Together with test cricket, Boxing Day reliably provides us with the final quarterly Newspoll breakdowns for the year, via The Australian. Combining 3774 responses from the last three polls, conducted between September 29 and November 20, the national-level results tell us nothing we didn’t already know, having Labor with an aggregated lead of 57-43. The most striking findings relate to the changing balance of One Nation and Coalition support by age: whereas no difference was recorded among the 18-to-34 cohort (both up a point), movement was significant for 35-to-49 (One Nation up four, Coalition down one), substantial for 50-to-64 (One Nation up five, Coalition down four) and seismic for 65-plus (One Nation up seven, Coalition down seven). The effect is still more pronounced on Sussan Ley’s personal ratings, which were effectively unchanged among 18-to-34s but deteriorated in net terms by minus 26 among 50-to-64 and minus 27 among 65-plus.
Breakdowns by income hint at the possibility of a more complex picture than an exodus from the Coalition to One Nation. The latter’s gains are predictably concentrated among the less affluent, by six points among both the less-than-$50,000 and $50,000-to-$100,000 brackets, and in the former case the loss is borne more by Labor (down four) than the Coalition (down one). This is balanced for Labor by a gain among the $100,000-to-$150,000 bracket, up three points on the primary vote with a two-party lead widening from 57-43 to 60-40.
At state level, Labor’s two-party lead narrowed in New South Wales, from 60-40 to 58-42, but widened elsewhere: from 58-42 to 60-40 in Victoria, 51-49 to 52-48 in Queensland, 54-46 to 56-44 in Western Australia, and 55-45 to 58-42 in South Australia. One Nation were up eight points in Queensland to 18% (where the Coalition was down six to 27%) and by three or four points elsewhere.
Also:
• Nine Newspapers reports further results from the Resolve Strategic poll finding more than 70% in favour of toughening hate speech laws, banning extremist Islamist organisations and imposing tougher immigration screening to deal with anti-Semitic or extremist views. Fifty-three per cent favour a “ban on pro-Palestine marches”, with only 16% opposed and the remainder neutral or unsure, and 48% support a Royal Commission into anti-Semitism, with 17% opposed.
• Nicholas Biddle of the Australian National University reports the university’s occasional ANUpoll survey happened to be gathering data on political attitudes and satisfaction with democracy and life from December 9 to 22, a period encompassing the Bondi shootings on December 14. The sample of 3564 included 538 who returned their responses up to the evening of the shootings. With exacting standards applied, Biddle observes statistically significant drops in confidence in the federal government and satisfaction in the direction of the country from the first period to the second. A fall in Anthony Albanese’s personal rating just clears the 95% confidence threshold (with the damage seemingly concentrated from December 18 to 22, when around 900 surveys were completed), while an otherwise similar result for Sussan Ley doesn’t quite get there. Perceived fairness and helpfulness of others was up in the post-Bondi sample, and life satisfaction barely changed.
• In the first piece of preselection news I’m aware of concerning the next election, the Australian Capital Territory Liberals last month chose their lead Senate candidate. The Canberra Times reports the party ballot was won by Nick Tyrrell ahead of Hayune Lee, data architect at Services Australia, by 143 votes to 34. Tyrrell is the party’s territory branch president, a former staffer to Barry O’Farrell, Pru Goward and Gladys Berejiklian and “founder of electric picnic boat hire firm GoBoat”. The Canberra Times further reported last week that a Liberal internal poll had Tyrrell on 21.54% (compared with 17.76% for the Liberals at the May election), with David Pocock on 34.67% (39.16%), Labor’s Katy Gallagher on 23.12% (31.74%), the Greens on 8.25% (7.78%) and others 12.45%. The poll was conducted November 26 to 28, with no sample size provided.
• Former Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel and former South Australian Senator Rex Patrick have launched a High Court challenge against campaign finance reforms that will take effect in the middle of next year. At issue are three features said to advantage major parties at the expense of independents: distinct caps for general party and candidate-specific spending, of which only the latter is of use to independents; the capacity of nationally organised parties to receive donations up to the $50,000 cap in each of their state and territory branches; and a new measure prohibiting donors from contributing to more than five candidates per state or territory. As ever, the plaintiffs hope the court will deem the measures inconsistent with an implied constitutional right to freedom of political communication.
I hope Bludgers one and all, had a good Christmas or appropriate holiday. I am looking forward to 2026, with hope. Best wishes to all.
Thank you William for all your work wrangling the PB mob, in 2025.
I suggest you get a good Kelpie for 2026.
