The independent election?

Opinion polls suggest neither major party block can be confident of winning the 76 seats required for a simple majority, opening the prospect of independent and crossbench MPs holding the balance of power.

Don’t point the finger

Australian voters are being targeted by divisive ‘them vs us’ strategies that overshadow policy debate but there are some ways to move past the soundbites.

Enough is enough?

As Donald Trump and his administration seem determined to antagonise or completely abandon their allies, middle powers like Australia will have to decide when enough is enough.

Labor needs a refreshed message

Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party’s hope of clinging to government in 2025 hinges on dramatically reshaping their pitch to voters more concerned about hip-pocket issues than broader economic messages.

Under the influence

Online influencers might not change the way you vote at the looming federal election but they’ll almost certainly shape how and why political events become ‘news’.

Our podcasting politicians

Political campaigning is no longer just about billboards, speeches, and TV debates as our politicians look to reach out to engage voters through podcasts, Instagram and Tik Tok.

Hero or zero?

Do Australian parties win general elections because of their leaders, or in spite of them? History shows that either case can happen, and sometimes it’s a bit of both.

How the west will be won

Labor’s chances of holding majority government hinge on holding seats in WA, which explains why both major parties are spending a lot of time out West.

Back to the future

The left leaning votes of women and young people helped swing the last Federal election to Labor, so will this trend continue this time around?

Get the party started

The history of Australia’s political parties is both fascinating and turbulent, but a political system dominated by mass parties shaped by industrial society may now be a thing of the past.

More than a gesture required

Higher penalties for violence and bans on Nazi gestures must be accompanied by broader action to deal with the underlying social, political and cultural conditions that have enabled groups like the NSN to emerge.

Truth in political advertising

Misleading political advertisements in the lead-up to an election campaign are perfectly legal and already being used to shape the outcome of the coming federal election.