For Australian politics in 2025, it was a year of predictable policies - and shock results. That included the May election that saw Labor win back government in a landslide, and two separate party leaders - Peter Dutton and Adam Bandt - lose their seats. We back at the year in Canberra.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has unveiled a mid-year budget update marked by fiscal restraint, highlighting a $5.4 billion improvement to the deficit alongside critical new funding for the CSIRO and community security. However, the outlook remains fraught as rising inflation threatens real wage growth and persistent spending pressures in childcare and the NDIS continue to squeeze the bottom line.

Top security officials from the United States and Australia have met in Washington, confirming that the AUKUS security pact is moving "full steam ahead," despite the Pentagon's five-month review of the deal remaining secret. Both nations emphasised increased defence spending, critical minerals cooperation, and greater burden-sharing from allies to confront growing Indo-Pacific tensions.

After five years of review, the government has struck a deal with the Greens to pass the largest reforms to Australia’s environmental laws in 26 years, which includes new environmental standards, protections for native forests, and the effective end of fast-tracked approvals for coal and gas projects. Despite these wins, the deal faces criticism from environmental experts.

The Australian Senate descended into chaos as One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wore a black burqa into the chamber, prompting immediate condemnation from Muslim Senators and a forceful intervention by Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Following the rejection of her motion to ban the burqa, Ms. Hanson's stunt, which she claimed was about "protecting national security," was decried as racist and disrespectful to people of faith, ultimately leading to her suspension from the Senate.

In a landmark agreement hailed as world-leading, the Transport Workers Union, Uber, and DoorDash have put forward a minimum standards deal for Australian gig workers to the Fair Work Commission today. This major reform guarantees food delivery riders a 25% wage increase, injury insurance, and protection from unfair algorithmic dismissal, fundamentally changing a commission-based system that workers say left them making virtually no money.

The Bureau of Meteorology's controversial website redesign carries a staggering 96 million dollar price tag. The cost blowout has drawn sharp criticism from both government ministers and the opposition. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has expressed deep concern over the massive expenditure, while Nationals Leader David Littleproud warns the public that the exorbitant cost will further erode trust in the agency.

With the abandonment of its net-zero policies, and leadership spills in two of Australia's largest states, the Coalition is undergoing a period of major upheaval. So what does that mean for a Westminster democracy which analysts say depends on two different political positions to succeed.

Just days after her party ditched its support of net zero emissions targets, federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley talks to SBS Chief Political Correspondent Anna Henderson about that policy, immigration, and more in a lengthy one on one interview.

The Coalition has formally solidified its dumping of the net zero emissions target in a party room meeting in Canberra. But it's gone much further, with the Liberals and Nationals unveiling a plan to strip climate change from the national energy regulator's list of objectives, while vowing to continue to reduce emissions by monitoring the progress of other countries.

Australia's leaders remain circumspect about the terms of a security agreement with a key northern neighbour after finalising the deal with Indonesia's president. But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the deal commits the nations to consult regularly on matters of security, and consider possible measures should either's security be threatened.

The Liberal Party has voted to officially abandon its net zero by 2050 emissions reduction target, following a contentious internal meeting. This dramatic policy reversal, which will also seek to remove the target from the Climate Change Act, has triggered fierce internal debate among senior members and drawn criticism from the government and independents.

On November 11, 1975, Australia experienced its most dramatic constitutional crisis when Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam 50 years ago. We examine the full story of the Dismissal, from the political deadlock and the Loans Affair to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent claim of a "partisan political ambush" and new evidence suggesting foreign interference.

Reddit and live-streaming platform Kick will be added to the platforms required to ban 16s when the new rules come into effect in December. Australia's impending social media ban for under-16s, which covers eight major platforms, hinges on ongoing eSafety assessments that distinguish between social media, messaging, and gaming services, explaining why platforms like Steam and Twitch were not initially included.

Australians in three states are to be offered three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day, under a scheme to share abundant solar energy harvested in non-peak hours. The plan has been welcomed by environmental groups, but some in the Opposition are unimpressed.

An unusual alliance of crossbenchers and the Coalition has forced an ongoing extension of Question Time in the Senate. They are demanding the Labor government immediately release the "jobs for mates" report, which it has withheld for two years. Critics, including Transparency International, say the government's refusal to release the report is further evidence of a "culture of secrecy" at a time when its integrity standards are under heightened scrutiny.

Under-fire Optus executives have copped a parliamentary bashing for their response to a triple-zero outage linked to the deaths of three people. The proceedings have immediately zeroed in on CEO Stephen Rue, who is being pressured to explain a significant delay in reporting the fatalities to both the government and the regulator.

The Nationals have formally walked away from support of Australia's net zero emissions by 2050 policy after a party room meeting in Canberra. The decision sets up a potential showdown with their coalition partner the Liberals, who are also reviewing their approach to climate change after their disastrous election defeat.

The author of the review that triggered the government's environment reforms has fully endorsed Labor's nature legislation. Professor Graeme Samuel has told SBS the bill implements the 'totality' of the recommendations he made in his report, five years after it was delivered. The Greens and Coalition have objected to the bill, with Greens leader Larissa Waters describing it as 1400 pages gift-wrapped for big business. But Professor Samuel says environmental groups and business interests alike had substantial input into his report, and their desires were fully taken into account in the recommendations. He's been talking to SBS chief political correspondent Anna Henderson.

The Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) is under intense political scrutiny following the launch of a forensic nine-month federal audit. The $10 billion scheme, intended to boost social and affordable housing, is accused by the Opposition of wasting taxpayer funds and overpaying for properties. The debate has been dominated by the fund's slow delivery and expert concerns that its structure incentivises market-tied "fake affordable" rents over genuine public housing.