Such fine commentary, it deserves to be repeated:
Dr Doolittlesays:
Thursday, December 25, 2025 at 11:50 pm
nadia at 10.27 and 10.50 pm
Thanks for your merry self. Now, regarding ‘This “get Albo thing” which started around the time of his wedding on 29-Nov …’ I am barely qualified to comment on the media. I try to consume as little of it as possible while monitoring public opinion broadly, but here goes.
Many years ago, I found that Mr Bowe Esq. was performing, with the assistance of his many followers, a public service in enabling the efficient and informed reader to keep a broad update on Australian media reporting without getting infected, or at least perturbed, by the unsavoury and chilly details in much media commentary, as occurs if it is read first hand.
Sister Veronica Brady, an erudite nun, once wrote a book titled Caught in the Draught about the unhealthy effects of too much consumption of the Australian mainstream media. That was 30 years ago, before the steep decline of what ethics many in the media then possessed. Her book is only $8:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/276590595547?srsltid=AfmBOoo0bDxfNLOKBnxNPIQrM9K6wVy88-biE8NwNSc1uAZCpZjEEwxD
I think the “get Albo thing” has been going for well over 2 years, not just a month. Lars was a cheerleader of sorts, a year ago. Then, great Scott, the media suffered an electoral correction.
Most Australians have not thought about politics for months, and they won’t until something big happens in 2026 or 2027 that affects them.
Remember what Graham Morris, the brains behind the J.W. Howard artifice, said about the lonely job of an Opposition Leader. He said there are only a few, rare opportunities during an electoral cycle for the LOTO to be really noticed by the marginal voters who count most.
Now, during the summer holidays, which for the senior bods in the media began over a week ago, is certainly not a time for Ms Ley to get noticed. Why is she so hyped up? Because she knows her colleagues think she is on borrowed time. A sad case of extreme anxiety overload.
James Walter, Prof Emeritus at Monash, a leading expert on Australian PMs, has stressed the growing personalisation of Australian party political leadership. For his output see:
https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/jim-walter/publications/
The trend is a long one, but Walter thinks it has become more entrenched in the past 20 years.
The point is this. It’s very unlikely that, if the Liberals survive as a non-rump party by 2028, they will go to the next election with Ms Ley as their leader. The fact that Frydenberg, beaten by an educated woman and lacking the guts to run again against her, is reportedly (according to Ms Ferguson on 7.30) being talked about as a saviour shows you how lost the Libs are. The choice of the next Lib leader will presumably have occurred by December 2026. Then it will still be probably 16 months until the earliest probable date for the next election, March 2028.
When will the gotcha warriors in the media calm down or grow up? Never. That was the lesson of the 2022 campaign, with Bandt’s “Google it” remark. The journos laughed at it, then forgot.
When will there be a contest again in Australian federal politics? Unlikely in 2026. If economic conditions worsen, there is a possibility in 2027, but far from certain. As the finance spruikers would put it, the future risks for the Libs look to be on the downside for the foreseeable future.
When will Albo retire? Answer given by Tanya Plibersek – not on the electoral horizon. Many Labor Party members are disappointed in Albo, despite his pragmatic success, because he tends to avoid some big or topical but difficult issues (AUKUS, saturation gambling etc), but he has as much power viv-a-vis the Labor caucus as J.W. Howard had regarding the Liberal one.
While John Clarke and Bryan Dawe waxed lyrical about poor Peter Costello missing out on his turn on the top dog’s bike, nobody in the media seriously talks about any challenges to Albo.
So, despite the large drop in the Labor and Liberal primaries since 2007, it is still largely a two party system, and when one party is in perpetual crisis, the media can’t injure the other one.
Keir Starmer has shown that poor leaders can lose large majorities readily, but the Australian electoral system is not the primitive UK type. It is possible that the Libs have yet to bottom out.
‘The Australian’ is determined to destroy Albanese.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/albanese-serves-hot-meals-with-a-side-of-hope-for-christmas-lunch
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Frabbi-noach-koncepolski-wants-to-heal-the-world-one-sweet-at-a-time%2Fnews-story%2F8caa536dcba6764f8c6d21e6911ebf53&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=ULTRALOW-Segment-2-SCORE&V21spcbehaviour=append
Albo has more sense than Starmer, which is why his polling has comparatively held up. Starmer has always been Albo without any of Albo’s better instincts, and as a result, Starmer has a tendency to be completely craven, and to repeatedly surrender to the right (across the board) for no reason, alienating his own base while not winning over conservatives who don’t want diet-conservatism.
‘The Australian’ is determined to destroy Albanese.
