Insiders

On Background: Global climate crossroads

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The direction of global action on climate change is at a juncture. Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House and his promise to rip-up th...

Will Trump fire Kevin Rudd?

16 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister on the global stage this week talking trade and what the return of Donald Trump means for the world. While here at home the govern...

On Background: How to stop big money influencing elections

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The concern over big money having an outsized influence on Australia’s politics prompted the Government to promise electoral reform. This is expec...

The washup in Washington

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This town – Washington DC – has been thrown into a spin. Donald Trump has promised radical change on trade, climate change, and the wars in Ukrai...

On Background: How did Trump win?

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump is back. Kamala Harris is promising a smooth transition. To say the US is in a different political universe to 4 years ago – is an und...

Who wins the US Election?

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Insiders in Detroit, Michigan – one of the most important states that will decide one of the most important elections.The world is bracing to see w...

On Background: Who swings Michigan?

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Elections don’t come much closer than this. Nor do they tend to be as consequential. American voters are about to decide on the future direction of...

Labor's reign in Queensland ends

26 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Queensland votes for change - after 9 years of Labor rule. It was a long night but the LNP will form a majority government. There were big swings aga...

Insiders On Background: Rory Stewart on Trump, the Teals and dead cats in politics

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Former British MP and one-time Minister Rory Stewart is touring Australia at the moment. He's a writer and co-host of the The Rest is Politics podc...

Albanese’s problem home

19 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The pre-election contest over fixing the housing crisis heats up. Peter Dutton unveils a new policy – the government says it's a cheap trick. While...

On Background: Is Labor doomed in Queensland?

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It’s something of a spring election season; Canberra voters go to the polls this weekend, while Queenslanders will cast their votes in a little ove...

Tense twin anniversaries

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two anniversaries. Neither of them politically easy for the government. The past week has been dominated by a bitter divide over how to mark the Octo...

On Background: Why did the Voice fail?

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One year on, there’s still debate about why Australians voted no in the Voice to Parliament referendum. There's even bigger debate about the path f...

Analysis: Fatima Payman's new party has done little to trouble Labor

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fatima Payman's new political party may not be troubling Labor, but it still has plenty of other headaches to worry about.

Israel vows retaliation

05 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow marks 12 months since the brutal Hamas attack on Israel. A year on – the Middle East conflict is only escalating, after Iran launched a ba...

On Background: Hate Symbols laws

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The flag of the listed terrorist organisation Hezbollah – and whether it should be against the law to fly it in Australia – has become the latest...

Albanese and Dutton may be able to talk privately, but publicly they are on a political warpath

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Within the broad areas of agreement between Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton lies an intensifying blame game over who's endangering national securit...

Middle East on the brink

28 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Israel kills the long-serving leader of Hezbollah – flattening buildings in southern Beirut and dramatically escalating its campaign against the te...

On Background: Putin's nuclear threat

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced an update of his nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.They could no...

Inside the politics surrounding Labor's hypothetical negative gearing reforms

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Negative gearing and capital gains tax rules have sat in Labor's bottom drawer since the party's bruising 2019 election defeat.

Senate debates and delays, as housing affordability worsens

21 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New figures show housing affordability in Australia is now at its worst level on record. Interest rates remain high – property prices are still cli...

On Background: A housing crisis solution?

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s been much debate in the Senate this week – and outside the Senate for that matter – over housing. But what are the answers to Australia...

Election battlelines have become clearer this week

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have reached that point in the political cycle where the parliamentary clock is running down and various efforts are underway to define the ground...

Fixing aged care and social media ban; Govt and Opp. on the same page

14 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The two major parties have agreed self-funded retirees should pay more for their care. They're also in broad agreement on something else – banning ...

On Background: Will a social media ban help kids?

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his government would support a push to ban social media for children. There’s no decision y...

Who is to blame for the slowing economy?

