Hey Chris (Uhlmann) yes Norway built a $3.2T wealth fund from oil fields which underwrites pensions/education etc, but nowhere in your latest attack on Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen do you urge him and PM Albo to impose a 25% tax on Oz export gas. Blind eye mate.

She can write! America not so great. Sussan Ley’s Route 83 Greyhound bus trip through middle USA helps her refocus her perspectives after Libs brutally dump her as leader. 👇👇AFR

Hey Joe (Aston) congrats re Ramparts $29m valuation and employing more journalists. Noted that your 5 equity investors have signed non-interference commitments with your editorial judgments. Hope you have a defamation contingency fund. Oz is now the deffo capital of the world (per capita).

As @albomp.bsky.social's PM&C sets up a task force to regulate artificial intelligence platforms in Australia, here Ana Palacio concludes that AI worldwide needs its own Paris Agreement pearlsandirritations.com/post/2026/08...

AI needs its own Paris Agreement

AI is advancing faster than societies, laws and institutions can adapt, making international governance, verification and shared oversight essential.

pearlsandirritations.com

All humans, particularly we Australians, need to understand how life on earth evolved and why our wafer thin biosphere is so vulnerable. Peter Sainsbury - Six revolutions and four billion years made today’s biosphere pearlsandirritations.com/post/2026/08...

Environment: Six revolutions and four billion years made today’s biosphere

This week’s environment round-up looks at the metabolic revolutions that remade Earth, China’s simultaneous coal and renewables boom, habitat gardens and Australia’s Cape Grim climate monitoring.

pearlsandirritations.com

Home batteries have overtaken capacity of grid-scale batteries after rebate bonanza, and reshaped the market reneweconomy.com.au/home-batteri...

Home batteries have overtaken capacity of grid-scale batteries after rebate bonanza, and reshaped the market

Home battery capacity has overtaken grid-scale batteries, thanks to the federal rebate, and both have helped flatten the price curve as they meet evening peaks.

reneweconomy.com.au

While Murdoch media condemns Anthony Fauci re taking the 5th during Congressional hearings it’s worth noting that whatever the genesis of COVID (lab accident/animal transmission?) the rapid invention of mRNA vaccines saved millions worldwide and preps us for the next pandemic.

Here's your Renewable Wrap: Renewables up to 8 times cheaper than large-scale Nuclear.

“PM @albomp.bsky.social scoffed at the suggestion” the proposed ALP national conference pledge for a fairer return from natural resources was related to gas. 👇”Long bow” Phil Coorey AFR says his sources stand by the story. Curiouser … and curiouser.

Trump’s quagmire: R&LMurdoch’s The Australian demands escalation of Trump/Netanyahu war with Iran. Call for international support for Trump including from Australia. Still no (IRGC) regime change; Hormuz Strait unopened. Iran’s civilian infrastructure now being bombed.

“Up to 4 in 5 cigarettes now smoked in Australia are illegal”. 👇Shane Wright* quotes tobacco commissioner Amber Shuhyta on how excise, cost of living and devious criminal syndicates have created a vicious black market. Oh .. by the way .. smoking will kill you. *Sun-Herald.

How utterly ridiculous. How much ABC coverage of Gaza is acceptable to Segal ?

The ABC’s independence is now at stake with Segal’s recommendation for a government-appointed censor/monitor with coercive take down/penalty powers. This will institutionalise the “pre-emptive buckle”. Hoping the Royal Commission will reject this unnecessary and draconian constraint on our media.

What Australia can learn from the rise of populists around the world to avoid following Hanson down her rabbit hole | Julianne Schultz

The heat in Paris this week has been unbearable and inescapable. rick-morton.ghost.io/canic-at-the...

Canic! At the Disco

Each year, on the summer solstice, Paris and most of France becomes what is essentially the world's largest outdoor party for Fête de la Musique. Bistros, restaurants, cafes and sundry businesses sat...

rick-morton.ghost.io

A Party of Independents Sounds Like a Contradiction. It Isn't. The majors rigged the donation laws & walled off the Senate, then act baffled that anyone builds something new. A party of independents is not naive idealism. It is strategic. Here’s my take 👇 open.substack.com/pub/suebarre...