_____________
And so is James Massola who seems to be obsessed with it.
Maybe instead of lowering the voting age to 16 we should cap it at 65, you know it makes sense…
Despite recent events, it’s concerning that Australia isn’t listed here imo, recognising Palestine was just a first step, we need to stay united and take follow-up action with other like minded countries.
“Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the UK condemn Israel’s approval of 19 new West Bank settlements as illegal, destabilizing, and harmful to peace efforts, urging a reversal under UN Security Council Resolution 2334. They oppose annexation and settlement expansion and reaffirm support for Palestinian self-determination and a negotiated two-state solution.”
https://www.regjeringen.no/no/whats-new/statement-on-israeli-settlement-expansion-in-the-west-bank/id3144506/
The Australian newspaper has come out “boxing” on boxing day, determined to whip up as much “cream” as possible for the “hysteria” lunch with no limit apparently for the number of helpings its disciples wish to consume.
I suspect that many Australian voters are thankful that a Federal government is showing restraint in the after math of Bondi.
If a federal liberal party member like Angus Taylor is resisting to get involved in this ridiculous trying to score political points on a tragedy by the federal lib/nats and propaganda media units ,
it is not going very well for them, and going to be a political backfire deservedly so on the federal lib/nats and propaganda media units.
A majority of Australians want the government to take a tougher approach to screening people for extremist views when issuing visas, while almost half say they would back a royal commission into antisemitism in the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack. In a sign of broad public support for the Albanese government to take action on antisemitism after 15 innocent people were killed in a targeted attack on Jews celebrating Hanukkah, the latest Resolve poll for this masthead shows about seven in 10 people agree there should be tougher penalties for hate speech and extremist groups.
Out of the seven policy responses that the 1010 survey respondents were asked about, tougher immigration screening to identify antisemitic or extremist views, was the most popular, with 76 per cent in support and 7 per cent against. This was followed by banning extremist organisations, which had 72 per cent support compared with 6 per cent opposition. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has said he will do both. Earlier this month he cancelled the Australian visa of a British national charged with displaying Nazi symbols but said the department would soon be given greater powers to cancel or refuse visas on the basis of hate speech or vilification. He will also introduce a new regime to list extremist organisations, such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, which have to date evaded government action because they do not meet the threshold to be considered proscribed terrorist groups.
Other popular measures in the Resolve poll included tougher hate speech laws (70 per cent support, 8 per cent oppose) and heavier penalties for those who incite violence against Jewish people (67 per cent support, 8 per cent oppose). Federal government departments are working over the new year to draft laws that will create new offences for hate preaching, vilification based on race and adults who radicalise children.
The Resolve poll shows that 56 per cent of people surveyed backed stronger hate speech laws based on faith or religion in March last year, dipping to 49 per cent in May 2024. But support rose to 66 per cent – or two-thirds in favour – this month for tougher hate speech laws. This is strongest among Coalition voters (74 per cent support), followed by Labor voters (70 per cent), One Nation voters (69 per cent) and the Greens (65 per cent). Opposition to these laws has also declined: while 19 per cent disagreed with changing the law to ban hate speech based on religion or faith last March, and this rose to 28 per cent last May, only 9 per cent of voters now oppose tougher laws. “Australians regard freedom of speech and action as core individual rights, but recent events have reinforced that they come with a reciprocal responsibility to society at large,” said Resolve director Jim Reed.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australians-want-tougher-visa-screening-half-in-favour-of-royal-commission-after-bondi-attack-20251224-p5npx5.html
If there is a likely federal by-election in the seat of Farrer before next year federal budget ,
Sussan Ley had a 8.85% swing against her at the 2025 federal election , maybe a chance for a independent to take the seat from the federal liberal party.
Thanks William for this report.
An interesting analysis, 2.6 years before the next Federal Election, would see the current 94 seats increase to 102 for the government.
Based, on a rather inexact, comparison from the 2025 Electoral Pendulum, I could see the Government being very close or winning the following seats:
NSW: Berowra, Lindsay & Fowler.
Vic: Flinders, Casey & La Trobe.
Queensland: Bowman & Longman. Possibly, Ryan.
Berowra & Mitchell may be in play as the electorate boundaries are pushing westward into areas in which the ALP has captured and retained former Liberal heartland seats.
Such polling figures may also find Goldstein being flipped, again.
Except for Fowler, I would presume that ALP preferences would help Independents retain the most marginal seats of Bradfield & Kooyong.
Hard Being Green @ 7.14am
As a senior voter who has always voted Left, your proposition doesn’t make any sense.
