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𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡

@michelle65sj.bsky.social

4.2K followers 4.1K following 250 posts

Lefty humanist, democracy, climate action, teaching background, cPTSD, mindfulness, nature therapy, neurodivergent. Living on Wurundjeri land, Naarm/Melbourne. #auspol #peace 🕯️ 🕊️ “Empathy is the oxygen of democracy.” - Jon Meacham.

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𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 @michelle65sj.bsky.social · 2d

“Yes,” Jane said. “Hope does not deny all the difficulty and all the danger that exists, but it is not stopped by them. There is a lot of darkness, but our actions create the light.” 🕯️

― Jane Goodall, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times 🌍

Dr Jane Goodall sitting outdoors, next to a chimpanzee.

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Sandy Horne @sandyhorne.bsky.social · 12h

A black-fronted dotterel at Lake Hattah. The play of light makes it look as if it has diamonds on its legs 😄

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David Pocock @davidpocock.bsky.social · 13h

SA is showing leadership and common sense by banning AI in election ads.

The Federal govt should follow their lead and protect our democracy from the misuse of generative AI.
www.innovationaus.com/sa-cracks-do...

SA cracks down on AI deepfakes in political advertising

South Australia has become Australia's first state to ban AI-generated political ads and deepfakes aimed at misleading voters, with the changes coming into effect on Monday. Political parties, MPs and...

www.innovationaus.com

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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 7h

“No, what has happened is not a victory for anyone. No, Netanyahu and Trump are not heroes.

War criminals who cease do not become heroes by ceasing to commit war crimes. Moments of happiness, relief and joy for some do not offset enduring sadness and loss for others.”
@djrothkopf.bsky.social

David Rothkopf @djrothkopf.bsky.social · 12h

When a bad man does a good thing, he does not cease to be a bad man. This is a complicated moment in the Middle East. Each of us must work to make sense of it. My latest. open.substack.com/pub/davidrot...

Joy. Sorrow. Fury. Disgust. And Hope. All at Once.

Reacting to this disorienting, misrepresented, misperceived moment in the Middle East.

open.substack.com

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Feral Millennial Communists of Late Stage Capitalism @feralcommie.bsky.social · 4h

Take a second to chew over that headline; "dozens of healthcare workers" - 55 in total - were among the 7,000 people kidnapped by Israel during its destruction of Gaza, and yet we still focus on Israeli 'hostages'.

Released Palestinians included dozens of Gaza health workers
Advocacy organisation Healthcare Workers Watch says the list of Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons on Monday included the names of at least 55 health workers, including 24 nurses, seven doctors and two paramedics.

Of those, at least 44 “were abducted by the Israeli Occupation Forces from the hospitals where they were working”, Healthcare Workers Watch said, noting that 115 more Palestinian healthcare workers from Gaza are still in Israeli detention.

Dr Muath Alser, the cofounder and director of Healthcare Workers Watch, said that Israel’s “systematic abduction of healthcare workers is a war crime” that has seen highly trained medical professionals held unlawfully and Palestinians deprived of medical care.

Alser called for Israel to “immediately and unconditionally release all the detained healthcare workers, including the bodies of those tortured to death in detention”.

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Helen LP @helenlp.bsky.social · 3h

BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning- Israeli hostages report torture, Palestinian “prisoners” “allege” torture. The language betrays the bias.

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Wear The Peace @wearthepeace.bsky.social · 22h

A Palestinian couple reunites after 24 long years. Omar Bsais was just released in the West Bank as part of the prisoner exchange.

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Parliament of Victoria @vicparliament.bsky.social · 9h

Smoking Ceremony at Parliament House ahead of an historic address to the Legislative Assembly by the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chairs Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg.

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coupdegraz7.bsky.social @coupdegraz7.bsky.social · 11h

#Treaty #victoria

Kon Karapanagiotidis @kkarapanagiotidis.bsky.social · 12h

#Treaty

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Parliament of Victoria @vicparliament.bsky.social · 11h

Victoria is poised to become the first Australian jurisdiction to legislate a treaty with First Peoples, following the introduction of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 to Parliament.

