Politics with Michelle Grattan
News:Politics
Senator Nick Xenophon is the South Australian “vote magnet” making both the Coalition and Labor nervous, as he spreads his brand at this election. His probable success promises not just more Senate seats for the nascent party but a powerful role in the new Senate for its leader.
Xenophon tells Michelle Grattan he believes that while governments have a mandate to introduce legislation, the Senate has a mandate to scrutinise.
“I say that in the context that there are many hundreds of thousands of Australians that vote differently between the lower house and the upper house because under our Constitution, under our system of government, the Senate is there to represent the states.
“It’s also there under its proportional representation system to be a bulwark against excesses of executive power,” he says.
Government’s ‘shock and awe’ assault on Anthony Albanese
Trent Zimmerman has no regrets on Religious Discrimination rebellion
On Scott Morrison’s battle for Religious Discrimination Bill
Anthony Albanese on his ‘legacy’ - so far
Peter Dutton on US combat assets in Australia, China, and Vladimir Putin
Tanya Plibersek on parents’ role in reducing violence against women
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Josh Frydenberg ‘thinking about the budget’ over Christmas
Sean Kelly and Anne Tiernan on election year
Michelle Grattan on Labor’s climate policy and Liberal’s fight for Warringah
Politicians condemn bad behaviour, and then behave badly
Jenny McAllister on domestic violence
Christmas can’t come too soon for Morrison
Liberal Dave Sharma on 2030 target
On Morrison’s character ratings
Chris Bowen says Labor’s climate policy will be ‘realistic and ambitious’
Scott Morrison has decided electric cars won’t threaten Aussie weekends
Keith Pitt on the climate plan and coal’s future
Scott Morrison’s (thin) climate plan for Glasgow
Phil Honeywood on the challenges of getting international students back
Mustering the government’s rural rump into the 2050 tent
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