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Politics Now

ABC Australia
Politics Now
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430 episodes

  • Politics Now

    Is uncertainty the new normal?

    14/07/2026 | 34 mins.
    US President Donald Trump has vowed to impose a toll on traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as the US military launches its latest wave of strikes against Iran.
    The Albanese Government is urging restraint and pointing to Australia's secure fuel supply — but is this the "new normal"?
    And four women and girls were killed in four days in separate incidents last week, PK and Raf reflect on frustrations around the media coverage of violence against women and the focus from governments to combat the issue.
    Patricia Karvelas and Raf Epstein break it all down on Politics Now.
    Got a burning question?
    Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
    1800 Respect national helpline:1800 737 732
    Women's Crisis Line:1800 811 811
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    Lifeline (24 hour crisis line):131 114
    Relationships Australia:1300 364 277
    NSW Domestic Violence Line:1800 656 463
    Qld DV Connect Womensline:1800 811 811
    Vic Safe Steps crisis response line:1800 015 188
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    Tas Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:1800 608 122
    SA Domestic Violence Crisis Line:1800 800 098
    WA Women's Domestic Violence 24h Helpline:1800 007 339
    NT Domestic violence helpline:1800 737 732 3
  • Politics Now

    Has One Nation support hit a ceiling?

    13/07/2026 | 31 mins.
    It's another poll Monday, this time with PK and Clare!
    A new Resolve poll in the SMH and The Age shows support for One Nation has slipped, with leader Pauline Hanson's likeability also taking a tumble.
    In what will be a major relief for under fire Opposition leader Angus Taylor, the Coalition has benefited — picking up support. It comes as the Opposition leader rebukes One Nation and their economic credentials for the first time, so is the Coalition settling on a new strategy?
    And Labor is riding high after a successful week of international diplomacy, but there are "spotfires" building for Treasurer Jim Chalmers, ahead of the second tranche of budget tax measures.
    Meanwhile, as the Royal Commission on Antisemitism is this week shifts its focus to universities, the Government has announced it'll require higher education institutions to adopt definitions of antisemitism.
    Patricia Karvelas and Clare Armstrong break it all down on Politics Now.
    Read PK's analysis hereLabor scoring own goals while Coalition distracted by One Nation threat
    Read Clare's piece hereLabor's trust tax proposal leaves small businesses waiting to see what states will do with stamp duty
    Got a burning question?
    Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
  • Politics Now

    Australia has a deficit dilemma, could means-testing wealth be the solution?

    10/07/2026 | 27 mins.
    Dire budget deficits for years to come and stalling productivity growth are painting a bleak economic picture. 
    Against this backdrop, a new policy idea has emerged: if Australia can't rely on productivity growth and tax reform to fix the budget blackhole, what about means-testing wealth? 
    Peter Harris is the former chair of the Productivity Commission and now board director at the Policy Institute Australia.
    He told Jacob Greber, for this week's Insiders On Background, means testing wealth - including the family home - for paid parental leave, aged care, pensions and childcare could fix the budget blackhole.
  • Politics Now

    Modi, the Pacific and THAT podcast

    09/07/2026 | 45 mins.
    It's been a big week on the international stage for Anthony Albanese, from a Pacific blitz to bilateral talks with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Melbourne.
    While a Chinese missile test threatened to overshadow the diplomacy tour, was the destabilising move actually a "cherry-on-top" for Australia — pushing Pacific nations closer to us?
    Back home, the fallout from the Telstra outage is continuing and so are the politics. So, did the Opposition "jump the shark?"
    And of course there was THAT podcast appearance and subsequent "unequivocal apology" from the PM this week. So, what are the risks for politicians trying to engage in new media to reach voters?
    Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly are joined by Stephen Dziedzic, ABC Foreign Affairs Asia Pacific Reporter on The Party Room.
    Got a burning question?
    Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
  • Politics Now

    The politics of an outage

    08/07/2026 | 29 mins.
    A nationwide Telstra outage has caused chaos for commuters and businesses and prompted Communications Minister Anika Wells to return early from leave.
    And artificial intelligence is back in the spotlight, with Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton suggesting now is the time to embed safety into AI. It comes ahead of the Labor Conference where an internal debate over AI is set to get "messy".
    Meanwhile, a stoush is brewing between drug-makers and the Federal Government.
    Patricia Karvelas and Clare Armstrong break it all down on Politics Now.
    Read Clare's piece here — Critical Drugs could be pulled from PBS amid pricing stoush
    Got a burning question?
    Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
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About Politics Now
The ABC's politics podcast, Politics Now, dives into the biggest political stories in Australia and around the world, giving you a balanced look inside the strategies and decisions behind the headlines. Whenever major news breaks, we'll be in your feed with coverage you can trust. From Monday to Wednesday, Patricia Karvelas will chat to a rotating cast of the ABC's biggest political journalists about the latest news. On Thursdays, 'The Party Room' with Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly will discuss the week's developments in depth with another journalist, and answer your questions. On Saturdays, David Speers gets into the details of a major trend or issue with the help of an expert on 'Insiders On Background'.
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