07 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Interest rates smashing the economy, the Reserve Bank hammering mums and dads – there is plenty of argument over who and what is to blame for the p...

GDP figures were dismal but Jim Chalmers was vindicated

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Apart from the pandemic years, GDP hasn't been this weak since Jim Chalmers was at school and Oasis was getting together for the first time.

On Background: Stopping the spread of lies online

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With looming elections in the US and Australia, the online battle for truth is increasingly becoming more difficult as artificial intelligence and de...

Federal Govt under pressure after angering allies

31 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Labor's been testing the friendship with some of its traditional allies.

On Background: Uni caps consequences

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The government has hit the brakes on international student enrolments announcing new caps this week. It follows a post-pandemic jump in migration num...

Greens MP has sharpened Labor's political weapon

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Affiliation and donations to the ALP have been suspended, administrators forced in, and now Labor is using the bad stench around the CFMEU as a polit...

Will federal government reforms save the NDIS?

24 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a busy parliamentary week, changes to the NDIS stand out as the most consequential and contentious.

On Background: With looming NDIS changes, where does this leave the disability sector?

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, the Government released its response to the Disability Royal Commission; an inquiry that shed new light on the discrimination and ab...

Parliament descends into deeper divide over Gaza

17 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Parliament descends into an even deeper divide over Gaza after another week of logjam on legislation.

There's no grey in Dutton's views on the war in Gaza

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Dutton has never liked the idea of Australia accepting Palestinians fleeing the conflict in Gaza and has never been shy of saying so. Now, thou...

On Background: Government's Gamble

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone who’s watched sport on TV will know gambling ads are pervasive and often targeted at young men; with the constant message that betting on th...

On Background: What's Really Driving Inflation?

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While interest rates didn't go up, the Reserve Bank of Australia said they won't come down anytime soon.Are the Reserve Bank and the government both ...

What will be done to finally close the gap?

03 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The annual Garma Festival is both a celebration of culture and an opportunity for difficult political discussion.

Analysis: Two sets of numbers haunted Albanese this week

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to the Productivity Commission, five of 19 Closing the Gap targets are currently 'on track'. That's where the good news ends.

On Background: The Inflation Picture in Australia

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Headline inflation increased from 3.6 per cent in the March quarter to 3.8 per cent in the June quarter, which economists expected.

Resignations and Reshuffles

27 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The resignation of two Cabinet Ministers have prompted the Prime Minister to announce a reshuffle today. 

On Background: Joe Biden passes the torch

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

President Joe Biden has explained to the American people why he has decided to withdraw from November’s presidential election. 

Albanese and Dutton know not to ignore US politics

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The two sides of politics in Australia will slug it out over inflation, immigration and energy between now and the election — and both will be clos...

Can the government clean up the construction union?

20 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The government wants to clean up the CFMEU, but ending the culture of kickbacks, stand-over tactics and underworld infiltration isn’t proving easy....

Kevin Rudd has changed his tune on Trump

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After once describing Donald Trump as "nuts" and a "traitor to the west", former prime minister Kevin Rudd has changed his tune.

On Background: The CMFEU's corruption crisis

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Nine newspapers and 60 minutes has revealed deeply disturbing conduct at the CFMEU. 

Two dead following believed assassination attempt at Trump rally

13 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two people have been killed following a believed assassination attempt at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

War, religion and politics disrupt the government’s agenda

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The UK Labour party won by a landslide, but lost some seats to pro-Palestine candidates. Australian Labor faces a similar threat, after the defection...

On Background: Is Australia's Mental Health Crisis Getting Worse?

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve long heard about the mental health crisis in Australia, but are things improving or getting worse?

A messy week of internal ructions

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The last week of parliament before the winter recess can often be messy — and this week proved to be no exception for either Anthony Albanese or Pe...

Julian Assange, Inflation and Crossing the Floor

29 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Julian Assange touches down, inflation goes up, a Labor senator crosses the floor and the world watches a US President struggle on the debate stage.

