Latest Episodes
Politics with Michelle Grattan: NDIA chair Kurt Fearnley on 'fundamental' reform of the disability scheme
The federal government is trying to contain the exploding cost of the landmark National Disability Insurance Scheme – especially difficult given the fears of vulnerable people who rely on it. National cabinet’s decision last week to aim to reduce the cost increase from the current 14% annually down to 8% by 2026 received a sharp reaction from disability advocates. This financial year the NDIS will…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Another rate rise, higher tax on cigarettes, and likely JobSeeker boost for over-55s
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the Reserve Bank’s Tuesday interest rate rise (this time 25 basis points), the 11th increase in a year. They also canvass a likely…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Labor MP Marion Scrymgour on the Voice and the need for a new NT jobs program
With the Liberal Party formally opposing the Voice, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton last week kicked off his no campaign in Alice Springs. His claim that child sexual abuse is rife was quickly under attack from the government and others who accused him of politicking, using the issue as a political football. Marion Scrymgour, a former deputy chief minister in the Northern Territory, is the federal Labor…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Professor Marcia Langton on the Voice's powers and potential
Professor Marcia Langton holds the Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne, and was co-author (with Professor Tom Calma) of the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process report to the Morrison government. She has been a fighter for rights and progress for Indigenous Australians for decades, and she’s one of those at the centre of the yes campaign for the Voice. Her…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Simon Birmingham on the Voice, Aston, the Liberals, Uranium
The Liberals have formally decided to oppose the Voice. Peter Dutton has declared he will campaign against it, a high risk strategy when polls are showing a majority of Australians currently support a “yes” vote. Noel Pearson was scathing of the Liberal Party, calling the decision not to support the Voice “a Judas betrayal of our country”. Moderate Liberal MP Bridget Archer will campaign for the “yes…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Interest rate pause, Aston, Liberals looking for their voice on the Voice, Yunupingu, TikTok
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and Amanda Dunn, politics + society editor, discuss the Reserve Bank’s pause (but for how long?) on interest rate hikes, the Aston byelection, the Liberals grappling with the Voice…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Lambie urges return of former employment program for Indigenous communities
Senator Lidia Thorpe’s defection from the Greens changed the power dynamic in the Senate. Now the government needs two crossbenchers (and the Greens) to pass legislation opposed by the Coalition. Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie and her colleague Tammy Tyrrell can provide those two votes, which puts them in a potentially strong bargaining position. Lambie has never been afraid to call things how she…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Michael Brennan on Australia's parlous productivity growth
The Productivity Commission’s nine-volume report has a tough central message. It says productivity policy has to focus on the areas that have proven the hardest in the past, rather than those where previously progress has been most readily achieved. One key take from the report is that Australia is performing poorly in growing its productivity. The commission makes recommendations across the policy…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Reactions to AUKUS, next steps on the Voice, NSW election
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn canvass the reactions, inside and outside Labor, to the AUKUS submarine agreement; the government and Coalition reaching a deal on the Voice…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Antony Green, Professor Andy Marks and Ashleigh Raper on the NSW election
Voters in New South Wales are heading to the polling booths on March 25. For both Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns, it is their first election as leader. The Coalition government has held power since 2011. Labor needs to gain a net nine seats to form majority government. If Labor wins, the party will be in power in every state and territory except Tasmania. There are 10 seats…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chair of Retirement Income Review, Mike Callaghan, on reforming superannuation
Treasurer Jim Chalmers sparked a political row when he announced a tax hike on superannuation concessions for accounts with balances over $3 million, from 15% to 30%, to begin in 2025. Polling indicates the move has broad support from the public, although any change to super is always controversial. Opposition leader Peter Dutton has promised the change would be reversed by a Coalition government…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Another rate rise; support for super tax hike; PM's India trip; Rugg V Ryan
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the tenth interest rate rise and Jim Chalmers’ response, the polling reaction to the superannuation tax hike, Anthony Albanese’s…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Chalmers learns lesson in 'rule-in-rule-out' game
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the government’s decision to double the tax on big super account earnings, Jim Chalmers’ blunder when quizzed about taxing family…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Greens leader Adam Bandt on trying to force Labor's hand on reform
Adam Bandt aspired to power-sharing with a Labor government. That was never going to happen but, possessing the major slice of the balance of power in the Senate, the Greens have considerable potential muscle – at least in theory. In this podcast, we get a glimpse of the gap between Greens leader Adam Bandt’s aspiration for ambitious reforms and the reality that the government is only giving concessions…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Albanese at the National Press Club, Aston byelection, Super battles
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Wednesday appearance at the National Press Club, where he spoke about security, broadly defined…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Frank Brennan on rewording Voice question
Frank Brennan has been involved over decades in the big debates in Indigenous affairs. A Jesuit priest and an academic expert on the constitution, Brennan has advocated for recognising First Nations peoples in that document. But he has concerns about the breadth of Anthony Albanese’s proposed referendum question, arguing in his new book that its reference to the Voice making representations to executive…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kate Chaney on life as a teal MP
Kate Chaney was one of half a dozen new “teal” MPs elected to parliament last year, winning the previously solid Liberal seat of Curtin in Western Australia. “It’s been a fascinating and steep learning curve over the last eight months,” Chaney tells the podcast. “As a crossbencher, you really have to think very carefully about how you vote on every piece of legislation and try as much as possible to…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Defence review goes to government; Dutton's apology for boycotting Sorry; Phil Lowe under fire
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the landmark Defence Strategic Review, handed to the government on Tuesday, which Defence minister Richard Marles describes as the…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Government should set date for Voice to start talking
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’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and politics + society editor Amanda Dunn discuss the Reserve Bank’s latest (but not last) interest rate rise, Lidia Thorpe’s defection to the crossbench, which potentially benefits…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Senator Malarndirri McCarthy on Alice Springs and the Voice
Alcohol bans are being reimposed on Northern Territory Indigenous communities, as the federal and territory governments grapple with intractable problems in Alice Springs and elsewhere in the NT. The situation in Alice Springs and the surrounding communities has come into the national news at the same time as debate ramps up about this year’s referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In this…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Treasurer Jim Chalmers answers critics of his 'values-based capitalism'
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rejected as “laughable” criticism he has turned his back on the Hawke-Keating reform era in his blueprint for “values-based capitalism”. In this podcast Chalmers also reveals he spoke with Paul Keating while writing the essay, published in The Monthly. “Capitalism after the crises” looks at Australia’s future following three international crises: the GFC, the pandemic, and…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Albanese flags new progress in China relationship 'in coming weeks'
In this, our last podcast for 2022, we talk with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. We spoke to each of them on the day the parliament was back to pass the energy package. Albanese, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping during the recent summit season, reveals he anticipates a further positive development in China’s relationship with Australia within weeks. Asked whether…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: 2022 retrospective, and a look at 2023
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 review the year, which is finishing with the surprise recall of federal parliament to pass the Albanese government’s legislation to contain…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Energy crisis has 'badly damaged' social licence of coal and gas
Australians are currently confronting a cost of living crisis that includes soaring energy prices. Ministers have been working for weeks on a strategy to contain the prices of coal and gas, driven up by the fallout from the Ukraine war. It’s the toughest, most complicated policy issue so far faced by Anthony Albanese, and it’s involved some head-butting with the NSW and Queensland governments. In this…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Word from The Hill: Federal parliament's 'salt mines' final week
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 federal parliament’s final sitting week of the year, including the House of Representatives’ censure of Scott Morrison, and the flurry…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan