Last week’s release of the regular quarterly Newspoll breakdowns was the cherry on top of a fairly rich pool of state-level data on voting intention since the May federal election, with Roy Morgan having helpfully adopted the practice of providing state breakdowns on the primary vote as well as two-party preferred with its monthly results, Resolve Strategic continuing to provide results from the three largest states, and RedBridge Group/Accent Research intermittently joining the fun. I have thus felt emboldened to expand the BludgerTrack poll aggregate to encompass state-level measures, which you can observe through the voting intention trend page by clicking on the tabs for the five mainland states (Tasmania, alas, yields too little data to produce plausible results. This is something I didn’t get around to doing in the previous term until a few months before the election.
Things are still a bit shallow and noisy – I am dubious that One Nation is riding higher in New South Wales than Queensland, a conclusion that leans heavily on the most recent Resolve Strategic poll – but it’s useful nonetheless to have the infrastructure in place. I should also take the opportunity to again plug the Victorian state BludgerTrack, made possible by a steady stream of data from RedBridge Group/Accent Research together with the regular bi-monthly numbers provided by Resolve Strategic.
Victoria says:
Monday, December 29, 2025 at 1:08 pm
Boerwar
I’m thinking Minns strategy of being a yes person for the Jewish lobby, takes the pressure off him and scrutiny of his govt and police force.
Victoria, I think it would be better if they were called the Likud lobby. Not all Jews are responsible for the complete mess they have made of Israel.
Lol. Am I the only one here who has never taken any notice of BludgerTrack? I’m here for the vibe and the lively conversation. 🙂
World News & Politics Patrol:
Zelenskyy on alleged attack on Putin residence: Russia is looking for pretexts to strike government buildings in Kyiv: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/29/8013874/
US offers Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan, Zelenskyy says: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-zelenskyy-peace-b784a9af1803995bfb7152eceb5477f1
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that if Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, the United States and Europe will keep providing assistance to Kyiv: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/29/8013807/
Russian Troops Execute Three Unarmed Ukrainian Soldiers in Zaporizhzhia Region: https://united24media.com/latest-news/russian-troops-execute-three-unarmed-ukrainian-soldiers-in-zaporizhzhia-region-14610
China launches large-scale military exercise around Taiwan: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6272943
Trump’s Mystery Bruise Spreads to His Other Hand: https://newrepublic.com/post/204772/donald-trump-weird-bruises-both-hands
Trump Yelled ‘My Friends Will Get Hurt’ at Marjorie Taylor Greene for Threatening to Name Epstein Abusers: https://people.com/trump-yelled-my-friends-will-get-hurt-epstein-investigation-11876878
Stephen Miller’s Late-Night ‘Self-Loathing’ Rage Post Immediately Backfires: https://www.thedailybeast.com/stephen-millers-late-night-self-loathing-rage-post-immediately-backfires/
A Reminder That Marco Rubio’s Brother-in-Law Was a Prolific Cocaine Trafficker: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/marco-rubios-brother-in-law-was-a-prolific-cocaine-trafficker-23618933/
Marjorie Taylor Greene says she was ‘naive’ for believing Trump is man of the people: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-interview
‘Trump’s Economic Policies Did This’: US Business Bankruptcies Surge to 15-Year High: https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-business-bankruptcies
FBI deploys more resources to Minnesota amid Trump’s targeting of state: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/fbi-minnesota-fraud-schemes-somalia
Search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 expected to resume on Tuesday: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/search-for-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-expected-to-resume
My thoughts on whether the federal government should hold a Royal Commission into Antisemitism crystallised last night as I reflected on that Natassia Chrysanthos article in the 9Fax media today. I have always thought that a Royal Commission into the subject of Antisemitism was too nebulous a concept to craft a Royal Commission around. And not really specific to what has made members of the general public resistant to supporting the current iteration of the government of Israel and the actions they have taken. It’s not really ‘Antisemitism’ per se. So would an Antisemitism Royal Commission even be able to go to that place? Or would it simply look at those groups like the National Socialists, ISIS and Hamas, plus their backers, whose true philosophical intent is Antisemitic?
