Latest Episodes
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Ghaith Krayem on Muslim votes mattering
It is almost been a year since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Since then, the conflict in the Middle East has increasingly impinged on our domestic politics, despite Australia having no direct role in it. The horrific death toll in Gaza and the increase in both antisemitism and Islamophobia in Australia have focused the attention of the Albanese government. Both Muslim and Jewish communities…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Reserve Bank's Andrew Hauser says don't read too much for Australia from US rates message
Inflation remains top of mind as the Reserve Bank of Australia continues to keep interest rates on hold at a time when the United States Federal Reserve signals that it will start cutting rates. One of the new lead architects behind the RBA’s thinking is Deputy Governor of the bank Andrew Hauser. Hauser formerly worked at the Bank of England and was chosen by Jim Chalmers, the first-ever senior appointment…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Joe Hockey says Kamala Harris and Anthony Albanese share views
This year’s Democratic National Convention has been an event filled with excitement and optimism, a far cry from where the Democrats were just weeks when Joe Biden was their presidential candidate. With Kamala Harris as their nominee, the Democrats have gained support in the polls and with a big surge in donations and volunteers. A question lingers, however, about whether they can maintain their momentum…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers flags deal on Reserve Bank's new structure is close
Cost of living remains at the top of people’s minds as inflation stays sticky. With an election in less than a year, the government has been doing what it can to address some of the pressures. But the Reserve Bank doesn’t envisage an interest rate cut this year, and has suggested spending by governments is keeping inflation higher for longer. On Thursday, new figures showed employment has surged, but…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics With Michelle Grattan: Andrew Wilkie says government 'scared stiff' of gambling companies
Gambling reform has become a major issue of tension for the government as it prepares to respond to a cross-party committee inquiry led by former Labor member, the late Peta Murphy. The inquiry’s report, released last year, unanimously recommended a ban on gambling advertising within three years. There is strong public and backbench support within Labor for a ban, but the government fears the consequences…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Pat Turner on Indigenous empowerment, Closing the Gap, and future Indigenous leadership
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s address to the weekend Garma festival had a different tone from last year’s, when the Voice referendum was approaching. The Prime Minister is resetting policy, moving the focus to the economic empowerment of Indigenous communities as a path to reducing Indigenous disadvantage and “closing the gap”. Indigenous outcomes continue to go backwards for some key closing-the-gap…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: 'Teal' Zoe Daniel on political donations, representing Jewish voters and Kamala Harris' prospects
The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast is one of those teals, Zoe Daniel, member for the Melbourne seat of Goldstein. Daniel, previously a veteran reporter and foreign correspondent for the ABC, discusses some current hot-button…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Lester Munson on Kamala Harris's style and a changed Trump
The 2024 US election took another dramatic turn when President Joe Biden withdrew his re-election bid, endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to take his place. The quick switch from Biden to Harris has reinvigorated the Democratic Party and their donors behind a younger candidate. It has thrown up a new challenge for Donald Trump who, however, is still election favorite. It’ll be up to Harris…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Joe Hockey on how Australia should navigate a second Trump term
American politics has become weekly high drama. Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt last weekend. Now Joe Biden has COVID, and is under ever-increasing pressure to stand aside as the Democratic candidate for November’s presidential election. We’re joined on the podcast by former Australian Ambassador to Washington, Joe Hockey, who’s at this week’s Republican convention. Summing…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Fatima Payman on the challenges and opportunities of being a crossbencher
Western Australian Senator Fatima Payman quit Labor after defying the party’s “solidarity” rule. Her action, spurred by the Gaza issue, has intensified Labor fears about the possible impact of the Muslim vote in some of its safe seats at the election. The now-independent senator joined the podcast to discuss her decision, the challenges of regrouping as a crossbencher, and the impact of the Muslim…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Ted O'Brien on reaching for the nuclear button
The Coalition is taking a major political gamble with its nuclear power policy, which is facing criticism from a range of experts. The opposition has announced seven proposed sites for power stations but has yet to provide costings and other details. Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O'Brien, who spearheaded the policy’s development, in coming months has to carry the detailed argument…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on 'calling out' claims about the energy transition's cost
The climate wars have been reignited with the Coalition’s release of its controversial plan for nuclear power, an option totally rejected by the government. Meanwhile, a report this week from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AMEO) has indicated the government needs to speed up efforts in what has become a challenging energy transition. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen joins…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Peter Malinauskas on political donations, kids on social media, and the nuclear option
