Finn McHugh

1 week ago | capitalbrief.com | Finn McHugh

Clare O’Neil and Michael Sukkar sparred over housing policy in a combative debate, as both major parties make bold pitches to frustrated first home buyers. Aiming to entrench his lead in the polls, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be hoping for a headline-free debate when he faces Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Wednesday evening. But earlier in the day, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil and her Liberal counterpart Michael Sukkar delivered a fiery exchange at the National Press Club.

1 week ago | capitalbrief.com | Finn McHugh

While Anthony Albanese is increasingly looking like he'll lead his party to another victory on 3 May, the difference between a Labor majority, which would be heralded as a major coup for the prime minister, and a minority could hinge on two or three seats. It was with that in mind that I travelled to two very different NSW seats last week: Bradfield, in Sydney’s leafy north, and Hunter, located north of the city in what's known as the “mines and wines” region.

1 week ago | capitalbrief.com | Finn McHugh

Scott Morrison and Donald Trump struck a 'verbal' agreement over tariffs in 2019. But finding a paper trail in the relevant departments is proving difficult. A second Commonwealth department says it has no record of a verbal commitment struck between former prime minister Scott Morrison and US President Donald Trump to curb Australian aluminium exports.

1 week ago | capitalbrief.com | Finn McHugh

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton relied on Liberal stardust to kickstart his flagging campaign on Sunday. Federal election campaigns take on a manic pace in the home stretch, all backslapping and handshakes with locals as the leaders zig-zag across the country. So it was fitting that the turn-off to western Sydney’s Liverpool Catholic Club, where Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was preparing to launching his campaign, passed the Stardust Circus, conveniently placed in a neighbouring field.

1 week ago | capitalbrief.com | Finn McHugh

Repacholi is Parliament’s tallest MP, an ex-coal miner and a five-time Olympian. He's also become one of Labor's most effective — and unusual — communicators. Outgoing Labor member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon, picked up the phone to anoint his successor in mid-2021. The man on the other end of the line, Dan Repacholi, had other ideas. “I didn't call him back for two days because I just really wanted to get pissed,” Repacholi explains to Capital Brief over a burger in Cessnock.