The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

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   Number 1: Labor is becoming what it once condemned

   The Albanese Labor government came to office promising integrity, transparency and accountability, but four years later those standards are being tested by allegations of pork-barrelling, politically targeted grants and questionable corporate benefits. A $560 million infrastructure program heavily favouring Labor-held electorates, a $6 million grant to Marrickville Golf Club in Anthony Albanese’s electorate, and Transport Minister Catherine King’s lifetime Qantas Platinum membership raise a fundamental question: is Labor applying the same standards to itself that it demanded of the Morrison government? At the same time, changes to the NDIS are being justified through the familiar language of sustainability and value for money, while billions more flow into defence, missile systems and the expanding cost of AUKUS. #AustralianPolitics #AusPol #Labor #AnthonyAlbanese #PorkBarrelling #PoliticalIntegrity #NDIS #AUKUS #NewPolitics. Subscribe to New Politics for weekly briefings and full analysis: www.newpolitics.com.au Support New Politics: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/newpoliticsSubstack: https://newpolitics.substack.com Song listing:‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

   September 18, 2026·24min
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   Number 2: Macklemore, Mary Kostakidis and the red line on Palestine

   Political power doesn’t always operate through governments or legislation – it can work through vexatious litigation, lobbying, money, professional pressure and the ability of influential organisations to impose consequences on those who challenge powerful interests. The experiences of former SBS journalist Mary Kostakidis in Australia and musician Macklemore in the United States raise the difficult questions about Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Zionism and free speech: Kostakidis endured almost two years of legal proceedings before the Zionist Federation of Australia discontinued its Federal Court case without a judgment, while Macklemore faced organised pressure and was removed from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s US tour after his outspoken advocacy for Palestine. Set against the entertainment industry’s inconsistent response to Kanye West’s explicit antisemitism and praise for Adolf Hitler, these cases raise a broader democratic question: when journalists, musicians and public figures fear litigation, professional exclusion or reputational campaigns for criticising Israel or supporting Palestinian rights, does censorship need to be imposed by governments at all – or does the outrageous effect achieve the same result? #AUSPOL Subscribe to New Politics for weekly briefings and full analysis: www.newpolitics.com.au Support New Politics: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/newpoliticsSubstack: https://newpolitics.substack.com Song listing:‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

   September 17, 2026·28min
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   Number 3: Australia, Israel and the charade of Palestinian recognition

   Almost a year after Australia recognised Palestine as an independent and sovereign state, what has actually changed? The Albanese government has imposed no meaningful sanctions on Israel, restricted no trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and maintained Australia’s involvement in the F-35 military supply network. The killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in Gaza remains unresolved, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong continues to defend a deeply contradictory policy: recognising Palestinian sovereignty while supporting the occupying power. With Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir promoting the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, Australia’s inaction is becoming a test of its democracy, political independence and commitment to international law. Recognition of Palestine was an important step, but it should have marked the beginning of a new Australian policy on Israel, Gaza and the West Bank – not the end of it. #AUSPOL Subscribe to New Politics for weekly briefings and full analysis: www.newpolitics.com.au Support New Politics: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/newpoliticsSubstack: https://newpolitics.substack.com Song listing:‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

   September 11, 2026·27min
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   Number 4: A climate change disaster in Nepal is Australia’s problem too

   The catastrophic Nepal–Tibet floods, triggered by a collapse of glacial ice and rock in the Himalayas, have killed more than 1,250 people and left thousands missing, exposing the escalating dangers of climate change and glacial melting. As Nepal bears a devastating cost despite contributing little to global greenhouse-gas emissions, Anthony Albanese faces questions about Australia’s climate policy and the familiar political insistence that “now is not the time” to discuss the causes of disaster. This episode examines climate injustice, Australia’s continuing coal and gas expansion, Labor’s renewable-energy promises and the contradiction between presenting Australia as a Pacific security partner while supporting fossil-fuel developments. With the Himalayan water system sustaining almost two billion people, this disaster is not only an environmental warning—it is a growing humanitarian, economic and geopolitical crisis. #AUSPOLSubscribe to New Politics for weekly briefings and full analysis: www.newpolitics.com.au Support New Politics:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/newpoliticsSubstack: https://newpolitics.substack.comSong listing:‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

   September 04, 2026·24min
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   Number 5: Labor’s One Nation problem

   One Nation's byelection win in Secret Harbour – an 18 per cent swing in a WA Labor seat held for 37 years – is a warning sign for the Albanese government, and branding Pauline Hanson “dangerous and divisive” isn't working after three decades of using the same message. This episode explores why cost-of-living pressures, unaffordable housing and stagnant wages are driving voters toward populist protest even in a strong economy, why Labor risks legitimising One Nation by chasing its agenda, and what recent wins in South Australia, Farrer and now Secret Harbour reveal about One Nation's growing capacity to win seats ahead of the 2028 federal election. #AUSPOLSubscribe to New Politics for weekly briefings and full analysis: www.newpolitics.com.au Support New Politics: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/newpoliticsSubstack: https://newpolitics.substack.com Song listing:‘La Femme d’Argent’, AIR.

   September 03, 2026·33min
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