Donald Trump:
They go after.
Rita Panahi:
Let’s bring in Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Daniel Wild. Dan, seems like the left has a problem with political violence.
Daniel Wild:
Well, that’s right. We’ve had a couple of attempts on Trump’s life so far, and those are only the ones that we know about. Who knows how many other foiled attempts there have been. Of course, there was the assassination of Charlie Kirk, as well. And I think you’re right to point out that there has been an escalation in the rhetoric towards Trump. I can’t remember any US president being treated this way in terms of the violent rhetoric towards him. I think America is experiencing its most, I think, dangerous political period, certainly since JFK. And look, I think that all of those on social media and in the mainstream media that say very hateful things about Trump need to be aware that they are creating a pretty permissive atmosphere. And we know that certainly happened with Charlie Kirk. And in terms of after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, as well, as we discussed, the disgusting rhetoric that came out, almost saying that Charlie Kirk deserved it and it was a good thing.
Well, you’ve got to think about what that might do to the mentality of someone who’s already inclined to undertake these actions. So, look, I think this is a very much a moment where the nation needs to pause and think about what’s really going on there.
Rita Panahi:
Yes. I think the media has played a part in creating that atmosphere, certainly. Now, let’s go to local issues and huge crowds gathered on Saturday for ANZAC Day to pay tribute to Australia’s veteran community. But in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, the dawn service was interrupted by loud booing. Let’s look at a little of what happened in Sydney and Melbourne.
Man 1:
For thousands of years, people have gathered in this place to share stories, to celebrate culture, and to remember our ancestors.
Man 2:
I’m here to welcome everybody to my father’s country. Beautiful Boomerang country. But before we do that, as always, we take a moment, we pay our acknowledgements, and we pay our respects.
Rita Panahi:
Dan, this is becoming an annual debate, and it’s always in the same terms. All right. Politicians who force this racial division on the population, then condemning those who react poorly to it. The question is, do we need to have a welcome to country on ANZAC Day?
Daniel Wild:
No, we shouldn’t. I think this will be the last year where that happens. There’s no denying that community sentiment has changed dramatically because the nature of welcome to countries is that they’re not welcoming. They’re bitter, they’re hostile, they’re divisive, they’re overused. People don’t want them. Our diggers didn’t fight to be welcome to their own country. I don’t think that it’s the time or the place to boo them. I didn’t boo. I wouldn’t boo at that format or that forum, but it’s also not the place to do a welcome to country or acknowledgement to country. So, I think this is the last time that they’re going to be done. You cannot say that it was only a few people booing. It was pretty widespread. And again, I don’t condone it, but I totally understand the frustration of people because why do we keep having these ceremonies when the community is just completely and totally sick to death of this being imposed upon us? So, it’s just time to end them.
Rita Panahi:
Well, we had a vote. We voted against racial division. We voted against precisely the politics that is behind a welcome to country. And perhaps it’s time authorities took note of that vote. Now, we’re expecting big changes to the capital gains tax and negative gearing provisions in the upcoming budget. But Dan, in 2024, we’re not talking too long ago, we had Treasurer Jim Chalmers argue against the very changes, his rumour to be introducing.
Jim Chalmers:
Well, I think it is primarily a supply challenge, and we’ve made that clear in a lot of different ways. And one of the reasons why we’re not going down the path of changing the negative gearing arrangements, abolishing negative gearing, or abolishing the capital gains tax discount is because we haven’t been convinced that would have positive consequences for supply. And so, we’re focused almost entirely on supply. There aren’t enough homes.
Rita Panahi:
What’s changed, Dan? That was 2024. Treasurer acknowledging this was a supply issue. The housing crisis is about supply, not meeting demand. What’s changed?
Daniel Wild:
Well, the thing that’s changed is that they won the election. They won another election, so they got through that. So, they’ll say whatever they need to say. And if you’re in politics long enough, you’re always going to end up arguing against yourself at some point, I guess. But what I think it shows is that the government really has never had any long-term vision for how to fix the housing crisis. It’s now had its national housing accord, which has been in place for 20 months, and they have missed every single one of their monthly targets. They are behind by tens and thousands of homes. They’re just not building them. And at the same time, as you’ve got mass migration, which is cranking up the demand. The government has never been serious about bringing back the mass migration because they need that to underwrite the artificial growth to our economy, so that Jim Chalmers can stand up there on budget night and say the economy is growing, even though we know per capita growth is either basically zero or negative.
So, it basically shows they limp from week to week, month to month without any clear plan of how to fix some of these problems.
Rita Panahi:
You’re so right there. And what’s changed is an election happened, but they didn’t take any of these policies to that election. You can make the argument they have absolutely no mandate to be pressing ahead with these radical changes where we’ve never had the debate. Australians didn’t have a chance to vote on this. Now, I’m sure you’re going to be thrilled to know that former failed Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is in town. He was wearing an Essendon scarf and hobnobbing with the players before their ANZAC Day clash against Collingwood.
But after Collingwood’s big win, guess where Justin Trudeau was? Yes, with the Collingwood Boys, he ditched the Essendon scarf quick smart.
Dan, talk about a fair weather supporter there, but on a serious note, why is Justin Trudeau in town?
Daniel Wild:
Oh, I’ve got no idea why he’s in town, to be honest with you, but it is fitting. He’s the wokest world leader at the workers footy club. So, I guess it kind of works. I mean, I know Collingwood always has the welcome to Warren Jerry country and their Instagram and social media and so forth. So, I guess it’s a bit of a, maybe he’s educating Collingwood and how to be even more woke than they already are. But I don’t know what he’s doing here, to be honest with you. Look, he’s free to do it. He’s a private citizen, so he can go where he wants. But yeah, look, I just don’t really get it.
Rita Panahi:
Yeah, there he was. I pictured with Nick Daicos. Well, Collingwood object to being called the workers’ club in the country. He is here to speak at a woman’s empowerment event. So, I don’t know why that would bring Justin Trudeau of all people to headline that event, but they are. Dan Wild, thank you so much for your time tonight.
This transcript of Daniel Wild on The Rita Panahi Show Sky News Australia from 27 April 2026 has been edited for clarity.
