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John Anderson

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

John Anderson: Conversations

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report joins John Anderson in Sydney for a searching conversation on the crises reshaping Western democracy and culture. They examine the collapse of reasoned debate, the rise of identity politics, and how outrage and censorship have supplanted open dialogue. Rubin reflects on the assassination of his friend Charlie Kirk and what it reveals about a society increasingly willing to justify political violence as a means of social progress. Their discussion spans the erosion of Enlightenment ideals, the resurgence of antisemitism, the loss of trust in institutions and media, and the widening cultural divide between secularism and the Christian moral inheritance of the West. Anderson and Rubin also explore immigration, free speech, and the future of civic courage — warning that without truth, shared purpose, and principled leadership, the West risks forfeiting the very freedoms that once defined it. Dave Rubin is an author, commentator, and host of The Rubin Report, a leading program examining the challenges to free speech and liberal democracy in the modern West. Once aligned with the political left, Rubin now advocates a return to classical liberal principles and open discourse. His most recent book, Don’t Burn This Country, offers a blueprint for preserving freedom in an age of ideological conformity.

What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Reveals About Us | Dave Rubin

John Anderson speaks with David Eubank and Dr. Sean Turnell about the realities of China's involvement in Myanmar’s civil war following their 2021 military coup and why it matters for Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. They reflect on Eubank's first-hand experience providing humanitarian relief at the front line of guerilla warfare in the jungle, and Turnell's harrowing ordeal as a political prisoner for 650 days under the military regime. They explore Myanmar’s struggle for freedom, the staggering human cost of resistance, and the courage of those who continue to serve amid war and persecution.

The discussion calls for urgent attention to the expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Russia’s growing footprint in the region. The crisis in Myanmar is not isolated but emblematic of the moral test facing free societies—whether they will stand with those who fight for liberty under tyranny. This is a sobering reminder of the need for moral resolve and principled leadership in an increasingly dangerous world. 

Dave Eubank is a former U.S. Special Forces soldier who has spent nearly three decades on the front lines of some of the world’s most brutal conflicts. He is the founder of the Free Burma Rangers and continues to deliver humanitarian aid in active war zones alongside his family.

Sean Turnell is an Australian economist and former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. He spent 650 days in a Myanmar prison and wrote about the experience in his book An Unlikely Prisoner: How an Eternal Optimist Found Hope in Myanmar’s Most Notorious Jail.

Insiders Expose China's Proxy War In Myanmar | David Eubank and Sean Turnell

Join John in conversation with former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott as they discuss Tony's new book, Australia: A History. From its Indigenous heritage to its British foundations and immigrant character, Abbott explores how the nation’s past informs its present and future. He urges a renewed appreciation for the principles of egalitarianism and justice that shaped Australia’s remarkable journey.
In this conversation, Abbott reflects on the importance of historical literacy, the impact of individual leadership, and the enduring values that unite Australians. He warns against historical revisionism and advocates for preserving the Anglo-Celtic cultural ethos that continues to define the nation. This is a timely discussion that calls Australians to recover a sense of gratitude and pride in the civilisation they have inherited—and the responsibility to uphold it for generations to come.

 

Tony Abbott is an Australian former politician who served as the 28th prime minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and was the member of parliament (MP) for the New South Wales division of Warringah from 1994 to 2019.

The True Story Of Australia: A Nation Of Heroes | Tony Abbott

In this conversation, Josh Hammer examines the perilous moral confusion of our age through the prism of Israel and its survival. The attacks of October 7 and the confused global response revealed, he argues, a civilisation that has lost confidence in truth itself. When so many can no longer distinguish between barbarism and freedom, the very survival of Western civilisation is at stake. Hammer maintains that the West’s survival depends on rediscovering its biblical foundations in Judaism and Christianity. Without recovering that foundation, the West cannot withstand the mounting pressures of relativism, Islamist extremism, and cultural Marxism. This is a sobering but vital discussion on Israel, anti-Semitism, and the future of the West. Joshua Hammer is the author of Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West. He is a syndicated columnist through Creators Syndicate, senior editor-at-large for Newsweek, and host of The Josh Hammer Show.

"What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews" | Josh Hammer

In this conversation, Greg Sheridan explores Christianity’s defining influence on Western civilisation, showing how its revolutionary impact—from the early Church through to modern times—has shaped culture, morality, and human dignity. 

