As well as Michelle Grattan’s usual interviews with experts and politicians about the news of the day, Politics with Michelle Grattan now includes “Word from The Hill”, where all things political will be discussed with members of The Conversation’s politics team.

This week they look back at 2021 and forward to 2022, which will see an election by May. They discuss how the government and opposition are ending the year, the mutual nervousness about what lies ahead, the women’s vote, and the flurry around the batch of strong independent candidates.