Rick Morton
@squigglyrick.bsky.social
I write. Author of Mean Streak and other things. Day job: senior reporter The Saturday Paper. I write a decent newsletter: https://rick-morton.ghost.io
Pinned
Rick Morton
@squigglyrick.bsky.social
· Sep 29
Writing the book on Robodebt drove Rick Morton mad. Now it's won him $80k
Journalist Rick Morton didn't want to write a book about Robodebt. Now that book, Mean Streak, has won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for non-fiction.
www.abc.net.au
What a ride. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
Bari Weiss is not only a bumbling clown but also a loathsome piece of shit, so I guess she has that going for her
December 23, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Bari Weiss is not only a bumbling clown but also a loathsome piece of shit, so I guess she has that going for her
Have spent the day resolutely focused on all the people who helped, who risked their own safety to ensure the safety of others. It’s no small thing in all that horror. Hate is a sickness.
December 14, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Have spent the day resolutely focused on all the people who helped, who risked their own safety to ensure the safety of others. It’s no small thing in all that horror. Hate is a sickness.
'Pig-headed' is the way Terry Carney, of Robodebt fame, describes the response of the Department of Employment to the second Commonwealth Ombudsman report into their error-riddled privatised jobseeker compliance program. You can see why for yourself here. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politic...
‘Particularly strange’: Ombudsman damns welfare compliance
In an interview with The Saturday Paper, the Commonwealth ombudsman says government departments still need to ‘unlearn’ the culture that produced robodebt.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
December 12, 2025 at 7:44 PM
'Pig-headed' is the way Terry Carney, of Robodebt fame, describes the response of the Department of Employment to the second Commonwealth Ombudsman report into their error-riddled privatised jobseeker compliance program. You can see why for yourself here. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politic...
Reposted by Rick Morton
You'd normally have to go to the coincidence factory to see a coincidence that perfect.
Scoop: the pro-teen social media ban lobby group 36 Months was funded & co-staffed by its co-founder's ad production firm that was simultaneously making gambling ads
The federal government has ignored calls for a gambling ad ban while pursuing the social media ban.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
The federal government has ignored calls for a gambling ad ban while pursuing the social media ban.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
December 12, 2025 at 7:53 AM
You'd normally have to go to the coincidence factory to see a coincidence that perfect.
Earlier that day the barista at my local café had been playing Fleetwood Mac's Landslide and, unbidden, I began singing in my head as I walked 'and I toooore my men-iscus' to the same tune. Also I’m officially a French resident now. rick-morton.ghost.io/in-which-i-a...
In Which I Am Very Silly
I deliberately booked the MRI for my knee in the late afternoon on the other side of Paris because I thought it would be fun to turn it into a walking tour and take some photos with my new camera.
Th...
rick-morton.ghost.io
December 11, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Earlier that day the barista at my local café had been playing Fleetwood Mac's Landslide and, unbidden, I began singing in my head as I walked 'and I toooore my men-iscus' to the same tune. Also I’m officially a French resident now. rick-morton.ghost.io/in-which-i-a...
Reposted by Rick Morton
The Federal Court confirms Walter Sofronoff engaged in corrupt conduct. Looking forward to The Australian’s coverage of this.
www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Ju...
www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Ju...
Sofronoff v ACT Integrity Commission [2025] FCA 1565
www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au
December 11, 2025 at 3:32 AM
The Federal Court confirms Walter Sofronoff engaged in corrupt conduct. Looking forward to The Australian’s coverage of this.
www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Ju...
www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Ju...
Reposted by Rick Morton
Hats off to @cameronwilson.bsky.social for his stellar reporting throughout all this, I hate to think where we’d be without it.
I hope you get a break over Christmas!
I hope you get a break over Christmas!
Incredible. Pro-teen social media ban group 36 Months was selling sponsorship to a United Nations event run by the Australian government with the promise of “influence” and “access” to heads of states, according to a leaked document.
www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/11/3...
www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/11/3...
'This is influence': Leaked 36 Months sponsorship document reveals promises to sell access to United Nations event
The Wippa-led pro-teen social media ban group was selling a 'United Nations General Assembly Sponsorship' for $150,000 in the lead-up to the Australian government-hosted event.
www.crikey.com.au
December 11, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Hats off to @cameronwilson.bsky.social for his stellar reporting throughout all this, I hate to think where we’d be without it.
I hope you get a break over Christmas!
I hope you get a break over Christmas!
Reposted by Rick Morton
Every time he opens his mouth about his unfitness for the highest integrity-driven office in the country, he demonstrates his unfitness.
