About this season
Hosted by Hamish Macdonald, Q&A puts punters, pollies and pundits together in the studio to thrash out the hot issues of the week. It's about democracy in action - the audience gets to ask the questions.
Episodes (43)
1. Trump, Climate Action and Youths
Aired 6 February 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined in Melbourne by Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews, Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg, policy analyst Helen Andrews, teen climate activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez & journalist Daisy Cousens.
2. Blackouts, Childcare, and Migration
Aired 13 February 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined by Vic Senator James Paterson, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education Kate Ellis, Senator Jacqui Lambie, mechanical engineer Yassmin Abdel-Magied & new Democracy Foundation's Luca Belgiorno-Nettis.
3. Pensions, Debt and NDIS
Aired 20 February 2017 • 60 min
Q&A's Tony Jones is joined by Attorney-General George Brandis; Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek; Barrister & human rights advocate Julian Burnside; political commentator Piers Akerman & Pollster Michele Levine.
4. Death and Disruption
Aired 27 February 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined in Melbourne by Special Minister of State Scott Ryan, Shadow Justice Minister Clare O'Neil, philosopher Peter Singer, Sustainability Advocate Leyla Acaroglu & Former Abbott Govt Advisor Ted Lapkin.
5. Strikes, Sexual Assault and Revenge Porn
Aired 6 March 2017 • 60 min
Q&A is All About Women, featuring an all-female panel including anti-violence campaigner Thordis Elva, Pulitzer Prize winner Mei Fong, author/performer Lindy West, actor/presenter Faustina Agolley & lawyer Josephine Cashman.
6. Festival of the Arts
Aired 13 March 2017 • 60 min
Q&A from Adelaide Arts Festival with Canadian singer songwriter Martha Wainwright, theatre & film director Neil Armfield, Indigenous actress & singer Ursula Yovich, media & arts executive Kim Williams and more.
7. The Misinformation Ecosystem
Aired 20 March 2017 • 60 min
Q&A takes a look at fake news & the post-truth era with: former director general of Al Jazeera Wadah Khanfar, First Draft News' Claire Wardle, journalist Mark Day, Liberal Senator Zed Seselja & Labor's Terri Butler.
8. Hunting, Housing and Homeland Security
Aired 27 March 2017 • 60 min
With the world reeling from the terror attack in London, Q&A focuses on international security. Tony Jones is joined by Lydia Khalil, Kerry Chikarovski, Amanda Rishworth, Bridget McKenzie, Peter Holmes a Court & Mark Seymour.
9. Company Tax, Climate Refugees and Cold War
Aired 3 April 2017 • 60 min
Q&A features a panel of global thinkers: author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, Former Danish PM & Save the Children CEO Helle Thorning-Schmidt & The Australian's Editor-at-large Paul Kelly.
10. Assad, Assisted Suicide and Satire
Aired 10 April 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones: Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield; Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong; author Nikki Gemmell; Ethicist Margaret Somerville & British political singer-songwriter Billy Bragg.
11. Citizenships, Skilled Workers and Mushrooms
Aired 24 April 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones: Feminist icon Germaine Greer; Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke; Shadow Environment Minister Tony Burke; Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch & Zimbabwean sustainable farming advocate Chido Govera.
12. Two Veeps and a Satirist
Aired 1 May 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones: creator of Veep Armando Iannucci; ANU Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt; Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce; Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek; Research Director of IPSOS Mind & Mood Report Laura Demasi.
13. Gonski, Veterans and the Budget
Aired 8 May 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones: Minister for Veterans' Affairs & Defence Personnel Dan Tehan; Tasmanian Labor Senator Lisa Singh; Comedian Dave Hughes; Taxation lawyer Mark Leibler & CEO of the Urban Development Institute Danni Addison.
14. Budget, Surplus & Debt
Aired 15 May 2017 • 60 min
In a post Budget Q&A special from the Gold Coast, Tony Jones is joined by Education Minister Simon Birmingham; Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen; Greens Senator Larissa Waters; Innes Willox and Miranda Stewart.
