The Latest Articles by Michelle Grattan

Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get through late work

Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the candidate considered most likely to succeed Anthony Albanese as Labor’s leader.

The Conversation · Nov 21, 2024

Shorten declares himself ‘a proud moderate’, saying Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t be hostage to intolerant fringes

Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate.

The Conversation · Nov 21, 2024

Australia’s $230 billion Future Fund encouraged to invest in housing, energy transition, infrastructure

The Albanese government has rewritten the mandate of the Future Fund – the nation’s sovereign wealth fund – to urge it to direct investment into the “national priorities” of housing, the energy transition and infrastructure, where the risk and returns are acceptable.

The Conversation · Nov 20, 2024

Senate censures Lidia Thorpe for disupting King’s reception and Ralph Babet for posting hate speech

The Senate has censured two of its own, Lidia Thorpe and Ralph Babet, both of whom were absent when the votes were taken because of problems with their flights to Canberra.

The Conversation · Nov 18, 2024

Businesses will have to accept cash for essentials under government plan

The Albanese government, anxious to prevent a dash from cash by businesses, says it will mandate that they must accept it for essential items.

The Conversation · Nov 17, 2024

NACC head Paul Brereton says resigning in the face of bad publicity would ‘undermine’ the commission

The head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Paul Brereton, has rejected calls he resign after a finding of “officer misconduct”, declaring to do so would harm the NACC.

The Conversation · Nov 15, 2024

Government aims to pass political donation and spending caps within a fortnight after in-principle deal with opposition

The Albanese government aims to rush through legislation within a fortnight for political donation and spending caps, after in-principle support from the opposition.

The Conversation · Nov 14, 2024

Grattan on Friday: Labor will ask voters ‘who will make you better or worse off in next three years?’

The government is standing by Kevin Rudd, albeit with gritted teeth, in the face of calls for him to be replaced as Australia’s ambassador to Washington. But the row is an unhelpful and potentially damaging distraction for a prime minister beset by problems and under the shadow of an approaching…

The Conversation · Nov 14, 2024

Politics with Michelle Grattan: shadow communications minister David Coleman says misinformation legislation ‘one of the worst bills ever’

The government has embarked on a raft of new online safety measures aimed at protecting Australians from the excesses of misinformation and social harm online.

The Conversation · Nov 14, 2024

Government to impose ‘duty of care’ on digital platforms: Communiations Minister Rowland

The Albanese government will develop and legislate a “Digital Duty of Care” to place the onus on platforms to keep people safe and better prevent online harms, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced.

The Conversation · Nov 13, 2024