In the seat of Farrer, candidates are united by their concern for water, and disdain for Labor Crikey went along to a by-election Q&A at the Exies Sports Club in Griffith alongside 100 voters, and a crowded table of candidates.

Fantastic to have @antonnilssonn.bsky.social in Farrar www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/21/f...

The Young Liberals' 'Bad Girls' memo, Angus Taylor gets wistful, and we are so back (in court) Plus a former Western Australian premier has a book out with an unexpected publisher.

Tips is a fun one today:
www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/21/w...

We’ve been reading about the Gen Z created nostalgia porn that is recruiting boomers to the far right in the UK. Now Charlie shares its impact here.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor posts a video of him flipping through an old family photo album. The caption reads: "Growing up on the edge of the Snowy Mountains in the 70s: footy in the dust, riding horses on the farm, and four boys keeping each other honest. It was a simpler time, but a way of life worth protecting. Every Australian kid deserves the chance to grow up with a bit of that same freedom and possibility."

I didn't think Angus Taylor would make my point so emphatically so soon but here we are: www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/17/n...

Thanks so much David!

Between populist commentary and AI slop, we are once again dying of nostalgia While the political right has been the most of obvious nostalgia factory in recent years, the appeal of AI-generated nostalgia slop is worryingly broad.

Really interesting article about nostalgia by @theshufflediary.bsky.social for @crikey.com.au

Australian Values, by the Australian Liberal Party We can see why Angus Taylor is worried — look at all these attacks on the Australian way of life in just the past few years.

Angus Taylor is worried about migrants failing to embrace Australian values like free speech and gender equality. We’ve got some news for him about the real source of those threats… www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/14/a...

Australian Values, by the Australian Liberal Party We can see why Angus Taylor is worried — look at all these attacks on the Australian way of life in just the past few years.

We can see why Angus Taylor is worried — look at all these attacks on the Australian way of life in just the past few years:
www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/14/a...

Why the party most closely identified with a woman is Australia's most misogynist political enterprise One Nation's employment of a convicted rapist, and its history of candidates with domestic violence allegations, is not a flaw of Pauline Hanson's party but a feature of a movement that is misogynist…

Employing a rapist or allowing candidates with family violence histories to stand for election is a feature of One Nation, not a flaw. www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/13/o...

Viktor Orbán and Australia's right: A love story After Viktor Orbán's defeat, the Australian right will be saddest of all.

Many people will be sad to see the end of veteran Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. But maybe none more so than Tony Abbott, @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/13/v...

How Labor’s gambling ad reforms measure up against Peta Murphy’s recommendations Plus, which senators will be courted to pass them into law?

“If you want to quantify it, we’re looking at a proposal that is one-third to half as effective as it could be.” Listen to the Cut Through podcast now.

www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/10/g...

Evangelical Christians bet on Trump. The Iran war is the pay-off Many powerful and influential members of the Trump administration believe, and hope, that the apocalypse will occur soon.

Roughly a decade ago, to maintain their power, American evangelicals took a gamble on Trump, a walking affront to Christian decency.

They are now reaping the benefits.

www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/08/d...

Evangelical Christians bet on Trump. The Iran war is the pay-off Many powerful and influential members of the Trump administration believe, and hope, that the apocalypse will occur soon.

The war on Iran may represent the final and most terrifying victory of the strain of American Christianity that not only believes Armageddon is coming soon, but welcomes it. @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/08/d...

Trump's obsession with avoiding personal humiliation could be the end of us all The US president's latest outburst feels significant, a new low of sorts. But can you remember every other event that made you think that?

It’s near impossible to list every time a Trump administration outrage seemed like a new low, only for it dissolve in the flood, @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/07/i...

Lyon and Fox Sports have issued full apologies after Lyon was caught referring to Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek as minister for "bullshit". Cochon has the juiciest of tips today, treat yourself.

Trump's wrecking ball will reshape American life for decades Behind the apparent chaos of Trump's approach to government, the real legacy of his time in office is being built — and it will last a lifetime.

Trump’s aggressive litigation isn’t just about vengeance: there is a clear aim behind it and it will re-write American life for decades to come, @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/01/d...

Where does the Albanese government rank on the Harold Holt Grovel-O-Meter? Anthony Albanese is a traditionalist when it comes to the US alliance — the tradition being that Australian PMs suck up to America no matter what.

Albanese is taking part in one of Australia’s greatest traditions: sucking up to the US, no matter what.

www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/27/a...

Thank you Esther, that's so kind!

The collapse of Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse is a small win, but we’ll take it Before AI was the big tech inevitability that would proceed whether anyone wanted it or not, there was the Metaverse.

“The way talk of a metaverse has petered out is a reminder that blanket application of an inescapable, harmful technology that no one wanted doesn’t have to be as inevitable as it may seem.” @theshufflediary.bsky.social at @crikey.com.au is a daily must-read: www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/23/m...

the good folks at @drwaus.bsky.social have launched an AI harms register! they're collecting stories from people in Australia who have experienced AI-related harms to track the way AI is causing harm, and to pressure the govt to act. submit here: digitalrightswatch.org.au/ai-harms-reg...

Tonight on Spin Cycle we're delighted to welcome Walkley award-winning journalist, social commentator and co-host of We Used to be Journos @janfran.bsky.social. Plus, the first ABC strikes in two decades and much more.

On @3rrrfm.bsky.social from 7 with me and @rachelwithers.bsky.social

The Algorithm is Leaking Local journalists discuss how people IRL are regurgitating what they see online, and it's informing worldviews.

events.humanitix.com/the-algorith... Or why not get along to this, with the unbeatable trio of Najma Sambul, @nataliesqrl.bsky.social and @antounissa.bsky.social

For example, I can't wait for this one: events.humanitix.com/archive-fever

That festival, by the way, is this festival and you should get along to one of the many brilliant events. www.westfootscrayarts.org

Incredible stuff. Never change Sky News

The media's ongoing amnesia regarding Pauline Hanson Pauline Hanson and One Nation have long seemed incapable of doing anything that would stop the media from airing their views as if in a vacuum.

A useful reminder: The media's ongoing amnesia regarding Pauline Hanson www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/19/p...

Libs urged to shift further right after their SA wipeout. How has that gone in the past? Are the Liberals just not right-wing enough for their voters? A near decade of consistently bad results for the Liberals in Australia give us plenty of evidence to test that theory.

After the pasting in SA over the weekend, the commentariat have predictably concluded the Liberals need to be more right wing — how has that worked out in the past? www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/24/l...

The collapse of Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse is a small win, but we’ll take it Before AI was the big tech inevitability that would proceed whether anyone wanted it or not, there was the Metaverse.

The most shocking part of the metaverse collapse? That such a terrible, unworkable idea that no one wanted lasted as long as it did, @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/23/m...

The collapse of Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse is a small win, but we’ll take it Before AI was the big tech inevitability that would proceed whether anyone wanted it or not, there was the Metaverse.

The collapse of Zuckerberg’s metaverse is a good reminder that tech dystopias are not always as inevitable as they seem, @theshufflediary.bsky.social writes. www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/23/m...

Jessie standing in front of a glittering JOY sign, holding a rainbow fan.

Jessie standing with broadcasters David and Neil in front of the JOY FM media wall.

Putting the ‘J’ into JOY FM to promote Footscray West Writers Fest. Still tickets to plenty of amazing events at FWWF.com.au