On Background: Are politicians listening to the science?

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Dutton’s plan to roll out nuclear power stations in Australia has sparked plenty of debate this week.

The Coalition's nuclear plan put under the microscope

22 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Dutton has named the seven sites where the Coalition wants to build government-owned nuclear reactors. David Speers speaks to the Minister for ...

On Background: Deepfakes and democracy

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial intelligence is posing a new threat to elections – making it much easier to create fake content that looks and sounds increasingly credi...

Climate wars and panda diplomacy

15 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

China's second most powerful leader has arrived in Australia. Wine exports and cute pandas will be the focus in Adelaide before the more difficult is...

On Background: Are politicians failing the climate?

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The science of climate change is often overlooked when politicians debate the cost of Australia's net zero transition and emission reduction targets....

The Coalition's unexpected 2030 climate target U-turn

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two years ago, few would have thought Peter Dutton would go to the next election without a 2030 climate target. So what's changed?

Should the government ban kids from social media?

08 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As pressure builds to protect kids online, the Shadow Communications Minister has declared the coalition will push to ban children under 16 from acce...

On Background: Does China pose a threat and how should Australia respond?

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The government this week announced plans to allow non-citizens to join the Australian Defence Force.

As the US and UK face 'migration elections' will Australia be next?

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration is a hot issue in the UK and US election campaigns, as arrivals surge and voters facing cost-of-living pressure. But reducing migrant num...

Should Australia let criminal non-citizens stay?

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Immigration Minister survived a bruising week in parliament over a rule he introduced last year known as Direction 99.

On Background: The rise of 'double haters' in Australian politics

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're two weeks on from the Budget and what's everyone talking about? Not the Budget, I suspect.

Albanese is standing by his immigration minister, but this time he can't blame the mess on the High Court

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Giles is facing immense pressure over the decision known as Direction 99, but he shows no signs of going anywhere. This mess can be traced bac...

Is the Coalition's nuclear policy a 'real' policy?

25 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is the Coalition's nuclear policy a 'real' policy?

On Background: Quitting coal not as easy as first thought

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What’s going wrong in the shift to renewables – that requires taxpayers to cover the cost of keeping the Eraring power station running?

The Coalition will need to lift its game on nuclear

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we enter the final year of the parliamentary term, pressure is growing for alternative solutions. And if the Coalition's immigration policy announ...

Budget Week: Migration, Inflation and Housing

18 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At some point in the next 12 months – an election will be held.

Will this budget deliver cost-of-living relief without stoking inflation?

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Highlights of Insiders Budget Night special

Should this budget be neutral or contractionary?

11 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Treasurer has a two-word slogan in his pre-Budget pitch. He says this one will be about “relief” and “reform”.

Ken Henry's message for the Treasurer: Hold steady

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most economists see Tuesday's budget as an opportunity to rein in spending and bring down inflation — not Ken Henry.

On Background: Australia's economy on 'a knife-edge'

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With less than a week until Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers his third budget, David Speers sat down with the former boss of Treasury, Ken Henry, to d...

'Missed opportunity' on male violence

04 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last weekend – demands for more action to keep women safe – spilled onto the streets.

On Background: Is Australia’s energy transition on track?

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Barely a week goes by when the great energy transition isn’t making news of some sort. This week the government announced feasibility licences for ...

In the budget lead-up, the government is struggling to flag its plans

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the lead-up to this year's budget announcement, the Albanese government is struggling to maintain the public's focus and clear air to announce the...

Will government act on the male violence epidemic?

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The crisis of male violence against women in this country is escalating, as an average of one woman every four days is killed so far in 2024. The mur...

Productivity commissioner puts the government on the defensive

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While Anthony Albanese says we're in a "race for jobs" with other countries offering big government subsidies and can't afford to be "left behind", P...

On Background: Productivity concerns over Australian solar

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister has already made it clear what will be the centrepiece of the next federal budget. His second term agenda centres around a Future ...

