Q+A (Australian talk show)

Q+A

Company type	Television program
Industry	Television broadcasting
Founded	May 22, 2008 (2008-05-22)
Founder	Peter McEvoy
Defunct	June 11, 2025 (2025-06-11)
Fate	Cancelled
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Products	Television panel discussion series

Q+A, previously known as Q&A, was an Australian television panel discussion series aired on ABC Television from 2008 until its termination in 2025. The program was broadcast on Monday evenings at 9:35 pm and featured a format similar to the BBC's Question Time and RTÉ's Questions and Answers.

History

Conceived by founding executive producer Peter McEvoy and hosted by Tony Jones, the inaugural episode aired on 22 May 2008, featuring then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as the exclusive guest. The show soon evolved into a panel discussion format involving politicians alongside representatives from diverse sectors.

In 2010, Q+A transitioned to Monday night broadcasts with a full season comprising 40 episodes. That April, the program incorporated a live Twitter feed, and by October 2010, it began simulcasting on ABC News, thereby broadening its national audience. This simulcast arrangement concluded in March 2015. After the Zaky Mallah controversy in August 2015, the program was transferred from ABC's entertainment division to its news division to ensure stricter management.

Jones and McEvoy remained at the helm until 2019, with occasional guest hosts such as Virginia Trioli, Annabel Crabb, and Julia Baird. In January 2020, the show underwent rebranding from Q&A to Q+A. At the end of 2020, it shifted to Thursday nights but reverted back to Monday evenings in 2023 following the appointment of Stan Grant as host in August 2022.

During a "Garma Special" in August 2023, Q+A recorded its lowest viewership with fewer than 84,000 metropolitan viewers. Although ratings later improved to an average metro audience of approximately 800,000, the program remained among ABC’s least-watched offerings. Consequently, ABC reduced the annual episode count from 40 to 24 beginning in 2024. Patricia Karvelas, who had served as a substitute host in 2023, was appointed as the permanent host, while Eliza Harvey took on the role of executive producer.

On 11 June 2025, after an eighteen-year tenure, ABC officially announced the cancellation of Q+A.

Hosts

Host	Tenure
Tony Jones	2008–2019
Hamish Macdonald	2020–2021
David Speers	2021–2023
Virginia Trioli	2021–2022
Stan Grant	2021–2023
Dan Bourchier	2023
Amelia Moseley (BTN Student Specials)	2018–2023
Patricia Karvelas	2023–2025

In November 2019, ABC announced that Hamish Macdonald would succeed Jones as host starting February 2020. Jones’s final episode aired in December 2019, coinciding with the show's rebranding to Q+A upon Macdonald’s arrival. By February 2021, Q+A returned to its original Thursday 8:30 pm slot; however, audience numbers dropped dramatically from over 600,000 to just above 200,000 across five major cities by April that year.

Macdonald stepped down in July 2021 due to severe personal harassment and trolling associated with his hosting duties. He subsequently resumed his role at Network 10's The Project. Following his departure, a series of rotating hosts—including Stan Grant, David Speers, and Virginia Trioli—managed the program through to the end of that year and continued until July 2022.

In July 2022, ABC confirmed Stan Grant as the permanent host starting on August 1. In May 2023, Grant resigned after enduring “grotesque racist abuse, including threats to his safety” following his participation in an ABC panel preceding Charles III’s coronation. He publicly criticized ABC for insufficient support during this period.

Initially stepping in as a temporary host, Patricia Karvelas was appointed permanent presenter in 2024.

Timeline

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 from: 19/07/2021 till: 22/05/2023 color:Q+A text:"Stan Grant"
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 from: 19/07/2021 till: 01/08/2022 color:Q+A text:"David Speers"
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 from: 19/07/2021 till: 01/08/2022 color:Q+A text:"Virginia Trioli"
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Format

Q+A is broadcast on Monday evenings in annual six-week segments and is currently hosted by Patricia Karvelas. The program typically assembles a panel of five public figures—usually including politicians from major federal parties (Labor and Liberal), representatives of smaller parties, media commentators, academics, and notable personalities—who respond to inquiries posed by both the audience present in the studio and viewers at home. Occasionally, the show features a solo interview with a high-profile individual such as the Prime Minister or the Leader of the Opposition. It is transmitted live across eastern states on ABC TV and streamed via ABC iview.

The production primarily takes place at ABC’s Ultimo studios in Sydney, although broadcasts sometimes originate from various metropolitan and regional locations. Audience involvement is a key element, with producers curating a diverse and balanced group for participation.

Shoe-throwing incident

On 25 October 2010, an audience member threw shoes at former Prime Minister John Howard during the program, protesting his position on the Iraq War. The individual was promptly removed from the venue. This event attracted bipartisan condemnation, including remarks from then Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. The protester, environmental campaigner Peter Gray, passed away six months later. Prior to his death, he requested that ABC auction off the shoes, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross. In May 2011, Tony Jones announced on-air that former Prime Minister Howard had endorsed the charity auction. The shoes were ultimately purchased for $3,650 by Volley, with funds allocated to humanitarian aid in Iraq.

University student demonstration

During the live broadcast on 5 May 2014, university students interrupted the show to protest proposed cuts to higher education funding. They displayed a banner and chanted slogans directed at Education Minister Christopher Pyne before being escorted out. Following the disruption, the program switched to pre-recorded musical content. Earlier in the episode, Pyne had been challenged and heckled by members of Socialist Alternative prior to the protest.

