The Party Room

The Party Room episodes:

• 04.24.2024

  Australia vs Elon and the budget starts to take shape

  The legal feud between Elon Musk and the Australian Government is intensifying. The PM has labelled Mr Musk an "egotist", while Elon Musk has lashed out at what he says is the Australian government's "censorship". So just how expansive are...

  
• 04.18.2024

  Social cohesion concerns follow stabbing attacks

  Political leaders face a tough test amid concerns about social cohesion following a difficult week for Australians, who’ve been left reeling over two stabbing attacks. Six people were killed in a knife attack at Bondi Junction shopping centre and just days...

  
• 04.11.2024

  Has the government shifted on Palestinian statehood?

  Foreign Minister Penny Wong has suggested the Albanese Government is considering recognising Palestinian statehood, saying a two-state solution is "the only hope" for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  Despite bi-partisan support for a two-state solution, the Opposition has slammed Minister Wong's statement....

  
• 03.28.2024

  Questions over transparency as Labor 'takes out the trash'

  The Albanese Government has failed to pass its rushed immigration detention bill. The Coalition formed an unusual alliance with Greens and the crossbench to delay a vote on the bill, claiming more scrutiny was needed. And the issue has raised broader...

  
• 03.21.2024

  Trump slams Rudd and Chinese foreign minister visits

  Former US President Donald Trump has reprimanded former PM Kevin Rudd in an interview, saying he heard he was "a little bit nasty" and warning if that if Ambassador Rudd is "at all hostile he won't be there for long"....

  
• 03.14.2024

  Push to make aged care sustainable and nuclear debate drags

  The Government appears to be on the verge of a major shift in funding Australia's aged care system. It comes after taskforce set up to review funding models suggested moving more to a means tested user pays system.  And the Coalition is continuing...

  
• 03.07.2024

  Energy debate goes nuclear as PM looks to Asia

  Australia hosted ASEAN leaders in a special summit in Melbourne this week as key differences over China were set aside.

  
• 02.29.2024

  ASIO reveals ex-politician betrayed Australia and Dunkley by-election looms

  In an explosive briefing, ASIO boss Mike Burgess revealed a former Australian politician "sold out their country" after being recruited by a foreign intelligence service. In the wake of the revelations, former Treasurer Joe Hockey has called for the person to...

  
• 02.22.2024

  Boats and border security

  A political storm has broken out, after a boat with 40 asylum seekers landed in a remote section of the WA Coast. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticised the Government for being weak on border security, while the Prime Minster...

  
• 02.15.2024

  Barnaby Joyce under scrutiny and a new push to Close the Gap

  Footage of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce lying on his back on a Canberra footpath, drunk and swearing into his phone has raised questions about the conduct of Parliamentarians, and his future in the party. And the Albanese Government tabled its Closing...

  
• 02.08.2024

  Has the Albanese Government got its mojo back?

  Parliament returned from summer break this week, and the Albanese Government has already managed to secure wins on some key policies. The Opposition conceded it wouldn't "stand in the way" of Labor's changes to stage 3 tax cuts. And after much...

  
• 02.01.2024

  What's in store for politics in 2024?

  The Albanese Government has returned from the summer break with a bang, announcing changes to the contentious stage 3 tax cuts. And while the redesign means a larger tax cut for over 11 million Australians, will the benefits outweigh a...

  
• 12.14.2023

  A tough end to the year for the Albanese Government

  The Albanese Government has changed its position on a ceasefire in Gaza this week, signing the U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.The Opposition has criticised the move, suggesting the Government caved to "domestic pressure".  And the government has...

  
• 12.07.2023

  A policy packed final week of Parliament

  Parliament is about to wrap for Christmas break, but not before the Albanese Government managed to pass its controversial Preventative Detention legislation. The passage of the bill comes after a messy couple-of-weeks for the Government, but will this be the...

  
• 11.30.2023

  Albanese Government's midterm slump

  As the end of the parliamentary year draws closer, cost of living pressures and recent political missteps are plaguing the Albanese Government. And Opposition leader Peter Dutton hasn't missed the opportunity to pounce, telling his partyroom he has a 'one-term' election...

  
• 11.23.2023

  Albanese Government tries to mop up after a messy week

  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced sustained pressure to disclose whether he confronted Chinese President Xi Jingping over a naval incident that saw Australian divers injured by a Chinese warship’s sonar. And the Government has attempted to seize back the domestic...

  
• 11.16.2023

  Is the Opposition politically weaponising anti-Semitism?

