Michael Barnes
@barnesm31.bsky.social
I smell blood and an era of prominent madmen. Science is cool. Born in 1966, Whitefella living on the land of the Wurundjeri people. LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights. Refugees are welcome, racists are not.
Reposted by Michael Barnes
"Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them."
(Published Oct. 2025)
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them."
(Published Oct. 2025)
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
January 8, 2026 at 2:00 AM
"Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them."
(Published Oct. 2025)
They’ve had their necks kneeled on.
They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.
At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them."
(Published Oct. 2025)
Current Australian Labor Party policy announced
"The argument in favor of voting for the lesser evil is frequently made in good faith, by people who have plenty to lose should the greater evil win. But it also establishes the lowest of benchmarks: Want my vote? Be less monstrous than the monsters."
~Omar El Akkad
~Omar El Akkad
January 7, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Current Australian Labor Party policy announced
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Australia has held more than two dozen royal commissions since 1980. Few have delivered lasting reform.
After Bondi, it’s worth asking what these inquiries actually achieve – and what they don’t – writes Crispin Hull.
#auspol #RoyalCommission #Bondi #PublicAccountability
After Bondi, it’s worth asking what these inquiries actually achieve – and what they don’t – writes Crispin Hull.
#auspol #RoyalCommission #Bondi #PublicAccountability
We've had 26 royal commissions. Their failures should caution us against a repeat
Calls for a royal commission after the Bondi shootings reflect public anger and distrust, but decades of experience suggest such inquiries rarely deliver lasting reform or accountability.
johnmenadue.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Australia has held more than two dozen royal commissions since 1980. Few have delivered lasting reform.
After Bondi, it’s worth asking what these inquiries actually achieve – and what they don’t – writes Crispin Hull.
#auspol #RoyalCommission #Bondi #PublicAccountability
After Bondi, it’s worth asking what these inquiries actually achieve – and what they don’t – writes Crispin Hull.
#auspol #RoyalCommission #Bondi #PublicAccountability
Reposted by Michael Barnes
January 7, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Liberals: No but Obama did it for the *right* reasons.
January 6, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Liberals: No but Obama did it for the *right* reasons.
Reposted by Michael Barnes
"Grok’s deepfake images which ‘digitally undress’ women investigated by Australia’s online safety watchdog"
@albomp.bsky.social uses Grok/X as his primary social media platform.
Until the Prime Minister and the rest of government gets off X, the opinion of eSafety Australia is meaningless
@albomp.bsky.social uses Grok/X as his primary social media platform.
Until the Prime Minister and the rest of government gets off X, the opinion of eSafety Australia is meaningless
Grok’s deepfake images which ‘digitally undress’ women investigated by Australia’s online safety watchdog
eSafety Australia says it ‘has received several reports relating to the use of Grok to generate sexualised images without consent’ since late 2025
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:25 AM
"Grok’s deepfake images which ‘digitally undress’ women investigated by Australia’s online safety watchdog"
@albomp.bsky.social uses Grok/X as his primary social media platform.
Until the Prime Minister and the rest of government gets off X, the opinion of eSafety Australia is meaningless
@albomp.bsky.social uses Grok/X as his primary social media platform.
Until the Prime Minister and the rest of government gets off X, the opinion of eSafety Australia is meaningless
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Completely unsurprising that the Ley Opposition does not consider anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred (or other forms of prejudice like ableism or misogyny) to be as serious, or worthy of a response, as racial and (some forms of) religious hatred.
#auslaw #auspol
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
#auslaw #auspol
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Coalition doesn’t ‘need to see’ sexuality protections in hate speech reforms, says Ley
The opposition leader says reforms to the country’s vilification laws must be focused solely on Islamic extremism and antisemitism.
www.smh.com.au
January 7, 2026 at 5:51 AM
Completely unsurprising that the Ley Opposition does not consider anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred (or other forms of prejudice like ableism or misogyny) to be as serious, or worthy of a response, as racial and (some forms of) religious hatred.
#auslaw #auspol
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
#auslaw #auspol
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Reposted by Michael Barnes
On Twitter, ABC election analyst hero @antonygreenelec.bsky.social has been battling misinformation from tech entrepreneur Matt Barrie, who claims NSW is using dodgy voting machines in elections. In a lengthy exchange, Barrie misrepresents the facts and Green rptedly corrects him. #auspol #AusVotes
January 6, 2026 at 12:13 PM
On Twitter, ABC election analyst hero @antonygreenelec.bsky.social has been battling misinformation from tech entrepreneur Matt Barrie, who claims NSW is using dodgy voting machines in elections. In a lengthy exchange, Barrie misrepresents the facts and Green rptedly corrects him. #auspol #AusVotes
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Shocked I am!
