The Medicare levy increase is splitting Labor and the Liberals going into the next election.

A debate is raging in policy circles: whether to maintain a close alliance with the United States, or pull away and become closer allies with China.

• Schools funding

Malcolm Turnbull announces a new 10-year schools funding plan, and a new review by David Gonski. Labor brands the funding plan "an act of political bastardry".

New yards and a new workforce are needed to build $89 billion worth of ships in coming decades.

• Federal Politics

The former head of Treasury Ken Henry has criticised the government's bank tax, saying it's misleading to suggest it won't be passed on to customers.

• Federal politics

Bullets were fired into the Manus Island detention centre not into the air according to a report by Amnesty International.

A slight positive poll bump shows broad support for the 2017 federal budget, says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

With US white supremacist Mike Enoch set to visit Australia, influential Coalition MP George Christensen has called on the government to bar him from entering.

• Fairfax-Ipsos

The budget lifts the government in the latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll, but Labor still leads, Mark Kenny explains.

• Afghanistan

Australians have been deployed in Afghanistan since 2001, and that doesn't look like ending any time soon.

In an interview with CNN's Lester Holt, Donald Trump defended his firing of former FBI Director James Comey.

• Federal Politics

The battle lines are drawn with Labor leader Bill Shorten revealing what he will and won't support in the budget, setting up a fight with the government.

• Budget 2017

Bill Shorten sticks with Labor's traditional strengths as he responds to the federal budget.

• Foreign Aid

The foreign aid budget is now less than half of what was once a bipartisan target. Fergus Hunter explains.

• 2017 Budget

Confusion in question time as the government gives apparently contradictory answers on the cost of its ten-year company tax cuts.

• Federal Budget

The head of the Australian Bankers' Association has slammed Scott Morrison for the "smash and grab" decision to tax big banks.

According to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, "productivity went up" during last last week's strike action that saw hundreds of journalists walk out of newsrooms.

• Federal Budget

Anyone buying a brand new home will soon have to pay GST, previously billed to developers, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars.

• Budget 2017

Mark Kenny argues the 2017 budget has recast Canberra politics, and not just for the government.

Does the Treasurer's infrastructure spending spell smooth sailing, or are there rough seas ahead?