Podcast
Politics Now
Hosted by ABC Australia · EN
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'.
118episodes
Episodes
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Albanese's 'antidote' to One Nation
4d ago00:27:00Tap to summarizeDay one of the National Labor conference has wrapped up, with Anthony Albanese's political authority on full display.The Prime Minister used his opening address to speak about the rise of One Nation and contrast grievance politics with pragmatic solutions.And while a broken escalator saw Anthony Albanese stumble slightly, there was no sign of that on the conference floor, with backroom factional deals largely sewn up to avoid "barneys".But there are warnings a "politically managed" conference could have risks, with rebel backbencher Ed Husic suggesting 'being allergic to dissent and dispute' won't work in Labor's long term interest.Patricia Karvelas and David Speers break it all down on Politics Now.Listen to The Party Room Question time here Read David's analysis on the Labor conference hereGot a burning question?Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
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Should Labor adopt a 'manifesto'?
5d agoTap to summarizeIt's a bonus Question Time edition! And today, Fran and PK are diving into some of YOUR big questions about the behind the scenes machinations and optics of Australian politics.Including, are the seating arrangements in parliament strategic for the cameras? What do the Presidents of political parties actually do? Why don't political parties in Australia use political manifestos like they do in the UK? And are there tensions between pollies and public servants?And later, PK and David Speers will bring you their hot takes from on the ground at Labor's national conference.Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly answer your queries on The Party Room: Question Time edition.Got a burning question?Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
Transcribe →Taylor takes from Abbott playbook(let)
6d ago00:27:00Tap to summarizeThe National Labor Conference is about to get underway, with a gas exports tax, gambling reform and artificial intelligence shaping up as key battlegroundsBut while there will be disagreements and policy fights, there's criticism that the event will be highly stage managed. So, is Labor being in power actually putting a "handbrake" on robust debate?And Opposition leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a new booklet spruiking his economic plan, in a move directly out of the Tony Abbott playbook. So, can a glossy new pamphlet help him return the focus to the Coalition's policy?Patricia Karvelas and Melissa Clarke 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
Transcribe →Annabel Crabb on Albanese's control
1w ago00:23:00Tap to summarizeOrder and control have been hallmarks of Anthony Albanese's leadership, but they're also at the centre of his approach to cooking.Annabel Crabb joins PK to discuss what's shaped the Prime Minister's desire for order and if he's a bit of a "control freak" when he's in the kitchen — and maybe also the cabinet.Meanwhile, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has gone viral for yelling at his dog off screen in the middle of an interview on ABC's 730 and PK and Annabel have some thoughts.Patricia Karvelas and Annabel Crabb break it all down on Politics Now.Watch Kitchen Cabinet on ABC TV at 0830pm, or catch up anytime on ABC iview.Got a burning question?Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
Transcribe →Pauline Hanson dominates attention economy
1w ago00:24:00Tap to summarizeOne Nation leader Pauline Hanson has robustly defended her appearance on controversial far-right agitator Tommy Robinson's podcast amid backlash.But while the minor party has issued some clarifications, does the controversy feed into Pauline Hanson's playbook and has she succeed in "consuming the attention economy"?Meanwhile, the Albanese Government has responded to its special envoy's report on Islamophobia 10-months after it was released. So, what message is Labor trying to send at a time of fraying social cohesion?Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now.Read PK's analysis here - Tony Abbott isn't helping the Liberals with their Pauline Hanson problemGot a burning question?Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
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Regulating AI is like catching smoke, warns Christopher Pyne | Insiders On Background
1w ago00:23:41Tap to summarizeArtificial intelligence is dominating the political agenda, with the federal government announcing plans to legislate guardrails for data centres and protect artists' copyright. But the strategic and military implications of AI, alongside Australia's multi-billion dollar investment in AUKUS, present much larger and complex questions for national sovereignty. Christopher Pyne is a stalwart of the Liberal Party and a former defence minister. He tells David Lipson that artificial intelligence is the most significant development since the nuclear weapon, and warned that the Liberal Party must distance itself from One Nation if it hopes to return to government.
Transcribe →One Nation leadership rumbles emerge
2w ago00:35:00Tap to summarizeIt's Question Time! But before Fran and PK dive into your clever questions, they wrap up the latest political developments.Pauline Hanson's podcast interview with far-right UK agitator Tommy Robinson is making waves — including it seems, within the One Nation itself.The One Nation leader suggested her daughter Lee Hanson had the "potential" to be a future leader of the party, so where does this leave Barnaby Joyce?And what's the history of Royal Commissions in Australia and when do they work best? We asked an expert.And while housing has dominated the political agenda, what impact is our aging population having on demand?Could older people house sharing offer a solution and importantly, what kind of roommates were PK and Fran? (spoiler: one of them was very protective of their butter!)And could an Australian MP pull a "stunt" like Nigel Farage? PK and Fran don't think so — and they also feel VERY differently about Count Binface.Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly answer your clever queries on The Party Room: Question Time edition.Listen here to Royal commissions in Australia — when have they made a difference?Listen here toLabor's AI plan and Hanson's holidayGot a burning question?Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au
Transcribe →Labor's AI plan and Hanson's holiday
2w ago00:44:00Tap to summarizePrime Minister Anthony Albanese's landmark AI address has dominated the political week.But was the announcement of National AI standards a bit of an "about face" from the PM, after what was previously seen as a hands-off approach to AI regulation from the Government?And One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been meeting with a series of fringe figures across the UK and has now been spotted in a resort in Sicily with mining magnate Gina Rinehart.So, how are the optics of the Pauline Hanson rubbing shoulders with far-right figures like Tommy Robinson playing with recent One Nation converts back home?Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly are joined by Ronald Mizen, AFR Political Correspondent 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
Transcribe →Albanese's AI roadmap
2w agoTap to summarizePrime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled "world-leading" AI standards, urging Australians to embrace change and shape AI in the national interest.The PM used a landmark speech to lay out his vision for Australia's AI future, as Australians grapple with concerns over job losses, anxieties over the environmental impacts of AI data centres and copyright protections.Labor is set to legislate standards next year, with Anthony Albanese effectively shaping the debate that's to come — including at the Federal Labor Conference next week.Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber 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
Transcribe →Is uncertainty the new normal?
2w ago00:34:00Tap to summarizeUS 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.au1800 Respect national helpline:1800 737 732Women's Crisis Line:1800 811 811Men's Referral Service:1300 766 491Lifeline (24 hour crisis line):131 114Relationships Australia:1300 364 277NSW Domestic Violence Line:1800 656 463Qld DV Connect Womensline:1800 811 811Vic Safe Steps crisis response line:1800 015 188ACT 24/7 Crisis Line:(02) 6280 0900Tas Family Violence Counselling and Support Service:1800 608 122SA Domestic Violence Crisis Line:1800 800 098WA Women's Domestic Violence 24h Helpline:1800 007 339NT Domestic violence helpline:1800 737 732 3
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