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The Coalition has used its 2026 Budget Reply to deliver one of the clearest ideological contrasts seen in recent years, with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor arguing Australia is suffering from what he described as “big government” failure across housing, energy, migration and living standards. In a speech framed around economic freedom, Taylor accused the Albanese…

By Inside Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers arrived at the National Press Club determined to frame Budget 2026–27 as both “responsible” and “ambitious” — a reform budget responding to global instability while reshaping Australia’s economic future. But beneath the carefully crafted language lies a budget built on contradictions, political reversals and a series of risky economic…

The Albanese Government’s 2026–27 Federal Budget is being framed as a plan for “resilience and reform.” But buried beneath the slogans is one of the most interventionist economic blueprints Australia has seen in years. The Budget papers reveal a government actively choosing winners and losers across the economy — directing enormous sums toward favoured sectors…

The Albanese Government is attempting to sell the 2026–27 Federal Budget as a story of “resilience and reform.” But beneath the slogans and carefully crafted political framing lies a far more troubling reality: a government preparing Australians for slower growth, higher taxes, reduced investment incentives and a more expensive economy — while insisting everything is…

By Inside Canberra Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has secured a historic breakthrough in federal politics, with candidate David Farley set to become the party’s first lower house representative to be elected after a dramatic result in the NSW seat of Farrer. As counting continued on Saturday evening, early Australian Electoral Commission figures showed Farley dominating…

The Wine Room: Strong Plates, Weak Precision Canberra’s premium dining scene increasingly finds itself caught between two competing ambitions: refined hospitality and relaxed accessibility. The Wine Room lands somewhere directly in the middle. On a busy Friday evening, the venue was operating at full pace — perhaps too much so. Arrival involved a noticeable wait…

At a recent Phoenix Society event in Canberra, Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh delivered a pointed defence of markets, migration, and targeted reform—framing what he described as an “abundance agenda” for Australia’s economic future. The conversation, centred on how markets can lower the cost of living, moved well beyond theory. Leigh’s contribution was notable for its…

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Canberra next week, in a visit that underscores the growing strategic and economic alignment between the two nations. The leaders will meet at Parliament House on 4 May for the annual Australia–Japan Leaders’ Meeting — the fourth time the pair have met, following…

By Michael Keating, Inside Canberra At the National Film and Sound Archive on Tuesday night, the 2026 ACT Heritage Oration—Saving Our Suburbs—was delivered with characteristic wit and urgency by design advocate Tim Ross. What began as a reflection on mid-century modernism quickly evolved into something more confronting: a warning that Canberra risks eroding the very…

Byline: Michael Keating ⸻ The hidden architecture of Canberra’s power At first glance, Canberra in the 1950s looked like a sparse, unfinished capital — more paddock than power centre. Yet behind the official façades of government departments and embassies, a very different city was taking shape — one defined not by institutions alone, but by dense, informal…