Immigration Debate Concerns for 2026

As the year rounds to a close, Anthony Albanese has been on a victory lap, while the Coalition continues to pick up the pieces after a bruising election defeat. But as Labor has slowly been delivering election promises, is there a disconnect between Albanese’s cautious approach and the way Australians feel about their lives? Bridie Jabour talks to the editor, Lenore Taylor, and deputy editors Patrick Keneally and Gabrielle Jackson about Labor’s ambitions, the Coalition’s existential crisis and the stories that will define the year to come