For a complementary look at why Australia gives gas away cheaply, see Matt Bevin at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwX...

NSW premier told to resign after protest laws struck down by top court The laws, rushed through parliament after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, have been found to be unconstitutional by the state's highest court.

NSW's expanded police powers, brought in on Christmas Eve, are unconstitutional under the freedom of political communication that all Australians enjoy.

If protest didn't work, they wouldn't try so hard to ban it.

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

Conflict Vs. Mistake Jacobite – which is apparently still a real magazine and not a one-off gag making fun of Jacobin – summarizes their article Under-Theorizing Government as “You’ll never hear…

I have problems with the details, but I strongly recommend reading Scott Alexander's original piece because it teases out real but usually unspoken differences in political approach, strategy and mindset: slatestarcodex.com/2018/01/24/c...

If a tax on Artificial Intelligence is “inevitable” - it will never happen The head of Artificial Intelligence firm Anthropic said at the beginning of this month that a tax on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is “inevitable”. Ironically, his comment makes it less likely that suc...

Draws on @astralcodexten.com.web.brid.gy "mistake theory versus conflict theory", i.e. can we find win–win solutions to the evils of the world or do these problems exist because powerful people benefit from them?

On @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

"Don't think for a minute you don't have power... don't think for a minute you can't make change." - Richard Denniss.

See more from the Climate Integrity Summit here: australiainstitute.org.au/event/climate_integrity_...

From Caretakers to Combatants. The Age of the Combatant: How Every Side of Politics Is About to Be Remade

GenZ voters want parliamentarians who will fight for them not fiddle at the edges. Kos Samaras looks into this at redbridgeintel.substack.com/p/from-caret...

This coming Thursday evening, I’m running a session for the Degrowth Network Australia on Direct Action as a path to Degrowth (and broad economic, social and political transformation)

Register here:

events.humanitix.com/strategy-wor...

The challenging question: how to stop reacting to the no longer and act to create the not yet?

✍️ PETITION: Help take on the gas industry Tax the gas industry its fair share! Australia Institute research shows a 25% tax on gas exports could solve the gas crisis – and raise $17 billion every year at the same time. ✍️ Add your name now...

✍️ Sign the petition calling for a 25% tax on gas exports!
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/gas_export_t...

Reminder May Event
Register here: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

“The strength of Australia’s electoral democracy is reinforced by longstanding legislative provisions, including for a system of compulsory voting.”

This is an edited extract of The People’s Guide to the Australian Constitution (UNSW Press).

Read more on The Point: https://theaus.in/4soew4X

“Don Farrell should be congratulated for starting the conversation about expanding the Federal Parliament and, in turn, strengthening democracy in Australia,” said Bill Browne, Democracy & Accountability Director at The Australia Institute.

Read more: https://theaus.in/4m5YV8A

I was thinking of a more focused and specific Inquiry into this particular issue. The 2022 Election report recommended further inquiry and the 2025 report carried this forward. For the PM to close down discussion is poor form.

“In response to [the global fuel] crisis, the Antipoverty Centre has called for an urgent increase to Centrelink payments to help people weather the storm." - Kristin O’Connell, an antipoverty activist with the @antipovertycentre.org.

Read the full piece on The Point: https://theaus.in/4dD9e1R

Pity @albomp.bsky.social then poured water all over it.

Well that's disappointing. Not even to consider it ... open it to an inquiry.

Movements in time between Progress and Degrowth On seeking direction in a directionless world Moments in time. Movement in time. Movements in time. As we spun past the autumn equinox, the darkness lasting noticeably longer each morning and edging...

On movements in time

On seeking direction in a directionless world

On progressive nostalgia, transgressive conservatism, and the possibility of simply choosing to be free

This is in some ways my deepest post yet, and certainly the first that dives into being a PhD candidate

May Event
What is Sociocracy?
Register here: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The majority recommends that Australia: join global efforts to strengthen climate change information integrity, resource regulators like ASIC and ACCC to expose corporate greenwashing, explore how to make third parties more transparent ahead of election campaigns, continue to provide funding to regional and independent media outlets, establish better oversight of corporate engagement within the school system, require the digital platforms to report more to ACMA, funders ARENA and CEFC to consider the “social licence” of renewables projects.

The Senate committee looking at climate and energy lies and untruths handed its report yesterday -- Labor, Greens and Liberal on the same page.

The Liberal senator, Andrew McLachlan, went further than Labor and called for truth in political advertising laws.

definition of stupidity: doing the same thing again and expecting a different result!

Accords with what Canberrans want action on this year from parliament. Gas Export Levy.
#auspol

Labor on track for $10.4 million public funding, Liberal $8.7 million, One Nation $7.0 million, Greens $3.3 million, over the 2026-2030 election cycle.

One Nation's success at the South Australian election puts them in line for $6 to $7 million in taxpayer funding -- most of it thanks to the electoral changes the Malinauskas Labor Govt passed last term.

By comparison, One Nation spent $3.3m *nationally* ahead of 2025 election.

What happens when egotistical fools and dilettantes are given their heads…

In the zeitgeist: this is one of the two asks Canberrans have of the government in 2026.

We're mugs, our energy wealth flows to foreign owners | Canberra CityNews "For a democracy looking to ensure 'a fair go', it becomes important to understand and listen to the individuals while, at the same time, being cognisant of the will of the majority," writes political...

'@MichealMoore in City News this week:
promoting @capadaus.bsky.social Community Assembly outputs.

citynews.com.au/2026/were-mu...

“The RBA’s explanation of its decision demonstrates a central bank utterly lost to reality, which desired to raise rates regardless of economic data and the changes occurring in the world,” writes Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute.

Read more: https://theaus.in/3PeH6rx

Browne says third-party groups have a legal right to political communication, but that the reforms have led to “loopholes and perverse outcomes”. “Under the new laws, a candidate who takes on a powerful interest group can be out-fundraised and outspent by that group many times over,” he says. “That’s perverse given the candidate is accountable to voters while the lobby group may be opaque, self-interested or an astroturfing operation.”

SA's donation laws ban donations to political candidates, but let big lobbies and pressure groups raise and spend money.

Third parties in the race include Turning Point Australia, anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe, Australian Christian Lobby, GetUp, and Christopher Pyne.

All going according to script as collapse arrives. See '@LukeKemp in Goliath's Curse.

It is an odd response to shift rightward after your electoral base has moved the other way. It might work for the Nats - who see One Nation as their chief competition - but for Liberals, it is just dogma.

ACT redistribution release – live 12:04 – I have now calculated my estimates of margins. 2PP margins between Labor and Liberal are fairly simple but the other margins should be taken with a big grain of salt. In Bean and Canb…

The draft redistribution of the ACT's three federal seats was published this morning and I have completed my analysis.

Voters were swapped in both directions on the Canberra-Bean and Canberra-Fenner borders, but it has minimal impact on margins. #auspol www.tallyroom.com.au/64607