The devastating, lyrical "One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This" is as good a book about our current moment as I've read, and @jessielilley.bsky.social @rachelwithers.bsky.social and I are so lucky to have Omar El Akkad on Spin Cycle tonight. Join us from 7pm on @3rrrfm.bsky.social

Tonight on Spin Cycle on @3rrrfm.bsky.social we are talking to Omar El Akkad about his incredible book, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This. Tune in 7pm with @rachelwithers.bsky.social and @theshufflediary.bsky.social - on air, on the app, online or on catch up rrr.org.au

Here's the thing, the whole point of 'sponsoring' these things is you don't have to directly lobby or strong-arm, the appeasement becomes tacit - see also the National Press Club quietly slurping cash from multiple weapons companies and fossil fuel climate crims

Imagine kicking the former national rugby captain out of your sports club instead of the gambling lobby. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, who'd want to belong to a club that would accept Responsible Wagering Australia as one of its sponsors?

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit scared of any new ‘environment laws’ that Labor can get Matt Canavan and Andrew Hastie to vote for…I think they will be better described as ‘ how to build more mines faster laws’ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Reminder: Australia's only emissions reduction legislation - the safeguard mechanism - allows for unlimited use of offsets instead of requiring genuine cuts from polluters

David Pocock asks Don Farrell some serious questions about why the govt has not implemented an important recommendation from the #RobodebtRC. Farrell caught playing on his phone, not even paying attention.🙄 Pocock hasn’t the patience to try again & moves on. #Estimates

"I wish I had told you, before our dinners grew cold, that one day I would speak loudly. Not to wound, but because not speaking would betray everything I was taught... I have spoken not in spite of my Jewishness but because of it – in solidarity with Palestinians, but also out of love for you."

A letter to those who taught me my Jewishness, and who now sit on the other side of a deep chasm. When you first heard me speak against this genocide, you heard my words as betrayal. But they were meant as love www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The fact Wong thinks she can just snark her way out of this is a sign of how normalised the relationships between politicians and lobbyists have become. Like, of course the PM shouldn't be president of a registered lobby group that sells corporate members access to politicians? No shit??

Let's say there had been an attempt to do this. A progressive, perhaps from NYC or Los Angeles, touring conservative communities in a suit and tie to tell people their views on abortion, or trans rights, or racial justice were immoral. How would outlets like the NYT or the Atlantic have covered it?

Tonight 7pm on Spin Cycle @3rrrfm.bsky.social we wrap up Radiothon. The rad @nataliesqrl.bsky.social joins us to look at the last week, and hasn't it shown us how vital independent news media is? So pls throw us your coin. With @rachelwithers.bsky.social @theshufflediary.bsky.social SUBSCRIBE!

A good little chart from the Parliamentary Library showing how almost all social spending by the Commonwealth is already means-tested #auspol

Something weird about these early 40s white men insisting we ditch net zero and fuck the consequences. The pig-headed, nihilistic disregard almost made sense for Abbott (67), Joyce (58), Morrison (57). But Hastie/Duniam are 42. Millennials who might've led the Coalition into the 21st century...

"Kirk represented everything we should be pushing back against. And if you are worried that saying so will trigger more violence, and a further slide into authoritarianism, then you have already ceded the space." @amyremeikis.bsky.social bang on as always: amyremeikis.substack.com/p/charlie-ki...

Following today's rally, we are going on Spin Cycle by the wonderful @evelynaraluen.bsky.social to discuss the closure of Meanjin, Australia's shrinking public square and much more after a monstrous week of news. Join @jessielilley.bsky.social @rachelwithers.bsky.social and I on RRR from 7pm!

Feels like only a matter of time before the word "Palestinian" is deemed antisemitic by the people who put together this list www.deepcutnews.com/p/watermelon...

Sounds like she should be calling for her own funding to be cut

Weirdly specific denial in this Guardian article that Melbourne Uni’s board didn’t play any role in killing Meanjin

The little Meanjin collection that I helped bring into the world as editor. Just a fragment of its 85-year catalogue. What an act of bone-stupid arrogance to kill it.

Meanjin has (had 😭) two - TWO - part time staff members. I'd be willing to bet my dinner that the cost of supporting Meanjin is less than what a single top 15 executive at Uni Melb makes in a year

What’s the real reason it’s being shut down? It sure ain’t a couple of hundred thousand dollars. Did the university council not like what it had been publishing, per chance? This was one of the handful of publications in Aus that published Randa Abdel-Fattah or Max Kaiser.

Meanwhile...

