Cut Through

Episodi

• Teal, Orange, Green: Who’s holding Labor to account? 02.07.2026 34min

  There was a flurry of activity in parliament as politicians tried to make the last sitting fortnight before the winter break really count. So it’s the perfect time to bring Cut Through back from our mid-year break – re-energised and ready to call it as we see it! Crikey’s politics writer Rachel Withers joins readers’ editor Crystal Andrews and reporter-at-large Charlie Lewis to discuss the highs and the lows, from the announcement of Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender’s new party “Community Strong Australia”, to the Greens’ role as policy gatekeepers, and why Barnaby Joyce is clearly not helping One Nation MP David Farley learn the ropes. Plus, where does Nuclear for Australia get its cash from… and is Bridget McKenzie up to something?Read the transcript here, watch or listen to the episode above.Have a tip for us or want to ask a question? Send an email to letters@crikey.com.au or contact us using the secure methods detailed here: https://www.crikey.com.au/tip-off-crikey/ Read more:Does Steggall and Spender’s new party go against the independent movement — or strengthen it? by Tina QuinnWhat Liberal-types like Jason Falinski get wrong about the ‘teals’Labor is playing a dangerous game on gambling reformTax reform has winners and losers. Business makes an ugly loserOne Nation now has to hold itself together — and grow by Leonardo PuglisiTip on Nuclear for Australia’s merch salesWhat is Bridget McKenzie up to?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.
• 2026 federal budget: does anyone care about broken promises? 14.05.2026 36min

  The 2026 federal budget was one of the more “memorable” in recent history. Despite the vast majority of measures having already been aired in the media weeks prior, Jim Chalmers kept one major reveal for budget night: a three-part tax reform, winding back the favourable settings of capital gains tax, negative gearing and private trusts.The mainstream media has been bleating about “broken promises”, but do voters actually care if the government changes its mind in pursuit of better policy? Politics editor Bernard Keane and readers’ editor Crystal Andrews discuss what they liked in the budget, what was disappointing and the missed opportunity of the gas export tax. Plus, does Angus Taylor have any hope of improving the Coalition’s fortunes with his budget reply speech? 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.
• Farrer by-election: A One Nation vs independent showdown 06.05.2026 28min

  There are just three days until the Farrer by-election and – for the first time ever – it looks like voters won’t be electing a National or Liberal MP to represent them in Sussan Ley’s old seat.. Instead, the frustration with establishment politics has seen independent Michelle Milthorpe and One Nation’s David Farly emerge as the frontrunners in a fierce and unpredictable campaignTo help you follow the final days of the by-election campaign, Crikey politics reporter Anton Nilsson and Region Riverina editor Oliver Jacques join this special early episode of the podcast. We discuss the water policy problems that all candidates agree is a top priority for the region, the collapse of the Coalition’s reputation in regional Australia, and how public scrutiny over big donations from the likes of Gina Rinehart has impacted the campaign.Plus, Nilsson and Jacques give their prediction for who will claim Farrer on Saturday.Read more:How One Nation is riding a wave of anger over water towards a federal breakthrough‘You can only sell so many stubby holders’: We asked the Farrer frontrunners about the role of big money in politicsJust how ‘teal’ is independent Farrer candidate Michelle Milthorpe?In the seat of Farrer, candidates are united by their concern for water, and disdain for LaborThe Coalition’s pitch to Farrer voters: only we can topple a Labor government. But can they?Richard Hendrie wants to stop the ‘right-wing slogfest’ in FarrerFarrer could start the duopoly’s downfall — and blare a klaxon horn for the Liberals 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.
• Grace Tame: The NDIS overhaul is a missed opportunity 30.04.2026 27min

  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.
• Is “free speech” an Australian value? 23.04.2026 37min

