Politics news

• ‘Fake agents’: Migration operators stripped of credentials in crackdown

  18-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  A federal crackdown has exposed unregistered individuals lodging hundreds of visa applications under legitimate credentials, leaving vulnerable clients at risk.
  
  Read more

• Years of One Nation accounts released, revealing huge merch sales, legal bills

  21-08-2026 10:31 via smh.com.au
  
  The party scrambled to submit three years of overdue financial reports to avoid the risk of being deregistered by the Queensland government.
  
  Read more

• ‘Bizarre’, ‘extraordinary’: Exclusive Brethren spokesman objects to being asked questions

  21-08-2026 09:08 via smh.com.au
  
  The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has stonewalled questions about its members’ links to far-right activists at the last election.
  
  Read more

• Israel open to compensating Zomi Frankcom's family, ambassador says

  21-08-2026 09:02 via abc.net.au
  
  Hillel Newman says the issue of paying reparations to the family of the aid worker will be investigated in Israel if a specific request is lodged.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Israel could pay reparations to Zomi Frankcom’s family after Australian anger

  21-08-2026 07:31 via smh.com.au
  
  Israel’s ambassador adopted a strikingly more conciliatory tone after Anthony Albanese expressed “outrage” over the decision not to prosecute those responsible.
  
  Read more

• Is super a bigger political bomb than Medicare? We're about to find out

  21-08-2026 05:07 via abc.net.au
  
  A political war over superannuation has been inflamed in the past fortnight, with both the Coalition and One Nation facing a fight with Labor and the industry.
  
  Read more

• Tony Abbott opens door to new candidate to counter rogue Liberal senator Antic

  21-08-2026 03:57 via smh.com.au
  
  This masthead reported on Thursday that some members of the federal party wanted to launch an extraordinary takeover over the South Australian division.
  
  Read more

• This moment crystallises a very uncomfortable truth about sexual violence

  21-08-2026 03:50 via smh.com.au
  
  Allegations of sexual assault involving men and boys tied to powerful institutions are back in the headlines again. It’s depressingly familiar.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Fiona Brown declares ‘triumph’ after $1.48m settlement stemming from Higgins case

  21-08-2026 03:08 via smh.com.au
  
  Fiona Brown says she “ultimately triumphed” over those who tore her down while warning federal parliament must overhaul the way it treats staff caught in political crossfire.
  
  Read more

• Brethren Church denies paying influencers to harass election candidates

  21-08-2026 02:36 via abc.net.au
  
  The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church says it did not pay or coordinate with far-right influencers to harass and intimidate candidates during last year's federal election, following allegations published in Nine newspapers. 
  
  Read more

• Russian Australian charged with foreign interference — as it happened

  20-08-2026 23:05 via abc.net.au
  
  The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have charged a 27-year-old Russian Australian man with foreign interference.
  
  Read more

• Live: Russian Australian charged with foreign interference

  20-08-2026 23:05 via abc.net.au
  
  The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have charged a 27-year-old Russian Australian man with foreign interference. Follow live.
  
  Read more

• Live: PM says podcast appearance leading to Minogue, melons gaffes 'an error'

  20-08-2026 23:05 via abc.net.au
  
  The PM says his appearance on an episode of the Bush Deep podcast, which attracted criticism over his comments on Kylie Minogue and his melon gaffe, was "an error". Follow live.
  
  Read more

• How did we get here? The 20-year journey to $1t in debt

  20-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  It’s taken 20 years, two crises, a demographic turnaround and demand for more services to push Australian government debt beyond $1 trillion.
  
  Read more

• How did we get here? The 20-year journey to $1 trillion in debt

  20-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  It’s taken 20 years, two crises, a demographic turnaround and demand for more services to push Australian government debt beyond $1 trillion.
  
  Read more

• Brethren zealots forgot religion and politics don’t mix

  20-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church campaign to help the Coalition win office blew up in their faces.
  
  Read more

• As Hanson and Taylor change tack, the PM can maintain a steady course

  20-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  One Nation and the Coalition are repositioning themselves for the election to come. But Anthony Albanese’s still in control of the political narrative.
  
  Read more

• Albanese is manipulating his rivals to wage war on One Nation. It’s unlikely to work

  20-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  This week, the full parliamentary power of the Albanese government was on display. I’m not sure I can remember a week in which a government struck so many deals with the opposition’s help.
  
  Read more

• Best of cartoons, August 21, 2026

  20-08-2026 14:41 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
  Read more

• 'Is this accurate?' How one note magnified the tragedy of bushwalker's family

  20-08-2026 12:15 via abc.net.au
  
  Not only had NSW Premier Chris Minns been provided with incorrect information, but his earlier statement had brought the community an immense sense of relief that was abruptly snatched away.
  
  Read more

• How one note magnified the tragedy of Lily Hooper's family

  20-08-2026 12:15 via abc.net.au
  
  Not only had NSW Premier Chris Minns been provided with incorrect information, but his earlier statement had brought the community an immense sense of relief that was abruptly snatched away.
  
  Read more

• Rogue Liberal senator Antic’s forces plot to purge high-profile party members

  20-08-2026 09:56 via smh.com.au
  
  The Liberal Party’s federal executive is expected to discuss the prospect of taking over the state branch in an attempt to nullify the threat at a meeting in Canberra on Friday.
  
  Read more

• Rogue Liberal senator Antic forces plot to purge high-profile party members

  20-08-2026 09:56 via smh.com.au
  
  The Liberal Party’s federal executive is expected to discuss the prospect of taking over the state branch in an attempt to nullify the threat at a meeting in Canberra on Friday.
  
  Read more

• Putin’s blood oil profits untouched by Australia’s toothless sanctions

  20-08-2026 09:15 via smh.com.au
  
  Not a single person has been prosecuted in Australia for breaching Russia-related sanctions since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
  
  Read more

• Liberals accuse government of backdown on aged care program

  20-08-2026 09:06 via abc.net.au
  
  A government program that helps older people with shopping and transport has been extended, after ongoing uncertainty about its future. 
  
  Read more

• Government extends aged care program funding shopping and transport help

  20-08-2026 09:06 via abc.net.au
  
  A government program that helps older people with shopping and transport has been extended until 2029 after ongoing uncertainty about its future. 
  
  Read more

• MPs in stoush over art display naming killed Gaza children

  20-08-2026 08:51 via abc.net.au
  
  Western Australia's parliament suspends Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter for four days after he used a debate to call out what he branded an "antisemitic" art exhibit that displayed the names of children killed in Gaza. 
  
  Read more

• MPs in stoush over art display naming children killed in Gaza

  20-08-2026 08:51 via abc.net.au
  
  Western Australia's parliament suspends Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter for four days after he used a debate to call out what he branded an "antisemitic" art exhibit that displayed the names of children killed in Gaza.
  
  Read more

• ‘Embarrassing backdown’: Labor’s last-minute reprieve for 800,000 Australians

  20-08-2026 08:01 via smh.com.au
  
  More than 800,000 older Australians will still get Meals on Wheels and other programs at home after Labor abandoned a plan to merge them into its under-pressure aged care system from next year.
  
  Read more

• Wong declares 'difficult time' in relations with Israel after Frankcom findings

  20-08-2026 05:14 via abc.net.au
  
  Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she has 'no confidence' in the IDF investigation that cleared Israeli soldiers of criminal wrongdoing in the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom.
  
  Read more

Follow @Politics_NewsAU on Twitter!