Karen Middleton

Almost a year after the Taliban seized Kabul, Afghans who worked for Australia are being told to cross the border into Pakistan, some without documentation, without their families and at great risk.

Labor had the chance to achieve reforms to aged care before the election but opted to wait and claim credit for the changes once in government.

A draft of Anthony Albanese’s Garma speech reveals he hopes to legislate the Voice by adding three lines to the constitution but will not require that the parliament consult it.

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper Karen Middleton on the one of the biggest projects Australia is undertaking.

In an interview on his return from Washington, Defence Minister Richard Marles details how non-proliferation is an essential condition of the trilateral agreement on nuclear-powered submarines.

Scientists hope the belated listing of fires as a threat to forest species can stop the destructive use of hazard-reduction burning.

In one of his last acts as prime minister, Scott Morrison amended the ministerial standards to finally deal with sexual assault and harassment.

Days before the federal election, the Morrison government sent an unexpected letter to the Nadesalingam family, threatening to bar any further bridging visas.

In the run-up to the election, Anthony Albanese pledged to bring Australians together again. Now, as prime minister, he must deliver on his promise.

Karen Middleton on Peter Dutton’s decisions as Defence Minister and what they tell us about his approach to change.

In assembling Labor’s first government cabinet for almost a decade, Anthony Albanese has struck a careful balance of factions, geography, merit and loyalty.

As Peter Dutton addresses his decision to boycott the apology, it can be revealed  he shut down reconciliation initiatives while serving as Defence minister.

The timing of a report that an asylum-seeker boat had been intercepted on its way to Australia has led to claims of manipulation and concerns over the Coalition’s links to the Sri Lankan government.

Anthony Albanese’s first phone calls as prime minister reveal a man keen to rebuild the parliament and implement an ambitious agenda.

As votes are still being counted in an election that has reshaped the political map. What do the results mean for the future of Australian politics?

Today — we go inside the Labor party at the moment it won victory.

With several wildcards expected, the senate’s next crossbench will be instrumental for whoever forms government.

New details show how the Morrison government attempted to remove the chair of the National Australia Day Council.

In the final week of the campaign, Scott Morrison is relentlessly on message. He is focused on housing and older voters, following a playbook almost identical to the one he used in 2019.

It’s all come down to this. On Saturday night, Australia will decide it’s next government and next Prime Minister.

Karen Middleton takes us inside the whirlwind final days of the campaign trail.

New documents show four federal ministers overruled advice from their departments to award grants – largely in key Coalition seats.

In an exclusive interview with his biographer, Anthony Albanese details how years of strategic planning inform his long game: winning not just this election but the next one as well.

With just one week to go until election day, the debate over the minimum wage has taken the spotlight. And, the polls are showing some Coalition strongholds are at risk of falling.

As majority government looks further out of reach for the Coalition, internal polling suggests prominent Liberals will lose their seats.

As we close in on election day, housing affordability has become a central issue of this campaign. People’s mortgages are going up and it could put upward pressure on rents. So, how are cost of living pressures factoring into the decision voters will make in just two weeks time?

The election race is reset as Labor leader Anthony Albanese rejoins the fray, with both sides working to sharpen their focus on key demographics and messages.

A review of Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan questions whether soldiers’ deaths helped strategic outcomes and calls for ongoing royal commission-like powers to prevent misconduct.

Today, Anthony Albanese is set to end his isolation and return to the campaign trail after he tested positive for Covid-19 last week. As he returns to campaigning in-person, the cost of living has become an even more pressing election issue and a deal between China and The Solomon Islands has opened up a surprising avenue of attack on the Coalition.

After a week dominated by the anti-trans views of Scott Morrison’s candidate for Warringah, it has emerged his proxies misled moderates about the captain’s pick.

After a messy first week, it’s increasingly clear that the election campaign will be about the authenticity of the leaders.

As a former government staffer moves to settle a $500,000 complaint over mistreatment, new details emerge of sexual harassment she allegedly suffered from another Liberal MP.

With an election called, Labor leader Anthony Albanese has six weeks to convince Australia he would make a better prime minister than Scott Morrison. The challenge is to avoid the mistakes of the last Labor election campaign, but as a small target, can he still be inspiring enough to win over voters?

Before being rolled by Scott Morrison for preselection in the safe seat of Cook, Michael Towke was made a clandestine operative for the Liberal right, with Alex Hawke acting as his ‘handler’.

Fifteen years after winning the safe seat of Cook, the true story of Scott Morrison’s ugly preselection fight can now be revealed. For the first time, statutory declarations show how Morrison allegedly used race and religion to undermine a rival.

After 15 years without answers, a series of statutory declarations finally reveals how race and allegations of  ‘criminal’ activities were used in Scott Morrison’s controversial preselection.

A series of tests led to an unexpected cancer diagnosis and a summer reflecting on life, luck and the diligence of two doctors.

As the Supreme Court is called on to settle preselection fights ahead of  the election, Scott Morrison is attempting to hold together the Liberal Party.

Faith groups met with Alex Hawke this week to push for a commitment on accepting Afghan refugees.

Key Liberal figures are pressing the case for Josh Frydenberg in a leadership ballot, worried by the prospect of Peter Dutton replacing Scott Morrison.

Scott Morrison intended to leave his abuse apology to the presiding officers, as he warned colleagues ‘if you take my legs out … you will suffer’.

Today, chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Karen Middleton on the power struggle within the Liberal Party that is threatening their re-election chances.

As a deal over Liberal preselections falls apart, there is a suggestion Alex Hawke is trying to engineer a crisis and force a federal takeover of the NSW division.

Pre-election advertising and strategy show both sides believe the campaign will be fought on the issue of  character.

A cascade of curious shortages – from pallets to shipping containers to urea used in fuel – is complicating the government’s positive economic outlook.

Spending on ads attacking Labor over Israel outstrips almost all other Liberal spots so far.

John Alexander wants the attorney-general to build a new cross-party integrity commission, worried the issue will ‘end up like climate change’.

Karen Middleton on what the Jenkins Report tells us about Australia’s political culture, and why it’s taking so long to change.

