How do progressive leaders navigate turbulence of the Trump era? 

Anthony Albanese has been flexing Australia's middle-power muscle at the 80th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly this week. But while he was affirming Australia's recognition of Palestine and spruiking Australia's social media ban for under 16s, broader global shifts were on display.  So, how is Anthony Albanese navigating the new world order? And can he balance closer ties with Europe, while remaining in favour with Donald Trump? And a video of Liberal MP Andrew Hastie and a 1969 Ford Falcon has caused quite a stir,  but what does it mean for Sussan Ley's hold on the leadership? Brett Worthington and Melissa Clarke are joined by Michelle Grattan, Chief Political Correspondent at The Conversation and Professorial Fellow at the University of Canberra on The Party Room. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

A date has officially been set for a meeting between Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese.  The White House has confirmed the one-on-one will take place in Washington next month, with Anthony Albanese telling reporters that the US President had agreed to a meeting "some time ago." On Politics Now David Speers joined Brett Worthington live from NYC to discuss the "risks" and possible rewards for Anthony Albanese from a standalone meeting in the oval office. Read David Speers' analysis here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-24/anthony-albanese-donald-trump-meeting/105801298  Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has vowed to revoke Australia's recognition of Palestinian statehood, taking the unusual step of writing to US Republicans to flag the Coalition's position. It came as Anthony Albanese took to the stage at the United Nations General Assembly, where he spoke about Australia's recognition of Palestine and commitment to delivering the two-state solution. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has accused the Opposition Leader of "going rogue" on foreign policy, while Liberal Senator Dave Sharma has labelled the move "perfectly appropriate". But does the decision undermine the idea of "team Australia"? Brett Worthington and Raf Epstein break it all down on Politics Now. Editor's note: In this episode we refer to a conversation between Opposition leader Sussan Ley and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The ABC now understands Israel’s Ambassador reached out to Sussan Ley to organise the call. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel  for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Australia has formally recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, with the prime minister suggesting the move was "the world saying that the cycle of violence has to stop". But while the declaration was matched by allies, including Canada and the UK, it puts Australia at odds with the United States. So, what impact will the move actually have? Meanwhile, the telecommunications regulator has launched an investigation into the Optus network's outage last week, which is linked to three deaths. Communications Minister Anika Wells delayed her trip to the US to address the crisis, which she's labelled inexcusable. And what's going on with Andrew Hastie's recent Facebook posts? Brett Worthington and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now. Read Jacob's latest pieces here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-13/donald-trump-anthony-albanese-common/105756898https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-20/sussan-ley-coalition-climate-donor-laws/105778688  Read Brett's latest piece here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-18/anthony-albanese-png-coalition-climate/105767026  Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Australia will soon submit a 2035 target to cut emissions by 62 to 70 per cent to the United Nations.

The Albanese Government has unveiled its long awaited 2035 emissions reduction target, confirming it will sit in a range of 62 - 70 per cent.  But in the Coalition ranks, the climate wars have re-emerged with Opposition leader Sussan Ley forced to reassure her party room that she won't pursue net zero by 2050 at "any cost." The Opposition leader has delivered her first major economic speech since taking up the role. But how has her economic vision landed? Brett Worthington and Melissa Clarke are joined by Tom McIlroy, Guardian Australia Political Editor on The Party Room. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Donald Trump has rebuked questions from ABC America's Editor John Lyons, suggesting they were “hurting Australia" when speaking to reporters at the White House. But the real "Easter egg" in the heated exchange was the US President seemingly confirming he would be meeting with Anthony Albanese "very soon" - the clearest indication to date the two leaders will meet. But in a blow to the prime minister, a  much-touted defence treaty between Australia and PNG failed to get off the ground. So, is this just a momentary blip, or the sign of more challenges ahead in the region? Brett Worthington and Claudia Long break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

As the Albanese Government prepares to release its 2035 emissions reduction target, the Coalition's deep divisions on climate change have re-emerged. Senior Liberal Andrew Hastie has threatened to quit — or be sacked — from the Opposition frontbench if the Coalition doesn't abandon the target. While fellow Coalition frontbencher Jonno Duniam is warning of a "mass exodus" if the party pursues the policy "at any cost." On Politics Now, Brett Worthington and Raf Epstein discuss how the internal divisions put Opposition leader Sussan Ley in an "impossible situation" and serve as a test to her leadership. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to Brett and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

As the Albanese Government prepares to unveil its 2035 emissions reduction target, a new climate assessment has painted a dire picture of the future. On Politics Now PK and Brett Worthington discuss how this "sequencing" from the Labor may be laying the groundwork for more ambitious climate targets. And as the PM heads to PNG to ink a new security agreement, the government has unveiled $12 billion for a submarine and naval shipbuilding facility near Perth. But will the focus on defence be enough for Anthony Albanese to secure a meeting with Donald Trump next week? Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

