The UAE’s shadow network of power and war Behind multiple conflicts across the Middle East and Africa sits a powerful but often overlooked actor – the UAE’s network of finance, logistics and proxy forces shaping outcomes on the ground.

johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04... %26 Irritations

Richard Marles' deeply delusional, unserious defence speech points to bleak times for taxpayers Richard Marles' speech on our new defence strategy was completely delusional about what the US has done to the world — and promises billions in wasted, borrowed money.

Richard Marles’ deeply delusional, unserious defence speech points to bleak times for taxpayers www.crikey.com.au/2026/04/17/r...

Single frame. Man standing in front of woman in wheelchair says: “Instead of complaining about the expensive nuclear subs we may never see, or our increasing expenditure on war machinery, maybe think about how properly funding YOUR NEEDS makes us LESS SAFE as a country…”

Priorities.
My @smh @theage cartoon.

Iran war: rights and wrongs International law rulings on Israel’s occupation place clear obligations on all states, yet Australia continues to back US and Israeli military action in Iran.

johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04... %26 Irritations

Difficult women, comfortable power When women refuse to soften their demands on violence, inequality and unpaid labour, the response is often to question their temperament rather than the broken system they are challenging.

johnmenadue.com/post/2026/02... %26 Irritations

The dark arts - The Shot The ideology of the Israel lobby in Australia is this - burn it to the ground rather than ever allow an opposing voice.

The dark arts theshot.net.au/uncategorize...

Criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu may be an offence under Australia’s new hate speech laws, Greens warn Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke say the laws are needed to protect Australians – particularly the Jewish community

Perhaps the most disgraceful of all the “national security” laws that have been passed since Sept 11 2001.

Albanese would have been a good, compliant minister in the Howard govt.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Whether it's illegal to say it or not (?), Israel is quite clearly committing genocide in Palestine. The Australian government (but not the Australian people) is quite clearly supporting it. And our farce of a democracy is being further eroded so people don't speak this truth.

Baby Mohammed freezes to death as Gaza battles winter and displacement Eman Abu al-Khair mourns as cold weather kills her newborn, exposing harsh realities faced by displaced families.

www.aljazeera.com/features/202...

Diaspora Jewish Leaders Urge Action Against Israel as it Orders Strikes on Gaza and Advances West Bank Annexation October 29, 2025 The Netanyahu government has ordered strikes on Gaza killing nine people, violating the ceasefire for the second […]

www.jewishcouncil.com.au/2025/10/dias...

Power the research behind ThePoint.com.au Thank you for supporting the Australia Institute and ThePoint.com.au. Your donation supports research and articles that have a real impact in the national political and policy debate.

nb.australiainstitute.org.au/the-point?re...

Chris Hedges talks with Dave about journalism, censorship and empire YouTube video by The Sunday Shot

I interviewed Pulitzer Prize winning war correspondent Chris Hedges for an hour about the Western media betrayal of Palestinian journalists, the National Press Club of Australia, fascism and a violent empire in decline.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LatG...

Antisemitism? St Vincent's heartless treatment of cardiologist who asked a question - Michael West Peter McDonald asked questions about Israel in a public forum and has been censored and condemned by St Vincent's Hospital.

michaelwest.com.au/antisemitism...

x.com/bobjcarr/sta...

Netanyahu proves he's a thin-skinned, genocidal man-child — and that News Corp is a foreign propaganda outlet The Israeli prime minister poses as a tough guy, but criticism reduces him to a quivering jelly of rage. It's no surprise he went to News Corp to vent.

www.crikey.com.au/2025/08/22/b...

In case, like me, you have absolutely no idea who fiction writer for the SMH Matthew Knott is ... here's Matty getting hauled over the coals by Francesca Albanese, for talking shit at the #NPC back in November 2023.

[Many thanks to @strangerous.bsky.social for the clip. 🥂]

J

IDF chiefs break ranks Israeli military and security chiefs are active participants in Netanyahu’s biblical holocaust on Palestinians.

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/08... %26 Irritations

Recognise Palestine? Then free Marwan Barghouti! The world’s most important hostage must be released. Powerful Western countries have signalled that in the face of the genocide they may recognise the state of Palestine. States need leaders. That’s w...

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/08... %26 Irritations

The reality in Gaza shows Israel is at risk of becoming a global pariah The reality of the situation on the ground in Gaza, and the spectre of children dying of malnutrition or starvation, sits at such extraordinary odds with the language of spokespeople for both the Neta...

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

I was punched in the face by NSW Police, as Chris Minns' anti-protest laws crack down on Palestine dissent I was attacked by a NSW Police officer in an act of state violence against those protesting the Gaza genocide, all while the Labor government refuses to act.

www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/25/h...

Gaza: There comes a time when silence is betrayal Last week I spent a day fasting, joining medical colleagues and other healthcare workers in a rolling hunger strike to protest what is happening in Gaza. Why are we doing this?

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/07...

Australia's silence on genocide gives Netanyahu a free pass to exterminate Palestinians The refusal of Australia and other Western countries to talk about Netanyahu's genocide in Gaza is encouraging a more blatant Israeli program of exterminating Palestinians.

www.crikey.com.au/2025/07/04/i...

Michelle de Kretser’s 2025 acceptance speech

stella.org.au/2025/05/mich...

Free Palestine

Writers bearing witness in a time of genocide I’ve been thinking a lot about an honours thesis I wrote more than 20 years ago, that thing you sweated through, that maybe your mother skimmed, that you stuck in the back of a cupboard somewhere neve...

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/06...

Our humanity is lost under the rubble in Gaza It is a Sunday evening, and I am shopping online. But there is a difference.

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/05...

An open letter to Penny Wong seeking action on Palestine Dear Minister, Responding to war crimes committed against the Palestinian people Congratulations on Labor’s achievement of another term of government. We hope this term will be one in which everythi...

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/05...

Politics courting religion: Religion courting politics An open letter to the Coalition leadership There has been a growing trend for Conservative politics in the US and in Australia to double down on support from conservative expressions of Christian rel...

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/05...

BREAKING: The Gaza Ministry of Health says that in addition to the 92 Palestinians being killed by Israeli attacks in the last 48 hours, 219 wounded people have also arrived at hospitals in the Strip aje.io/ml918p

Gaza is a ‘killing field’ where people are being starved. How long will the world tolerate this?