Now is a good time to talk to the government about arts policy: they're accepting submissions for the next plan. May be a good time to remind them that Australia has very low arts spending compared with other developed countries.

Laws are only effective if they're enforced and right now there's a big gap between the # of people get a firearm for hunting or sport shooting and the # of people who actually engage in those activities. If they're not using the gun for the stated reason, why are they are allowed to keep them?

Up to 250,000 NSW gun owners say they need a firearm to hunt or play sports - but only 36,000 actually did either. What are they doing with their guns? We don't know. This is the 'gaping hole' in Australia's gun laws: www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

Australia's gun laws in major need of reform. 200,000+ gun owners in don't use their weapons for the reasons stated on their licence. This is a major security risk for the community Great story on SMH front page on important new @australiainstitute.org.au research. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

"When [economists] say the labour market's too tight & we need unemployment to rise, they say it so cavalierly." "One, because they know they're not going to lose their jobs." @grogsgamut.bsky.social & @skyelark.bsky.social on the latest episode of Dollars & Sense. #auspol 🎧 theaus.in/4aU32AI

Sussan Ley’s seat of Farrer, which spans most of the NSW side of the Victorian border, including the town of Albury, will go into a campaign frenzy as Liberals, Nationals, One Nation and Independents all seek to succeed the former Liberal leader. Read more on The Point: https://theaus.in/46LbUGl

The US-Israel war on Iran could have serious, lasting impacts on the global economy. @grogsgamut.bsky.social & @skyelark.bsky.social discuss the implications of this illegal war & the latest data on the Australian economy. 🎧 theaus.in/4aU32AI

The Farrer by-election, now scheduled for May 9th, could be a four-cornered or even five-cornered contest. Who will the candidates be and how will the race play out? I took a look on @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

The Albanese Government's case for crackdown on FOI fell apart when it became clear that there is no "flood" of FOI requests. Case load is about the same as 20 years ago. The extra costs and delays are a result of FOI officers spending their time trying to block access and censor documents.

We love to see it. ⚰️

The Government has finally abandoned its 'friendless' changes to FOI laws after it became clear they wouldn't pass the Senate. Here's three reasons to be glad they did, on @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

Almost half of Australians now say they intend to vote for minor parties and independents -- up from 34% at last year's election. Even before One Nation's meteoric (though to-date only speculative) rise, the 2025 election was a high point.

Excellent work by @skyelark.bsky.social on how many guns are stockpiled in each postcode of Sydney live.thepoint.com.au/2026/03/the-...

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

If you live in Sydney, do you know how many guns are being stockpiled in your suburb? There are hundreds of guns owned by a single person in each of Cremorne, Malabar beach and Narrabeen - and that's just the top of the list: thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

BREAKING: UK Greens smash Reform and Labor to win the by-election in Manchester. This is real momentum and it’s how we defeat the racist right across the globe, with hope and confidence we can build a brighter and fairer future. 💚💚💚

Australia is a low-taxing nation. @grogsgamut.bsky.social & @skyelark.bsky.social discuss Tim Wilson’s claims about tax, Trump's tariffs & Australia’s bizarre subsidies for fossil fuels. 🎧 theaus.in/4cPVkbW

Almost 80% of Australia's Olympic team went to private schools - compared to just 40% of Australians. Our unequal education system is on full display at the Winter Olympics: thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

This is indefensible. Calls for people to lose their jobs and livelihoods are overdone in Australia. But how can these officers continue to be employed? Surely they must be charged with assault.

"Social cohesion is a scam, a strategy employed by the powerful to delegitimise and suppress the voices of the less powerful... If you are othered by powerful groups, you become the victim of cohesion, not the beneficiary; what you get from social cohesion is a punch from an armed official."

Crisis? What crisis? Govt's own docs prove that there was no "swarm" of FOI requests that required Australians' FOI rights to be restricted. No wonder govt delayed 150 days before releasing. @skyelark.bsky.social on @thepointau.bsky.social live blog: live.thepoint.com.au/2026/02/the-...

Most power-sharing agreements between major parties and minor parties/independents are public -- So why is the Coalition Agreement secret? @skyelark.bsky.social on @thepointau.bsky.social live blog live.thepoint.com.au?post=928adea...

