If you're rich and you vote Liberal, at least you get your tax cuts. But if you're a farmer and you vote National, you get screwed. No one will be more affected by climate change. And yet it's affluent voters deserting the Libs, not rural voters deserting the Nats. Odd. #auspol

aw that's so nice

The Liberals abandoning net zero is bad news for everyone. It's tempting to see this decision as good, because it ensures they will stay out of power. But this will weaken investor confidence in renewables and take pressure off Labor, who will now look amazing with even lacklustre effort. #auspol

R.I.P. Graham Richardson (1949 - 2025), a factional heavyweight and history-defining Environment Minister. But most importantly, author of one the best openers to a book on #auspol 👇🏻

I revisited Raymond Geuss' short work, Philosophy and Real Politics. This is still one of my favourite works of recent political theory, but I am less of a realist than I once thought. A sympathetic yet critical review: open.substack.com/pub/ideasmat...

An excellent article from my colleague and friend, Cory Alpert @tst-news.bsky.social www.straitstimes.com/opinion/how-...

i love elections

Melbourne weather vibes

I just wrote a post about why polling taken at this point in the electoral cycle is meaningless... but still LOL

Why do environmental reforms have to deliver for nature AND *business*?? Why does this never go challenged by the media? Nature laws should be about nature. #auspol #insiders

One Nation hitting 15% in the polls? She'll be right mate... Fingers crossed that this one ages well. #auspol open.substack.com/pub/louisdev...

Picked up a copy of Troy Bramston's new Whitlam biography today. I think it found a good home! 50 years since the Dismissal this Nov. 11 #auspol

I would be ok with this if projects deemed "in the national interest" were confined to renewable energy developments. But history suggests this won't the case

I will never stop beating the anti AUKUS drum

"The most egregious aspect of this reform process has been the contemptuous manner in which the Albanese Government treats the Senate." I've written a piece outlining what we know so far about Labor's environmental reforms. My verdict? Kinda cringe. #auspol open.substack.com/pub/louisdev...

This is such a facile approach to policy making. It enables Labor to keep proposing bad legislation on important topics, get nothing done, and then blame everyone else. #auspol

Can't believe that the media is still trying to read the tea leaves and find meaning in Trump's brain farts. If Trump says he doesn't believe that Xi will invade Taiwan, this isn't a shift in US policy, it's the ramblings of a man who has no idea what he is talking about. #auspol

Torn between admiration at how well Albanese's meeting with Trump went, and revulsion at our strategic obsequiousness. No matter how much Trump praises AUKUS, it's still a rotten deal. #auspol #trumpalbanese

"if elected" is the operative phrase here ab.co/42D3nTK?fbcl...

Racism, colonialism and slavery — these are not accidents of history, they are the result of a metaphysical worldview peculiar to the Western world. That is the bold claim made by Prof. Shuchen Xiang, who joined me to discuss her new book, Chinese Cosmopolitanism. open.spotify.com/episode/1AIS...

📵Aussie workers now have the right to ignore after-hours calls & emails. Your time is your time. Work stops when the shift ends. 💪

Very interesting. You don't need to tell me this after I experienced working in a bakery.

It's me!

As I find myself in China at the same time as PM Albanese, I decided to write a little primer on the geopolitical context behind his visit. This was written on my phone, so please excuse any typos. #auspol #auschina open.substack.com/pub/louisdev...

Enjoyed this piece by @mattpolprof.bsky.social for @liberalcurrents.com Rawls offers a "...political project centered around the quintessentially liberal principle that all life is equally sacred and deserves to be experienced with dignity." www.liberalcurrents.com/rawls-in-the...

Absolute scenes today in Dengfeng, China. The Song Mountains.

I'm dismayed that it's a Liberal (Andrew Hastie) rightly calling for greater transparency about the US alliance, while Labor is enmeshing us further with the US. Some interesting notes in this article, esp. that conflict over Taiwan could spark a regional war. #auspol www.afr.com//policy/fore...

Lovely to chat union history and my new book, "No Power Greater", with @louissdevine.bsky.social on his Ideas Matter pod

The Australian MP making the most sense on Trump and Iran right now is Jacqui Lambie. Calling him a "bully" and a "sociopath" who treats war like a game to be announced over social media. #auspol youtu.be/EshaIp4_IVI?...

Trump's biggest con was convincing people that he represented a break from establishment US foreign policy.

Marking exams on a Sunday night

Are you interested in: • the early formation of working-class parties • the meaning and history of unionism • how labour responded to the neoliberalism of the 1980s? Then my interview with Liam Byrne is for you! @liamj47.bsky.social #auspol open.spotify.com/episode/19bd...

Yes.

I genuinely don't understand this level of eagerness to secure a face-to-face meeting with Trump. So what if Trump says that he won't cancel AUKUS or will review tariffs? It's not like Trump sticks to his word and doesn't change his opinion based on whoever he spoke to last... #auspol

An apt description of US foreign policy

Just recorded an 80 minute podcast episode about the history of Australian trade unionism with @liamj47.bsky.social Essential listening for all you Auspol freaks and union comrades. Stay tuned. #auspol

I cannot help but feel that in 10-20 years time, we will look back at the failure of our political class to realise that the America they grew up with is gone, not just as embarrassing but as actively harmful to Australia. #auspol #aukus

Great book. Grab it while it's on sale

Interesting (odd?) decision for Greens Senator Dorinda Cox to defect to the Labor Party, given that the Greens are about to have huge influence in the Senate. Surely you'd more sway as one out of 11, rather than one of ~28 #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...

#doctorwho #whosky

The best thing about Doctor Who is its ability to change. So, why is it stuck in 2005? The show will die a slow and painful death unless it moves on and stops running on nostalgia. #doctorwho #drwho

The Coalition reuniting is good for progressive politics. It removes the tempting possibility of Labor passing legislation with the Liberal Party in the Senate, particularly on environmental reforms. Better to negotiate with the Greens. #auspol

It is strange that the Greens' demands regarding the Gov's superannuation tax changes are simultaneously 1) Lower the threshold from 3 mil to 2 mil (to increase how many people are covered by it) 2) Index the amount at which the 30% rate applies (to reduce how many are covered by it) #auspol

R.I.P a great thinker, Alasdair MacIntyre www.wordonfire.org/articles/rem...

What a mess. www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...

Good take by @amyremeikis.bsky.social. Personally I am worried about environmental reforms. Given that Labor's proposed laws are a response to a review commissioned by Ley when she was environment minister, will Labor try to pass them with Liberal support in the Senate rather than the Greens?

My take on the significance of the Coalition breaking up. The most important outcome in an already historic election. #auspol pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/lab...

To paraphrase Malcolm Turnbull, there has never been a more exciting time to study Australian politics. #auspol

It could be game over for the Liberals. If the Nationals double down on culture war and take away conservative voters from the Liberals, and the Teals keep taking away moderates, then there is nowhere for the Liberals left to go. Is it all over for the party of Menzies? #auspol