Political Capital

The five big policies announced by Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton on Sunday, at a combined cost of $24 billion, may be too much for voters to consume. Advantage Labor.

The Coalition is on the attack over energy, despite the many lingering questions over its gas 'reservation' policy.

Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor faced each other in the ring last night. Both did plenty of manoeuvring, but playing it safe meant neither delivered a KO.

Benefiting from low expectations, Peter Dutton was able to blunt a key Labor attack at last night's leaders' debate. But Liberals fear too much damage has already been done.

Market volatility may have more ramifications for politics than economics — in the short run, at least.

The leaking of Peter Dutton’s announcement to Labor was yet another blow to the Coalition. But it’s the things they should have seen coming that are worrying party insiders the most.

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have presented two very different strategies to respond to Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

'Liberation Day' in the US, meaning tariffs for everyone else, shows once again that Donald Trump is the biggest external factor shaping Australia's election result.

Peter Dutton’s campaign is chaotic. The question is whether there is a method to the madness.

As Peter Dutton moves his focus to infrastructure with an announcement in Melbourne today, jettisoning his hard-man image continues to be a difficult task.

The election campaign has kicked off, and the first stops Anthony Albanese made weren't in battleground seats but in Coalition territory and safe Labor ground.

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are locked in a contest over whether the election is a choice between the two leaders or a referendum on the prime minister’s performance.

Jim Chalmers has crafted a budget that feels a lot more suited to the times than last year’s effort.

All eyes will be on the election war chest Jim Chalmers sets aside in the budget as deficits loom. But his first task is to get the tone right.

All the pressure is normally on the government a week out from the budget, but a peculiar set of circumstances has put the spotlight on Peter Dutton.

Anthony Albanese and his ministers were blindsided by the Trump administration this week. But it is Peter Dutton who runs the risk of looking like he's not on Team Australia.

Donald Trump’s actions since his return to the White House have caused allies all over the world to reassess their relationships with the US. Australia is not immune.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s window to call an election without holding a budget is closing. Cyclone Alfred may well slam it shut.

Australian think tanks are among the least transparent in the world when it comes to funding. There’s a push to change that.

If there were questions about the direction this tight election campaign is heading, this week's mud-slinging may have answered them.

Anthony Albanese’s Medicare announcement — and Peter Dutton’s swift response — are part of a broader battle to control the election narrative.

Some Labor sources are preparing for a 12 April election, as the window narrows for Anthony Albanese to avoid another budget.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor has weighed in on the growing debate about the independence of the RBA board following a costings scandal with Treasury and its secretary Steven Kennedy.

Trump’s tariff threats are forcing some global conservative leaders to find rare bipartisan unity with domestic opponents. Can Peter Dutton navigate the Trump effect?

Anthony Albanese has taken a first step towards achieving an exemption for Australia from US tariffs. But even if he succeeds, it doesn't guarantee Donald Trump won't change his mind later on.

The Reserve Bank’s highly anticipated rate-cutting cycle could be on ice as soon as it really begins. That’s the best guess of some of the country’s top forecasters following Trump’s tariffs.

Parliament returned today as the election looms. If it results in a hung parliament, as many now expect, Anthony Albanese's negotiation skills may give him an edge.

Jim Chalmers didn’t quite declare “mission accomplished” on inflation this week. But if the Reserve Bank cuts rates in February, he’d be justified in making that claim ahead of an election.

While conventional thinking has Anthony Albanese eyeing an early April election, there are plenty of signs that the prime minister has not ruled out going to the polls in May.

If you were expecting a major policy announcement in Anthony Albanese's National Press Club address, you'll be disappointed. That's by design.

The Labor government is trying to maintain an equilibrium by avoiding Donald Trump's wrath without sucking up to him.

For all the talk that the opposition is starting from too far back to win the election, there is a precedent for gaining the number of seats it needs for victory.

Labor wants to turn the election into a choice between a likeable Anthony Albanese and an unpopular Peter Dutton — but the Liberal leader wants voters to ask themselves a different question.

Anthony Albanese will hold his first cabinet meeting of the year on Monday as he looks to reset the agenda ahead of a key speech and policy announcement.

Anthony Albanese has made a switch at the start of the year in his attempt to convince voters that Peter Dutton is not a risk worth taking, as unrest builds among Labor MPs.

With Anthony Albanese repeatedly failing to rise to the moment, Peter Dutton now finds himself under the weight of big expectations internally.

The treasurer delivered his most widely supported economic announcement of the year on Monday. This success, though, is likely to be short-lived.

There is a reason why the two big policies coming out of Canberra this week are a world away from Australians’ central concern about the cost of living.