Zaky Mallah episode controversy

In June 2015, the appearance of former terror suspect Zaky Mallah on Q+A sparked significant backlash, leading to a boycott initiated by the Abbott government. Mallah, who had been convicted in 2003 for threatening Commonwealth officials but was cleared of terrorism charges in 2005, asked a pre-approved question concerning terrorism legislation. His remarks following the question drew widespread condemnation, prompting the ABC to issue an apology for the editorial lapse that allowed his live broadcast appearance.

The incident triggered over a thousand complaints directed at the ABC. Subsequently, the government prohibited frontbench ministers from participating in Q+A, with then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott demanding accountability and proposing that the program be transferred to News and Current Affairs. An independent review was conducted, resulting in executive producer Peter McEvoy receiving a formal reprimand. While ABC director Mark Scott upheld the principle of editorial independence, he conceded that an error had been made.

This episode attracted intense criticism from various media outlets, notably those affiliated with News Corporation, although some commentators praised the ABC for upholding diverse perspectives. In August 2015, the show was moved under the news division’s jurisdiction to ensure greater editorial control. Host Tony Jones later characterized the boycott as rooted in misunderstandings about Mallah’s actual opinions.

Duncan Storrar appearance

Duncan Storrar came into the spotlight after posing questions to assistant government minister Kelly O'Dwyer regarding tax-free thresholds and financial relief for low-income earners. His participation resonated with many as emblematic of the struggling Australian citizen. The media’s attention extended to his private life, leading to personal distress. In a lighthearted response, a crowdfunding initiative was launched to purchase him a toaster, referencing O'Dwyer’s remarks on depreciation benefits for small businesses.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied contribution

In February 2017, panellist Yassmin Abdel-Magied spoke in defense of sharia law on Q+A, describing Islam as "the most feminist" religion and stressing adherence to local legal frameworks. However, some Islamic scholars contested this viewpoint, highlighting conflicts between religious doctrine and civil law compliance.

Q+A Broadside special

On 4 November 2019, Q+A aired a special edition in collaboration with The Wheeler Centre's Broadside festival, which centered on feminist themes. The program featured explicit language and conversations about violence that led to hundreds of complaints and prompted an ABC review of editorial standards. Panellists included Mona Eltahawy, Jess Hill, Nayuka Gorrie, Ashton Applewhite, and Hana Assafiri, with Fran Kelly serving as host.

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine episode

During the 3 March 2022 broadcast addressing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, audience member Sasha Gillies-Lekakis posed questions sympathetic to Russian viewpoints and accused Ukraine’s government of cooperating with Nazi factions. Host Stan Grant referenced UN death toll statistics and eventually asked Gillies-Lekakis to leave after tensions escalated within the studio. The ABC supported Grant’s decision, citing concerns about endorsing violence.

Media analysis recognized the necessity of confronting propaganda firmly but debated whether removing Gillies-Lekakis signaled strength or weakness in managing contentious discourse.

Praise

In 2015, journalist David Marr commended Q+A as one of the ABC's standout programs in recent times. Former Liberal leader John Hewson regarded the show as an important venue for conveying political messages.

Controversy

Conservative politicians and commentators have frequently accused Q+A of exhibiting a left-wing bias. Paul Barry addressed these allegations on ABC’s Media Watch in 2015. Prominent right-wing voices, including Andrew Bolt, have criticized host Tony Jones for perceived favoritism and his handling of conservative guests.

In 2014, Jones sparked controversy by jokingly referring to a conservative party as "Cory Bernardi's Golden Dawn," which attracted significant criticism. Julie Bishop, then Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, claimed that interruptions she faced were politically driven rather than related to her gender. Senator James McGrath lodged a formal complaint alleging persistent bias against right-leaning viewpoints.

After the Mallah episode, Tony Abbott described Q+A as a "lefty lynch mob," while Malcolm Turnbull remarked that Jones acted as "a very good spokesman for Labor." Columnists Janet Albrechtsen and Piers Akerman chose to boycott the show, citing its left-leaning slant, with other conservative commentators following suit.

Broadcaster Steve Price referred to a heated discussion on violence against women as an "ambush," amid widespread public disapproval of his behavior during the segment.

Independent review

An internal investigation by ABC, overseen by Ray Martin and Shaun Brown, found no concrete proof of left-wing bias but observed an underrepresentation of female contributors and a focus centered on Sydney, attributed to budget limitations. Martin characterized Q+A as a professional forum for serious political debate despite strict content oversight.

Martin also criticized the Abbott government's boycott as "unwise" and emphasized that Tony Jones applies equal scrutiny to all governments. Some critics argued that the ABC employed reviewers with left-leaning views to dismiss accusations of bias against Q+A.

Panellists

As of 29 September 2020, the most frequent panellists included:

Name	Affiliation	Appearances
Tanya Plibersek	Labor	35
Christopher Pyne	Liberal	27
Malcolm Turnbull	Liberal
Barnaby Joyce	National	22
Bill Shorten	Labor
Penny Wong	Labor	21
Greg Sheridan	The Australian
Chris Bowen	Labor	20
George Brandis	Liberal	19
Joe Hockey	Liberal	15
Josh Frydenberg	Liberal
Anthony Albanese	Labor
Tony Burke	Labor
Terri Butler	Labor	13
Mark Butler	Labor
Judith Sloan	The Australian
Janet Albrechtsen	The Australian
Germaine Greer	Author
Greg Hunt	Liberal