Junk food companies can't lie about their products being healthy. So why can politicians in NSW lie in their election ads? ✍️ Add your name to the petition for truth in political advertising laws in NSW! ⤵️⤵️⤵️ #auspol @browne90.bsky.social

He's no Matt Damon, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a master of the politics of constraint, drawing on lessons that go back to The Odyssey. Odysseus took literally what contemporary politicians apply only metaphorically: to have your hands tied may be a source of strength.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned today: "extremists and state actors already use AI ... to spread disinformation that targets democracies." Disinformation on elections, policies and candidates threatens the integrity of our elections. Truth in political advertising laws can help.

We think of ourselves as larrikins, but Australia has made it much harder for candidates like @countbinface.bsky.social to run in elections -- and that's our loss.

Over 8,000 NSW residents have already signed our petition for truth in political advertising laws! If we reach 20,000, NSW Parliament will have to debate it! ✍️ Add your name to the call to stop misleading ads in NSW elections! #auspol @browne90.bsky.social

In NSW at the moment, it's perfectly legal to lie in a political ad. And if our petition for truth in political advertising gets 20,000 signatures, it will have to be debated in NSW Parliament! #auspol @browne90.bsky.social

On @thepointau.bsky.social , @benraue.com warns "democracy isn't an optional extra" as local council tries to leave a position vacant for more than two years. Rule change to use countbacks more often could resolve future vacancies. thepoint.com.au/opinions/dem...

"What we should kind of reflect on is...12 months before the election, Peter Dutton was ahead in the polls." Co-CEO Richard Denniss reflected on the 2025 federal election and what insight it might give for future elections in today's Australia Institute webinar! @richarddenniss.bsky.social #auspol

Join @richarddenniss.bsky.social @amyremeikis.bsky.social in 40 mins for a chat about the historic 2025 election, one year on from Labor's landslide. nb.australiainstitute.org.au/after_the_la...

Across the country, FOI laws play an important role in Australian democracy, allowing the public to access information about the governments that represent them. Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

Senator Jacqui Lambie calls it Labor's “second assault on FOI” -- Govt threatens @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social with $150k bill if he defends his freedom of information win. thepoint.com.au/new/260706-c...

Labor's tax reform. Sussan Ley's replacement with Angus Taylor. One Nation's rise. A year is a long time in politics! @amyremeikis.bsky.social and @richarddenniss.bsky.social unpack the 2025 landslide election and what's happened since.

1) You request access to Govt docs to participate in democracy. 2) Govt says “NO”! 3) You seek a Tribunal review and it says “YES”. 4) Govt appeals to a court and demands you pay their legal fees. 5) Independent MPs & senators say “THAT’S NOT OK”! #auspol

"In NSW, it’s perfectly legal to lie in a political ad. That has politicians and citizens rightfully worried about whether the March election could be marred by misinformation and deceit" writes @browne90.bsky.social Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

Bizarre for Angus Taylor to claim Australia has "imported" ideology from the West Coast of the US, apparently of "not putting [fires] out". Famously, Californian (and other US) firefighters and Australian ones regularly cooperate to fight fires! www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

I’m the large correspondent

The Senate has backed our push for transparency in NACC appointments. The Attorney-General must release all documentation on candidates, and the committee will interview them directly. A corruption watchdog needs to be chosen in the open (only Labor opposing this!)

Here are six times when politicians paid the price for pursuing short-term self-interest - from Senate shenanigans to Liberal and One Nation pre-selection woes. Read the full piece by @browne90.bsky.social on The Point: thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

It's absolutely absurd, btw, that it fell to a group of private citizens relying on public donations to scrutinise the most expensive defence acquisition in the nation's history. You'd think this is something our elected representatives wd do.

Liberal review called for engagement with multicultural groups, broadening support base. “The Party’s capacity to thoughtlessly offend groups, including the Chinese, was a widespread problem.” A few months on, Angus Taylor can barely bring himself to say "multiculturalism".

I am absolutely fine my lovelies - but if you are a journalist doing your job these days, more fuckers than usual are sniveling around in the dirt looking for ways to try & shame or silence you. This is happening more than people realise and should be called out www.deepcutnews.com/p/political-...

For the NACC nerds: Submissions to the parliamentary inquiry on the NACC's performance are being published. Some interesting names here:

KPMG faced bipartisan fury at last week’s parliamentary inquiry -- Labor, Greens and Liberal senators all ripped shreds off the scandal-prone firm's current and former leadership. My summary for @thepointau.bsky.social live blog: live.thepoint.com.au?post=ecd2fb9...

The KPMG hearings today show how vulnerable whistleblowers are. It's bad enough in public sector + corporations, but partnerships are even worse! More from Alana Barbaro, Kieran Pender (@humanrightshrlc.bsky.social) and myself on The Point. thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

“When it comes to truth in political advertising, NSW can do better than Pontius Pilate" writes @browne90.bsky.social Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

✍️ Sign the petition to stop misleading political ads in NSW ⤵️ www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePe...