After beating a first-term South Australian Liberal government in 2022, Labor premier Peter Malinauskas has gone on to be a reform advocate on issues including social media and politcal donations. His government is looking at a ban on children under 14 accessing social media accounts, with parental consent required for those 14 and 15. Malinauskas is also proposing changes that would ban most political…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Bill Shorten's around-the-world trip to discuss peace in Ukraine and NDIS reform
Bill Shorten, the minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), is currently in New York at a United Nations conference on the rights of people with disabilities. At the weekend, he’ll fly to Europe to represent Australia at a summit in Switzerland aimed at finding international consensus on a peace path for the Ukrainian conflict. In this podcast, Shorten discusses these conferences…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Clive Hamilton on how Australians must adapt to 'Living Hot'
The debate over climate change mostly focuses on how to best to limit emissions in the effort to prevent disastrous global warming. However in a new book, Living Hot, Clive Hamilton and George Wilkenfeld challenge current priorities, arguing rising temperatures can’t be contained fast enough and we need to turn our attention to “adaptation”. Clive Hamilton, who is Professor of Public Ethics at Charles…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Andrew Norton on the Albanese government's interventionist policy to cut foreign student numbers
Migration has become a major battleground between the government and opposition. While they have different policies, each side is targeting foreign students in their plans for cuts in the intake. The government will apply caps, decided by the minister, on the numbers of foreign students for particular universities, with some concessions for those institutions investing in new student accommodation…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Andrew Bragg flags a coalition would use 'coercion' of the states to get more new houses built
Housing remains one of Australia’s most pressing issues in both state and federal politics. The RBA keeping rates up and high mortgage repayments have left many Australians struggling. For those Australians who don’t own a home, it’s becoming increasingly hard to get into the housing market. The opposition has blamed the high levels of migration for why Australians feel so much housing pain. Peter…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Madeleine King on investment incentives and the pivotal role of gas
The energy debate has ramped up, with government and opposition trading blows over their respective plans to secure Australia’s energy future. The budget announced big tax incentives for green energy projects. Earlier the government embraced the importance of gas up to 2050 and beyond. The Coalition is still promising its yet-to-be-announced nuclear policy, but that took a hit from a sceptical CSIRO…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Budget fight looms on Future Made in Australia tax breaks
Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday handed down his third budget. It had a second successive surplus and sweeteners, including relief on energy bills, and tax breaks for development of green hydrogen and critical minerals processing. The opposition will back the energy bill subsidy but oppose the tax breaks in the Future Made in Australia policy. In this podcast we were joined by Angus Taylor, who is…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government's deportation bill
Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush through in the last parliamentary sitting, went to a Senate inquiry that reported this week. In dissenting comments, the Coalition urged a number of amendments. On Friday the High Court brings…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Anne Summers says we need much more information on male perpetrators of violence against women
The Prime Minister and state and territory leaders met on Wednesday as the national cabinet to discuss a crisis gripping Australia – the horrific number of women murdered this year. The killings have shocked the nation and led to mass demonstrations across the country last weekend. In this podcast, we’re joined by Dr Anne Summers, a longtime writer and advocate on women’s issues. Half a century ago…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Economist Chris Richardson on an 'ugly' inflation result and the coming budget
With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this week’s consumer price index showed, the battle with inflation has not yet been won. The government can’t afford to have an over-generous budget add to inflation and further delay a pre-election reduction…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Independent MP Dai Le on the church attack in her electorate
After the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in an Assyrian Orthodox Church in Wakeley on Monday, and the killings in Bondi Junction shopping centre just two days earlier, many people in Sydney and in Australia more widely are tense. The shopping centre incident, in which the perpetrator was a mentally-ill 40-year-old man, was not seen by the police as terrorism; the church attack, by a 16-year-old…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Josh Burns on being a Jewish MP during a terrible conflict
The death of Australian Zomi Frankcom and other World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza in an Israeli strike has led to yet more intense and critical scrutiny over how Israel is prosecuting the war against Hamas. This week Foreign Minister Penny Wong has floated the possibility of recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of a two-state solution. Her comments were condemned by Peter Dutton as “irreparably…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Andrew Leigh on competition - economic and political
The Albanese government and the Australian public are currently focused on the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on household budgets. For Australia’s longer-term economic outlook, the government is looking at reforms that are needed to increase competition and our flat-lined productivity. Andrew Leigh is in the middle of this debate. He’s Assistant Minister for Employment and Assistant Minister…
1 Host: Michelle Grattan