Meanjin Journal is 85 years old; older than the Sydney Opera House. Closing it down is cultural vandalism of the highest order, roughly equivalent to demolishing the above mentioned opera house. I am disgusted @meanjin.bsky.social

Appalling news about a historic and beloved publication, one which has run such powerful work on Palestine and our national debate under the stewardship of Esther Anatolitis and Eli McLean. A disturbing time for our creative and literary landscape. www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/04/m...

I’m sure this point has been made elsewhere but not only did they openly lie about how many recommendations were in the robodebt final report, the one they erased was to reform FOI and now they’re heading in the opposite direction. Surprise is not a feature of my reaction.

If two’s company and three’s a crowd, then new Melbourne MP Sarah Witty’s rental portfolio is looking a bit cramped... www.crikey.com.au/2025/09/02/l...

"For all the talk of the need to return to 'aspiration', high-profile moderates like Falinski, Wilson and Sharma seem far more interested in protecting the wealth of the rich, at the expense of those for whom aspiration is now a furphy." @rachelwithers.bsky.social www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/30/l...

Opinion | If Jason Falinski is the best the "moderate" wing of the Liberal Party has to offer, it's in very serious trouble, writes Rachel Withers.

As if I wasn't hyped enough about being back on @3rrrfm.bsky.social with @jessielilley.bsky.social and @rachelwithers.bsky.social, we are welcoming a true institution of Australian journalism: superstar psephologist @antonygreenelec.bsky.social. Tonight from 7pm, join us!

Tonight on Spin Cycle we are joined by none other than @antonygreenelec.bsky.social to look back on his time at the ABC covering alllllll the elections. @theshufflediary.bsky.social is back as is @rachelwithers.bsky.social. Lots to chat about in the news cycle. Tune into @3rrrfm.bsky.social 7pm.

Opinion | With the Nationals (temporarily) out of the picture, what prospect do the few remaining moderates Liberals have seizing ontrol of their party? @rachelwithers.bsky.social writes.

Those hoping the Coalition split could lead to a moderate Liberal renewal seem to have forgotten one crucial thing: the Liberals themselves. www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/22/c...

Good read

When I spoke to provisional Bradfield MP Nicolette Boele last year, I found perhaps the most teal teal to ever teal. The self-described policy wonk was one of the most enthusiastic candidates, enthusiasm that got her into trouble at a hairdresser mid-campaign... www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/20/n...

“The Coalition were aiming to capture working class voters in the outer suburbs, without bothering to develop any policies that might appeal to them.” @rachelwithers.bsky.social #SundayShot #auspol

Sorry...

The video at the top of this article from June 2023 is a pretty prime example....especially when they start to walk past Max. www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne...

“By changing her name to Sussan with a double S, she shifted her expression energy to a nine because the soul vibration is the same,” Tameera said. Finally someone interviewed a numerologist! www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/08/s...

After a campaign that Zoe Daniel’s camp says was “brutal, hostile and abusive”, Tim Wilson is back in the driver's seat, @rachelwithers.bsky.social writes.

This is such a poor half-imitation at the misogyny speech. We need a ban on the word mirror. A lot of people found Max Chandler-Mather tactless, but it wasn't "offensive" of him to ask the PM questions in QUESTION TIME, and it's blatantly false to suggest he stood in front of signs like Abbott did.

At the end of the day, despite the colour, the lower house floor may not be the Greens’ place But for as long as they remain a force in parliament, they’ll remain a thorn in Labor’s side — specifically the right-hand side, in the red chamber, where Labor won't see a majority without them.

"Bandt and co have some serious questions to answer, but Labor is kidding itself if it chooses to believe progressive voters wholly disapproved of the Greens’ performance, or that the Senate can be disregarded." A good reality check. Thank god for the Senate!

Unless the Greens can increase their primary, it may be that the House is just not their home, with the Senate the only place they’ll regularly hold power - and boy do they hold it. www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/06/t...

Quelle surprise www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...

Spin Cycle up now on @3rrrfm.bsky.social ! Come listen to Jess, Charlie and I talk election madness, and then interview the Guardian's Sarah Martin about her new Gina Rinehart podcast series! rrr.org.au

The PM would like to think that the independent movement is all about knocking off the coalition, but @rachelwithers.bsky.social has news for him... www.crikey.com.au/2025/04/03/f...

Oi, Mr Prime Minister! There are also community independents running in Labor-held seats too. www.crikey.com.au/2025/04/03/f...

Great chatting to you. Dental needs to be on medicare

I have a piece about dental care access in Australia (spoiler alert: it's not very accessible) in this month's Big Issue, which hits streets today! Thanks so much to @artistaffame.bsky.social for sharing your story. thebigissue.org.au/issue/sam-pa...