Skip to content
Is It On? podcast artwork

PODCAST · news

Is It On?

by BuzzFeed Australia

Alice Workman and Lane Sainty from BuzzFeed News take you into the corridors of power at Australian Parliament House to dissect the latest goings on in federal politics.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 5, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Episode 45: Don’t Cry For Me I’m Georgina

    WTF Super Saturday?!?!!? This is the audio of our live Twitter show ‘Super Sunday Brunch’ wrapping up everything that happened across the five by-elections and how the polls/pundits got it so wrong! Featuring an IV with Labor senator Doug Cameron and a political panel of Guardian Australia’s Amy...

  2. Episode 44: No Then Yes Then No Again

    Bill Shorten makes a captain’s call. Anthony Albanese makes a speech. IS IT ON in the Labor Party? Probably not tbh but it’s always fun to speculate! Alice chats to workplace minister Craig Laundy and Labor frontbencher Ed Husic on the live show about tax cuts, higher education changes, PaTH...

  3. Episode 43: Malcolm Turnbull Loves Sport

    Got a problem streaming the World Cup (that has nothing to do with the NBN because that is totally working just fine ok thanks for asking)? Malcolm Turnbull will fix it! Or make a phone call complaining about it to the Optus CEO. Good luck to Mike and the boys! Victorian Liberal senator Jane Hume...

  4. Episode 42: Cash Wednesday

    Michaelia Cash has been reissued with a subpoena for the AWU’s court challenge against the raids on their offices last October. What does it mean (nothing really, we don’t have a court date). ALSO we finally get to the truth of the infamous WHITEBOARD incident. Revenue and financial services...

  5. Episode 41: $7 Bunnings Suits

    Here’s one we (partially) recorded earlier! Nick’s filling in for Lane while she’s on holidays. It’s episode two of our Twitter show #BFOzPol LIVE from the BuzzFeed bunker in Parliament House, on a sitting week Wednesday at 11am. Labor senator Kimberley Kitching takes the $7 Bunnings suits worn…

    more
  6. Episode 40: Malcolm's Marine Biologists

    A quick update from Alice about a super exciting project happening on 09 May, the morning after Scott Morrison’s not-Christmas-in-May Budget. #BFOzPol

  7. Episode 39: 29 Not Out

    Privyet! Malcolm Turnbull has lost his 29th Newspoll in a row, but somehow the Australian cricket team's had a worse week. Also, foreign minister Julie Bishop booted two Russians, who may or may not be spies, out of the country. We’ll let the Russian ambassador to Australia explain. And Pauline...

  8. Episode 38: Dead To Me

    Alice faces off against minister Michaelia Cash at a press conference in Parliament House. It only lasted a minute, but was pretty lit. Also, Peter Dutton says the “crazy lefties” at the ABC are dead to him over their reporting about farmers in South Africa. Oh, and Lane doesn’t know who Steve...

  9. Episode 37: Blinded By The White(board)

    Michaelia Cash literally hid behind a whiteboard after threatening to publicly name all the young women in Bill Shorten’s office that she’s heard ~rumours~ about. Yes, that really happened. We’ll explain why. Also we have the latest update on the AFP raids on the AWU offices which saw an adviser...

  10. Episode 36: BARNA-BYE

    Former Kiwi Barnaby Joyce has finally resigned as deputy prime minister and leader of the Nationals… but who will succeed him? Can you even name another Nat? And does Joyce know how to use a tea towel? We also discuss Mathias Cormann’s time in the top job, and ask the big questions: will Lane try...

  11. Episode 35: It’s Keneally Over

    In the final podcast for 2017, Alice and Lane take a look back on the highs and lows of the year in Australian politics. We rope in two #auspol experts – Rob Harris (Herald Sun) and Michael Koziol (Sydney Morning Herald) – to name their 2017 political winners and losers, and give their…

    more
  12. Episode 34: Let’s Get Married ❤️💛💚💙💜

    Australian parliament made history this week by legalising same-sex marriage. Join Alice and Lane as they rudely interrupt people literally toasting with champagne at the official after party in Canberra. We chat to Liberal MP Tim Wilson about his marriage proposal on the floor of parliament…

    more
  13. Episode 33: Malcolm’s Bankflip

    What a week in Canberra! Malcolm Turnbull backflips and announces a banking royal commission, but is happy to let everybody else take the credit. What does this U-turn, and Labor’s likely Queensland election victory, mean for his leadership? Also, the same-sex marriage bill passes the Senate, and...

