The federal budget we want

'Teal’ independent Allegra Spender thinks tax reform is central to the problems Australians are facing right now, saying it’s been “kicked down the road by the major parties for too long”.

ACT Independent Senator David Pocock is on a mission to hold Canberra to account, saying transparency on government contracts is “the bare minimum that Australians deserve and demand”.

Former NSW Liberal treasurer and energy minister Matt Kean has criticised the current state government's plan to keep Australia's largest coal-fired power station open beyond its closure date.

Janine Perrett has covered 40-odd federal budgets and says the current global headwinds could blow fiscal repair away. On budget eve, the veteran economics reporter and forthright broadcaster joins the panel to cut through the spin.

Pollster and political strategist Kos Samaras thinks the recent government HECS debt relief, aimed at the growing chunk of “tactical voting” Millennials and Gen Z increasingly turning away from the major parties, was “sound politics”.

Michelle Mitrevska asked: Prime Minister Albanese says there has been a rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and that we need to promote social cohesion. As a secondary school teacher, I have noticed an increase of not only anti-Semitism within the classroom, but a desire to side with political ideologies purely based on the religion at hand, rather than understanding what the issue or cause is about.

How do we educate children around the idea that associating a particular religion as a majority is incorrect, and shift the focus on understanding that extremist views and dictatorship can be found in any religion, person, or entity?

Over the next three weeks, Australian Story goes behind the scenes at some of Australia’s top restaurants, revealing the unique and deeply personal stories that have shaped owners Josh Niland, Shaun Christie-David and Kylie Kwong.