‘Ugly turn’: Chalmers’ fear after Trump shot

Australia’s political environment has been placed under the microscope, with leaders cautioning against an increasingly extremist and polarised society that could lead to more violence.

Speaking in the wake of the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, Treasurer Jim Chalmers feared politics had “taken an ugly turn”.

He described the events that unfolded at a Republican rally in Butler, Pennsylvania as the “most extreme version” of the normalisation of extremist acts.

“Democracies are supposed to help mend and moderate our differences, not magnify and horrify them,” he told the ABC on Monday morning.

“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing, (and with what feels like increasing regularity) is the ugliness, the polarisation and the extremism in politics is leading to some of these diabolical and violent outcomes.”

He called on Australians to settle differences with “votes, not violence”, adding that while there was “obviously” a role for peaceful protests, people needed to “disagree in nonviolent ways”.

Dr Chalmers said the spread of misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories also “turbocharges the extremism in our politics”.

“Even as these events were unfolding yesterday, I was on live TV as they unfolded and it wasn’t clear immediately what had happened,” he said.

“It’s really important that people don’t unnecessarily speculate.

“It’s important that people don’t repeat and share information which is from sources which aren’t credible, and unfortunately, we’re seeing more and more of that.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who found out about the shooting while watching Dr Chalmers on TV, expressed a similar sentiment.

He said US politics had “become very polarised” and that while Australia had a “peaceful political process” and “peaceful transitions of power”, they shouldn’t be taken for granted.

“It’s important that democracy be cherished. It is our great asset and we need to look for unity wherever we can, look for respectful disagreement,” he said.

Looking at moments of civil unrest as a result of the Gaza conflict, and the vandalism and blocking off of MP electorate offices, Mr Albanese said the ”unacceptable” events worried him.

“People can express their views peacefully, but particularly with a conflict that’s taking place across the other side of the world where Australia are not participants, it’s hard to see what is to be gained except for alienating the general public,” he said.

Asked if the political unrest was “anything similar” to what has occurred in the US, Mr Albanese rejected the assertion and said we needed to be “very careful” before making comparisons.

“What we saw in the United States yesterday was, of course, a very different level but it is a reminder,” he said.

“We just need to be able to have these discussions respectfully and based upon facts as well.”