Do leaders lack the courage to turn the temperature down? – podcast
News Source
•Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:30 GMT
📰 What Happened
This episode of the Back to Back Barries podcast focuses on leadership after the alleged attack on MP Helen Haines. The prime minister urged the country to lower the temperature. The hosts ask whether leaders on all sides have the courage to call out their own supporters instead of just their rivals.
They also look at past political crises to see how toxic debate was pulled back before. The question they keep returning to is whether anyone is willing to lose a few votes to calm things down.
🔍 The Backstory
The podcast is hosted by Tony Barry, with George Megalogenis filling in for Barrie Cassidy. Both are long-time observers of Australian politics and of how campaigns shape public anger.
The episode sits alongside Guardian Australia's other political audio shows. It also looks at the role of social media algorithms, which reward outrage and push the loudest voices to the front.
🎯 Why It Matters
Leaders set the tone for their supporters. Whether they calm things down or stir them up affects everyone's safety.
This episode of the Back to Back Barries podcast focuses on leadership after the alleged attack on MP Helen Haines. The prime minister urged the country to lower the temperature. The hosts ask whether leaders on all sides have the courage to call out their own supporters instead of just their rivals.
They also look at past political crises to see how toxic debate was pulled back before. The question they keep returning to is whether anyone is willing to lose a few votes to calm things down.
The podcast is hosted by Tony Barry, with George Megalogenis filling in for Barrie Cassidy. Both are long-time observers of Australian politics and of how campaigns shape public anger.
The episode sits alongside Guardian Australia's other political audio shows. It also looks at the role of social media algorithms, which reward outrage and push the loudest voices to the front.
Leaders set the tone for their supporters. Whether they calm things down or stir them up affects everyone's safety.