  14. Episode 32: It’s My Parli And I’ll Sit If I Want To

    Parliament is CANCELLED!!! Well, kind of. Malcolm Turnbull called a stop work for the House of Representatives – while the Senate debates same-sex marriage. The race is tightening in Bennelong, after BuzzFeed News uncovered an old video of John Alexander making a rape joke. And another senator...

  15. Episode 31: YES 🌈

    Alice and Lane take you inside the celebrations and negotiations of an historic week in Australia, where 61.6% of the country voted YES to legalising same-sex marriage. We’re joined by three of the politicians who have been at the forefront of the debate both politically and personally: Liberal...

  16. Episode 30: It's Bennelong Time

    Will it be game, set and match for potential Brit John Alexander? The PM’s jumped the Sharkie as the list of possible dual citizens grows … can we officially call this a crisis? We chat to Greens leader Richard Di Natale who reckons the Turnbull government is so cooked that Bill Shorten will soon...

  17. Episode 29: Yer a Briton, Parry!

    Alice and Lane have all the receipts on the latest politician to fall foul of Section 44, dual British-Australian Liberal senator from Tasmania, Stephen Parry, plus the details on the others in the Citizenship 7: Where are they now? Who is replacing them? Who cares? Also, we take a deep dive into...

  18. Episode 28: Cash Didn’t Check

    This week Alice was a serious thorn in the government’s side with a wild story about Michaelia Cash and the AFP raids being leaked to the media. She also spoke to former prime minister Kevin Rudd about his new book, which is 100% absolutely not written for revenge. Meanwhile, Lane delivers the…

    more
  19. Episode 27: Jacinda And Winston And NZ Oh My!

    This week Lane and Alice are bowled over by news from New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern of “Jacindamania” fame will be the next prime minister! Lane talks to “yes” campaign leader Tiernan Brady about what he thinks the REAL slippery slope is and double standards in the postal survey, Alice asks David...

  20. Episode 26: Low Road To The High Court

    Lane and Alice have the full wrap on what’s happened with the High Court citizenship mess, and whether Jacinda Ardern’s ginger cake will help win her the NZ election (yes we are still waiting). We also meet the first female Victorian Greens leader, who is running the party but doesn't yet have a...

  21. Episode 25: Shorten Raps, Xenophon Wraps

    Alice and Lane are shook by Nick Xenophon’s announcement that he’s quitting federal politics. US academic David Smith joins us to explain why Americans continue to love guns in the wake of another mass shooting in Las Vegas. Also Bill Shorten rapped to 50 Cent and honesty… it wasn’t that bad.

  22. Episode 24: Exit Through The Thrift Shop

    Alice is horrified to discover Lane is going to the NRL football grand final to investigate who this Macklemore character is, and why he is getting involved in the postal survey. Also, we find out if life as we know it will be over if Australia legalises same-sex marriage, with a history lesson...

  23. Episode 23: Jacindamania

    Kia ora! Alice and Lane chat to the woman behind the ‘Jacindamania youthquake’ — the new leader of New Zealand’s Labour party, 37-year-old Jacinda Ardern — ahead of NZ’s national election. We get some frank advice from National education minister Nikki Kaye on how Australia should get on with...

  24. Episode 22: Stay On Message

    Lane goes head-to-head with Australian Christian Lobby boss and spokesperson for the “no” camp Lyle Shelton. Is Australia really homophobic? And should people be able to refuse service to gay couples? Oh! And Olivia Newton John came to parliament this week to talk about medicinal cannabis. Plus ~...

