Cut Through

Health Minister Mark Butler’s “major overhaul” of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will reduce the total cost of the scheme by $15 billion over the next four years. The majority of the savings will come from the 160,000 people who will be kicked off the scheme – a brutal decision given that the NDIS only supports a fraction of the 2 million Australians with a severe disability.The justification for these cuts is the “social licence” that even supporters of the NDIS believe it has suffered from reports of provider rorting and criminal abuse of the system. So why has Butler’s overhaul focused on reducing participant numbers, rather than scrutinising the business-side waste within the scheme?Grace Tame joins the podcast to challenge the corporate media spin that has made disabled people the scapegoats for what she believes is a poorly designed system. Read more:Slashing $15bn from NDIS while giving $53bn to Defence. Anyone’s autistic pattern recognition radar wailing? I’m an NDIS insider. Forget rogue providers — conflict of interest is built into the auditing systemNDIS headlines are turning autistic people into the new dole bludgersBelting the disabled, protecting fossil fuel giants: That creaking sound is Albanese’s project under severe stressGillard’s NDIS vision was a promise she couldn’t keepSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If it walks, talks and quacks like a duck… is it insider trading? Journalist Lachlan Keller joins the podcast to explain the suspicious pattern of behaviour that has lead experts and analysts to believe people within the Trump administration are using insider trading to make huge, lucrative bets on global news events.We discuss the major oil commodities trades made just hours before Trump announced the US-Iran ceasefire, how prediction market platforms like Polymarket could be influencing the behaviour of White House staffers, and why the $TRUMP meme coin is the perfect case study for how the Trump family profiteers off his presidency.Read more:$1.4bn was bet on oil falling mere hours before Trump’s Iran ceasefire. It follows a pattern of suspected insider tradingHas $TRUMP pulled off the world’s most brazen crypto scam?Australia urgently needs a debate about the damage the US is doing to usSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally labels for a person’s economic perspective, “left” and “right” have been transformed into social markers that are not only wielded as weapons in political discourse, but actually tell us very little about how someone will vote. In fact, most Australians prefer to call themselves “centrist” regardless of their beliefs. So does the left-right political spectrum still apply to Australian politics in 2026?That’s the question debated in today’s episode by Crikey politics editor Bernard Keane and RedBridge Senior Insights Adviser Alex Fein. We cover the generational divides, economic transformation and total erosion of trust that has almost all voters, from orange to blue to red, united against the “ruling class”.So, what’s the alternative? And does it even matter? N.B.: The quote at 44:36 is by Nobel Prize winning economist Robert Lucas.Read more:Are ‘left’ and ‘right’ useful anymore or do we need a new political alignment?Left and right, forward and back, in and out: labels for a new political worldThe Political CompassAlex Fein: Polarisation is a MythSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 10 years, more than 470,000 wrongly-issued debts, six separate investigations and $2.4 billion in compensation to victims, the National Anti-Corruption Commission handed down its final report into the unlawful debt recovery scheme known as robodebt. Two public servants were found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct, but will not face criminal investigation. The other four individuals – including Scott Morrison – were cleared.The reaction from victims, their families and the advocates campaigning for accountability was one of disappointment and frustration. Rick Morton, the journalist who has followed robodebt most closely, says he was “shocked, but not surprised" by the NACC report. Morton joins the podcast to unpack the NACC’s robodebt report, what the saga reveals about the public service, and why covering this story has changed him forever. Read more:The NACC robodebt report: A heartbreaking work of staggering incompetenceNACC’s robodebt investigation conjures offensive and stupid excuses for letting Scott Morrison offNot ‘newsworthy’: Why the NACC decided not to update the media for 63 daysDoes the NACC have any hope of regaining public trust?Exclusive: Robodebt architect remains employed in a senior governance role in the public serviceSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On February 28 the US and Israel launched an unprovoked missile strike on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several Islamic Republic officials and sparking further strikes across the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, the pivotal oil shipping route, is closed. Washington’s