Is It On?

In the final podcast for 2017, Alice and Lane take a look back on the highs and lows of the year in Australian politics. We rope in two #auspol experts – Rob Harris (Herald Sun) and Michael Koziol (Sydney Morning Herald) –  to name their 2017 political winners and losers, and give their predictions of what’s going to happen in 2018. Also, the ~whispers~ are back. NB: Lane has a cold hence the sexy jazz voice.

Australian parliament made history this week by legalising same-sex marriage. Join Alice and Lane as they rudely interrupt people literally toasting with champagne at the official after party in Canberra. We chat to Liberal MP Tim Wilson about his marriage proposal on the floor of parliament; Labor senator Louise Pratt; Greens Richard Di Natale and Janet Rice; and Kath & Kim star Magda Szubanski. 

What a week in Canberra! Malcolm Turnbull backflips and announces a banking royal commission, but is happy to let everybody else take the credit. What does this U-turn, and Labor’s likely Queensland election victory, mean for his leadership? Also, the same-sex marriage bill passes the Senate, and Labor senator Sam Dastyari resigns as opposition deputy whip in the Senate after an ~ explosive ~ recording emerges. Plus, Alice chats to Labor front bencher Linda Burney about the government rejecting the Uluru Statement from the Heart. 

Parliament is CANCELLED!!! Well, kind of. Malcolm Turnbull called a stop work for the House of Representatives – while the Senate debates same-sex marriage. The race is tightening in Bennelong, after BuzzFeed News uncovered an old video of John Alexander making a rape joke. And another senator bites the dust! NXT’s Skye Kakoschke-Moore became the ninth politician to quit parliament after discovering she was a British dual citizen by descent from her mother. Also, Lane chats to Amy Remeikis from Guardian Australia about the QLD election and Alice eats a banana.

Alice and Lane take you inside the celebrations and negotiations of an historic week in Australia, where 61.6% of the country voted YES to legalising same-sex marriage. We’re joined by three of the politicians who have been at the forefront of the debate both politically and personally: Liberal senator Dean Smith popped in to talk about what is was like to introduce the bill that's set to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia, Labor senator Penny Wong talks about THAT PHOTO of her crying when she heard the news, and Greens senator Janet Rice tells Lane how much this result means for her. Lane also spoke to Christine Forster at the YES party in Sydney… just after she had gotten off the phone with her big brother, Tony Abbott.

Will it be game, set and match for potential Brit John Alexander? The PM’s jumped the Sharkie as the list of possible dual citizens grows … can we officially call this a crisis? We chat to Greens leader Richard Di Natale who reckons the Turnbull government is so cooked that Bill Shorten will soon be PM. Oh, and Pauline Hanson’s christened her Qld election “Battler bus” with $7 sparkling wine. The Battler bus is coming and everybody’s jumping!

Alice and Lane have all the receipts on the latest politician to fall foul of Section 44, dual British-Australian Liberal senator from Tasmania, Stephen Parry, plus the details on the others in the Citizenship 7: Where are they now? Who is replacing them? Who cares? Also, we take a deep dive into BuzzFeed News’ harrowing investigation into Australia’s offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island. And Alice speaks to comedian Shaun Micallef about the second season of The Ex-PM. Is it based on Kevin Rudd?

This week Alice was a serious thorn in the government’s side with a wild story about Michaelia Cash and the AFP raids being leaked to the media. She also spoke to former prime minister Kevin Rudd about his new book, which is 100% absolutely not written for revenge. Meanwhile, Lane delivers the most cynical postal survey update yet. Also, #estimates~ nonsense and the government’s rejection of the Referendum Council’s recommended Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

This week Lane and Alice are bowled over by news from New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern of “Jacindamania” fame will be the next prime minister! Lane talks to “yes” campaign leader Tiernan Brady about what he thinks the REAL slippery slope is and double standards in the postal survey, Alice asks David Leyonhjelm what he reckons about the government’s welfare drug testing, and there are several jokes about people negging the NEG.

Lane and Alice have the full wrap on what’s happened with the High Court citizenship mess, and whether Jacinda Ardern’s ginger cake will help win her the NZ election (yes we are still waiting). We also meet the first female Victorian Greens leader, who is running the party but doesn't yet have a seat in parliament — Samantha Ratnam. And heeeeeeee’s back!!!! Mark Di Stefano returns, as our new UK spill correspondent, giving us the ~House of Commons whispers~ on what’s happening with prime minister Theresa May… is it on?