  25. Episode 21: Less Tweets More Meets

    Alice and Lane are triple-parked with guests this week! Greens senator Janet Rice reacts to the High Court decision against her legal challenge to the same-sex marriage postal survey, and Labor senator Murray Watt thinks the government is ignoring expert evidence on the harms of the welfare...

  26. Episode 20: It’s Legal To Call Tony Abbott The C-Word

    Alice and new co-host Lane (!!!) phone a friend to find out exactly WTF is going on with all these High Court challenges — the dean of law at the UNSW and constitutional law expert George Williams! He talks through Section 44 (Derryn Hinch…hello), the same-sex marriage postal survey, and just how...

  27. Episode 19: Chris Bowen Just Winked At Me

    Alice and Mark learn all the secrets and fun facts about Parliament House with politico and host of the new ABC documentary The House, Annabel Crabb — including the time Tony Abbott got so drunk he slept through a night of voting. The Labor frat house is back for an unhinged edition of ~gallery...

  28. Episode 18: Ewe Have Got To Be Kidding Me Barnaby!

    Alice and Mark replace the flag above Parliament House with a circus big top, because that’s the only way to portray how cooked this week was. Pauline Hanson in a burqa. The deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is/was a Kiwi. The deputy Nationals leader Fiona Nash is a Scot. Oh, and Eric Abetz…

    more
  29. Episode 17: The Postal Survey We Had To Have

    This week Alice and Mark get the lowdown on what’s happening with the same-sex marriage postal survey (plebiscite) from the minister in charge, Mathias Cormann. Lane chats to Liberal MP Andrew Laming, who holds a postal vote in his electorate each year. Also - Australian Financial Review journo...

  30. Mini Episode #3: The Rebels

    Mark, Lane and a special guest all the way from Europe (it’s just Alice) are back for one final pop-up podcast before we launch into Season Two. It’s got everything you might have missed in Australian politics in the past month: rogue MPs, shock resignations, and leadership rumblings! Plus, a…

    more
  31. Mini Episode #2: Peter Dutton And The Gas Masks

    It’s another bonus mini episode, brought to you by the irrepressible Mark Di Stefano and the less good version of Alice Workman, Lane Sainty. A week is a long time in politics, and in the past seven days we’ve seen not one, but TWO Greens senators resign after the shock discovery that they’re...

  32. Mini Episode: Frankenstein’s Monster

    Desperately missing Alice, Mark coerces his colleague Lane Sainty into joining him for a short rundown of the latest political news. In this bonus elevator podcast (like an elevator pitch, but more podcast-y), Mark and Lane talk same-sex marriage, the latest round of Turnbull vs. Abbott, and why...

  33. Episode 16: Old Abbotts Die Hard

    In our last episode for season one (sad!) Alice and Mark take a look at the biggest leadership battle in Australian politics, and it’s happening inside…the Greens! Also, Tony Abbott’s election manifesto Make Australia Work Again. And former Liberal MP Wyatt Roy tells us what it was like to fight...

  34. Episode 15: The Full Gonski

    This week Mark and Alice chat to Liberal senator Dean Smith about the future of the same-sex marriage plebiscite as well as a mystery politician for ~ Gallery Whispers ~ who has a surprise link to the film The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy. Also... do shoving tampons up your nose solve a nose bleed?...

  35. Episode 14: I Have This Russian Guy

    This week Alice and Mark prepare for war with the US after audio of Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull impersonating president Trump was leaked. We also chat to Labor senator Lisa Singh, the Tasmanian politician touted as Australia’s Bernie Sanders.

  36. Episode 13: The One Direction of Anti-Islam

    This week Alice and Mark discover what it’s like to do tequila shots with Neo-Nazis. Their guest is John Safran, a documentary-maker and author who spent the year hanging out with extremist groups, white nationalists and socialists for his book Depends What You Mean By Extremists.

  37. Episode 12: Lesbian Tennis Party

    This week Alice resurrects Healthy Harold and Mark relives his wog boy childhood. We also chat with TV and radio broadcaster turned senator Derryn Hinch about rouging nipples. Seriously.