Personally, I would encourage as many right wing voters to desert the CLP, as possible.
I think society is going through a pretty significant tip in the balance – with tech shifts things seem to shift too rapidly for alot of people and they hide behind One Nation in fear.
Whilst the older news polls are of some interest you’d expect a sharp reset after Bondi and travel expenses. So I’m not reading to much into this set of numbers.
Oddly as a life long optimist in all aspects of my life I dont have that same optimism for two things.
The Carlton Blues and politics.
Macca RB as a left leaning voter aged over 65 you’re in a very small minority. It would be worth sacrificing your vote for the greater good
A temporary blip for One Nation or a more permanent move? From there, where do the preferences go? Will they be stronger for the LNP than previously?
I guess the first minor test will be South Australia
I see Barnaby was in Cessnock on the weekend calling for Sydney to be made into it’s own state leaving the balance of NSW as a separate one
World News & Politics Patrol:
Russian bombers fly near Britain, NATO scrambles fighter jets: https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russian-bombers-fly-near-britain-nato-scrambles-1766663390.html
Russian opposition leader sentenced to six years in prison: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/sergei-udaltsov-terrorism
Canada backs Greenland’s sovereignty as U.S. talks of annexation: https://globalnews.ca/news/11590253/canada-greenland-sovereignty-us-annexation/
Former British National Party leader Nick Griffin in court charged with stirring up racial hatred after posting cartoon on Twitter: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15405505/Former-British-National-Party-leader-Nick-Griffin-court-charged-stirring-racial-hatred-posting-cartoon-Twitter.html
Arizona cancels medical debt for almost half-a-million residents: https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2025-12-22/arizona-cancels-medical-debt-for-almost-half-a-million-residents
Trump kicks off Christmas Day with over 100 posts attacking Somalis, praising the economy and alleging voter fraud: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-christmas-day-truth-social-somali-economy-b2890397.html
Gavin Newsom drops Christmas troll of Trump with video mocking Epstein files redactions: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/gavin-newsom-trolls-trump-epstein-files-b2890506.html
Public release of Epstein records puts Maxwell under fresh scrutiny amid her claims of innocence: https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-ghislaine-maxwell-sex-trafficking-ad68cf52d66cdbe0167ba8e37b04ccca
Anyone else watching Pluribus? It’s so great. Highly recommend you do if not.
——————————
I sub’d to Apple TV for it. It has been excellent. Unique. Absorbing. Stunning passages of cinematography. You just get immersed in the world they have created – I find the world and the character Carol (and their relationship) fascinating. Id warn peeps that it isn’t fast paced. But it can’t be, there is so much to take in.
And I got to see and binge Slow Horses as a bonus for getting AppleTV.
But now what do I do? I have so many months till the next series of both.
Down Cemetery Road was pretty good
Scott @ 7.43am
Despite the 8.85% swing against Leysy Sussan, the margin for Farrer is still 16.2%.
A successful Independent candidate, in that community, would need to have an extremely high profile, across a large electorate, be well resourced and be acceptable to all of the non-CLP candidates in order to harvest all of their 2nd preferences in order to successfully win this seat.
I don’t know the percentage of Green or ALP voters in this electorate, but if they could strategically vote, by giving their 1st Preference to an acceptable candidate then there could be a chance, however remote, of flipping this seat.
The quality of the candidate, with appeal to the broader electorate, is the key to success.
A Helen Haines style candidate could be a possible model for success.
Good Morning! Happy Boxing Day Cricket, Yachting or Sales. Here’s Your Daily News and Views Roundup
King Charles III has paid tribute to community members who demonstrated “spontaneous bravery” in his annual Christmas message, recognising people who put “themselves in harm’s way to defend others”, like those who confronted terror at Bondi.
