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Podcast

Budget backlash – has Australia lost its political middle ground?

In this special episode, brought to you by Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, Defence Connect, from its Contested Ground podcast series, we reflect on whether Australia is moving away from its traditional “sensible centre” towards greater political polarisation.

July 17, 2026 By Robyn Tongol
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Hosts Phil Tarrant and Major General (Ret’d) Dr Marcus Thompson discuss whether Australia’s “sensible” centre will hold as the country faces a populist political surge and the established political parties continue to lose ground, or will decades of failed policies, broken promises, and declining economic opportunities finally come home to roost? The pair also talk about the declining level of trust between Australians and the political class, housing, taxation, and the economic pressures facing younger Australians, and whether Australia is continuing to promote an outdated version of the “Australian Dream” while younger generations face record debt levels, higher living costs, and greater financial uncertainty.

 
 

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