Alia Parker

How Australian democracy has changed since 1975, in six charts 50 years on from the Dismissal, how has Australian democracy changed? Here are six ways that Australian politics looks very different to when Gough Whitlam was PM in November 1975.

"How Australian democracy has changed since 1975, in six charts" @browne90.bsky.social #OffTheCharts #ThePoint

thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...

This short story is based on true events. There's a 'little surprise' at the end...
open.substack.com/pub/mindflex...
#shortstory #autofiction #essay #writers #substack #story #goodreads #booksky

What an interesting list! I would find it impossible to make a list in order. It would constantly change, and I'm sure Bowie's did too.

This👇 absolutely. And also 'news' organisations (like Southern Cross Austereo) stealing the same work to churn out AI news to avoid hiring journalist. Additionally, AI constantly stuffs up and hallucinates, so the spread of misinformation is increasingly a threat to people trusting anything.

A little scene I painted to illustrate this month's essay. It's of a pod of Orcas that came in close to us while on a beach in the north of New Zealand.
Story here: www.mindflexing.com.au/p/orcas-in-t...
#whales #ocas #pod #newzealand #wildlife #nature #art #painting

Orcas in the bay #65—A little autofiction about a time I looked straight at something remarkable and didn't truly see it.

Hello Bluesky flyers. Just wondering... if you had an entire pod of orcas at your toes, would you see them? Would you really? This little story is based on true events.
www.mindflexing.com.au/p/orcas-in-t...
#shortstory #truestory #autofiction #writer #orcas #killerwhales #newzealand

I just heard from a high school teacher that the poem option given to students in yesterday's VCE English exam was not actually one of the 10 poems listed to study. Anyone else heard this?
#vce #vceenglish #exam #examstuffup #victoria

Labor rules out giving tech giants free rein to mine copyright content to train AI Attorney general Michelle Rowland shuts down contentious proposal to grant copyright exemption for AI models

Good news!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
#copyright #AI #writers #authors #australia #news

How Google AI falsely named an innocent journalist as a notorious child murderer A politician named the man who allegedly confessed to the murder of a three-year-old girl. Then AI identified the wrong guy.

These AI mistakes are just scary. It's frightening how businesses have jumped to adopt AI when the info it often provides is really subpar if you take the time to fact check it.

www.theage.com.au/national/how...
#AI #AImistakes #AIhallucinations #theage #news #fakenews

Spring blooms move in procession through my yard. Today, it's the turn of the pink dogwood, cornus florida. Always one of my favourites.

#spring #flowers #inbloom #dogwood #gardening #inspiration

Disappearing jewels. Today’s Age cartoon

2025 AusArt Day Participant Gallery Thursday 23 October 2025 is national AusArt Day.

So many great literature projects to support on this inaugural AusArt Day. All donations through the platform are tax deductible.
creative.gov.au/ausartday?ar...
#ausartday #literature #australia

Back book creators and support Australian stories on AusArt Day - Australian Society of Authors The ASA is participating in the inaugural AusArt Day, a national day of giving to the arts being held on Thursday 23 October 2025.

Lots of worthy arts orgs to support today - @asauthors.bsky.social is one of them! Help us fight AI theft and stand up for writers’ rights ✊🏼

www.asauthors.org.au/news/back-bo...

📢 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS 📢 Ultimo Press are now inviting submissions of fiction and narrative non-fiction between 30,000 and 40,000 words. We are looking for bold storytelling: work with a clear… | Ult... 📢 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS 📢 Ultimo Press are now inviting submissions of fiction and narrative non-fiction between 30,000 and 40,000 words. We are looking for bold storytelling: work with a clear beginn...

Ultimo Press has opened submissions for short works of fiction and narrative non-fiction between 30,000 and 40,000 words. What a great length!

www.linkedin.com/posts/ultimo...

#submissions #ultimopress #publishing #writers #authors

Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe wins the inaugural ABC Radio National Top 100 Books countdown - About the ABC The verdict is in! Booklovers across Australia have crowned Brisbane author Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe as number one in the inaugural ABC Radio National Top 100 Books of the 21st Century cou...

Trent Dalton's Boy Swallow's Universe has topped the list of Australia's Top 100 books!

www.abc.net.au/about/media-...

#booksky #australianbooks #readers #writers #authors

‘We want our stories to be told’: NSW Labor pledges $3.2m to support writing and literature amid AI onslaught Stories Matter strategy responds to urgent pressures such as declining reading rates and growing impact of digital media on publishing, minister says

Today the NSW government launched a nation-leading literature strategy which puts authors at the heart of investment. The Stories Matter strategy is the state's first writing and literature strategy, and promises a $3.2m commitment to the sector.

