David Sligar
@davidsligar.bsky.social
ex Treasury and min adviser, occasional poster on welfare states and egalitarian public finance. Studying psychology for a change of scene.
AUKUS ideologues seem quiet of late
January 8, 2026 at 3:32 AM
AUKUS ideologues seem quiet of late
for all trump’s belligerence about what lies within the scope of US hegemony (“the western hemisphere”), it is revealing what implicitly lies outside it….
January 7, 2026 at 8:56 AM
for all trump’s belligerence about what lies within the scope of US hegemony (“the western hemisphere”), it is revealing what implicitly lies outside it….
as the liberal order collapses, perhaps we will move back to a systemic market in tributes and ransoms
January 6, 2026 at 9:22 AM
as the liberal order collapses, perhaps we will move back to a systemic market in tributes and ransoms
Reposted by David Sligar
France at the UN Security Council:
"The military operation which led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution and the principle of non use of force. Violations of the UN Charter... chips away at the very foundation of the international order."
"The military operation which led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution and the principle of non use of force. Violations of the UN Charter... chips away at the very foundation of the international order."
January 5, 2026 at 4:48 PM
France at the UN Security Council:
"The military operation which led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution and the principle of non use of force. Violations of the UN Charter... chips away at the very foundation of the international order."
"The military operation which led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution and the principle of non use of force. Violations of the UN Charter... chips away at the very foundation of the international order."
bass players try too hard to find the "perfect" tone based on what sounds sick to their ears in their bedroom (often with mid scoop). in reality the ideal frequencies in a band are totally different, and it changes from room to room. optimal to leave roughly flat and maximise discretion of engineer
Guitar is a mid-range instrument and mid-cut tones very rarely sound good.
This place needs some Innocuous Discourse pronto. Quote this with a take that’s not political or aggressive
January 6, 2026 at 6:24 AM
bass players try too hard to find the "perfect" tone based on what sounds sick to their ears in their bedroom (often with mid scoop). in reality the ideal frequencies in a band are totally different, and it changes from room to room. optimal to leave roughly flat and maximise discretion of engineer
rules-based order for thee, imperial prerogative for me
mind bogglingly pathetic for the west to issue statements declaring support for international law while staying silent about the brazenly illegal invasion and kidnapping
January 5, 2026 at 6:22 AM
rules-based order for thee, imperial prerogative for me
Reposted by David Sligar
Six countries warn that Trump's attack on Venezuela sets an "extremely dangerous precedent". Six countries. Where is the leadership in this world? All Australia could muster is vague waffle.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
‘Extremely dangerous precedent’ set by Trump’s attack on Venezuela, six countries warn – live
Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay say US actions ‘constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security’
www.theguardian.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Six countries warn that Trump's attack on Venezuela sets an "extremely dangerous precedent". Six countries. Where is the leadership in this world? All Australia could muster is vague waffle.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Reposted by David Sligar
So like, what if Maduro is somehow acquitted?
January 4, 2026 at 9:12 PM
So like, what if Maduro is somehow acquitted?
mind bogglingly pathetic for the west to issue statements declaring support for international law while staying silent about the brazenly illegal invasion and kidnapping
January 4, 2026 at 8:22 AM
mind bogglingly pathetic for the west to issue statements declaring support for international law while staying silent about the brazenly illegal invasion and kidnapping
Reposted by David Sligar
‘We continue to support international law’
Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese
January 3, 2026 at 11:27 PM
‘We continue to support international law’
Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese
lol sorry this is awful prose - abstraction sandwich held together by mixed metaphors.
Mamdani: For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty
January 1, 2026 at 9:17 PM
lol sorry this is awful prose - abstraction sandwich held together by mixed metaphors.
outstanding fireworks in sydney - really going above and beyond. unrelated i have an idea for easy budget saving in nsw
December 31, 2025 at 1:16 PM
outstanding fireworks in sydney - really going above and beyond. unrelated i have an idea for easy budget saving in nsw
my 4yo son’s favourite word is “actually” - going to make a good smart arse poster
December 31, 2025 at 5:22 AM
my 4yo son’s favourite word is “actually” - going to make a good smart arse poster
what a timeline when the Democrat presidential front runner is openly leaning in to looksmaxing critique from toxic right wing manosphere influencers
December 31, 2025 at 2:50 AM
what a timeline when the Democrat presidential front runner is openly leaning in to looksmaxing critique from toxic right wing manosphere influencers
Reposted by David Sligar
Due to disability, I barely have energy to clean my apartment, yet I work for a living.
I'm not eligible for welfare because my partner is financially responsible for me while simultaneously not sharing her income with me.
Australia's safety net.
#endpartnerincometesting
I'm not eligible for welfare because my partner is financially responsible for me while simultaneously not sharing her income with me.
Australia's safety net.
#endpartnerincometesting
December 29, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Due to disability, I barely have energy to clean my apartment, yet I work for a living.
I'm not eligible for welfare because my partner is financially responsible for me while simultaneously not sharing her income with me.
Australia's safety net.
#endpartnerincometesting
I'm not eligible for welfare because my partner is financially responsible for me while simultaneously not sharing her income with me.
Australia's safety net.
#endpartnerincometesting
Reposted by David Sligar
Hanson is calling for tougher hate speech laws, while she is currently in court trying to appeal against her loss in a hate speech legal case. A fact not mentioned by a single outlet covering this story.
