Writing on the wall! Something both the Coalition and Labor should heed. #ClimateAction #energy #auspol

Jumping forward in time to 2075,👇here’s a letter👇 from a 2025 key LNP-destructor politician (I’ll let you guess who) to his great grandchildren, apologising for always looking backwards. His letter tells a story of politics defeated by progress. #auspol

If the Coalition really was serious about addressing high energy prices they would have stepped out of today’s joint discussion to announce a retrospective gas reservation scheme to end local price gouging by the gas cartel. All talk, no walk. #auspol

Under Labor’s environmental reforms, project proponents don’t have to disclose scope 3 emissions, only scope 1 and 2 (see post 2/2 for definition). Why? Official’s avoided answering Senator David Pocock’s question on that🤷‍♂️. Looks like a job for #FOI. 1/2 #climate #auspol

A break today on beautiful K’Gari (Fraser Island), Queensland. Worth a visit. #WorldHeritage #WorkFromRoam

In exactly 89 years from today (Chinese) Landbridge Group’s 99 year lease over the Port of Darwin will end. During the election campaign @albomp.bsky.social said “Australia needs to own the Port of Darwin”. Hopefully my #FOI request, due soon, will shed light on what Govt is doing. #auspol

Fiery red sunset over Childers, Queensland, to end the work week.

An interesting observation from @ausconservation.bsky.social’s CEO on whether a regulator OR a politician should be the ultimate environmental approval decision maker - “it’s much harder to make a donation to a regulator than it is to make a donation to a politician”. #environment #auspol

Today’s #WorkFromHome office view! I’m working on one of my full Federal Court #FOI challenges whilst tuning in to the Senate Inquiry into the Govt’s Environmental Protection Reform Bill (thank you #Starlink - antenna bottom LHS of photo). #auspol

A great democratic feature of SA law (s 16B of the Parliamentary Committees Act) is that Parliament MUST, on presentation of a petition of 10,000 signatures, conduct an inquiry in relation to the petition’s ask. 👍👍👍 #democracy #auspol #saparli

The Labor chair of the Senate inquiry into @albomp.bsky.social’s ‘assault on Govt transparency’ Bill delayed publication of WJF’s/TW’s joint submission, apparently not because it calls out Albo’s hypocrisy, rather because an #FOI case study was critical of Snowy 2.0 🤷‍♂️. 1/3 #auspol

Today’s #WorkFromRoam office is a Hervey Bay cafe. I’m challenging a #FOI charge of $829 to access docs on Govt progress on a national radioactive waste facility - a fair request, I say, given Govts have spent 50 years, and hundreds of $million, not solving the problem. #auspol

The media portrayed yesterday’s bilateral security treaty with Indonesia as a “surprise”. If only they’d read Philip Dorling and my 2023 MWM article on the negotiations 👇. #auspol

I wonder how @albomp.bsky.social really felt about standing side-by-side a man that commanded Special Forces responsible for gross human rights abuses in East Timor and led Indonesian forces in bloody reprisal actions across West Papua. #auspol

Treasury has asked me to pay $561 to access the rationale behind one of their proposed amendments to the #FOI Act, and suggested as ‘Option 1’ that I pay by ‘Bank Cheque or Australian Money Order’. It’s great to see them on top of 21st century monetary technology 🤦‍♂️ . #auspol

We 1) GIVE multi-national companies our finite gas resources FOR FREE to facilitate their profits, and emissions, and 2) CHARGE young Australians for an education that will facilitate an advanced future economy. We took a wrong turn somewhere. #auspol

The choice for the Liberals is simple … risk shedding some votes to right wing rural folk or risk losing even more votes to centrist inner-city dwellers. Today may be the day they vote themselves out of any future relevance. #StuckInOpposition #auspol

Outgoing RSL ­President Greg Melick needs to appreciate that it is Defence leadership, as much as Govt, that have WASTED tens of billions on failed projects (e.g. $4B to NOT buy French subs) and who proposed/support opulent risky projects such as #AUKUS subs. 1/2 #auspol

If only the Libs had held the transparency high ground, we’d have been able to judge this week’s appointment of former SA Labor premier Jay Weatherill to UK High Commissioner by reference to standards laid out in the Briggs ‘Job for Mates’ review. #auspol

After two backflips by the NSW Govt and a backflip by Defence Dept at @NCATNSW today, the public will now get to see all the NSW #AUKUS sub base docs I requested. A win for transparency, but only after needless and costly #FOI obstruction. #secrecy #waste #auspol #NSWpol

One of the objectives of my new peregrine lifestyle is to work from a different cafe ‘office’ each day. Today I’m enjoying an ‘Insane Caffeine” at Childers, Queensland. #WorkFromRoam

Economic Complexity Index (ECI) is a holistic measure of the knowledge/productive capabilities of a country. ECI indicates a lot about long term prosperity and resilience. Here’s how Australia is trending compared with our Asian neighbours. 1/2 #StopJustExportingRocks #auspol

This morning I worked on an Information Commissioner’s #FOI review submission as I try to get access to the #AUKUS ‘WHO’S PAYING WHAT’ agreement the Govt says we can’t see. This afternoon I changed modes and walked to the shifting sands of Queensland’s Carlo Sandblow. #auspol

Today I cross-examine a secret witness on his/her secret evidence (some of which I've now seen) as to why the Australian War Memorial censored the official history of ADF operations in Timor. Although I'm allowed in, the Tribunal door will be closed to the public . #FOI #auspol

