It is broadcast on two channels of the ABC Television network, and as of February 2024[update] hosted by journalist Patricia Karvelas.
Part of the aim is to "hold to account politicians and key opinion leaders in a national public forum".
There are usually five panellists, most often including at least two politicians from different parties,[2] but occasionally there is a focus on something completely different, such as science,[3] or the special editions from the Garma Festival, with a panel to suit the content.
However, on episode 19, Q&A again featured just one panellist, the new leader of the Liberal Party Malcolm Turnbull, who had won a leadership ballot just 9 days before.
Episode 7 of this series was broadcast live from Melbourne, the first time the program was filmed outside its Ultimo studio in Sydney.
Episode 14 was also broadcast from another location, this time from the National Museum of Australia in Canberra for an Australian federal budget special with the finance minister and shadow treasurer.
Episode 4 was broadcast from the Adelaide Festival of Arts, and had a total of 6 panellists making it the largest panel in the program's history.
Episode 37 featured former Prime Minister John Howard as the only panellist, co-inciding with the launch of his memoirs, Lazarus Rising.
Nick Minchin was originally supposed to be the Coalition panellist on the season finale, but bad weather prohibited his plane from landing in Sydney on time.
Lindsay Tanner Amanda Vanstone This season was the first to feature international broadcasts, with the show travelling to Jakarta and India.
To celebrate International Woman's Day a special episode of Q&A was held, hosted by Annabel Crabb and featuring an all-female panel.
Tim Fischer Amanda Vanstone Innes Willox Ged Kearney Tim Fischer Janet Rice Maxine McKew John Hewson Elena Jeffcoat John Anderson Amanda Vanstone Nicole Livingstone Jane McMillan Roger Hill Simon Cowan John Roskam Lakshmi Logathassan Malcolm Roberts Bhakthi Puvanenthiran Greg Sheridan Helen Haines Ming Long Alan Jones Paul Kelly Rachael Jacobs Sisonke Msimang Matthew Warren Faustina Agolley Mike Cannon-Brookes Larry Marshall Jocelyn Brewer Emma Johnston David Karoly Kirsten Banks Martin Van Kranendonk Ash Belsar Grace Kelly Greg Day Tom Switzer Hugh White Toby Ralph Geoff Gallop Kate Mills Nick Cater Anne Tiernan Parnell Palme McGuinness Adam Liaw Adam Creighton Clare Wright Li Shee Su Patricia Turner Sally Scales Aurora Matchett Willoughby Duff Varsha Yajman DeRay Mckesson Ruby Hamad Benjamin Law Steve Coll Greg Sheridan Sam Dastyari John Lee Jan Fran Dai Le Jonathon Welch Mojo Juju Tex Perkins L-FRESH The Lion Sarah Holland-Batt Sean Rooney Jennifer Hewett Simon Longstaff Veela Sahajwalla Julian Cribb Jordan Nguyen Chloë Spackman Maryanne Slattery Kate McBride Jess Hill Nayuka Gorrie Ashton Applewhite Hana Assafiri Sarah McNamara Sarah Friar Lanai Scarr Dylan Storer Tamar Zandberg Greg Sheridan James Brown Enele Sopoaga Manu Tupou-Roosen Virisila Buadromo Patricia Turner Brian Schmidt Andrew Constance Cheryl McCarthy Michael Mann Jennifer Westacott Sophia Hamblin Wang Matt Evans Martijn Wilder Paul Kelly (Musical Guest) Simon McKeon Stan Grant Raina MacIntyre Jason Yat-Sen Li Vicky Xu Marlee Silva Anthony Lehmann Eddie Woo John Collier Vy Tran Mukesh Haikerwal