This is a very interesting new paper in Nature about the role that feed algorithms on X play in influencing political attitudes. No paywall: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
David
🚵♂️🏃☕ Commenting on Australian politics and related topics. Supporting human rights and democracy. Cyclist and public transport user.
Location
Sydney, Australia
The right to protest is being eroded in Australia. The lack of consistent legal standards upholding the right to protest highlights the need for a federal Human Rights Act
"What many may not realise is that the right to protest in Australia is not protected by one simple law. It’s implied in the constitution under freedom of political communication and exists under international human rights law, which Australia has agreed to uphold. Only Queensland, Victoria and the ACT explicitly protect the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of association and freedom of expression. And laws protecting the right to peaceful protest in Australia can be limited."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-15/right-to-protest-fragile-police-powers-gaza-herzog/106331356
@luciedigitalni Good point. The entire electorate is south of the Barassi Line. It's more connected to Victoria than the rest of NSW.
@luciedigitalni The geography of the electorate is very interesting but most of the population would be in Albury and other towns along the rivers.
Sussan Ley's loss of the Liberal leadership and plan to quit parliament will create a by-election for the rural NSW seat of Farrer. There will be a potential four way contest between Liberal, Nationals, One Nation and an independent. Antony Green has the details
https://antonygreen.com.au/will-the-coalition-face-messy-by-election-in-sussan-leys-seat-of-farrer/
Amnesty International Australia condemns the police violence against peaceful protesters at Town Hall in Sydney and calls for an independent investigation
"The rights to freedom of expression and assembly are protected under international law. As a State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Australia has a clear obligation to respect and uphold these fundamental human rights – this includes facilitating people exercising their right to peaceful protest."
Human Rights Watch criticised Australia's refugee policies in its annual report
"Despite 2025 election pledges to uphold international refugee law, the government initiated a plan to deport refugees and migrants it labels “noncitizens” to the Pacific island of Nauru and passed new laws that deny them the right to basic procedural fairness."
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/04/australia-abusive-refugee-migration-policies-expand
David boosted:
This article addresses the fact that parliamentary representation isn’t the only method by which people can participate in a healthy democracy. When legislation is drawn up which is about a particular group in society, it’s important that the group is consulted & heard.
Our failure to institute The Voice, given the history of dispossession, violence & abuse, was a gross failure to recognise how democracy works and needs to be maintained.
We are seeing how democracy has fallen into decay in the US and is at risk of becoming a total sham as it is in Russia.
The Voice would have renewed Australian democracy. Its failure leaves us all worse off https://theconversation.com/the-voice-would-have-renewed-australian-democracy-its-failure-leaves-us-all-worse-off-271836?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20February%204%202026%20-%203663837432&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20February%204%202026%20-%203663837432+CID_980c5e02ab1881f059276353a3f9d65b&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=The%20Voice%20would%20have%20renewed%20Australian%20democracy%20Its%20failure%20leaves%20us%20all%20worse%20off
📎 Sri's article references an article by Max Chandler-Mather which also called on the Greens to offer a better alternative to the major parties
https://www.deepcutnews.com/p/the-greens-must-pivot-to-meet-the
Jonathan Sri writes about why the Australian Greens have not made the most of voter discontent with the major parties
"There are of course plenty of Greens politicians who to varying degrees self-consciously choose not to settle for a comfortable, small-target strategy. But the party’s overall image and political posture essentially remains one of centre-left incremental reformism."
David boosted:
The Bureau of Meteorology says this heatwave is among “the most significant we’ve ever seen” for its intensity, duration, temperatures and for the length of time the heat has remained above certain thresholds – comparable to January 2009 and January 1939. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/31/day-and-night-theres-no-relief-five-ways-this-heatwave-is-one-of-australias-worst-on-record?CMP=share_btn_url&utm_medium=d_social
David boosted:
"In north-west Victoria, Mildura experienced just six individual days above 45C between 1946 and 2000.
This month there have been four already, and today another 45C day is expected."
From the ABC.
This kind of evidence is why the climate denial bots are in a frenzy in every comments section. You have to work hard to convince everyone to ignore all 5 senses.
🌡️ All time maximum temperature records were broken in Victoria today in the midst of a heatwave. 48.9C was recorded in the towns of Walpeup and Hopetoun. Many locations in the state recorded temperatures over 45C
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-27/heatwave-record-temperatures-victoria/106273034
@dharmadan They have changed the course for today's race because of the extreme heat. I guess that proves the point.
https://tourdownunder.com.au/blog-articles/santos-tour-down-under-think-road-safety-stage-4-update
@AusSocialMods Sorry, but there are other ways for people to filter out content they don't want to see. For example, encourage people to use the #auspol or #politics hashtags. Therese can easily be filtered.
I do understand that some political topics are sensitive, but putting everything behind a content warning makes posts less readable and reduces discussion.
🌏 Australia has experienced a major heatwave over the past week. These maps show the large bubble of hot air covering much of the continent
Victoria has experienced a number of serious bushfires as a result of the extreme weather conditions
The Jewish Council of Australia said it will work with the Royal Commission to adopt an anti-racist approach and ensure diverse Jewish voices are heard
"There is a major problem with framing antisemitism as an issue of ‘religiously motivated’ extremism that can be solved through security responses and migration settings. We must avoid demonising faith groups and migrants and instead see antisemitism as one expression of a deep problem of racism in Australian society.
"A credible inquiry must be independent, compassionate and evidence-based not turned into a platform to attack the Palestine solidarity movement, universities, migrants or human rights institutions. Jewish safety is not served by encouraging more racism or politicisation; it is served by accountability, evidence and genuine public confidence." - Dr Max Kaiser, Executive Officer, Jewish Council of Australia
📎 Update from the Bureau of Meteorology on extreme weather conditions in southeast Australia
David boosted:
Victorian bushfire update from the ABC:
"Watch and Act warnings have been raised around two bushfires currently burning out-of-control in Victoria.
"Communities to the east of the fire burning in Longwood have been urged to leave, as the bushfire moves in an easterly direction towards Strathbogie State Forest and Bonnie Doon.
"This includes the following communities:
"Ancona, Barjarg, Boho South, Bonnie Doon, Creek Junction, Dry Creek, Euroa, Gobur, Gooram, Kanumbra, Kelvin View, Kithbrook, Lima East, Lima South, Maindample, Marraweeney, Merton, Sheans Creek, Strathbogie, Strathbogie North, Strathbogie South, Tallangallook, Too-rour and Woodfield.
"Residents near a bushfire burning west of Walwa are also being told to prepare to leave immediately.
"This includes residents in these communities:
"Biggara, Corryong, Cudgewa, Thowgla, Thowgla Upper, Thowgla Valley, Towong and Towong Upper."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-08/fire-weather-heatwave-live-blog-victoria-sa-nsw/106208762
#bushfires #bushfire #Victoria #Vic #Australia
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