Michael Smith
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michaelps.bsky.social
Michael Smith
@michaelps.bsky.social
1.9K followers 890 following 290 posts
Neutral good; Cammeraygal Country
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Reposted by Michael Smith
richarddenniss.bsky.social
The same public servants who created the rules for the ‘market’ for aged care, child care, disability care and water in the Murray River are now pretending they will do a good job of making a ‘market’ for biodiversity…what could go wrong
australiainstitute.org.au The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 3h
Australia Institute co-CEO Dr Richard Denniss breaks down the problem with offsets at a Senate Inquiry into proposed changes to the Environment Protection Reform Bill.

Sign the petition calling on the government to fix our broken environment laws nb.australiainstitute.org.au/strong_envir...
November 21, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
australiainstitute.org.au
Australia Institute co-CEO Dr Richard Denniss breaks down the problem with offsets at a Senate Inquiry into proposed changes to the Environment Protection Reform Bill.

Sign the petition calling on the government to fix our broken environment laws nb.australiainstitute.org.au/strong_envir...
November 21, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
asherwolf.bsky.social
Hhhmm, wonder if having two tv series featuring my work on the campaign against Robodebt (doco and drama series) and an Amnesty Australia Media Award means I’ll qualify for bsky account verification?
November 20, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ketanjoshi.co
omfg. "wicked problem" are you fucking kidding me, jesus fucking christ

The real wicked problem here is Australia's mostly-white journalist class persistently stepping on the exact rakes the salivating white nationalists want them to step on. It is so nuts to me how none of this ever changes
Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell is seen as neo-Nazi and Transgender rights supporters face off at a demonstration in Melbourne, 2023. James Ross Grattan on Friday: Combatting the neo-Nazis is a ‘wicked problem’ for governments The neo-Nazis exploit feelings of alienation among a section of the community. Making martyrs of them could play into their hands. State and federal laws to deal with hate speech have been strengthened as governments have grappled with threats to social cohesion in the wake of the attack on Israel in October 2023, the ensuing Gaza war, pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments, and anti-semitic attacks. These events have triggered a torrent of hate speech, particularly from the extremists elements among the pro-Palestinian activists. Trying to stop hate speech turns into an ever-escalating pursuit. While action is desirable, at some point it runs into pushback on grounds of free speech. Finding ways to curb the presence of extremist groups such as, but not only, the neo-Nazis falls into the category political scientists call “wicked problems” to which there are no simple, direct answers. It’s understandable to turn to new or strengthened legal remedies and, to an extent, appropriate. But it can only be part of the answer and often comes with unintended or unacceptable consequences. In the end, these groups may be best countered more indirectly, by vigorously promoting positive measures that advance social cohesion in the community. But unfortunately that’s a long term answer to an immediate problem.
November 20, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
hugemantis.bsky.social
We converted huge portions of the largest empire on earth’s economy and cultural sphere into Hitler incentive machines. Let’s see what happens.
= FORTUNE Subscribe A U.S. tech worker in his twenties, who makes similarly anti-Semitic content and requested anonymity to avoid retaliation at work, says he made nearly $3,000 from Instagram's bonus and referral programs before being demonetized. He said his most "offensive and political" posts drove the fastest audience growth. He added that he is Jewish and did not believe in the content himself, but said he had posted it in hopes of gaining enough followers to eventually delete the posts and then remonetize. In fact, none of the three creators interviewed by Fortune claimed to have strong ideological motives beyond finding the memes vaguely amusing. All said controversial content is one of the only reliable, and easiest, paths to visibility-
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ingridm.bsky.social
note to Chris Minns - the AFP arrested a nazi on suspicion of misogynistic threats of violence. They already had this power. So do NSW Police. Along with mile wide discretion to decide when it is politically expedient to exercise said powers. But sure, give em more.