As Barnaby Joyce warned his colleagues against getting caught when drunk in public, it has emerged Scott Morrison removed references to respect from the ministerial code of conduct.

Karen Middleton on what the religious discrimination bill actually entails, and why Scott Morrison is so desperate to pass it.

The Morrison government’s religious discrimination bill is being rushed into parliament ahead of the election, although it fails to clarify key aspects of discrimination, including the treatment of queer school students.

Key military and diplomatic figures have admitted that Afghanistan could again become a hub for terrorist activity.

As the Coalition and Labor assess which seats they may win or lose at the election, character is becoming the central plank of the campaign.

Australia will let emergency visas expire for those still in Afghanistan, as it emerges the US was consulted on evacuation a month before Kabul’s ‘unexpected’ fall.

Just like its pavilion at the Glasgow climate summit, Australia is awkwardly wedged between the two realities emerging at COP26.

As Scott Morrison moves to an election footing, he is basing his strategy around trust – hoping to relate it to economics rather than honesty.

The Coalition’s commitment to net zero does not come with new laws, but the nature of the agreement embeds the target in at least two pieces of legislation.

The Australian government’s emergency 449 visas are set to expire, as another ex-ADF interpreter has been reported dead.

As Christian Porter is protected in the house of representatives, details have emerged of Alex Hawke’s attempt to wedge Labor on immigration.

Karen Middleton on what the inquiry is actually about, and what the consequences might be for the Labor party both in Victoria and federally.

As federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne is embroiled in Victoria’s branch-stacking probe, the party is watching to see who else may be called to testify in front of the commission.

The Nationals meet on Sunday to decide their climate change policy, although some members worry Barnaby Joyce has already done a deal with Scott Morrison.

Amanda Stoker, assistant minister to the attorney-general, has raised new questions about whether a federal integrity commission would cover Christian Porter’s blind trust.

Hours before cancelling a $90 billion contract for French submarines, Australia was still telling the company to proceed with design – but the plan to renege had been in the works since 2019.

Over the past few weeks an internal brawl over who will represent the Labor party in the western Sydney seat of Fowler at the next federal election has been playing out in public. The move to parachute in a high profile Labor frontbencher, who doesn’t live in the seat, has exposed the rifts and rivalries within the party.

An evacuation flight was delayed for 45 minutes by the prime minister, hours before the airport was bombed.

Hidden behind the ugly preselection fight in the seat of Fowler is a factional battle over the Labor Party’s future leadership.

The anniversary of 9/11 this week, along with the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, has seen politicians, military leaders and the public reflect on the past two decades.

“After the September 11 attacks, America was a nation bent on revenge. What is less understandable is why, in its planning for a war that lasted two decades, there was no reflection on anything but that. Now the same absence of reflection looks like prevailing …”

Reports from the ground show people with valid visas were forced back at the airport, amid allegations of a politicised process for claims.

While the government pivots to upbeat messaging and the AMA calls for greater honesty around reopening, the Doherty Institute modelling shows that lockdowns may continue, even at high vaccination rates.

What went wrong with Australia’s withdrawal plan and what it means for those trapped in Afghanistan.

As sources describe the ‘chaos’ of Australia’s evacuation from Afghanistan, months of military intelligence failed to forecast the timing or nature of Kabul’s collapse.

After twenty years of war, invasion and occupation, US and Australian defence personnel have finally withdrawn, ending one of the longest military engagements in modern history. The Taliban swept the country, seizing the capital, Kabul, and retaking control.

As the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan, people connected to the West and trapped in the country describe scenes of fear and violent retribution.

The government’s new security powers have been harshly criticised for overreach and the vagueness of their drafting.

A scathing rebuke in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal could have far-reaching consequences for Scott Morrison’s secret committees.

New documents show how the government came to pay 10 times the market value for the Leppington Triangle in Western Sydney.

As Labor tries to capture the debate over vaccine incentives, the Morrison government has been working on a possible lottery.

A September bottleneck is looming for Covid-19 vaccinations, as another at-risk group is revealed as having been essentially forgotten in the rollout plan.

As more details emerge about the government’s car park fund, a former departmental officer describes it as ‘a rort’.

The government’s appointment of a three-star general to head the vaccine rollout is part of a larger trend that risks politicising the Defence Force.

Throughout this pandemic one group in particular have been at the forefront of key policy debates: young people. But as we’ve learnt more about the virus, a new fault-line has emerged: the question of how and when to vaccinate young people.

Childhood vaccination has still not been put on the agenda of national cabinet, but it is the next big focus of the pandemic.

EXCLUSIVE: For 20 years, Australia has listed terrorists whose assets can be frozen – although it appears to have done so unlawfully. The error was discovered as the scheme was being expanded to cover cyber attacks.

A scathing new report has found that in the lead-up to the last election the federal government spent more than half a billion dollars on infrastructure projects heavily targeted to seats held by the Coalition, or seats they were trying to win.

Following Scott Morrison’s surprise announcement on AstraZeneca eligibility, the government rushed to update health advice. But questions remain about hesitancy and confusion.

While the government’s $660 million fund had no eligibility criteria, a press release was deemed ‘relevant authority’.

A desire for Australia to become a top-10 weapons exporter is partly strategic and partly a rhetorical flourish.

Australia is undertaking an extraordinary military expansion, but there are questions about what is being bought and the skills of the people doing the buying. This is part one of a two-part series.

After 20 years of war, Australia gave three days’ notice before closing its embassy in Kabul. But the decision leaves hundreds of local staff vulnerable to retaliation by the Taliban.

The Morrison government’s decision to close its embassy in Afghanistan with little warning has sparked concern from America, not least because of the threat the Taliban poses to local staff.

Senior officials faced further questions this week about their handling of Brittany Higgins’ allegation that she was raped by a colleague in Parliament House.

Scott Morrison is using a special arrangement to keep the workings of his government secret, but independent senator Rex Patrick has launched a challenge to its legality.

As the government concedes Australia’s borders can’t reopen until mid-2022, concern is growing about damage to our reputation internationally.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has handed down what is expected to be the government’s last budget before the next federal election.

Following the prime minister’s ban on Australian citizens returning from India, Fran Bailey has called the decision abhorrent and an indictment on the government.

The Morrison government has ordered an urgent review of the Australian of the Year award process. It denies the review is linked to Grace Tame’s appointment, but comes after criticism from the outspoken Australian of the Year.

Despite bellicose Anzac Day remarks, Mike Pezzullo may not head to Defence, but could replace Phil Gaetjens.

The Morrison government has launched an urgent review of the Australia Day Council but denies a link to the 2021 win of outspoken advocate Grace Tame.

Peter Dutton has long been one of the most controversial ministers in the federal government. Now, at a time of rising global tension, especially in our region, he’s become the minister for Defence.

The new Defence minister made his mark this week, blocking a recommendation of the war crimes inquiry to strip special forces soldiers of a coveted award. The move has some worried he could further politicise Defence.

The states and territories are demanding additional funding from the federal government in exchange for their stepping in to get the beleaguered vaccine rollout back on track.

The fallen chief executive says the government planned to privatise the national mail carrier to boost its own bottom line. But Christine Holgate had other plans.

The federal government has finally addressed the Respect @ Work report. Its delayed response has been cautiously welcomed by those who hope for real change.

As questions grow about the government’s handling of both sexual assault claims and the vaccine rollout, Scott Morrison has been focused on shoring up his numbers.

As further reports of abusive sexual behaviour emerge from parliament, the AFP may be investigating the aftermath of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape.

Politicians and their staff still have no mandatory bullying or harassment training, despite a 2012 legal undertaking made in the settlement of James Ashby’s sexual harassment claim.

Sweeping new powers for the AFP and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission could see innocent users of social media services such as WhatsApp deemed criminals.

New details of the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins continue to emerge, as calls grow for an independent inquiry into Attorney-General Christian Porter over a separate rape allegation.

As Christian Porter names himself as the cabinet minister accused of rape, and denies the allegation, his office walks back the attorney-general’s claim that the last time he saw his accuser was in January 1988.

As more details emerge of how the government handled Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, crossbenchers are calling for a permanent independent body to examine abuse accusations.

As the Australian government readies to vaccinate against Covid-19, our state quarantine systems, contact tracing and testing also need to be addressed before we can reopen our borders to the world.

After confronting Craig Kelly over his coronavirus scaremongering, Tanya Plibersek says it’s time to hold the government to account.

Eight years after Skywhale first took flight, it is joined by Skywhalepapa – mesmerising in its gentle weirdness.

Following inquiries from The Saturday Paper, the government has scrambled to reverse its exclusion of refugees from the Covid-19 vaccination program.

Australia’s ambitious coronavirus vaccination schedule has already been met with scepticism by some health professionals, while others say the real priority must be keeping the public informed and confident.

As Australia enters what may be an election year, Scott Morrison’s approval is high rather than solid, while Anthony Albanese has strategy rather than tactics.

Amid growing perceptions of corruption in Australia, a senate committee has raised concerns about the billions of dollars in funding allocated by the government without parliamentary scrutiny.

In direct contradiction to a recommendation of a national intelligence review, the government is giving the AFP sweeping new spying powers to combat cybercrime.

Defence experts warn of a split between the government and the military after the prime minister intervened to override the chief of the Defence Force’s decision to revoke the meritorious unit citation awarded to Australian special forces who served in Afghanistan.

A year after the medevac repeal, refugees brought here under the law are still in detention and say they are being punished by the government for speaking out.

Amid the Brereton report’s findings that military reports have been ‘routinely embellished’, the IGADF is reassessing concerns raised by David Savage, a civilian who sustained serious injuries during a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2012.

While the Biden presidency pushes forward international climate action, both the Morrison government and its Labor opposition are fractured over emissions policy.

The decision to use the SAS on high-tempo deployments was political: it made Australia a useful ally to the US. It may have also contributed to a culture of abuse.

Commanders were told about possible war crimes being committed by Australian soldiers but dismissed the warnings as ‘Taliban propaganda’.

As Joel Fitzgibbon quits the Labor frontbench over climate policy, some in the party question whether a longstanding friendship with Anthony Albanese allows the maverick to get away with too much.

As questions are asked over power imbalances in ministerial offices, a report into alleged bullying is being withheld from a staffer who was sacked after making a complaint.

Following criticism over its ‘sports rorts’ program, the government is directing millions of dollars to Coalition target electorates under schemes without merit-based requirements.

After a series of reports this year that have shocked the public and shamed the government, the auditor-general is turning his focus to Australia’s federal Covid-19 response, including the JobKeeper scheme.

A scathing audit of the Infrastructure Department’s purchase of land for the Western Sydney airport has led to an AFP investigation. But this is only the latest controversy in a long history of scandals relating to the Badgerys Creek site.

As well as criticising the performance of the prime minister’s department, the auditor-general’s midterm review has a warning about unethical behaviour in the public sector.

Legal experts are questioning the basis on which national cabinet deliberations are deemed to be secret, and the issue has led to an Administrative Appeals Tribunal case.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg framed the 2020 budget as a plan for Australia’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, but it could also open the way for an election in the second half of next year.

As 27,000 Australians remain stranded overseas, the Home Affairs Department has moved to allow wealthy foreign investors to enter Australia without needing special permission.

After restricting who can return to Australia and who can travel overseas, the government is now scrambling to tidy up the legalities around a confusing and ad hoc system of applying for exemptions.

As more than 25,000 Australians wait for the chance to return home, at least one legal expert says the travel restrictions may breach the constitutional rights of citizens.

As the pause in Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine trials reminds the public of the realities of medical research, the Morrison government has locked in 84 million doses of this and a second vaccine.

Unions and aged-care providers are united by concerns the government’s payments to aged-care staff may be exacerbating the sector’s Covid-19 crisis.

Two federal watchdogs leave their positions, raising issues on access to encrypted data and questioning of minors.

The state’s criticisms echo those levelled by Victoria and the royal commission.

Questions remain about the Ruby Princess as the federal Agriculture Department secretary contradicts the Commonwealth government’s own submission about who gave permission for passengers to leave the cruise ship.

The Commonwealth ombudsman has warned of excessive and even illegal force used in detention centres, as figures disclosed under FOI reveal assault numbers.

