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
Did Labor's 'reform budget' deliver? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:00
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has unveiled his highly anticipated fifth budget, claiming it's the "most ambitious and important in decades". Housing tax reform was the centrepiece of the wartime budget, with changes to negative…
Will Labor's budget 'pull up the ladder'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:00
Labor is leaning into housing this budget, with big tax reforms to negative gearing and capital gains tax to form the centrepiece. It's all in a bid to address intergenerational inequity — but as Tom tells PK, grandfathe…
Where One Nation will target next [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
There's been a seismic shift in the Australian political landscape, with One Nation claiming it's first ever lower-house seat. The minor party's landslide victory in the former Coalition heartland of Farrer came with a w…
Will the budget annoy 'rich boomers'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
It's been a budget focused week in politics, but the arrival of a cohort of so-called ISIS brides has stolen some of that pre-budget spotlight. And speaking of budgets, is Treasurer Jim Chalmer's fifth set to be more exc…
Did we invent podcasting? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:00
It turns out Fran and PK may have invented podcasting? Well, maybe not quite .. but they have been getting behind the microphone to bring you The Party Room for a whopping 10 years! To celebrate a whole decade of the pod…
It's all about 'sovereign capability' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:00
Anthony Albanese has unveiled a $10 billion energy security package, including a permanent government-owned fuel reserve, in what the government is calling a major step towards energy sovereignty. The announcement lands…
Should politicians be 'radically honest'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
The Albanese Government is locking in a trio of tax reforms, with capital gains tax, negative gearing and the taxation of trust funds all set to feature in the budget. PK and Raf Epstein are aligned on the need for the G…
Australia-Japan: friends with benefits? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have held bi-lateral talks, lauding the "quasi-alliance" and friendship between the two-nations. As Jacob tells PK, Anthony Albanese h…
How productivity can save the Australian economy | Insiders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
With just 10 days to go, Treasurer Jim Chalmers is putting the final touches the budget. Dr Chalmers has made clear productivity is a priority for this term of parliament. So who better to ask about the upcoming budget t…