Politics With Michelle Grattan

We used to have a pretty clear idea of what an autocrat was. History is full of examples: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, along with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping today. The list goes on.So, where does Donald Trump fit in?In this six-part podcast series, The Making of an Autocrat, we ask six experts on authoritarianism and US politics to explain how exactly an autocrat is made – and whether Trump is on his way to becoming one.

The treasurer says the government needs to do more on several fronts: from fighting antisemitism after Sunday's deadly attack, to cracking down on illegal tobacco.Mentioned in this episode:Your support mattersSupport non-profit journalism you can trust. Donations 2025

The Greens' senator says she's worried kids will end up 'in other online spaces that are even darker and more dangerous' – and Australia should act on other options.Mentioned in this episode:Your support mattersSupport non-profit journalism you can trust. Donations 2025

The industry minister denied Australia's adopting a 'light-touch' approach on AI – and says he's working to make sure data centres are 'not a drain on resources'.Mentioned in this episode:Your support mattersSupport non-profit journalism you can trust. Donations 2025

Ley says the Opposition was negotiating on the new environment laws with the government into early Thursday – just before Labor announced a deal with the Greens.

The South Australian Liberal senator says he's "dubious" about being able to sell the Coalition's new policy to voters – describing it as "carefree with emissions".

With only one sitting week of Parliament left this year, the environment minister reveals the compromises he's willing to make and the hard lines he won't cross to get the deal done.

Michelle Grattan and the politics and society editor for the Conversation Amanda Dunn, talk about the dismissal.

Next week is the 50th anniversary of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. We're joined by Niki Savva and David Solomon to talk about their memories of that day.

Amid rising demand for aged care, major changes are rolling out from Saturday. Minister for seniors Sam Rae explains what the overhaul means for older Australians.

The former Liberal prime minister says he wrote a new history book 'to help contemporary Australians think better of themselves'.

The former Liberal strategist turned pollster says the Coalition has become "catastrophically uncompetitive" with women and younger voters.

The multiculturalism expert says increased tensions since the October 7 attacks have raised 'the tideline of hate speech' in Australia.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson canvasses the economy and the budget, says the Liberals need to sort out its stance on net zero sooner rather than later.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

The former Australian ambassador turned scholar says despite more countries recognising Palestine as a state, a peaceful two-state solution is slipping away.

The energy expert says Australia's only on track to cut its emissions by around 50% by 2035 – 'so we're going to have to step up the pace' in the next decade.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

A former deputy secretary of the immigration department under the Howard government says 'it's time politicians on both sides pulled up their socks'.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

The health minister also says fewer kids are now vaping because of the government's ban, which 'exploded' as a health problem during the COVID years.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

Both men say the government has a 'spending problem' and are urging the federal government to think beyond raising taxes – especially for business.Mentioned in this episode:How Australian Democracy Works'How Australian Democracy Works' edited by Politics Editor Amanda Dunn is out now in all good book stores.Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters

McManus doesn't expect instant wins on shorter work hours from next week's economic summit, but says it still needs to be on the table – along with AI protections.Mentioned in this episode:Sign up to The Conversation's newsletterhttps://theconversation.com/au/newsletters