Award-winning Australian author David Malouf dies aged 92 Erudite and urbane, Malouf — perhaps most famous for his portrait of mid-century Brisbane in his 1975 novel Johnno — will be fondly remembered for his immeasurable contribution to Australian letters.

Vale David Malouf, a beautiful writer, thinker and spirit. A wonderfully creative man, a towering talent in Australian cultural life. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

‘We wasted a lot of lives’: CIA spymaster’s caution over past Iran intervention resurfaces from beyond the grave A documentary about Peter Sichel – the ‘Jewish James Bond’, whose wine portfolio boasted Blue Nun – includes striking mea culpas about the cost and efficacy of US involvement in the Middle East

“If we had not got rid of Mossadegh, Iran today would be a good member of the family of nations, a socialist democratic country,” former CIA spymaster on US and UK catastrophic undermining of world democracies, begetting the ayatollahs and worse #auspol www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ap...

France starts moving government systems from Windows to Linux Linuxiac reports that France's Inter-ministerial Digital Directorate (DINUM) has revealed a roadmap for shifting the country's government systems away from non-European software. This includes switchi...

France starts moving government systems from Windows to Linux
France is ditching US software for homegrown alternatives of Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Telegram

Libre Office is very good.

www.techspot.com/news/112032-...

Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as opposition wins Hungarian election Win for Tisza party ends rightwing populist’s 16-year grip on power and will likely reshape country’s relationship with EU

The best European political news in years! Who knows what the new mob will be like, but it is great that Hungarians choose a democratic future and with the EU — and Orban, as orful as he has seemed - has the grace to concede defeat. #auspol #europol www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Just sheer murder “Israel insisted it was targeting Hezbollah, Israeli defence minister saying, w/out providing evidence, 200 "terrorists" were killed on Wed. But a list of the dead, released by the health ministry on Thurs, included 30 children and 71 women” #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

The dark side of the moon.

‘For leftist Jews, the Bund is a model’: the radical history behind one of Europe’s biggest socialist movements A new book by Molly Crabapple documents the rise and fall of a revolutionary Jewish party that fought against Zionism and for ‘solidarity across difference’

‘Solidarity across difference’ or ethno/religious-nationalism that always seems to end in savagery: ‘The Bundists dreamed of deliverance without exodus; the liberation of the Jews in concert with the liberation of their neighbors.’ #union #auspol www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Telling the Truth About China’s Success Yanis Varoufakis argues that Western leaders' claim that the country cheated its way to prosperity is dishonest and dangerous.

“the truth is that Western corporations didn’t lose to China; they sold out to China. They offshored jobs, gutted trade unions, and handed over their IP for a quick buck” #auspol
www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/c...

He fought for Israel in Lebanon. Here’s why he thinks its latest war will fail Ahron Bregman believes Israel is repeating the mistakes of the past with its move to clear and control large parts of southern Lebanon.

Who finds peace by inflicting such violence? We mustn’t support it: “In the past, the refugees were allowed to return to their villages…Now, for the next weeks and months, and maybe years, they will not be allowed to return. This is why it is ethnic cleansing.” #auspol www.smh.com.au/world/middle...

A history of the top marginal tax rates on the wealthiest Americans:

1940: 81%
1950: 84%
1960: 91%
1970: 72%
1980: 70%
1990: 28%
2000: 40%
2010: 35%

For 50 years, corporate backed politicians in Congress have slashed taxes to line the pockets of their wealthy donors.

America Is Now a Rogue Superpower Washington’s conduct in the Iran war is accelerating global chaos and deepening America’s dangerous isolation.

“Nations that once bandwagoned with the US will now remain aloof or align against it—not because they want to, but because the United States leaves them no choice, because it will neither protect them nor refrain from exploiting them.” #auspol No to #aukus
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...

Police watchdog called in over dawn arrest of Herzog protester A woman was arrested by a group of tactical officers and her door allegedly smashed after she was accused of throwing a water bottle in the Town Hall protest more than a month ago.

Eight armed and disguised officers, at dawn, to arrest a woman alleged to have thrown a water bottle at someone. Did they think she was Trinity from the Matrix? As good as it gets in NSW @australianlabour.bsky.social? #auspol www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw...

Oslo Davis cartoon, March 21, 2026

For the global historical record. Oslo Davis cartoon, March 21, 2026 www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/cart... via @thesaturdaypaper.com.au

Yes, we feel unsafe, but many Jews know we always will while others live in peril Our leaders genuflect to so-called Jewish sensibilities, as if Jewish people speak with one emotional voice. We don’t.

“The problem with the public conversation we are *not* having is that people who believe – as I and thousands of other Jewish Australians do – that Jewish safety is inseparable from Palestinian safety are not being heard enough.” #auspol @australianunions.bsky.social www.smh.com.au/national/yes...