  Is “free speech” an Australian value? We examine the latest developments concerning two state laws attempting to restrict political expression, and how the people are pushing back.First, the verdict is in on the protest-restricting laws introduced by the Minns government ahead of the divisive visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog: the changes are unconstitutional. Grata Fund founder Isabelle Reinecke explains what this means for the protesters who were arrested under laws that have now been overturned. Next, Queensland’s new hate speech laws criminalising the phrase “from the river to the sea” have been challenged by protesters impersonating… John Farnham. Comedian and Crikey columnist Sami Shah joins the podcast to discuss why banning speech never works. Catch up on our previous episode about the NSW protest laws here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TijjR1SJeFsRead more:Chris Minns is a constitutional vandal. He must apologise for NSW protest laws or resignA view from the ground: As police argued with MPs, Sydney’s protest against Isaac Herzog descended into chaosTry to understand it: John Farnham’s ‘river to the sea’ and Queensland’s war on words by Sami ShahRed flags and ‘the six-word phrase’: Queensland protest arrests are part of an Australian history of crushing dissentOne critical word is missing in Australia’s push to criminalise pro-Palestine phrasesHow Australia became a police stateSign 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.
• Why experts suspect insider trading in the White House 16.04.2026 29min

  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.
• Australia’s gambling ad ban is here 09.04.2026 34min

  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a surprise announcement before the Easter long weekend – the government’s long-awaited proposal for gambling advertising reform was finally ready and intended to come into effect from January 1, 2027. So, where will gambling ads be banned, and how?Crikey media reporter Daanyal Saeed joins the podcast to unpack the proposed gambling ad reforms, including three big recommendations from the Peta Murphy report that the government has ignored, and how “vested interests” from gambling companies, sporting codes and mainstream media broadcasters have slowed down the process. At the end of the day, a proposed bill will not pass without the support of non-Labor senators. Who will they negotiate with to get it through?Read more:‘Really disappointed’, ‘betrayal’, ‘bare minimum’: The reaction to Albanese’s long-awaited gambling advertising reforms‘It’s fucked … most people know that’: Sports podcasters speak out over gambling ad influenceHas Albanese done anything at all on sports betting ads?Here’s how much gambling money is worth to Crikey, and why we won’t take it‘Lost in the product’: How the gambling industry creates problem gamblersThe gambling ad ban isn’t about gambling. It’s about the future of the mediaWhat the media earns from gambling — and what it costs the rest of 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.
• Left-Right politics in Australia is dead 02.04.2026 49min

  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.
• Do we actually need to panic about fuel? 26.03.2026 32min

  It’s been one month since the US began its war on Iran, which means one month that the critical oil passageway the Strait of Hormuz has been closed. As a result, the price of crude oil has shot up, taking the price of fuel with it. At petrol stations across Australia diesel is more than $3 per litre, with unleaded creeping up to $2.50 in metro areas and well beyond that in regional areas.Economics correspondent Jason Murphy joins the podcast to answer some crucial questions: is the rising cost due to price gouging? What can the government do to keep the price of essentials, like groceries, from spiralling out of control? And is Australia actually at risk of running out of fuel altogether?Read more:Do we actually need to panic about fuel?With petrol prices rising, so is Australia’s interest in EVs. We should strike while the iron is hotThe Iran War is costing a lot more than higher petrol pricesPainful as it is, the rate rise was the easy part. Trump has turned economic policy into a lotterySign 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.
• Rick Morton unpacks the NACC robodebt report 19.03.2026 36min

  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.
• Does power always corrupt in Australian politics? 12.03.2026 33min

  Can “good people” make change in Australia’s political system, or will power always corrupt? That’s the question that Jo Tarnawsky — former diplomat and chief of staff to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles — is answering with her series exploring how power protects itself.Tarnawsky joins the podcast to discuss what it’s like to be “in the room” when big decisions are made, how power is maintained by either weaponising or rewarding silence with gag orders, NDAs and party rules, and the biggest obstacles faced by independent voices attempting to challenge the major parties. Plus, in light of the robodebt corruption report, how do institutions like the National Anti-Corruption Commission hold us back from good governance? Read more:Swimming with narcissists: What power looks like up closeWhy good people leave politics — and what it costs usSetting the standard? Parliament still doesn’t take workplace harm seriouslyPower and silence: The strategy of saying nothingLabor MPs quietly alarmed by Albanese government’s response to US-Israel strikes on IranNACC’s robodebt investigation conjures offensive and stupid excuses for letting Scott Morrison offSign 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.
• An Iranian perspective on the US-Israel attack 05.03.2026 26min

