Kate Lance
@katelance.com
Once an astronomer, then an Internet techie, then award-winning maritime-history author, now an infrequently read novelist. My books are at https://seabooks.net. Mastodon: https://aus.social/@katela. Glass art avatar by Annie Rie.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Peter Malinauskas after Randa Abdel-Fattah sues the shirt off his back
January 9, 2026 at 4:36 AM
Peter Malinauskas after Randa Abdel-Fattah sues the shirt off his back
Reposted by Kate Lance
The cost of a fully-fitted out water bomber fleet suited to Australia’s needs is around $25m. We could fund that for 30 years with just one AUKUS sub down payment. Would come in handy on days like these.
January 9, 2026 at 4:02 AM
The cost of a fully-fitted out water bomber fleet suited to Australia’s needs is around $25m. We could fund that for 30 years with just one AUKUS sub down payment. Would come in handy on days like these.
Reposted by Kate Lance
In one of the most appalling developments of past day, Elon Musk's AI chatbot desecrated Renee Nicole Good's body. That's in addition to harassing women and sexually exploiting minors. By @katieherchenroeder.bsky.social
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Grok deepfaked Renee Nicole Good's body into a bikini
Hours after an ICE agent killed the mother of three, Elon Musk’s chatbot was undressing her.
www.motherjones.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:41 PM
In one of the most appalling developments of past day, Elon Musk's AI chatbot desecrated Renee Nicole Good's body. That's in addition to harassing women and sexually exploiting minors. By @katieherchenroeder.bsky.social
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Kate Lance
Reposted by Kate Lance
The world feels rough right now
So please enjoy this shrimp, filmed off Cozumel, Mexico. It may be a larval reef shrimp, but we don’t know what species or how long it lives or what it eats. The world is still full of wonder and beauty and mystery.
🎥 @pedrovalenciam scuba diver on Insta
So please enjoy this shrimp, filmed off Cozumel, Mexico. It may be a larval reef shrimp, but we don’t know what species or how long it lives or what it eats. The world is still full of wonder and beauty and mystery.
🎥 @pedrovalenciam scuba diver on Insta
January 8, 2026 at 8:20 PM
The world feels rough right now
So please enjoy this shrimp, filmed off Cozumel, Mexico. It may be a larval reef shrimp, but we don’t know what species or how long it lives or what it eats. The world is still full of wonder and beauty and mystery.
🎥 @pedrovalenciam scuba diver on Insta
So please enjoy this shrimp, filmed off Cozumel, Mexico. It may be a larval reef shrimp, but we don’t know what species or how long it lives or what it eats. The world is still full of wonder and beauty and mystery.
🎥 @pedrovalenciam scuba diver on Insta
Reposted by Kate Lance
“Cultural sensitivity” means destroying an entire arts festival rather than allowing a Palestinian person to come along and talk about her new novel.
January 9, 2026 at 12:09 AM
“Cultural sensitivity” means destroying an entire arts festival rather than allowing a Palestinian person to come along and talk about her new novel.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Reposted by Kate Lance
Another great cartoon by Cathy Wilcox.
January 8, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Another great cartoon by Cathy Wilcox.
Reposted by Kate Lance
We shouldn’t leaf this alone as I romaine of the view it was ok cos it was very funny
January 8, 2026 at 9:43 AM
We shouldn’t leaf this alone as I romaine of the view it was ok cos it was very funny
Reposted by Kate Lance
5/ Imagen if Tracey Whiting (Chair), Alison Beare, Leesa Chesser, Cr Mary Couros, Brenton Cox, Nicholas Linke OAM, Daniela Ritorto, Donny Walford & Dr Jennifer Fuller (Government Observer) decided to cancel a Jewish-Australian writer's appearance & simply said 'because cultural sensitivities'. 🤔
January 8, 2026 at 7:12 AM
5/ Imagen if Tracey Whiting (Chair), Alison Beare, Leesa Chesser, Cr Mary Couros, Brenton Cox, Nicholas Linke OAM, Daniela Ritorto, Donny Walford & Dr Jennifer Fuller (Government Observer) decided to cancel a Jewish-Australian writer's appearance & simply said 'because cultural sensitivities'. 🤔
Reposted by Kate Lance
Where’s the Royal Commission into self checkouts that always claim there’s something unknown in the bagging area?
January 8, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Where’s the Royal Commission into self checkouts that always claim there’s something unknown in the bagging area?
Reposted by Kate Lance
Tell me we’re taking your submarine deposit without telling me we’re taking your submarine deposit
January 8, 2026 at 5:40 AM
Tell me we’re taking your submarine deposit without telling me we’re taking your submarine deposit
It's pretty culturally insensitive to blame a Palestinian woman for the crimes of an Indian-born man and an Australian.
As a former Director of Adelaide Writers' Week I am appalled that the Adelaide Festival Board has rescinded Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah's invitation to the 2026 AWW, explicitly linking its decision to the shattering crimes in Bondi.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
A shocking decision that will and should have far-reaching consequences.
January 8, 2026 at 7:17 AM
It's pretty culturally insensitive to blame a Palestinian woman for the crimes of an Indian-born man and an Australian.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Well, I was going to be on a panel at the Adelaide Writers' Festival but I'm not any more.