The death of a man in immigration detention has raised questions about the length of time people are being held onshore, and the impact of coronavirus on visiting and other rights.

With many small businesses barely clinging to life, the changes to JobKeeper may just be postponing an inevitable demise.

The contentious file of  ‘palace letters’ finally released this week was revealing. It was also missing three pieces of correspondence.

As Treasurer Josh Frydenberg prepares to unveil a mini-budget on July 23, the Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria has put the country’s economic recovery in jeopardy.

A strategic defence update highlights ‘coercive tactics’ that skirt the threshold of armed conflict but justify a huge weapons build-up by Australia.

New concerns surround the government’s increased use of legislative powers to bypass the parliament and create laws that cannot be amended or overturned.

Amid increasing concerns about foreign interference, particularly through online disinformation, the Home Affairs Department’s role in security matters is growing significantly.

As fallout from the Adem Somyurek scandal continues, some in Labor are celebrating the courage of those who brought him down.

New documents reveal the Murray–Darling Basin is at risk of water shortfalls because of an increase in permanent crops, particularly almond trees.

Despite spending $60 billion less on JobKeeper than forecast, the government has announced an early end to the wage subsidy for childcare workers.

An inquiry into the ill-fated ship has revealed a report claiming the federal government was at fault for letting passengers disembark.

While Josh Frydenberg admits Australia has slid into its first recession in 29 years, he maintains government stimulus can spark a recovery.

A year on from AFP raids on the ABC and a News Corp journalist, the government is being asked to ensure the right of the media to protect sources.

As the government tries to justify how its JobKeeper forecast was out by $60 billion, two economists who questioned the initial figures explain what might be next for Australia’s economy.

Amid escalating trade tensions with China, questions are being raised about the proper scrutiny of foreign investment in Australia.

Even Coalition MPs are calling for increased scrutiny of legislation rushed through in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton seeks to allow the agency to plant surveillance devices with no warrant, among a raft of sweeping changes.

As five separate inquiries examine how the ship became Australia’s largest source of Covid-19 deaths, the messy arrangements at our borders are now under intense scrutiny.

While the government has been at pains to address privacy concerns about the COVIDSafe app, cybersecurity analysts believe the data could be mined for other uses.

While Australia’s calls for an investigation into China’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak may not have helped relations with the powerhouse nation, they could prove a welcome move among Indo–Pacific neighbours.

Working with the government to deliver the Covid-19 economic stimulus package has forced the opposition to consider a change of tactics.

As a police probe begins into the Ruby Princess, details emerge about other gaps in Australia’s quarantine response, including the use of isolation declaration cards.

As Scott Morrison unveils the largest spending measures in the country’s history, officials inside Treasury are drafting plans for an entirely new economy.

As the government suspends parliament until August to deal with the outbreak, key advisers say the next week is critical in controlling the spread.

State, territory and federal leaders are setting aside party politics to try to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

An inspector-general’s report, expected in the coming months, will likely recommend the prosecution of special forces soldiers over Afghan civilian killings.

In the hopes of heading off a possible recession, the government has released a $17.6 billion stimulus package, but questions remain about the lack of detail in its plans for regional support.

As law enforcement agencies demand access to encrypted data without judicial oversight, the national security watchdog and tech companies are concerned about privacy breaches.

The controversial government agency has been pushed into deficit after the minister ordered it to restore school funds it spent on other projects.

Established ahead of the 2019 election, the fund pledged to upgrade commuter car parks. Forty-three of its 46 projects were in key Liberal marginal seats.

Over the past year, the government has allocated nearly $5 billion through measures hidden from public view, bypassing the senate. Experts now warn this may be illegal.

A $100 million grants program, established by the government ahead of the 2019 election, was restricted to 25 preselected projects, most of them in key seats for the Coalition.

As Bridget McKenzie’s resignation brings about a surge in the Coalition’s conservative wing, new analysis confirms the bias of the sports grants program.

The minister outraged Sport Australia’s board, bypassing the agency to direct $2.5 million to Netball Australia with few strings attached.

Following the auditor-general’s damning report on the sports grants scheme, questions are being raised about other programs.

In Copenhagen in 2009, Australia took a leadership role in the fight against climate change. Ten years on, at COP25, the winds have changed.

New information confirms mistakes were made in the lead-up to the suicide bomb attack that left David Savage severely injured, but questions remain about who should take responsibility.

In an attempt to win back Queensland voters, Anthony Albanese expressed support for coal exports this week, confirming that Labor’s path back to government remains fraught.

After seven years, David Savage finally received compensation for injuries sustained in Afghanistan. Defence dismissed a video of his attack as not relevant, but used it for training.

Despite the furore over new allegations of Chinese espionage and interference, experts are urging a cautious response, saying there are many questions yet to be answered.

Charleene Mundine has battled for months trying to find out how thousands of dollars disappeared from her children’s NDIS account.

Scott Morrison has gone on the front foot, rewriting the cabinet handbook and setting the agenda for how decisions in his government will be made.

The agency’s watchdog, tasked with unravelling the breach, has echoed growing concern about flawed and confusing new anti-terror laws.

New Murray–Darling Basin inspector-general Mick Keelty is pushing for tough expanded powers to get answers from those responsible for the river system’s chaos.

In a week of senate estimates marked by obfuscation, one official revealed the cost of teaching bureaucrats to interact humanely with farmers facing drought.

While the ALP pushes for reform of its troubled NSW branch, the opposition leader faces dissent from federal allies aligned to the party’s Right faction.

While the government’s proposal to restrict large cash payments is intended to limit criminal activity, opponents of the bill – including some of the Coalition’s own MPs – warn the legislation could ensnare ordinary citizens.

As Donald Trump faces the threat of impeachment, Scott Morrison is carefully balancing his responses to the US president’s request for assistance.

Legal experts warn that the government’s latest attempt to strip citizenship from dual nationals may cause more problems than it resolves.

As Gladys Liu faces questions about raising $1 million for the Liberal Party, a repentant Sam Dastyari is calling for an end to the ‘arms race’ of political donations.

While Labor faces a raft of legislation intended to split the party’s loyalties, the opposition leader has dismissed critics in his ranks who say he is capitulating to Scott Morrison’s agenda.

The religious anti-discrimination legislation is being closely examined by interested groups.

In a new book, veteran journalist Brian Toohey argues that covert CIA operatives have worked in Australia for decades, something the government has long denied.

One year into his prime ministership – and on the back of deploying Australian maritime forces to the Middle East – Scott Morrison is trying to create an impression of a fresh, new government.

New figures reveal 78 per cent of interception warrants were signed off  by members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, not by a judge.

A new proposal would give the Australian Signals Directorate access to the IT systems of Australian companies, but the agency didn’t ask for these powers.

While Ken Wyatt tries to find a model for recognition that will appease his party, a grassroots movement is hoping to win public support for a voice to parliament.

As attempts to restore water to the river basin fail to meet their targets, scientists warn irrigator subsidies may cost 10 times initial estimates.

Despite recommendations from parliament’s security watchdog, Peter Dutton will press ahead with plans to ban Australian citizens with terrorism links from returning home.

Still dogged by questions about his rise to the Liberal leadership, Scott Morrison is keeping his allies close, and rewarding those who voted for him in the spill.

Australia’s already-contentious Manus Island refugee services contract faces further complications from local landholder politics.

As the government works to get its tax cuts through the upper house, Centre Alliance senators Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff have put a condition on their support, calling for adjustments to the domestic gas security mechanism.

New documents show the clearest picture yet of Scott Morrison’s dismissal at Tourism Australia, including scathing correspondence from Fran Bailey.

As he takes over as Labor’s new leader, Anthony Albanese outlines how he plans to reshape his party and win back Australia’s trust.

As Labor attempts to understand how it lost the unloseable election, old divisions have been reopened by the party’s search for a new identity to win back voters.

As election day neared, Scott Morrison proved to be relentless on the chaotic campaign trail, despite what the polls predict for his prime ministership.

The funding for many promises in this election campaign appears to be coming out of government grants with vague criteria.

In a one-on-one interview ahead of next week’s election, Bill Shorten has proposed he would, if necessary, set up a new regional processing facility in Papua New Guinea.

Wherever there’s a marginal seat, there’s a politician from the Coalition or Labor pledging millions of dollars.

EXCLUSIVE: Former AFP chief Mick Keelty is examining links between political donations and water licences, and calling for proceeds-of-crime laws to be expanded.

A mailout from the federal government to age pensioners on the eve of the election campaign cost taxpayers $2.1 million and raised concerns about the timing of the correspondence.

As Scott Morrison readied to call the election, Melissa Price rushed to give federal approval to Adani’s Carmichael mine, citing support from the CSIRO.

Scott Morrison’s pre-election budget has gifted $22 million to a small arts organisation in the country’s most marginal seat – Gilmore – where the Liberals hope Warren Mundine can hang on.

As the government and opposition make sense of the NSW election result, it is clear the federal poll will be a contest between an unpopular leader and an unknown one.

A recent coroner’s report into the deaths by suicide of Indigenous children and young people in remote WA, linked to intergenerational trauma and racism, mirrors the findings of a 2008 inquiry. With little achieved in the interim years, experts claim the government is not only misdiagnosing the problem but is also unable to come up with productive solutions.

Following the killing of 50 Muslims by an Australian terrorist, local security agencies face questions of whether they overlooked the threat posed by white extremists.

As the Nationals quietly shift positions on climate change and energy, Barnaby Joyce is wreaking havoc as coal’s last defender.

Still cautious after the pink batts program, the government’s climate policies fail to properly engage with energy efficiency.

Having helped get Kerryn Phelps elected, Damien Hodgkinson is running campaigns for eight independents at the election, including Julia Banks and Zali Steggall.

The government ignored security agency advice on amendments to the medivac bill, allowing it to accuse Labor of undermining border security.

“Morrison is understood to be the architect of his own political strategy. His friend, former Howard adviser turned lobbyist David Gazard, confirmed the prime minister is choosing to see the medivac legislation as a gift.”

In the wake of the Hayne royal commission, the big banks’ share prices rose, raising questions of how much the culture of greed is threatened by its recommendations.

By zeroing in on the economy, Scott Morrison is attempting to re-create Keating’s unlikely victory over John Hewson. It’s a losing campaign strategy, says the former Liberal leader.

Murray-Darling Basin royal commissioner Bret Walker, SC, has savaged successive governments and found the basin’s management authority is ‘unwilling or incapable of acting lawfully’.

The death of hundreds of thousands of fish in the Murray-Darling Basin was unprecedented, but it was not without warning.

As NSW Liberals seek to differentiate themselves from their federal peers, Scott Morrison doubtless hopes for a Christmas miracle.

Established ahead of last year’s marriage-equality vote to quell conservative fears, Philip Ruddock’s long-awaited report has called for religious exemptions from discrimination laws to be scrapped.

Ahead of Labor’s national conference, factional splits are appearing over major policies, including the approval of the Adani coalmine, refugee intake, free trade and Newstart.

Amid a chaotic final sitting week of parliament, conservative Coalition MPs are furious at the prime minister for what they perceive as his betrayal over religious freedoms in schools.

The senate has ordered the tabling of Tourism Australia contracts from the time leading up to Scott Morrison’s sacking, but the prime minister continues to argue their confidentiality.

While security chiefs are supporting Peter Dutton’s call for new powers to access encrypted data, they have declined to support the government’s claim such changes are made more urgent by the recent terror attack and arrests in Melbourne.

Government agencies are using a loophole to access individuals’ metadata without warrants, as Peter Dutton attempts to rush through further security agency powers.

An audit report covering Scott Morrison’s role in the New Zealand tourism office raises serious concerns over transparency and due process.

While mystery surrounds Scott Morrison’s sacking from Tourism Australia, a buried audit report shows numerous anomalies and concerns over contracts worth $184 million.

For a significant part of Kerry O’Brien’s career, John Howard dominated Australian politics. The award-winning journalist talks about the former PM’s divisive recipe for success.

Growing suspicion over the government’s security and intelligence powers has seen the heads of two powerful agencies begin a charm offensive to try to win back public trust.

Malcolm Turnbull’s relationship with the Indonesian president is being used to shore up free trade negotiations as Scott Morrison hopes to convey stability abroad.

Three weeks ago, the prime minister said there would be no changes to his policy on Israel. Then, on the eve of the Wentworth byelection, he changed his mind.

As the suicide rate rises, health experts say millions in government funding is going to unproven programs and the sector is captured by lobbyists.

The terms of Malcolm Turnbull’s $444 million Barrier Reef grant were set by Scott Morrison, who as treasurer insisted the money not go to a Commonwealth agency.

A new Office of National Intelligence will have increased powers to access personal information and scrutinise online activities. But who will monitor the monitor?

In five years, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has only once absented himself from cabinet discussions relating to child care.

As Peter Dutton faces criticism over his intervention in au pair visas, details emerge of his involvement in cabinet discussions of child-care funding.

The government has left the position of freedom of information commissioner vacant for four years, slashing funding of its parent agency while spending almost $1 million blocking FOI requests.

While Scott Morrison presented himself as a reticent candidate, in reality he used unpopular tax cuts to damage Turnbull and fooled Dutton over numbers.

As Barnaby Joyce, newly minted special envoy for drought, made a grab for Murray–Darling water, the royal commission into the basin faced yet another setback.

After a ‘disastrous week’ for the government, Scott Morrison has emerged as Australia’s next prime minister, defeating Peter Dutton in a Liberal party room vote. Josh Frydenberg will be deputy Liberal leader.

As Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership collapsed, with Scott Morrison replacing him, members of his own cabinet threatened to ‘open the bottom drawer’ and release a dirt file they believed would force him out of the leadership.

The South Australian government’s refusal to extend the royal commission into the Murray–Darling finds it accused of collusion with the federal government.

David Leyonhjelm’s bill to permit the territories to pass assisted dying legislation was defeated despite argument it is as much about territory rights.

Allegations that the Murray–Darling Basin Plan was compromised by government agency interference have emerged during the SA royal commission.

A Commonwealth challenge to South Australia’s Murray–Darling royal commission has become a state rights battleground with implications for the Constitution.

Further revelations of political bastardry in this weekend’s byelections, including accusations of solicited interviews, show how much is at stake for all parties.

Trying to broker agreement in the Coalition on the best action on climate change appears to be a Sisyphean task as supporters of coal maintain their pressure.

Two years since its launch, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility has approved only four loans and is beset by at least 33 conflict-of-interest declarations.

David Leyonhjelm’s sexist abuse of Sarah Hanson-Young has moved current and former female senators and MPs to reveal the parliament’s toxic culture.

While the government continues to plot the demise of Bill Shorten, fresh threats may be again smouldering within his own party.

As the government pushes ahead with its foreign influence bill, concerns have been raised about plans for ‘transparency notices’, permitting public naming of non-compliant individuals or corporations without explanation.

The stories of alleged war crimes by Australian special forces in Afghanistan have led to an inquiry prompted by fellow soldiers.

Having taken a board position with a Swedish arms manufacturer, former Defence minister David Johnston is receiving an undisclosed sum as the government’s defence export advocate.

With fears a ‘bring them here’ motion could pass Labor’s state conference, left unions have decided it is better to play a dead bat on the issue ahead of the federal election.

The British government is employing diplomatic pressure over a $35 billion warship contract, despite the design existing only on paper.

As the government grants new airport powers to federal police, former Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg says they need justification.

As Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison sell their ‘election’ budget, the prime minister is weighing up a poll that could be as early as August.

As critics leak against Peter Dutton’s plan to employ the Signals Directorate against Australians, the minister defends the powers as necessary.

Farmers have experienced much of the scandalous banking practices now being exposed, but representatives say the royal commission is set to miss the worst of it.

Treasurer Scott Morrison’s plan to frame the coming budget as responsible investment was derailed this week by conflicting government messages.

The campaign led by Coalition MPs for special visas for white South African farmers is designed to shore up votes in WA and Queensland.

The Coalition’s Monash Forum claims its aim is to generate enthusiasm for coal-fired energy, but could it be as much about unseating Malcolm Turnbull as it is about fossil fuels?

Tim Storer’s demands for broader reforms to corporate tax rates show the Senate newcomer to be a man not for turning.

Signals from China that it may restrict the number of its students enrolling in Australian tertiary institutions have foreign-fee-dependent universities alarmed.

A songwriting venture between musicians and prisoners will be brought to the stage at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. The Big hART project was a transformative experience for both musicians and inmates.

As today’s Batman byelection brings Labor’s coal policy into relief, Adani finds it still has not got approval for its Carmichael mine.

As questions continue over new powers for the Home Affairs Department, a suite of legislative amendments goes missing.

Behind Michaelia Cash’s reference to female staff in Bill Shorten’s office is a pattern of Coalition attacks on the Opposition leader over his personal morals.

Michael Pezzullo wants to embed his Department of Home Affairs into every part of Australian life. He insists there’s no cause for concern.

EXCLUSIVE: In a private address, former attorney-general George Brandis told ASIO of ‘potential tension’ with its new Home Affairs Department oversight.

Embarrassing gaffes, recalcitrance, infighting and Joyce’s resignation – the hits just keep on coming for the Coalition.

As Barnaby Joyce clings to the Nationals leadership, his Coalition colleagues watch and wait for further fallout from his indiscretions.

As police discover who originally owned the two safes full of cabinet-level documents obtained by the ABC, the prime minister calls for heads to roll.

As evidence emerges of Scott Morrison’s interference with ASIO’s refugee assessments, figures show every warning given by the agency since 2012 was ultimately revised down.

As a former chief of army predicts that joint strike fighters will be the military’s last manned aircraft, what checks will prevent civilian deaths by drones?

Speculation of paybacks and game-playing within the Coalition leaves Malcolm Turnbull with an uneasy pathway into the new year.

An exhibition at the National Museum of Australia preserves the ancient stories of Indigenous elders for future generations.

As Adani draws public ire over its Abbot Point rail line, Gina Rinehart awaits the benefits of another NAIF deal to open up the Galilee.

With the dual citizenship spotlight turning from Coalition to Labor MPs, Malcolm Turnbull is enjoying the spoils of good timing rather than good negotiation.

As the parliament moves to legislate for same-sex marriage, the involvement of the alt-right in the ‘No’ case becomes clear.

The new foreign affairs white paper – the first comprehensive review in 14 years – acknowledges the shift in power in our region from the United States to China, but has no prescription for how Australia should deal with it.

As marriage equality receives resounding support from the public, a bill that was 13 years in the making is hurried into parliament.

Concerned about possible collusion over the NBN, Kevin Rudd is calling for a royal commission into the ‘cancer’ that is News Corp and its impact on democracy.

As the dual citizenship crisis expands and fuels leadership tensions, Malcolm Turnbull struggles to plot a policy course to Christmas.

Amid calls for an independent audit of the citizenship status of all MPs, some are suggesting false declarations be regarded as breaches of the Crimes Act, punishable with jail.

The government’s plan to sell the NBN at a profit makes getting answers about the true cost of its rollout and what it provides exceedingly difficult.

While the government’s proposed national energy guarantee has been criticised as being more about saving Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership than good policy, has the prime minister smuggled in a carbon price under the noses of his conservative colleagues?

In condemning action on climate change as killing ‘goats to appease the volcano gods’, Tony Abbott was paraphrasing an earlier speech by his confessor, Cardinal George Pell.

The director of the ANU National Centre for Indigenous Studies, Professor Mick Dodson, talks about why recognition should be secondary to ridding the constitution of racist powers.

As Donald Trump and Rex Tillerson diverge on rhetoric, the United States strategy on North Korea becomes clearer.

Thirty years late, and with a haste that surprised the industry, Malcolm Turnbull is taking Australia into space.

Belvoir artistic director Eamon Flack on cuts to arts funding in Australia and the significance of art and culture in our lives.

A senate inquiry into illicit tobacco is hearing evidence of huge losses in tax revenue, hidden smoking rate increases and higher criminal profits than in the drugs trade.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore on standing up to state and federal governments and how to make access to housing fair.

Two years after he took power, it is possible to judge Malcolm Turnbull against the standards he set when he challenged for the leadership.

The director of the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, talks about the grim realities of climate change and how we must choose which reefs to save.

In joining the High Court case examining Barnaby Joyce’s eligibility for office, Tony Windsor will argue for a countback that could see him win the seat.

With the dual citizenship crisis deepening, Bob Katter and others on the crossbench are using the chaos to push legislation the government has refused.

The methodology being used to test the public mood on same-sex marriage is dividing both the Liberal Party and constitutional experts – and further diminishing the prime minister’s standing among his own.

After weeks of cross-party communication, a plan has formed to bring legislation for same-sex marriage into its final phase.

More than ever, markets read between the lines, making volatile every pronouncement by the government or Reserve Bank.

Acting beyond official recommendations, Malcolm Turnbull has created a super ministry for Peter Dutton – possibly to shore up his own leadership.

The resignations of the Greens’ two co-deputy leaders has sent MPs scrambling to check their citizenship qualifications, and has led to calls for constitutional revision.

Reports of alleged misconduct involving ADF special forces come as the elite troops are increasingly preferred for deployment.

As Tony Abbott campaigns to reform Liberal preselection in NSW, it has emerged his own branch hired a headhunter to find his replacement.

The suspension of Greens NSW senator Lee Rhiannon is less about Gonski than it is about ongoing animosities and a federal push to reform the party’s decision-making processes.

While the dealings of the government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility remain shrouded in secrecy, pressure mounts over funding for the Adani rail line.

When Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg briefed Coalition MPs on the Finkel review’s recommendations for a clean energy target, all eyes were on Tony Abbott and his supporters.

Recent terrorist attacks have state and federal authorities considering new policing methods, parole and bail conditions, and public awareness campaigns.

Behind the landmark Uluru statement are years of conservative negotiation and compromise, led by Noel Pearson.

Peter Dutton’s crackdown on ‘fake refugees’ has sparked claims that his announcement is not only prejudicial but also purely political.

As Australia considers extending its presence in Afghanistan, key figures have split over what has been achieved in the Middle East.

As the treasurer squares up for a fight with the banks over a new levy, his budget finds its unifying theme in making an example of foreign money.

A less brutal budget may be the government’s last hope to wrest back public support and quieten questions over Turnbull’s leadership.

The government’s reversal of funding cuts to community legal centres came after a campaign from across the legal sector and within parliament.

As Donald Trump toughens his rhetoric on North Korea, the implications for Australia and other neighbours are becoming clearer.

Debate within the government about housing affordability underscores a rift between the prime minister and his treasurer.

Musician Jessie Lloyd’s Mission Songs Project aims to open up a forgotten Indigenous musical history to a mainstream audience.

In the wake of cyclone Debbie, the insurance and banking industries are pushing for better mitigation measures, while the federal government lags behind.

The impending closure of Heyfield sawmill has pitted senior federal ministers against each other, a premier, farmers and conservationists.

The new ACTU leadership finds the Turnbull government more ideologically anti-union than John Howard’s.

As the fallout continues from Pauline Hanson’s WA state election campaign, claims emerge of a party run as a pyramid scheme.

As the PM and foreign minister attempt to smooth relations with Indonesia, calls increase for a consolidated approach to national security.

As Turnbull’s supporters become anxious about an absence of narrative and clear advice, his problems are greater than a vengeful Tony Abbott.

As Julie Bishop completes her first meetings with Trump’s key advisers, the alliance appears strengthened by Malcolm Turnbull’s heated phone call.

With the government preparing security-driven changes to citizenship, it is also readying to kickstart a new debate on Australian values.

Cory Bernardi’s split to form a conservative party, and the resurgence of One Nation, provides the major parties with a genuine threat from the right.

As battlelines are drawn between ‘the Tony Abbott’ of the Greens and the party’s elders, deeper questions have emerged about style and purpose.

Christian Porter is set to become attorney-general in a post-budget reshuffle, with George Brandis likely being sent to London as high commissioner.

A plan to build a major casino resort on the Great Barrier Reef is a boon for tourism but has left Indigenous owners complaining they were never consulted.