15. Trump, Putin and The End
Aired 22 May 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined by Sydney Writers' Festival guests: journalists Niki Savva & Mikhail Zygar; theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss; Data Editor of The Guardian US Mona Chalabi & Man Booker prize-winner Paul Beatty.
16. 1967 and Mabo - Moving Forward
Aired 29 May 2017 • 60 min
From Parliament House, Canberra this special 1967 & Mabo: Moving Forward marks 50 years since the 1967 referendum & 25 years since Mabo. Guests: Noel Pearson, Pat Anderson, Megan David, Nakkiah Lui & Stan Grant.
17. Terror, Housing and the NDIS
Aired 5 June 2017 • 60 min
On the panel: Social Services Minister Christian Porter; Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese; NSW Liberal Democrats Senator David Leyonhjelm; La Trobe University's Judith Brett & actor/advocate Kiruna Stamell.
18. Australia's Energy Future
Aired 12 June 2017 • 60 min
In an Energy special Environment & Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, Shadow Energy Minister Mark Butler, Australia's Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, Energy Consumers Aus CEO Rosemary Sinclair & Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie.
19. Australian values, Apes and Irrationality
Aired 19 June 2017 • 60 min
Guest host Jeremy Fernandez is joined on the panel by Liberal Senator James Paterson, Shadow Human Services Minister Linda Burney, Primatologist Jane Goodall, Research Fellow Peter Kurti & Author Rachel Botsman.
20. Authenticity, Optics and Taboo
Aired 26 June 2017 • 60 min
Joining Virginia Trioli: Tony Blair's Former Press Secretary Alastair Campbell, pollster Anna Greenberg, Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, Shadow Justice Minister Clare O'Neil & political strategist Grahame Morris.
21. Incentives, Intervention and Fireworks
Aired 3 July 2017 • 60 min
Q&A is coming from Alice Springs, with guest host Virginia Trioli joined by Bob Katter, Warren Snowdon, Jacinta Price, Dale McIver and Josie Douglas.
22. Adani, Armies and Assaults
Aired 17 July 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones: Minister for Resources & Northern Australia Matt Canavan, Queensland Labor MP Terri Butler, British broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, Canadian Christian scholar John Stackhouse & writer/presenter Rachel Corbett.
23. School Special Victoria
Aired 24 July 2017 • 60 min
In a Q&A first, four high school students Pinidu Chandrasekera, Aretha Brown, Jock Maddern & Jacinta Speer join federal politicians Josh Frydenberg & Catherine King on the panel in front of a student-only audience.
24. Trusts, Trump and Tensions in Asia
Aired 31 July 2017 • 60 min
On the panel: Trade Minister Steve Ciobo; Shadow Finance Minister Jim Chalmers; Chinese American writer Mei Fong; Foreign Affairs editor, The Australian Greg Sheridan; Senior economics writer, Fairfax Media Jessica Irvine.
25. Q&A from Garma Festival 2017
Aired 7 August 2017 • 60 min
In a Q&A Special from the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land, guest host Stan Grant is joined by Noel Pearson, Marcia Langton, Nigel Scullion, Denise Bowden, Peter Yu & Djapirri Mununggirritj.
26. Citizenship, Charlottesville and Surveys
Aired 14 August 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is back in the Q&A studio with a cracker political panel featuring Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari, ANU Law Professor Kim Rubenstein, author Jamila Rizvi & theologian Michael Jensen.
27. Bill Shorten on Q&A
Aired 21 August 2017 • 60 min
In a special Q&A, Tony Jones is joined by the Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten to answer the questions asked by viewers & the studio audience.
28. Australia Day and Families Divided
Aired 28 August 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined by Attorney-General George Brandis, Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke, Independent Senator for TAS Jacqui Lambie, City of Sydney Councillor Christine Forster, and singer/songwriter Dan Sultan.
