Latest Episodes
Word from The Hill: On Scott Morrison's bizarre power grab
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast, politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle discuss this week’s revelations that former prime minster Scott Morrison had himself secretly sworn into five different portfolios. They talk about…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: How far will China go? La Trobe's Nick Bisley says its 'risk appetite' has gone up
The Chinese reaction to United States Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit further escalated tensions in our region, as China becomes more bellicose in language and action. On Wednesday, China’s Ambassador Xiao Qian spoke at the National Press Club. He talked about wanting a positive relationship between Australia and China, while reiterating China’s uncompromising line towards Taiwan, and giving a…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tom Calma on the Indigenous Voice to parliament
The Albanese government has released the draft wording for enshrining an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the constitution. Anthony Albanese is making a referendum a priority but history tells us how hard these are to pass. Tom Calma, Chancellor of the University of Canberra, has been a leading participant in Indigenous affairs for many years. He and professor Marcia Langton prepared a report for…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Peter Dutton puts nuclear power on opposition's agenda
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast, politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle canvass Tuesday’s decision by the Reserve Bank to raise the cash rate again, by 50 basis points to 1.85%. They also talk about Peter Dutton’s announcement…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Independent senator and former Wallabies captain David Pocock on Pride jersey boycott
Newly-elected senator David Pocock has already made history by becoming the first independent to hold a senate seat for the ACT. On the progressive side of politics, Pocock is in a potentially powerful position, with the government needing the support of the Greens and just one crossbencher to pass legislation that is opposed by the Coalition. The issues that matter most to Pocock include “climate…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Is Morrison's absence from parliament disrespectful to his voters?
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle talk about the opening of the 47th Parliament, the prospects for the climate legislation that seeks to enshrine the 43% emissions reduction target, and Treasurer Jim…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Health Minister Mark Butler warns COVID wave will worsen
With COVID cases surging in a new wave and half the winter still ahead, the news from Health Minister Mark Butler isn’t good. “We haven’t reached the peak of the wave yet,” he tells the podcast. “Case numbers are going to continue to climb over the coming weeks […] and as a result, hospitalisations are going to continue to climb as well.” The response, he says, is “a question of balance”. People accept…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: 'Pandemic fatigue' takes its toll of mandates and even the expert health advice
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle discuss the rising number of COVID cases, and state governments’ reluctance to bring back mandates such as for mask-wearing. These governments know many of the public…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jason Clare on Australia's education challenges
New Education Minister Jason Clare is travelling the country taking soundings in the education sector. This, he says, is “the best way to get across this big, vast portfolio that stretches from the education of our youngest children right through to the incredible work our brilliant postgraduate people are doing in our universities. "What am I hearing? What am I learning? I get the impression that…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: People's pockets hit again, with rate rise and floods set to boost veggie prices
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Michelle and Peter Browne from the Politics + Society team discuss Anthony Albanese’s visit to Ukraine, and the desirability of Australia reopening its embassy there as soon as it can. More generally, Australia’s…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Parliamentary 'newbies' inspect their workplace, with some complaints
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Michelle and Peter Browne from the Politics + Society team discuss Anthony Albanese’s weighing a Ukraine visit and whether Australia will announce more support for that country and reopen its embassy there…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Greg Barns on the battle to free Julian Assange
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is facing extradition to the United States after this was given the green light by the British Government. Assange faces charges of espionage over the publication of classified information about US actions in the Iraq War. Barrister Greg Barns has worked pro bono on Assagne’s case for the last nine years as part of the Australian Assange campaign. Barns argues…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: On interest rates, people smugglers, parliamentary sitting, and Julian Assange
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Politics editor Amanda Dunn and Michelle discuss Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe’s Tuesday statements about the economic outlook. Lowe has again warned of more rate rises, indicating the bank is determined…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Wood on the unprecedented energy crisis
As the energy crisis continues to grip Australia’s east coast with consumers told to limit their consumption and warnings of blackouts Tony Wood, director of the energy program at the Grattan Institute, speaks with Michelle Grattan about why this has happened and what can be done to fix the system. The crisis is unprecedented, Wood says. “We’ve certainly seen situations where things have got very tight…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Bowen says "bumpy" time ahead for power supply – but don't turn the heater off
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. This week Michelle and politics editor Amanda Dunn discuss the apparent early signs of a thaw in China’s attitude towards Australia. But Anthony Albanese has responded by saying China needs to do something…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Warm smiles in Indonesia, but chillier news at home
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. While Anthony Albanese this week continued to receive a warm reception abroad, at home the new government faced more difficult news. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Burke advocates on wages and arts
Tony Burke is the minister for employment and workplace relations and minister for the arts, as well as the leader of the House of Representatives. One of his first tasks is the government’s new submission for the minimum wage case, which will say these workers should not be left behind, as inflation has spiked. If the Fair Work Commission gives a 5.1% rise, in line with inflation, is there a case…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Albanese's ministry mixes stability and surprise
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass Anthony Albanese’s ministry, with its record number of women in cabinet but one woman, Tanya Plibersek, having her portfolio unexpectedly…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Treasurer Jim Chalmers on the 'spiky' parts of Australia's inflation problem
New treasurer Jim Chalmers has been in multiple briefings since Sunday, and the message he sends in this podcast is that he is not going to try to gild the economic lily with the Australian community. He intends to deliver a “pretty blunt, pretty frank” assessment of Australia’s challenges in an economic statement to parliament soon after it returns in June or July. Chalmers highlights two particularly…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Biden impressed by Albanese's energy (even if the Liberals weren't)
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass new Prime Minster Anthony Albanese’s climate pitch to the Quad, China’s reaction to the Labor government, and what the election defeat…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Historian Frank Bongiorno reflects on elections present and past
Every election is unique, but each also presents comparisons and contrasts with elections past. In this podcast, Australian National University history professor Frank Bongiorno gives his insights into the current battle but also takes the long views of campaigns. Bongiorno talks about the role of leaders in what’s often dubbed the “presidential” election age (“a kind of proxy for judgements about…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Five seats to watch on Saturday night, and getting the hang of a hung parliament
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass the Coalition’s “super” housing pitch, five seats to eyeball on Saturday night, and what would happen if the parliamentary numbers…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Grattan Institute's Danielle Wood on election's thin policy debate
Danielle Wood is the CEO of the Grattan Institute, an independent think tank, Its purpose is to research and advocate policies to improve Australians’ lives. Wood laments the dearth of policy debate in this election. “There was a lot of optimism when we were coming out of COVID that this might be a period of genuine policy reform. It certainly was a period that laid bare a lot of challenges. We saw…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Scott Morrison defends Katherine Deves (again), but slips up on surgery detail
As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass how the interest rate rise has played against the government, Scott Morrison defending Katherine Deves (again), the major parties…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Dave Sharma, Allegra Spender, and Kerryn Phelps on the contest for Wentworth
In the Wentworth Project, sponsored by the University of Canberra’s Centre for Change Governance and The Conversation, we are tapping into voters’ opinions in this seat, which appears to be on a knife edge. In this podcast we talk with the two main candidates, Liberal incumbent Dave Sharma and “teal” independent Allegra Spender, as well as with Kerryn Phelps, the former independent member in the seat…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan