Inside Politics: What we must learn from our 'worst' election campaign

This week on the campaign saw the release of competing housing policies, and the appearance of Peter Dutton’s son Harry. But in many ways the campaign continued to be overshadowed by Donald Trump. Labor is making increasingly explicit attacks trying to link Dutton to the US president. And Dutton’s cause wasn’t helped with one of his key frontbenchers aped a Trump slogan. Does this mean the wheels have fallen off the Coalition campaign? Chief Political Correspondent David Crowe and National Affairs Editor James Massola join Jacqueline Maley to discuss. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So many of us have been yanking at our hair, or just standing around, slack jawed, as we’ve watched sharemarkets collapse and the chance of a recession barrel towards us - all as a result of Donald Trump’s tariffs. But to focus on the economic chaos is to miss the larger domino effect that’s been taking place in the background, as countries begin scrambling for a safe harbour.Today, international and political editor Peter Hartcher, on the “surreal” moment Australia now finds itself in. And how so-called “rare earths” are at the center of it all.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week our revered economics editor Ross Gittins wrote an essay for the Age and Sydney Morning Herald, in which he lamented the state of this election campaign in particular, and Australian politics in general. The essay was titled “They treat us like mugs”, and Ross did not miss with his critique of the timidity and cynicism of the two major parties’ campaigns. Gittins joins Jacqueline Maley in the studio, to talk through his searing critique. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When news surfaced in March, that schools across Australia were recording record levels of violence, with a huge number of principals having either suffered physical abuse, last year, or witnessed it, education reporter Nicole Precel wanted to find out more. What, if anything, could stop principals from being bitten, and teachers from being pushed down stairs, by students? And turn around the often plummeting academic records and mental health of the students at these schools? Today, Nicole Precel, on how two determined principals dramatically altered the culture of a school dubbed, only six years ago, “Australia’s worst school”.  And the trauma they needed to confront, in order to do it.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian government and opposition party have both announced policies to address the country's housing crisis, with young people in particular priced out of the market. Labor say they want to drop deposits for mortgages to buy a home to five per cent, while the Coalition want to make mortgage repayments tax deductable.  In an early release episode, Brendan Coates, who is the Grattan Institute's housing and economic security program director, talks through these policies and which could boost housing supply and home ownership.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A year on from Joel Cauchi's apparently indiscriminate stabbing spree at the Westfield shopping centre in Bondi Junction, what have we learned? Later this month, an inquest into the attack, which claimed the lives of six people and injured another 10, will begin.  Today, chief reporter Jordan Baker, and crime reporter Perry Duffin, on what the coroner hopes to learn and whether any intervention in the lead-up could have prevented Cauchi’s attack.For more: 'At 3.33pm the bloody rampage began. By 3.39pm six innocent people lay dead or dying', Baker and Duffin, The Sydney Morning Herald.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one fell off a stage this week, but we did see the two party leaders face off for their first debate, plus the Coalition released modelling of its gas policy. With energy prices so crucial in this election, we are going to take a closer look at the Coalition’s gas plan - is it credible or is it just a cover-up for a nuclear policy that may never come off?  Chief political correspondent David Crowe and special first-time guest on the pod, business reporter Nick Toscano, join Jacqueline Maley to discuss the intricacies of gas supply. Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To say that American president Donald Trump’s global tariffs have sparked chaos around the world is an understatement. One analyst called the result, “a self-induced economic nuclear winter”.                                                 And that was before the tit-for-tat trade war between the United States and China escalated today with Trump imposing an additional tariff on China, taking the total to 104 per cent. Today, international and political editor, Peter Hartcher, on where this trade war with China could lead. And the mini-rebellion among Republicans to Trump’s tariffs.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extraordinary scenes unfolded outside an Australian court last week when one of the last remaining figures from Melbourne's gangland war, Tony Mokbel, was released on bail. And there watching it all unfold was crime writer Chris Vedelago, who has been following the Mokbel story for years.  Today, we delve into a legal scandal like no other, and one that could ultimately see the likes of Mokbel have their convictions overturned.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has officially unleashed chaos on the world's financial markets. It's a strange time to be campaigning for election, but Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton must adjust and carry on.  So how is the incredible international volatility impacting the election campaign? Will all this disruption be favourable for the incumbent PM? And do Australian voters really want a candidate promising change at this moment in history?  Regular columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, and former adviser to Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, Sean Kelly, joins Jacqueline Maley to discuss. You can read Sean Kelly's column here: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-want-change-but-not-if-it-looks-like-donald-trump-20250406-p5lpii.htmlSubscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.