In his message, King Charles urged people of different faiths to find common ground and stressed the need for tolerance, saying the strength of modern societies lies in the diversity of their people.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-26/king-charles-pays-homage-to-bondi-bravery-in-christmas-message/106176872
Albanese serves hot meals with a side of hope for Christmas lunch
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/albanese-serves-hot-meals-with-a-side-of-hope-for-christmas-lunch
This Christmas, peace won’t come from the politics of envy. It will come only by building a more equal Australia. Wealth is shifting upwards, basic universal services are outsourced and improving the lives of the Australians doing it toughest is being ignored. So where can we find hope? Brad Chilcott
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/24/christmas-peace-a-more-equal-australia-cost-of-living-wealth
Bondi after the bullets. This article is written in the shadow of that moment. By Michael Cohen
https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/bondi-after-the-bullets,20516
Bondi shows us that politics is the very worst forum for us to try to stand together. Waleed Aly
https://www.theage.com.au/national/bondi-shows-us-that-politics-is-the-very-worst-forum-for-us-to-try-to-stand-together-20251225-p5nq1r.html
Veronica’s shop was targeted by racist hate. This is how her NSW community responded.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/veronica-s-shop-was-targeted-by-racist-hate-this-is-how-her-community-responded-20251208-p5nlte.html
Car with ‘Happy Chanukah’ sign firebombed in suspected antisemitic attack in Melbourne
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/car-with-happy-chanukah-sign-firebombed-in-suspected-antisemitic-attack-in-melbourne
In a sign of broad public support for the Albanese government to take action on antisemitism after 15 innocent people were killed in a targeted attack on Jews celebrating Hanukkah, the latest Resolve poll for this masthead shows about seven in 10 people agree there should be tougher penalties for hate speech and extremist groups. The Resolve poll shows a narrow majority (53 per cent) would support banning the pro-Palestine marches, while 16 per cent oppose that measure and 31 per cent are unsure or neutral.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-want-tougher-visa-screening-half-in-favour-of-royal-commission-after-bondi-attack-20251224-p5npx5.html
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared he will tour the country as he mounts a campaign for national gun reform, while Nationals MPs denounce the push as a “smokescreen” for failures in tackling antisemitism.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-to-take-gun-law-campaign-bush-as-nationals-pushback-exposes-rural-divide-20251223-p5nppx.html
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has invited Israeli President Isaac Herzog to visit Australia after the Bondi terrorist attack, as the governor-general prepares a special honours list to recognise the heroes of the December 14 shooting that claimed 15 innocent lives.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/israeli-president-invited-to-visit-australia-after-bondi-shooting-20251223-p5npuq.html
‘A long road ahead’: The forces mobilising to support Bondi victims
https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-long-road-ahead-the-forces-mobilising-to-support-bondi-victims-20251224-p5npxe.html
SMH Editorial: While we are yet to discover what the Bondi Beach gunmen did in the Philippines, their sojourn is a reminder of how the threat of extremism can survive underground in our region despite massive endeavours by governments to eradicate it.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/philippines-experience-carries-lessons-for-dealing-with-bondi-beach-20251224-p5npz2.html
Why Albanese is plain wrong on a Bondi royal commission. James Massola
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/why-albanese-is-plain-wrong-on-a-bondi-royal-commission-20251222-p5npmm.html
A British national who has been charged with displaying Nazi symbols has had his Australian visa cancelled and faces deportation to the United Kingdom as the Albanese government starts drafting tougher laws on hate speech after the Bondi terror attack.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/man-charged-over-swastika-swords-to-be-deported-as-labor-drafts-tougher-laws-20251223-p5npr3.html
Western Australia faces bushfire threat as cold, wet and bumpy Sydney to Hobart yacht race forecast
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/sydney-to-hobart-yacht-race-forecast-to-be-cold-wet-and-bumpy-as-australias-west-faces-cyclone-and-bushfire-threat
Police made an emergency declaration after a storm caused a partial crane collapse on the Gold Coast on Christmas Day afternoon.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-25/qld-crane-collapse-gold-coast-christmas-day/106178834
Nick Bolkus, long-time Labor senator and Hawke-Keating-era minister, dies aged 75
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-25/nick-bolkus-obituary/106178484
Victoria’s Greater Western Water has reported a near $200 million operating cash loss and rising debts following its botched IT system upgrade, and could be propped up with public funds next year.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/taxpayers-offer-life-raft-after-water-giant-s-200-million-it-disaster-20251224-p5npz8.html
Into the void: how Trump killed international law. The rules-based global order, its institutions and value system face a crisis of legitimacy and credibility as the US turns away. Patrick Wintour
https://www.theguardian.com/law/ng-interactive/2025/dec/25/how-donald-trump-killed-international-law
Dear Britain: things are bad, but America will recover from Donald Trump. Just give us three years. When the president targeted me and my TV show, millions said no. So don’t give up on us – and always remember, we’re not all like him. Jimmy Kimmel
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/25/jimmy-kimmel-christmas-message-trump
‘Not an enabler’? A glimpse behind the curtain at Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles
Are her recent candid remarks about Trump an attempt to distance herself from an increasingly unpopular president?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/25/trump-chief-of-staff-susie-wiles