January 6, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Shocked I am!
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Quietly, without much scrutiny, NSW has climbed into the global top 10 rankings of jurisdictions with the most heavy-handed anti-protest laws. The media treats this normal. It’s isn’t. #auspol
January 6, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Quietly, without much scrutiny, NSW has climbed into the global top 10 rankings of jurisdictions with the most heavy-handed anti-protest laws. The media treats this normal. It’s isn’t. #auspol
Reposted by Michael Barnes
January 6, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Reposted by Michael Barnes
“For science, it’s perhaps worth contemplating that the $1 trillion of investment in LLMs which seems to have gotten us nowhere could have gone to funding 22 years of the NIH research budget at the pre-RFK-gutting-science levels.” 🧪
www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
Can You Retract from an LLM?
Atomized, tokenized, and weighted, papers may not be addressable anymore
www.the-geyser.com
January 6, 2026 at 7:38 AM
“For science, it’s perhaps worth contemplating that the $1 trillion of investment in LLMs which seems to have gotten us nowhere could have gone to funding 22 years of the NIH research budget at the pre-RFK-gutting-science levels.” 🧪
www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
Well that was always the plan wasn't it?
When Minns said people would be able to protest Invasion Day…
NSW Police Commissioner announces extension to anti-protest laws for another two weeks, saying publicly protesting about anything is “divisive” and could make “some people” “absolutely upset”.
‘Some people’s’ feelings now outweigh the right to protest in NSW? Yikes 🙄 #auspol
‘Some people’s’ feelings now outweigh the right to protest in NSW? Yikes 🙄 #auspol
January 6, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Well that was always the plan wasn't it?
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Not exactly surprising, but interesting parallels
#auspol #climate #bushfires
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
#auspol #climate #bushfires
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Outskirts of Australian cities at risk of catastrophic fires on scale of deadly LA blazes, study finds
At least 6.9 million residents on Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart fringes exposed as dry summer follows years of vegetation growth
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:05 AM
Not exactly surprising, but interesting parallels
#auspol #climate #bushfires
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
#auspol #climate #bushfires
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Michael Barnes
“The vengabus is coming”
January 5, 2026 at 8:38 PM
“The vengabus is coming”
Reposted by Michael Barnes
The Labor Israel Action Committee gives itself away with its name. It represents another country, not Jewish Australians.
Why should we give a flying fuck what action Israel wants? And why is there a cabal of Labor has beens representing Israel’s demands?
#AusPol
Why should we give a flying fuck what action Israel wants? And why is there a cabal of Labor has beens representing Israel’s demands?
#AusPol
January 5, 2026 at 1:02 PM
The Labor Israel Action Committee gives itself away with its name. It represents another country, not Jewish Australians.
Why should we give a flying fuck what action Israel wants? And why is there a cabal of Labor has beens representing Israel’s demands?
#AusPol
Why should we give a flying fuck what action Israel wants? And why is there a cabal of Labor has beens representing Israel’s demands?
#AusPol
Reposted by Michael Barnes
BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
January 5, 2026 at 1:19 PM
BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.
Reposted by Michael Barnes
It’s time to call it.
#AUKUS is a lost cause.
We cannot continue in an idiotic one-sided alliance with a rogue nation set on invading sovereign nations for psychopathic petro capitalist colonialism.
Quit AUKUS.
Dump AUKUS.
Ditch AUKUS.
Cancel AUKUS.
Drop AUKUS.
It was always a dumb deal.
#auspol
#AUKUS is a lost cause.
We cannot continue in an idiotic one-sided alliance with a rogue nation set on invading sovereign nations for psychopathic petro capitalist colonialism.
Quit AUKUS.
Dump AUKUS.
Ditch AUKUS.
Cancel AUKUS.
Drop AUKUS.
It was always a dumb deal.
#auspol
Trump USA is laying claim to the entire western hemisphere. At the very least, we might need to pause this whole AUKUS business until they explain to us what that means exactly. We can't get dragged into empire building. We've been there. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...
