Libby Robin

Public schools, properly funded, enable societies to be their best. Every child deserves to belong.

Give every kid every chance at their local school. Finland's education is best in the world because *every* local school is a good school. All public. No commuting. All good. Clearing cities of Mum's taxis is another plus. For kids & Mums, for traffic & for 🌍.

Its time for Parliament to recognise gambling's damage to health With gambling advertising a normalised part of footy culture, it's time to shed light on an issue the government is unwilling to address.

www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2026... We've gotta separate the footy from the toxic gambling culture... this is a big issue Thank you for keeping Peta Murphy's mission going @mon4kooyong.bsky.social

Should we have more politicians? No, more MPs won't fix our malfunctioning 'democracy' 'Our form of hyper-competitive parliamentary democracy, which serves to polarise and create meaningless opposition for the sake of partisan advantage, is just one form of democracy. Others are availab...

www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/06/e... Let's have more accountable politicians, fewer lobbyists, party hacks - and ban *all* politicians from Chairman's Club (aka free lobbying opportunity without Parliamentary scrutiny). Politicians are the service providers here. Not the others, esp not #Qantas mates.

We need restraint, not a razor - Grattan Institute 3 things the Treasurer should do in Budget 2026 — and 1 thing he should not do.

grattan.edu.au/news/we-need...
Here's a great piece of economic advice: Spend Less. Restraint, not unjust cuts, will make for a fairer Australia.
PLUS: restore ops to gov where poss. Public servants work for public interest not for profit. Too much leakage going to for-profit consultancies not 🇦🇺.

US asked Ukraine for help fighting Iranian drones, Zelensky says Ukraine's president says Kyiv will only help if doing so does not deplete its own air defences.

www.bbc.com/news/article... What???

🤔

Shark attack off Qld island leaves snorkeller wounded A man in his 50s has wounds to his arm, abdomen and hand after a shark attack on the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...
Alas we are apparently at war with sharks now.

Or perhaps @abcnewsbot.bsky.social headline meant "injured"... *wounded* is reserved for wars. Wounds possible but "injuries" better.
(Even better stop messing with the oceans & making sharks mad... )

Exclusive: NDIS algorithm designed to put scheme back on track at 'critical risk' Documents seen by Crikey show that senior staff at the National Disability Insurance Agency have warned that the policy design of the so-called New Framework Planning is in disarray.

www.crikey.com.au/2026/03/05/r... Oh dear. Algorithm faulty. What could possibly go wrong for 🇦🇺's most vulnerable people? Do we need Bill Shorten back to fix it????

Job Opportunity: Postdoctoral Fellow working on “Humane Exclusion: How States Justify Excluding Refugees” The Australian National University’s College of Asia & the Pacific is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Fellow in International Relations (Level A) to work on the ARC project “Humane Excl…

www.environmentalhistory-au-nz.org/2026/02/job-... @esehnextgate.bsky.social

This private school tripled in size in five years — a trend playing out nationwide The latest schools data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows a tinderbox of problems that experts warn could explode with growing pressure on household budgets.

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03... Here is a targeted idea to help families with Cost of Living. Fund Public Schools properly. The subsidies for private schools must stop. Outrageous place for people to be wasting money. @janecaro.bsky.social

But the many who are concerned about #ClimateActionNow did NOT get there... that is what happens with lobbying.

Tim Wilson claims he has sold out of his bet against the share market for ‘modest profit’ Shadow treasurer tells MPs he has cashed in the investment and donated the gains to an advocacy group for gay rights in Iran

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... This is why politicians should put their financial affairs in independent hands while serving the people. Tim Wilson doesn't "get" his responsibilities to serve the public. 👎

Albanese government rejected advice on Tasmanian salmon farming impact before passing pro-industry laws FoI documents show ministers ignored recommendation for fresh inquiry that could have reduced or paused farming

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... Why is Tasmania getting shafted by #Toxic corporates in salmon and AFL. Tasmanians stuck w stadiums and dead fish on the beach. But no hospital. Corporate lobbying in Canberra must stop. Keep it up @mon4kooyong.bsky.social @davidpocock.bsky.social

Fast-growing trees threaten forest biodiversity The planet is becoming greener, but scientists warn that forests with fast-growing trees are more fragile and less resilient.

www.earth.com/news/the-pla... Sounds like Big Business - choking the ecosystem with single species online shops... It's worth thinking about threatened spp in the High Street too.

www.kth.se/philhist/his... @eandhwhp.bsky.social @iceho.bsky.social Congratulations all @ KTH Centre for #AnthropoceneHistory

www.kth.se/anthropocene... Naomi Oreskes in Stockholm! Great news for #Anthropocene people @iceho.bsky.social @eseh.bsky.social

Unauthorised direct debits create chaos for Perth business A Perth business owner who has had $60,000 taken from his bank accounts via direct debits he did not approve says he has no option but to close accounts after his bank told him there was nothing more ...

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03... VISA system makes more money for banks so they want direct debits to fail. Change your bank. There are ethical ones. Not the "Big 4". You can even find some that spend your money on social & ecological projects eg #BankAustralia

Stop Trump Tower on the Gold Coast! If you, like me, are concerned about the direction our country will go if a Trump Tower is built in our country, then join me in objecting!

If you, like me, are concerned about the direction our country will go if a Trump Tower is built in our country, then join me in objecting! petitions.getup.org.au/petitions/st... @getup.org.au

Australian wildlife in ‘harm’s way’, with volunteers left to ‘pick up the pieces’ amid climate crisis, fires and floods Ken Henry leads push for federal government to do more to protect animals as biodiversity declines

www.theguardian.com/environment/... #ClimateEthics

Just needs some Tchaikovsky to complete the ballet! Gorgeous "princess skirt" as my grandkids call tutus. 🩰

Are you interested in organizing the 2026 ESEH Summer School in Environmental History? ESEH offers advisory and financial support to the selected proposal. Consider submitting a proposal by 15 March 2026!
eseh.org/call-for-pro...
#EnvHist

If you missed the @sochistnathist.bsky.social Early Career Symposium last week, videos of 8 of the presentations are now available to watch online: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Check out these up and coming scholars and their exciting new work!
#envhist #nathist

Even better let's stop looking for more. Cooking with gas is so yesterday. @knitnannassyd.bsky.social

“Australia has a gas export problem. Gas exports have led to the tripling of wholesale east coast gas prices and doubling of electricity prices, since exports began in 2015,” writes Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director of The Australia Institute.

Read more: https://theaus.in/47ise1i

They are both scared of elections. 🤔

Love your Cat - a - log

Royal Commission pls

Free-roaming lobbyists in Australian parliament could face tighter restrictions, Albanese says Prime minister outlines ‘security’ review of conditions for coveted orange passes that allow unrestricted access

Australians really dislike the unfettered access lobbyists have to politicians in Parliament House. Every day Parliament sits, hundreds of lobbyists roam its halls. We can't know which Ministers they meet with, or how they influence government decision-making.

Free-roaming lobbyists in Australian parliament could face tighter restrictions, Albanese says Prime minister outlines ‘security’ review of conditions for coveted orange passes that allow unrestricted access

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... About time. Thank you.