Did 2025 mark the end of British parliamentary democracy as we know it? The conventions and rituals that define the way we do politics rapidly eroded this year – setting the UK on a course into the unknown. Andy Beckett
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/25/2025-british-parliamentary-democracy-labour-tory-reform
British campaigner launches legal challenge against Trump administration after deportation threat
Imran Ahmed, an anti-disinformation advocate, claims he is being targeted over his work scrutinising social media companies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/british-campaigner-llegal-challenge-trump-administration-deportation
US and Ukraine reach consensus on key issues to end war with Russia but territorial disputes remain
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-25/us-ukraine-reach-consensus-on-key-issues-to-end-war/106178118
Zelensky agrees to troop withdrawal in new peace draft, awaits Russia’s response
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/zelensky-agrees-to-troop-withdrawal-in-new-peace-draft-awaits-russia-s-response-20251225-p5nq16.html
Ukrainian refugee leaves UK sixth-form college that urged her ‘to study Russian’. Kateryna Endeberia says teachers made the ‘hurtful’ request when she had difficulty with other subjects
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/ukrainian-refugee-leaves-uk-sixth-form-college-that-urged-her-to-study-russian
‘International community has lost interest’: Afghanistan’s first female vice-president sees history repeating. Sima Samar has spent a lifetime working for the ideals of a country that no longer exists, but even in exile she dreams of rebuilding for a second time
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/sima-samar-afghanistan-first-female-vice-president
America’s increasingly ‘K-shaped’ economy is difficult to reconcile. Stephen Bartholomeusz
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/america-s-increasingly-k-shaped-economy-is-difficult-to-reconcile-20251224-p5npwn.html
Trump’s claims to Venezuelan oil are part of broader ‘resource imperialism’, experts say
Critics compare offensive to Iraq war, citing familiar mix of regime-change rhetoric, security pretexts and oil interests
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/24/trump-venezuela-oil-resource-imperialism
Federal judge blocks White House’s reductions of homeland security funding to states
Judge said cuts were ‘another example’ of Trump administration tying state assistance to its immigration crackdown
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/24/federal-judge-white-house-state-homeland-security-funding
US labor unions gear up to fight against Trump’s ‘Billionaire First’ agenda. AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler says union ready to stand up for struggling Americans: ‘Which side are you on?’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/25/trump-labor-unions-afl-cio
Remember Elon Musk’s DOGE? Here’s how it caused so much chaos but saved so little money
The group’s biggest claims were largely incorrect, while its many smaller cuts added up to few savings.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/remember-elon-musk-s-doge-here-s-how-it-caused-so-much-chaos-but-saved-so-little-money-20251224-p5npw5.html
Epstein survivor calls for Mountbatten-Windsor to be ‘brought to justice’ in US
Marina Lacerda urges him to answer questions as Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says anyone who accepted former royal’s denials ‘should be ashamed’
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/dec/25/epstein-survivor-calls-for-mountbatten-windsor-to-be-brought-to-justice-in-us
The Trump administration has taken the extraordinary step of barring five European “ideologues” from entering the United States, accusing them of coercing American tech companies into censoring certain viewpoints.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/unwelcome-on-american-soil-us-bans-european-ideologues-accused-of-censorship-20251225-p5nq15.html
Trump-backed candidate Asfura declared new president of Honduras. Winning margin of 28,000 votes announced a month late but before review of all ‘inconsistent’ ballots was completed
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/24/honduras-nasry-tito-asfura-declared-president-donald-trump-backed
Europe stands with Greenland as Trump threat returns
Donald Trump’s appointment of a special envoy reignites a fight over the Arctic island.
https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-stands-united-with-greenland-donald-trump-threat-looms/
Trump thinks he wants a Europe without the EU — he shouldn’t
If the bloc were to crumble, rest assured Americans would come to regret it very quickly.
https://www.politico.eu/article/us-donald-trump-thinks-wants-europe-without-eu-should-not/
Russian opposition leader sentenced to six years in prison
Sergei Udaltsov, Putin critic affiliated with the Communist party, convicted of justifying terrorism
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/sergei-udaltsov-terrorism
Hundreds of thousands newly displaced as Islamic State insurgency expands in Mozambique
Rising numbers of people flee jihadists, as violence against civilians increases and foreign aid dwindles
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/25/displaced-islamic-state-insurgency-mozambique
Despite the public fascination, concerns are growing that China’s robotics industry is moving too fast. The robots can mimic human movement and even complete basic tasks. But they are not skilled enough to handle many tasks now done by people. And with so many companies rushing into the industry, Beijing is warning of a bubble.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/does-china-have-a-robot-bubble-20251218-p5nos9.html
Rich like Bill Gates: Meet the Saudi sisters wielding $75 billion in a man’s world
https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/rich-like-bill-gates-meet-the-saudi-sisters-wielding-75-billion-in-a-man-s-world-20251217-p5nod3.html
Can you ‘live long and prosper’ by learning economics from Star Trek? Or is that ‘highly illogical’? From post-scarcity societies to hyper-capitalist alien cultures, the now legendary sci-fi franchise the show spawned offers surprisingly rich material for economists and curious minds alike.
