Sharon Connolly

Cutting the creative state: funding changes threaten the cultural future of Melbourne, arts workers warn Creative Victoria funding has dropped by more than $20m since 2022 and organisations including Writers Victoria now face closure

I spoke to @gingerandhoney.bsky.social this week about the cuts to Victoria’s arts funding ecosystem.

The cuts, the uncertainty and lack of transparency have left a cloud over what was Australia’s creative heart.

The Melbourne Advantage is over. We’ll see if other cities pick up the pieces.

Pauline Hanson has spent decades demonising Muslims in the Senate with zero consequences, but put an anti-fascist poster on your bar wall and the AFP comes knocking. Labor's first scalp under their hate speech laws isn't a hate group and that says everything.

Before the baton falls. How power and framing normalised violence - Michael West NSW Police violence against protestors at Town Hall was not an isolated event, rather the end point of a longer process, writes Andrew Brown.

Town Hall was no isolated event. Andrew Brown describes the political and media path to Minns police unleashing violence on peace protestors
#auspol
Image: @Schtang X
michaelwest.com.au/before-the-b...

Israel lobby sells stolen Palestinian land to Australian investors - Michael West The Australian Jewish Association is promoting an Israeli real estate scheme selling stolen Palestinian land to Australian investors.

Sometimes I have doubted my rhetoric when I've called this genocide "a murderous real estate deal".
Today is not one of those times.

Tougher lead emission limit dropped after smelter pushback Three years ago, Tasmania's environment watchdog proposed to tighten lead emission limits from Hobart's zinc smelter to bring the state into line with national standards — but after pushback from the ...

It's not often the public gets to see these direct exchanges between regulator and the regulated #politas www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...

THE BUSINESS OF BACKLASH: The Attack on the Palestinian Movement and Other Movements for Justice INTERNATIONAL JEWISH ANTI-ZIONIST NETWORK

And is Advance trying to make itself a node in the international Islamophobia networks, by linking its speakers and audience to one of the key Islamophobic hate groups (& hate group funders through the Fairbrook Foundation behind the body).
#auspol

www.ijan.org/wp-content/u...

=9 Crikey. Tips and Rumours: Freedom Boy to the rescue. The IPA is up for a very prestigious prize. CRIKEY • SEP 4, 2015 • 1 MIN READ → Share 口O We've always known that the IPA freedoms harder than anyone else could freedom, but now they are in the running to prove that they really do freedom more than anyone else. The free-marketeers at the Institute of Public Affairs are in the running for a $100,000 grant because their marketing strategy in opposition to the carbon tax was just that good. The IPA has been nominated as a finalist for the Templeton Freedom Award for its "20 Years" of work on the tax, the group;s nomination statement says: "The IPA was the loudest consistent voice against the carbon tax in a time when there were very few dissenting voices in Australia." The Atlas Network website praises the IPA's campaign, writing:

=Q Crikey. 66 "As the only major organization in Australia to publicly and consistently oppose the tax, the IPA's work against the carbon tax was instrumental in fostering sentiment against the tax, which, in addition to its economic drawbacks, wouldn't have achieved any environmental goals." 99 Freedom Boy Tim Wilson even gets a special mention for attending climate conferences all over the world (looks like he was a jet-setter before becoming Human Rights Commissioner): 66 "Wilson attended every international climate conference between 2009 and 2013, including conferences in Durban, Doha, Copenhagen, and Warsaw, and was able to effectively communicate to the Australian public the lack of consensus over pricing carbon that existed among experts." 99 The IPA will find out the results on November 12.

Tim Wilson listed as an MPS member the last time the list was linked.

🧵Note #Auspol. We now have as Shadow Treasurer someone who was not only an Atlas Network partner actor, and also on the Mont Pelerin Society, but someone who was shortlisted for the top 🌎 Atlas Network prize for betraying Australia for fossil fuel. He led a team rewarded for killing the carbon price

Image of a flying airship with the words "Vote for Women".

On 17 February 1909 Muriel Matters, Australian-born suffrage supporter, organised an airship emblazoned with "Votes for Women" to distribute Women’s Freedom League leaflets over parliament for the state opening.

#WomensHistory #GenderHist #OTD

Image: Wikimedia Commons

“Readers can make up their own minds about what they would like to attend.”
Well said.
A point basically ignored by most of the press in the Adelaide writers fiasco: no-one was MAKING audiences go to Randa’s session. The pro-Israel lobby decided no-one could see her, even if it ruined the festival.

How are they selling West Bank properties that belong to Palestinians in a Melbourne Synagogue David?

What Happens Next at the State Library of Victoria? GH has an update

Absolute pearler report from Gideon Haigh about the new, staggering situation at the #StateLibrary of Victoria: appointment of a person who was on the interview panel that rejected all applicants for the role?! FOI-redacted Board minutes of a PUBLIC institution?! www.cricketetal.com/p/what-happe...

One year on, No Other Land co-director says Israeli attacks intensifying Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal says his family was attacked despite an Israeli court ruling in their favour.

Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal says his family was attacked despite an Israeli court ruling in their favour.

