Australian Politics
Guardian Australia's political editor Tom McIlroy and team at Parliament House examine what’s happening in Australian politics and why it matters to you
4 November 2026
29 October 2026

Guardian Essential report: why doesn’t Labor talk about Trump’s role in our economic problems? – Australian Politics podcast
Voters have a lot of negative feedback in this month’s Guardian Essential poll. Political reporter Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media chair Peter Lewis about the problems with Labor’s policy narrative
28 October 2026

Alastair Campbell on Trump, political violence and why populist politics doesn’t work – Australian Politics podcast
Alastair Campbell from The Rest is Politics podcast speaks with political editor Tom McIlroy about a week of consequential elections, the upcoming US midterms and how the UK responded to targeted violence towards its own politicians
22 October 2026

Zoe Daniel on her friend Helen Haines and the alleged attack in Indi – Australian Politics podcast
On Monday, the independent MP for Indi, Helen Haines, was struck by a car in what police allege was a deliberate attack outside her electorate office. The political editor, Tom McIlroy, speaks to Helen Haines’s friend and former parliamentary colleague Zoe Daniel
19 October 2026

Monique Ryan on Labor’s difficult week and Josh Frydenberg’s possible return – Australian Politics podcast
Speaking with the political editor, Tom McIlroy, the independent MP argues that the government is continually on the ‘back foot’. She also responds to speculation that Josh Frydenberg, her former political rival in her seat of Kooyong, is considering a possible return to federal politics
8 October 2026

Why does Australia have a productivity problem? – Australian Politics podcast
The chair of the Productivity Commission, Danielle Wood, speaks with political editor Tom McIlroy about the policy challenges of encouraging AI integration, improving housing affordability and managing the impacts of the climate crisis
1 October 2026
30 September 2026

Guardian Essential report: what do Australians really think about immigration? – Australian Politics podcast
Guardian Australia political reporter Josh Butler speaks with Essential Media chair Peter Lewis about how many votes can be won in the bruising and often incendiary brawl over migration policy
22 September 2026

Jim Chalmers on how Australia’s economy can survive in an uncertain world – Australian Politics podcast
Following the release of the Albanese government’s second intergenerational report this week, treasurer Jim Chalmers speaks with Guardian Australia’s political editor Tom McIlroy and economics editor Patrick Commins about why he’s optimistic that Labor’s policy agenda is preparing the country for an unpredictable future
17 September 2026
10 September 2026

Sarah Hanson-Young on big tech’s ‘attack on democracy’ – Australian Politics podcast
Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks with Greens senator about her priorities for Labor’s digital duty of care legislation, and why her party supported the government’s controversial plans for a new koala national park in NSW
3 September 2026
2 September 2026

Guardian Essential report: does One Nation have a fix for social isolation? – Australian Politics podcast
Political reporter and live blogger Krishani Dhanji speaks with Essential Media chair Peter Lewis about One Nation’s win at the Western Australian byelection and how Pauline Hanson’s party is tapping into low social engagement
27 August 2026

Who actually benefits from new datacentres in Australia? – Australian Politics podcast
Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to the CEO of the Grattan Institute Dr Aruna Sathanapally and economics editor Patrick Commins about this week’s politics and policy debates over new datacentres, WA’s generous GST deal and migration arrival numbers
21 August 2026

David Pocock on the ‘real betrayal’ of Labor’s deal on gambling reforms – Australian Politics podcast
Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to independent senator David Pocock about his criticisms of this week’s deals between Labor and the Coalition – to pass major reforms to online gambling advertising and NDIS spending
13 August 2026

Ask me anything: ‘melon-gate’, One Nation’s media ban and the PM’s ambition – Australian Politics podcast
With federal parliament returning from winter break, Tom McIlroy, Krishani Dhanji, Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales from Guardian Australia’s Canberra bureau answer questions from listeners and readers
8 August 2026
6 August 2026

Can the government really get ahead of the curve on AI? – Australian Politics podcast
The political editor, Tom McIlroy, speaks to the assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy, Andrew Charlton, about this week’s announcement of environmental and energy safeguards on new datacentres in Australia






