POLITICO is expanding into Australia, launching a Canberra-based edition of its Playbook newsletter to bring insider, non-partisan journalism on Australian politics and policy to global readers and to illuminate Australia’s geopolitical role in the Indo-Pacific.

The Canberra Playbook will link North American and European readers to Australian developments, framing Canberra as a hub where global power centers intersect with Australian policy and diplomacy.

Details on staffing, product launch dates, and other specifics will be announced later as the rollout progresses.

The newsroom has undergone changes, including a 3% staff layoff and a leadership transition as Global Editor-in-Chief John Harris moves to chairman while a search for a new top editor continues.

The expansion was first reported by Semafor and fits into POLITICO’s broader narrative of corporate and editorial evolution.

The Playbook newsletters, already established in Washington, will adapt to cover Australian politics with the same insider, competitive edge, and will extend to UK and European policy coverage.

Historical context shows mixed success for international bureaus in Australia, with some outlets lasting longer than others amid a competitive landscape.

POLITICO’s move places it against entrenched Australian media players, signaling a strategic push into a market long dominated by Rupert Murdoch’s papers and Nine Entertainment.

Broader industry dynamics and leadership shifts at POLITICO frame this expansion as part of ongoing international growth.

Ryan Heath, former Brussels Playbook editor, will serve as launch editor for Canberra Playbook, bringing international political experience to the Australian edition.

The Canberra Playbook will debut when Parliament returns from winter break, with Heath leading the effort as the Australian edition’s launch editor.

The Canberra Playbook is led by Heath, a former Politico editorial director, reinforcing POLITICO’s global editorial model.