So that’s why I would instead, if I were Prime Minister, call for the establishment of a Truth and Justice Commission. They have been used widely around the world to get to the heart of conceptual abnormalities in societies and amorphous philosophical currents running through a nation and they are much less politically charged than a Royal Commission would be.
The NSW Royal Commission can deal with the nuts and bolts.
Anyway, that’s where I have come down on the issue and I think that the two Commissions would be complementary and thus able to address all the matters associated with the December 14 massacre.
William
The state breakdowns are a useful addition. One request, if you could add a balancing Other number to each state – to avoid the mental math and point to the extent of likely leakage from the Big 4.
Trump is no longer attempting to hide his sympathy for Putin, or alternatively, his gullible idiocy. Though two things can be true at the same time…
Trump on Monday held a second phone call in two days with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a conversation that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described as “positive” in a post on X.
The Russian president used the call to accuse Kyiv of launching a long-range drone attack on his residence in Russia’s Novgorod region, an allegation his foreign minister had made earlier in the day without providing evidence. Ukraine denied such an attack.
Putin told Trump that the incident wouldn’t go unanswered, according to Kremlin policy adviser Yury Ushakov.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the alleged attack would prompt Moscow to review its negotiating position, though he added that Moscow doesn’t plan to withdraw from talks with the U.S. over Ukraine, Russia state news agency TASS reported. Lavrov didn’t say whether Putin had been at the residence at the time but said that no one was injured.
Trump said Monday that he was “very angry” about the alleged attack. “It’s one thing to be offensive, because they were offensive,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago. “It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that.”
Asked if the U.S. had evidence of an attack, Trump replied: “You’re saying, maybe the attack didn’t take place—that’s possible too, I guess, but President Putin told me this morning it did.”
Zelensky denied that Ukraine had targeted Putin’s residence, saying Russia would likely use these false statements as pretext for strikes on Kyiv or Ukrainian government buildings after the productive meeting he held with the U.S. president.
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukraine-seeks-50-year-u-s-security-guarantee-trump-offers-15-e9d3acc1?mod=mhp
The discussion from last night on Sky News’ YouTube strategy bears more thought.
Whilst nominally the Australian news and digital platform teams would be separate divisions there’d be serious bleeding through of culture. News organisations have very strong internal competition for viewing metrics. I worked at the Courier Mail for 4 years in back of newspaper advertising, when we gobbled up the Gold Coast Bulletin it became even more pronounced between papers.
The SAD presenters and producers would not just be doing their local political influence content, but probably have an eye to getting a viral online hit, because that means promotion and cash bonuses.
Asked if the U.S. had evidence of PeePee tapes Trump replied: “that’s possible, President Putin told me this morning it did.”
C@tmommasays:
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 6:47 am
My thoughts on whether the federal government should hold a Royal Commission into Antisemitism crystallised last night as I reflected on that Natassia Chrysanthos article in the 9Fax media today. I have always thought that a Royal Commission into the subject of Antisemitism was too nebulous a concept to craft a Royal Commission around. And not really specific to what has made members of the general public resistant to supporting the current iteration of the government of Israel and the actions they have taken. It’s not really ‘Antisemitism’ per se. So would an Antisemitism Royal Commission even be able to go to that place? Or would it simply look at those groups like the National Socialists, ISIS and Hamas, plus their backers, whose true philosophical intent is Antisemitic?
So that’s why I would instead, if I were Prime Minister, call for the establishment of a Truth and Justice Commission. They have been used widely around the world to get to the heart of conceptual abnormalities in societies and amorphous philosophical currents running through a nation and they are much less politically charged than a Royal Commission would be.
The NSW Royal Commission can deal with the nuts and bolts.
Anyway, that’s where I have come down on the issue and I think that the two Commissions would be complementary and thus able to address all the matters associated with the December 14 massacre.
_______________________
Every single proposal for a commission or inquiry into antisemitism specifically is just an excuse for official discrimination and persecution against brown skinned Australians.
