Pressure on to make budget repair levy permanent
Gareth Hutchens, Peter Martin, Mark Kenny 12:15 AM Fresh from admitting that tax cuts for individuals cannot be afforded due to a lack of funds, the Turnbull government is being called on to go the other way by retaining the temporary budget repair levy on high income earners which is due to expire next July.
Latest political news
The Pulse live from Parliament House
Stephanie Peatling 8:33 AM It's not quite the last day before a long break but things could get a bit testy.
All eyes on Senate but you can't see it
Matthew Knott 9:39 PM Extraordinary scenes are unfolding at Parliament House right now. But you're banned from knowing exactly what's going on.
Backbench cries foul over Safe Schools
Michael Koziol 6:16 PM Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is facing a renewed push against the Safe Schools anti-bullying program, with conservative Coalition MPs rubbishing an independent review.
NDIS savings to help fund federal contribution
Jane Lee 5:56 PM The Turnbull government will use savings from the National Disability Insurance Scheme to help pay for its contribution to it in future years.
Government surprises with 'effects test'
Gareth Hutchens 4:39 PM The Turnbull government has adopted the most controversial recommendation from the Harper review of Australia's competition laws.
Macklin's magnum opus
Judith Ireland 6:11 PM When Labor lost the election in 2013, Jenny Macklin was among those who suffered the most. But instead of quitting, she went back to the drawing board.
Korea-Australia relations souring over defence
Chris Johnson 6:22 PM The Australian government has outraged South Korea by awarding a $1 billion plus Defence supply ships contract to a Spanish company, despite the Asian nation believing it would be the preferred partner.
'Might makes right' imposed on Asia
Daniel Flitton 4:44 PM A resurgent trend of "might makes right" has settled over vulnerable waters in the South China Sea, the commander of the US Pacific fleet has warned.
Shakeup coming from 28-year-old senator
Latika Bourke 3:44 PM The Liberal Party's youngest-ever senator won't hold back when he delivers his maiden speech.
Claims Morrison's job as Treasurer 'untenable'
Mark Kenny 9:06 PM Labor is ratcheting up the pressure on Treasurer Scott Morrison, suggesting his position has become untenable.
Comment & Analysis
PM must now apply a political 'effects' test
Mark Kenny 9:06 PM The Turnbull government has caught the big end of town off-guard by inserting an "effects" test in competition law.
Turnbull's first budget will be great, seriously
Peter Martin 12:00 AM The Prime Minister is prepared to make the most of unusually low interest rates by spending up big on projects that will pay dividends.
Lonely mission ahead for US's deputy sheriff
Hannah Bretherton 9:00 PM Australia should follow the pragmatism of Britain, Canada and New Zealand in its approach to China, not join the "containment" camp led by the US.
Economists out of touch with climate change
Noah Smith If economists are to help us deal with global warming, they need to start studying science.
There needs to be more to work than money
Ross Gittins Has it ever occurred to you that, in all our economic striving, most of us – almost all our business people, economists and politicians, but also many normal people – are missing the point?
A problem with innocent until proven guilty
George Williams Australia has a problem with the presumption of innocence. It is being displaced by a rush to judgement. The reasons for this are understandable, but problematic. People want to believe that the perpetrator of a violent act has been found and arrested. They want to see someone punished for the crime.
Big risks to submarine deal with Japan
Hugh White Asian power politics must be factored into any defence contract decisions.
Iran visit is a chance to fight for peace
Peter Hartcher The former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger once said that Iran needed to decide whether it was "a nation or a cause".
Time to stop 'nailing granny to the floor'
Jessica Irvine Too many older Australians live lives of relative poverty because policies discourage them from downsizing and unlocking the $1 trillion in wealth stored in their homes.
City slicker PM hitches ride on urban express
Peter Hartcher Malcolm Turnbull wants his cities policy to be a trademark of his prime ministership.
Will Australia be caught short?
George Megalogenis In the upcoming Quarterly Essay, George Megalogenis argues that unless the Turnbull government acts, Australia risks becoming globalisation's next and most unnecessary victim.
