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Dennis Shanahan has been The Australian’s Canberra Bureau Chief, then Political Editor and now National Editor based in the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery since 1989 covering every Budget, election and prime minister since then. He has been in journalism since 1971 and has a master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia University, New York.

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EXCLUSIVEPolitics

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, left, has raised the compensation claim with Trade Minister Don Farrell.

White House heat on PM over mining compo ahead of Trump talks

Anthony Albanese has been asked to intervene in a decade-old $400m compensation claim for Australian and US investors as part of an upcoming deal with Donald Trump on trade tariffs.

Dennis Shanahan and Geoff Chambers

Election 2025Politics

Federal election coverage in the seat of Kooyong. Voting booth at Balwyn Primary School. Saturday, May 3. 2025. Picture: David Crosling

Turnout down as informal vote rises

The voter turnout in the 2025 federal election at 90.67 per cent is the second lowest in 100 years with 1.6 million eligible voters opting not to vote.

Dennis Shanahan

InquirerInquirer

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led Labor to a massive win at the May 3 election. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

He’s got the power: PM’s challenge to manage landmark victory

At the start of his second term Albanese is arguably in a better position than Robert Menzies, the nation’s longest-serving prime minister, and Bob Hawke, Labor’s longest-serving prime minister.

Dennis Shanahan

CommentaryMedia

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Ã¢â¬â SEPTEMBER 10, 2012 - John Howard in his Sydney office. John Winston Howard, OM, AC (born 26 July 1939) was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. Born in Sydney, Howard was a solicitor at Clayton Utz before entering politics, having studied law at the University of Sydney. He was a member of the Liberal Party and former president of the Young Liberals. At the 1974 federal election, Howard was elected to the Division of Bennelong, which he would go on to represent until 2007. In 1985, Howard was elected leader of the Liberal Party for the first time but lost to Bob Hawke's Labor government, and was removed from the leadership in 1989. Remaining a key figure in the party, Howard was re-elected leader in 1995, and subsequently led the Coalition to victory at the 1996 federal election. He remained Prime Minister until the loss of the 2007 Federal election when he was defeated by Labor, led by Kevin Rudd. (Photo by Impressions / Getty Images)

Lazy election analysis fails history test

A popular narrative has taken hold: as the influence of social media grows, major media companies have been left to bellow from the sidelines. But that argument lacks nuance.

Dennis Shanahan

EXCLUSIVEPolitics

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. NewsWire Photos. OCTOBER 5, 2024. CPAC convention for the Institute of Public Affairs.Sen Matthew Canavan.Picture: NewsWire/ Richard Gosling

Coalition split threat as Canavan eyes leadership

Former Morrison government minister Matt Canavan is challenging David Littleproud for the Nationals leadership, as senior members accuse the Liberals of not behaving like true partners and blaming the party for the extent of the election loss.

Dennis Shanahan and Sarah Ison

INQUIRERInquirer

**EMBARGOED FOR 10/05/2025**8 May 2025; Adam Bandt's loss of the Melbourne seat marks a significant turning point for the Greens, leading to his departure as party leader. The election also saw Max Chandler-Mather as another major casualty, prompting a leadership transition. With Mehreen Faruqi now stepping up, the party faces a new direction amidst controversy over its extreme positions. Sources: iStock and News Corp Australia. Artwork by Frank Ling. Ratio 4:3. For PRINT.

Inside the decline & fall of Adam Bandt and the Greens

There is a clear sign of structural, strategic failure that could be the beginning of the end for the Greens as they follow the historical trajectory of other minor parties and independent groupings that have overreached, faltered, failed and disappeared. Who remembers the Australian Democrats?

Dennis Shanahan

COMMENTARYCommentary

Delulu of Bandt’s victory declaration and how Libs could seal Greens’ irrelevance

Despite Adam Bandt’s declaration of how well the Greens vote has held up in the ‘most progressive Senate’ on record, the brutal reality of the vote is that his own seat could be lost, automatically losing his party leadership.

Dennis Shanahan

CommentaryCommentary

PM in best, most powerful position of all modern-day Labor leaders

Forget talk of retirement, a win of this magnitude gives Albanese unquestioned authority over personnel, politics and policy. Now he needs to take a lead from Hawke and Keating in shaping Labor policy to the nation’s needs.

Dennis Shanahan

commentaryPolitics

3 May 2025; a photo comp of Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton. Artwork by Emilia Tortorella. Sources supplied. Ratio 4:3.

Dutton is denied the ecstasy but at least he’s spared some of the agony

At least for Dutton there is no agonising over whether he should remain as leader or some dreadful fight among the Liberals as to who would take over. The Liberals must now regroup around a new leader.

Dennis Shanahan

CommentPolitics

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese does live TV interviews at the MCG on May 03, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. Australians will vote on Saturday in a federal election that will decide the next government and shape the nation's direction on key issues like housing, cost of living, energy and healthcare. The election comes when international relations are fraught and will be watched closely globally. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Spectre of malcontents has spooked both sides

While the ‘ghosts of 2019’ scare ‘team captain’ Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton has been cursed by the ‘miserable ghost’ of his old leader.

Dennis Shanahan

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/dennis-shanahan