It is perfectly legal to lie in a political ad in NSW, tho it shouldn’t be. And with AI “deep fake” technology getting more convincing and easier to produce, political lies are only going to become more common unless something is done to stop them. thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

South Australia has had successful truth in political advertising laws for decades. Australia Institute research shows 89% of NSW residents support truth in political advertising laws! #auspol @browne90.bsky.social

Jesus wept. Brambles (and Qantas) chair John Mullen justifies keeping scandal-prone KPMG as company auditor because: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” What sins has Brambles committed? www.afr.com/companies/pr...

ACT could follow NSW's lead and ban donations from the gambling industry -- if a private member's bill from indie Thomas Emerson gets up. thepoint.com.au/news/260612-...

Couple of parliamentary inquiries are rethinking election signs and "exclusion zones". ACT might drop its 100 metre exclusion zone -- good move. NSW committee takes moderate approach -- restricting but not banning signs. thepoint.com.au/news/260612-...

Stunning expose of gun lobby capture of Vic Labor. Must-read for anyone interested in #SpringSt, or guns in Aus generally In @thesaturdaypaper.com.au, feat research from @australiainstitute.org.au www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/2026/06...

✍️ SIGN THE PETITION: https://theaus.in/4opobI6 “Truth in political advertising is vital to restoring public trust that has been greatly eroded. Without laws around this our democracy is broken,” said lead petitioner Michelle Millner.

NSW has banned political donations from the gambling industry, and a private member's bill from Thomas Emerson could do the same in the ACT. From Tegan George on @thepointau.bsky.social : thepoint.com.au/news/260612-...

@browne90.bsky.social writes “Despite preference deal, LNP votes only flowed weakly to One Nation in Farrer by-election” Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

One in 3 Coalition voters defied how-to-vote cards, putting independent Michelle Milthorpe above One Nation. A problem for the parties of the right. Indie and minor party candidates may pick up votes from all sides. New preference data from last month's Farrer by-election.

Canberrans -- a chance to reimagine how the ACT is governed, with former chief minister Gary Humphries, former ministers/powerful crossbenchers, Michael Moore, Bernard Collaery and Caroline Le Couteur. From @capadaus.bsky.social and Active Democracy Bean. events.humanitix.com/reimagining-...

Two years after NSW Police used a taser to kill a 95-year-old woman with dementia, they are using tasers *more*, not less. Great story from @australia.theguardian.com about the "less violent" weapons being used on protesters, crowds, those experiencing mental health episodes.

Competition for Years 10 to 12 students to imagine themselves as elected MPs -- and deliver their first speech to Parliament. Good initiative from Speaker Milton Dick: www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...

“Charlie [Pickering] is a seasoned media professional. He would know exactly who Avi Yemini is. He didn't have to engage with him … he made a direct choice to cosy up to a man found guilty of abusing his wife, while denouncing me as ignorant. Surely I needn’t point out the irony here." - Grace Tame

Thoughtful piece from @daanysaeed.bsky.social @crikey.com.au on politicians' misuse of entitlements (travel allowance, etc) -- what can be done, and who should be doing it? www.crikey.com.au/2026/06/03/parliamentary-expenses-pub-test-linda-reynolds-anika-wells/

The ACT has led the country on progressive, popular reforms -- and drug decriminalisation is one example. James Watson on @thepointau.bsky.social live blog with the latest evidence of broad community support. live.thepoint.com.au?post=7350150...

Shoebridge fights through attempts to shield Navy Chief Hammond grilling him on a “graph” that he apparently saw showing AUKUS is on track - while also showing just “incremental” gains. “I didn’t say it was on track”🙄 ffs Shoebridge “We can all agree it’s not on track”💥 #auspol

Across Australia, fewer than 1/3 Lib MPs are women. A recent party discussion paper again raises gender quotas, which worked well for Labor. Will the change happen now former Minister for Women Tony Abbott is leading the party?

KPMG CEO Andrew Yates just quit over the firm's mishandling of whistleblower complaints. You'll never guess which scandal-prone consulting firm runs the Reserve Bank of Australia's whistleblower hotline ...

Not just Senate Estimates this week! An update on @thepointau.bsky.social live blog of how Tasmania's estimates is going -- where the premier himself appears. Equivalent of Anthony Albanese facing Estimates -- something @australiainstitute.org.au has proposed. live.thepoint.com.au/2026/06/the-...

Pauline Hanson not wrong that the prime minister can come from the Senate -- even though by convention, PMs are chosen from among House of Reps MPs. Votes and seats, not convention and tradition, still greatest barrier to Hanson prime ministership. live.thepoint.com.au?post=bfe3367...

Parliamentary privilege is a powerful tool. But it escapes the restrictions that all other Australians are subject to, like defamation, hate speech and contempt of court. Parliamentary privilege depends on politicians (and committee witnesses) using it in good faith. thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

Someone in Tas Govt leaks email with personal health detail about Estimates A chair Ruth Forrest. Part of a worrying trend of govts using personal info to wage media battles? SA Govt leaked a dead man's email to discredit his widow, wasn't even the right man. live.thepoint.com.au/2026/05/the-...

Infuriating that already rich kids wanting to sell AI apps no-one asked for to Venture Capital are getting 30 articles a day about how the tax changes will make them slightly less rich, but the NDIS changes are being cheered on in the media.