Every article titled along the lines “hard to understand rejecting a RC” like by Natassia Chrysanthos are written by morons or deceitful people – it’s really easy to understand why we should not have an official platform for people to demand the deportation of brown people, make reverence to a particular religion a requirement for migrant, and bend all institutions to specifically serve one interest group.
When Tony Burke said “No one can tell me that that is in the interest of unity, to re-platform some of the worst voices. But a royal commission by definition does that, and does that publicly”, he was indeed being a bit tricky because it probably means what I’m saying.
The uncomfortable truth of the matter is that the “rise” of antisemitism is inseparable from the general rise of racial tensions – from Chinese being demanded loyalty tests, to Indians still recovering from bashing waves, to Sudanese all being cast as gangs, to Muslims also needing to seek security around schools and places of worship. Bondi itself is a result of a particular NSW failure to enforce its own gun laws:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/jihad-jack-trained-with-terrorists-then-nsw-gave-him-a-gun-permit-20251224-p5npya.html
Some are stating that Zelensky has had a win in the latest round of talks with Trump, simply by keeping him at the table. Hard to disagree with that, esp when you remember that awful meeting at the White House earlier this year.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/world/europe/zelensky-trump-ukraine-peace-talks.html
If the families of the Bondi victims want a royal commission the government should just give them one, or at least a joint one with NSW – there are after all, precedents. Albo should remember that it is him and his government that will set the TOR and he can choose to do this in consultation with the Jewish community if desired.
The first part of my prediction that protest bans are going to be applied differently to different political groups has come true. Illegal Indigenous protests are going to be ignored.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/30/david-dungay-jr-protest-deaths-in-custody-nsw-new-laws-ntwnfb
Minns has handed over one of our precious democratic rights to the NSW police. These are the same police who have huge personal, professional and political skin in the game when it comes to their protection of jewish people in New South Wales.
Morning all. Thanks for the International roundup HH. Conflict remains a big issue. Ukraine is hoping for an enforceable peace deal. Trump just wants an announcement. I will remain cautious until I see evidence for optimism.
Meanwhile in our region, this exercise is exactly the scenario many project China would use to launch areal attempt to occupy Taiwan, starting with an armed blockade of the island. Taiwan is not self sufficient in food.
“ China launches large-scale military exercise around Taiwan:”https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6272943
Confessions: That wouldn’t work because the outspoken families (and their supporters) don’t just want a Royal Commission, they want an incredibly contentious and divisive Royal Commission that basically seeks to investigate why Australian society is insufficiently pro-Israel for their liking (and what extreme measures they can take to try to change that).
The Liberals’ proposed terms of reference are so extreme that they’re getting into the territory of being an outright attack on Australian democracy and civil society.
Albanese is smart enough to realise that none of this is going to make Jewish Australians any safer, that the inevitable severe backlash is in fact going to make them feel less safe, and that going along with it is just going to lead to the usual suspects demanding even more extreme measures to try to silence the backlash. He can’t win by going there.
George Clooney has been granted French citizenship, along with his wife Amal Clooney and their two children, according to an official decree in France’s government gazette.
The publication confirms an ambition Clooney alluded to early in December when he praised French privacy laws that keep his family shielded from paparazzi.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/29/george-clooney-wife-amal-granted-french-citizenship
Come on George, say the real reason for French Citizenship is that you are abandoning the US because there won’t be another democratic election in the US again & the fascists will be in power forever.
When the penny dropped for MTG. If you take her at face value.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/magazine/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-maga-split.html
Governments set the TOR (ie the scope) for royal commissions.
On the question of an RC into anti-semitism, I am reluctant to see such a narrowly defined inquiry, with the implication that anti-semitism is the primary form of violent racism in Australia.
Until recently ASIO thought that the greatest threat of violent extremism in Australia were far right extremists who might target Asians and non-Anglos generally.
So if we have to have an RC (I don’t think we do unless the police or security agencies recommend it) I’d rather see an RC into the threat of violence and extremism in Australia more generally, not vs one religious group. That might cover antisemitism, anti-muslim racism, anti-Asian racism and anti-Aboriginal racism.
