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Simon Benson is the Political Editor at The Australian, an award winning journalist and a former President of the NSW Press Gallery. He has covered federal and state politics for more than 20 years, authoring two political bestselling books, Betrayal and Plagued. Prior to joining the Australian, Benson was the Political Editor at the Daily Telegraph and a former environment and science editor which earned him the Australian Museum Eureka Prize in 2001. His career in journalism began in the early 90s when he started out in London working on the foreign desk at BSkyB.

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Politics NowPolitics

Labor faction to host Payman at Palestine forum

Anthony Albanese’s foundational faction will host Labor defector Fatima Payman as a special guest in a forum next week to promote the cause of Palestine despite her resignation.

Jack Quail and Simon Benson

ExclusivePolitics

Peter Dutton at the LNP Liberal National Party 2024 Convention in South Brisbane, Sunday, July 7, 2024 - Picture: Richard Walker

Newspoll: Coalition ahead in battleground state

A state-by-state Newspoll demographic analysis shows the federal Coalition pulling ahead of Labor for the first time in NSW, while increasing its lead in Queensland.

Simon Benson

COMMENTARYCommentary

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. SEPTEMBER 5, 2023: Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt and Anthony Albanese during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

ALP bleeds younger voters to Greens and loses Middle Australia

Labor is now losing younger voters and failing to make inroads anywhere else, increasing the likelihood that minority government becomes its future model.

Simon Benson

exclusivePolitics

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JULY 7, 2024: Several thousand people march through central Melbourne in support of the Palestinian people and to protest the current genocide being committed by Israel. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

We’ll let our people decide on Labor, Islamic leaders say

The nation’s peak Islamic body says it is unlikely to provide formal endorsement for pro-Palestine candidates as the Coalition heaps pressure on Labor to end preference deals with the Greens.

Sarah Ison and Simon Benson

ExclusivePolitics

DAILY TELEGRAPH 8TH MARCH 2023Pictured at Fairfield Showground in western Sydney is Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone.Mr Carbone has confirmed today that he won't run in the 2023 state election, in a move which could be a hammer-blow to the Coalition. He was going to be an election victory shoe in but now is not running which will influence the overall election result.Picture: Richard Dobson

‘Done nothing for us’: Carbone mulls Bowen challenge

Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s political future is under threat with popular western Sydney Mayor Frank Carbone considering running against him at the next election.

Simon Benson

commentaryCommentary

Labor’s most junior senator sensed the weakness in her leader last week and pushed her personal pro-Greens, Palestine-only cause to the utmost in crossing the floor to vote against Labor policy and her Labor colleagues.

ALP really needs to woke up to itself

Nothing has gone to script for Anthony Albanese this week. Once again, it has been a failure of political management that has overshadowed Labor’s policy agenda.

Simon Benson

housingPolitics

Melbourne, Australia - Nov 15, 2015: Houses under construction in a suburb in Melbourne, Australia

ALP homes target sliding out of reach

Housing experts have warned that new home commencements would flatline for the remainder of 2024 putting the Albanese government’s claims of 1.2 million new homes within five years further beyond reach.

Simon Benson and Patrick Commins

commentaryPolitics

CANBERRA, Australia - NewsWire Photos - July 3, 2024: Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Reasoning is sound, with a wedge to boot

Peter Dutton has made a deliberate and dramatic play to inject himself into a cost-of-living debate that appears to have fallen on deaf ears in Canberra.

Simon Benson

Bank warningPolitics

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 24: Construction workers are seen onsite at a combined residential and commercial development in Surry Hills on June 24, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney's exorbitant housing costs have earned it the dubious distinction of being the second most expensive city in the world for housing, trailing only Hong Kong, in a recent international survey. With a median house price of $1.6 million as of late 2023, owning a home in Sydney is an unattainable dream for many residents and potential buyers. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

Policy disaster: Build fast or hit crisis on home front

A new home would have to be built every two minutes to accommodate current population growth and the immigration intake, according to industry analysis.

Simon Benson and Patrick Commins

commentaryCommentary

CANBERRA, Australia - NewsWire Photos - July 1, 2024: Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers hold a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Voters aren’t buying spin on cost of living

Publicly, the Treasurer is on a positive spin over his cost-of-living relief. Privately, he will be sweating bricks for six weeks, gripped by fear over what the central bank may or may not do in August.

Simon Benson

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/simon-benson/page/24