  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.
• A political primer on the South Australia election 26.02.2026 27min

  Campaigning has officially begun for the South Australia state election set for March 21. Peter Malinauskas’ already-dominant Labor government will be returned and increase their representation – the only question is how many more seats will they win?Jo Dyer joins the podcast to give the political background to the election, including how the SA Liberals collapse differs from the federal Libs, and why they’ll be fighting off One Nation for their existing lower house seats. Plus, Dyer gives her hot tip for two independent challengers to watch. Read more:Malinauskas faces a landslide win in SA. But cracks are appearing in his ‘good-time agenda’The Liberals face a drubbing at South Australia’s election next month. But what of One Nation?A South Australian Handmaid’s Tale: Inside the room where a Trumpian abortion bill was narrowly defeatedSouth Australia is now the battleground for the forced-birth movementSign 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.
• Meet Big Brother: Palantir’s Australian expansion 19.02.2026 34min

  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.
• What Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit tells us about “social cohesion” 12.02.2026 32min

  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continued to maintain this week that Israeli President Isaac Herzog was formally invited to Australia by the federal government to help foster “a greater sense of unity” and as a comfort to the Jewish community, still reeling from the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. But it was clear from the outset that there was also real anger from people — including Jewish people — over the government hosting an individual cited by the UN Commission as "directly and publicly incited the commission of genocide in contravention of Article III(c) of the Genocide Convention". Nationwide protests against Herzog’s presence kicked off in Sydney, with violent clashes between police and protesters making global headlines.Crikey’s legal correspondent Michael Bradley joins the podcast to explain whether hosting Herzog is a breach of international law, why the Sydney protest was not “illegal”, and how instances of alleged police brutality connect to the special powers granted to NSW Police. If the Albanese government’s goal is to calm public tensions — as he keeps insisting — did Herzog’s visit help or hurt? Read more:A view from the ground: As police argued with MPs, Sydney’s protest against Isaac Herzog descended into chaosNothing says cohesion like a punch in the head: Violence of Minns’ goons exposes the lie of ‘social cohesion’Why people are protesting Israel’s head of state visiting Australia next weekSign 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.
• Australia in the Epstein files 05.02.2026 28min

  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.
• BONUS: Are we too mean to One Nation supporters? 04.02.2026 29min

  Bonus episode: Our previous episode scrutinising One Nation’s surge upset made many of the party’s supporters. They took issue with describing what the data says about the archetypal One Nation voter: they tend to be older, live in regional Australia, and have lower levels of education and income.Crystal Andrews and Bernard Keane return to debate whether it’s patronising to describe voters this way, or just stating the facts? And how can you discuss a political movement’s influence on Australia, if you can’t talk about who they are?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.
• How seriously should we be taking One Nation? 29.01.2026 36min

  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.
• Australia’s National AI Plan: What you need to know 04.12.2025 29min

  The government has unveiled its National AI Plan, laying out a roadmap to scale up AI infrastructure and adoption that Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres claims will help “create a fairer, stronger Australia where every person benefits from this technological change”.But the plan did not include the mandatory guardrails that many expected would serve as proactive regulations for tech companies.Professor Kimberlee Weatherall, co-director of the Centre for AI, Trust and Governance at Sydney University, joins the podcast to explain the government’s AI strategy, what’s missing from the plan and how Australia measures up against other countries when it comes to AI policymaking.Weatherall’s book recommendations:The Shortest History of AI by Toby Walsh and any from this list by London School of Economics and Political ScienceRead more:Australia’s national AI plan has just been released. Who exactly will benefit?Labor goes hands-off in productivity-focused national AI planCan wise heads fix the hard problem of AI policy?How Australia’s national security chief used AI to write speeches and ‘personnel communications’How data centres are killing Australia’s climate progress How AI is reshaping religion and mental healthSign 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.
• Parliamentary year in review: who won big, and what comes next 27.11.2025 39min

  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.