The Party Room

About this podcast

Want to know what's really going on in Parliament House? Fran Kelly and Patricia Karvelas give you the political analysis that matters and explain what it means for you.

The Party Room

Episodes

2021
Christian Porter stands his ground, denies historic rape allegations
Attorney-General Christian Porter has identified himself as the Cabinet Minister accused of raping a teenage girl in 1988. He strenuously denies the claim. Guardian Australia's Political Editor Katharine Murphy joins Fran and PK to discuss the potential fallout.
March 4, 2021
41 min
Who knew what when about an alleged rape; plus Craig Kelly resigns from the Libs
Pressure remains on the Morrison government over who knew what and when about former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins' rape allegations. Plus, JobSeeker's rate rise and what's behind Craig Kelly's resignation from the Liberal Party? Samantha Maiden, Political Editor with news.com.au joins Fran and PK in the Party Room.
February 25, 2021
33 min
Furore over the government's handling of rape allegations; plus Facebook's news ban
Rape allegations have highlighted the issue of the safety of women in Parliament House. And Facebook has banned Australian users from accessing news in their feeds in response to the federal government's media bargaining code. 7:30's chief political correspondent Laura Tingle is with Fran and PK to pour over the details.
February 18, 2021
34 min
Pressure building over climate change action and IR reform
The Prime Minister's "preference" to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 has been complicated by Nationals backbenchers threatening to cross the floor. Will internal resistance spell the end for a net-zero emissions target? Plus, Insiders host David Speers joins Fran and PK to hone in on Labor's industrial relations policy.
February 11, 2021
29 min
Leadership, climate and Craig Kelly
The first sitting week of 2021 begins with Prime Minister Scott Morrison under pressure to do more on climate change. And what will division over climate change targets mean for Anthony Albanese's leadership? The ABC's political editor Andrew Probyn joins Fran and PK to kick off The Party Room for 2021.
February 4, 2021
34 min
2020
An unprecedented year ends with a bang
The final sitting week of 2020 is ending with the unveiling of a long-awaited IR bill that’s already causing fireworks. On our last episode of The Party Room for 2020 Sydney Morning Herald columnist Jacqueline Maley joins Fran and PK. They dissect the issues that dominated politics in 2020: the pandemic, China and climate change
December 10, 2020
37 min
The tweet that roared
An offensive, fabricated tweet sent by the Chinese Foreign Ministry has taken relations with our biggest trading partner to an all-time low. Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s demands for an apology and for the tweet to be taken down have so far been ignored, so what’s the end game? Peter Hartcher, the Political and International Editor for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald joins Fran and PK in The Party Room.
December 3, 2020
30 min
More Australian borders come down
As Queensland relaxes its borders and South Australia returns to some normality, The Party Room talks about the politics of COVID-19. And The Guardian's political reporter Amy Remeikis joins Fran and PK to also discuss the cost of former Finance Minister Mathias Cormann’s campaign for the top job at the OECD.
November 26, 2020
30 min
Australia's alleged war crimes
PK and David Speers talk about the landmark report outlining Australia's alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
November 19, 2020
34 min
Does Canberra have a culture problem?
A Four Corners investigation has raised concerns about the conduct of two senior Cabinet ministers and their dealings with female staffers. It’s also raised questions about the workplace culture in Parliament House, and the lack of industrial protections for political employees. This week Sam Maiden, Political Editor with news.com.au joins Fran and PK in the Party Room.
November 12, 2020
34 min
What just happened in the United States?
What will the outcome of the US election mean for Australia? Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he’s confident in American democracy and that the historic turnout is “actually a demonstration of democracy working.” The Australian Financial Review’s Political Editor, Philip Coorey joins the Party Room to discuss the US poll, that other election in Queensland and the momentum toward a federal anti-corruption agency.
November 5, 2020
29 min
Lockdown ends, but not lockdown politics
Melburnians are rejoicing over the long awaited easing of COVID-19 restrictions. And with the Reserve Bank now suggesting Australia may have come out of recession, there are plenty of reasons for optimism. But there’s anger as well as elation, with federal Liberal MPs highly critical of the way the Victorian Government has been handling the crisis. Host of Drive on ABC Melbourne, Raf Epstein joins PK and guest co-host David Speers on The Party Room.
October 29, 2020
35 min
