Australian Politics

For the first time in her 30-year political career, Pauline Hanson fronted the National Press Club this week. It was a blistering address, and a combative question-and-answer round with journalists – with Hanson attacking multiculturalism, the climate crisis, transgender rights, Indigenous policy, paid parental leave and the two public broadcasters. Longtime journalist Margo Kingston knows Hanson better than most – having covered the One Nation leader since her first rise to prominence in 1996, and also written a book about her 1998 election campaign. Kingston speaks to Guardian Australia political editor, Tom McIlroy, about why she thinks Hanson’s incendiary speech is the beginning of her federal campaign

With the US and Israel’s war on Iran continuing to send waves of disruption around the world, Guardian Australia political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to two guests about the impact of the conflict on Australia. Jennifer Parker, a defence and national security expert who has served three times in the Middle East with the Australian navy, talks about the US strategy for the conflict and what the chokepoint in the strait of Hormuz means for Australia’s economic and defence stability. Phillip Coorey, the political editor of the Australian Financial Review, discusses the political challenge for Labor – as Jim Chalmers responds to this week’s rate hike by the Reserve Bank, while also managing predictions of economic shocks caused by the war

The economist, author and politician Yanis Varoufakis speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about his blunt assessment about the ability of the global economic system to address the biggest challenges of the 21st century. They also discuss Europe’s failures in Russia’s war on Ukraine, the candid admissions of Donald Trump on the reality of climate change and how AI has changed the relationship between individuals and capital. Speaking from Athens before his national tour with the Australia Institute this week, the former finance minister for Greece also speaks about his recent charge for the alleged promotion of recreational drugs and why he thinks this was politically motivated

Since October, the Guardian Essential poll has been following the rise in support for One Nation but this month’s results might also ring alarm bells for Labor. This is because nearly half of Labor voters said they would be open to voting for One Nation at the next federal election. Political reporter and chief of staff Josh Butler and Essential Media executive director Peter Lewis discuss why One Nation’s surge is more than just a ‘noisy’ protest about the Coalition, and why Pauline Hanson’s party is attracting voters across the political spectrum

In his first comments after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Anthony Albanese says that the ex-prince has had an extraordinary fall from grace. And while the prime minister is a firm republican, this disgrace will not prompt another referendum. Speaking with Guardian Australia’s political editor Tom McIlroy, the PM hits back at Pauline Hanson’s comments about Muslim Australians. He also discusses what would happen if the 34 wives and children of Australian Islamic State fighters stuck in Syria made their back to Australia