He argues that the decline of faith in recent generations has coincided with deep cultural and societal crises, and he calls for a renewed recognition of Christianity’s enduring value. 

Through vivid stories of early believers and contemporary figures, Sheridan illustrates how Christian faith continues to offer repair, renewal, and meaning in a fragmented world.

Greg Sheridan is one of Australia’s most prominent journalists and commentators on culture, politics, and religion. He serves as Foreign Editor at The Australian and is the author of multiple bestselling books on Christianity in the modern world.His trilogy includes God is Good for You, Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World, and his latest work, How Christians Can Succeed Today. 

Which can be purchased here: https://koorong.com/product/how-christians-can-succeed-today-reclaiming-the-genius_9781761471124

-------------------------------------------------------------------Conversations feature John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, interviewing the world's foremost thought leaders about today's pressing social, cultural and political issues.

John believes proper, robust dialogue is necessary if we are to maintain our social strength and cohesion. As he puts it; "You cannot get good public policy out of a bad public debate."

If you value this discussion and want to see more like it, make sure you subscribe to the channel here: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYSEGViOnb7k8ezUaWUww?sub_confirmation=1

And stay right up to date with all the conversations by subscribing to the newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/

Follow John on X: https://x.com/JohnAndersonAC

Follow John on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnandersonac

Follow John on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnandersonac/

Support the channel: https://johnanderson.net.au/support/

Website: https://johnanderson.net.au/

Why Christianity Still Defines Us | Greg Sheridan

Katy Faust discusses the importance of stable, biological family units, asserting that children have a fundamental right to their mother and father. She critiques the cultural shift toward sexual autonomy, which she sees as undermining children’s well-being.

Through personal stories and data, Faust explores how intentional family disruptions, like surrogacy or divorce, harm children more than tragic losses. She advocates for policies that prioritise children’s interests, urging a re-evaluation of modern family ideals.

Katy Faust is Founder and President of Them Before Us, a global children’s rights non-profit and the co-author of the book of the same title. She publishes and speaks widely on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children. Her articles have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Federalist, Public Discourse, WORLD Magazine, Washington Examiner, The American Mind, and The American Conservative. She is on the advisory board for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. Katy helped design the teen edition of CanaVox which studies sex, marriage, and relationships from a natural law perspective. She and her co-author detailed their philosophy of worldview transmission in Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City. Pro-Child Politics is her latest book. Katy and her husband are raising their four children in Seattle.

You can purchase Katie's Latest book, "Pro-Child Politics" here: 

Australia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/pro-child-politics-katy-faust/book/9798888457085.html?srsltid=AfmBOoql6cQ1SUqvapB4Ny4YqSH1AwOZWfJE3vSyaw-srdXT-AC6hCMf

Worldwide: https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Child-Politics-Cultural-Economic-National/dp/B0D6LT3ZB3

Sign up to John's newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/

Conversations feature John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, interviewing the world's foremost thought leaders about today's pressing social, cultural and political issues.

John believes proper, robust dialogue is necessary if we are to maintain our social strength and cohesion. As he puts it; "You cannot get good public policy out of a bad public debate."

If you value this discussion and want to see more like it, make sure you subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYSEGViOnb7k8ezUaWUww?sub_confirmation=1

Follow John on X: https://x.com/JohnAndersonAC

Follow John on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnandersonac

Follow John on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnandersonac/

Follow Katy on Twitter: / advo_katy

Follow Katy on Instagram: / katyfaustofficial

Follow Katy on Facebook: / katyfaustauthor 

Follow Katy on LinkedIn: / katy-faust-3a3984139

Follow 'Them Before Us'

https://thembeforeus.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/them_before_us/

https://x.com/ThemBeforeUs

Love Isn’t Enough: Gay Marriage, Surrogacy & Divorce | Katy Faust

In this conversation, John is joined by Dr. Stephen Meyer who articulates the scientific foundation that supports intelligent design, arguing that the universe’s fine-tuning and the digital code in DNA point to a purposeful intelligence. He challenges materialistic assumptions, urging a re-evaluation of life’s origins through rigorous scientific reasoning.

