The Latest Articles by Michelle Grattan

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 · Mar 16, 2025

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 · Mar 13, 2025

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 · Mar 13, 2025

View from The Hill: Alfred forces Albanese into budget of risks and opportunities

The “maybe” March 25 budget is now a definite, the government’s hand forced by Cyclone Alfred.

The Conversation · Mar 8, 2025

Grattan on Friday: Anthony Albanese beset by disruptors, from Cyclone Alfred to Donald Trump

Issues sometimes “come at you”, Anthony Albanese declared on Thursday at the end of a news conference, held at Canberra’s National Situation Room, about Cyclone Alfred.

The Conversation · Mar 6, 2025

Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Curran on Trump, Ukraine, shifting tectonic plates, and a bigger Australian defence bill

The Trump presidency is turning much of the world order on its head. Tne United States president is arm-twisting Ukraine, playing nice with Russia, and using protection as an economic and political weapon.

The Conversation · Mar 5, 2025

Schools agreement provides NSW $4.8 billion extra for public schools over a decade

The Albanese government has signed up New South Wales to its new schools funding agreement, with an extra A$4.8 billion in funding for the state’s public schools over ten years.

The Conversation · Mar 3, 2025

Dutton says as PM he would ‘lobby’ Donald Trump to reconsider Ukraine stand

Peter Dutton says if he became prime minister he would lobby US President Donald Trump “to reconsider his position” on Ukraine.

The Conversation · Mar 3, 2025

Albanese’s pitch on beer – temporary freeze on excise indexation

The Albanese government will temporarily freeze the indexation on draught beer excise, in what it describes as a win for drinkers, brewers and businesses.

The Conversation · Feb 28, 2025

Grattan on Friday: Albanese falls victim to a Chinese burn

As the Albanese government struggles to stay on its political feet, who would have thought the China issue would suddenly insert itself into the campaign, leaving the prime minister looking, at best, flat-footed?

The Conversation · Feb 27, 2025