Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’, Sanae Takaichi, will soon visit Australia, bringing a superpower dilemma that closely resembles Anthony Albanese’s.
Finn McHugh
Political correspondent
Finn McHugh joined Capital Brief after four years in Federal Parliament reporting for News Corp, The Canberra Times and SBS News. He also previously interned at The Kuwait Times.
Contact Finn via email.
The Health Minister’s nonstop interviews suggest Labor knows its NDIS overhaul carries real political danger, despite Coalition support.
The Victorian MP says there’s a ‘significant degree of creativity’ in the government’s efforts to crack down on the illicit tobacco trade.
While housing shortages fuel fierce debate over migration, local government says the problem is simple: there aren’t enough council workers to inspect and approve new homes.
Jim Chalmers is leaving the door open to tax reform as Labor weighs intergenerational inequality, housing affordability and a budget changed by war.
A polling slide for Anthony Albanese shows how global uncertainty and a chaotic US president are making it harder for the government to control its agenda.
An exclusive Capital Brief/DemosAU poll also shows the Coalition gaining ground for the first time in months.
Exclusive new Capital Brief/DemosAU polling shows Australians are increasingly uneasy with Donald Trump.
Senior ministers have staunchly defended the US alliance as exclusive new CapitalBrief/DemosAU polling shows Australians are increasingly sceptical of it.
The latest Capital Brief/DemosAU poll shows Australians want the government to keep its distance from Trump as the Middle East conflict deepens.
The illicit tobacco boom is draining billions from the budget, fuelling organised crime and exposing the limits of Labor’s enforcement-first approach.
Greg Moriarty is set to take over as US ambassador at a complex time for both geopolitics and Australia’s most important alliance.
Candidates in the Farrer by-election are calling for cuts to migration. But local employers say they need more foreign workers to help grow the economy.
Anthony Albanese wants a long Labor government that changes the country. But his refusal to consider expanding parliament says a lot about the limits of that ambition.
What was meant to be a pre-budget scene-setter for Anthony Albanese became a live response as Trump’s Iran remarks reignited oil fears and market nerves.
Dario Amodei warned Australian politicians that AI’s risks are real and the timeline is short — and that democracies must win the race to build it.
The prime minister is signalling growing frustration with Washington as the conflict in Iran pushes up fuel prices and complicates the government’s inflation fight.
Andrew Hastie’s questioning of core Liberal Party beliefs hints at a looming rift as the Opposition faces a critical by-election 300km from Canberra.
Economists say Labor’s decision to cut fuel prices appears to be motivated by short-term political gain. The move risks driving up inflation in the longer-term.
As One Nation grabs headlines in Farrer, bookies have independent Michelle Milthorpe in front. She is adamant she’s no teal.
Once a blue-green contest, Farrer is now a battle of orange, with independent Michelle Milthorpe and One Nation both threatening the Coalition.
Capital Brief has spent time on the ground in Farrer, as the race to replace Sussan Ley exposes fractures on the right — and disaffection with the major parties.
Australia’s trade deal with Europe lands amid tariff wars, defence worries and a broader warning that the global order is getting tougher.
The party’s result in South Australia has turned a long-theorised threat into a real one, leaving Labor and the Coalition with nowhere to hide.
AI and economic crisis top Australians’ security fears. But half think a military attack is probable
A comprehensive new report, which engaged with 20,000 people, shows Australians have a nuanced view of national security. But concerns of an attack on local soil are elevated.
