It's the start of the election year Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers were banking on and the reason why talk of an early poll, either late last year or at the very start of this year, was always misguided.

Happy new year. And happy election year! We may not know exactly when Anthony Albanese will send us all to the polls – but we do know it has to happen by May. So, for this special holiday edition, we thought it would be worth setting the table for what we can expect over the weeks and months ahead. What are the issues that will decide this election? How are the major parties approaching them? And what can we expect from Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton in this campaign?David Speers speaks to Patricia Karvelas to look into the political crystal ball for 2025.

The Albanese Government heads into the summer break with a major win.

The final week of parliament for the year has involved an avalanche of legislation. Most of it has been well ventilated and debated over recent months – think social media age limits or changes to the Reserve Bank board structure.But there was a batch of bills involving tough immigration reforms that didn’t receive as much attention. These changes involve new deportation powers and travel bans – and they’re due to whip through with bipartisan support – despite howls of protest from human rights groups.By the time you’re listening, they’re likely to have passed the Senate. David Speers speaks to Dr Abul Rizvi, a former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration, about what these changes will mean in practise. 

Before the last election, Anthony Albanese often talked about "kicking with the wind" in the final quarter. Now, he's talking about "leaving nothing on the field", even if he's leaving a few promises behind in the interests of improving Labor's election chances.

As the clock ticks down on the parliamentary year – it's do or die for a stack of government reforms.

The direction of global action on climate change is at a juncture. Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House and his promise to rip-up the Biden administration’s climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act is prompting a reassessment of the landscape.In Azerbaijan, the UN’s climate change talks are in their final days trying to reach agreement on financing to help developing countries take climate action... the ambition of some countries tempered by the antipathy of others. While here in Australia, work is underway on what our 2035 targets might look like; where and when that lands is not yet clear.Melissa Clarke, filling in for David Speers, speaks to Matt Kean, Chair of the Climate Change Authority and the former NSW state Liberal Treasurer, to give us a rundown of the feeling on the ground at COP29. 

The Prime Minister on the global stage this week talking trade and what the return of Donald Trump means for the world. While here at home the government is preparing to push a raft of legislation through parliament in the last sitting fortnight of the year… as speculation mounts it could be the last before an election.Patricia Karvelas anchors Insiders from Canberra this week, while David Speers interviews the Prime Minister in Lima, Peru from the APEC security conference.Karvelas is joined by Annabel Crabb, Peter Hartcher and Katina Curtis on the couch.

The concern over big money having an outsized influence on Australia’s politics prompted the Government to promise electoral reform. This is expected to include caps on individual donations and campaign spending, as well as real-time disclosures of donations. Now - with limited time left in parliament before the next election - the pressure to reveal the plan is on. 

This town – Washington DC – has been thrown into a spin. Donald Trump has promised radical change on trade, climate change, and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The question now is – how far will he go? Many here and around the world are grappling for answers.David Speers is joined by Sarah Ferguson and Charles Croucher on the panel.This week’s guest is Charles Edel, Australia Chair for Centre for Strategic and International Studies.