The crossbenchers have copped it
Judith Ireland Have federal MPs been watching too many old-timey musicals?
Cheer up: Australia is doing OK
Matt Wade Despite dizzying ups and downs, Australia's economy is adjusting to the post-mining boom world better than expected.
Feminists should speak up about Credlin
Jacqueline Maley The publication this week of claims about Peta Credlin's alleged sexual hold on Tony Abbott has put both feminists and conservatives in a thoroughly confusing position.
Doing drugs differently
Stefan Gruenert Does Australia have the courage to changes drug laws in ways that will actually save lives?
Why Abbott is no Rudd
Martin Flanagan There was always a significant public appetite for Rudd's return. Not so with Abbott.
Abbott strategy makes Windsor a threat
Heath Aston It's not often that a 65 year-old retired politician can, with a straight face, pitch himself as the future-looking candidate in an election contest.
Credlin treatment is insulting to all women
Sarah Gill Blair and his right-hand man were close too, but nobody thought they were having sex.
Turnbull's 'ideas boom' is a bust
Jessica Irvine On their own stated goals, the Coalition won't be particularly deserving winners of the upcoming election, writes Jessica Irvine.
Times are auspicious for Turnbull
Mark Kenny Better commodity prices give Turnbull the option of promising a tax cut.
What if Peta was Peter instead?
Julie Szego A woman at the heart of power is seen as a divisive conspirator when it's her boss who's to blame for abandoning proper process.
Special features
PM must now apply a political 'effects' test
Mark Kenny The Turnbull government has caught the big end of town off-guard by inserting an "effects" test in competition law. No longer would a small retailer need to prove that a large chain, for example, actually intended to close out the competition.
Turnbull's first budget will be great, seriously
The Prime Minister is prepared to make the most of unusually low interest rates by spending up big on projects that will pay dividends.
Lonely mission ahead for US's deputy sheriff
Australia should follow the pragmatism of Britain, Canada and New Zealand in its approach to China, not join the "containment" camp led by the US.
The Pulse: The day from Parliament
As well as more talk about the budget - what's in, what's out, when it will be - the report into the Safe Schools will be released. It's basically a stick of dynamite that will get thrown onto an already fiery week.
Freaky time for Father of the House
There's always one. Come class photo time, it's time for the class clown to perform.
Economists out of touch with climate change
If economists are to help us deal with global warming, they need to start studying science.
There needs to be more to work than money
Has it ever occurred to you that, in all our economic striving, most of us – almost all our business people, economists and politicians, but also many normal people – are missing the point?
Australia's problem with innocent until guilty
Australia has a problem with the presumption of innocence. It is being displaced by a rush to judgement. The reasons for this are understandable, but problematic. People want to believe that the perpetrator of a violent act has been found and arrested. They want to see someone punished for the crime.
The Pulse: The day from Parliament House
Will it be the last week before the government goes all crazy na na and decides to have an early double dissolution election? Will the budget be moved?
Iran visit is a chance to fight for peace
The former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger once said that Iran needed to decide whether it was "a nation or a cause".
Big risks to submarine deal with Japan
Asian power politics must be factored into any defence contract decisions.
Voters feel the seven-month itch
Malcolm Turnbull's approval rating has slipped from 69 per cent in November to 55 per cent today.
Onus on Turnbull to end double dissolution speculation
Malcolm Turnbull remains far and away the Coalition's biggest asset and the voters desperately want him to succeed.
We must do smarter on spending control
Whether it's a week early or not, it looks a safe bet that this year's budget will do little more than keep the wheels of government turning for another 12 months.
Politicians tell us their favourite music
Four leading politicians - including a recently dumped PM - reveal their favourite songs, which we've put into Spotify playlists.
How good or bad are the pollies' song choices?
The abiding sense from looking at the picks of all four is that you'd want to be at Plibersek's place on a Saturday night then recover in a beanbag in Barnaby's backyard for a Sunday BBQ.
