The last few weeks has had various reports of Chinese military exercises taking place off the coast of Australia. We have heard about planes diverting, apparent live-fire drills and confusion if a submarine is following along. But what is really going on and is this unusual?

Should political parties ditch small target strategies and go for 'high risk, high reward' campaigns?

And Peter Dutton's declaration of shares in major banks the day before the Rudd Government announced a bank bailout package in 2009 has been in the spotlight — but what's the political impact been?

And why is the Coalition always counted as a single voting bloc in polls — rather than being separated into the Liberals and Nationals?

Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly answer all your questions on The Party Room.

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Despite a recent spending blitz from the Albanese Government in the lead up to the election, voters aren't yet resonating with the Government's message. So, how does the Prime Minister cut through?

And while there's bipartisan agreement between the major increasing Medicare funding by $8.5 billion, there's division between the two major parties on how they'll fund it.

Peter Dutton has suggested that if elected, his Government would save $6 billion each year through cuts to the public sector – and new Resolve polling shows he’s finding support from some voters.Paul Sakkal, Federal Political Correspondent with the SMH and The Age joins Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly on The Party Room.

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Labor has raised the alarm about what they say is the “highly unusual” timing of some of Peter Dutton’s share purchases, but the Opposition is crying foul, claiming Labor is running a “grubby” and “desperate” smear campaign. 

And Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been in Washington DC meeting with his US counterpart Scott Bessent. But has he had any success trying to convince the Trump Administration to exempt Australia from US tariffs?Patricia Karvelas and David Speers break it all down on Politics Now.

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Patricia Karvelas peels back the curtain on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Q+A appearance. 

Audience members questioned Anthony Albanese on cost-of-living, social cohesion, housing and global relations.  So, how well did the Prime Minister respond? And will these be the key issues that frame the election?

Patricia Karvelas breaks it all down on Politics Now.

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The Prime Minister was hoping to launch a legacy-defining policy on the weekend with his big boost to Medicare funding, targeted to making bulk-billed GP visits available to more Australians. But it only took a few hours for Peter Dutton to adopt the same position, in an attempt to avoid an election fought over Medicare funding.

Where does healthcare rate on the list of concerns for voters in 2025, and who are they more likely to believe when it comes to funding GPs?

Also on the weekend, two fresh polls painted very different pictures of the election trajectory. One showed a lift in Anthony Albanese's approval rating, the other suggested that Labor is danger of a historic loss. What should we view as more trustworthy: the trend or the outlier?

Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now.

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The election date may not have been announced yet, but all the factors of a campaign are beginning to shine.The Albanese government has announced a big election promise worth $8.5b. Labor says 9 out of 10 GP visits will be free, if Labor is re-elected. While the Coalition has been criticising government spending, it says it won't stand in the way of this new announcement.

As tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States intensify, peace talks are underway—but without Ukraine at the table. The US and Ukrainian presidents have exchanged sharp words, with President Trump labelling Volodymyr Zelenskyy "a dictator without elections" and falsely accusing him of starting the war. Zelenskyy has fired back, claiming Trump is trapped in Russian "disinformation space."

As the election campaign looms, the RBA has handed down a highly anticipated rate cut, Clive Palmer has launched a new political party — and now commercial pilots have been warned of a potential hazard in airspace between Australia and New Zealand, where three Chinese warships are conducting military exercises.

But on the global stage, Donald Trump has labelled Ukrainian President a "dictator" — and suggested Russia "holds the cards" when it comes to peace talks. So, has Anthony Albanese been strong enough in condemning it?

Patricia Karvelas is joined by Tom Crowley and Jacqueline Maley, columnist and podcaster at SMH and The Age to break down the big stories of the week on Politics Now.

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Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at [email protected]

ASIO boss Mike Burgess has delivered his annual threat assessment, unveiling that ASIO had foiled plots by foreign nations to assassinate critics — and issuing a warning about interference at the upcoming election.

And the Albanese Government has been on a media blitz after the RBA announced the first interest rate cut in four-years. But is it enough to change votes at the ballot box?

Alan Kohler, ABC Finance expert joins Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly on The Party Room.

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Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at [email protected]