Our Team

Rhiannon Down is a political reporter in The Australian’s Canberra bureau. She began her career at the paper in the Sydney bureau, where she covered mostly courts and crime, after joining the newspaper as a cadet.

@rhi_down

Latest

NATIONALS SPILLPolitics

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - MAY 12, 2025: Leader of The Nationals, David Littleproud, Kevin Hogan and Bridget McKenzie hold a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Net zero change possible as Littleproud stays in charge

David Littleproud has left the door open to dumping the net zero emissions by 2050 target after he was returned to the Nationals leadership.

Rhiannon Down and Sarah Ison

INSIDE STORYNation

8/5/2025: Maggie Forrest Liberal candidate for Ryan at her home in Chapel Hill, Brisbane. Maggie is projected to lose the seat of Ryan to Greens incumbent Elizabeth Watson-Brown. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Libs’ unspoken loss: the next generation of wasted talent

Labor’s election wipe-out has stalled the arrival of a new generation of Coalition talent to parliament. Their plans in tatters, they have a lot to say about what needs to happen now.

Rhiannon Down

POLITICS NOWPolitics

Taylor, Ley battle for Liberal leadership, Littleproud challenged

Leadership candidate Angus Taylor, running against Sussan Ley with Dan Tehan deciding not to stand, pledges to rebuild the Liberals on a foundation including ‘reward for effort’; Nats leader David Littleproud faces a challenge.

Mohammad Alfares, Kyle Rode, Rhiannon Down and Lily McCaffrey

EXPLOSIVE MOVEPolitics

Price of defection is risk of Liberal Party civil war

Angus Taylor’s move to recruit Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has triggered anger from senior Nationals and threatens to engulf the party beyond Tuesday’s vote to replace Peter Dutton.

Geoff Chambers and Rhiannon Down

POLITICS NOWPolitics

Keating attacks Albanese for not saving Husic, Dreyfus

NSW Labor Right legend Paul Keating has lashed Anthony Albanese for allowing the Victorian Right to garner more power, saying the Prime Minister failed to make another ‘captain’s call’ to keep Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus in the ministry.

Richard Ferguson, Greg Brown, Sarah Ison, Rhiannon Down, Geoff Chambers and Noah Yim

Politics NowPolitics

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - February 26 2025:Senator Linda Reynolds during the Community Affairs Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Libs’ women problem led to ‘catastrophic’ election ‘failure’

Retiring Liberal senator Linda Reynolds said ‘it is very clear where we’ve been going wrong’, as she urged the party to do more to attract both female candidates and voters, while endorsing Sussan Ley as the next leader to help rebuild their standing with women.

Paul Garvey, Rhiannon Down and Amanda Hodge

ELECTION 2025Nation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos MAY 3, 2025: Nicolette Boele pictured with her kids at her election night event at Buckle Cafe and Distillery in Artarmon. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Teals hold ground, increase influence

Teal independents are on track to retain their standing in the federal parliament as voters abandon the major parties, with Climate 200-backed challengers gaining ground in electoral contests across the country.

Rhiannon Down

ELECTION 2025Politics

The Labor government’s Senate leader, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, speaks during the election-night event attended by Anthony Albanese. Picture: Getty Images

‘Glory days’ for Labor with control of Senate

Anthony Albanese will find it easier pushing bills through the Senate in his second term, with Greens retaining seats and Labor on track for gains in the upper house.

Rhiannon Down

ELECTION 2025Nation

The teals have retained seats, while independent challenger Nicolette Boele has pulled ahead in Bradfield.

Teals on track to retain seats as Boele looks set to take Bradfield

Teal independents are on track to retain their numbers in the federal parliament, with Climate 200-backed Nicolette Boele appearing set to join them in parliament.

Rhiannon Down

EXCLUSIVENation

7/1/24: ECAJ Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin in Sydney. After The Australian's reporting on southwest Sydney clerics giving hate-fuelled anti-Semitic sermons since October 7, the country's peak Jewish body is taking legal matters into their own hands, given the apparent inability of law enforcement to do anything. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has announced they will take legal action against the clerics. They are still in discussions with lawyers about the routes open to them, but one being considered and likely is via the Aus Human Rights Commission and Federal Court under the Racial Hatred Act. Given legislation is unfit for purpose and authorities unable to clamp down, the Jewish body has said they will go it alone. John Feder/The Australian.

Neo-Nazis reported for electoral breaches

Neo-Nazis who impersonated Orthodox Jews and handed out fake Liberal Party flyers have been reported to the Australian Electoral Commission for breaches of the Electoral Act.

Rhiannon Down

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/rhiannon-down/page/6