Back to Back Barries
The Guardian
69 episodes
Back to Back Barries examines the strategies behind the week's politics with co-hosts Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry. Barrie Cassidy has covered 14 federal elections as a political journalist, and two from the inside as a senior press secretary to then prime minister Bob Hawke. He is also the former host of ABC TV’s political discussion program Insiders. Tony Barry is a former Liberal party strategist who has worked for Christopher Pyne and Malcolm Turnbull. He now runs political research company RedBridge Group and is also a regular media commentator. Back to Back Barries will be with you every Saturday. You can find the podcast on the Full Story podcast feed, subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Episodes page 1 of 2
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Do leaders lack the courage to turn the temperature down?
Tony Barry and George Megalogenis (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) examine the response to the horrific alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines this week. While the prime minister pleaded for all to ‘turn the…
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Back to Back Barries: Why Josh Frydenberg isn’t the Liberals’ saviour
Tony Barry and Niki Savva (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) examine the ‘festival of Josh’ that played out in the media this week as the former treasurer spruiked his new memoir. The two former Liberal party advisers…
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Back to Back Barries: How Labor should fight One Nation
Tony Barry and Jessie McCrone examine the latest Redbridge poll (‘the poll that stops the nation’) that shows support for the prime minister and Labor is slipping significantly. Tony asks Jessie – a former senior Labor…
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Back to Back Barries: Can the Greens beat Labor?
Barrie Cassidy and Sean Kelly (filling in for Tony Barry) discuss the Greens leadership change this week. Senator David Shoebridge defeated two women to take out the top job in a rare contested ballot. So what…
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Back to Back Barries: Should the media boycott One Nation?
Barrie Cassidy and Sean Kelly (filling in for Tony Barry) look at the prime minister’s week in the US against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s ban of three news organisations from the White House. Would the Australian…
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Back to Back Barries: Labor’s migration dilemma
Barrie Cassidy and Jessie McCrone, a former adviser to the former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and now managing partner for FMRS Advisory, examine the migration reforms as announced by the home affairs minister,…
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Back to Back Barries: Andrew Hastie v Pauline Hanson
Barrie Cassidy and Sean Kelly (filling in for Tony Barry this week) go straight to Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie’s stoush with Pauline Hanson over an animated cartoon. Is Hastie one of the few politicians willing…
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Back to Back Barries: The forces that can stop One Nation’s rise
Barrie Cassidy and George Megalogenis (filling in for Tony this week) examine George’s new book, Three Shocks: Who We are Becoming in the 21st Century, and how these forces are reshaping our national identity and…
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Back to Back Barries: How is One Nation influencing Labor’s migration policy?
Tony Barry and Sean Kelly, sitting in for Barrie Cassidy, examine the politics of immigration and asylum after contradictory policy statements this week from Labor and One Nation. They discuss how much Labor is being…
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Back to Back Barries: Political stitch-up or compromise? A tale of two political deals
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the two deals made this week between the Coalition and Labor on gambling advertising and the NDIS. They also look ahead to the upcoming byelection in the Western Australian…
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Back to Back Barries: what ‘melon-gate’ really reveals about our politics and the media
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry look at Liberal senator Andrew Bragg’s speech this week in which he outlined his plan to solve the housing crisis – a plan that doesn’t have the support of his own party. The Barries also…
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Back to Back Barries: why Labor is split on migration
Barrie Cassidy is back, and kicks off the episode by analysing the conflict in the Labor party over migration that led to the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, pulling out of his scheduled press club speech this week.…
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Back to Back Barries: the fallout from a Victorian coup
Tony Barry and Jon Faine (sitting in for Barrie Cassidy this week) examine the ousting of Jacinta Allan and the anointing of Ben Carroll as the new premier of Victoria. They discuss what it could all mean for the…
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Back to Back Barries: Barnaby bends the media cycle
Tony Barry and George Megalogenis (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) give their view on One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce’s viral moment this week and why they think it played well to his party’s base. George takes us back to…
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Back to Back Barries: will Tommy Robinson sink Pauline Hanson?