Sam Mostyn Sharon Lewin Paul Kelly Matt Comyn Jennifer Westacott Josh Pyke Danielle Austin Vyom Sharma Lucy Morgan Craig Foster Julie McCrossin John Anderson Christine Morgan Sally McManus Simon Longstaff Gigi Foster Jodie McVernon Lisa Jackson Pulver Mark Scott Lian Davies Elaine Pearson Annastacia Palaszczuk Sophie Johnson Tim Fung Danielle Wood Innes Willox Jordan Nguyen Alan Finkel Rae Johnston Genevieve Bell Sophia Wang Nyadol Nyuon Meyne Wyatt Brendon Gale Tracey Holmes Bruce Djite Sharni Layton Annika Smethurst Clinton Fernandes Jacinta Carroll Yasmin Poole Sue Morphet Brooke Boney Jodie McVernon L-FRESH the Lion Gigi Foster George Megalogenis Cassandra Goldie Karen Soo Vyom Sharma Abbey Fistrovic Michele O'Neil Paul Waterson Killian Ashe Niki Savva Ziggy Ramo Sinead Boucher Ahmed Hassan Kate McBride Hamani Tanginoa Jillian Broadbent Colin Barnett Ray Minniecon Ronni Kahn Kim Rubenstein Tania de Jong Sarah Wilson Hugh Mackay Michelle Lim Rosemary Kayess Barbara Heineback Cole Brown John Ruddick Kylie Morris Marian Wilkinson Yun Jiang Warren Mundine Shane Fitzsimmons Tanya Hosch Sharon Lewin Tony Blakely Lydia Khalil Hal Crawford Mike Baird Joseph Ibrahim Samantha Maiden Dhanya Mani Kate Crawford Hani Abdile Bruce Pascoe Sam Mostyn Gigi Foster Adam Creighton Thomas Piketty Briony Scott Michael Slater Yasmin Poole Joe Williams Antoinette Lattouf Teela Reid Vicky Xu David Olsson Keith Pitt Andrew Liveris Parnell Palme McGuinness Hervé Lemahieu Jess Hill Bri Lee Jacqui Lambie Helen Haines Gabriela D'Souza Zoe Whitton Mitch Tambo Randa Abdel-Fattah Gordon Bradbery Lisa Jackson Pulver Kamalini Lokuge Omar Khorshid Peter Hartcher Sally Scales Susan Alberti Tom Elliott Jayden Evans Mary-Louise McLaws Michelle Ananda-Rajah Jennifer Hewett Stephen Duckett Mukesh Haikerwal Mary-Louise McLaws Meshel Laurie Steve Price Libby Trickett Russel Howcroft Michael Mohammed Ahmad Eric Feigl-Ding Helen Clark Julie Leask Kate Mills Yulia Supadmo Angela Jackson Paul Zahra Lydia Khalil Yalda Hakim Arth Tuteja Norman Swan Fiona Russell Petria Houvardas Marcia Langton Reece Kershaw Rachel Doyle Tony Armstrong Virginia Gay Yanis Varoufakis Khal Asfour Mariam Veiszadeh Lidia Morawska Michael Biercuk Toby Walsh Vanessa Pirotta Dinesh Palipana Jennifer Westacott Sally McManus Simon Longstaff Marc Fennell Zara Seidler Kate Roffey Anne Baker Simon Holmes à Court John Bell Nakkiah Lui Paul McDermott Tim Dean Kavita Naidu Greg Sheridan Lavina Lee Yun Jiang Eliza Hull Emma Fulu George Megalogenis Jane Halton Michael Jensen Yaara Bou Melham Narelda Jacobs Arj Barker Hugh van Cuylenburg Rosie Batty Tom Calma Greg Sheridan Brooke Blurton Mark Cross (with a live performance from the legendary Archie Roach) Deborah Snow Olga Boichak Wendy McCarthy Najeeba Wazefadost Fiona Simson Claire Lehmann Pru Goward Thomas Mayo[a] Ronni Kahn Melinda Cilento Zali Steggall Steph Tisdell Gideon Rozner Megan Davis Kate McBride Amanda Cahill Larissa Waters Siimon Reynolds Intifar Chowdhury Peter Hartcher Hosted by David Speers.
Darren Hayes Adam Liaw (with a live performance by the Australian Vocal Ensemble featuring Katie Noonan) Hosted by Virginia Trioli.
Hannah Mouncey Joe Williams David Lakisa Catherine Ordway Hosted by Stan Grant.
Marlon Williams Deborah Cheetham Andrew Quilty Catherine McGregor Hosted by Stan Grant.