menu_open Columnists
Paul Sakkal

Paul Sakkal

The Age

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Anthony Albanese appeared untouchable in November, when Canberra was consumed by conversations about the Coalition’s internal feuds. But the...

19.12.2025 10

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Anthony Albanese appeared untouchable in November, when Canberra was consumed by conversations about the Coalition’s internal feuds. But the...

19.12.2025 6

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Anthony Albanese appeared untouchable in November, when Canberra was consumed by conversations about the Coalition’s internal feuds. But the...

19.12.2025 8

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Once untouchable, Albanese ends the year under siege

Anthony Albanese appeared untouchable in November, when Canberra was consumed by conversations about the Coalition’s internal feuds. But the...

19.12.2025 4

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

The prime minister faced days of criticism from Jewish leaders and the Coalition that he had not taken antisemitism seriously. He finally stepped up...

18.12.2025 10

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

The prime minister faced days of criticism from Jewish leaders and the Coalition that he had not taken antisemitism seriously. He finally stepped up...

18.12.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

The prime minister faced days of criticism from Jewish leaders and the Coalition that he had not taken antisemitism seriously. He finally stepped up...

18.12.2025 4

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Albanese, at crucial moment for his leadership, steps up to the plate on antisemitism

The prime minister faced days of criticism from Jewish leaders and the Coalition that he had not taken antisemitism seriously. He finally stepped up...

18.12.2025 2

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

Albanese’s normal political tactics only go so far when something more profound is required.

17.12.2025 10

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

Albanese’s normal political tactics only go so far when something more profound is required.

17.12.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

Albanese’s normal political tactics only go so far when something more profound is required.

17.12.2025 10

The Age

Paul Sakkal

What Albanese could do to prove he isn’t dithering on terror

Albanese’s normal political tactics only go so far when something more profound is required.

17.12.2025 10

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Liberal contenders share Thai dinner as Ley’s leadership is tested

Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie and a group of conservatives met last night at the Kingston Foreshore precinct, where Malcolm Turnbull once met allies to...

04.11.2025 5

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Liberal contenders share Thai dinner as Ley’s leadership is tested

Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie and a group of conservatives met last night at the Kingston Foreshore precinct, where Malcolm Turnbull once met allies to...

04.11.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Liberal contenders share Thai dinner as Ley’s leadership is tested

Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie and a group of conservatives met last night at the Kingston Foreshore precinct, where Malcolm Turnbull once met allies to...

04.11.2025 20

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Liberal contenders share Thai dinner as Ley’s leadership is tested

Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie and a group of conservatives met last night at the Kingston Foreshore precinct, where Malcolm Turnbull once met allies to...

04.11.2025 4

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

His maverick ego makes him a hero to some. Can One Nation give Barnaby what he wants?

You could see Barnaby Joyce’s break-up with the Nationals coming. What he does next – and if he can pull it off – is much less clear.

19.10.2025 10

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

His maverick ego makes him a hero to some. Can One Nation give Barnaby what he wants?

You could see Barnaby Joyce’s break-up with the Nationals coming. What he does next – and if he can pull it off – is much less clear.

19.10.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

His maverick ego makes him a hero to some. Can One Nation give Barnaby what he wants?

You could see Barnaby Joyce’s break-up with the Nationals coming. What he does next – and if he can pull it off – is much less clear.

19.10.2025 4

The Age

Paul Sakkal

His maverick ego makes him a hero to some. Can One Nation give Barnaby what he wants?

You could see Barnaby Joyce’s break-up with the Nationals coming. What he does next – and if he can pull it off – is much less clear.

19.10.2025 2

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

‘Radio silence for days’: The uneasy calm before Hastie’s bombshell resignation

The former SAS captain has always been a lone wolf, but his colleagues are confused about whether he is laying the groundwork for a challenge or...

03.10.2025 4

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

‘Radio silence for days’: The uneasy calm before Hastie’s bombshell resignation

The former SAS captain has always been a lone wolf, but his colleagues are confused about whether he is laying the groundwork for a challenge or...

03.10.2025 3

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

‘Radio silence for days’: The uneasy calm before Hastie’s bombshell resignation

The former SAS captain has always been a lone wolf, but his colleagues are confused about whether he is laying the groundwork for a challenge or...

03.10.2025 5

The Age

Paul Sakkal

‘Radio silence for days’: The uneasy calm before Hastie’s bombshell resignation

The former SAS captain has always been a lone wolf, but his colleagues are confused about whether he is laying the groundwork for a challenge or...

03.10.2025 3

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Ley had little choice, but sacking Price could cost her

What started as a clumsy statement from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last week has through political mismanagement spiralled into a test of Sussan Ley’s...

10.09.2025 5

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Ley had little choice, but sacking Price could cost her

What started as a clumsy statement from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last week has through political mismanagement spiralled into a test of Sussan Ley’s...

10.09.2025 20

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Ley had little choice, but sacking Price could cost her

What started as a clumsy statement from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last week has through political mismanagement spiralled into a test of Sussan Ley’s...

10.09.2025 4

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Ley had little choice, but sacking Price could cost her

What started as a clumsy statement from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last week has through political mismanagement spiralled into a test of Sussan Ley’s...