archive.is/2025.11.20-0...
archive.is
November 20, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ingridm.bsky.social
the proposition Minns has landed on - and I first saw it expressed by high profile zionist Alex Ryvchin - is that NSW Police choosing not to challenge, stop or criminalise nazis being nazis at NSW Parliament can be singularly reversed by giving police more powers.
November 19, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ingridm.bsky.social
not to put too fine a point on it - after all it was NSW Police who investigated and rejected ALP politician-zionist claims about Opera House chants and a Dural caravan and Mossad says and what-not - but there is an obvious flaw with tasking NSW Police with solving white supremacy racists.
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ingridm.bsky.social
Minns prattles away as tho he has learnt from passing three (3) racial and religious criminal laws earlier this year in response to a hoax. Parts of the “Place of Worship” amendment to the Crimes Act were struck down as unconstitutional. All these laws task <NSW Police> with stopping racism.
November 19, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ingridm.bsky.social
NSW Premier says he does not apologise for [yet more] hate speech laws - the first three versions did not, on any measure, reduce racism in NSW - after NSW Police chose not to criminalise any of the nazis chanting nazi slogans at NSW Parliament on 8 Nov 2025.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
New laws to combat neo-Nazis in NSW after parliament rally
Police and courts will be given greater powers to combat public displays of Nazi ideology in NSW following a rally outside state parliament earlier this month.
www.abc.net.au
November 19, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social
Gaza hospitals say Israel killed 34 Palestinians in overnight bombing - https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/gaza-hospitals-say-israel-killed-34-palestinians-overnight-bombing
Gaza hospitals say Israel killed 34 Palestinians in overnight bombing
<article data-history-node-id="431708" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/gaza-hospitals-say-israel-killed-34-palestinians-overnight-bombing" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/gaza-hospitals-say-israel-killed-34-palestinians-overnight-bombing" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Gaza hospitals say Israel killed 34 Palestinians in overnight bombing</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Israeli forces killed at least 34 Palestinians in overnight bombings,&nbsp;including 18 children and women, in Gaza City and Khan Younis, Al Jazeera Arabic reported on Thursday, quoting hospital sources.&nbsp;</p> <p>The report said that since Thursday morning, Israeli aircraft&nbsp;targeted Rafah and Khan Younis, beyond the yellow line, with intense&nbsp;bombardment using heavy artillery.&nbsp;</p> </div> </div> </article>
www.middleeasteye.net
November 20, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
nickfeik.bsky.social
I’ll be honest, I’m not finding this constant stream of “we have unfortunately misled you” by the NACC very reassuring
Defence inspector inadvertently omitted 10 consultations with NACC chief
A previous disclosure that the head of the federal corruption watchdog had been consulted 11 times has been corrected to 21.
www.abc.net.au
November 20, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
mc2photogal.bsky.social
How about this headline, eh? More of this, please.
November 19, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
grogsgamut.bsky.social
What a brain-dead dumb, completely shite appointment. @tonyburkemp.bsky.social
Appointment to the National Library of Australia Council The Albanese Labor Government has appointed the Hon Christopher Pyne as a member to the National Library of Australia Council for a three-year term.
November 20, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
yungenchee.bsky.social
Bit of a pattern with the @albomp.bsky.social gov's emerging legacy
Pump up expectations then fail dismally, delay, distract, renege or run in the opposite direction: Indigenous Voice Referendum, NACC, redressing Robodebt harms, gambling advertising reform, climate action, reforming EPBC nature laws
November 20, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
lillyull.bsky.social
Senior Liberal MPs are optimistic a deal can be reached with Labor on a watered-down version of its new nature laws. The Greens said any deal with the Coalition would show the laws have been “written for big business”. Yep.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Coalition and Labor negotiate nature laws as Greens warn compromise would show it was ‘written for big business’
Environment minister Murray Watt says other parties must decide ‘whether they want to see us do a deal with the other side of politics’
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
ronskolnik.bsky.social
62% of Israelis, and 73%(!) of Jewish Israelis, said they'd oppose Palestinian statehood, even if it's coupled with normalization with Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli public (not just government) and the rest of the world seem to be moving in 2 very opposite directions. www.jpost.com/israel-news/...
Israeli poll shows strong opposition to Palestinian state | The Jerusalem Post
Among Jewish Israelis, opposition is even higher at 79%, up from 76% in the previous JCFA poll. This marks the highest level of Jewish-Israeli opposition in its tracking since the war began.
www.jpost.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
pookleblinky.bsky.social
The thing about the government bailing out genAI when the bubble pops, is it can't.

It's almost half the US stock market. It is bigger than consumer spending.

The government would have to spend like half its entire budget, on something that loses billions of dollars a month, forever.
November 19, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
grogsgamut.bsky.social
Better approve some more gas fields and coal mines.
November 19, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
australiainstitute.org.au
"For fossil fuel polluters, gas seems to have become the lifeline that vaping was for the tobacco lobby."

- The Hon. Mike Rann AC CNZM delivering the 2025 Dr Hugh Saddler Memorial Lecture
#auspol
November 19, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
davidshoebridge.bsky.social
So now Australia will be making F35 fighter jet parts for Saudi Arabia. A country that Amnesty says ignores people’s basic human rights, restricts their freedoms and inflicts severe punishment. The regime also kills dissenters. No one even asked us.
November 18, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
nickfeik.bsky.social
A government that can’t bring itself to tax fossil fuel, big tech or any wealth properly but defunds its critical institutions is not a good government, sorry
November 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
duchessfrida.bsky.social
“If we don’t have enough money to fund our hospital systems, I don’t want to hear another word about #AUKUS, fossil fuel subsidies, or what great financial managers your government is”

via cmsibley @albomp.bsky.social #auspol
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 19, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Reposted by Michael Smith
josephcox.bsky.social
New: the airlines (Delta, United, American, etc) will shut down a program in which it sold hundreds of millions of your flight records to government agencies, including ICE, FBI, ATF, more. Comes after intense lawmaker-pressure and 404 Media's months-long reporting
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Michael Smith
strangerous.bsky.social
Ed Husic grills ANZ CEO Nuno Matos & asks how it’s fair that ANZ ripped off 65K customers & the worst punishment received by Senior Execs was not getting a bonus, while at same time the bank is sacking 3500 workers who didn’t do a thing wrong.
Matos says he’s not proud about it. #Estimates
November 19, 2025 at 1:50 AM