According to new Australia Institute research, the inequality between private and public education will continue to grow, and Australian students, along with the Australian community and economy, will suffer. Read the full piece on The Point: https://theaus.in/4rsPW2I

The Nationals are the party of the bush, making Liberals the party of the city, right? In fact, Libs have lost most of their metro seats -- so One Nation's rise in the regions threatens the Libs as much as the Nats. @skyelark.bsky.social on @thepointau.bsky.social live.thepoint.com.au#732cfc1bdd

Triple J Hottest 100 out tomorrow! Last year just 27 Aus songs made it. Lowest since 1994!! Why? – Streaming favours the USA Thankfully, DJ Albo is in the house and can turn this around! Thread on how.

Last night, the Commonwealth passed its part of the most significant gun control reforms since 1996. But how did we get here? What does this legislation do? And how have the far-right taken advantage of Australia's gun laws? New from me on @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

Hanson not exactly looking thrilled about Joyce's defection to One Nation in their publicity photos

Kerry O'Brien's warning that Labor wants to make it easier for govts to flout freedom of information laws confirmed. Fact check for @thepointau.bsky.social by @skyelark.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/factchecks/2...

The Actuaries Institute of Australia recently published our review of mortality in 2024, which you can find here. content.actuaries.asn.au/resources/re.... A quick summary of our major conclusions #thread.

The devil is in the devolution: are the states mounting an EPBC takeover? New from Simon Copland and @kirstyhowey.bsky.social: thepoint.com.au/opinions/251...

Ausmusic tshirt day at work with @skyelark.bsky.social @ebonybennett.bsky.social ‪@alicektg.bsky.social‬ You can donate to musicians doing it tough here: ausmusictshirtday.org.au

@australiainstitute.org.au wearing aus music t-shirts today. You can donate to musicians doing it tough here: ausmusictshirtday.org.au

The public service is not bloated, and cuts will hurt Australians. Two charts on The Point from @grogsgamut.bsky.social show the context and costs of slashing APS budgets: thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

National Party members have effectively set the Coalition's climate policy, but who's in this influential group? The answer: a shrinking, aging membership - New from me on @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

This piece nicely encapsulates why independent journalism is increasingly trusted above mainstream. Skye Predavec accurately describes the $9 trillion claim as "gross misrepresentation". The take from most mainstream journos?: 'Mr Littleproud said...' #ClimateCrisis #auspol

This by @skyelark.bsky.social was such a brilliant slaughtering of the LNP’s $9tn claim. Ley won’t even say the number anymore #ThePoint thepoint.com.au/factchecks/2...

"Five times freedom of information shone a light on secretive government processes" @skyelark.bsky.social #ThePoint thepoint.com.au/explainers/2...

There's a common misconception that preferences explain the thumping majority Labor won at this year's election. Not true -- as @skyelark.bsky.social explains in @thepointau.bsky.social fact check thepoint.com.au/factchecks/2...

Australia gives parties and candidates generous taxpayer funding, but it comes too late -- after the election has already happened. @skyelark.bsky.social describes alternatives that make public funding available to new challengers -- when they can actually use it. On @thepointau.bsky.social

Australia should take many lessons from Mamdani's incredible victory, including learning from America on how to handle money in politics (yes, really) New from me on @thepointau.bsky.social 👇 thepoint.com.au/news/251108-...

Barnaby Joyce says almost a third of his electorate – equivalent to Sydney and Melbourne combined – will be "carpeted" in renewables. It might not surprise you to learn that he seems to have made it up out of thin air: thepoint.com.au/factchecks/2...

A brilliant fact check by @skyelark.bsky.social "Will Net Zero cost $9 trillion to Australia?" #ThePoint (spoiler, not even fucking close) thepoint.com.au/factchecks/2...

Taking reader questions on @thepointau.bsky.social live blog: How many more seats would the Coalition lose if an election were held today? @skyelark.bsky.social answers -- live.thepoint.com.au/2025/11/the-...

@skyelark.bsky.social impactful article thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

Another historic achievement in transparency by the Albanese govt: cratering the FOI system. thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

"PM Albanese’s culture of secrecy, in three charts" Damning work by @skyelark.bsky.social on this govt's secrecy #OffTheCharts #ThePoint thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

Missed this form earlier this week. By @skyelark.bsky.social "The Federal Government spends more on shredders than FOI training" thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

Excited to be able to talk about this publicly now - The Point is now up and running and from Monday, you'll find my parliament blog on it 💃 thepoint.com.au

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme keeps Australian medicines affordable, and Big Pharma hates it. Now Trump is angling for Australians to pay US style prices for life-saving drugs. @skyelark0 explains ⤵️ #auspol