When the Albanese government announced its controversial changes to the stage 3 tax cuts last week, the Opposition denounced the Prime Minister for breaking a promise. But legislation will be introduced next week to implement the changes, and the Opposition will have to decide whether or not it will support them or not. 

The tricky part is that Labor’s tax changes will deliver a larger tax cut to more voters, which is a hard proposition to argue against. 

Plus, federal political staffers and their importance to the messaging of the government. 

Joining Jacqueline Maley on Inside Politics is chief political correspondent David Crowe and federal political correspondent Paul Sakkal.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.

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It was exactly three years ago today that Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup d’etat, toppling the democratic government. Since then, the junta has killed and imprisoned its opponents, and attacked innocent civilians - all in the name of consolidating power.

It’s a devastating state of affairs that has led Myanmar to become an international business pariah. Many Western democracies have placed sanctions on the country, barring companies from investing there.

But Australia’s efforts at imposing sanctions against Myanmar’s military have paled in comparison.

Today, business reporter Sumeyya Ilanbey on why Australian companies, while not breaching Australian sanctions, have been accused of propping up Myanmar’s brutal military dictatorship. 

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When a militia, believed to be backed by Iran - killed three American soldiers, in Jordan, over the weekend, it marked a dangerous new development in the war in the Middle East. 

It was the first time, in the more than three months since Hamas launched its attack on Israel, that any American troops had died from hostile fire in the conflict. 

So, could this tip the United States into a full-blown war with Iran?

It’s a situation that American president Joe Biden has been actively avoiding since October 7. 

Today, political and international editor Peter Hartcher on the factors that could push Biden to take this step. And the global mayhem that could result, if he does.

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It’s been nearly six weeks since journalist Antoinette Lattouf was sacked from the ABC.

How did a short contract, that was only ever meant to last for five days, turn into a full-blown cultural reckoning?

Because it’s not just the national broadcaster that has been plunged into turmoil.

Today, media reporter Calum Jaspan on how this scandal saga has exposed questions about free speech and workers’ rights. And whether journalists have any business performing the role of activists.

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The United States is in the grip of a migration crisis unlike it’s ever seen before. The seemingly never-ending flow of migrants into New York, Chicago and Denver has - according to those cities’ mayors - pushed their areas to breaking point. 

The migrants themselves, bussed in from the border with Mexico, often end up in foreign cities without any assistance; injured, unwell and ill-prepared for freezing winter temperatures.

And for president Joe Biden, these historic migration levels during an election year are a political nightmare.

Today, digital foreign editor Chris Zappone on what impact this crisis could have on Biden’s election bid. And why it’s hampering his attempts to give aid to Ukraine.

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When it comes to the stage 3 tax cuts, voters will judge for themselves. 

We learned this week that the Albanese government will break its oft-repeated promise not to change the stage 3 cuts - which gives tax back to high income earners. 

Instead, it will redirect some of those cuts to middle-income earners - those earning up to $150,000. The overall impact on the federal budget will be broadly the same, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers. 

So will voters let Labor off a broken promise if it means more money in their pocket? Or will they take the money but still mark Albanese down for going back on his word? 

Plus, who is Kim Williams, the new ABC Chair announced this week by the Prime Minister? 

And, we look briefly back on the controversial legacy of the former prime minister Scott Morrison, who announced his retirement from politics this week. 

Joining Jacqueline Maley on Inside Politics is chief political correspondent David Crowe, and newly appointed national affairs editor Andrew Probyn.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.

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Yesterday, Donald Trump won the Republican primary election in New Hampshire. He beat his only remaining rival, Nikki Haley, and with this victory, Trump declared that he is now his party’s presidential nominee.

This status won’t actually be made official until the Republican National Convention in July. But one thing is for sure, Trump is now one giant step closer to returning to the White House.

Today, Bruce Wolpe, senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre, on whether Nikki Haley could still be a threat to Trump. And whether the multiple charges Trump faces will stop his presidential bid.

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When Roger Rogerson died over the weekend, many people celebrated the end of an era. Gone are the days, they said, when the NSW police force was so corrupt, it offered priority parking at police headquarters to the select gangsters with whom it was in cahoots.

Because Rogerson, once a celebrated police detective, was arguably the most corrupt of them all. He gave the green light to criminals to commit crimes, in return for wads of cash. By palling around with notorious hit men, and in one case, murdering a drug dealer who stood in his way, Rogerson has become as intrinsic a part of Australian crime folklore as Ned Kelly and Mark ‘Chopper’ Read. 

Today, chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont on why it took decades to jail Rogerson. And whether our police system will ever likely breed another cop as corrupt as him.

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For years now, we’ve been hearing about the so-called Stage 3 Tax Cuts. And not just hearing about them, but being warned about them. They’re going to increase the gap between the rich and the poor. Even take us back, economically speaking, to the 1950s.

At other times, we’re told they’re great. After all, they’ll help workers earning as little as $45,000 a year to keep more of their pay packet. 

So, which is it? 

Today, economics correspondent Rachel Clun takes us through what this all means, and how it will hit us, once we open our wallets.

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When Pope Francis remarked in a speech earlier this month that surrogate motherhood was a “despicable practice” that should be universally banned, for some, it signalled a backwards step for the Catholic Church.

Only weeks earlier, the global religious leader had allowed same-sex couples to finally receive the blessings of a priest.

But before we write off the pope’s most recent comments, we have to ask ourselves: does he have a point?

Today, surrogate and surrogacy lawyer Sarah Jefford on the ethical minefields, and joys, of surrogacy.

And former religion editor and centre for public christianity’s Barney Zwartz on what we should know of the pope’s statement.

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