https://theconversation.com/can-you-live-long-and-prosper-by-learning-economics-from-star-trek-or-is-that-highly-illogical-246988
Inside the US’s psychedelic church boom, where taking drugs is legal
Religious groups using banned drugs are increasingly testing the limits of faith and law – and winning
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/25/psychedelic-church-drugs-legal
The 20 best podcasts of 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/ng-interactive/2025/dec/24/the-20-best-podcasts-of-2025
I see Barnaby was in Cessnock on the weekend calling for Sydney to be made into it’s own state leaving the balance of NSW as a separate one
Populist nonsense.
Shell, is it better that Slow Horses? I have to ignore the faults of slow horses in order to enjoy the performances and humour. is DCRd….. tighter?
I’ve heard good things about Drops of God
Victoria’s Greater Western Water has reported a near $200 million operating cash loss and rising debts following its botched IT system upgrade, and could be propped up with public funds next year.
_______________________
Released on Christmas Eve months after every other Water Authority had released their Annual Reports.
How low can you go.
SK
Not better than Slow Horses because Oldman is supreme but some really good acting performances.
Fehinti Balogun is very evil.
They are minor but I do like Darren Boyd and Lydia Leonard’s performances.
‘Thanks, Hh and C@t
Into the void: how Trump killed international law. The rules-based global order, its institutions and value system face a crisis of legitimacy and credibility as the US turns away. Patrick Wintour
https://www.theguardian.com/law/ng-interactive/2025/dec/25/how-donald-trump-killed-international-law‘
===========================
US centric analysis, I’m afraid.
The reality is that Russia and China have been trashing the rules-based order for decades. Trump is doing US catch up.
Is a political realignment happening in Australia?
https://youtu.be/Kt4a1CEcKlk?si=oNjM4Qrp3Eg49E0r
The Likud Gazette remains in full Destroy Albanese mode today.
Taylormade says:
Friday, December 26, 2025 at 8:20 am
Victoria’s Greater Western Water has reported a near $200 million operating cash loss and rising debts following its botched IT system upgrade, and could be propped up with public funds next year.
_______________________
Released on Christmas Eve months after every other Water Authority had released their Annual Reports.
How low can you go.
Is it a private company or a qango?
James Massola needs to go on holiday and reflect on what he has been doing.
Bk
I see Massola still banging on about a royal comission.
I dare say he wouid like it headed by Dyson Heydon or Walter Sofranoff (or both) with the media liason team run by Janet Albrechtson.
Do yourself a favour. Waleed Aly’s opinion piece is well worth a read today.
Ta Shellbell
Boerwar,
Russia and China are not democracies. I think the point with the Trump article is that Trump is abusing the might of the American democracy, which was the bulwark against those other countries, to now go down the same path as them and to attempt to destroy what is left of other democratic entities that are seen as a counterpoint and ballast against the attempt by the Authoritarians to carve up the world between them. Hence his project to dismantle the global world order.
Donnies kind and warm Christmas message to the populace.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5663116-trump-attacks-opponents-christmas-post/
Dr Doolittle:
Thursday, December 25, 2025 at 11:50 pm
Interesting take. Thanks.
C@tmomma says:
Friday, December 26, 2025 at 8:49 am
Do yourself a favour. Waleed Aly’s opinion piece is well worth a read today.
___________________________________________
Good morning C@t. Thanks for your recommendation. I totally agree. Aly’s piece was great. I didn’t waste my time with Massola.
Barnaby reinvigorated the idea of a New State – how Earle Page came onto the public stage a century ago.
Its peak was the New England referendum nearly 60 years ago. The Country party would have won it except they were greedy and included Newcastle, but not as the capital. The idea was slightly less popular than pancreatic cancer in Newy. On the other hand the proposed New England without Newy was pretty much defined by the overwhelming smell of cow shit. In any case the proposal would have been overwhelmingly defeated at the next step of a statewide referendum.
Good to see that Barnaby and one nation are providing some silly season fillers.
Morning all and happy Boxing Day bludgers. Dr Doolittle is right about the “Get Albo” meme in the MSM, or at least its feral remnants outside the ABC. My only comfort is that IMO the MSM have far less influence now in a social media age than they did when they tried the same tactics on Gillard.
