Megamind play from the Aussie selectors, keeping Lyon out so that he can come in and bamboozle England at a crucial moment in the series. You love to see it
After five years at the @australiainstitute.org.au, I'm hanging up my posting gloves. It's been a privilege working with such an incredible bunch of brave and brilliant people. Thanks to you all for making it so special. For my last newsletter, I put in a few words of my own ⤵️
Gas exporters pay no tax (again) | Between the Lines
The Wrap with Hayden Starr For the last five years I've worked behind the scenes, helping communicate the Australia Institute's research online and on
australiainstitute.org.au
AI chatbots and LLMs are very expensive to run and they make almost no money. Monetisation might start with selling ads...but where does it stop? What's stopping powerful interests from paying AI companies to feed you lies about political parties during elections? We need proper safeguards asap
Here's the ACCC today saying that gas exporters are ripping us off. Again. "gas being offered & supplied by the exporters to the domestic market has declined over time, while LNG export volumes have increased." @australiainstitute.org.au @markogge.bsky.social www.accc.gov.au/system/files...
Yep, if you're going to do a range, why not 62% to 100%???
Mark Ogge@markogge.bsky.social · 11mo agoAustralia’s target is 62% which is pathetic. The 70% is meaningless because we only have to reach 62% to meet the target. Australia continues its wrecking role in global efforts prevent climate collapse because our governments want to keep approving giant fossil fuel export projects.
Musk's manipulation of X was the blueprint. He succeeded in elevating extreme hard right views, including inciting violence and promoting Nazism. It's so easy for them to tweak the algorithm to supress views they don't like, and therefore crushing public discourse.
Hayden Starr@haydenstarr.bsky.social · 11mo agoWithout a morsel of irony, senator James Paterson said “it would be an unfortunate thing if there was a safe version of TikTok in the US, but a version of TikTok in Australia which was still controlled by a foreign authoritarian govt.” It's not about China. They want total control over your media.
Without a morsel of irony, senator James Paterson said “it would be an unfortunate thing if there was a safe version of TikTok in the US, but a version of TikTok in Australia which was still controlled by a foreign authoritarian govt.” It's not about China. They want total control over your media.
Australia may have to choose between a Chinese TikTok and one owned by Trump’s billionaire backers
Expert raises concerns about what US TikTok deal could mean for News Corp’s ‘worrying dominance’ in Australian media
theguardian.com
Five publishing outfits and four of them have women founders. Thanks to @womensagenda.bsky.social for republishing my piece in the Conversation
Australia's newest publishers are dominated by women. And they're making defiant, weird, grass-roots books
Five new Australian publishers are bringing bold, grassroots books to life despite challenges in funding and distribution.
womensagenda.com.au
"Your insane nationalism contains a lust for domination that will not cease until you realize that the age of empires is over and that your empire will not be rebuilt." What a line from the Polish Foreign Minister. www.politico.eu/article/rado...
The AUKUS deal is a sinking ship in all ways except for the one we want. American experts are telling us "accept the fact that you're not going to get those submarines" but the Aus Gov is still giving America billions to make their own subs. Ditch AUKUS while we can still salvage some dignity.
Eye-watering levels of flushing money down the drain. What is Australia getting for our money? Certainly not nuclear submarines. Certainly not a dependable friend in the US.
Hayden Starr@haydenstarr.bsky.social · 11mo agoFrom a US defence expert: the AUKUS Submarine Deal is Dead "The US can’t provide the submarines; the UK can't make up for the shortfall...and Canberra must now face the unpleasant truth that the promises made in 2021 were more fantasy pledges than realistic commitments."
From a US defence expert: the AUKUS Submarine Deal is Dead "The US can’t provide the submarines; the UK can't make up for the shortfall...and Canberra must now face the unpleasant truth that the promises made in 2021 were more fantasy pledges than realistic commitments."
The AUKUS Submarine Deal is Dead
The promise to give Australia nuclear submarines is collapsing. A severe industrial crisis in both the U.S. and UK means the AUKUS security deal's central pillar is no longer viable.
nationalsecurityjournal.org
There are simple changes we can make to our cities that will have vast and ongoing positive effects on the lives of community members. Community leaders with vision are pulling up concrete and replacing it with plant life.
Brent Toderian@brenttoderian.bsky.social · 11mo agoSmart cities know that, as hot as they already are, they’re just going to keep getting hotter. Greening the city not only cools it down, it cleans the air, quiets the noise, improves mental health & happiness, saves public money, & more. Strand Aldwych, London. 2021 vs. 2025. Via @modacitylife.com
The United States is actively enabling Israel to commit genocide. When Prime Minister Albanese sees Trump next week, he has the opportunity to stand up for Australian interests, ditch AUKUS, and end this pathetic era of being America's lackey.
The Queensland LNP Government has banned pill testing. An insane, senseless move. Pill testing saves lives. There is free pill testing in the ACT - and 10% of people discarded the drugs after testing. 32% said they wouldn't use it after finding it wasn't what they expected. #auspol
Parents of teen who died at music festival plead with Queensland government not to ban pill testing
Josh Tam’s parents have asked LNP to ‘step aside and allow the experts to lead the way in keeping our loved ones safe’
theguardian.com
Most other developed countries do not count land use emissions in their official reporting. Australia successfully lobbied to change the rules when negotiating the Kyoto Protocol to include land use (LULUCF) emissions because they knew how much it would clean our numbers. Cooked books indeed!