Dodgy deals and political vitriol
The gulf between Victoria and the Federal Government is widening as bickering over the pace and priorities of the state’s reopening gets personal. And in senate estimates, the spotlight on a dodgy land deal is prompting fresh calls for a federal anti-corruption body. ABC Political Editor Andrew Probyn joins Fran and PK in the Party Room to dissect the latest developments in #auspol
October 22, 2020
33 min
Too good to lose?
The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian are both under incredible pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic has lifted them to national prominence but they’re now both embroiled in accountability issues. Both premiers have survived no confidence motions but are they dispensable or too good to lose? This week Laura Tingle, chief political correspondent with 7.30 joins the Party Room to discuss leadership, integrity and judgement, along with the same old political fights over tax cuts contained in the Federal Budget.
October 15, 2020
31 min
Are women and older workers the losers in Budget 2020?
The big sell is on, with the PM and his ministers hitting the airwaves to promote the government’s big-spending budget. But while business is largely on board, unions, community and welfare groups have taken aim at #Budget2020, slamming a lack of support for women and older workers. So what are the economic consequences of the Coalition’s policy choices, and how will the politics play out? Shane Wright, Senior Economics Correspondent with The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, joins Fran and PK on The Party Room.
October 8, 2020
36 min
Bonus Episode: The Budget has landed
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has handed down a budget clearly aimed at getting us all spending. The Government’s economic blueprint includes tax cuts, business investment allowances, an asset write-off and hiring incentives, and will rack up nearly a trillion dollars in net debt. But the Opposition says it delivers insufficient bang for the money spent, with women and older workers left out. In this bonus episode of the Party Room, Fran and PK give their initial assessments of #Budget2020
October 7, 2020
17 min
What to expect from the biggest budget of our lifetime
The Federal Government is laying the groundwork for a budget aimed at rebooting an economy, badly bruised by the coronavirus shutdown. An $18 billion investment in technology to reduce carbon emissions and a $4.5 billion upgrade of the National Broadband Network have already been announced. Wage subsidies, tax cuts and infrastructure are all going to be in the mix too, but will we see the kind of structural reforms economists are crying out for?
September 24, 2020
36 min
Divisions deepen in National Cabinet
The Federal Government has pre-empted its meeting with the states by unilaterally raising the international arrivals cap, letting an additional 2000 Australians back into the country. But it’s the states that will have to provide the quarantine facilities and they’re not impressed. Meantime, with the budget just a few weeks away, the Morrison Government has begun laying out its energy policy. But is gas really the way to power the post-pandemic economic recovery, or should the Government be more focused on renewables?
September 17, 2020
32 min
How Victorians really feel about the lockdown
If you thought tensions between the Victorian and Federal Government couldn't get any bigger, think again. It was a week where the Prime Minister ramped up his attack on Victoria, and compared it to the gold standard of NSW. But how were his comments received in Victoria, even though the prism of extended restrictions?
September 10, 2020
33 min
A recession is here. How will the Government respond?
Australia is officially in recession and it's set to be the deepest one since the Great Depression. While the government contends with a 7 per cent contraction in the economy, tensions with the states and China continue to simmer. And, an ex-PM makes a comeback (again) To unpack it all, PK and Fran are joined by AM host Sabra Lane.
September 3, 2020
28 min

The Party Room

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

The Party Room

Episodes

Christian Porter stands his ground, denies historic rape allegations

Who knew what when about an alleged rape; plus Craig Kelly resigns from the Libs

Furore over the government's handling of rape allegations; plus Facebook's news ban

Pressure building over climate change action and IR reform

Leadership, climate and Craig Kelly

An unprecedented year ends with a bang

The tweet that roared

More Australian borders come down

Australia's alleged war crimes

Does Canberra have a culture problem?

What just happened in the United States?

Lockdown ends, but not lockdown politics

Dodgy deals and political vitriol

Too good to lose?

Are women and older workers the losers in Budget 2020?

Bonus Episode: The Budget has landed

What to expect from the biggest budget of our lifetime

Divisions deepen in National Cabinet

How Victorians really feel about the lockdown

A recession is here. How will the Government respond?