The Morning Edition – April 2, 2026

Episode: A national address, nailing down the budget, and Hastie’s ‘striking’ interview

Main Theme

This episode dissects a pivotal week in Australian politics, marked by the Prime Minister's urgent national address amidst the Middle East crisis, sweeping economic measures to tackle inflation and fuel prices, and a revealing interview with rising Liberal MP Andrew Hastie. Host Jacqueline Maley is joined by The Age's chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal and chief economics correspondent Shane Wright to analyse the government’s response to global and local pressures, the coming federal budget, and shifting dynamics inside the opposition.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Prime Minister's National Address: Purpose and Impact

Timestamps: 00:11 – 02:54

• The panel evaluates the PM’s rare televised address, which aimed to restore public confidence during the escalating Middle East conflict and spiking petrol prices.
  • Paul Sakkal: “The government was a little bit late to get its tone right. There is a realisation now that this will dominate the government's agenda for weeks, if not months... The knock on the speech... is that by actually calling a national address early in the morning and having a day of speculation about what might be in it, it served the opposite effect to actually instil fear.” (00:34)
• There was unintended panic, with news of queues at petrol stations after the speech was announced (01:39).

2. The Government’s Fuel and Economic Measures

Timestamps: 02:54 – 07:00

• A halving of the fuel excise (from 52 cents per litre) had an immediate albeit partial effect, with pump prices dropping by 15–20 cents in some locations (02:54).
• The government also cut the heavy vehicle road user charge to assist struggling truck drivers (03:42).
• $2 billion oil security fund established to underwrite Australian purchases on the global spot market amid soaring prices (03:56).
• Shane Wright is extremely critical of the fuel excise cut:
  • “For all those motorists out there who are fuelling up thinking, you beauty, I've saved 26 cents a litre... But that's the problem. You are saving money at a time of inflation which will get spent somewhere else and this is what the Reserve bank will be having kittens.” (04:47)
• The tension between providing short-term relief and long-term inflationary pressures is dissected, with the RBA and Treasury at odds.

3. Ambitions and Pressure on the Upcoming Federal Budget

Timestamps: 07:00 – 11:47

• The upcoming May 12 budget was originally set to include ambitious reforms, but now must accommodate reactions to the global crisis.
• Both the Treasurer and PM are signalling this will be the “most ambitious budget yet,” with bold reforms likely on:
  • NDIS savings
  • Productivity reforms (including corporate tax changes)
  • Possible tax reform (CGT, negative gearing still “on the cards”)
• “Trying to nail down exactly what the budget will say is... the most difficult budget to piece together since the late 2008... global financial crisis.” – Shane Wright (10:48)
• The budget will attempt to balance the “fiction” of forward estimates with real economic uncertainty, especially regarding commodities like oil and iron ore (11:20).

4. Social Cohesion, Populism, and the Case for Tax Reform

Timestamps: 11:47 – 13:16

• Government strategists are considering pitching housing and tax reforms not just on economic fairness, but as vital for social cohesion and pushing back against rising populism (12:26).
  • Paul Sakkal: “You could pitch these measures not just as, you know, fiscally sound and beneficial to the housing market, but also as measures that... instil this sense that the government is making the society fairer and trying to boost social cohesion.” (12:41)
• Skepticism remains over whether voters buy such arguments.

5. Fuel and Energy Security: A National Debate

Timestamps: 13:16 – 18:58

• The crisis triggers calls for a debate on Australia’s fuel and energy security—should the nation double down on fossil fuels or accelerate the transition to renewables?
• Shane Wright is wary of the “sovereign capability” buzzword, noting its vagueness and risk of costly, inefficient policies (14:39).
• Wright highlights how petrol price shocks are currently accelerating the shift to EVs: “The EVs are winning that culture war because it's an economic war and they just can't win it.” (16:18)
• Paul Sakkal: The government is likely to “lean into” the argument that renewables (solar/wind) mean more secure energy, especially after the present crisis (16:36).

6. The US Alliance and Albanese’s Delicate Rhetoric

Timestamps: 18:58 – 21:44

• The PM faces a tricky diplomatic path—expressing concern over Trump’s handling of the Iran war without jeopardising the US alliance.
• Albanese is “hardening his rhetoric,” urging US de-escalation and noting Australia was not consulted before US moves (20:05).
• Shane Wright: “That's the price of the Australian American alliance... If you wanted an Australian Prime Minister to have a huge crack at the US president, let's go back to Gough Whitlam. And that ended exceptionally well.” (21:10)

7. Andrew Hastie’s “Striking” Intervention and the Liberal Party’s Future

Timestamps: 21:44 – 26:24

• Shadow minister Andrew Hastie’s recent TV interview is dissected—he called the war a “huge miscalculation,” questioned Australia’s involvement, and advocated openness to property tax reform and increased taxes on gas companies (22:13).
  • Hastie: “We either fix the system or it's torn down by people like Pauline Hanson. No one's going to reward us for a final last stand for neoliberal politics. Ok. There's no medal for that.” (24:19)
• The panel sees Hastie as representing a new Liberal cohort aiming to appeal to ordinary, non-asset-owning Australians and to question “the coalition’s attachment to Israel and America.” (24:41)
  • Paul Sakkal: “[It] exemplified where the new generation of liberals want to take the party... Different coalitions with this Australia first lens.” (25:10)
• The party’s internal generational and ideological tensions are set to shape its future direction.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Shane Wright (on inflation): “I'm reliably informed there's a birthing suite for the kittens in Martin Place at the moment because this is in the wrong direction for them.” (04:51)
• Paul Sakkal (on messaging contradictions): “They're on the one hand talking up the cost saving element of the budget... but on the other hand, they're already taking measures that go against it with the fuel excise cut.” (11:47)
• Shane Wright (on economic uncertainty): “Look, I've got a chocolate wheel here. I'll spin it and it may do as good a job as anything else.” (11:46)
• Jacqueline Maley (on the energy transition) “Isn't the best argument... it just seems like a technology argument to me because fossil fuels are... 18th century kind of technologies. They're old, you know, old school.” (17:41)
• Paul Sakkal (on Hastie’s significance): “This interview was really striking and will be seen as an important moment in Hastie's trajectory wherever he lands.” (24:41)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:11 – Opening and Churchill scale on the PM’s address
• 02:54 – Overview of government economic measures
• 04:47 – Debate on the merits of the fuel excise cut
• 07:00 – Budget direction and pressure points
• 11:47 – Messaging contradictions and tax reform framing
• 13:16 – Fuel security and sovereign capability
• 16:36 – Australia’s energy future and EVs
• 18:58 – US alliance and Albanese’s diplomacy
• 21:44 – Andrew Hastie’s interview and Liberal Party divisions
• 26:54 – Wrap-up and lighter moments (chocolate inflation, Easter)

Overall Tone & Language

The conversation is incisive but witty, balancing policy-heavy analysis with banter. The guests alternate between criticism and empathy—keen to unpick tough policy trade-offs while acknowledging the psychological pressures facing ordinary Australians.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you haven’t tuned in, this episode is essential listening for understanding Australia’s rapidly changing policy landscape in 2026—from kitchen-table issues like petrol prices and inflation, to the geopolitical drama unfolding globally and its impact on Canberra. The PM’s national address has set a tense, action-packed tone, ministers face a daunting budget, and the opposition is fermenting its own internal revolution.

For more, read all political news at:

• theage.com.au
• smh.com.au