As the election draws near, Labor has extended its lead against the Coalition in the latest Essential poll, raising new questions about what Peter Dutton needs to do to shift the momentum in his favour. Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy sits down with Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis to unpack the strategies and dynamics shaping t…

At the electoral crossroads, Guardian Australia’s political reporter Krishani Dhanji talks to Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis about what risks and rewards await Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese as they gamble over the projection of strong v steady leadership to win the hearts and minds of Australian voters. Plus: who would people …

As the prime minister hits his highest approval ratings in 18 months, the Guardian Essential poll goes deep into demographics this week. Why do young Australian men support Trump and Dutton more than anyone else? Could Dutton take advantage of this trend? Guardian Australia’s political reporter Josh Butler talks to Essential Media’s executive direc…

Has the interest rate cut made any difference to how people intend to vote at the upcoming federal election? Guardian Australia’s political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy and Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis discuss how voters are responding to major political parties’ campaign rhetoric on key issues affecting their lives…

Guardian Australia’s political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy and Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis discuss the mood of voters and look at the challenges of running a successful election campaign in the era of TrumpBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia political editor Karen Middleton speaks with Cherelle Murphy, chief economist for EY Oceania, about this week’s sluggish national accounts figures and how the government can revive a barely breathing economyBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Essential Media’s executive director, Peter Lewis, discuss the public’s disappointment with Labor’s handling of the housing crisis and what that means for the party in the lead-up to a federal electionBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen. They discuss the wins and losses from the recent Cop29 climate conference in Baku, the pace of the transition to renewables and whether Australia needs to brace for blackouts over summer…

This Monday marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, about battling online misogynists, and stopping the welfare system empowering angry exesBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Essential Media executive director, Peter Lewis, talk about what Australians think about Donald Trump’s election winBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal housing and homelessness minister, Clare O’Neil. They discuss whether a double dissolution is on the horizon, the role housing will play in the upcoming federal election campaign and how the housing crisis is more than just a problem of economics…

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with Arthur Sinodinos AO, former ambassador to the US, chair of the Australia Practice at the Asia Group, as well as a former Liberal senator and adviser to John Howard. They talk about why Americans voted as they did, what the outcome means for Australia’s upcoming election, and how big …

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal shadow transport and infrastructure minister, Bridget McKenzie. They discuss the prime minister’s upgrades with Qantas, opposition leader Peter Dutton’s free flight care of Gina Rinehart, and whether the parliamentary register of interests needs an overhaul…

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with Bob Brown – environmentalist, social justice campaigner, former senator and leader of the Australian Greens. They talk about the right to protest in a democracy in light of Lidia Thorpe’s recent protest against King Charles during his visit to Parliament House in Canberra, and Bob …

Guardian Australia political editor Karen Middleton and Essential Media executive director Peter Lewis take a look at the latest Essential poll to see how popular King Charles III is in Australia and what support there is to become a republicBy The Guardian

After almost a full term as a politician, independent senator David Pocock joins political editor Karen Middleton. They discuss why he thinks Labor’s refusal to bargain with the crossbench is holding back changes that Australians need, if Albanese buying a multi-million dollar house this week is a bad look and what his past as a professional rugby …

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with the member for Gwoja Chansey Paech about how Labor lost the law-and-order vote at August’s election, and what the future holds a year on from the voice to parliament referendumBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia chief political correspondent Paul Karp and Essential Media executive director Peter Lewis take a look at the latest Essential poll to gauge what solutions to cost-of-living pressures Australians want implemented and how they think the government is handling the volatile situation in the Middle East…

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with economist and former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank, Guy Debelle. They discuss how the board makes decisions about the economy and the pressure they face in taking all sides into accountBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks to Andrew Leigh, assistant minister for competition, charities and Treasury, about the federal government’s draft of a food and grocery code of conduct. They also discuss negative gearing and Labor’s census debacle You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport…

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about Labor’s stalemate on housing, as well as how voters feel about stronger privacy regulations and the proposed social media ban for childrenBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with former Kamala Harris White House staffer and PhD candidate Cory Alpert about the upcoming US election. Alpert explores some of the complexities of the US electoral system, the ‘October surprise’, and the impact of algorithms on the race to the White House…

This week the federal opposition suggested that perhaps Qantas should be forced to sell off its low-cost stablemate Jetstar. This followed the recent release of the federal government’s aviation white paper, which includes ideas on how to make flights cheaper, boost competition and hold airlines to account for delays and cancellations. Guardian Aus…

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about the public support for Labor’s international student visa caps, and if the politics behind the reform are being driven by the upcoming electionBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political reporter Amy Remeikis speaks with Queensland’s premier, Steven Miles, about the Great Barrier Reef, the housing crisis, youth crime and the upcoming election. You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupportBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with independent economist Saul Eslake about the government’s attempts to deal with inflation and why prices are still so highBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about voters’ opinions of Peter Dutton’s call to stop people fleeing Gaza from entering Australia and whether he is driving division for political gain You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport…