A Party of Independents Sounds Like a Contradiction. It Isn't.

One Nation is the wrong answer to the right question. Part six, on the People who step up, the party that is really a co-op, and why building one is the strategic move, not the naive one.

open.substack.com

The Christian Brothers were effectively a criminal gang where 22% of the brothers committed child sexual assault. They saw the law and survivors coming after them so hid their assets and cash in a separate legal entity. Together we need to fix this for survivors.

Bluesky launched in February 2023 as an invite-only platform. As of June 2026, we have 45 million users. For reference, that's almost the population of Argentina. Thank you for being here with us 💙 Here’s to the next 45 million accounts.

See the constitution of Community Strong Australia: broad guiding principles including, gasp, “integrity”, but MHRs/senators elected under this party banner have a right/duty to independently vote. Truth is party status is tactically important for above the line Senate voting under AEC rules.

“Competent Sheilas Australia” the new Steggall/Spender independent political party now recruiting meritorious candidates for Bennelong, Menzies, Deakin, Mitchell, Berowra etc + a full Senate ticket “above the line” = a counter measure to Porleen for PM. 👇

Israel’s Iran failure is an opportunity to face reality - Gideon Levy pearlsandirritations.com/post/2026/06...

Israel’s Iran failure is an opportunity to face reality

Israel’s failure to impose its will on Iran should be treated not as a disaster but as a reality check, exposing the limits of military force and the urgent need to end a politics built on permanent w...

pearlsandirritations.com

Renewable energy is sovereign.  Our natural resources aren't affected by conflict overseas.  We're working everyday to build a cleaner, fairer energy system for all Australians.

Re Pauline Hanson v Australian media (please note Sky/Murdoch outlets exempted). In 1980s Joh for PM called this “feeding the chooks”. Hanson will adopt the same methodology but, unlike Joh, will decline interviews with ABC, SBS (and Guardian Aus).

Now that Pauline Hanson is, by popular polling, leading the mainstream political parties (ALP, LNP, Greens) would she please answer these questions: does she support AUKUS?; as PM would she join a US war with China over Taiwan?; would she reintroduce conscription (national service) for 20 year olds?

Will Pauline Hanson seek or accept endorsement from Donald Trump in her run to be Australia’s PM? Does she support AUKUS? Would she join a US war with China over Taiwan? National Press Club. www.google.com/gasearch?q=p...

Yes Kim Carr: Australia must get going on AI, technological and scientific research. It's the key to new skills, productivity and sustainable prosperity. >> One Nation, science and democracy – the trust deficit in Australia pearlsandirritations.com/post/2026/06...

One Nation, science and democracy – the trust deficit in Australia

The rise of anti-establishment politics reflects a deeper loss of confidence in Australia’s economic model, making investment in science, research and innovation central to rebuilding productivity, op...

pearlsandirritations.com

Saul Eslake gets it as do many other economists.

stranger@strangerous.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Prominent economist Saul Eslake demolishes LNP’s ‘aspiration’ myth saying their 1999 CGT discount failed to build a nation of entrepreneurs & shareholders, in fact, those rates only fell since 1999, while “disproportionately favouring richer & older Australians”💥 #auspol

Trump's autocracy incrementalism frames domestic opponents as either terror risks or threats to 'national security'. Please read this: >> Warning: Trump's Rolling Coup Is Already Underway open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

Warning: Trump's Rolling Coup Is Already Underway

And what must be done to stop it

open.substack.com

Pauline for PM: forced divestment of houses for temporary visa holders; round-up/deport over-stayers; reject Muslim migrants on ‘national security’ grounds; uncontrol guns; revoke neg-gear/CGT reforms; paywalls for ABC/SBS; more frack/drill/open cut coal; no EVs/renewables; yes to online gambling ..

The great Australian journalist Brian Toohey’s book “Fifty Years Before The Mastheads” launched today. Thanks Brian for all you are doing to tells Aussies and the world what’s really going on. QD