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The Latest Articles by Michelle Grattan

Election diary: Dutton tries to shake off Trump dust and avoid being trapped on wages

Ahead of Donald Trump’s tariff announcement early Thursday (Australian time), the United States president has become a serious and increasing worry for Peter Dutton’s campaign. Even apart from Labor’s obvious and constant “Trump-whistling”, many voters are apparently seeing a lot of Trump dust on the opposition leader.

The Conversation

Labor will urge Fair Work Commission to give real wage rise to three million workers

The Labor Party on Wednesday will urge the Fair Work Commission to grant a real wage increase to Australian workers on awards.

The Conversation

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kos Samaras on polls and the people who’ll decide this election

The demography that makes up the Australian electorate is changing and as voters desert the major parties polls are becoming harder to read.

The Conversation

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Election Diary: Dutton flags intervention in what he sees as ‘woke’ education, but how much could he actually do?

Peter Dutton came perilously close to a DOGE moment on Monday night, when he was asked about getting the “woke” agendas out of the education system. Noting the Commonwealth government “doesn’t own or run a school”, Dutton told a Sky audience in Brisbane that people wondered why there was “a…

The Conversation

Election diary: Energy is in the foreground – but climate change is ‘in the shadows’

This election is already shaping up as very much about energy. But notably, ambitions for and debate about combatting climate change have receded in recent times.

The Conversation

View from The Hill: Dutton has questions to answer on gas; Albanese has supermarket answer still hunting for the problem

Peter Dutton is a tease when it comes to the fine print of policies. At least that’s the benign explanation. Critics have a harsher take on why we’re always being told to wait for the detail. They would claim his policies are often thin, or unfolded on the run.

The Conversation

Albanese calls May 3 election, with cost of living the central battleground

Australians will go to the polls on May 3 for an election squarely centred on the cost of living.

The Conversation

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View from The Hill: uninspiring leaders, stressed voters and the shadow of Trump make for an uncertain contest

The usual story for a first-term government is a loss of seats, as voters send it a message, but ultimate survival.

The Conversation

Grattan on Friday: an ‘arms race’ of promises as prime minister set to call election

Oops. Anthony Albanese’s own department pre-empted its boss on Thursday. Some unfortunate official, pressing the wrong button, posted on X that the government was in “caretaker” mode, although the prime minister had not yet called the election.

The Conversation

Albanese to call election on Friday as Dutton pledges fuel tax relief and national gas plan

Anthony Albanese is set to announce on Friday that Australians will go to the polls on May 3, after he makes an early morning visit to Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

The Conversation

Peter Dutton promises $6 billion 12-month halving of petrol and diesel excise

Opposition leader Peter Dutton will promise in his Thursday budget reply that a Coalition government would immediately halve the fuel excise on petrol and diesel.

The Conversation

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers and Angus Taylor on tax top-ups and budget bottom lines

As the election starter’s gun is about to be fired, Tuesday’s budget announced modest income tax cuts as the government’s latest cost-of-living measure. The Coalition has opposed the tax relief, with Peter Dutton’s Thursday budget reply to put forward his policy counters on the cost of living.

The Conversation

Albanese government bids for votes with ‘top-up’ tax cuts for all

Tax cuts are the centrepiece of the Albanese government’s cost-of-living budget bid for re-election in May. The surprise tax measures mean taxpayers will receive an extra tax cut of up to A$268 from July 1 next year and up to $536 every year from July 1 2027.

The Conversation

A ‘modest’ tax bribe, delivered against dark clouds of Trump-induced uncertainty

The Albanese government’s fourth budget is a pitch for the votes of a sour and alienated electorate, framed against a background of extraordinary international uncertainty.

The Conversation

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The Conversation

View from The Hill: 5 things to look for in the budget – and why we really need another budget soon

Jim Chalmers likes to boast, or marvel, that he is the first treasurer since Ben Chifley to deliver four budgets in a term.

The Conversation

Grattan on Friday: Dutton says he could handle Donald Trump, but can any Australian PM?

In the Trump age, how the next government, whether Labor or Coalition, will handle foreign affairs, defence and trade is shaping as crucially important.

The Conversation

Labor promises PBS scripts will cost no more than $25, under latest health pitch for election

The Albanese government will make another pre-election offer in health, promising that if re-elected it will legislate to ensure people pay no more than $25 for a script under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

The Conversation

View from The Hill: Dutton’s talk about a citizenship referendum is personal over-reach and political folly

Peter Dutton, when he gets on his favoured ground of security, too often goes for the quick hit, and frequently over-reaches.

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The Conversation

Treasurer Chalmers promises ‘meaningful and substantial’ cost of living help in Tuesday’s budget

Next week’s budget will have cost-of-living assistance that will be meaningful and substantial but “responsible”, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said.

The Conversation

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Barbara Pocock on the Greens’ policy priorities

The Greens have heaped a lot of pressure on the government during this term, from issues of the environment, housing, and Medicare, to the war in the Middle East.

The Conversation

Coalition promises Australian version of United States’ RICO act to target CFMEU

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a Coalition government would introduce legislation, based on an American law used to pursue the Mafia, to enable police to target the “kingpins” of criminal organisations such as outlaw motorcycle gangs.

The Conversation

Cyclone Alfred to cost budget $1.2 billion, hit growth and push up inflation: Chalmers

Cyclone Alfred will cost the March 25 budget at least A$1.2 billion, hit growth and put pressure on inflation, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.

The Conversation

Grattan on Friday: Will voters fear PM Peter Dutton would be a surprise packet?

Australian politicians on both sides of the house say protectionist policies are bad, right? That Australia, as a country, believes in and benefits from trade being as free as possible.

The Conversation

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Peter Dutton on why he’s not Australia’s Trump – ‘I’m my own person’

On current opinion polls, we are looking at a very close race at the May election. As voting day draws near, Peter Dutton will face more forensic questioning about his policies and how he would run government.

The Conversation

View from The Hill: tariff rebuff feeds into debate about how Australia handles Donald Trump

Anthony Albanese didn’t mince words in responding to Donald Trump’s refusal to grant Australia an exemption from the United States’ tariff on aluminium and steel. “This is not a friendly act,” the prime minister declared bluntly.

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