As a leading polling company is revealed to be behind an activist website ostensibly linked to Medicare, bipartisan support emerges for rules on disclosure.

She may be as much pilloried celebrity as politician, but when One Nation leader Pauline Hanson speaks, the disillusioned listen.

Holes in the time line of the WA Bell case pose serious questions about a position that stood to cost the government $300 million.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, speculation surrounds the US’s ongoing role in Asian diplomacy.

A deadlock in enterprise bargaining negotiations at CSIRO may have revealed the roadmap for reintroducing WorkChoices in the public service by stealth.

The door has reopened on changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, with Malcolm Turnbull announcing a review of the legislation.

As the government announces a lifetime ban on boat arrivals ever visiting Australia, criminals deported to New Zealand can find their way back.

Jane Halton, the bureaucrat at the centre of the ‘children overboard’ affair, reflects on a career of toughness and discretion.

George Brandis’s move to control legal advice has opened a schism with Justin Gleeson, that critics say make the solicitor-general a “dog on a lead”.

“I wasn’t looking to make people angry, just aware that it happens a lot to many women in all sorts of situations, that this kind of sexual attention is not the same as flirting and it would be great if it happened a lot less. Like, never.”

A new report from the Australian Cyber Security Centre describes a recent foreign-state attack on the Bureau of Meteorology and highlights ongoing threats to government agencies.

“A few colleagues and I drafted a blacklist of politicians with lecherous reputations and worded up new female journalists about which ones to avoid. ”

The government’s negotiations with doctors over the Medicare rebate is not helped by a breach of privacy on apparently anonymised health data.

As clean-up began after South Australia’s freak storms, the federal energy minister seized the opportunity for a debate on renewables.

Marcia Langton talks about a promising welfare management trial and how constitutional recognition would complete the Commonwealth.

The focus on asylum seekers has left the immigration department lacking intelligence capabilities and measures to combat crime.

Environmentalist and chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council Tim Flannery explains the need to overcome the vested interests against climate change action and how to best use an innovation fund.

A blistering audit of the offshore detention program reveals a system defined by untendered contracts and preferential deals raises billions of dollars’ worth of questions.

Chris Richardson, Partner at Deloitte Access Economics, explains how even when economic reports show Australia in good shape, people can feel as though things are getting worse.

As the Sam Dastyari donations scandal continues to unfold, both sides of politics, and the crossbench, are flirting with reform.

Lawyer and author Madeline Gleeson says there are positive elements in Australia’s asylum-seeker policy, but a lack of political will to abide by the Refugee Convention.

After parliament’s first week, rifts within the government and opposition prove as telling as those between them.

Just as political opponents may form friendships based on their shared circumstances in Canberra, the relationship of biographer and subject is equally complex.

As new senators arrive in Canberra for induction, the horsetrading has already begun.

As the country reacts to the Nauru files and confirmation the Manus detention centre must close, a new chapter appears to be opening in the refugee debate.

The new minister for the environment and energy, Josh Frydenberg, is ready to balance his portfolios and disappoint critics on the left and right.

Plans for more American troops to be based in the Northern Territory have stalled as battlelines are drawn over who should foot the bill.

Malcolm Turnbull faced a disunited Coalition party room, as members complained about the election campaign and threatened to revolt on policy.

Political realities are biting for all parties in the wake of the election, as everyone looks to explain the numbers.

While the Turnbull campaign had various flaws, its troubles began in March when he picked a fight with the minor parties.

Turnbull trades on economic uncertainty: stick with the Coalition and its plan for innovation and tax cuts. Shorten emphasises Labor’s social policies – especially those with which Turnbull might agree.

The Australian Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team square off for third-party status.

Bill Shorten’s final pitch emphasises Labor’s social policies – especially those with which Malcolm Turnbull might agree.

Malcolm Turnbull’s final pitch trades on economic uncertainty: stick with the Coalition and its plan for innovation and tax cuts.

As the major parties prepare their final election advertising blitz, donations have dried up, especially to the Liberal campaign.

A battle between Liberals in NSW and Victoria has pulled apart a precarious ‘deal’ with the Greens and recast preferences for the election.

As Malcolm Turnbull releases a video about his single-parent childhood, the Coalition and Labor are working overtime to sell their chiefs’ ‘authentic’ styles.

Despite a scare campaign over a hung parliament, the election is tending to a narrow Coalition victory, with the Greens as everyone’s enemy.

Their attack on Labor’s economic figures may have backfired, but the Coalition’s campaign HQ is just happy the focus is back on the economy.

In the first major policy announcement of the campaign, Labor has built a wedge on Medicare rebates – and won powerful support.

Amid confusion over forward estimates, the budget is as much about promised economic planning as it is an election pitch.

By picking a battle over investment incentives, the Coalition and the opposition are looking to fight the election at opposing ends of the “Australian dream”.

Aided by voting reforms and the quirks of a double-dissolution election, Pauline Hanson is in a seat-winning position for the first time in more than a decade.

As foreign investment increases, especially from China, new protocols are being weighed to find a balance between Australia’s national security and economic growth.

Seven months into their partnership, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison are struggling to reconcile their different styles.

The death last month of a 10-year-old Indigenous girl in a remote WA community intensifies the need for a clearer approach to suicide prevention.

After a year of agitation, conservatives had a big win on the Safe Schools anti-bullying program – a curtain-raiser to their fight on equal marriage.

The Labor leader has come back from his summer break with a different approach to advice and a scheme to change his image.

As the Liberal Party splinters further on same-sex marriage, both ends of the debate are arguing for a different kind of free vote.

The government’s latest counterterrorism bill brings into question the delicate balance of protecting the community while maintaining the principles of justice.

As election timing starts to drive the economic agenda, Malcolm Turnbull is considering a high-stakes double-dissolution poll.

Doubts have emerged over the constitutional basis of the recent appointment of Philip Ruddock and Andrew Robb as special envoys.

Having seen off myriad interventions and a plan to parachute Kate Carnell into her seat, Bronwyn Bishop is not going anywhere.

A misfired directive from the US Defence Department led to the Australian government’s unusual public refusal to contribute more in Iraq.