Vice Admiral Mead, head of the Australian Submarine Agency, to retire next year. Another #AUKUS architect to depart before the project turns turtle. #auspol

Labor and the Coalition are setting up a closed-door joint parliamentary Defence oversight committee that can receive secret testimony. Greens and independent MPs/senators will be excluded - no critical eyes welcome. Happy days for Defence and their $B in waste! #AUKUS #auspol

The rotten fruit is starting to drop from the $368B #AUKUS tree. Against the backdrop of @albomp.bsky.social’s choice to spend so much money on a single future capability (that likely won’t arrive), other ‘now’ defence capabilities are suffering. Reckless strategy in tense times 🤦‍♂️. #auspol

Consistent with the duopoly’s view that there should be NO scrutiny of the $368B #AUKUS program, they’ve voted to stop a Senate Committee examining the Bill that implements the Geelong Treaty between Australia and the UK. Your parliament at work! #auspol

@albomp.bsky.social’s transparency crushing #FOI Amendment Bill just passed the House of Representatives. How did your MP vote? Labor MPs: For SECRECY Coalition MPs: For TRANSPARENCY Greens MP: For TRANSPARENCY Teal and independent MPs: For TRANSPARENCY #auspol

Yesterday the Coalition crumbled on Senate transparency enforcement, granting the Govt time to finish dealing with the #Jobs4GovtMate review report before it’s made public. Result: THE PUBLIC GETS NO SAY in how political cronyism is addressed. #DemocracyFail #auspol

Yesterday the @greens.org.au voted with the Government to exempt the new Australian Centre for Disease Control from #FOI in relation to ‘protected information’ (which is defined in the Act as ‘Big Pharma’ information). #TransparencyFail #auspol

Lunar light on the Pacific. Rainbow Beach, Queensland.

The duopoly just joined forces in the Senate to vote down an #AUKUS inquiry. Never mind the political, technical & management risks associated with the program, or the $365B price tag - the two major parties are happy sleepwalking with your national security and money. #auspol

Monthly project reports for taxpayer funded ventures should be public! Thanks to the @australiainstitute.org.au for indemnifying me against adverse costs in my Federal Court case to make Snowy Hydro project reports public. It'll hopefully set a broad transparency precedent. #FOI #RightToKnow #auspol

In a dramatised moment on the ABC’s 4Corners last night, US defense analyst Decker Eveleth ‘revealed’ US subs rotating through HMAS Stirling may in future carry nuclear weapons - a fact already known to Michael West Media readers. 👇ICYMI👇. #auspol

On the conduct of the #NACC Commissioner, on the Senate exercising its oversight powers, on Albanese's assault on #transparency and on working-from-roam. #auspol

Remember Scott Morrison's secrecy around COVID-19? This week the Senate is considering a Bill to establish an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC). @albomp.bsky.social is proposing to exempt the CDC from #FOI. #SecrecyAddiction! 1/2 #auspol

NSW #AUKUS Submarine Bases You can’t have the documents. Hang on, maybe you can? Nope, they’re too sensitive. OK, they’re not sensitive, you can have them all. Except you can’t. 👇It’s an #FOI riddle wrapped in a submarine mystery inside a nuclear enigma👇. #auspol #nswpol

Sunday sunset over Tin Can Bay, Queensland.

Today I’m working from Rainbow Beach, Queensland.

Work-from-work, work-from-home, WORK-FROM-ROAM - it seems the next logical step in human development. I’ve hit the road on one big zig-zagging #FOI lap of the country.

“It is revealing that so many politicians become lobbyists or consultants. Most are short of other skills. They leave with a bucket of turkey grease and a knowledge of which hallways to slide down.” #auspol

“Labor came to power in 2022 promising a new form of transparent, accountable politics. As recent incidents have shown, there’s little sign of that”. #auspol

The independent Centre for Public Integrity handed down its report card into the Albanese Government this week. It doesn’t tell a happy story. #auspol 👉 publicintegrity.org.au/wp-content/u...

For >3 months Minister Katy Gallagher has failed to comply with a Senate order to make public a taxpayer funded #Jobs4GovtMates report. Yesterday the Senate struck back, increasing the length of question time to 1.5 hours. 👇Here’s the inside story👇. #auspol

👇As predicted👇 Minister Watt has been prevented from ramming Labor’s 477 page Environment Protection Reform Bill through the Senate without scrutiny. The Senate has properly referred the Bill to inquiry for consideration up until 24 Mar 2026. #auspol

Tomago Aluminium is facing closure over energy cost. Interest rates will be kept high because of energy costs. Yet @albomp.bsky.social won’t implement a gas reservation policy to lower those costs. He cares more about keeping Japan’s industry alive and South Korea’s energy costs low. #auspol

The Senate is clearly frustrated with the Govt's failure to respond to orders for production of documents, extending Senate question time from 1 hour to 1.5 hours until the final report on the Review of Public Sector Board Appointments Processes is tabled.💪 #transparency #auspol

The Govt is forcing people in country towns to pay hefty security screening levies on top of already expensive flight tickets. Despite Labor voting against it, the Senate has agreed to hold an inquiry into the issue. People in the regions matter! #auspol

It’s not about submarine secrets, nor police tactics, nor intelligence operations. It’s about climate change and energy policy. These are important topics which the public have a right to understand and discuss. Why the secrecy? #auspol