29. Antifa, Women & Doomsday
Aired 4 September 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones are indigenous author Kim Scott, writer/journalist Laurie Penny, Indian diplomat Shashi Tharoor, founder of 'Muslim Girl' Amani Al-Khatahtbeh & Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Fullilove.
30. Consequences, Citizenship and Climate
Aired 11 September 2017 • 60 min
Joining Virginia Trioli: Assistant Minister for Social Services & Multicultural Affairs Zed Seselja, Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, SA Senator Lucy Gichuhi, philosopher A.C. Grayling & Israeli MP Merav Michaeli.
31. Energy, Myanmar and Dreamers
Aired 18 September 2017 • 60 min
Jeremy Fernandez is joined by Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar, Opposition Leader in the Senate Penny Wong, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, industry advocate Emma Herd & journalist Bret Stephens.
32. Drones, Robots and The Future
Aired 2 October 2017 • 60 min
Q&A returns with Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation & Science Craig Laundy, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy Ed Husic, Scientist Catherine Ball, Sandra Peter & broadcaster Adam Spencer.
33. Electricity, Sports and Marriage
Aired 9 October 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones in Melbourne are Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, SA Labor MP Amanda Rishworth, Greens Leader Richard Di Natale, Richmond Tigers President Peggy O'Neal & CEO of Roy Morgan Research Michele Levine.
34. Trump, Guns and Rock n Roll
Aired 16 October 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones this week: Rock icon & author Jimmy Barnes, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, Labor MP for Cowan Anne Aly, Lowy Institute Research Fellow Lydia Khalil & Former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer.
35. Q&A Same Sex Marriage Debate
Aired 23 October 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones for the Q&A Same-Sex Marriage debate: actress and author Magda Szubanski; Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies; Jesuit priest and law professor Frank Brennan; 'No campaign' spokesperson Karina Okotel.
36. Liability, Instability and Deniability
Aired 30 October 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones this week: Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; The Australian Financial Review Political Editor Laura Tingle; 2GB Radio Broadcaster Alan Jones and La Trobe University Emeritus Professor Judith Brett.
37. Q&A High School Special 2.0
Aired 6 November 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones for our second high school special for 2017: Minister for Education Simon Birmingham, Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek, Geordie Brown, Nadia Homem, Arthur Lim and Lauren McGrath-Wild.
38. Section 44, Space and Skeptics
Aired 13 November 2017 • 60 min
Space, time and intelligent life with rock star physicist Brian Cox. Plus Assistant Minister for Digital Transformation Angus Taylor, QLD Labor MP Terri Butler, economist Judith Sloan & futurist Shara Evans join Tony Jones.
39. Protections, Preferences & Parliamentarians
Aired 20 November 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones this week: Attorney-General George Brandis; Shadow Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations Brendan O'Connor; Greens Senator Janet Rice; Christian radio broadcaster Stephen O'Doherty, and Jacqui Lambie.
40. Royal Commissions and Election Results
Aired 27 November 2017 • 60 min
Tony Jones is joined by Assistant Minister to the PM James McGrath, Qld Labor Senator Murray Watt, Guardian Australia editor Lenore Taylor, The Feed's Jan Fran & former adviser to the PM on Indigenous Affairs Warren Mundine.
41. Human Rights and Harassment
Aired 4 December 2017 • 60 min
Joining Tony Jones are Tas Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, Tas Labor Senator Lisa Singh, former President of Aust Human Rights Commission Gillian Triggs, IPA Director of Policy Simon Breheny & Fairfax journalist Kate McClymont.
42. PM Malcolm Turnbull on Q&A
Aired 11 December 2017 • 60 min
He's been bobbing in a sea of political woes but now the polls may be turning. What questions do the Australian people want answered? Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on a special Q&A presented by Virginia Trioli.
43. Comebacks, Cancer Treatment and Uni Cuts
Aired 18 December 2017 • 60 min
Joining Virginia Trioli in Melbourne for the final Q&A of 2017: Health Minister Greg Hunt, Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese, author Maxine McKew, The Australian's Greg Sheridan, Buzzfeed's Alice Workman.