Hayden Starr@haydenstarr.bsky.social · 11mo agoNearly all of Australia's 'on paper' emissions reductions come from land use. This is largely because Aus chose 2005 as the baseline year from when 'reduction' starts. In 2005 there was very high land clearing which soon stopped. This is counted as a huge reduction, while polluters keep polluting.
Nearly all of Australia's 'on paper' emissions reductions come from land use. This is largely because Aus chose 2005 as the baseline year from when 'reduction' starts. In 2005 there was very high land clearing which soon stopped. This is counted as a huge reduction, while polluters keep polluting.
This pathetically unambitious 62% target is worse than it sounds because of how Australia uses dodgy "land use" emissions accounting. Really good explainer on LULUCF and land use emissions here: australiainstitute.org.au/post/lulucf-...
Hayden Starr@haydenstarr.bsky.social · 11mo agoAlbanese's 2035 target is 62-70%. 62% is piss-poor. Not enough to prevent devastating impacts. Not enough to convince our Pacific neighbours that we care about their future.
Albanese's 2035 target is 62-70%. 62% is piss-poor. Not enough to prevent devastating impacts. Not enough to convince our Pacific neighbours that we care about their future.
This is a very good piece from Allan Behm that cuts to the heart of Australia's foreign policy failures. "Australia needs to understand that the Pacific nations might not want to be Australia’s partners of choice in the battle of the giants. They want wellbeing and happiness."
The Australia Institute@australiainstitute.org.au · 11mo ago"This double whammy in the Pacific is a failure of diplomacy. But the failure of diplomacy is symptomatic of a much deeper set of systemic failures," writes Allan Behm. "Australia’s default foreign policy mindset is a function of two factors: dependence on America and fear of China."
Reminder: The AUKUS deal was supposedly cooked up in the brain of Boris Johnson who wanted to piss off Macron, and so convinced Scott Morrison to drop the French subs deal. $368 billion Australian taxpayer dollars to help the US make submarines that we'll never receive. Turnbull explains why ⤵️
The Australia Institute@australiainstitute.org.au · 11mo agoPresident Trump's scorn for highly respected Australian journalist John Lyons was followed up by an official White House X account branding him a "foreign fake news loser". Our research shows Australians want a more independent foreign policy. #auspol australiainstitute.org.au/post/poll-in...
Thank you to these brave and compassionate people. @jewishcouncilau.bsky.social have been doing incredible work to stop the genocide for the last two years. Sanction Israel now.
Jewish Council of Australia@jewishcouncilau.bsky.social · 11mo agoWe're launching a campaign to end the genocide in Gaza. Sign our petition to call on the Australian government to sanction Israel NOW. Tomorrow we'll be in the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun so please: Snap a photo of yourself with the ad and tag us www.jewishcouncil.com.au/2025/09/peti...
Australia doesn't need any more gas projects. The UN and the International Energy Agency are clear - there can be no new gas and coal projects if we are to keep to 1.5C @richarddenniss.bsky.social nails it
The Australia Institute@australiainstitute.org.au · 11mo agoThe Australian Government's (bad) excuse for more gas? So that the world will use less coal...🤨 So why is the Australian Government...also approving new coal mines!? 🔊 Executive Director Richard Denniss appearing at the Senate Environment Committee @richarddenniss.bsky.social #auspol
This is a great read from Gregory Andrews. "AUKUS will make us more dependent on an erratic partner we can’t control, and less agile in responding to the real threats we face. Ditching AUKUS will be politically painful, but doubling down on a dud will be a strategic catastrophe."
As Europe diversifies its defence, Canberra still clings to AUKUS
Anthony Albanese is about to pour more than $12 billion into a new AUKUS submarine base in Perth.
johnmenadue.com
"It pays to be a good ally" 🥶 Denmark MP after snubbing a $9 billion missile deal with the USA and going with European producers. Meanwhile Australia is still blindly shovelling billions into the AUKUS nuclear submarine fantasy, which crucially *we might not even have full control over*
The Australian Government is doing deals with the devil. Meanwhile other countries with an ounce of integrity are tearing up deals with the genocidal Israeli regime.
Crikey@crikey.com.au · 11mo agoThe Department of Defence has announced a new $467,000 contract with yet another Israeli weapons manufacturer.
Trump read 1984 and took it as an instruction manual.
Trump to rename the Pentagon the 'Department of War' as he aligns with 'warrior ethos'
The Trump administration will look to revert the Pentagon back to its old name — the Department of War — in what US defence secretary Pete Hegseth says is in line with its "warrior ethos".
sbs.com.au
This is a really important piece from @ebonybennett.bsky.social ahead of the hateful 'March for Australia' rallies.
The Australia Institute@australiainstitute.org.au · 11mo ago"People who attend the “March for Australia” rallies will almost certainly be marching alongside white supremacists and neo-Nazis," "Politicians from all sides should be at the counter-protests this weekend to demonstrate that neo-Nazis have no place in Australia." @ebonybennett.bsky.social #auspol