The Press Gallery addiction to asking Tony Abbott and John Howard what they think meets Abbott and Howard's addiction to 'backgrounding' & being quoted. How about ask them why they've stuffed up housing for two generations and then leave them alone to mow their lawn(s)?

Defence signs biggest ever contract with Palantir for department's 'Cyber Warfare Division' The one-year, $7.6 million contract for the Cyber Warfare Division brings Defence's spend to more than $26 million on contracts with the controversial Trump-linked company.

The Defence Department's Cyber Warfare Division awarded Palantir $7.6 million without going to market. It’s the department’s largest deal yet with the Trump-linked data company, @cameronwilson.bsky.social reports.

IMF joins the long line of economists saying Labor’s 5% 🏠 deposit scheme is pouring fuel on the housing crisis bonfire. A 3.6% increase in price of eligible homes below the cap in the last 3 months of 2025. A disaster.

Two vignettes. 1. Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, with quote: “Now is not the time to recognise a Palestinian state.” 2. Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, with quote (preceded by my words “…not while…”), “We’re deepening our roots in all parts of the land of Israel and burying the idea of a Palestinian state.”

Now?
My @smh cartoon.

“Policy of Aggression”: Cuba’s U.N. Ambassador Denounces U.S. Oil Blockade, Push to Topple Government Cuba is facing a growing humanitarian crisis due to a U.S.-imposed oil blockade. The Trump administration has also threatened new tariffs against any nation that sends fuel to Cuba, which has been und...

"Everybody understands that this is a massive violation of human rights," Cuba's U.N. ambassador says of the U.S. oil blockade against the island.

“mass defiance of the training is the only feasible response”

Naomi Wolf accuses Australian MP of lying over Christmas tree story Naomi Wolf and Australian minister Angus Taylor feud over accounts of their time at Oxford University.

Yes, she had to tell one of his staffers that they couldn't just make up where she was . www.bbc.com/news/world-a...

Palestine Action have WON their judicial review in the High Court!
A massive victory for free speech, freedom of association and the right to protest.
A massive defeat for the draconian attempts by Keir Starmer's government to curtail our fundamental rights.

Alex Carey: a century of business taking the risk out of democracy Jeff Bezos recently announced that the Washington Post would henceforth dedicate its op/ed pages to “free markets and personal liberties”. His Whole Foods business also asked the National Labor Relati...

Alex Carey’s book & an introduction

www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p0...

johnmenadue.com/post/2025/03...
#Auspol

I appears you no longer have the right to protest | First Dog on the Moon Police charged at people who could not flee due to being kettled. As always police say that is not what happened * Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published * Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading...

I appears you no longer have the right to protest | First Dog on the Moon

Disgusting interview with Jeremy Liebler on thr ABC this morning, filled with Orwellian abuse of truth, in service of a colonial slaughter and conquest. It's a minor casualty compared to most of this era, but I miss being able to listen to the radio without being throttled w/ propaganda

Australia: Excessive Force Used Against Herzog Protesters New South Wales police used apparent excessive force against people protesting Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia.

According to Human Rights Watch:

“Excessive Force Used Against Herzog Protesters

Sydney Police Videoed Punching Demonstrators During Israeli President’s Visit” #AusPol www.hrw.org/news/2026/02...

I think it’s a Minns problem. He’s been wanting to stop the protests since October 2023. So his govt imposed laws which set up inevitable police/protester confrontation. He’s a disgrace.

State MLC questions if repressive protest laws are making community safer Stephen Lawrence – a NSW MLC and barrister – says he’s also concerned about the fact that civil liability has been “extinguished” under the Major Events Act Declaration. Known as the public assembly restriction declaration, it gives police the full suite of their move-on powers under the Summary Offences Act for offences such as obstructing traffic. Lawrence told RN Breakfast in practice, the events of Monday night should be “food for thought” for politicians. Anyone that was the victim of a civil wrong, so negligence or any sort of other tortious act from the police last night won’t be able to sue the state. That’s a consequence of the Major Events Act Declaration. But look, this is another event that will be food for thought, I’m sure, for politicians in terms of do you fundamentally achieve public safety by trying to repress protests, by trying to prevent street processions, by creating a legal regime where there’s no independent arbiter or are in fact those things potentially quite dangerous to community safety?

"[D]o you fundamentally achieve public safety by trying to repress protests, by trying to prevent street processions, by creating a legal regime where there’s no independent arbiter or are in fact those things potentially quite dangerous to community safety?"

Good questions. #auslaw #nswpol

This was planned. And Chris Minns owns it. - Michael West NSW Police have assaulted dozens of peace protestors who gathered to protest the visit by Israeli president Isaac Herzog to Australia.

"This was planned. And Chris Minns owns it ... I was there".

Andrew Brown with the extraordinary story of NSW Police brutality at the Herzog protest.

While the premier - to great applause - said "Thank you friends" to the Israel Lobby.
#auspol
michaelwest.com.au/this-was-pla...

Why have no media outlets reported on the statement of Australia’s special envoy on Islamophobia? Not even @australia.theguardian.com so far.

Actual journalist reports from front line of protest against Israel president Herzog in Sydney: how a peaceful protest was disrupted and violently attacked in concerted police action michaelwest.com.au/this-was-pla...