10.09.2025 9

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

As Ley tried to tear strips off Chalmers, more than half her MPs weren’t even listening

A remarkable 22 Coalition politicians - more than half of all opposition MPs - were on a phone or laptop as Treasurer Jim Chalmers was on his feet in...

25.08.2025 2

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

As Ley tried to tear strips off Chalmers, more than half her MPs weren’t even listening

A remarkable 22 Coalition politicians, more than half of all opposition MPs, were on a phone or laptop as Treasurer Jim Chalmers was on his feet in...

25.08.2025 3

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

As Ley tried to tear strips off Chalmers, more than half her MPs weren’t even listening

A remarkable 22 Coalition politicians, more than half of all opposition MPs, were on a phone or laptop as Treasurer Jim Chalmers was on his feet in...

25.08.2025 3

The Age

Paul Sakkal

As Ley tried to tear strips off Chalmers, more than half her MPs weren’t even listening

A remarkable 22 Coalition politicians - more than half of all opposition MPs - were on a phone or laptop as Treasurer Jim Chalmers was on his feet in...

25.08.2025 2

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Does Chalmers really have the appetite to fight for big changes?

A cautious treasurer has dipped his toe into the often toxic waters of tax reform. Whether he decides to go all the way in will define his legacy.

22.08.2025 3

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Does Chalmers really have the appetite to fight for big changes?

A cautious treasurer has dipped his toe into the often toxic waters of tax reform. Whether he decides to go all the way in will define his legacy.

22.08.2025 8

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Does Chalmers really have the appetite to fight for big changes?

A cautious treasurer has dipped his toe into the often toxic waters of tax reform. Whether he decides to go all the way in will define his legacy.

22.08.2025 9

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Does Chalmers really have the appetite to fight for big changes?

A cautious treasurer has dipped his toe into the often toxic waters of tax reform. Whether he decides to go all the way in will define his legacy.

22.08.2025 10

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Chalmers curbs enthusiasm on reform summit as tax debate gets too big for Labor

The prime minister, sometimes blunt with his frustrations, let slip his private views on the limits of Labor’s upcoming economic summit.

06.08.2025 10

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Chalmers curbs enthusiasm on reform summit as tax debate gets too big for Labor

The prime minister, sometimes blunt with his frustrations, let slip his private views on the limits of Labor’s upcoming economic summit.

06.08.2025 20

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Chalmers curbs enthusiasm on reform summit as tax debate gets too big for Labor

The prime minister, sometimes blunt with his frustrations, let slip his private views on the limits of Labor’s upcoming economic summit.

06.08.2025 10

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Chalmers curbs enthusiasm on reform summit as tax debate gets too big for Labor

The prime minister, sometimes blunt with his frustrations, let slip his private views on the limits of Labor’s upcoming economic summit.

06.08.2025 9

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Whitlam, Nixon, Albanese: PM uses Great Wall to place himself in history

In case the symbolism wasn’t obvious on a muggy Wednesday morning just outside Beijing, the prime minister spelled it out.

16.07.2025 5

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Whitlam, Nixon, Albanese: PM uses Great Wall to place himself in history

In case the symbolism wasn’t obvious, on a muggy Wednesday morning just outside Beijing, the prime minister spelled it out.

16.07.2025 5

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

Whitlam, Nixon, Albanese: PM uses Great Wall to place himself in history

In case the symbolism wasn’t obvious, on a muggy Wednesday morning just outside Beijing, the prime minister spelled it out.

16.07.2025 3

The Age

Paul Sakkal

Whitlam, Nixon, Albanese: PM uses Great Wall to place himself in history

In case the symbolism wasn’t obvious on a muggy Wednesday morning just outside Beijing, the prime minister spelled it out.

16.07.2025 4

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

China and Xi give Albanese a warm welcome, but another side is never far away

The meeting between the two leaders was jovial, as both smiled for the cameras. But several photographers were kept away, and other journalists had...

15.07.2025 4

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

China and Xi give Albanese a warm welcome, but another side is never far away

The meeting between the two leaders was jovial, as both smiled for the cameras. But several photographers were kept away, and other journalists had...

15.07.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal

China and Xi give Albanese a warm welcome, but another side is never far away

The meeting between the two leaders was jovial, as both smiled for the cameras. But several photographers were kept away, and other journalists had...

15.07.2025 5

The Age

Paul Sakkal

China and Xi give Albanese a warm welcome, but another side is never far away

The meeting between the two leaders was jovial, as both smiled for the cameras. But several photographers were kept away, and other journalists had...

15.07.2025 6

Brisbane Times

Paul Sakkal

Why Twiggy’s happy to cut the oranges for Team Australia

Andrew Forrest, the mining tycoon turned climate saviour, was in trademark form as he – wearing a Ukraine flag pin on his jacket – praised the PM,...

14.07.2025 8

WA Today

Paul Sakkal

Why Twiggy’s happy to cut the oranges for Team Australia

Andrew Forrest, the mining tycoon turned climate saviour, was in trademark form as he – wearing a Ukraine flag pin on his jacket – praised the PM,...

14.07.2025 10

The Sydney Morning Herald

Paul Sakkal