This week Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the One Nation leader’s podcast interview with far-right British activist Tommy Robinson and ask: will this interview cause fractures within the party and weaken her…
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Back to Back Barries: The worst political gaffe of the week
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine a long list of stumbles and missteps made by politicians this week. They also discuss the prime minister’s Pacific push as China tested a long-range missile – and Nigel Farage’s…
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Back to Back Barries: The Liberal party needs more than a rebrand
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss what led to the first drop in One Nation’s poll numbers in more than a year, and why the voters turning away from Pauline Hanson are not turning back towards the Liberal party.…
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Back to Back Barries: Angus Taylor’s multiculturalism mess
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine a big week in politics. Will Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender prove successful with their new centrist political party? Is Angus Taylor in trouble after a week of stumbles…
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Back to Back Barries: Is the media giving Pauline Hanson a free pass?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry dissect Pauline Hanson’s National Press Club appearance this week and ask: is the leader of One Nation treated differently to other political leaders by the media? They also give their…
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Back to Back Barries: Who is donating to One Nation?
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy discuss One Nation’s successful fundraising drive which raised nearly $3m this week. They look at how the major parties are handling the rise of the rightwing party and where they agree…
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Back to Back Barries: Does One Nation have a ceiling or a wall?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry break down the new Redbridge polling that shows One Nation with the highest primary vote in the country, a result unprecedented in Australian politics. They also discuss Peter Garrett’s…
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Back to Back Barries: Is Labor in trouble over tax?
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine the government’s struggle to sell its ambitious tax changes as the legislation hit parliament this week. The Barries also look at the pros and cons of a ‘teal’ party and dig into…
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Back to Back Barries live: How long will Angus Taylor survive as Liberal leader?
In this special recording of the Barries in front of a live audience of 600 at the Sydney Writers’ festival, Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss why budget criticism is hurting Labor more than many anticipated. They…
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Back to Back Barries: Angus Taylor’s migration muddle
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry deliver their verdict on the federal budget – including opposition leader Angus Taylor’s targeting of migrants in an effort to solve the housing crisis. They also discuss Pauline Hanson’s…
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Back to back Barries: One Nation’s Trump-sized achilles heel
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry dive into new Redbridge polling that shows Pauline Hanson’s support of Donald Trump’s war on Iran could turn voters off. They also discuss the upcoming federal budget, the returning…
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Back to Back Barries: Focus on Farrer
Barrie Cassidy gives his take on the mood in Farrer after moderating a debate with the candidates in Albury, while Tony Barry raises new statistics that show India has overcome England as Australia’s leading overseas…
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Back to Back Barries: Can Labor’s 'tough decisions' save the NDIS?
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine health minister Mark Butler’s announcement this week that Labor will move thousands of people off the NDIS to save costs. The Barries also discuss the economy, taxing gas giants…
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Back to Back Barries: the Coalition’s ‘risky’ immigration plan
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy discuss the opposition leader, Angus Taylor’s, new immigration policy and why Tony sees it as a strategy to come second. They also look at Donald Trump’s stoush with the pope, Anthony…
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Back to Back Barries: Cutting through Trump’s ‘wall of noise’
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy discuss the fragile ceasefire in Iran and the pressure building on Australian politicians to respond to Donald Trump’s escalating rhetoric. The Barries also examine the prime minister’s…
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Back to Back Barries: How the fuel crisis could hurt Albanese
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry go for a deep dive into the South Australian election outcome and what it means for federal politics. They examine what the results tell us about preferences and why the Liberals should be…
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Back to Back Barries: Will the war on Iran war trigger another recession we have to have?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the fuel crisis and whether the Australian public will blame the Albanese government for the growing economic fallout from Trump’s war on Iran. They also discuss Liberal MP Andrew…
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Back to Back Barries: Does Matt Canavan have a strategy to take on One Nation?
Matt Canavan has emerged as the leader of the National party. But, ask Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry, is he the right person to take on One Nation? And will the upcoming South Australian election be an extinction-level…
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Back to Back Barries: will Trump’s Iran war become Albanese’s mess?