Announcing the ARA Historical Novel Prize Winners — HNSA - Historical Novel Society Australasia The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA), in conjunction with its generous sponsor ARA Group, is delighted to announce the winners of the richest individual literary prize in Australasia with p...

It’s a tie! This year’s $100,000 Historical Novel Prize has been split down the middle by Robbie Arnott’s Dusk and Tasma Walton’s I am Nannertgarrook. 👏
hnsa.org.au/news-updates...
#hnsa #prize #booksky #authors #writers #australia

Today marks 50 years since the Balibo Five were murdered by Indonesian armed forces in East Timor. Reflecting on this story now it strikes me how young they were. Five journalists just trying to show the world the truth of what was going on. It's a story that remains as politically fraught as ever.

Your new book is out! (And now you feel like a ‘first-class numpty’) The long-awaited moment of publication can bring emptiness, anxiety and a surprising lack of fanfare.

This article in The Age today explores the depressive and vulnerable slump many authors enter when their book goes out into the world. I dare say these emotions extend to writers of smaller works as well.
www.theage.com.au/culture/book...
#writerlife #writers #author #booksky

Okay, for all you quiz junkies, I made a just-for-fun version (results aren't recorded) that shows you 6 samples:

jlp-experiment.github.io/ai-detection...

📚 Without Diversity Arts Australia…

Writer and broadcaster @mrbenjaminlaw.bsky.social adds his voice to our Giving Day campaign, sharing why the work of DARTS matters

🧡 Donate now: bit.ly/without-dive...

#WithoutDiversityArtsAu #AusArtDay

Thursday 23 Oct is AusArt Day, a new initiative by Creative Australia that encourages us to make tax-deductible donations to participating creative organisations, like @asauthors.bsky.social (ASA).
You can donate to ASA here:
www.asauthors.org.au/news/back-bo...
#ausartday #creativeaustralia

We were naked for a long time, and then... When exactly did we decide to get dressed? Writer Alia Parker explores the origins and evolution of clothing.

When exactly did we decide to get dressed?
(WARNING this post contains an extraordinary fact about lice.)

#essay #podcast #evolution #clothing #writer #history #humans #fashion

YouTube video by The Muppets A Special Performance of "Rainbow Connection" from Kermit the Frog | The Muppets

"Rainbows are visions, but only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide."

- Kermit the Frog

Here's a little song by a puppet to brighten your day. Such wonderful lyrics. I sing them to my daughters all the time.

#themuppets #lyrics #rainbows #poetry #song
youtu.be/jS5fTzMP_mg?...

We were naked for a long time, and then... When exactly did we decide to get dressed? Writer Alia Parker explores the origins and evolution of clothing.

When exactly did we decide to get dressed?
(WARNING this post contains an extraordinary fact about lice.)

#essay #podcast #evolution #clothing #writer #history #humans #fashion

Hugely impressed with the new barista’s coffee art! If there’s one thing I suck at, it’s this. I specialise in big white blobs. Nice cup colour selection, too. Some of you might remember my post on how that can change the taste of your coffee… www.mindflexing.com.au/p/turns-out-...
#coffeeart

Any other writers out there release recordings of their written work as a podcast? Keen to find you.

#podcast #writers #audiobook #essays #substack #read #author #recommendations

The image has a bright yellow and orange background and dark greed text. An illustrated image of a megaphone is in the bottom left corner, it is also dark green. The text reads: Online Symposium. Reading, Writing and Publishing in Regional Australia Monday 24 November 2025 Abstracts Due: 10 October 2025

The CFP for our upcoming online symposium has officially closed!

Didn't manage to get your abstract submitted in time? No worries! Caitlin will still accept abstracts until early next week - so you still have a few more days to get yours in.

Is this really the Anthropocene? #64—A major city is running out of water and a great migration has begun.

Do you like podcasts? This month's essay is also available on the Mind Flexing podcast. It's short and sweet - only 9 min and explores the emerging buzzword Anthropocene and whether or not we're really in it.
mindflexing.substack.com/p/is-this-re...
#climatechange #environment #world #substack

Hugely impressed with the new barista’s coffee art! If there’s one thing I suck at, it’s this. I specialise in big white blobs. Nice cup colour selection, too. Some of you might remember my post on how that can change the taste of your coffee… www.mindflexing.com.au/p/turns-out-...
#coffeeart