Overall though I still think Australian is a relatively peaceful place. There have been several antisemitic incidents sponsored by a foreign state (Iran). There has been one terrorist incident linked to ISIL. The solution might be to tighten gun laws and force our banks to finally comply with laws against money laundering.
Good Morning! Here’s Your Daily News and Views Roundup
Pauline Hanson travelled to US on Gina Rinehart’s private jet to attend CPAC. One Nation senator travelled on mining magnate’s Gulfstream 700 in October and is yet to declare it on parliamentary register. (Just doing a Trumpy, ‘the rules don’t apply to me’?)
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/30/pauline-hanson-travelled-to-us-on-gina-rineharts-private-jet-to-attend-cpac
Tension on the streets, the mushroom trial circus and a devastating terrorist attack – looking back on Australia’s turbulent 2025. There was no shortage of grim and disturbing moments in a fractious year. But also a prime ministerial wedding, a miraculous survival story – and Valerie the dachshund
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/dec/30/tension-on-the-streets-mushroom-trial-circus-devastating-terrorist-attack-australias-turbulent-2025-ntwnfb
2025, a year best to forget? We never will. George Brandis
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/2025-a-year-best-to-forget-we-never-will-20251218-p5nooi.html
How did Australian laws change in 2025? Here are 6 you need to know
https://theconversation.com/how-did-australian-laws-change-in-2025-here-are-6-you-need-to-know-271398
Six Melbourne Jews, labelled “antisemites” by prominent lawyer Mark Leibler, have made a formal complaint against him to the Australian Human Rights Commission. Dr David Glanz details their position.
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/9-top-story-of-2025-why-six-jews-accuse-leading-zionist-of-antisemitism,20519
Josh Burns on juggling politics and fatherhood and being a Jewish MP. Patricia Karvelas Podcast
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/josh-burns-baby-federal-parliament-georgie-purcell-antisemitism/106162418
Analysis: ASIC’s remarkable turnaround as the tiger that found its teeth. By Ian Verrender
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/asic-the-tiger-that-found-its-teeth/106170504
The forecast cost of tax concessions on everything from high-priced homes to cream on summer pavlovas has soared by $50 billion in a single year, prompting calls for an overhaul of the nation’s tax system to prevent ordinary workers from bearing even more responsibility for fixing the federal budget. Shane Wright
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nothing-sweet-about-the-tax-system-as-costs-soar-by-50-billion-20251224-p5npwb.html
After every economic norm is blithely tossed aside, what’s the future? Bloomberg
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/after-every-economic-norm-is-blithely-tossed-aside-what-s-the-future-20251228-p5nqdd.html
Ten years since David Dungay Jr died in jail, a rally to protest deaths in custody could test NSW’s new laws. Dunghutti man’s nephew says fight for justice ‘is not just political – it is spiritual, cultural, and about survival’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/30/david-dungay-jr-protest-deaths-in-custody-nsw-new-laws-ntwnfb
‘My target was just to take the gun’: wounded hero Ahmed al-Ahmed speaks of saving lives at Bondi beach. ‘I know I saved lots, but I feel sorry for the lost,’ Ahmed tells CBS News of those who died in Sydney attack on 14 December
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/29/wounded-hero-ahmed-al-ahmed-speaks-of-saving-lives-at-bondi-beach-ntwnfb
Analysis: Albanese’s refusal to heed families’ pleas for Bondi inquiry is hard to understand – and easy for opposition to attack. A review of Asio and the federal police is worthwhile, but it’s not a substitute for a royal commission into antisemitism. Dan Jervis-Bardy
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/30/albaneses-refusal-to-heed-families-pleas-for-bondi-inquiry-is-hard-to-understand-and-easy-for-opposition-to-attack-ntwnfb
What is CSG, the Jewish security group the premier wants armed more heavily?
