authored by University of Queensland Political Economy Professor Stephen Bell and Keating called…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: John Blaxland on Australia's expulsion of Russian spies
As Russian Ambassador Grigory Logvinov and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop trade verbal blows, ANU professor John Blaxland says the expulsion of two Russian spies from Australia will have a significant effect on Russia's espionage here. Blaxland told The Conversation that ideologically we're not seeing a new Cold War but the interconnectedness of the world means that activities by Russia create new vulnerabilities…
2 Hosts: Michelle Grattan and John Blaxland
Politics podcast: Sarah Hanson-Young on the Greens' Batman setback
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has strongly backed party leader Richard Di Natale's push to purge those who leaked against candidate Alex Bhathal in the Batman byelection. Hanson-Young told The Conversation it was clear that party infighting played on voters’ minds. "I don't think there's a place for people who want to undermine our party like that. This selfish act by a small number of people in…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: the Batman byelection battleground
Byelections are not just important in the obvious sense of their results, but also for the confidence of political players. On Saturday, Labor and Bill Shorten face a major test in the Melbourne seat of Batman – which is traditionally Labor but with the Greens now threatening the ALP’s hold. A Labor loss would be a blow to the morale of the opposition. It would also open some debate within the party…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: the 'X factor' in the South Australian election
The South Australian election will be held on March 17 – the same day as the federal byelection in Batman. Labor is pitching for a fifth term in South Australia, with former senator Nick Xenophon's SA-Best party injecting a high element of unpredictability into the result. Jobs and power prices are at the front of voters’ minds, while the gambling industry is investing heavily to try to fend off the…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Jacinda Ardern on her political life
Ahead of her second visit to Australia, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke to Michelle Grattan about the toughness of Australian politics, her ambitious policy plans, and the demands of being a young high-profile female leader that everyone wants to know about. On the New Zealand refugee offer, Ardern told The Conversation it "still obviously sits on the table but it's absolutely Australia’s…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Peter Dutton on balancing interests in home affairs
The recently created home affairs department, headed by Peter Dutton, is a behemoth that its critics fear will compromise civil liberties. But Dutton argues there is no basis for such concerns. "There are no greater laws or arrest powers that have been introduced or a lessening of protections that have been provided for under this new arrangement," he tells The Conversation. On the growing area of…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Brian Howe on revisiting Henderson, poverty and basic income
How to increase wages and tackle inequality are live political and economic debates. Many Australians are feeling the cost-of-living squeeze. Speaking ahead of a conference in Melbourne this week to revisit the landmark Henderson inquiry into poverty, conducted in the 1970s, former deputy prime minister Brian Howe says the targeted nature of Australia's contemporary social security system goes hand-in-hand…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Mark Dreyfus on changing the government's foreign interference bill
Introduced in the final hours of parliament sitting last year, the government's foreign interference legislation has been criticised for being draconian and too broad. Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says Labor acknowledges the need to do more about espionage activity and foreign influence in Australia but argues changes need to be made to the "hastily" and broadly drafted bill. On the security…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: Bill Ferris on Australia's innovation mission
Innovation has been a buzzword of Malcolm Turnbull’s government, but the public reception of this message has been less than enthusiastic. Innovation and Science Australia chair Bill Ferris launched a report this week setting out a plan over five key areas – education, industry, how government can be a catalyst for change, research and development, and culture and ambition – that seeks to put Australia…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: John Blaxland on new foreign interference laws
The government's new foreign interference laws propose broad changes to political donations, counter-surveillance, and lobbying in Australia. ANU professor John Blaxland has some real concerns about the unintended consequences of the legislation for academic debate. He says there's a real chance that good people engaging intellectually with issues might get caught up in the broader crackdown. On the…
2 Hosts: Michelle Grattan and John Blaxland
Politics podcast: Matt Canavan on divorce in the LNP and discipline in the Coalition
The Liberal National Party's loss in the Queensland election has sparked demerger talk, while at a federal level it has emboldened the Nationals to take a more independent line. Nationals cabinet minister Matt Canavan, who is a Queenslander, doesn't agree that breaking up the LNP would solve any problems politically: "You can't unscramble the egg". Despite being an opponent of a royal commission into…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: the Greens' Jordon Steele-John on being an 'accidental' senator
New Greens senator Jordon Steele-John is the youngest person ever to sit in the Senate. He was sworn in this week with two other "accidental" senators who gained their seats from the citizenship crisis. He talks to Michelle Grattan about coming to Canberra for the first time since he was a baby, his political passion, and his commitment to promote his causes: youth and disability issues.
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics podcast: swinging into the Sunshine State's election
The pundits are reluctant to place bets on who will win Queensland's November 25 election. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls both carry a good deal of baggage. A lot of attention is focused on Pauline Hanson's One Nation, which has been polling strongly and might end up holding the balance of power in the new parliament. The Adani coal mine project has been centre-stage…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan