What do the great war time Prime Minister John Curtin, and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have in common?

Well, a little bit, according to Albanese.

On the weekend the PM delivered the John Curtin Oration and set tongues wagging with hints about his newly independent stance when it comes to our relationship with the United States.

But how will this land with the Trump administration, which is currently reviewing the AUKUS pact? Is it possible they will make Australia pay more for submarines under the pact? Or pressure us into participating in a possible conflict with China over Taiwan?

Plus, the confusing matter of yet more US tariffs on Australian goods, perhaps…and what is going on with the Reserve Bank - are they misleading the public, or are they just confused themselves?

Joining Jacqueline Maley is chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright.

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The creation of a National Anti-Corruption Commission was a key Labor promise before it won Government in 2022. The Commission was duly created and this week it released the findings of its first ever investigation.

But was it a little anti-climactic? Can we hope for bigger and better corruption-busting in the future?

Plus, interest rate cuts and the confusing matter of the Trump tariffs, and their effect on the Australian economy.

Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss is federal politics reporter Olivia Ireland and senior economic correspondent Shane Wright.

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She is a former shearer, a pilot and a mother of three children. She has a dark past as a punk in Canberra. She has been one of the only women in the room in successive Liberal cabinets. She was the deputy to former opposition leader Peter Dutton, and following the last election, she took his job.

She is, of course, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.

Today, chief political commentator James Massola and host Jacqueline Maley speak to Ley about the Coalition’s woman problem, how she plans on stopping a split within the Coalition over energy policy, and most importantly, we ask who she really is, as a person

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This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelled to the G7 summit with high hopes of scoring a sidelines-meeting with US President Donald Trump. The PM wanted to discuss the AUKUS pact, and the tariffs that the US government has put on Australian aluminium and iron ore among other things.

But events overtook, and Trump left the summit to deal with the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Albanese did not get his meeting. He didn’t even get a phone call cancelling the meeting.

So what does this mean for our relationship with our supposed closest ally? Will Albanese be able to stalk Trump at the upcoming NATO summit instead? And was it really the loss of face some critics said it was?

Plus, attempts to reform the Liberal party, both at the NSW and the federal level.

Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss, is federal political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos and climate and energy correspondent Mike Foley.

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This week the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a big speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, and used it to dangle the prospect of economic reform.

During its first term, the Albanese government was criticised for not being bold enough in its agenda. So is the PM signalling he will use his huge majority to institute major reform? What would a daring economic reform agenda look like? And are Australians ready for it?

Plus, Plus, Jacqueline Maley, Paul Sakkal and Shane Wright, discuss the hardening of the government’s stance on Israel, after it imposed sanctions on two Israeli ministers.

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The dramatic shakeout from the general election continued this week, this time from the left wing of Australian politics, with WA Greens senator Dorinda Cox defecting to Labor.
It was a coup for a triumphant Prime Minister.
But will the PM live to regret his new recruit? What does Senator Cox’s defection mean for the much-depleted Greens party? And how does it fit with the PM’s recent approval of the extension of a giant fossil fuel project off the West Australian coast?
Chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, and chief political commentator James Massola join host Jacqueline Maley.

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Well, they fight, they break up, they kiss, they make up.

Never before have the lyrics of a Katy Perry song been more relevant to federal politics.

After last week’s shock split, this week the Coalition got back together again. But at what cost? What compromises have been made on both sides? And will the Nats and the Libs be able to work constructively together after all the drama?

Meanwhile, Labor is moving ahead with plans to hike taxes on super accounts of more than $3 million, and Anthony Albanese hardens his rhetoric on Israel and its killing of civilians in Gaza.

Here to discuss all this with host Jacqueline Maley is new chief political correspondent Paul Sakkal, and foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott.

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It was high drama this week with the Nationals telling the Liberals they wanted a political divorce.

But by Thursday, the separation – like a marriage on the rocks – was placed on hold while further conversations took place.

So what happened? And what’s going to be better for both parties, and the political health of the nation?

Here to discuss the drama, we have our freshly minted Chief Political Commentator James Massola, and freshly minted Political Correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos. Welcome to you both.

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