January 8, 2026 at 4:51 AM
Well, I was going to be on a panel at the Adelaide Writers' Festival but I'm not any more.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Following the decision from the Board of the Adelaide Festival, The Australia Institute is withdrawing its support from this year’s literary festival. Here is our statement, and a personal one from me.
January 8, 2026 at 5:57 AM
Following the decision from the Board of the Adelaide Festival, The Australia Institute is withdrawing its support from this year’s literary festival. Here is our statement, and a personal one from me.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Libraries, museums & festivals getting trashed by cuts & because so many boards now stacked with business people, ex-politicians, incompetents & toadies & one or no arts reps. More & more public & iconic cultural institutions have been taken over, charters abandoned; now being wrecked from the top.
This is just the start of the backlash
Authors withdraw from festival after Palestinian Australian author dropped
After Randa Abdel-Fattah was dropped from Adelaide Writers' Week by the Adelaide Festival Board, a slew of authors, including Michelle de Kretser, have withdrawn from the event.
www.abc.net.au
January 8, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Libraries, museums & festivals getting trashed by cuts & because so many boards now stacked with business people, ex-politicians, incompetents & toadies & one or no arts reps. More & more public & iconic cultural institutions have been taken over, charters abandoned; now being wrecked from the top.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Intriguing reporting from Nine here - the objection to former High Court justice Virginia Bell to lead the royal commission apparently relates to a previous decision where she upheld the democratic right to protest www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Virginia Bell’s role in protest laws under scrutiny as Albanese weighs royal commission
Judgments handed down by former high court judge Virginia Bell and another contender, former Federal Court of Australia chief justice James Allsop, are under scrutiny as the government decides on a ro...
www.smh.com.au
January 8, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Intriguing reporting from Nine here - the objection to former High Court justice Virginia Bell to lead the royal commission apparently relates to a previous decision where she upheld the democratic right to protest www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Reposted by Kate Lance
Reposted by Kate Lance
Obviously they have learned nothing from the fiasco which was last year's Bendigo Writers Festival. All writers and potential attendees should boycott Adelaide in protest against this further attack on Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah.
January 8, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Obviously they have learned nothing from the fiasco which was last year's Bendigo Writers Festival. All writers and potential attendees should boycott Adelaide in protest against this further attack on Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was murdered four fifths of a mile from where George Perry Floyd, Jr., 46, was murdered in May of 2020.
I want the media to understand just how close what happened today is to where George Floyd was murdered. 0.8 miles.
January 7, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was murdered four fifths of a mile from where George Perry Floyd, Jr., 46, was murdered in May of 2020.
Reposted by Kate Lance
It is difficult to express how little Frydenberg’s opinion on anything should matter.
January 7, 2026 at 11:20 PM
It is difficult to express how little Frydenberg’s opinion on anything should matter.
Reposted by Kate Lance
Look up X on the App Store, scroll down to Report a Problem and fill out the form with this information.
January 7, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Look up X on the App Store, scroll down to Report a Problem and fill out the form with this information.
Reposted by Kate Lance
RC advocates broadly want the conclusions to be thus:
- Muslims are exclusively responsible for antisemitism
- Any and all criticism of Israel must be prohibited
- Right to free speech and assembly must be curtailed
- Israel's actions in Gaza, including genocide, are justifiable
- Muslims are exclusively responsible for antisemitism
- Any and all criticism of Israel must be prohibited
- Right to free speech and assembly must be curtailed
- Israel's actions in Gaza, including genocide, are justifiable
[After publication of this story, former Coalition treasurer Josh Frydenberg, a top advocate for a royal commission, said he opposed Bell’s appointment, without specifying reasons.]
Because they don't want a Royal Commission. They want show trials.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Because they don't want a Royal Commission. They want show trials.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Former High Court justice in frame to lead Bondi royal commission
The potential appointment of Virginia Bell, which has been flagged by senior Labor figures in recent days, drew swift private pushback from some Jewish leaders.
www.smh.com.au
January 7, 2026 at 9:48 PM
RC advocates broadly want the conclusions to be thus:
- Muslims are exclusively responsible for antisemitism
- Any and all criticism of Israel must be prohibited
- Right to free speech and assembly must be curtailed
- Israel's actions in Gaza, including genocide, are justifiable
- Muslims are exclusively responsible for antisemitism
- Any and all criticism of Israel must be prohibited
- Right to free speech and assembly must be curtailed
- Israel's actions in Gaza, including genocide, are justifiable
Reposted by Kate Lance
Isn't it great to see two Labor governments collaborating to cause suffering to vulnerable people? It's just like having LNP governments 🤩 #sarcasm #Laborsuck
Almost 2000 Victorians with profound disabilities are facing potential home closures after losing state government subsidies and a refusal from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to cover the funding shortfall www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Disability homes on the brink of collapse as federal government refuses bailout
Some of Victoria’s most vulnerable people are facing the closure of care homes after the NDIA refused to cover a funding shortfall.
www.theage.com.au
January 7, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Isn't it great to see two Labor governments collaborating to cause suffering to vulnerable people? It's just like having LNP governments 🤩 #sarcasm #Laborsuck