Lehrmann's landmark defamation ruling

20 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Insiders panel of Samantha Maiden, Phil Coorey, and Lenore Taylor discuss the judgement in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial, with Justice Mich...

On Background: Women’s safety after Bondi

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sydney has been reeling this week from two horrific attacks. Both the Bondi Junction and the Wakeley attacks have raised all sorts of questions about...

The two attacks in Sydney raise the question: What is terrorism?

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Given these two horrific attacks happened within days of each other in the same city, the debate over how they've been differently labelled is perhap...

"Beyond words": Bondi Junction stabbing shocks nation

13 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Visiting a shopping centre on a Saturday is such a familiar thing to do. The horrific attack at Westfield Bondi Junction has understandably shocked m...

On Background: Can we manufacture our future in Australia?

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just how far should the government go when it comes to trying to keep manufacturers in Australia and attract new ones? In a significant pre-budget sp...

Albanese is betting an Australian-made agenda is a win-win

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The prime minister sees an agenda to grow local green manufacturing as not only economically and strategically vital, but a political no-brainer. Bu...

"Outrageous" aid worker killings

06 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not good enough.  Australia is demanding more answers and greater transparency – over how Israel managed to launch deadly air strikes on an aid co...

On Background: Israel-Gaza’s tipping point?

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Israel's airstrike on a convoy in Gaza earlier this week quickly sparked international condemnation, anger, demands for answers and a lot more pressu...

The death of an Australian aid worker in Gaza has tipped the government into outrage

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There have been many moments described as "tipping points" since the war in Gaza began nearly six months ago. But this week's deadly Israeli air stri...

Will Trump fire Kevin Rudd?

23 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Navigating differences with China. All in with the British on nuclear submarines. And buckling up for a potential return of Donald Trump to the White...

Every time this issue is debated, the temperature rises

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An unhappy experience with the Voice referendum explains the Albanese government’s reticence to push ahead on religious freedoms. Even if that mean...

On Background: Solving youth homelessness

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Housing affordability has been one of the biggest political issues over the last two years since inflation, mortgage rates and rental prices started ...

On Background: Aged care's generational divide

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of younger Australians don’t think much about aged care. Let’s be honest – if they do think about growing old – it’s usually dreaming...

Higher out-of-pocket aged care costs are coming

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How many older Australians is the government willing to squeeze to help fund a bigger and better aged care sector? And how hard is it willing to sque...

Could Australia go nuclear?

09 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Albanese Government’s latest effort to meet its climate targets is focused on the vehicle industry. It wants to bring Australia into line with ...

On Background: The Liberal Party's women problem

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Liberal Party this week preselected its candidate for the safe seat of Cook – vacated by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Simon Kennedy is...

Can Peter Dutton win us over with nuclear energy?

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Peter Dutton is confident of his ability to turn public opinion around — but can he convince Australians that nuclear energy is the best way to tr...

Insiders Live from Adelaide Writers Week

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Insiders takes the stage for a special live show – with an audience – from Adelaide Writers Week. David Speers' guest is South Australian Prem...

How did Labor win Dunkley?

02 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday’s by-election was billed as a crucial mid-term test for both sides of politics. And when the results came in last night – the Albanese ...

On Background: Why Asia Matters

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Leaders from across South-East Asia are set to descend on Melbourne next week – but why? The ASEAN Summit is marking 50 years since Australia becam...

Cost-of-living pain comes to a head for leaders this weekend

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Dunkley voters prepare for a by-election this first electoral contest for the year is likely to help define the strategies both sides of politics ...

Will Labor change the uni sector?

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If Australia is going to prosper in the years ahead – we’re going to need far more tertiary educated workers. That’s the central finding of the...

On Background: A high-stakes by-election

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join David Speers for the first episode of Insiders: On Background. The new podcast digs a little deeper into an issue that will be covered on the sh...