'We Have Politicians, Not Leaders' | Heston Russell On The Rise Of One Nation episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 19, 2026 · 47 MIN

'We Have Politicians, Not Leaders' | Heston Russell On The Rise Of One Nation

from The Karl Stefanovic Show · host Karl Stefanovic

Australia is facing a crisis of leadership – and according to this panel, voters have had enough.This week on The Karl Stefanovic Show, former Special Forces commander Heston Russell and political commentator Calista Clements join Karl for an unfiltered discussion on Australia's political direction, national identity and the growing support for One Nation.Heston explains why he believes Australia has ‘politicians, not leaders’, why the country's shared values are being eroded, and why more Australians are turning away from the major parties. Calista reflects on leaving the Liberal Party, her criticism of corporate diversity initiatives and Islamic finance, and why she believes voters are searching for political consistency.The panel also tackles the latest developments surrounding the Ben Roberts-Smith case and Section 268 of the Criminal Code, with Heston arguing the changes have deepened mistrust within the veteran community and raising concerns about the implications for current and former Australian soldiers.The panel discusses:• Australia's leadership and values crisis• Why One Nation is surging in the polls• Pauline Hanson's political resurgence• Why voters are abandoning Labor and the Liberal Party• Australian values, immigration and national identity• NAB's Islamic finance controversy• The Ben Roberts-Smith case and Section 268• Veterans, war crimes laws and military accountability• ISIS brides and Australia's repatriation policyFrom political leadership to national security, this is one of the Karl Stefanovic Show's most wide-ranging and provocative political panels yet.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 19, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

'We Have Politicians, Not Leaders' | Heston Russell On The Rise Of One Nation

0:00 47:29

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Karl Stefanovic Show?

This episode is 47 minutes long.

When was this The Karl Stefanovic Show episode published?

This episode was published on June 19, 2026.

Can I download this The Karl Stefanovic Show episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!