Political journalist Karen Middleton is based in the Canberra Press Gallery. Her books include Albanese: Telling It Straight (Penguin, 2016).
 National affairs
      
        
      The ICJ takes on climate
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      25 July 2025    
    
      The International Court of Justice has opened the door for human rights–based legal action against recalcitrant governments
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      The ICJ takes on climate
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      25 July 2025    
    
      The International Court of Justice has opened the door for human rights–based legal action against recalcitrant governments
    
  
                
                       National affairs
      
        
      Let’s just get this done, shall we?
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      18 July 2025    
    
      A former Treasury secretary lays down the environmental law
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Let’s just get this done, shall we?
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      18 July 2025    
    
      A former Treasury secretary lays down the environmental law
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Officer-induced jeopardy
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      11 July 2025    
    
      The NT coroner spells out the long series of events that led to Kumanjayi Walker’s death
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Officer-induced jeopardy
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      11 July 2025    
    
      The NT coroner spells out the long series of events that led to Kumanjayi Walker’s death
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Crimes Act’s cyber tidy-up
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      4 July 2025    
    
      An auspiciously timed amendment to departmental responsibilities highlights a long delay in federal electronic-surveillance reforms
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Crimes Act’s cyber tidy-up
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      4 July 2025    
    
      An auspiciously timed amendment to departmental responsibilities highlights a long delay in federal electronic-surveillance reforms
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      A self-proclaimed zealot throws down the gauntlet
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      27 June 2025    
    
      A leaked transcript of a Liberal Women’s Council meeting highlights the challenges facing Sussan Ley over women’s representation
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      A self-proclaimed zealot throws down the gauntlet
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      27 June 2025    
    
      A leaked transcript of a Liberal Women’s Council meeting highlights the challenges facing Sussan Ley over women’s representation
    
  
                   National affairs
      
        
      Taxing times
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      20 June 2025    
    
      Jim Chalmers wants to “test the appetite” for more ambitious productivity reforms
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Taxing times
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      20 June 2025    
    
      Jim Chalmers wants to “test the appetite” for more ambitious productivity reforms
    
  
                
                       National affairs
      
        
      AUKUS’s missing price tag
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      13 June 2025    
    
      Anthony Albanese heads to Canada for an uncertain meeting with an unpredictable president
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      AUKUS’s missing price tag
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      13 June 2025    
    
      Anthony Albanese heads to Canada for an uncertain meeting with an unpredictable president
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Labor’s Russian embassy headache returns to court
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      6 June 2025    
    
      The looming hearing recalls cold war battles and a more recent courtroom defeat
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Labor’s Russian embassy headache returns to court
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      6 June 2025    
    
      The looming hearing recalls cold war battles and a more recent courtroom defeat
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      The Senate’s status seekers
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      30 May 2025    
    
      Having lost Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the Liberals, the National Party has tried to entice at least one senator from the crossbenches
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      The Senate’s status seekers
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      30 May 2025    
    
      Having lost Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the Liberals, the National Party has tried to entice at least one senator from the crossbenches
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      David Littleproud’s own goal
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      23 May 2025    
    
      The week the Nationals’ leader overplayed his hand
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      David Littleproud’s own goal
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      23 May 2025    
    
      The week the Nationals’ leader overplayed his hand
    
  
                   National affairs
      
        
      Sussan Ley and the Liberal right: a short history
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      16 May 2025    
    
      Will the party swing behind its new leader?
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Sussan Ley and the Liberal right: a short history
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      16 May 2025    
    
      Will the party swing behind its new leader?
    
  
                
                       National affairs
      
        
      “This is our mandate”
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      9 May 2025    
    
      Despite a remarkable win, caution will remain the watchword of the Albanese prime ministership
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      “This is our mandate”
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      9 May 2025    
    
      Despite a remarkable win, caution will remain the watchword of the Albanese prime ministership
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      How Peter Dutton misread the electorate
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      2 May 2025    
    
      A misconceived election strategy’s long history
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      How Peter Dutton misread the electorate
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      2 May 2025    
    
      A misconceived election strategy’s long history
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      The incumbency factor
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      25 April 2025    
    
      Retirements by longstanding MPs are adding to the election campaign’s complexity as it heads into its final week
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      The incumbency factor
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      25 April 2025    
    
      Retirements by longstanding MPs are adding to the election campaign’s complexity as it heads into its final week
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Sowing doubt in Dutton’s Dickson
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      18 April 2025    
    
      Targeting the opposition leader’s seat serves more than one purpose for Labor
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Sowing doubt in Dutton’s Dickson
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      18 April 2025    
    
      Targeting the opposition leader’s seat serves more than one purpose for Labor
    
  
                   National affairs
      
        
      A small target has suddenly got bigger
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      11 April 2025    
    
      Attacking the government might have given the Coalition some easy wins over the past three years, but does it add up to an election strategy?
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      A small target has suddenly got bigger
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      11 April 2025    
    
      Attacking the government might have given the Coalition some easy wins over the past three years, but does it add up to an election strategy?
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Tricks of the trade
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      4 April 2025    
    
      Australia’s narrow escape from tariffs during Donald Trump’s first presidency created hostility that could complicate efforts to respond to his latest move
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Tricks of the trade
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      4 April 2025    
    
      Australia’s narrow escape from tariffs during Donald Trump’s first presidency created hostility that could complicate efforts to respond to his latest move
    
  
                
          
          
  
    
         National affairs
      
        
      Pre-election giveaways
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      28 March 2025    
    
      The last week of parliament exposed where the tensions lie on both sides of politics
      
    
  
  
          
        National affairs
      
        
      Pre-election giveaways
    
    
      Karen Middleton 
    
    
      28 March 2025    
    
      The last week of parliament exposed where the tensions lie on both sides of politics
    
  
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