As the election draws near, Labor has extended its lead against the Coalition in the latest Essential poll, raising new questions about what Peter Dutton needs to do to shift the momentum in his favour. Political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy sits down with Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis to unpack the strategies and dynamics shaping the two major parties’ campaigns
Apr 16, 2025•19 min
At the electoral crossroads, Guardian Australia’s political reporter Krishani Dhanji talks to Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis about what risks and rewards await Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese as they gamble over the projection of strong v steady leadership to win the hearts and minds of Australian voters. Plus: who would people most want to have a beer with?
Apr 02, 2025•22 min
As the prime minister hits his highest approval ratings in 18 months, the Guardian Essential poll goes deep into demographics this week. Why do young Australian men support Trump and Dutton more than anyone else? Could Dutton take advantage of this trend? Guardian Australia’s political reporter Josh Butler talks to Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis about the shifting political landscape ahead of a delayed election
Mar 19, 2025•23 min
Has the interest rate cut made any difference to how people intend to vote at the upcoming federal election? Guardian Australia’s political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy and Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis discuss how voters are responding to major political parties’ campaign rhetoric on key issues affecting their lives
Mar 06, 2025•23 min
Guardian Australia’s political reporter Dan Jervis-Bardy and Essential Media’s executive director Peter Lewis discuss the mood of voters and look at the challenges of running a successful election campaign in the era of Trump
Feb 18, 2025•21 min
Guardian Australia political editor Karen Middleton speaks with Cherelle Murphy, chief economist for EY Oceania, about this week’s sluggish national accounts figures and how the government can revive a barely breathing economy
Dec 06, 2024•37 min
Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Essential Media’s executive director, Peter Lewis, discuss the public’s disappointment with Labor’s handling of the housing crisis and what that means for the party in the lead-up to a federal election
Dec 04, 2024•25 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen. They discuss the wins and losses from the recent Cop29 climate conference in Baku, the pace of the transition to renewables and whether Australia needs to brace for blackouts over summer
Nov 29, 2024•42 min
This Monday marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, about battling online misogynists, and stopping the welfare system empowering angry exes
Nov 22, 2024•37 min
Guardian Australia chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Essential Media executive director, Peter Lewis, talk about what Australians think about Donald Trump’s election win
Nov 20, 2024•28 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal housing and homelessness minister, Clare O’Neil. They discuss whether a double dissolution is on the horizon, the role housing will play in the upcoming federal election campaign and how the housing crisis is more than just a problem of economics
Nov 15, 2024•31 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with Arthur Sinodinos AO, former ambassador to the US, chair of the Australia Practice at the Asia Group, as well as a former Liberal senator and adviser to John Howard. They talk about why Americans voted as they did, what the outcome means for Australia’s upcoming election, and how big a threat Donald Trump’s plans are to the Australian economy and security in the region
Nov 08, 2024•44 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with the federal shadow transport and infrastructure minister, Bridget McKenzie. They discuss the prime minister’s upgrades with Qantas, opposition leader Peter Dutton’s free flight care of Gina Rinehart, and whether the parliamentary register of interests needs an overhaul
Nov 01, 2024•40 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, speaks with Bob Brown – environmentalist, social justice campaigner, former senator and leader of the Australian Greens. They talk about the right to protest in a democracy in light of Lidia Thorpe’s recent protest against King Charles during his visit to Parliament House in Canberra, and Bob Brown’s decision to speak out against George W Bush in 2003
Oct 25, 2024•39 min
Guardian Australia political editor Karen Middleton and Essential Media executive director Peter Lewis take a look at the latest Essential poll to see how popular King Charles III is in Australia and what support there is to become a republic
Oct 23, 2024•22 min
After almost a full term as a politician, independent senator David Pocock joins political editor Karen Middleton. They discuss why he thinks Labor’s refusal to bargain with the crossbench is holding back changes that Australians need, if Albanese buying a multi-million dollar house this week is a bad look and what his past as a professional rugby player has taught him about his current job
Oct 18, 2024•37 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with the member for Gwoja Chansey Paech about how Labor lost the law-and-order vote at August’s election, and what the future holds a year on from the voice to parliament referendum
Oct 11, 2024•31 min
Guardian Australia chief political correspondent Paul Karp and Essential Media executive director Peter Lewis take a look at the latest Essential poll to gauge what solutions to cost-of-living pressures Australians want implemented and how they think the government is handling the volatile situation in the Middle East
Oct 09, 2024•26 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with economist and former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank, Guy Debelle. They discuss how the board makes decisions about the economy and the pressure they face in taking all sides into account
Oct 04, 2024•40 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks to Andrew Leigh, assistant minister for competition, charities and Treasury, about the federal government’s draft of a food and grocery code of conduct. They also discuss negative gearing and Labor’s census debacle You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Sep 27, 2024•32 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about Labor’s stalemate on housing, as well as how voters feel about stronger privacy regulations and the proposed social media ban for children
Sep 25, 2024•28 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with former Kamala Harris White House staffer and PhD candidate Cory Alpert about the upcoming US election. Alpert explores some of the complexities of the US electoral system, the ‘October surprise’, and the impact of algorithms on the race to the White House
Sep 20, 2024•42 min
This week the federal opposition suggested that perhaps Qantas should be forced to sell off its low-cost stablemate Jetstar. This followed the recent release of the federal government’s aviation white paper, which includes ideas on how to make flights cheaper, boost competition and hold airlines to account for delays and cancellations. Guardian Australia’s political editor, Karen Middleton, talks with the minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government, Catherin...
Sep 13, 2024•31 min
Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about the public support for Labor’s international student visa caps, and if the politics behind the reform are being driven by the upcoming election
Sep 11, 2024•21 min
Guardian Australia’s political reporter Amy Remeikis speaks with Queensland’s premier, Steven Miles, about the Great Barrier Reef, the housing crisis, youth crime and the upcoming election. You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Sep 06, 2024•32 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with independent economist Saul Eslake about the government’s attempts to deal with inflation and why prices are still so high
Aug 30, 2024•37 min
Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about voters’ opinions of Peter Dutton’s call to stop people fleeing Gaza from entering Australia and whether he is driving division for political gain You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Aug 28, 2024•26 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with New South Wales Liberal senator Andrew Bragg about the Coalition’s plan on housing, and the federal implications of the NSW Liberals’ catastrophic failure to lodge paperwork for the local government elections
Aug 23, 2024•33 min
Guardian Australia’s political editor Karen Middleton speaks with treasurer Jim Chalmers about the governments economic track record, a busy week in parliament, and the nature of the current political debate
Aug 16, 2024•39 min
Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, and Peter Lewis from Essential Media talk about why there is still no appetite for systemic reform to close the gap, who the government listens to, and why trust and faith in government is so low
Aug 14, 2024•26 min