Is 2026 the year Albanese’s political honeymoon ends?
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has ended the parliamentary year on a high – passing the long promised nature laws and celebrating a wedding. But inflation is moving in the wrong direction, far-right populist sentiment is on the rise, and gambling and housing reform are continuing to fester. Does Labor have a plan to confront these big social and economic challenges? Political editor Tom McIlroy and chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy join Nour Haydar to discuss what lies ahead for Labor as the sun sets on the 2025 parliamentary year
-------- Â
28:09
--------
28:09
Bringing Indigenous languages back from the brink
More than 250 languages were spoken across Australia before British colonisation. Now only half are still in use as a result of policies that suppressed and prevented First Nations people from speaking their mother tongues. Indigenous affairs reporter Ella Archibald-Binge travels to two communities including her country to hear from elders, teachers and students about efforts to revive native languages and close the education gap
-------- Â
28:26
--------
28:26
Sussan Ley says ‘still up for the job’ of opposition leader
Ever since she was elected opposition leader, Sussan Ley has faced strong criticism from within her party and across the parliament. Some commentators even predicted she’d be out of the job already. But she has made it to the last sitting week of parliament for the year. On the other side of the aisle, the Albanese government managed to meet their own deadline to legislate changes to outdated nature laws – by settling on a deal with the Greens. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Ley about her disappointment over the long-awaited reforms, Barnaby Joyce resigning from the Nationals and why she thinks ‘it’s never been about me’
-------- Â
25:31
--------
25:31
Maga moms, Trump babies and Erika Kirk: Republicans woo women in run-up to midterms
Erika Kirk – the widow of Charlie Kirk, the rightwing activist killed in Utah in September – has indicated she would be willing to support JD Vance in a 2028 presidential bid. Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, invites senior Republicans on to her podcast for discussions with conservative women. And the Trump administration is developing baby-boom policies it hopes will help gain the backing of women in the midterm elections. Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi about the Republican drive to win over women
This week, senator Pauline Hanson donned a burqa in parliament and refused to remove it, attracting significant attention. Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, the head of newsroom, Mike Ticher, and the national news editor, Josephine Tovey, about political stunts and how the media should cover them.
Guardian Australia's daily news podcast. Every weekday, join Guardian journalists for a deeper understanding of the news in Australia and beyond. You can support The Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport
Ireland