  As the Israel-Gaza war escalates, tensions are also intensifying in Australia. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has been critical of the Government’s response, while the Prime Minister has accused the Opposition leader of “weaponsing anti-Semitism”. And the Government is pushing through emergency...

  
• 11.09.2023

  Optus outage and interest rates bite

  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's long awaited visit to China was largely overshadowed by domestic issues this week, with Optus experiencing a nationwide outage and the RBA lifting interest rates to a 12-year high.

  
• 11.02.2023

  Government shifts language on Israel-Gaza war

  As the Israel-Gaza war continues to escalate, there's been a subtle change in how the Australian Government is referring to the unfolding crisis.

  
• 10.26.2023

  Albanese in lockstep with Biden as Israel-Gaza war rages

  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with US President Joe Biden in Washington, with the two leaders reinforcing bilateral and security ties. But can Australia further strengthen ties with the US, while also rebuilding its economic relationship with China? And the state...

  
• 10.19.2023

  Emerging tensions in Labor over Israel-Gaza war and the referendum fallout continues

  Two Muslim federal Labor Ministers have spoken out against collective punishment of Palestinians while defending the right of Israel to retaliate against Hamas.

  
• 10.16.2023

  Finger-pointing and soul-searching follow failed Voice referendum

  After the Indigenous Voice referendum was voted down by the Australian public, the fallout from the majority No vote continues to play out in Canberra and across the country.

  
• 10.12.2023

  Israel-Gaza war overshadows final days of Voice campaign

  Amid the grief and horror of the Hamas terrorist attacks and Israel's retaliation, the federal opposition criticised the government's response, prompting the Prime Minister to accuse Peter Dutton of politicising the tragedy.

  
• 10.10.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained: The final countdown

  With just days to go until the Referendum, Carly and Fran take a look at the campaign and what you need to know before you vote. We'll also outline the arguments we've heard from both sides about the vote.

  
• 10.05.2023

  Migration system shakeup and referendum pre-polling opens

  The Government has announced a crackdown on “grotesque abuses” and exploitation in the immigration visa system, focusing on migration agents and dodgy vocational education training centres who are rorting the system. And as the referendum on the Voice to Parliament draws...

  
• 10.03.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained: Will this referendum change the country?

  There have been concerns about increased levels of racism during the campaign, particularly as the debate gets more heated and the date draws closer. So what will a yes or a no mean for reconciliation in this country? And how...

  
• 09.28.2023

  Love and war: The two sides of the Voice campaign

  Just over 2-weeks out from the Voice referendum, the leader of the No campaign Warren Mundine has labelled the Uluru Statement from the Heart "a declaration of war", while leading Yes campaigner Noel Pearson has spoken of love and "the...

  
• 09.26.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained: How will Indigenous people vote?

  The Prime Minister says 80% of Indigenous people support the Voice, but where does that number come from? In this episode we take a closer look at what we know about how Indigenous people will vote. Also, some Indigenous people who...

  
• 09.21.2023

  Politics turns nuclear

  If Australia was to adopt the Coalition's demand to replace coal-fired power stations with nuclear, it would come with a $387 billion dollar price tag according to the Albanese government. But is nuclear energy really "a unicorn and a fantasy"...

  
• 09.19.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained - Misinformation and the referendum campaigns

  There are all sorts of claims and down-right lies doing the rounds in the run up to the referendum. Misinformation and disinformation have become a huge issue in this campaign, with both sides accusing the other of either hiding the...

  
• 09.14.2023

  Who won the political battle over housing?

  The Government’s signature $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund has passed Parliament, after securing the support of the Greens. But with both sides claiming a victory, who was the real winner? And this week, Qantas lost its High Court appeal over the...

  
• 09.12.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained - Why most referendums fail

  Australia has held 44 referendums since 1901, but only 8 of them have succeeded. So why are constitutional changes so unpopular? The polling science does provide some insight into why the bar is set so high for these campaigns, and...

  
• 09.07.2023

  Albanese Government hits turbulence

  Alan Joyces’ early departure from Qantas, hasn’t eased any of the political pressure piling on the Government. The Transport Minister has struggled to explain her decision to block Qatar Airways from increasing flights to Australia, while the Opposition has accused the...

  
• 09.05.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained - Can a Voice improve Indigenous lives?

  There’s been plenty of focus on youth crime and disadvantage in Aboriginal communities this year,. How can we actually improve the lives of young Australians who are terribly over-represented in our justice system? In this episode, two Indigenous community leaders committed...

  
• 08.31.2023

  Voice referendum: What’s the Yes and No campaigns' strategy from here?