The anti-corruption watchdog chief personally drafted lines in a media release saying his recusal from defence cases was "unnecessary". His deputies have publicly disagreed.
Anti-corruption boss in open dispute with deputies over defence recusal
The anti-corruption watchdog chief personally drafted lines in a media release saying his recusal from defence cases was "unnecessary". His deputies have publicly disagreed.
www.abc.net.au
December 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Every time he opens his mouth about his unfitness for the highest integrity-driven office in the country, he demonstrates his unfitness.
Emeritus Prof Terry Carney delivers "Australian Social Services Scandals: Towards dystopia? Or equity and justice for the vulnerable?" Inaugural Carney Public Lecture at USyd on Thurs 6pm. Few tix to this free event left. I'm responding via Zoom after www.eventbrite.com.au/e/inaugural-...
Inaugural Carney Public Lecture
Emeritus Professor Terry Carney delivers "Australian Social Services Scandals: Towards dystopia? Or equity and justice for the vulnerable?"
www.eventbrite.com.au
December 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Emeritus Prof Terry Carney delivers "Australian Social Services Scandals: Towards dystopia? Or equity and justice for the vulnerable?" Inaugural Carney Public Lecture at USyd on Thurs 6pm. Few tix to this free event left. I'm responding via Zoom after www.eventbrite.com.au/e/inaugural-...
Had my first experience getting stuck (via my backpack) in the closing doors of the Paris metro today and writhed around like a helpless fool until some Youth kindly freed me. Couldn’t look anyone in the eye for the whole trip.
December 9, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Had my first experience getting stuck (via my backpack) in the closing doors of the Paris metro today and writhed around like a helpless fool until some Youth kindly freed me. Couldn’t look anyone in the eye for the whole trip.
Reposted by Rick Morton
It's Anti Corruption Day and to celebrate here is the schedule for the hearing into the NACC on Thursday
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 AM
It's Anti Corruption Day and to celebrate here is the schedule for the hearing into the NACC on Thursday
Curiouser and curiouser
UTS vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt has told a federal government inquiry he knew about a secret list of “underperforming” researchers produced by KPMG as part of a $100m cost-cutting drive, but which his office claimed on his behalf did not exist. satpa.pe/a5HOtAG
‘Kicking and screaming’: UTS admits to secret spreadsheet
Calls grow for the resignation of UTS vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt, who knew of the KPMG-produced list targeting ‘underperforming’ staff even as his office denied it existed.
satpa.pe
December 7, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Curiouser and curiouser
Reposted by Rick Morton
What Australian outlets edited out of the opening of Kerry O'Brien's Walkley Awards speech on press freedom:
(The full speech is here: www.walkleys.com/dont-kid-you...)
(The full speech is here: www.walkleys.com/dont-kid-you...)
November 29, 2025 at 8:50 PM
What Australian outlets edited out of the opening of Kerry O'Brien's Walkley Awards speech on press freedom:
(The full speech is here: www.walkleys.com/dont-kid-you...)
(The full speech is here: www.walkleys.com/dont-kid-you...)
The full cost of the BoM website has been known for some time — I reported it in September last year — so why would management not be honest about it? It’s a story of executives meeting the firm ‘Accidenture’. $96m later… www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2025/11...
Inside the Bureau of Meteorology’s $96m website fiasco
Global IT consultancy Accenture has been accused of ‘strip mining’ the Bureau of Meteorology during its years-late delivery of a redesigned website not fit for purpose.
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au
November 29, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The full cost of the BoM website has been known for some time — I reported it in September last year — so why would management not be honest about it? It’s a story of executives meeting the firm ‘Accidenture’. $96m later… www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2025/11...
I think award season is now over. Mean Streak just won the Walkley Book Award to cap it off and I’m so thankful. Buy or borrow, the story is more fucked up than you think.
November 28, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I think award season is now over. Mean Streak just won the Walkley Book Award to cap it off and I’m so thankful. Buy or borrow, the story is more fucked up than you think.
I am getting so many of these awful things but at least the last one tried to be specific (by praising the wrong Rick Morton, a Christian pastor who writes about the beauty of 'transnational' orphan adoption 😱) and this one is just 'really impressive content and insight'.
November 25, 2025 at 9:23 AM
I am getting so many of these awful things but at least the last one tried to be specific (by praising the wrong Rick Morton, a Christian pastor who writes about the beauty of 'transnational' orphan adoption 😱) and this one is just 'really impressive content and insight'.
Reposted by Rick Morton
This from @squigglyrick.bsky.social is an absolute treat. French history, French rural life, French knee injuries.
Go on, spoil yourself. It’s Sunday.
rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
Go on, spoil yourself. It’s Sunday.
rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
No Genou is Bad News
This horror story begins with a wandering brass band; my sirens.
