Consent advocate Chanel Contos is leading a new campaign to push for social media companies to give Australians the choice to ‘opt in’ to the algorithms driving the infinite scroll. Following her speech at the National Press Club this week, she speaks with political editor Tom McIlroy about why this solution addresses the structural forces influencing misogynistic behaviour – particularly in young men. They also discuss harmful misunderstandings about sexual choking, and whether or not a ban on the import of smartglasses would effectively manage pernicious behaviour by some users

One Nation has had another electoral win, having flipped the Labor seat of Secret Harbour in a Western Australian byelection on Saturday. So what does this signal for the upcoming contest at the Victorian state election? Guardian Australia political reporter and live blogger Krishani Dhanji speaks with Essential Media chair Peter Lewis about how Pauline Hanson’s party is tapping into low social engagement, and how Labor can better respond during this time of technological and global uncertainty

National cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss the federal government’s plan for new AI datacentre development. Queensland and the Northern Territory have won a carve-out so that theirs can be powered by coal and gas – rather than renewables. Meanwhile, the fight between the West Australian premier Roger Cook and the Productivity Commission over his state’s generous GST deal persists. And federally, migration arrival numbers continue to spur debate across the political parties. To discuss this week’s mix of politics and policy, political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to the CEO of the Grattan Institute, Dr Aruna Sathanapally, and economics editor Patrick Commins

This week, the Albanese government passed major reforms to online gambling advertising and deep cuts to rein in NDIS spending – all with the Coalition’s support. David Pocock has long been a vocal critic of the government’s approach to both of these issues. He argues Labor and the opposition have failed to stand up to vested interests on gambling reforms. And while he agrees NDIS cuts are needed, he says major parties have ignored expert evidence on the value of community participation and are handing over important decisions to algorithms with little scrutiny. Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to the independent senator about what he thinks this notable week of deal-making means for the nation’s political future – while both major parties continue to be spooked by One Nation’s rise

Federal parliament has returned from winter break with a frenetic start to the second half of the political year. There were days of commentary and squirming over ‘melon-gate’ and, with Labor planning to make a deal with the Coalition to pass gambling reforms, there are still doubts about the government’s ambition in its second term. Tom McIlroy, Krishani Dhanji, Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales, from Guardian Australia’s Canberra bureau, answer questions from listeners and readers

The criminal trial of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones has begun, almost two years after he was arrested over multiple counts of indecent assault and sexual touching — charges he strongly denies. What did week one reveal about the prosecution’s case, and the way Jones treated his alleged teenage victim? Nour Haydar speaks to Guardian Australia’s media correspondent Amanda Meade to unpack opening statements and key evidence from the trial’s first week

On Wednesday, the Labor government announced environmental and energy safeguards on new datacentres in Australia. Our political editor, Tom McIlroy, speaks to the assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy, Dr Andrew Charlton, about the government’s push for national standards on datacentres. The former Rudd staffer and economist speaks about having his own book scraped by Anthropic, low public trust in AI, and how the government wants to use regulation to balance risk and opportunity

Two years into her role representing King Charles, Australia’s head of state, governor general Sam Mostyn says she has observed a ‘woeful lack of understanding’ among the adult population about the civic underpinnings of Australia’s democracy – beginning with the constitution. Mostyn speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy at Admiralty House in Sydney about her decision to focus on a wide-ranging civics education for modern Australia, to address the ‘growing catastrophe’ that undermines democratic participation

This month’s Guardian Essential poll shows signs that One Nation’s primary vote continues to plateau. But Labor can’t breathe a big sigh of relief just yet. Guardian Australia political reporter Josh Butler speaks with Guardian columnist and executive director of Essential, Peter Lewis, about the health of the government at the halfway point of Anthony Albanese’s second term as prime minister

Speaking with political editor Tom McIlroy and chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy at the 50th Labor conference in Adelaide, Peter Malinauskas talks about his own state contest with One Nation and why progressives should avoid speaking down to Pauline Hanson’s supporters. And despite the US admitting this week that the production rate of Virginia-class submarines has not increased, the SA premier argues that abandoning Aukus would pose an even greater risk than the controversial agreement’s potential problems

Paul Kelly speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about his new book on the turbulent era of the Liberal party under prime ministers Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. In The Twilight of Exceptionalism, Kelly writes about how the Liberal leadership changed hands from a conservative, to a progressive and then a transactional centrist. The Australian’s editor at large argues that this period demonstrated the party was fractured over its values and confused about its identity in a changing world