The Mainstream with Daniel Wild

The Mainstream is a fortnightly discussion about the big issues facing Australia’s future and that of the Western world. John and Dan share their unique insights into the challenges facing the Australian way of life, often imposed upon the mainstream by the elites in the political class, big business, universities, and other major civic institutions.

Episodes

6 days ago

39 min

IPA Research Fellow Saxon Davidson joins Director of Research Morgan Begg to discuss the supposedly ‘unintended consequences’ of the Sex Discrimination Act; the Queensland government crab-walks away from net zero; our PM gets down with the kids; and China flexes its’ military muscle in our backyard.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs.If you enjoy this content, please consider making a a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/Subscribe for access to our latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup
To find out more about the IPA or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

Jul 2, 2026

35 min

IPA Research Fellow Saxon Davidson joins Director of Research Morgan Begg to discuss which seats One Nation should target; unions push for yet another Voice referendum; the political cost of corruption on Victorian Big Build sites; and why a change of PM will do nothing to rescue the UK.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs.If you enjoy this content, please consider making a a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/Subscribe for access to our latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup To find out more about the IPA or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

Jun 15, 2026

41 min

The IPA's Senior Fellow and Chief Economist Adam Creighton joins Dan to discuss the success of One Nation’s extraordinary fundraising campaign; the ongoing fallout from last months’ Federal Budget; how record high immigration is negatively impacting our housing market; Adam dissects how former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews emboldened other states to undertake stratospheric debt; the impact of catastrophic and inaccurate warnings about climate change; and how younger Australians are among the biggest fans of our national anthem.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs. If you enjoy this content, please consider making a a tax-deductible donation to the IPA’s EOFY campaign at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup
To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

May 22, 2026

52 min

The IPA's director of research Morgan Begg joins Dan to discuss the government's 'lead balloon' budget; Morgan expertly dissects the Federal Court's judgment in the Giggle v Tickle gender identification case; the latest developments in US politics with two anti-Trump Republicans losing in critical primaries; the failing UK government; why the Budget reply speeches of Angus Taylor and Senators Hanon and Senator Canavan suggest the centre-right is now debating the big issues that matter; and why Australia's National Anthem unites Australians and is here to stay.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs.Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup If you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/ To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

May 8, 2026

39 min

This week IPA research fellow Saxon Davidson joins Dan to discuss the recent by-election in Victoria and the upcoming by-election in Farrer; they assess the claims that One Nation has peaked; analyse the Coalition's immigration policy; and evaluate the recent Victorian state budget and assess the upcoming Federal budget.Saxon also shares his perspective on the future of his beloved Essendon footy club and why he thinks James Hird should come back to coach, but the woke AFL wouldn't allow it.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs.Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signupIf you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.auIPA

Apr 27, 2026

38 min

In this special two-part discussion, Dan and John continue their discussion of the significant changes which have taken place to Australia over the past generation, and what Australia might look like over the next twenty years. The focus of this discussion is on freedom of speech, including in relation to the defining free speech cases in Australia over the past 20 years. John and Dan also share why they are hopeful about the future of freedom speech in Australia, and why public sentiment is much more supportive than it has been in the past. The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs. Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signupIf you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/ To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.auIPA

Apr 15, 2026

45 min

In this special two-part discussion, Dan and John discuss the significant changes which have taken place to Australia over the past generation, and what Australia might look like over the next twenty years. Throughout the discussion, Dan and John analyse the changing nature of debate about culture and the Australian way of life; the fragmentation of Australian society and our political system; the growing detachment of the elites from the mainstream; and why there is hope for the next generation. The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs. Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup If you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/ To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.auIPA

Apr 7, 2026

46 min

The Institute of Public Affairs’ Daniel Wild and John Roskam discuss the wipeout of the Liberal Party at the South Australian election, and what it means for the future of Australia's political system.Daniel and John also discuss how the realignment of politics, which has taken place most vividly in the US and UK, has now arrived in Australia, and how this brand of democratic populism will reshape Australia's political and cultural landscape over the decade to come.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs.Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signupIf you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.auIPA

Feb 26, 2026

43 min

The Institute of Public Affairs’ Daniel Wild and John Roskam discuss the revealing admission by Labor’s left-wing ministers that Australia Day is here to stay.Daniel and John also discuss if the Liberal Party can avoid the fate of the Tories in the United Kingdom who the electorate no longer trusts due to the failures of Boris Johnson and how the media is deceiving Australians about the cost and consequences of mass migration. They even find time to compare each other’s haircuts! The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs. Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signup If you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/ To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

Feb 5, 2026

53 min

Kicking off a new season of The Mainstream podcast, the Institute of Public Affairs’ Daniel Wild and John Roskam do a deep dive on the so-called ‘anti-hate group’ legislation and explain everything you need to know. They also discuss the substantial pushback from the community and the political fallout against these laws.Daniel and John also ponder whether One Nation can form government over the next two parliamentary terms; and what One Nation's rise and the fall of the Liberal Party reveals about the future of Australia and the failure of the centre-right politically.The Mainstream podcast is a production of the Institute of Public Affairs. Subscribe to keep up to date with the Institute of Public Affairs’ latest research: https://ipa.org.au/#signupIf you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au

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