Melbourne's shutdown and the huge economic cost

The Federal Government has released figures from Treasury indicating additional restrictions in Victoria will have a huge cost to the national GDP. It's just one of the horror numbers this week from the continuing coronavirus crisis in Victoria. We've also continued to set new daily records for the number of new cases. To help break it all down, PK and Fran and joined by The Australian Financial Review's national affairs columnist Jennifer Hewitt.

An unfolding disaster in aged care

With dire numbers coming out of Victoria and a devastating death toll mounting in aged care centres, governments are scrambling to contain COVID-19. Meanwhile, new Closing The Gap targets have been signed off. And Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds head to the US for AUSMIN talks. To unpack it all, Fran and PK are joined by Peter Hartcher, political editor and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

An eye-watering hit to the budget

As budgetary holes go, this is a big one. Australia's budget deficit has hit almost $86 billion last financial year, with the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg revealing the biggest blow to the bottom line since World War II. Coronavirus is being squarely blamed for the budgetary disaster. Luckily The Party Room is back just in time to help break it all down and guide you thought it all. Fran and PK are joined today by Insiders' host David Speers.

Confusion and coronavirus. It's been a complex week

As coronavirus restrictions continue to leave thousands of Australians out of work, the Federal Government is racing to keep up with the virus and #flattenthecurve.

Politics in the age of coronavirus has changed

Panic buying, event cancellations and looking down the barrel of recession. With the coronavirus putting strain on the community, this health crisis is going to cause serious political and economic problems. Political editor of the Sunday News Corp papersAnnika Smethurstjoins PK and guest host David Speers.

A stimulus injection against coronavirus

How does the Morrison Government's $17.6 billion stimulus package affect you? Is it the shot in the arm our economy needs to survive coronavirus and a recession? While the Prime Minister danced around what the pandemic means for the promised Budget surplus, it now seems unlikely. Editor of Guardian Australia Lenore Taylor joins Fran and PK to go through what stimulus means for you.

LIVE SPECIAL: Talking domestic violence and sports rorts at WOMAdelaide

A lot has happened since The Party Room was at WOMAdelaide last year. Remember those predictions that Labor would win Government? As it turns out, wrong wrong wrong. But never afraid to admit it, The Party Room returns to WOMAdelaide in 2020 to make good. This is a special episode for International Women's Day. Fran and PK talk domestic violence with the Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and the sports rorts saga with Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie. Plus a whole lot more!

Where the spotlight falls

While Australians have been busy buying up toilet paper, our leaders have been battling it out for control of the political message. Anthony Albanese wants to keep the sports rorts saga in the spotlight, but Scott Morrison says Australians are more concerned about coronavirus. Fran and PK are joined by Jennifer Hewett, National Affairs Columnist at the Australian Financial Review.

Surplus to climate requirements

Is Coronavirus about to put an end to the Government promised Budget surplus? Has Labor scored an own goal by announcing its climate policy without saying how it'll work? And if that's not enough, the sports funding controversy is never far away. Fran and PK are joined this week by the ABC's political editor Andrew Probyn.

BONUS EPISODE: Why was Whitlam really sacked?

How much do you really know about the sacking of Gough Whitlam on November 11, 1975? You've probably heard his famous "well may we say" speech made on the day he was dismissed. But do you properly understand the extraordinary events leading up to the most dramatic day in Australian political history?How did it happen? For this bonus episode of The Party Room, award-winning ABC journalist Alex Mann joins Fran and PK to tell them all about his new podcast The Eleventh. It's all about the story about what happened November 11, 1975. Listen to The Eleventh for free now on Apple Podcasts, your favourite podcast app, RSS, or find it on the ABC Listen app.