  The Prime Minister has set the date for the referendum on the proposed Voice to Parliament, with campaigning set to ramp up from both sides. Anthony Albanese has urged Australians “not to close the door” on constitutional recognition, while the Opposition...

  
• 08.29.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained - Where did the Voice come from?

  Many of the ideas for the Voice and the coming Referendum were shaped at a summit five years ago. But some of the major fights started there too. In 2017, Indigenous leaders from around the nation met at Uluru for...

  
• 08.24.2023

  Why is the government ruling out major tax reform?

  The latest Intergenerational Report has provided a snapshot of an older, less productive Australia in 40-years time. So, is it time to seriously consider big tax reform? And how does life experience inform the decisions politicians make? Annabel Crabb, Host of ABC’s Kitchen...

  
• 08.22.2023

  The Voice Referendum Explained - We have to vote. What are we voting for?

  The last attempt to change Australia's constitution was 24 years ago and it failed miserably. So when we are all asked to vote later this year on the creation of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, what are we voting for? What...

  
• 08.17.2023

  Is the Government failing renters?

  An additional $3.5 billion to boost housing supply and limiting rental increases to once every 12-months, were the key outcomes of the National Cabinet meeting this week.  But the Greens say the rental measures don't go far enough, describing them as "smoke and mirrors." Anna Henderson, SBS World...

  
• 08.10.2023

  Housing and renters’ rights on National Cabinet agenda

  Housing has been an ongoing pressure point for the Albanese Government. And next week, the Prime Minister will meet with state leaders at National Cabinet to secure action on housing supply and rental reforms, but what will we realistically see...

  
• 08.03.2023

  Midterm malaise sets in for the Albanese Government

  Parliament has returned after the mid-winter break, but the Government is still facing resistance from the Greens over its signature housing bill. So, just how real is the threat of a double dissolution election if the bill fails to pass...

  
• 07.27.2023

  Inflation slows, but will the RBA still hike rates?

  This week, the annual rate of inflation slowed to 6 per cent, down from the dizzying high of 7.8 per cent in December.  The rate was lower than economists had forecast and welcome news for households, businesses and the government. But...

  
• 07.20.2023

  Voice pamphlet and the Liberal’s preselection woes

  The official Voice to Parliament pamphlet has been released, with parliamentarians from both sides laying out the Yes and No case. But, the pamphlet isn’t fact checked, and there are already concerns the material contains misinformation. Meanwhile, Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley...

  
• 07.13.2023

  Robodebt fall-out and the PM’s NATO visit

  A week after the Royal Commission’s Robodebt report was handed down, the fall-out is continuing. Calls are growing for former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison to step down from Parliament, while many want the ‘sealed section’ of the report made public. Meanwhile,...

  
• 07.06.2023

  ‘An unfair tool’: Are interest rates the only way to tame inflation?

  The RBA hit pause on increasing interest rates for July, providing some reprieve for millions of households. But how else can inflation be tackled? And are we still moving towards a recession? And the Government has altered its strategy on the Voice...

  
• 06.29.2023

  Corruption scandals and an ADF 'garage clean-out' for Ukraine

  On the eve of the new national integrity commission, two senior Liberals are embroiled in corruption scandals. The NSW ICAC has found former Premier Gladys Berejiklian engaged in serious corrupt conduct. The finding coincides with mounting allegations against former Federal...

  
• 06.22.2023

  ‘Historic’ Voice referendum bill passes and Greens delay housing bill

  The Greens and the Coalition have teamed up to delay the Albanese Government’s key housing bill. They say they want the government to provide more rental reform, but could the delay be the first step for the PM to trigger a...

  
• 05.25.2023

  Does Dutton's Opposition strategy hinge on sinking the Voice?

  Opposition leader Peter Dutton has intensified his language against the Voice to Parliament, suggesting the proposed body would "re-racialise" Australia. Is his leadership, and hopes to win the next election, dependant on the referendum failing? And this week India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi...

  
• 05.18.2023

  Albanese's first year and Biden flakes on Oz

  This weekend marks a year since Anthony Albanese defeated Scott Morrison at the election. 12-months on, what has Labor achieved in Government?  Meanwhile, turmoil at home has forced US President Joe Biden to postpone his trip Down Under. Charles Croucher, Chief Political Editor...

  
• 05.11.2023

  Is Labor's Budget fair, and will it add to inflation?

  This week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the Albanese Government's second Budget. And alongside a surprise $4 billion surplus,  it promised $14.6 billion in cost-of-living relief, which the Government claims won't add to inflation. The Opposition and the crossbench have been...