  38. Episode 11: Centrelink Will Kill You

    Pauline Hanson learns animals are alive before you kill them, the PM rejects a request for Outkast’s 'Hey Ya!' to replace the national anthem, plus Mark and Alice speak to the man behind the government’s controversial plan to drug test young people on welfare: human services minister Alan Tudge!

  39. Episode 10: Pliberscendance

    Mark and Alice chat with NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi about the failed attempt to decriminalise abortion (yes, it’s 2017 and abortion is still a crime in New South Wales). Gallery Whispers is back, the banks are mad as hell, and what da heck is happening in the Labor party - Is It On?

  40. Episode 9: Toilet Water

    In this Budget special, Mark and Alice sit down with Australian treasurer Scott Morrison to find out if the government is using toilet water to figure out where to run their drug testing trials.Former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan gives his take on ScoMo’s Budget and Greens leader Richard Di Natale...

  41. Episode 8: Too Many Spivs

    In this week’s episode, Mark and Alice dive head first into the super sexy topic of the federal budget! What’s in? What’s out? We’ll let you know. Labor’s shadow treasurer Chris Bowen roasts Mark Latham and gives his thoughts on ScoMo’s good and bad debt. Oh, and ~gallery whispers~ is back!

  42. Episode 7: The Raven

    In this week’s episode Mark and Alice meet “The Raven” aka Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. We also hit the streets of Sydney with a giant picture of Scott Morrison (we literally did this) and find out if anyone in Australia knows who he is. Spoiler - they don’t.

  43. Episode 6: Labor's frathouse

    This week Alice and Mark head into Canberra’s most notorious frat house to chat to Labor MP Ed Husic for a very special extended version of ~ Gallery Whispers ~. The gossip is juicy, spicy and, let’s face it, pretty loose. Get it before it’s pulled from iTunes.

  44. Episode 5: The Old Man & 18C

    This week Alice and Mark chat with the first female Muslim politician Labor’s Anne Aly about whether or not Islam is a race and her ideas for changing the Racial Discrimination Act. We also talk to The Daily Telegraph’s political editor Sharri Markson about why she thinks the ABC has a left wing...

  45. Episode 4: Bottom Of The Crap Pile

    This week Alice and Mark find out what decisions in parliament house make independent senator Jacqui Lambie “want to get a bucket and vomit”. We also dissect what the hec is happening with dat 18C. Plus: make sure to turn your sound up for another round of spicy gossip in ~ gallery whispers ~.

  46. Episode 3: Paleo Pear

    This week Alice and Mark chuck on an Akubra and find out what deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce really thinks about Johnny Depp (hint: it’s not good). We also find out wtf paleo pear and banana bread is, predict Australia’s new prime minister with Sky News’ Samantha Maiden and debut our new...

  47. Episode 2: Gay Nazi Mind Control

    This week Alice and Mark go under the tin foil hat and ask Penny Wong if gay people are using Nazi mind control to convince people to support same-sex marriage (as suggested by a One Nation candidate). We'll also find out why Laurie Oakes thinks Malcolm Turnbull is a sad figure and discover the...

  48. Episode 1: Thinking Man Emoji

    This week we talk Russia, Trump and emojis with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop; ponder whether Cory Bernardi's defection from the Liberal Party was a good or bad idea; dissect Malcolm Turnbull’s sycophantic speech and ask the question IS IT ON?"

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Alice Workman and Lane Sainty from BuzzFeed News take you into the corridors of power at Australian Parliament House to dissect the latest goings on in federal politics.

HOSTED BY

BuzzFeed Australia

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Is It On? have?

Is It On? currently has 48 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Is It On? about?

Alice Workman and Lane Sainty from BuzzFeed News take you into the corridors of power at Australian Parliament House to dissect the latest goings on in federal politics.

How often does Is It On? release new episodes?

Is It On? has 48 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Is It On??

You can listen to Is It On? on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Is It On??

Is It On? is created and hosted by BuzzFeed Australia.
URL copied to clipboard!