Stephen analyses the shortcomings of evolutionary theory, explores the Cambrian explosion, and addresses the problem of evil, offering a rational case for theism grounded in modern scientific discoveries.

Stephen C. Meyer, PhD, is a philosopher of science, the director of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, and the author of several books, including "Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design," and "The Return of the God Hypothesis." Download his free mini-book "Scientific Evidence For A Creator" at https://www.discovery.org/m/securepdfs/2021/12/Meyer-SciEvidforCreatorsm2.pdf 

If you value this discussion and want to see more like it, make sure you subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYSEGViOnb7k8ezUaWUww?sub_confirmation=1

And stay right up to date with all the conversations by subscribing to the newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/

Follow John on X: https://x.com/JohnAndersonAC
Follow John on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnandersonac
Follow John on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnandersonac/
Support the channel: https://johnanderson.net.au/support/
Website: https://johnanderson.net.au/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Qh2fEsC7nEVxXxQzwTv54

The Science Points to Purpose: A Logical Defence of Intelligent Design | Stephen Meyer

In this conversation, John chats with Giggle for Girls founder Sall Grover about her recent high-stakes Federal Court appeal concerning the right to operate a women-only social networking app. Grover warns that without clear sex-based protections, women’s rights to privacy, safety, and dignity in public and private spaces risk being dismantled.

The conversation explains why the ruling will not merely have ramifications for women's rights, but the fundamental freedoms of belief, association, and speech — principles essential to a free and democratic society. Grover also highlights the political reluctance to confront the issue, and the double standards of many Australian media outlets that have remained conspicuously silent in coverage of the case.

Sall Grover is the founder and CEO of Giggle, a female-only social networking app launched in 2020 to provide a secure platform for women to connect, collaborate, and support one another. Giggle has been at the centre of the recent landmark Federal Court case Tickle v Giggle, which tested the application of Australia’s Sex Discrimination Act to women-only spaces.

Erasing Sex & Reality: The Tickle v Giggle Case | Sall Grover

John is joined by Dr. Sean Oliver-Dee and David Goodhart to discuss immigration, national identity, and the role of religion in modern Britain. They examine how liberal democracies are struggling to maintain social cohesion amid rapid demographic and cultural change, including the mass importation of Islamic culture.

They revisit Britain’s imperial identity, debate the prospects for Muslim integration, and reflect on whether liberalism can offer meaning in a post-Christian age. With insight and historical depth, Sean and David urge a rethinking of national purpose and shared values in an age of cultural fragmentation.

David Goodhart is a British journalist, commentator and author, and has written for The Guardian, The Independent and The Times. In 2013, he published The British Dream, a book about post-war multiculturalism, national identity, and immigration, and in 2017 The Road to Somewhere: The new tribes shaping British politics, about the value divides in western societies, which was a Sunday Times best-seller. His latest book is The Care Dilemma.

Dr. Sean Oliver-Dee is a tutor in Religions at the University of Oxford, and has written books and articles in the field of religion and public policy, including 2020's Courting Islam: US-British Engagement with Islam since the Colonial Period, which examined how the British and American governments historically engaged with Muslim countries and Muslim minorities in areas of foreign and domestic policy. Sean has co-authored Parliamentary publications concerning religious liberty and co-authored a strategic analysis report on religious futures for the British Ministry of Defence. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Islam and The Battle For Britain: Past, Present and Future | Sean Oliver-Dee & David Goodhart

Join John for a special episode as he answers 11 of the most frequently asked questions from viewers and supporters.
From lessons learned in politics to the values that shape his worldview, John offers candid reflections on leadership, national priorities, and the future of Australia. 

If you have a question for John, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below for a chance to have it featured in a future Q&A episode.

Q&A with John: Politics, Principles, Priorities

Major-General Tim Cross joins John to discuss his experiences in the military amidst global security challenges. Reflecting on his involvement in the 2003 Iraq invasion, he acknowledges the failures of the post-war period, criticising the poor decisions that undermined lasting nation-building efforts. He also examines the growing threats from authoritarian regimes like Russia and China.Cross argues that the West is facing a leadership crisis and must embrace morally courageous decision-making to survive. He advocates for a strategic defence posture that enhances military capabilities to address modern threats, while also defending the core democratic values that are increasingly under pressure in the West.

Tim Cross, British Army Officer and Military Logistics Expert

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