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The Conversation's politics podcast
Michelle Grattan, Chief Political Correspondent at The Conversation, talks politics with politicians and experts.

Latest Episodes

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Niki Savva on her book Bulldozed, Scott Morrison and the Liberals' woes

Michelle & Niki Savva

Six months after Scott Morrison was ousted, he remains a centre of attention, with parliament set to censure him on Wednesday over his multi-ministry power grab. In exquisite timing, journalist Niki Savva's book Bulldozed is released this week. It documents Morrison's style, which eventually shocked even those closest to him in government. "He's a very secretive character. He's distrustful. He's a…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: 'Teal' Monique Ryan on the Victorian election and six months in parliament

Politics with Michelle Grattan: ‘Teal’ Monique Ryan on the Victorian election and six months in parliament

The Australian National University Dictionary Centre has just announced its word of the year is "teal". Senior researcher Mark Gwynn described it as an "easy choice". "The colour came to represent a movement of independent and strong female voices taking on the establishment." Monique Ryan, the member for the Melbourne seat of Kooyong, is the giant slayer of the movement, having defeated former treasurer…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Industrial relations bill, Victoria's election, and imminent report on Morrison's multi-ministries

Word from The Hill: Industrial relations bill, Victoria’s election, and imminent report on Morrison’s multi-ministries

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass the final sitting weeks of parliament, in which the government is battling with crossbencher David Pocock to secure its industrial…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tim Colebatch, Kos Samaras and Sumeyya Ilanbey on the Victorian Election

Vic election 2022 podcast

Victorians go to the polls on November 26, with the Andrews government seeking a third term. Labor is the clear favourite, but it is under pressure in a number of seats. The premier is a polarising figure, especially (although not only) as a result of the trials Melburnians endured with the prolonged harsh lockdowns during COVID. Victoria will be a fresh test of what we saw in the federal poll – the…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Albanese-Xi meeting is the first step on long march

Word from The Hill: Albanese-Xi meeting is the first step on long march

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics editor Amanda Dunn discuss the significant thaw in Australia-China relations that's come with the Albanese-Xi meeting, held on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali. The last…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Karen Andrews on the Medibank hack, visa scams, and winning back women voters

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Karen Andrews on the Medibank hack, visa scams, and winning back women voters

Karen Andrews is the former home affairs minister and now shadows that portfolio, which includes cyber-security. With Australians shocked by hackers starting to post Medibank data on the dark web, in this podcast Andrews calls on the health insurer to provide more information. "There are some very serious questions that need to be put to Medibank about what it actually did." "They have sustained incredible…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Rush on for workplace bill; Albanese gives COP27 a miss; big-spending Teals

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. The clock is fast running down on the parliamentary year, but the government still has lots to do before Christmas. In this podcast Michelle and Amanda Dunn, the Conversation’s politics editor, discuss Labor's…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Energy expert Bruce Mountain on what to do about the gas crisis

Michelle & Bruce Mountain

The aftermath of the Albanese government's first budget has seen the political and policy debate turn sharply onto the spectre of households and businesses facing sky-high power prices over the next 18 months. The government is now scrambling to craft a policy to bring the domestic price of gas down. In this podcast, Michelle Grattan talks with Professor Bruce Mountain, Director of the Victoria Energy…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers, Angus Taylor and Danielle Wood on the budget

Michelle with Chalmers, Taylor and Wood

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says of his first budget: "Inflation is the dragon we need to slay". Chalmers' worry about inflation was reinforced by Wednesday's release of the September quarter CPI, which showed inflation at 7.3%. In this podcast, we talk to Chalmers, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, and the head of the Grattan Institute Danielle Wood. Among the topics we canvass are the budget's broad fiscal…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Major review of NDIS, as government reveals multi-billion dollar cost blowout

Michelle & Amanda 18.10

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation's politics team. In this podcast, Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass next week's budget, delivered in grim times for many households and set to slash Coalition programs, making room to implement the…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Rod Sims on the gas price crisis

Rod Sims & Michelle Grattan

The government has flirted with, and now ruled out, changing the Stage 3 tax cut in the October 25 budget, which appears set to be dominated by some deep spending cuts. In the longer term, however, debate will continue over the need to reform Australia's tax system, as the calls on revenue to finance big programs increase. Meanwhile, the government is locked in a battle to get high domestic gas prices…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Bill Shorten on NDIS reform and the Optus fallout

Michelle & Bill Shorten

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a landmark reform of the last decade. But while delivering much benefit, it has operational problems and its cost has escalated dramatically – currently around $30 billion annually, there have been suggestions it could reach $60 billion. The scheme looms as one of the major pressures on the Albanese government's budgets in coming years. In this podcast…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Yet another rate rise, Stage 3 tax cuts, a repatriation mission, Higgins case