Victoria moves towards historic Treaty with First Peoples - Parliament of Victoria

www.parliament.vic.gov.au

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BlueCrew community 💙💙 @libertyovergov.bsky.social · 9h

This dramatic standoff at the detention center unfolded just days after Pope Leo XIV delivered an impassioned message in Rome, urging Chicago’s leaders to defend vulnerable immigrants.
#BlueCrew

Priests and Nuns Blocked from Bringing Communion at ICE Facility — So They Held A Parking Lot Vigil

Hundreds prayed outside an ICE facility after guards blocked their entry, a scene that unfolded under the shadow of Pope Leo’s plea for migrant dignity.

open.substack.com

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Rosie de Kat 🌱🍉🍉 @rosiedekat.bsky.social · 9h

Exactly 💯 and Reynolds has the outrage silenced for fear of being sued in WA.

Professor Euan Ritchie @euanritchie.bsky.social · 11h

And still people wonder why more women don't report sexual assault www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Linda Reynolds launches bankruptcy proceedings against Brittany Higgins

Former senator Linda Reynolds launches bankruptcy proceedings in the Federal Court against her ex-staffer Brittany Higgins as she tries to recover damages awarded to her for defamation.

www.abc.net.au

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The Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 13h

The lights on the hill.
My @smh @theage cartoon.

Single frame. Parliament House Canberra by night - with bright neon signs saying “AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPORTS CLUB” “PLAY TO WIN - ACCESS” “TRY YOUR LUCK” “PAY TO PLAY” “‘RESPONSIBLE’ LOBBYING AUSTRALIA”

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Jenny Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithWatermelon🍉🍉 @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social · 14h

Paul Bronks—

"𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯"

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𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 @michelle65sj.bsky.social · 14h

😹😹😽

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Nina Reeder🇺🇦🇵🇸🐕🦚🍉🍉 @ninareeder.bsky.social · 14h

It’s going to be 30° on Wednesday in Naarm😳

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John Holmes @jhaue.bsky.social · 14h

2025 Bird of the Year
Final round of voting
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Australian bird of the year 2025: vote for your favourite #birdoftheyear in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia poll

From little penguins to (very big) cassowaries, every bird has its fans. Vote for your favourite in the 2025 Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll

www.theguardian.com

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John Donegan @donegan.bsky.social · 1d

Dear @albomp.bsky.social,
On your watch, a record 14.7% of Australians are living in poverty.
People working full-time can’t afford rent.
Your carrot-n-stick approach to the unemployed is all stick and no carrot.
No one has been prosecuted for Robodebt.
Santos still pay $0 tax.
On your watch, mate.

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Pearls and Irritations @johnmenadue.com · 14h

That #Israel is no more safe and secure in 2025 than in 1948, or after 1956, 1967, and 1983 shows the limitation of its overwhelming power. Israel will never have peace or security until it has provided peace, justice and security to the people of #Palestine. @waterfordjack #auspol

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Jenny Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithWatermelon🍉🍉 @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social · 14h

Waiting in line. #367Collins #PeregrineFalcons

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Jenny Frecklington-Jones #IStandWithWatermelon🍉🍉 @joneshowdareyou.bsky.social · 16h

"It is a sadistic game. A merry-go-round of death. This ceasefire, like those of the past, is a commercial break. A moment when the condemned man is allowed to smoke a cigarette before being gunned down in a fusillade of bullets."
— Chris Hedges
johnmenadue.com/post/2025/10...

Trump’s sham peace plan

There will be no peace in Gaza. Only the temporary absence of war.

johnmenadue.com

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Eileen Pardini 🌎✨🧘‍♀️🗽 @eileenpardini21.bsky.social · 23h

Yes!

Damien Marie AtHope Ⓐ 🚩🏴🌍 @damienmarieathope.bsky.social · 23h

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Sandy Horne @sandyhorne.bsky.social · 2d

A grey teal floating by on Lake Hattah.

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Carolyn Gilholme @carogil.bsky.social · 1d

Gough was a man of vision, integrity and courage. He had ordinary people at heart. Oh, for another Gough!

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Brian Hizsoltee @hizsoltee.bsky.social · 1d

I believe Margaret tried to warn Gough about Kerr but he didn't take any notice. I suspect Gough was distracted trying to get the supply bill through Fraser's hostile Senate and he didn't think that Kerr would do such a treacherous act. 50th Anniversary coming up so all very sad memories.

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Simon Rosenberg @simonrosenberg.bsky.social · 1d

Nothing to see here. #auspol
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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