Australian Politics

The minister for education and training, Simon Birmingham, joins political editor Katharine Murphy to discuss the Coalition’s education policy, the campaign by Catholic schools to change that policy and resistance in the Senate to the idea pass it at all – and whether Tony Abbott should just stop offering his opinion. • Public schools face funding cuts if Gonski 2.0 is blocked, Birmingham warns

The minister for education and training, Simon Birmingham, joins political editor Katharine Murphy to discuss the Coalition’s education policy, the campaign by Catholic schools to change that policy and resistance in the Senate to the idea pass it at all – and whether Tony Abbott should just stop offering his opinion. • Public schools face funding cuts if Gonski 2.0 is blocked, Birmingham warns

The former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan talks to Katharine Murphy about the challenge for his party in an era when global politics has shifted to the right. Australia is at a ‘tipping point’, Swan argues. ‘What we’ve seen is the radicalisation of both the Liberal party and very significant sections of the business community aligned with very wealthy plutocrats who are driving far harder for a much stronger and bigger and more powerful trickle-down agenda,’ he says. ‘Trump is the logical conclusion of the Thatcher-Reaganite era.’ Swan calls for a ‘strongly progressive tax system’ in a raft of measures to tackle economic inequality head on and urges Labor to consider a ‘Buffett rule’ to tax the very wealthy and avoid ‘offering some sickening Davos “third way” approach’ • Wayne Swan urges Labor to avoid being ‘trickle down-lite’ on tax

The former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan talks to Katharine Murphy about the challenge for his party in an era when global politics has shifted to the right. Australia is at a ‘tipping point’, Swan argues. ‘What we’ve seen is the radicalisation of both the Liberal party and very significant sections of the business community aligned with very wealthy plutocrats who are driving far harder for a much stronger and bigger and more powerful trickle-down agenda,’ he says. ‘Trump is the logical conclusion of the Thatcher-Reaganite era.’ Swan calls for a ‘strongly progressive tax system’ in a raft of measures to tackle economic inequality head on and urges Labor to consider a ‘Buffett rule’ to tax the very wealthy and avoid ‘offering some sickening Davos “third way” approach’ • Wayne Swan urges Labor to avoid being ‘trickle down-lite’ on tax

Lenore Taylor, Greg Jericho and Katharine Murphy examine the contradictions in the budget: creating a $6bn bank levy but continuing to cut company tax; raising the Medicare levy but letting the budget repair levy expire. Will the changes to the Medicare levy and Help debt repayment squeeze people too hard? Or are the other spending promises enough to bring voters back to the Coalition?

Lenore Taylor, Greg Jericho and Katharine Murphy examine the contradictions in the budget: creating a $6bn bank levy but continuing to cut company tax; raising the Medicare levy but letting the budget repair levy expire. Will the changes to the Medicare levy and Help debt repayment squeeze people too hard? Or are the other spending promises enough to bring voters back to the Coalition?

Before a critical week for the government, Katharine Murphy and Gabrielle Chan step back from the announcements and fine details and look at the big picture facing the Coalition: can they finally move away from the perceptions set in the 2014 budget by Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott? • Scott Morrison: new budget test for ‘nowhere man’

Before a critical week for the government, Katharine Murphy and Gabrielle Chan step back from the announcements and fine details and look at the big picture facing the Coalition: can they finally move away from the perceptions set in the 2014 budget by Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott? • Scott Morrison: new budget test for ‘nowhere man’

Tony Smith, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, joins Katharine Murphy for a rare interview. When he has to cast a deciding vote, what goes through his head? Would the Australian parliament benefit from a more independent speaker system? Tony Smith vows not to use casting vote if government has no working majority

Tony Smith, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, joins Katharine Murphy for a rare interview. When he has to cast a deciding vote, what goes through his head? Would the Australian parliament benefit from a more independent speaker system? Tony Smith vows not to use casting vote if government has no working majority