My understanding of the lobbying industry centres around the 2005 satirical film Thank You For Smoking. Not exactly in depth. So you can imagine I was thrilled when this week INQ was able to shed some light on how this shadowy world operates in Canberra — who is in it, what are they lobbying for and, crucially, how much influence do they have?

Elsewhere, we followed a tip about an ad on Facebook from a reader. The resulting stories showed a major shift in how political advertiisng is being played out in this government and potentially beyond.

CHRIS WOODS 4 minute read

Crikey unpacks how the national broadsheet is selling anti-trans narratives as news.

DENNIS ATKINS 4 minute read

It's an insult to Howard's political nous to call Scott Morrison a redux of Honest John, one of the Liberal Party's most successful leaders.

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 4 minute read

For Tamil asylum seekers in Australia, lives are being crushed by a system designed and built on hard-nosed bureaucratic pragmatism.

ANTONY LOEWENSTEIN 5 minute read

Devine has been one of Australia’s most vociferous opponents of drug reform for decades. In his new book, Antony Loewenstein checks in: is the fight over?

CHARLIE LEWIS 3 minute read

A recent ad promoted by the Australian Tax Office might not pass the pub test, but it just might be the new standard practice of governments.

DENNIS ATKINS 4 minute read

Australian polling is still reeling from the election, but that doesn't mean you should write off Anthony Albanese's latest Newspoll.

CHRIS WOODS 2 minute read

The PM has revealed a very on-brand office re-style, just in time for his appearance with Leigh Sales on 7:30.

CHARLIE LEWIS 3 minute read

With large parts of Queensland and New South Wales facing unprecedented bushfires, the climate 'sceptics' are playing a now familiar tune.

BHAKTHI PUVANENTHIRAN 4 minute read

Sick of political news after the federal election? You're not alone.

RUSSELL MARKS 5 minute read

Victoria is set to repeal its draconian public drunkenness offence, but there are other laws around the country which lead to similar risks.

MICHAEL BRADLEY 4 minute read

The criticisms against Liu straddle genuine concerns about influence and mundane xenophobia, but there's a bigger section 44 question here.

DENNIS ATKINS 4 minute read

Attorney-General Christian Porter has that political star quality that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg lacks.

CLINTON FERNANDES 3 minute read

A new book by national security journalist Brian Toohey reminds us that while the secretive Pine Gap is on Australian soil, it's the US calling the shots — and ministers are expected to fall in line.