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/what-is-csg-the-jewish-security-group-the-premier-wants-armed-more-heavily-20251229-p5nqjz.html
Labor has its reasons for denying a royal commission. But its latest doesn’t land. Natassia Chrysanthos
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-royal-commission-into-antisemitism-is-a-risk-but-labor-s-excuses-are-wearing-thin-20251229-p5nqj9.html
SMH Editorial Clouds appear over Albanese’s promised transparency
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/clouds-appear-over-albanese-s-promised-transparency-20251229-p5nqhg.html
Antisemitism in universities and gambling ad ban among ignored reports
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/antisemitism-in-universities-and-gambling-ad-ban-among-ignored-reports-20251127-p5niyi.html
The NSW state government has set up a support service hub to assist those affected by the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. The Bondi Hub will be open to those directly or indirectly impacted by the December 14 shooting to access emergency care and counselling. The hub will be in place until at least the end of January, with the option to extend if necessary.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-29/nsw-government-announces-bondi-hub-for-impacted-locals-re-attack/106184248
Victorian $840m desal expansion tipped as Melbourne faces AI water drain
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/840m-desal-expansion-tipped-as-melbourne-faces-ai-water-drain-20251229-p5nqfi.html
Water warning as Melburnians put on alert for restrictions
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/water-warning-as-melburnians-put-on-alert-for-restrictions-20251224-p5npzn.html
Police have made more than 100 arrests and seized 30 weapons during the first few weeks of Operation Pulse. The operation targets four of Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres — Northland, Highpoint, Eastland and Fountain Gate. A 15-year-old armed with a hunting knife was among those arrested.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/vic-police-shopping-centre-arrests/106186088
Queensland to continue to allow farmers to shoot flying foxes after revoking ban on controversial practice
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/30/queensland-to-continue-to-allow-farmers-to-shoot-flying-foxes-after-revoking-ban-on-controversial-practice
US President Donald Trump is exercising his power in ways that pose an existential threat to the US alliance of the past 75 years. It is time to understand this and face up to it. Bruce Wolpe
https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-our-us-alliance-is-under-threat-in-2026-from-trump-20251218-p5nosj.html
Donald Trump in his own words – the year in racism and misogyny
The president has increased the amount of invective he’s spewed against women and people of colour
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/donald-trump-racism-dei-misogyny-2025-review
From ‘global cooling’ to ‘beautiful coal’: Trump’s startling climate claims of 2025. Trump ratcheted up his questionable claims about the environment and how to deal, if at all, with the threats to it
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/trump-climate-claims-environment
Donald Trump’s first step to becoming a would-be autocrat – hijacking a party
https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-first-step-to-becoming-a-would-be-autocrat-hijacking-a-party-271849
Americans are waking up. A grand reckoning awaits us. I’d like to believe that the horrific darkness of this past year is a necessary prelude to a brighter and saner future. Robert Reich
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/29/american-reckoning
Working Families bet on 2026 as the right time for a third US party after a wave of wins. The progressive party is now active in 18 states and much of its expansion happened in the past five years
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/working-families-party-2026-run
Democrats’ redistricting win sparks a new party war in California. Zohran Mamdani’s lead media strategist cut an ad for a progressive running in California’s Central Valley.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/29/democrats-redistricting-win-sparks-a-new-party-war-in-california-00701623
The 2028 Race Has Begun. Here’s Who’s Winning.. White House hopefuls in both parties are manoeuvering for the post-Trump era. Here’s where they stand at the end of 2025.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/12/28/presidential-race-2028-candidates-analysis-00695164
Why haven’t Trump’s tariffs crashed the US economy? Effects on inflation and employment have not been as bad as feared – but could still materialise with full force in 2026. Jeffrey Frankel
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/29/donald-trump-tariffs-us-economy-inflation-employment-2026
Nearly half of Americans believe their financial security is getting worse, poll finds
Exclusive poll: Americans are also increasingly blaming the White House for their financial woes
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/29/americans-financial-security-economy-poll
Marjorie Taylor Greene says she was ‘naive’ for believing Trump is man of the people. Greene gives lengthy interview with New York Times days before stepping down as congresswoman for Georgia
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/29/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-interview
Zelenskyy accuses Russia of trying to sabotage peace talks with ‘typical Russian lies’
Russia’s claim it foiled drone attack on Putin residence shows ‘they do not want to finish this war’, Ukrainian president says
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/volodymyr-zelenskyy-donald-trump-us-security-guarantees-ukraine
Russia again appears to throw cold water on hopes for a Ukrainian peace deal
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/29/russia-again-appears-to-throw-cold-water-on-hopes-for-a-ukrainian-peace-deal-00707625
As Trump praised Putin, Zelensky tilted his head and smiled
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/watch-trump-meets-with-zelensky-us-president-reports-very-productive-call-with-putin-20251229-p5nqfa.html
Analysis: Is claim Ukraine deal is ‘95% done’ just another empty assertion from Trump?