Sign the Petition Royal Commission into the Killing of Australian Women and Girls

Royal Commission into the Killing of Australian Women and Girls - Sign the Petition! c.org/ZBDCS2ZRZJ via @ChangeAUS

The Albanese government needs to stop being afraid of the gas industry before the current fuel crisis goes to waste | Greg Jericho A failure to seize the moment amid soaring energy prices and act in the May budget could make voters turn their anger toward the federal government

We are being ripped off big and long time - in 1998 tax from companies extracting and selling Australian gas was approx. same as now - but now these companies make 25 x more $$ selling Australian gas, AND our home prices are being pegged at global prices. #auspol
www.theguardian.com/business/gro...

See how much people in your area are gaining from housing tax breaks The Albanese government is mulling property tax changes. Two new reports show the scale of property tax breaks and who gets them.

“It was clear that the CGT concession funnelled billions of dollars every year into the wealthiest parts of the country.” Wentworth alone got $1.75B in property investment tax breaks. They don’t need it. The money should be going to public housing #auspol www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Is Australia at war?! No! Our bombs and planes are being used in a war-adjacent manner | First Dog on the Moon What a relief!

Is Australia at war?! No! Our bombs and planes are being used in a war-adjacent manner | First Dog on the Moon #auspol www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Australian governments subsidising fossil fuel use by more than $30,000 a minute, analysis finds Australia Institute data finds state and federal subsidies for coal, gas and oil products increased 10% in past year, growing at a faster pace than funding to NDIS

How do we end up betraying ourselves, and so badly? ‘Australia Institute data finds state and federal subsidies for coal, gas and oil products increased 10% in past year, growing at a faster pace than funding to NDIS’ #auspol www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Ex-rapper Balendra Shah set to be Nepal PM after party’s landslide election win Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra party secures thumping victory in first poll since gen Z protests that toppled government

Gen Z earthquake. #auspol www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

David Pocock calls for inquiry into why Government collects more revenue from beer excise than PRRT Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock has called for an inquiry into why gas companies pay less for gas exports than Australians pay in the beer excise.

Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock has called for an inquiry into why gas companies pay less for gas exports than Australians pay in the beer excise. thepoint.com.au/news/260303-...

The Cherry Orchard hits home at Adelaide Festival Matthew Lutton’s first Adelaide Festival survived an almost fatal scandal to deliver a clear message about the interrogative power of art.

“It seems that too many of our major institutions are run by out-of-touch suits who consider art a kind of luxury widget created by especially colourful employees.” The politics, of course, nowhere so interesting as the art itself #ausart #art www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/share/22721/...

The hardest part of a limited two-week military action is the first several years.

Just ask Putin.

A lone battle: Why is Pedro Sánchez the only European leader to take on Trump? As the Spanish PM decries the war in Iran, other politicians are unable – or unwilling – to speak against the US president

Those with moral courage lead and can build health and prosperity lasting for generations. Those that force respect from their bombs lose that respect as soon as they stop bombing. They leave nothing but rubble, death and poverty behind. No to #aukus #auspol
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

I covered the Middle East when Saddam was America’s friend. The bloodletting hasn’t stopped Iranians deserve better than the ayatollahs – and they deserve better than an illegal war waged by a felonious, feckless president with no plan for what follows.

www.smh.com.au/world/middle...

Liberal senator breaks with party to urge ‘mercy for the children’ of IS-linked Australian women in Syria Backbencher Andrew McLachlan describes the 23 children as ‘innocents’ victimised by their parents’ ‘tragic attraction to a horrible ideology’

Coming from a consistent, coherent moral position, this senator shows a steadier heart and spirit than most in the major parties, and he has the courage to speak out. A chance to have a reasoned argument about something instead of jumping at every shadow. #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Trump killed Iran’s leader. It’s doubtful he has ideas beyond that The US president has sent a call to arms for the Iranian people to rise up against an unpopular regime. But that regime has thrived on the idea of resistance against overwhelming odds.

Trump’s war may last years, as per Iraq, at horrifying cost to the Iranian people - in whose name the war is almost certainly not. The Aus Gov and her advisors appear to have pulled out the 2003 playbook. So…don’t expect sanity anytime soon #auspol www.smh.com.au/world/middle...

AI and the End of Time Sami Mahroum explains how the technology is upending the measurement of human contributions to economic outcomes.

“As AI severs the link between time and output, and the foundation of modern labor contracts starts to give way…We are entering the first open conflict over the meaning of time since the Industrial Revolution” @australianunions.bsky.social #auspol www.project-syndicate.org/onpoint/how-...

What are the kids going to do? This week’s job losses are the ripple before the tsunami Think you can offer career advice to your children? Even the world’s leading thinkers on AI are struggling.

“As if the illusion of home ownership, the destruction of the planet and the enormity of public and private debt were not enough of a burden to leave for the next generation” — an earthquake of political change coming too… #auspol www.smh.com.au/national/wha...