The Albanese Government is preparing to set Australia's next climate goal: the 2035 emissions reduction target, as required under the Paris agreement.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has demoted prominent Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the backbench, after a turbulent week of factional infighting. But the Senator has made it clear she "won't be silenced" on what she calls mass immigration. So, as the factional battlelines are drawn what does this mean for Sussan Ley's authority? Patricia Karvelas and Melissa Clarke are joined by Anna Henderson, SBS News Chief Political Correspondent to analyse how the saga has snowballed in the last week and where it leaves a deeply divided Liberal partyroom. And Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been rubbing shoulders with world leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum, but is Labor trying to have it have it both ways when it comes to addressing climate change concerns in the Pacific? Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Israel's strike in Qatar as a "violation" of the country's sovereignty, while US President Donald Trump says he's "not thrilled" by the situation. So, does the move jettison the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza? And the Prime Minister rubs shoulders with world leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum, how is Australia countering the rising influence of China in the region? Patricia Karvelas and David Speers break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

The Prime Minister has now added his voice to growing calls for Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to apologise for her remarks about Indian migrants. Shadow Attorney General Julian Leeser has apologised to the Indian Australian community for her remarks, while the Senator has doubled down, urging the Opposition leader to force her colleague Alex Hawke to apologise for the way he raised the matter with her. So, has the issue become a "proxy war" for the future of the party? It comes as the Prime Minister jets off to the Pacific Island Forum, but in a diplomatic blow a landmark security pact with Vanuatu has been put on ice. So, as Labor tries to counter the rise of China in the region, has diplomacy in the Pacific simply become "transactional"? Patricia Karvelas and Raf Epstein break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Tensions are threatening to boil over in the Liberal party in the wake of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s comments about Indian migration. The NT Senator has now accused her colleague and factional powerbroker Alex Hawke of  “cowardly and inappropriate” behaviour and threatening remarks over the matter. While Alex Hawke has taken to the media to hit back, calling on the Senator to apologise for her damaging remarks. So, as the civil war inside the Liberal party continues to rage, what does it mean for Sussan Ley's authority and her leadership? Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now. READ PK'S LATEST ARTICLE HERE: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-08/jacinta-napijinpa-price-liberals-immigration-sussan-ley/105729194  READ JACOB'S LATEST ARTICLE HERE: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-06/superannuation-freedom-of-information-jim-chalmers-jacinta-price/105720438  Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

Dan Andrews had a front row seat to China flexing its military might this week.

The government has quietly signed a $408 million (and then some) deal with Nauru to house members of the so-called NZYQ cohort. The deal was only made public via an end-of-week departmental upload, and the full cost could reach $2.5 billion. Why the silence, and what does it say about the politics of migration and dissent inside Labor right now? Meanwhile, immigration has dominated the national conversation this week, with protests on the streets and language from the government and Opposition under scrutiny. Plus, aged care, and some controversial photo ops in China - there’s been plenty more in the background of this sitting week. Patricia Karvelas and Melissa Clarke are joined by Phil Coorey, political editor for The Australian Financial Review to unpack a high-stakes week in federal politics on The Party Room. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

The government is under increasing pressure to explain changes to Freedom of information laws, which could make it harder for journalists and members of the public to gain access to documents.  Labor says the current system is outdated and clogged with trivial requests, but critics warn the changes will come at the cost of transparency.  And the issue of migration is still dominating discussion in Canberra as fallout from the weekend's protests continue. Patricia Karvelas and DAVID SPEERS break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Mel for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au

The government is facing increased criticism over the delays to the introduction of its new aged care reforms. It comes as Department of Health data reveals that 5000 Australians died in the last financial year while waiting for a home care package.  There are also questions being raised about Labor's plans to change Freedom of Information laws to make it harder to access government data.  And the fall out from the weekend's anti-immigration protests continue. Patricia Karvelas and RAFAEL EPSTEIN break it all down on Politics Now.

Anti-immigration rallies took place over the weekend with known neo-Nazis speaking at events in Melbourne and Sydney. The Albanese government issued a statement saying that  “All Australians, no matter their heritage, have the right to feel safe and welcome in our community” and condemned the march as “hateful”. But is this enough? The government also made a $400 million deal to deport 280 non citizens to Nauru whose visas to Australia were refused on character grounds....and there wasn't a peep out of the Labor backbench. Why is there such a lack of debate within Labor's new ranks? Patricia Karvelas and Jacob Greber break it all down on Politics Now. Got a burning question? Got a burning political query? Send a short voice recording to PK and Fran for Question Time at thepartyroom@abc.net.au