A sober observer assessing the US president’s claim may react the same way as Zelenskyy – with shock and disbelief. Shaun Walker in Warsaw
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/ukraine-deal-trump-russia-zelenskyy
Trump is unpopular in Europe — even among right-wing populist supporters, POLITICO Poll shows
The U.S. president gets favorable views from only about a third of people who support the parties Trump wants to see win power in France and Germany.
https://www.politico.eu/article/politico-poll-international-populism-donald-trump/
China holds live-fire drills near Taiwan after US arms deal
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/china-to-hold-live-fire-drills-near-taiwan-after-us-arms-deal-20251229-p5nqkf.html
The mood was jubilant at Italy’s far-right Atreju festival. But has Meloni’s success peaked? The prime minister has been lauded for her country’s growing role on the world stage. But poverty and precarity are forcing vast numbers to emigrate. Jamie Mackay
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/29/italy-far-right-atreju-festival-giorgia-meloni
Germany’s far-right AfD invited to join Munich Security Conference 2026
Move comes after party’s exclusion for last two years was lambasted by JD Vance at this year’s event
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/29/germanys-far-right-afd-invited-to-join-munich-security-conference-2026
Nvidia insists it isn’t Enron, but its AI deals are testing investor faith. The chipmaker’s sprawling partnerships are driving extraordinary growth but also bank its future on the AI boom paying off
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/28/nvidia-insists-it-isnt-enron-but-its-ai-deals-are-testing-investor-faith
AI powered 2025’s economy to record highs. So why are only robots smiling? By Daniel Ziffer
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-29/end-of-year-economics-analysis-wrap/106176480
What happened when we tested a ‘safe’ AI mental health chatbot
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/safe-mental-health-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt/106136202
Explainer: The mystery of flight MH370: will a new search find the missing airliner after more than a decade? In 2014 the Malaysian Airlines jet vanished over the Indian Ocean. Now the team that located Shackleton’s Endurance is looking again with the latest undersea robots.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/29/malaysian-airlines-flight-mh370-mystery-search-indian-ocean-infinity-robots
Waves are getting bigger. Is the world ready? Southern Ocean waves are growing larger and faster, threatening coastlines. But some scientists think they could help turn the tide in the climate crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/22/waves-are-getting-bigger-is-the-world-ready
Household battery uptake booms on back of ‘game-changer’ rebate
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/home-battery-uptake-soars-due-to-government-subsidy/106120730
Soft plastics recycling is back in Australia. How does it work and where does it go?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/soft-plastics-recycling-is-back-in-australia-how-does-it-work-/105912070
There will not be a fed royal commission because there is no earthly need to spend a hundred million and a couple of years on one.
But if there were to be a fed RC then the TOR would sensibly and rationally be far broader than the TOR that the bereaved families are demanding.
The Get Albanese Rolling Shit Show would immediately stridently and repeatedly criticize the broader TOR as disrespecting the wishes of the bereaved families.
And so on and so forth. Ad nauseam.
Meanwhile back in Hansonville we carry on as before laughing all the way to the bank and following the real boss’ of this country and her instructions.
Pauline Hanson travelled to US on Gina Rinehart’s private jet to attend CPAC
Exclusive: One Nation senator travelled on mining magnate’s Gulfstream 700 in October and is yet to declare it on parliamentary register.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/30/pauline-hanson-travelled-to-us-on-gina-rineharts-private-jet-to-attend-cpac
Socrates:
A royal commission into antisemitism makes no sense for the reasons you’ve outlined. The best scope for review would be to answer the question of how the alleged terrorist(s) came to be radicalised having once been on ASIO’s radar, and how they came to own so many firearms.