One week on from the start of Trump’s war on Iran, Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine Anthony Albanese’s swift response in support of the strikes, and confirmation that three Australian personnel were on board a US…
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Back to Back Barries: the politics of no sympathy for ‘IS families’
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine the divisive political debate over the future of the 34 Australian women and children languishing in a Syrian detention camp. They also discuss why capital gains tax is becoming a…
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Back to Back Barries: the Liberals’ looming election test
Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine new polling that shows the upcoming South Australian election could deliver a nightmare result for the Liberal party and the first test for the reported surge to One Nation. The…
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Back to Back Barries: is Angus Taylor enough to stop One Nation?
The Barries are back, and Angus Taylor has won the Liberal leadership battle against Sussan Ley. Speaking on Friday afternoon, the new leader said he did not seek to be ‘One Nation lite’ but he would ‘shut the door’ on…
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Back to Back Barries and Niki Savva on a seismic year in politics
What lessons from 2025 can Labor and the Coalition take into their summer break? After a landslide election win, will Albanese maintain his lead in the polls and use the momentum to achieve ambitious reform? And can…
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Back to Back Barries: why gen z and millennials will decide the Coalition’s fate
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry are back and there’s a lot that’s happened since they last sat down together. In this week’s episode they examine the Liberals’ abandonment of net zero emissions, whether Barnaby Joyce…
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Back to Back Barries: Palestine, Hastie and the rise of influencers
In their penultimate episode for the year, Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry unpack an eventful week at the UN and look at how Australia is dealing with a new reality with the United States. They also discuss Andrew Hastie…
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Back to Back Barries: Trump, climate targets and a turn to One Nation
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the politics of climate policy after Anthony Albanese revealed Australia’s 2035 emissions target. They also discuss the prime minister’s failure to secure a defence treaty in Papua…
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Back to Back Barries: does the Coalition have the will to win?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry unpack another bad week for the Coalition after Sussan Ley sacked senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the shadow cabinet. But that wasn’t the only political story this week – the Barries…
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Back to Back Barries: divisive debates and Dan Andrews
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss this week’s immigration debate and why politicians from all sides need to speak up strongly on the benefits of immigration. They also take a look at Dan Andrews’ ‘photo bomb’…
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Back to Back Barries: can the Coalition find a circuit breaker?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry discuss the expulsion of Australia’s Iranian ambassador and Anthony Albanese’s plan to help first home buyers. They also examine what the Coalition could do to get out of its post-election…
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Back to Back Barries: roundtable reforms, and diplomatic rows
Barrie Cassidy, Tony Barry, and George Megalogenis discuss how productive the economic roundtable in Canberra was this week, and which ideas the government will act on first. They also discuss how the prime minister,…
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Back to Back Barries: the tricky politics of a treasurer-PM relationship
Ahead of next week’s productivity roundtable, Tony Barry and George Megalogenis examine how Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese work together and compare the duo to their counterparts of decades past. They also examine…
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Back to Back Barries: is Trump the new Xi Jinping?
Tony Barry and George Megalogenis (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) discuss Donald Trump’s sacking of his chief statistician over unflattering job figures and compare it to a similar move by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.…
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Back to Back Barries: does Albanese care more about polls or Palestine?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine Labor and Liberal positions on recognising Palestine and ask: will the prime minister change Australia’s position on the issue? They also discuss the many obstacles to net zero, if…
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Back to Back Barries: is the Liberal-National Coalition a ‘sham marriage’?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the return of federal parliament, the net zero debate and why Latham’s portrait is still on display in the Labor party room
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Back to Back Barries: Does Albanese need to choose China over Trump?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the optics of the prime minister’s lengthy visit to China. They also return to the fallout from Jillian Segal’s antisemitism plan and the recount in the federal electorate of…
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Back to Back Barries: could the antisemitism plan be used to silence dissent?
Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barrie unpack the plan handed to the federal government this week to combat antisemitism. They also look at Trump’s threat to place tariffs on pharmaceuticals, the RBA’s surprise interest rate…
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