Hanson at the Bondi memorial calling for students to be "rounded up" and cuts to immigration. The crowd muttering in agreement, and giving her a huge round of applause once she finishes.
Everything is about to get so much worse in Australia
Everything is about to get so much worse in Australia
December 16, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Hanson is calling for tougher hate speech laws, while she is currently in court trying to appeal against her loss in a hate speech legal case. A fact not mentioned by a single outlet covering this story.
excellent piece on online mmt's schtick of using word game tricks to sound pseudo-profound and transformative - @jomichell.bsky.social
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
December 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM
excellent piece on online mmt's schtick of using word game tricks to sound pseudo-profound and transformative - @jomichell.bsky.social
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
Reposted by David Sligar
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Reposted by David Sligar
In response to the reappearance of MMT, I have, somewhat reluctantly, written up where the current crop of 'pop MMT' goes wrong.
The short version: yes the central bank issues money; no this doesn't change anything.
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
The short version: yes the central bank issues money; no this doesn't change anything.
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
What’s wrong with MMT?
As Marc Lavoie and John Quiggin have noted, there are ‘two MMTs’. Scholars such as Randy Wray, Eric Tymoigne and Scott Fulwiler have contributed to debates on monetary economics, instit…
criticalfinance.org
December 19, 2025 at 10:34 AM
In response to the reappearance of MMT, I have, somewhat reluctantly, written up where the current crop of 'pop MMT' goes wrong.
The short version: yes the central bank issues money; no this doesn't change anything.
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
The short version: yes the central bank issues money; no this doesn't change anything.
criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...
Reposted by David Sligar
When we most need clear thinking abt threats (ISIS, gun availability, racist & lethal ideologies), & elevation of acts of courage, & care for all communities hurting, Minns, unforgivably, serves up inflammatory conflation of anti-genocide rallies w the terror attack
Feel 🤢 abt what 2026 will bring
Feel 🤢 abt what 2026 will bring
![Excerpt from The Guardian
Bondi beach terror attack
(Headline) NSW to effectively ban protests for up to three months as premier links Gaza rallies to Bondi terror attack
Chris Minns says state 'can't risk another mass demonstration on that scale in NSW [because] the implications can be seen, in my view, on Sunday'](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:klj5q7cnbmt4pryeaegonnhi/bafkreicqrxg3cvzkfhf7bcljck5z2p4e5erynhahnzlrwzejfwgwnhie3m@jpeg)
December 21, 2025 at 4:39 AM
When we most need clear thinking abt threats (ISIS, gun availability, racist & lethal ideologies), & elevation of acts of courage, & care for all communities hurting, Minns, unforgivably, serves up inflammatory conflation of anti-genocide rallies w the terror attack
Feel 🤢 abt what 2026 will bring
Feel 🤢 abt what 2026 will bring
Unpopular view, but I do think the progressive drift away from prioritising free expression has made us more vulnerable to these moves.
Lowering criteria for speech restrictions from objective risk to subjective harm and vulnerability leaves us without a coherent framework to push back.
Lowering criteria for speech restrictions from objective risk to subjective harm and vulnerability leaves us without a coherent framework to push back.
At the moment it’s limited to public assemblies (protesters the easiest targets), but logically why stop there? Contentious discourse in the media, online, running for office, in parliament etc could all cause disharmony.
Shocking to blame Gaza protesters (which include his own MPs), but even more disturbing is the rationale for protest repression.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
December 21, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Unpopular view, but I do think the progressive drift away from prioritising free expression has made us more vulnerable to these moves.
Lowering criteria for speech restrictions from objective risk to subjective harm and vulnerability leaves us without a coherent framework to push back.
Lowering criteria for speech restrictions from objective risk to subjective harm and vulnerability leaves us without a coherent framework to push back.
Reposted by David Sligar
Linking the march across the bridge to the massacre is disgusting and everyone doing so should be deeply ashamed of their giving tacit support for genocide
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
NSW to effectively ban protests for up to three months as premier links Gaza rallies to Bondi terror attack
Chris Minns says state ‘can’t risk another mass demonstration on that scale in NSW [because] the implications can be seen, in my view, on Sunday’
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Linking the march across the bridge to the massacre is disgusting and everyone doing so should be deeply ashamed of their giving tacit support for genocide
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by David Sligar
crazy stuff - deliberate law breaking for decades and as to consequences, well 🤷
Police to decide on the legality of their own secret prison wiretaps
Police will be trusted to decide whether their own conduct was illegal during a secret prison bugging program, with prosecutors saying they will only reassess cases the force flags for review.
www.abc.net.au
December 19, 2025 at 7:15 AM
crazy stuff - deliberate law breaking for decades and as to consequences, well 🤷
At the moment it’s limited to public assemblies (protesters the easiest targets), but logically why stop there? Contentious discourse in the media, online, running for office, in parliament etc could all cause disharmony.
Shocking to blame Gaza protesters (which include his own MPs), but even more disturbing is the rationale for protest repression.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
December 20, 2025 at 6:22 AM
At the moment it’s limited to public assemblies (protesters the easiest targets), but logically why stop there? Contentious discourse in the media, online, running for office, in parliament etc could all cause disharmony.
Shocking to blame Gaza protesters (which include his own MPs), but even more disturbing is the rationale for protest repression.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
December 20, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Shocking to blame Gaza protesters (which include his own MPs), but even more disturbing is the rationale for protest repression.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.
It isn’t about risk at the event. It’s that expressing contentious political views might vaguely undermine community harmony.
The problem is political expression itself.