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with New South Wales Liberal senator Andrew Bragg about the Coalition’s plan on housing, and the federal implications of the NSW Liberals’ catastrophic failure to lodge paperwork for the local government electionsBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with treasurer Jim Chalmers about the governments economic track record, a busy week in parliament, and the nature of the current political debateBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about why there is still no appetite for systemic reform to close the gap, who the government listens to, and why trust and faith in government is so lowBy The Guardian

Recently, the Northern Territory’s police commissioner, Michael Murphy, issued an apology to the Indigenous people of his jurisdiction, declaring police have favoured protecting ‘settlers’ over Aboriginal people and he is ‘deeply sorry for the hurt and injustices’ this has caused them over more than a century. Murphy speaks to Guardian Australia’s …

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks to former attorney general George Brandis about his view that ASIO needs to answer to the attorney general’s department to be kept accountable. They also discuss the politics behind the creation of the Department of Home Affairs and what the recent changes mean.…

Guardian Australia’s political reporter and politics live blogger, Amy Remeikis, speaks to Peter Lewis from Essential Media about the increased favourability of both Donald Trump and Peter Dutton among Australian voters. They also discuss the continued support for unions, despite declining membership and the recent furore over the CFMEU…

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton talks with Joe Hockey, former federal minister and ambassador to Washington, and now global president and founder of US-based consulting firm Bondi Partners. Hockey talks about what a Kamala Harris victory in the US election would mean for Australia, and whether there are upsides if Donald Trump…

Minister for home affairs and cyber security Clare O’Neil speaks with Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton about the allegations against the CFMEU. Following the release of a report by the strengthening democracy taskforce this week, O’Neil argues that democracy is a way to resolve our differences and the assassination attempt on T…

Guardian Australia’s politics live blogger Amy Remeikis talks to Peter Lewis from Essential Media about Australian voter dissatisfaction in the political system and politicians; the split between older and younger voters; and whether democracy could learn something from community sportBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, talks with immigration minister, Andrew Giles, about this week’s appointment of a new anti-semitism envoy and the upcoming Islamophobia envoy. They also discuss diversity in the Labor caucus and Giles’s latest rulings on visa cancellationsBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with the Greens leader Adam Bandt about Fatima Payman’s decision to quit the Labor party, calls for the Australian government to do more about the war in Gaza, and the Greens’ long-term objectivesBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent Paul Karp and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about voter concerns over the cost and safety of Dutton’s nuclear energy policy. They also discuss Albanese’s approval rating dipping to to an all-time low and a satirical conspiracy theory about birds.…

Last week Labor senator Fatima Payman made national headlines when she broke ranks with her party and voted in support of a Greens motion to recognise a state of Palestine. The Western Australian senator now claims she has been ‘exiled’ by the Labor party after the vote. Political editor Karen Middleton speaks to Nour Haydar about the consequences …

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, talks to Australian Border Force commissioner, Michael Outram, about Border Force’s response to two damning Australian Human Rights Commission reports into allegations of sexual discrimination and harassment across the ABF and its marine unit.…

Guardian Australia political editor Karen Middleton speaks with the shadow foreign affairs minister and opposition leader in the Senate, Simon Birmingham. This follows both the visit of Chinese premier Li Qiang and Peter Dutton’s announcement of the Coalition’s seven proposed nuclear sites this week. They discuss the uncertainties and outcomes of t…

Paul Karp, Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, and columnist Peter Lewis discuss what voters think about opposition leader Peter Dutton’s announcement to abandon Australia’s emissions reduction target for 2030. Climate experts have described it as a ‘destructive’ and ‘utterly irresponsible’ move that would breach Australia’s legally…

Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, about the Coalition’s decision to ditch the 2030 target, pro-Palestine protests outside electorate offices and the voice eight months onBy The Guardian

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with Bill Shorten, the minister for government services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, on the misuse of the NDIS, robodebt and why he won’t be the next ambassador to FranceBy The Guardian

How does age shape political views? Paul Karp, Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, and columnist Peter Lewis discuss how age effects views on current debates on age restrictions on social media, the age of criminal responsibility and criminalising hate speech. Based on new research on artificial intelligence in different workplaces,…

Karen Middleton, Guardian Australia’s political editor, speaks with shadow minister for immigration and citizenship Dan Tehan about ministerial direction 99 and the visas of non-citizens with serious criminal convictions. They also discuss Peter Dutton’s plans to cuts to migration and why there won’t be a nuclear reactor in Anglesea – a town in Teh…

Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with the independent federal member for Indi, Helen Haines – well known for her strong interest against corruption and for transparency in government. When it comes to the transition to renewable energy, Haines is pushing for the government to improve the ways they’re addressing the conce…

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp talks to Peter Lewis from Essential Media about whether or not voters think that Labor’s third federal budget will make a meaningful difference to their current cost of living, and their assessment of a $300 energy bill rebate. They also discuss public perceptions of Labor’s economic man…

In this episode of the Australian Politics podcast, Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, about whether his third budget can really provide cost-of-living relief without fuelling inflation Exclusive: Labor to run $45m taxpayer-funded Future Made In Australia advertising campaign…