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With the Reserve Bank poised to increase interest rates today, voters are increasingly pointing the finger at government spending rather than global headwinds. But with household budgets already stretched to breaking point, can Jim Chalmers tame inflation without triggering a recession? Guardian Australia’s economics editor, Patrick Commins, joins Reged Ahmad to unpack whether Labor is losing control of the economic narrative

The first major legal challenge against Australia’s under-16s social media ban is set to heard in the high court on Tuesday – 11 months on from the policy taking effect. As similar bans are adopted across the world, the challenges – from online giant Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project - will argue that the ban prevents young people from political communication. Technology reporter Josh Taylor speaks to host Reged Ahmad about whether this is the beginning of the end for Labor’s world-leading social media ban

Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss how the diving economy will impact Anthony Albanese’s – and Jim Chalmers’ – approval ratings. If the relationship between the prime minister and treasurer is so crucial for the nation, what happens when that relationship breaks down? They also examine the many elections playing out globally. Has Donald Trump’s association with rightwing parties around the world hurt his own cause? And One Nation is under scrutiny again, this time for a political cartoon depicting Bluey ramming politicians with a car

As the New South Wales supreme court trial of former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon reaches its sixth week, the jury has heard covert recordings, witness testimonies and posthumous text messages. The court continues to weigh the prosecution’s case against the defence’s claim of self-defence in the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. Taylah Strano is joined by Guardian reporter Kat Wong to unpack the key evidence and latest updates from the courtroom

It’s election season: the US midterms are just days away and Israel, Brazil and Serbia have all had consequential elections this week. Alastair Campbell from The Rest is Politics podcast speaks with the political editor, Tom McIlroy, about our ‘high-octane political environment’ and why he argues that populist politics began in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. After last week’s alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines, Campbell also reflects on how the UK responded to violence towards its own politicians – including Jo Cox, David Amess and Ann Widdecombe. The former journalist and staffer to Tony Blair has just released his 22nd book, Persevilience: The Word the World Needs Now, and will be touring Australia next month

In this episode of Guardian Australia’s US politics podcast, co-hosts Reged Ahmad and Jonathan Yerushalmy talk about Barack Obama’s war of words with Donald Trump, after the former president spoke at a campaign rally in Ohio and compared Trump’s White House changes to the Cheesecake Factory. But how effective is Obama on the Democratic party campaign trail? What are the risks around personal attacks? And how much does Obama’s legacy help or hinder when it comes to the midterms? Reged and Jonathan also look at the backlash over an attack ad from the campaign of Republican nominee for governor of Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy, and why some are saying it’s a new low for US politics. Finally, how has the perception of corruption in government become such a key issue for voters on both sides of the aisle?

As consequential elections around the world make global headlines, another election closer to home is flying under the radar. New Zealand’s election on 7 November could define the hopes of a country desperate to change its future, where young citizens are crossing the Tasman in droves due to dwindling opportunities in their home country. The Guardian’s New Zealand correspondent, Eva Corlett, speaks to Matilda Boseley about the minor parties that could hold all the power, and what it could tell us about Australia’s political direction

Back in 2017 the then prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, announced an ambitious expansion of Australia’s towering public infrastructure project, Snowy Hydro 2.0. Estimated at a cost of about $2bn, Turnbull had made the decision after the closure of a number of coal-fired power plants and a political fight over major blackouts in South Australia. But nearly 10 years later, the project is still not finished and now the price tag has ballooned to $25bn. The climate and environment editor, Adam Morton, speaks to Reged Ahmad about the long, expensive wait for Snowy Hydro 2.0

Israeli citizens are about to vote in what’s being seen as elections that are almost existential when it comes to the future identity of the country. That’s because since the October 7 attack by Hamas in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed, and the resulting war in Gaza that a UN commission of inquiry has described as a genocide, some say the country’s politics and views have shifted profoundly to the right. These political events have ricocheted around the world, impacting communities, politics and governments, including here in Australia. Chief Middle East correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison tells Reged Ahmad why this is Israel’s most consequential election in history and if it could be the end of Netanyahu’s leadership

Tony Barry and George Megalogenis (filling in for Barrie) examine the response to the horrific alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines this week. While the prime minister pleaded for all to ‘turn the temperature’ down, it didn’t take long for many to dial it right up, particularly online. So can politicians from all sides tell their tribes to tone down the rhetoric? And what lessons can we learn from history to help us all navigate toxic public debate?

