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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…

Fresh data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics offers a revealing look at the scale—and limits—of Australia’s domestic defence industry, just as Canberra embarks on its most ambitious military build-up in decades. The latest Australian Defence Industry Account (experimental estimates) shows a sector growing rapidly in jobs, output and strategic importance—but still modest in its…

A strategic pivot under pressure At a consequential address to the National Press Club of Australia, Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles delivered a stark message: Australia is entering its most dangerous strategic environment since World War II—and the government is responding with the largest peacetime defence build-up in the nation’s history. The launch of the 2026…