Another week in Australian politics, another leadership spill.

This week the National Party dumped Michael McCormack as its leader and replaced him with good old Barnaby Joyce — you know, the climate denialist, same-sex marriage opponent and man with unresolved sexual harassment accusations against him, as Bernard Keane and Kishor Napier-Raman wrote this week. He’s also constantly the colour of beetroot, and represents a return to true blue rural populism, Guy Rundle noted.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Kevin Rudd wrote about his support for the Friendlyjordies produer who was controversially arrested last week for allegedly stalking NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro.  (Though Friendlyjordies — aka Jordan Shanks-Markovina — is himself no martyr, Tory Shepherd wrote.)

Elsewhere this week, Napier-Raman covered the government’s backing of Pauline Hanson’s critical race theory culture war, the religious freedom bill continued to rear its head, while Christian Porter was again back in the news with a trove of court documents relating to his defamation case against the ABC.

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BERNARD KEANE and KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 2 minute read

It's back to Barnaby as the rural right-wing rump dumps Michael McCormack as Nats' leader and restores the climate denialist and accused sexual harasser.

KEVIN RUDD 4 minute read

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro is fully within his rights to press charges against a man he accuses of stalking him. But was the man's arrest an abuse of power?

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 3 minute read

Pauline Hanson has scored a largely pointless win on culture war outrage topic du jour critical race theory — and the government helped her do it.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

To lose Darren Chester would be damaging to the government. To replace him with Bridget McKenzie would be truly appalling.

TORY SHEPHERD 3 minute read

Just like the One Nation leader, Jordan Shanks-Markovina exploits the disaffected for power and money. But he adds hypocrisy to that toxic mix.

AMBER SCHULTZ 4 minute read

Last night, a series of court documents was released including Kate’s full statement alleging the 1988 Sydney rape as well as a full transcript of Kate’s high school friend Jo Dyer’s interview with Four Corners. But why now?

JOHN QUIGGIN 4 minute read

When it comes to employment, religious freedom is a zero-sum good. The more freedom for employers, the less for workers, and vice versa.

AMBER SCHULTZ 4 minute read

The full extent of the information about accusations levelled at Christian Porter has been nearly impossible to uncover. But there are options on the table.

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

Crown was meant to confine its abuses to ordinary citizens. Instead it has treated the Victorian government with the same contempt.

JANINE PERRETT 3 minute read

How can anyone be shocked about the return of The Beetrooter when Parliament is awash with impropriety and a complete lack of consequences?

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 4 minute read

Defence experts say there should have been evacuation plans in place. But Afghanistan is messy and chaotic and the challenges are enormous.

GEORGIA WILKINS 4 minute read

If the government didn't go for the throat of whistleblowers, the public might be able to learn just how little our richest people pay in tax.