Broadcaster Andrew Neil and commentator Dave Rubin @RubinReport join Michael Stutchbury for a wide-ranging conversation about Donald Trump’s presidency, the state of Western politics, and the future of free speech.
This discussion explores Trump’s character and policies, the January 6th controversy, media bias, climate change and net zero policies, and the battle for free speech reshaping Western democracies.
Despite their shared scepticism of mainstream media and progressive politics, Neil and Rubin offer contrasting perspectives on crucial questions: Does Trump’s character matter as much as his policies? Was January 6th a genuine threat to democracy? And can traditional journalism be reformed, or must it be replaced entirely?
The conversation reveals a genuine debate between two different strands of conservatism. Neil’s traditional emphasis on character, civility, and institutional respect meets Rubin’s focus on cultural warfare and challenging the establishment. They discuss Elon Musk’s Twitter/X transformation, the mainstream media’s credibility problems, why working-class voters shifted away from Democrats, Trump’s appeal to minority communities, the costs and feasibility of net zero climate policies, and the impact of progressive politics on Western societies. This is an honest exchange that doesn’t shy away from real disagreements between two thoughtful observers of the political landscape.
Andrew Neil is one of Britain’s most respected political interviewers, with decades at the helm of BBC political programming. He’s famous for his forensic questioning style (and his viral 2019 interview with Ben Shapiro, during which Shapiro accused Neil of being a “leftist” before walking out of the interview).
Dave Rubin is the host of the@RubinReport, one of the most influential political talk shows on YouTube with 3+ million subscribers and hundreds of millions of views. A former progressive who worked on The Young Turks, Rubin’s journey from left to right became a roadmap for many disillusioned liberals.
This event was presented by the Centre for Independent Studies in Brisbane, Australia. Recorded live in Brisbane on 27 October 2025,
The Centre for Independent Studies is Australia’s leading independent public policy think tank, promoting free choice, individual liberty, and open debate on the issues that matter.