Yasmine Wright Gittins

YouTube video by ABC News In-depth The online gecko craze turning into a conservation nightmare | The Pacific

Beyond excited to share that @cooperwilliams.bsky.social & I have published our 2nd story as part of the Walkley's Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific Journalism.

📽 by Nicolas Job & Cooper

Give it a watch here: youtu.be/61poVYSrxiw?...

#pacific #newcaledonia #kanaky #geckos

'We are in the s**t': Mine's closure cripples Pacific indigenous community A billion-dollar bet on nickel mining gave many New Caledonians hopes of economic prosperity and political independence. But after the market turned, the mine has left behind a ghost town full of brok...

Fascinating, insightful story with hauntingly beautiful photography of the ghost town around the abandoned nickel mine in New Caledonia.

From former Australia Institute teammate @yasminewg.bsky.social ⤵️

Thanks @haydenstarr.bsky.social 😊 🥳

'We are in the s**t': Mine's closure cripples Pacific indigenous community A billion-dollar bet on nickel mining gave many New Caledonians hopes of economic prosperity and political independence. But after the market turned, the mine has left behind a ghost town full of brok...

The 1st of our stories from #NewCaledonia / #kanaky is out on ABC Pacific. Give it a read (and watch on iview).

Some more fascinating stories still to come!

Thanks to the Sean Dorney Grant for #Pacific Journalism through the Walkley's Public Fund.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04...

I endured Clive’s long ads. (Who knew they had a leader?) I endured two ad breaks (more f*cking Clive). I even sat through Bronny B.

The punters result: Albo 44, Dutts 35, KG 21.

Exploring the mangroves of Nouméa with Isabelle, a resident of Oundjo who works with the village mamans to replant mangrove pods at the end of their crabbing season #kanaky #environmentaljournalism

Politicians are being lobbied behind closed doors. Here's a list of everyone they met Crikey believes the public should know who our political leaders are meeting with, so we’re publishing federal ministers' diaries until they start doing it themselves.

Really interesting project from @crikey.com.au @cameronwilson.bsky.social - rolling FOI requests for federal ministers' diaries.

If they won't release them proactively like Vic, NSW, Tas, Qld do, this is the best we've got. www.crikey.com.au/2025/03/06/c...

Big Gas gets more than half of our gas for free.

Big Gas is taking the piss.

Defamation law means the rape allegations you hear about in the media are just the tip of the iceberg. But we can limit that silencing effect | Jennifer Robinson Gender-based violence has happened to women we know and it’s perpetrated by men we know. In Australia strategic lawsuits can still be used against women and journalists to silence public interest disc...

We can change from a legal system that disadvantages victims by introducing anti-SLAPP laws as Jennifer Robinson explains.

Great to see another extract from What’s the Big Idea in the Guardian

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...
@australiainstitute.org.au

I'm no Chief Economist, but that's a lot of percent.

The town of Voh from above ⛰️

Cute puppy on set 🐶

Speaking on the ground with customs officials and rangers!

I am in New Caledonia for the next little while, filming some packages for ABC, thanks to the Walkley's Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific journalism.

I will be sharing some more peeks at our stories here but also keep an eye out on @cooperwilliams.bsky.social

Cue photos 🎬 📽 🌴 🌺

Every fortnight @amyremeikis.bsky.social writes a fantastic piece for our newsletter @australiainstitute.org.au.

You can get it sent to you (free!) by signing up here
🔽🔽🔽
theaus.in/newsletter_s...
🔼🔼🔼

Back at it with Follow the Money for 2025!

Corporate lobbyists can cheaply access politicians in private, while peaceful public protestors face harsh penalties.

Really shows whose voices our governments think should be heard 🤔

@jack-thrower.bsky.social #auspol

More gas is currently used to convert gas to LNG than is projected to be a "shortage" in the 2030s.

Yeah, that's an efficient way to do things...

In Australia, more people work in arts and recreation (254,000) than the mining industry (220,000).

While there is plenty of money to subsidise fuel for mining companies, cultural institutions have suffered from funding scarcities for decades, writes @alicektg.bsky.social in the Canberra Times.

Bloke in a new office has a 50 second rant about superannuation tax breaks

"We are asking for people who care about saving the skate from extinction, who care about ensuring our government keeps its promises, to sign our petition to end salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour."

- Eloise Carr, Director, TAS

🖊️ theaus.in/save_the_skate #auspol

How the LA wildfires will push insurance premiums in Australia even higher ...

A world on fire From threatening to annex Greenland to blaming California Democrats for the state’s deadly wildfires, the Trump circus is back in town – and he’s not even president yet.

While the world is on fire @emmashortis.bsky.social takes us through Trump's interventionist foreign policy - aka attempted empire-building - plus the California wildfire responses and Carter's legacy.
With thanks to super-producer @angusrb.bsky.social
australiainstitute.org.au/post/a-world...

"NSW produces a lot of coal but the public, who own the coal, get hardly anything from it.

All while coal companies reap enormous profits."

@adamchalksitup.bsky.social, Anne Kantor Fellow, explains that coal royalties are a tiny part of NSW Govt revenue ⤵️

"Australia's got a long history of letting the US water down and torpedo climate action.

"And then following along as if we had no choice."

@emmashortis.bsky.social on Australia's opportunity to step up on climate.

🎧 australiainstitute.org.au/post/a-world...

#auspol @alicektg.bsky.social

ICYMI: ExxonMobil is suing the California AG for defamation.
Twiggy Forrest, not a defendant but named in the suit said :
“The fossil fuel industry is ­getting increasingly desperate at maintaining its toxic grip on society.”

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-...

It seems that as long as ‘climate action’ doesn’t include stopping the expansion of gas production/export, reducing fossil fuel subsidies, making the gas industry pay for the gas we give them or introducing a carbon tax…the AFR is supportive of ‘climate action’. Phew

Video Report: Native Logging continues in the Great Koala National Park An on-the-ground video investigation into native forest logging and the people trying to protect the last refuges of some of Australia's most iconic wildlife.

Around 8 months since we worked on this video report.

Native forest logging is a loss-making industry & Australia is in an extinction crisis.

Let's get our priorities right.

australiainstitute.org.au/post/video-r...

Logging in forest earmarked for koala national park increasing under NSW Labor, analysis finds More than 7,000 hectares logged in planned park area since Chris Minns won 2023 election with commitment to deliver new sanctuary, conservationists say

"Logging of native forest in the proposed “Great Koala national park” in northern New South Wales has intensified since the Minns government took office." #auspol #climate

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...