The Albanese Government heads into the summer break with a major win.

The final week of parliament for the year has involved an avalanche of legislation. Most of it has been well ventilated and debated over recent months – think social media age limits or changes to the Reserve Bank board structure. But there was a batch of bills involving tough immigration reforms that didn’t receive as much attention. These changes involve new deportation powers and travel bans – and they’re due to whip through with bipartisan support – despite howls of protest from human rights groups. By the time you’re listening, they’re likely to have passed the Senate. David Speers speaks to Dr Abul Rizvi, a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, about what these changes will mean in practise.

Before the last election, Anthony Albanese often talked about "kicking with the wind" in the final quarter. Now, he's talking about "leaving nothing on the field", even if he's leaving a few promises behind in the interests of improving Labor's election chances.

As the clock ticks down on the parliamentary year – it's do or die for a stack of government reforms.

The direction of global action on climate change is at a juncture. Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House and his promise to rip-up the Biden administration’s climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act is prompting a reassessment of the landscape. In Azerbaijan, the UN’s climate change talks are in their final days trying to reach agreement on financing to help developing countries take climate action... the ambition of some countries tempered by the antipathy of others. While here in Australia, work is underway on what our 2035 targets might look like; where and when that lands is not yet clear. Melissa Clarke, filling in for David Speers, speaks to Matt Kean, Chair of the Climate Change Authority and the former NSW state Liberal Treasurer, to give us a rundown of the feeling on the ground at COP29.

The Prime Minister on the global stage this week talking trade and what the return of Donald Trump means for the world. While here at home the government is preparing to push a raft of legislation through parliament in the last sitting fortnight of the year… as speculation mounts it could be the last before an election. Patricia Karvelas anchors Insiders from Canberra this week, while David Speers interviews the Prime Minister in Lima, Peru from the APEC security conference. Karvelas is joined by Annabel Crabb, Peter Hartcher and Katina Curtis on the couch.

The concern over big money having an outsized influence on Australia’s politics prompted the Government to promise electoral reform. This is expected to include caps on individual donations and campaign spending, as well as real-time disclosures of donations. Now - with limited time left in parliament before the next election - the pressure to reveal the plan is on.

This town – Washington DC – has been thrown into a spin. Donald Trump has promised radical change on trade, climate change, and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The question now is – how far will he go? Many here and around the world are grappling for answers.David Speers is joined by Sarah Ferguson and Charles Croucher on the panel. This week’s guest is Charles Edel, Australia Chair for Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Donald Trump is back. Kamala Harris is promising a smooth transition. To say the US is in a different political universe to 4 years ago – is an understatement. How has this extraordinary comeback happened? Why has America returned to Trump? And what happens next? In Washington DC, David Speers talks to Lester Munson, a 25-year Capitol Hill veteran, most recently as Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, about how Trump stormed back into the White House.

Insiders in Detroit, Michigan – one of the most important states that will decide one of the most important elections. The world is bracing to see whether working class voters in battleground states like this will make Kamala Harris the first female President of the United States – or return Donald Trump to power. We're going to explore how voters here are feeling – and what's at stake. David Speers is joined by Farrah Tomazin and Jade Macmillan.

Elections don’t come much closer than this. Nor do they tend to be as consequential. American voters are about to decide on the future direction of this country – indeed millions have already cast early ballots. And there are enormous ramifications for the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, relations with China, global trade and of course climate change. David Speers visits the state of Michigan – one of three states along with Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – that will largely determine the outcome, to speak to voters and community figures.

Queensland votes for change - after 9 years of Labor rule. It was a long night but the LNP will form a majority government. There were big swings against Labor in the regions and suburbs – and it was a bad night for the Greens. Plenty of lessons – and warning signs – ahead of the coming federal contest. David Speers is joined by Patricia Karvelas, Anthony Galloway, and Clare Armstrong. Casey Briggs runs the numbers in Queensland and looks ahead to the United States' election. Our guests are the outgoing Queensland Labor Deputy Premier Cameron Dick and Federal Nationals MP Keith Pitt.

Former British MP and one-time Minister Rory Stewart is touring Australia at the moment. He's a writer and co-host of the The Rest is Politics podcast of who's found an enormous following for his reflections on what works and what doesn't in modern democracies. Rory Stewart sat down with Insiders Host David Speers in Melbourne.

The pre-election contest over fixing the housing crisis heats up. Peter Dutton unveils a new policy – the government says it's a cheap trick. While the Greens go after the Prime Minister for buying his own clifftop home. David Speers is joined by Raf Epstein, Paul Sakkal, and Sarah Ison Our guest is the Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt.

It’s something of a spring election season; Canberra voters go to the polls this weekend, while Queenslanders will cast their votes in a little over a week. Federal politicians are watching closely for any indicators of the electoral mood. Queensland will be a key state in next year’s federal election and the state poll will be telling. Labor has been in power for nearly a decade and the relatively new Premier Steven Miles is seeking the ALP's fourth term in office. But all signs point to a defeat for Labor and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli leading the LNP back into government. Melissa Clarke, filling in for David Speers, speaks to Kos Samaras and Tony Barry from Redbridge Group about the mood in the electorate.

Two anniversaries. Neither of them politically easy for the government. The past week has been dominated by a bitter divide over how to mark the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Monday marks 12 months since the Voice referendum. David Speers is joined by Mark Kenny, James Massola and Carly Williams. Our guest is the Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson.

One year on, there’s still debate about why Australians voted no in the Voice to Parliament referendum. There's even bigger debate about the path forward from here. David Speers speaks to Megan Davis, a co-author of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and one of those who was heavily involved in the Voice campaign about what this anniversary means and where Indigenous Australians go now.

Fatima Payman's new political party may not be troubling Labor, but it still has plenty of other headaches to worry about.

Tomorrow marks 12 months since the brutal Hamas attack on Israel. A year on – the Middle East conflict is only escalating, after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel this week. Social tension in Australia is only rising, and the political divide has dramatically widened. The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader have both condemned protests on the anniversary of October 7. But that's about all they agree on. David Speers is joined by Niki Savva, Phil Coorey and Katina Curtis. Our guest is the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

The flag of the listed terrorist organisation Hezbollah – and whether it should be against the law to fly it in Australia – has become the latest flashpoint in the domestic debate over the worsening conflict in the middle east.