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How did a Prime Minister sitting on one of Labor's largest-ever majorities turn his national conference into a masterclass in silence — and what does that say about who's allowed to argue inside the party?
Is Albanese's "command and control" PMO disciplined governance or a party too afraid of its own conscience?
With One Nation polling above 25 per cent in a Victoria that's just lost its Premier — without an MP, candidate or policy to its name — and Pauline Hanson's blossoming friendship with billionaire Gina Rinehart raising questions about who bankrolls the populist right, can Labor's manufactured unity survive the volatility of 2028?
The Saturday Paper's chief political correspondent Karen Barlow joins Mark and Marija to make sense of Labor's conference of conformity, the Pyongyang PMO, and the rise of One Nation.
Listen here: Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
Karen Barlow is the chief political correspondent of The Saturday Paper and a public interest, long form journalist in the federal parliamentary press gallery.
Dr Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Centre for the Study of Australian Politics and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.
Prof Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the Australian National University after a high-profile journalistic career culminating in 6 years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.
Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.
This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.