This year promises to be a big one: we have a federal election coming up, we have a continuing cost of living crisis, and we have the urgent challenge of responding to the increasing volatility of our closest ally, the United States. These are all all big themes.  Why, then, has parliament spent the week talking about long lunches for small business? Is the debate over lunches just a bit of sparring before more substantive issues are discussed? How have both parties used the summer break to sharpen up their attacks on each other? Plus, we will look at the hate speech legislation before parliament, likely to pass soon with bipartisan support. And we will probe the PM’s response to President Trump’s plans to have the US annex Gaza.   Joining Jacqueline Maley to discuss is chief political correspondent David Crowe and national security correspondent and foreign affairs correspondent Matthew Knott. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.