Hegseth praises Australia for 'stepping up' as Marles insists AUKUS is on track
The defence minister insists the AUKUS program is on track to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines in the next decade — despite the delays plaguing shipbuilding programs in both the US an...
www.abc.net.au
January 5, 2026 at 2:34 AM
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Honestly, Australia ... given the fact that @albomp.bsky.social @australianlabor.bsky.social did NOT draw the line at the Israeli/USA-led GENOCIDE in Palestine, I think we need to lower our expectations that Labor might actually have any quibbles concerning Maduro and Venezuela. #auspol
January 4, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Honestly, Australia ... given the fact that @albomp.bsky.social @australianlabor.bsky.social did NOT draw the line at the Israeli/USA-led GENOCIDE in Palestine, I think we need to lower our expectations that Labor might actually have any quibbles concerning Maduro and Venezuela. #auspol
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Heatwaves across south-eastern Australia from Wednesday, projected to be the worst in six years: https://benhr.xyz/2026/01/05/heatwaves-across-southeastern-australia-from.html
Heatwaves across south-eastern Australia from Wednesday, projected to be the worst in six years
benhr.xyz
January 5, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Heatwaves across south-eastern Australia from Wednesday, projected to be the worst in six years: https://benhr.xyz/2026/01/05/heatwaves-across-southeastern-australia-from.html
Reposted by Michael Barnes
The US violated international law in Venezuela. These are the questions Australia must now ask | Donald Rothwell
The US violated international law in Venezuela. These are the questions Australia must now ask | Donald Rothwell
US conduct could become more assertive in the Indo-Pacific in the remaining years of the Trump presidency – with serious implications for Anzus and Aukus
*
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No matter how the Trump administration seeks to justify its actions in seizing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an audacious snatch and grab operation, this has been a gross violation of international law.
The United Nations charter makes crystal clear that all UN members are to refrain from the “use of force” against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The US violation of Venezuelan airspace, ensuing airstrikes in Caracas, the seizure of Maduro and his illegal removal from Venezuela are all egregious violations of this. Any suggestion it was justified as an act of US self-defence is not supported by the facts. The US had not suffered a Venezuelan armed attack, nor is there any evidence to suggest such an attack was imminent. Geoffrey Robertson KC has gone so far as to suggest that what occurred was an act of US aggression against Venezuela, which is one of the most serious violations of international law. Russian aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 and the ongoing war that resulted has had an ongoing legacy.
Donald Rothwell is professor of international law at the Australian National University Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:20 AM
The US violated international law in Venezuela. These are the questions Australia must now ask | Donald Rothwell
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Oh, just shoot me now. @australianlabor.bsky.social is reading from the exact same script as @UKLabour.
Starmer, yesterday: "I want to establish the facts first."
The most PATHETIC Labor leaders the world has EVER seen, @albomp.bsky.social @Keir_Starmer. Even worse than Tory Neville Chamberlain.
Starmer, yesterday: "I want to establish the facts first."
The most PATHETIC Labor leaders the world has EVER seen, @albomp.bsky.social @Keir_Starmer. Even worse than Tory Neville Chamberlain.
January 5, 2026 at 6:21 AM
Oh, just shoot me now. @australianlabor.bsky.social is reading from the exact same script as @UKLabour.
Starmer, yesterday: "I want to establish the facts first."
The most PATHETIC Labor leaders the world has EVER seen, @albomp.bsky.social @Keir_Starmer. Even worse than Tory Neville Chamberlain.
Starmer, yesterday: "I want to establish the facts first."
The most PATHETIC Labor leaders the world has EVER seen, @albomp.bsky.social @Keir_Starmer. Even worse than Tory Neville Chamberlain.
Reposted by Michael Barnes
International law is VERY clear about the INVASION/KIDNAPPING heads of state
So are countries like Spain, Brazil, Chile., Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
Western democracies apparently totally unclear - including Australia's duopoly and the UK
How strange ...
I WONDER WHY??
So are countries like Spain, Brazil, Chile., Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
Western democracies apparently totally unclear - including Australia's duopoly and the UK
How strange ...
I WONDER WHY??
January 4, 2026 at 10:14 PM
International law is VERY clear about the INVASION/KIDNAPPING heads of state
So are countries like Spain, Brazil, Chile., Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
Western democracies apparently totally unclear - including Australia's duopoly and the UK
How strange ...
I WONDER WHY??
So are countries like Spain, Brazil, Chile., Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay.
Western democracies apparently totally unclear - including Australia's duopoly and the UK
How strange ...
I WONDER WHY??
Reposted by Michael Barnes
Do you mean Sam Newman the ex footy player who has his own podcast where he interviewed and platformed Jew hating neo Nazis Blair ‘Steroids’ Cottrell & Thomas Sewer
Surely various Jewish groups who support a RC have a real issue with Sam the antisemite signing a letter in the name of Jews, right?
Surely various Jewish groups who support a RC have a real issue with Sam the antisemite signing a letter in the name of Jews, right?
January 5, 2026 at 12:25 AM