This is especially the case among the young. Judging by my (well eductaed) nieces and nephews, they don’t watch the six o’clock news.
Just read Barnaby’s facebook rant:
The Premier is entitled to his views on laws, but away from Sydney they are not in the majority our views; so, if in the USA, New York can be its own state with its own Federal Senators, then why can’t Sydney?
Everyone see the schoolboy howler here? As dumb as fuck or the effects of the brandy in the Christmas pud?
‘Oakeshott Country says:
Friday, December 26, 2025 at 9:37 am
Just read Barnaby’s facebook rant:
The Premier is entitled to his views on laws, but away from Sydney they are not in the majority our views; so, if in the USA, New York can be its own state with its own Federal Senators, then why can’t Sydney?
Everyone see the schoolboy howler here? As dumb as fuck or the effects of the brandy in the Christmas pud?’
===============
Fuckwits abound.
Cat and HH thanks for the roundup. The Nationals are no longer a major party, and its a bit unfair to PHON and the Greens to treat them as such. Nevertheless I see them as runn8ng the next big campaign against Labor.
“ Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared he will tour the country as he mounts a campaign for national gun reform, while Nationals MPs denounce the push as a “smokescreen” for failures in tackling antisemitism.”
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-to-take-gun-law-campaign-bush-as-nationals-pushback-exposes-rural-divide-20251223-p5nppx.html
IMO it is the opposite of what the Nationals allege. The vast majority in recent surveys want tighter gun laws. This is a separate issue to antisemitism or racism generally but the Nats are trying to use the latter to distract from the need for the former.
Labor should not overestimate the proportion opposed to gun laws even in rural areas. I happened to be working in Gympie in rural Qld (with QTMR) when the 1997 gun laws were announced. The clear majority in Gympie were in favour. Those against were noisy and well organised but still only a minority of the people. In hindsight I would say virtually none of the critics voted Labor either.
RB Macxa
Surely the only chance of defeating Sussan is an extremely high profile popular independent candidate. Don’t know if the mayor of Albury fits this profile but that would be about the only possibility unless she gets rolled in preselection for a RWNJ candisate
Team Katich
There are a few good shows at the moment on Apple TV.
The Last Frontier is an action packed series with Australian actor Jason Clarke playing a lead role.
The World War Two movie Greyhound about a destroyer escorting a convoy with Tom Hanks is good.
Then there is always Ted Lasso if you haven’t seen it.
Thanks Dr Doolittle from last night. Fair assessment.
The Sue Elelman interview from yesterday has been posted on the 2GB website, if anyone wants to have a listen.
Link: https://www.2gb.com/anthony-albanese-spars-with-susie-elelman-over-bondi-terror-attack/
Barnaby was born the same year (1967) as the failed referendum to create a new state of New England. Perhaps he can spend the rest of his political career agitating for his thought bubble.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_New_South_Wales_new_state_referendum
mj says:
Friday, December 26, 2025 at 8:34 am
Is a political realignment happening in Australia?
https://youtu.be/Kt4a1CEcKlk?si=oNjM4Qrp3Eg49E0r
============
Thanks mj.
Just watched it. Very prescient assessment of the current state of play in Oz.
Hastie’s not very bright: immigration policy, as Massola puts it, isn’t simple:
[‘Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, a prime ministerial aspirant, posted a video on social media with the subtitle: “It’s time to reach for the deport button.” Hastie spoke in a little more detail in the video about wanting all non-citizen radical hate preachers deported and strengthening the Migration Act, but he ended on the most simplistic of notes: “It’s very simple. No.1: deport all hate preachers, and No.2, narrow the gate for entry into this country.”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/why-albanese-is-plain-wrong-on-a-bondi-royal-commission-20251222-p5npmm.html
Hastie would be the type who would deploy troops on the streets to round up non-citizens who’ve forgotten Bradman’s batting average. Prime Ministerial potential, he has not.
Macca RB, Re Berowra.
It’s not the move west of his electorate that is the problem for Leeser, the are what saved him. It’s part of the Hills District that usually solidly vote Liberal. It’s the eastern part along the railway line that is now a serious concern for Leeser. He lost every booth except a small booth at Beecroft. He got thumped in every booth in Hornsby, the Heights and Waitara. Even more concerning is the Labor candidate was a placeholder. A serious candidate could cause damage to him. His ad hominem attack on Albanese will not have gone down well either.
Trumpyman won’t be happy.
https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5662913-south-park-writer-toby-morton-owns-trump-kennedy-center-websites/