Politics Now

It’s been a strange sitting week in Canberra, with the Albanese government trying to push through a packed legislative agenda - only to find itself repeatedly dragged onto political ground it hadn’t planned for.
Labor was slow out of the blocks in responding to the Trump administration’s proposed livestream of a US execution. Is the government becoming too reluctant to criticise the president?
Back in parliament, the government suffered a significant setback when the Coalition, Greens and Jacqui Lambie teamed up to knock its private health insurance changes off the Senate agenda.
Meanwhile, a fight over ATO credit card payments has fuelled fresh questions about the relationship between Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers, as Labor grapples with growing signs of midterm malaise.
The Greens are also testing their new leadership team, with David Shoebridge pushing the party into almost every major debate and trying to squeeze concessions from Labor. 
And then there’s Josh Frydenberg - back on the media circuit, promoting his memoir, floating policy ideas and doing very little to dampen speculation about a political comeback.
Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly are joined by Tom McIlroy, Political Editor for Guardian Australia 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

Are the Prime Minister and his treasurer working together, or are they being played off against one other?
Midway through a sitting week, the government has managed to put itself back in the firing line with small business over the ATO’s on-again, off-again credit card ban.
That’s led to some performative text messaging, as well as a nasty moment in parliament that’s now taken on a life of its own.
If that wasn’t enough, Labor is also staring down another fight over trusts.
Patricia Karvelas and David Speers 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

The political fight is moving more and more online.
AI companies want to build, train and expand in Australia, but the welcome mat now comes with conditions - including from a bipartisan committee sending letters pushing for tougher rules and stronger protections for creators, and a warning from Labor that a handful of AI giants could become the economy’s new “toll collectors”.
But back in the real world, revealing comments inside Labor caucus are exposing tensions for the government - and warnings of “the penny dropping” for some MPs if things don’t improve.
So who is really setting the rules - governments, platforms, or the companies building the technology? And how much political pressure is building offline while Canberra tries to regulate the online world?
Patricia Karvelas and Clare Armstrong break it all down on Politics Now.
Read Clare's piece here.
Read PK's piece here.
Got a burning question?
Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Parliament is back for another sitting week and Jacob Greber is back on the podcast!
But as Jacob tells PK, it's already looking like a "tricky" week for the Albanese government, with no clear passage for their legislative agenda.
And PK thinks new Greens leader David Shoebridge will also be looking to make his mark. So, will he play "hardball" with Labor?
Meanwhile, questions are swirling about whether former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's will return to federal politics.
Jacob thinks it's a sure thing, but it's a matter of timing — so with the Victorian election looming, is that time now?
Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now.Read PK's analysis here - One Nation threatens major parties as voters turn to AI for information
Got a burning question?
Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Professor Carolyn Evans is the Chair of Universities Australia and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.