claim of attacking to provoke “regime change” in Iran is dubious at best.But the Iranian people have been largely left out of the geopolitical discourse. Just last month, huge revolutionary protests saw the regime massacre up to 40,000 people. So when the Iranian diaspora shared their mixed feelings about this week’s strikes, why were they shouted down as “US propaganda agents”?Writer and doctor Hessom Razavi joins the podcast to give his take on the complicated feelings of many Iranians, his own family’s story of persecution in Iran, and explain why calls for adherence to the “rules-based order” are meaningless right now.Read more:US intervention in Iran is not benevolent. But Iranians do not have the privilege of choiceI’m an Iranian doctor in Australia. The eyewitness accounts sent to me of medical brutality in Iran are chillingAs in Iraq, America wants regime change in Iran. It’s a smokescreen for US hegemonyIf you can’t get online in Iran, do you still count as human?The Art of War, with Donald TrumpSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Palantir is in the business of data and surveillance. It is run by key members of the “tech right”, builds the technology that has powered violent and illegal ICE raids in the US, and is accused of providing the AI-assisted autonomous weapons the Israeli military deployed on Palestinians in Gaza.So why does the Australian Future Fund hold a $100 million stake in Palantir? And how has the company secured multimillion-dollar contracts and top security clearance from government departments and agencies?Associate editor Cam Wilson joins the podcast to unpack his reporting on the growing Australian footprint of “the world’s most controversial SaaS company”.Read more:Revealed: Australia’s $100 million investment in controversial tech giant PalantirDefence signs biggest ever contract with Palantir for department’s ‘Cyber Warfare Division’‘Effectively passive’: Future Fund says it didn’t choose to buy its $100m Palantir stakeFrom ICE to Coles: Controversial US tech company Palantir’s links to Australia spark backlashAs top AUKUS official joins Palantir, ethics watchdog warns of lobbying ‘risks’Why do right-wing figures name their companies after Lord of the Rings?Sign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest drop of Epstein files totalled a whopping 3.5 million documents. Buried within it were remnants of conversations Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile and sex trafficker, had about Australian politics — and attempts to destabilise democratic elections made by people in his orbit.Crystal Andrews and reporter-at-large Charlie Lewis discuss why Kevin Rudd and Clive Palmer appear in the Epstein files alongside the likes of Steve Bannon and Peter Mandelson; and why no one should be surprised about the intersection of the abuse of women and girls and the spreading of toxic politics worldwide.Read more:The Epstein files show that Australia, like many nations, is at the mercy of men like himHere's how Epstein broke the internetEpstein, Mandelson, and the conspiracy theories that turn out to be trueSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One Nation’s surge in the polls can no longer be denied, now neck-and-neck with the Liberal party at around 20% of the primary voting intention. Combined with a tense social environment and a high-profile joiner in Barnaby Joyce, is “Opposition Leader Pauline Hanson” a real possibility?Party supporters and detractors say the polls are a sign we must take the party seriously. So politics editor Bernard Keane and reporter Anton Nilsson join the podcast to do exactly that — scrutinise One Nation’s policies and prospects.We discuss the strong and weak points of the policy platform, if One Nation can expand its appeal to a broader voting base, and whether there’s any chance of survival post-Pauline.Read more:One Nation is on a roll. So what are the party’s actual policies?No, One Nation isn’t leading the Coalition. The real story is how Albo is undermining the major parties|We went to Pauline Hanson’s cancelled-then-uncancelled propaganda movie premiere so you don’t have to The media’s ongoing amnesia regarding Pauline HansonWhat’s going on with Gen X men and One Nation? I’m sick of being told to feel sorry for themSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A big year in politics and policy ended with a bang — Labor and the Greens worked out a deal to pass the long overdue reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. What have we learned about how the 48th Parliament does the work of legislating?Politics editor Bernard and political columnist Rachel Withers join the podcast to conduct a “Parliamentary Year in Review”. We scrutinise the policy proposals that made the biggest impact for better or for worse and examine the senate dynamics between Labor, the Greens and the independents. Plus, who gave the standout performances in parliament this year? The answers are not what you’d expect…Nominations for Arsehat of the Year: https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/11/25/arsehat-of-the-year-nominations-crikey-2025/ Nominations for Shitstirrer of the Year: https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/11/27/crikey-shitstirrer-of-the-year-nominations-2025/ Read more:The Greens, Labor, and the environment all scored a win today — it’s a lesson in how politics *should* workBehind Labor’s Big Lie about FOISign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So the Coalition has (again) decided to ditch net zero. How much should you care? Very little, according to Crikey climate contributor Ketan Joshi. Far more pressing is the state of climate, environment and energy policy-making by the Labor government — which could pass world-leading legislations with the help of a supportive Senate, but is instead pursuing its own form of climate denialism. Joshi joins the podcast to explain which policies and amendments could change the game for Australia, spill some gossip about the bid to host COP31, and shares how he remains committed to optimism even as the fossil fuel disinformation machine tries to kill hope.Read more:Forget the Coalition, Labor has already abandoned net zero in all but name (and its excuses are absurd)Net zero opponents: Sneering elites who want higher taxes, higher prices and bigger government ‘Pragmatism’ and positivity — two bad ideas helping Queensland’s deadly coal plan How I was targeted and intimidated by information arsonists What Donald Trump taught me about renewable energy The media has given up on climate change. Here’s why the rest of us can’tSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On November 11, 1975, Governor General John Kerr dismissed Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam — creating the biggest scandal in modern Australian history.The dismissal offered plenty of lessons for the nation about political secrecy, the manipulation of democratic rules, how power hungry figureheads can override public will, and Australia’s ultimate deference to the British monarchy. How many have been learned?Professor Jenny Hocking joins the podcast to explain why the political weaknesses exposed by the Dismissal still exist, 50 years later. Plus, does she think the CIA had anything to do with it?Read more:Whitlam dismissal secrets unearthed from the archives of the Canadian governor-generalThe Palace Letters: How one woman’s tenacity exposed an elite boys’ clubThe Palace Letters remind us of the real issue: our democracy is flawedIt's been 50 years since Whitlam, yet the constitution remains unrectifiedSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What counts as ‘lobbying’? That’s the central question at the core of the Australian Parliament Sports Club saga, the company organising social sport at Parliament House — paid for by sponsors, who in turn get to play alongside politicians and political staffers, building vital relationships during sitting weeks. According to the government’s definition, the Club is not a lobbying organisation and has been removed from the lobbyists register. CEO of the Club Andy Turnbull provided Crikey with a lengthy statement defending his operation… after kicking out former Wallabies captain and Senator David Pocock for questioning the legitimacy of the Club at senate estimates. So does it pass the pub test? Crikey’s media reporter Daanyal Saeed joins the podcast to unpack the Parliament Sports Club lobbying saga, from beginning to end.Read more:Australian Parliament Sports Club de-registered as lobby group amid MP outrage (including Andy Turnbull’s full statement to Crikey)The gambling lobby has infiltrated social sports at Parliament HouseGambling not as serious as cigarettes, PM’s adviser tells reform advocatesOn gambling, Australia is a collection of banana republics — while our cowering government watches onSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Blair wants to give Larry Ellison the full NHS data set, to “power AI”. Donald Trump is making trade and tariff threats on behalf of American tech billionaires. And when Mark Zuckerberg wanted changes made to Australian policies, he just called then treasurer Josh Frydenberg direct. Big tech is now inextricable from politics. How did it happen? Crikey's politics reporter Anton Nilsson joins the podcast to discuss his part in the global investigation uncovering exactly how big tech shapes legislation, litigates against governments, and deploys its influence to avoid regulation.Read more:Tony Blair is a tech evangelist with a lot of power. Insiders are worriedRead the draft of Tony Blair’s plan for Gaza, in full‘Australia’s example has spread’: Inside big tech’s global playbook to stop news media bargaining codesInside the US lobby group banking on the $6.7 trillion future of data centresHere’s 20 questions for Google that remain unansweredRead the full Big Tech’s Invisible Hand seriesSign up to Crikey’s free newsletter: https://bit.ly/crikey-newsletterCrikey’s independent journalism is supported by readers — 98% of our revenue comes from our subscribers. We’re not accountable to billionaires; we’re accountable to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.