The NSW commission may be able to answer the latter question, and perhaps Richardson’s review can answer the first but a federal commission would get further into the weeds than Richardson’s months-long review.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/josh-burns-baby-federal-parliament-georgie-purcell-antisemitism/106162418
Josh Burns to take rare extended parental leave from federal parliament next year to care for his baby daughter when his partner, Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, returns to her work in the Victorian parliament.
Not mentioned in the article but it is worth remembering that the numbers can be finely balanced in the Victorian upper house, while in the federal House of Reps the government majority is not in doubt. Right now, her vote (which often supports the state Labor govt bills) would be missed more.
Q : If the families of the Bondi victims want a royal commission the government should just give them one
People want lots of stuff from Governments. Good Governments dont just cave in on every demand.
I still reckon a Royal Commission into ‘Antisemitism’ is too nebulous a subject for a Royal Commission.
Does anyone know if the NSW RC Terms of Reference have been released yet?
If they haven’t then it would be wise of the federal government to hold off on making any decision re doing anything themselves until after they have been released by NSW.
Top six articles in the Likud Express all attack Labor on a Royal Commission.
Scribbler Kelly has the gall to link a risk to Australian democracy to the failure to hold two Royal Commissions. Silent on the loss of the right to freedom of assembly.
Strange. But true. We will decide what democracy is good for you.
Good point, Leroy. 🙂
And this from the MTG article says it all. Perhaps she is sincere in her falling out with Trump.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/magazine/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-maga-split.html
Agreed. But as with commissions of inquiry into other social and cultural issues, you start with the system response.
As I said, Richardson’s review might shed light on this in terms of federal agencies. The NSW commission will from a state-based perspective. A federal commission would have greater depth, but I agree, holding off on announcing one until Minns has released the scope for the state inquiry is sensible.
Boerwar @8:12 AM is right. Those demanding a Royal Commission would never be satisfied with whatever terms the Federal Government puts up, or any other type enquiry.
Albo would do better to have a think about what he best judges to be the right thing to do, then do it, aware that the citicism won’t stop whatever he decides.
Sceptic, because there won’t be another democratic election in the US again & the fascists will be in power forever.
I was more bullish on this less than 6 months ago, and keeping a close watch on the 2026 midterms.
But two things seem to have happened in the past month. The first is that there looks like a natural high water mark has been reached in terms of gerrymandering and removal of voting accessibility. The second is that, as seen in the minor 2025 elections, the various bases now have different voter turn out impacts.
My 2026 prediction is that the Democrats will win back the lower house with a workable majority, but they will fall short in the Senate by 1 probably 2 seats (maybe 3).
As rickety as the judicial system in the US is, it seems to have held up against to executive branch.
Finally, Trump simply has lost steam, the lame duck period is in full play and his own cognitive decline is a real thing.
Overall the US has moved to a more authoritarian nation, but not one that is a true dictatorship, a 2028 Democrat presidential win probably won’t reverse that.
Cat
Thanks for the roundup. On the good news front, this is a great policy. It needed tweaking to stop incentivising people buying too large batteries. But it remains one of the most effective ways to meet climate targets while reducing cost of living. Kudos to the Weatherall government for coming up with the idea in SA eight years ago now.
“Household battery uptake booms on back of ‘game-changer’ rebate”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-30/home-battery-uptake-soars-due-to-government-subsidy/106120730
Guess who?
“illegal adlinthin,” “re-be-doahhhhhh,” “infastruckadkdsure,” “becocked,” “debanked,” and “Venezueler,”
Soc.,
My favourite story of the day was ‘Soft Plastics recycling is back’!
The second hand car and second boat markets in the US have tanked. Repos for both are at record levels. Bankrupties are up by large percentages. Inflation is up. Farmers are going broke. Tourism is being trashed.
But GDP is up. The Stock Market is up. So, what is happening?
The answer seems to be a K economy.
The arm is booming. The consumers in the arm are the wealthy ten per cent or so. They have oodles of disposable income and they are spending it big time. They also largely control the comms platforms so they are focused on keeping the lid on.