The mother of the youngest complainant wept on the stand after being presented with a note written by her son alleging ‘something happened’ at Alan Jones’s property at Fitzroy Falls. As the prosecution questioned the mother, she told the court she had ‘trusted’ Jones with her then teenage son. She was also asked why she stayed in contact with the broadcaster after her son told her about the alleged indecent assault. Guardian Australia’s media correspondent, Amanda Meade, joins host Nour Haydar to unpack an emotional week in the courtroom Mother of alleged Alan Jones victim ‘absolutely trusted’ the radio host, court told

One year ago, Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister, taking over a party in crisis. Since then, she’s defied the doubters, not just surviving as leader in a country that struggles with its gender politics – but winning convincingly at an election in February. She has faced President Trump, fraught relations with China over Taiwan and was even the subject of one of Anthony Albanese’s biggest controversies this year. But could Japan’s prime minister be at her most politically dangerous moment yet? Tokyo correspondent Justin McCurry speaks to Reged Ahmad about whether Takaichi can ride out what comes next

In this episode of Guardian Australia’s US politics podcast, co-hosts Jonathan Yerushalmy and Reged Ahmad look at how Katie Zacharia broke the record for shortest tenure as White House press secretary. They then examine the pattern of how women in the Trump administration are treated when they’re perceived to have made mistakes – versus how men seem to survive their missteps. They also look at how the US might be changing course on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Are relations between Donald Trump and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at their lowest point ever? And what happens if the US decides to take Vladimir Putin’s side in the war?

The bestselling author says her novels will no longer be supplied to British bookshops due to fears of prosecution. Zoe Williams and Haroon Siddique report

Helen Haines, the independent federal MP for the Victorian seat of Indi, is in a critical condition and has lost a leg after an alleged attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday the alleged attacker and driver of the car was named by police as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent. A major investigation is under way into the incident, with Victoria police, the Australian federal police, Asio and counter-terrorism investigators involved. Guardian Australian political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Matilda Boseley about what happened and why this alleged attack on an independent MP is a watershed moment in Australian politics and political debate

The Greens senator for Western Australia, Jordon Steele-John, has blamed ‘nasty political games’ for the timing of allegations of misconduct towards women spanning nearly a decade. Steele-John has denied all allegations, but the scandal – and its subsequent handling – is fast becoming a test for the Greens’ leader, David Shoebridge, just three weeks into his new role. Political reporter Sarah Basford Canales speaks to Reged Ahmad about whether this is the Greens’ biggest political scandal, and whether the party’s factions are driving it

Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor on their new film interviewing Israeli military insiders on the vast, AI-assisted systems their sources say are being used to kill civilians in Gaza. They also talk about the political backlash against their documentary

From his remote property in rural Texas, the millionaire businessman Michael Samadi is plotting a new kind of civil rights movement – for the welfare and protection of AI systems. Guardian journalist Michael Safi spends an afternoon at the Double Six ranch, meeting Samadi’s AI chatbots and catching a glimpse of a possible vision of the future

Tony Barry and Niki Savva (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) examine the ‘festival of Josh’ that played out in the media this week as the former treasurer spruiked his new memoir. The two former Liberal party advisers weigh in on whether Josh Frydenberg should run again for Kooyong and whether he can live his dream of one day becoming PM. They also discuss what they see as the Labor government’s failure to sell an economic vision during a cost-of-living crisis

Former comedian Russell Brand is on trial facing multiple charges of rape and sexual assault against six women, spanning a decade from 1999 to 2009. On Thursday the court heard evidence from a woman who alleged Brand told her “it’s just fun” as he raped her at the 1999 Labour party conference. He denies all the allegations against him. Lucy Hough speaks to senior national news editor Aaron Sharp