Michelle & Amanda 04.10

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this episode, Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the Reserve Bank's Tuesday interest rate rise of 25 basis points, as the bank tries to chart a careful path between fighting inflation…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on the National Anti-Corruption Commission

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on the National Anti-Corruption Commission

The government has introduced its legislation for the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which has received the endorsement of opposition leader Peter Dutton and so is assured of passage through parliament. But critics are unhappy that its public hearings will be limited to when there are "exceptional circumstances". Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in this podcast strongly rejects the argument this…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Ukraine ambassador urges Australian embassy in Kyiv to reopen ASAP

Ambassador Myroshnychenko & Michelle Grattan

The Ukraine conflict has escalated this week, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin announcing a partial military mobilisation and once again raising the threat of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile Ukraine has been pressing Australia to provide another 30 Bushmasters, after those already helping the war effort are proving very effective. In this podcast Ukraine's ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko urges the…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Treasurer Chalmers warns against getting too excited by $50 billion improvement in budget bottom line

Michelle & Amanda Dunn 20.09

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and Amanda Dunn, the Conversation’s politics editor, canvass Jim Chalmers' announcement of a windfall improvement of almost $50 billion in the budget outcome for the financial year…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Professor Joseph Ibrahim on COVID in aged care – and the end of nursing homes

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Professor Joseph Ibrahim on COVID in aged care – and the end of nursing homes

Joseph Ibrahim, Professor and Head, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Monash University, specialises in aged care issues. He has been a long-term advocate for improving the quality of life for those in residential care and for reform of the sector. In this podcast, Ibrahim says currently COVID in aged care facilities is going largely unnoticed in the media. "If you have a look into the media coverage…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Will Queen Elizabeth's death affect Australian politics?

Michelle & Amanda 1309

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and Amanda Dunn, the Conversation's politics editor, canvass Anthony Albanese's announcement of ten "everyday" Australians who will travel with him to the United Kingdom on Thursday…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Simon Holmes à Court on 'community independents' and two state elections

Simon Holmes à Court on ‘community independents’ and two state elections

Simon Holmes à Court and his Climate 200, the body that provided funding for "teal" and some other independent candidates who promoted action on climate change, integrity and women's issues, had great success at the federal election. But will community candidates become a big force in November's Victorian poll and the March NSW election? In this podcast, Holmes à Court talks about the "enthusiasm…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: More mortgage pain, Labor's climate legislation nearly done, and Scott Morrison staying put

Michelle & Amanda 06.09.2022

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation’s politics team. In this podcast, Politics and Society editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle discuss Tuesday's interest rate rise of 50 basis points – the fifth increase in a row – as well as the imminent passage of Labor's climate…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word from The Hill: Albanese announces more than $1 billion in federal-state TAFE funding

Word from The Hill: Albanese announces more than $1 billion in federal-state TAFE funding

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation's politics team. In this podcast, Politics and Society editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle canvass the start of the jobs summit – at which Anthony Albanese announced a package of more than $1 billion in federal-state funding…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Treasurer Chalmers on boosting migration and a 'resilience' budget

Jim Chalmers & Michelle Grattan

For Treasurer Jim Chalmers, this week's jobs and skills summit is the prelude to what will be his main game, the October budget. The summit, to be held in Canberra on Thursday and Friday, still has many moving parts, notably in the intense debate we're hearing about what changes should be made to the wages system. But Chalmers can already welcome "a broad appetite" for raising permanent migration from…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: David Littleproud on charting his course in opposition

Politics with Michelle Grattan: David Littleproud on charting his course in opposition

David Littleproud runs his own race. In opposition he's Nationals leader first and Coalitionist second. Thus he was quick out of the blocks criticising Scott Morrison's power grab, and when Peter Dutton rejected an invitation to next week's jobs and skills summit, Littleproud said he wanted to go. In this Podcast Littleproud says about the government's planned inquiry into Morrison's actions: "I'm…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Word From The Hill: More heat piled on Morrison over those multiple ministries

Michelle & Amanda 23.08.2022

As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes "Word from The Hill", where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast, politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle discuss the solicitor-general's advice on Scott Morrison's secret appointment to multiple ministries, which flouted "responsible government". Morrison's…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Crossbencher Helen Haines on Morrison and integrity

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Crossbencher Helen Haines on Morrison and integrity

The revelation that Scott Morrison secretly had himself appointed to five separate portfolios has triggered widespread outrage, just when the broader question of integrity has been a big political issue. In this podcast, Michelle Grattan speaks with Independent member for Indi Helen Haines, who has pushed for a national integrity commission. Such a body will soon be legislated by the Albanese government…

1 Host: Michelle Grattan