We answer your smart budget questions

We answer your smart budget questions

Author: ABC Australia May 22, 2026 Duration: 34:00
Was this a budget in desperate need of more graphs? Labor’s budget pitch is still making headlines - but it may not be happy about all of them. First, PK and Clare Armstrong unpack the breaking news overnight of another possible return of ISIS-linked Australian women and children from Syria, as well as the fallout over Australian activists detained by Israel while aboard a flotilla headed to Gaza. Then, it’s a bonus Question Time: Budget special! Is Labor going big on reform because it expects to negotiate later? How do pre-budget leaks and “speculation” actually make their way into the media? Where could any budget windfall end up? And could blocked legislation ever trigger a double dissolution? Plus - why do politicians still struggle to explain big economic decisions clearly, and is there still a path back for moderate Liberal voters? Patricia Karvelas and Clare Armstong break it all down on Politics Now. 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

Keeping up with the political landscape requires more than just reading headlines; it demands understanding the motivations and maneuvers that shape them. That’s the space occupied by Politics Now, the ABC News production hosted by Patricia Karvelas. This podcast goes beyond the initial news alerts to unpack the significant stories from Australia and across the globe, offering a balanced perspective on the strategies driving the day’s events. Each week from Monday to Wednesday, Karvelas is joined by a rotating panel of the ABC’s own seasoned political journalists, dissecting the latest developments with insight and context. The conversation continues on Thursdays with 'The Party Room,' providing further depth. The aim is to deliver reliable, timely analysis whenever major news breaks, placing trusted coverage directly in your feed. For anyone looking to comprehend the real forces behind the news cycle, this podcast serves as an essential, clarifying resource.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Politics Now
Podcast Episodes
Albanese stares down tax push back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
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Duration: 31:00
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Duration: 39:00
As the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers continue their big budget sell, they've faced fierce backlash from small business owners over changes to the CGT discount. While Labor billed this as a "h…
Tim Wilson's 'call to arms' for Liberals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:00
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson has used a National Press Club Address to outline his vision for the Liberals. As PK tells David Speers the speech functioned as a "call to arms for what the Liberal Party's chief mission shou…
A 'vibe check' on capital gains tax [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:00
The fight over Labor’s proposed capital gains tax changes isn’t brewing - it’s already here. Small business owners, founders and investors are piling pressure on the government, with backlash erupting across talkback rad…
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Duration: 25:00
There's a big budget contest of ideas underway, as Labor and the Coalition try to sell their alternate visions for Australia to voters. Or as Jacob puts it to PK, "politics is back!" Treasurer Jim Chalmers has brushed of…
Taylor swings big on tax. Will it pay-off? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:00
Opposition leader Angus Taylor used his first budget in reply speech to lay out some big bold policy ideas, saying he hopes Australians can "begin to believe again." Income tax would form the centrepiece, with bracket cr…
Battle of the budgets begins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:00
As Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continue their big budget sell, Opposition leader Angus Taylor is gearing up to deliver his budget reply -- and big political and ideological battlelines are…