The leg is being trashed. This is where most Americans are. They are facing COL pressures. They are struggling. They are also waking up that Trump has nothing but contempt for them.
Thanks, C@t and Hh.
Yesterday evening, the NEM battery discharge record was broken:
https://openelectricity.org.au/records/au.nem.battery_discharging.power.interval.high?datetime=2025-12-29T19_20_00&offset=10_00&focus=1767000000000
(This doesn’t include home batteries)
WA also has a new battery discharge record:
https://openelectricity.org.au/records/au.wem.battery_discharging.power.interval.high?datetime=2025-12-29T04_05_00&offset=08_00&focus=1766952300000
Victoria has new solar power and energy records:
https://openelectricity.org.au/records/au.nem.vic1.solar.power.interval.high?datetime=2025-12-29T12_30_00&offset=10_00&focus=1766975400000
https://openelectricity.org.au/records/au.nem.vic1.solar.energy.day.high?datetime=2025-12-29T00_00_00&offset=10_00&focus=1766930400000
Lastly, in NSW, renewables briefly passed the 90% mark, in 5 of the last 6 days:
https://explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nsw1/?range=7d&interval=30m&view=discrete-time&group=Detailed
Boerwar
I reckon by February, the US will be in an official recession.
Tourism is right down. Restaurants are closing and the job losses whilst being disguised, are very high now.
Trump will not be able to gaslight the people into believing an alternate reality.
The question is, how is the rest of the globe going to play out.
Thanks Holden and c@t!!
Victoria has ordered water from the desal plant, as our reserves dwindle.
We could with some of the rain from up north.
And hot weather is over rated. Already 27 degrees in my world.
Looking forward to a very fresh day tmrw.
Thanks SL for the latest renewable energy figures.
Very impressive.
Vic.,
A hot, wet weekend coming up for us on the Cenny Coast in NSW. We’re turning into Brisbane! 😯
C@t
Maybe you guys could send some rain down our way!
It’s becoming more frequent that Trump says, “President Putin told me …….”.
We’ve had very mild weather in Sydney since before xmas. Last night I was wearing a jumper!
Donnie the Dense answering questions with his usual evasive, “I have no idea what I’m doing.” answers. Zelenskyy looks like he wants to be anywhere else but standing next to the moron.
https://x.com/acyn/status/2005347657942991260
BW
In the last 2 days, I have sat through 2 Trump press conferences in full – one with Zelenskyy and just now with Netanyahu. Best part of 2 hours.
In rating what is wrong with Trump, my views (in order) are:
1. Narcissistic drunk on power, attracted to men he sees as his global peers.
2. From this vantage point, callous and cruel. ‘Horrible’ consequences to any and all who cross him.
3. Impressionistic and shallow, more so than plain stupidity. Stubborn but vain enough to be flattered.
4. Cunning and an excellent communicator. Powerful skill for a man with no morals.
5. Ill health, including dementia. A few signs, but this is far outweighed by the points above.
Without stating the obvious, rocky times ahead – as he ain’t going nowhere soon.
Russell Coight aka Glenn Maxwell Robbins is 68 today.
Sydney was tracking for its hottest December on record until a cool change arrived late Christmas Eve. It’s been quite cool since, although with little or no rain and, except for Boxing Day, with a reasonable amount of Sun. Boxing Day was quite Melbourne-like, raw, windy and overcast with a maximum of just 19° but just a tiny amount of rain.
The forecast for the first couple of days of the cricket – warm with a medium chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm. But with cricket matches taking just two days to finish lately, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Vic,
Will you take the mozzies too? 😉
There are many reasons why a Royal Commission into antisemitism in Australia is a stupid idea.
The one that bothers me the most is what Tony Burke pointed out. Specifically, it will be drowned in submissions and claims that confuse Palestinian rights, Zionism and Israeli government policy and actions with simple hatred and threats against people for being outwardly Jewish.
And we will finish up with nothing much more than “antisemitism is bad” and clear examples of antisemitism that will, however compelling, be lost the morass of claim and counter-claim.
It astonishes me that the elements of the Jewish community who are so vociferous in seeking a Royal Commission don’t realise this.