I will follow a brass band anywhere. There is just something about the way a tuba cuts a shape on the horizon – so brash, so untoward ...
rick-morton.ghost.io
November 22, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This from @squigglyrick.bsky.social is an absolute treat. French history, French rural life, French knee injuries.
Go on, spoil yourself. It’s Sunday.
rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
Go on, spoil yourself. It’s Sunday.
rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
Reposted by Rick Morton
The last time I wrote about this I copped the biggest whinge fest from the then (Labor) minister’s office about how they weren’t cutting the budget lol
That's more than 1,100 jobs lost at the CSIRO over the last two years.
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
CSIRO to slash hundreds of jobs in cost-saving drive
The staff association at the nation’s leading scientific research organisation says the latest round of cuts marks “a sad day for publicly funded science”.
www.smh.com.au
November 18, 2025 at 3:14 PM
The last time I wrote about this I copped the biggest whinge fest from the then (Labor) minister’s office about how they weren’t cutting the budget lol
Update on this one: it's a torn meniscus! Thank God for travel insurance (assuming they will pay)
Taken out by the mean streets of Montmartre, a weekend away in the French countryside becomes a spiritual and physical battle for survival. My newsletter update: rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
No Genou is Bad News
This horror story begins with a wandering brass band; my sirens.
I will follow a brass band anywhere. There is just something about the way a tuba cuts a shape on the horizon – so brash, so untoward ...
rick-morton.ghost.io
November 17, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Update on this one: it's a torn meniscus! Thank God for travel insurance (assuming they will pay)
Reposted by Rick Morton
Every state apart from Tas is pulling their weight with hospital expenditure. The Feds not wanting to pay for the additional demand on hospitals that the FEDS CREATE from underfunding their primary health, NDIS and aged care system responsibilities is pathetic bullshit www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
'Beyond belief': PM tells states to spend less on hospitals
Health ministers are furious with a letter from the prime minister demanding they rein in spending if they want a public hospital funding deal honoured.
www.abc.net.au
November 17, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Every state apart from Tas is pulling their weight with hospital expenditure. The Feds not wanting to pay for the additional demand on hospitals that the FEDS CREATE from underfunding their primary health, NDIS and aged care system responsibilities is pathetic bullshit www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Taken out by the mean streets of Montmartre, a weekend away in the French countryside becomes a spiritual and physical battle for survival. My newsletter update: rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
No Genou is Bad News
This horror story begins with a wandering brass band; my sirens.
I will follow a brass band anywhere. There is just something about the way a tuba cuts a shape on the horizon – so brash, so untoward ...
rick-morton.ghost.io
November 17, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Taken out by the mean streets of Montmartre, a weekend away in the French countryside becomes a spiritual and physical battle for survival. My newsletter update: rick-morton.ghost.io/no-genou-is-...
I have been writing my latest newsletter update for a week and trying to get it finished. It is sprawling, perhaps even unreadable, but I will have it ready by tomorrow morning AEDT. If you want to subscribe, it's free! rick-morton.ghost.io
Nervous Laughter
Life, writing and other tragedies
rick-morton.ghost.io
November 16, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I have been writing my latest newsletter update for a week and trying to get it finished. It is sprawling, perhaps even unreadable, but I will have it ready by tomorrow morning AEDT. If you want to subscribe, it's free! rick-morton.ghost.io
Reposted by Rick Morton
BENDIGO WRITERS FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE: La Trobe Uni pressured #Bendigo Council to send the infamous code of conduct to participants, according to those at a council-run roundtable.
Council confirmed to us it sent the code with specific additions at La Trobe Uni’s request.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Council confirmed to us it sent the code with specific additions at La Trobe Uni’s request.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
FOI documents reveal lead-up to failed Bendigo Writers Festival
A founding director of the widely boycotted Bendigo Writers Festival says major sponsor La Trobe University pressured organisers into sending a controversial code of conduct.
www.abc.net.au
November 5, 2025 at 6:14 AM
BENDIGO WRITERS FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE: La Trobe Uni pressured #Bendigo Council to send the infamous code of conduct to participants, according to those at a council-run roundtable.
Council confirmed to us it sent the code with specific additions at La Trobe Uni’s request.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Council confirmed to us it sent the code with specific additions at La Trobe Uni’s request.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Wish they’d stop pushing the misleading claim that it was only (lol) a $4.1m upgrade.
We asked to sPeAk To tHe MaNaGeR and ........ it actually worked?!?
November 3, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Wish they’d stop pushing the misleading claim that it was only (lol) a $4.1m upgrade.