“Ordinary Australians are being pummelled by skyrocketing petrol prices and, as their household bills go through the roof, the gas industry continues to get a free ride,” said Dr Richard Denniss, co-CEO of The Australia Institute. Read more: https://theaus.in/3NaCt17

"How can increasing Australian interest rates open the Strait of Hormuz?” said @mattgrudnoff.bsky.social “All this increase in interest rates will do is heap more misery on Australian mortgage holders who are already being hurt by higher fuel prices,” he said. www.news.com.au/finance/econ...

“The Australia Institute has published our annual tally of subsidies, concessions and tax breaks to major fossil fuel users and producers . . . Our estimate is $16.3 billion in 2025-26,” writes Rod Campbell. Read the full piece on The Point: https://theaus.in/4sOBl23

The Trump administration’s war on Iran is the most “incompetent, incoherent” war the US has fought in a century, according to one senator. @emmashortis.bsky.social on the Strait of Hormuz closure, Pete Hegseth’s attacks on the media & Australia’s response to the conflict. 🎧 theaus.in/4dw5leG

Since the Iraq War, "the principles of international law haven't changed. But it appears the principles of the Labor party have. ...[Albanese's willing support for Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war] is a betrayal of Labor values." @emmashortis.bsky.social #auspol podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/n...

“A Gallup poll released just before the war began showed that, for the first time this century, more Americans said their sympathies were with Palestinians than Israelis.” Excellent analysis from David Smith is @aunz.theconversation.com.

Seems like the sort of guy we should give some big Defence contracts to. Someone tell Richard Marles

A few weeks ago, I had the immense privilege of hosting a conversation with @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social and Professor Clare Wright on history, democracy, and resisting fascism. Watch it back here:

In @thepointau.bsky.social, Professor of International Law Don Rothwell on the illegality of the war on Iran and the "very narrow legal corridor" Australia is attempting to walk. "Notwithstanding some views that the rules-based international legal order is crumbling, this is not a lawless world."

“The International Energy Agency says it is the largest disruption in the history of oil supplies.” Tired of winning, amirite

New Australia Institute research shows that state and federal governments will provide $16.3 billion in subsidies in 2025/26 to some of the biggest, most profitable companies in Australia, an increase of 9.4 per cent on last financial year. Read more on The Point: https://theaus.in/4bmdAaP

One of the small joys of modern life is watching newbies discover Naomi Wolf.

AUKUS is dragging Australia towards the US-Israel war on Iran. @emmashortis.bsky.social & @ebonybennett.bsky.social discuss the war on Iran, Australia's involvement in the conflict & the risks of embedding of Australian sailors on American nuclear-powered submarines. 🎧 theaus.in/4sGfrye

So the inquiry seems to have found that the Girls School in Iran was previously part of the IRGC compound, and US intelligence thought it still was. Looking at freely available satellite images, you can see that there's been a wall separating the school from the IRGC base since at least 2016.

We’ll continue to trust US intelligence though. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Subsidies to mining companies growing faster than the NDIS, child care, aged care. Australian gov fossil fuel subsidies now at $30,000 every minute of every day. Great piece on @australiainstitute.org.au latest research www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Hivemind, I'm writing my column and looking for good analysis of MAGA folks' apparent inability to anticipate reactions of other people, especially reactions they themselves wouldn't have. So they're surprised by Iran, surprised by Hormuz, surprised by collective resistance in Minnesota.

Iran’s people were facing a horrible shortage of water before the war began. If we are destroying desalination plants and setting fire to Teheran we are committing unfathomable crimes.

“…by ignoring the spirit if not the letter of the Geneva Conventions, the U.S.* is endangering the lives of service members in this and subsequent conflicts.” *and Australia

I was wondering this today, and Faine puts it in a much more sophisticated way, but what’s the term for the basic ability to imagine the consequences of actions? Like object permanence, but for blocks falling over.

Strategy is fundamentally all about developing a sophisticated theory of the mind of one’s opponent. With MAGA’s Iran Adventure, guess we’re going to see what a modern war almost totally devoid of anything we’d call “strategy” looks like.

“MAGA’s fundamental shared quality is a total lack of theory of mind for other people” is a theory that keeps getting validated by reality - look at almost every decision they’ve made in the war with Iran, and how they seem constantly surprised by the unanticipated actions of other parties.

Here’s me in the Guardian today. The Aukus submarine pact has dragged Australia into the Trump administration’s illegal war on Iran in all but name. This was all entirely forseeable.

There is no “not participating”.

So they didn’t “participate”, they just…watched? They watched as their co-crew members left people to drown at sea? That’s in accordance with Australian law and Australian policy? I cannot even

He actually said Australians being on the sub is "one of the big pluses behind the Aukus arrangements". What the fuck are we doing

Penny Wong refuses to say if any Australian crew onboard US submarine that sank Iranian warship

Is Australia at war with Iran? Or do we not disclose that for operational and security reasons?

Appalling. Are we now legitimate military targets? What does the government say to the Iranian Australians living here and abroad. Shameful

What does the “international rules-based order” the Australian government is so keen on say about leaving people to drown?

So

Is Australia already involved in the US and Israel's illegal war on Iran? This morning, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that a US submarine sunk an Iranian ship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka.

4 & 5. @emmashortis.bsky.social 's Our Exceptional Friend* and After America, on policy as contingency (things do *not* have to be the way they are.) publishing.hardiegrant.com/en-au/books/... www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/after-... *Full disclosure, I fact-checked this book; it was immense fun.

When we talk about the end of the 'rules based order' we also need to consider that Hegseth, more than anyone, embodies a repudiation of a key norm of that era: killing is inherently bad and you must do as little of it as you can. That's a bigger worry than whether the UN or WTO still matters etc.

Next weekend - don’t miss @emmashortis.bsky.social talking all things AUKUS with @davidshoebridge.bsky.social and Dr Jamie Reilly. 🗓️ Saturday 14 March ⏱️6-8pm 📍Main Hall, Pennant Hills Community Centre, Pennant Hills NSW Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/aukus-public-meeting

Just unbelievable how stupid everything is

It happened at a time of his choosing

NEWS: Americans were told to evacuate the Middle East — but the State Dept is not helping them do it. We called the State hotline. First thing you hear is an automated message: "Do not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation."

I’m sure those Aukus submarines will be all ours though. Under Australian sovereign control and all that.

We need courageous leadership that stands up for international law. By Allan Behm.

They know what they're doing bsky.app/profile/dber...

Here’s my @australiainstitute.org.au colleague Allan Behm on Australia’s dismal response to Trump’s illegal war.

There are so many things I am saying offline about the Clinton testimony. What I will say publicly is that the republicans spent too many years solidifying idea that Bill likes fat ugly broads (ie adults) to tie him to Epstein. And, even having lost a step, they forget who they are dealing with

The ‘president of peace’ has started another war, with no apparent regard for the consequences. Allan Behm & @emmashortis.bsky.social discuss the US-Israeli attacks, what this war means for nuclear proliferation & the Australian government’s “deeply disappointing” response. 🎧 theaus.in/4u3BsrZ

Yesterday, The Australia Institute kicked off the Yanis Varoufakis Speaking Tour 2026 with An Afternoon with Yanis Varoufakis & Friends at Adelaide Town Hall. It was an afternoon of bold ideas, storytelling, and inspiration. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us!

"A war that is quite clearly illegal under both American and international law – but, you know, whatever. It’s not like the Australian government, which frequently points to the “international rules based order” is willing to say that either."

"Time to break the pattern of rushing to war with the US. The message from voters is clear." @emmashortis.bsky.social live.thepoint.com.au?post=1f9e579...