Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Rachel Withers

benjamin @benjamino.bsky.social · 21h

Here's the thing, the whole point of 'sponsoring' these things is you don't have to directly lobby or strong-arm, the appeasement becomes tacit - see also the National Press Club quietly slurping cash from multiple weapons companies and fossil fuel climate crims

The Centre for Public Integrity’s executive director, Catherine Williams, said the club offered “an invaluable opportunity for monied interests to build relationships with members of parliament and their staff”.

“Let’s be real about it: if the access isn’t perceived to be valuable, why is it sold as a benefit of membership?” Williams said.

RWA’s chief executive Kai Cantwell said it did not use the club to lobby politicians.

“RWA’s work on regulation and harm reduction happens through the proper parliamentary and regulatory processes, not on the sporting field,” Kantwell said.

“Like other industries, we occasionally take part simply to enjoy exercise and socialising – something important for all Australians, particularly in high-pressure roles.”

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 22h

Absolutely nothing to see here
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Sportsbet dines with government minister at Labor fundraiser despite calls to reject lobbying from industry

Exclusive: Dinner occurred on the same day that four crossbench MPs held a press conference calling on government to ignore lobbying from gambling industry

www.theguardian.com

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 22h

Imagine kicking the former national rugby captain out of your sports club instead of the gambling lobby.

To paraphrase Groucho Marx, who'd want to belong to a club that would accept Responsible Wagering Australia as one of its sponsors?

Bill Browne @browne90.bsky.social · 23h

Making his point for him -- just asking about the power of the gambling lobby gets Senator David Pocock booted from sports club the Prime Minister heads. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Former Wallabies star David Pocock booted from parliamentary sports club

Exclusive: Senator accused of bringing social club into disrepute after raising concerns about its association with betting lobby

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Dr Richard Denniss @richarddenniss.bsky.social · 2d

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit scared of any new ‘environment laws’ that Labor can get Matt Canavan and Andrew Hastie to vote for…I think they will be better described as ‘ how to build more mines faster laws’ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Watt nears deal with Coalition to finally overhaul environment laws

Environment Minister Murray Watt will sit down with his Liberal counterpart Angie Bell today, with quiet optimism in both parties that a deal might soon be struck to finally rewrite Australia's "broke...

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Nick Feik @nickfeik.bsky.social · 2d

Reminder: Australia's only emissions reduction legislation - the safeguard mechanism - allows for unlimited use of offsets instead of requiring genuine cuts from polluters

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 3d

News that shocks no one: Carbon offsets do nothing for climate.

Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says

Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

stranger @strangerous.bsky.social · 3d

David Pocock asks Don Farrell some serious questions about why the govt has not implemented an important recommendation from the #RobodebtRC.
Farrell caught playing on his phone, not even paying attention.🙄 Pocock hasn’t the patience to try again & moves on. #Estimates

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 2d

Party politics does strange things to people's minds

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 2d

"I wish I had told you, before our dinners grew cold, that one day I would speak loudly. Not to wound, but because not speaking would betray everything I was taught... I have spoken not in spite of my Jewishness but because of it – in solidarity with Palestinians, but also out of love for you."

Sarah Schwartz @sarahschwartz.bsky.social · 2d

A letter to those who taught me my Jewishness, and who now sit on the other side of a deep chasm.

When you first heard me speak against this genocide, you heard my words as betrayal. But they were meant as love

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

When you first heard me speak against this genocide, you heard my words as betrayal. But they were meant as love | Sarah Schwartz

Not speaking would go against everything I was taught to honour: the righteous among the nations – those who refused to be bystanders to injustice

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Sarah Schwartz @sarahschwartz.bsky.social · 2d

A letter to those who taught me my Jewishness, and who now sit on the other side of a deep chasm.

When you first heard me speak against this genocide, you heard my words as betrayal. But they were meant as love

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

When you first heard me speak against this genocide, you heard my words as betrayal. But they were meant as love | Sarah Schwartz

Not speaking would go against everything I was taught to honour: the righteous among the nations – those who refused to be bystanders to injustice

www.theguardian.com

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 2d

The fact Wong thinks she can just snark her way out of this is a sign of how normalised the relationships between politicians and lobbyists have become.

Like, of course the PM shouldn't be president of a registered lobby group that sells corporate members access to politicians? No shit??

Crikey @crikey.com.au · 3d

Independent Senator David Pocock and Labor's Penny Wong clashed in Senate estimates yesterday over whether the Parliamentary Sports Club could be considered a lobby group, as reported in Crikey last week. The club is registered as such, and lists Responsible Wagering Australia as one of its clients.

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Jessie L @jessielilley.bsky.social · 22d

Tonight 7pm on Spin Cycle @3rrrfm.bsky.social we wrap up Radiothon. The rad @nataliesqrl.bsky.social joins us to look at the last week, and hasn't it shown us how vital independent news media is? So pls throw us your coin. With @rachelwithers.bsky.social @theshufflediary.bsky.social

SUBSCRIBE!

Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio

Community media on 102.7FM, 3RRR Digital in Melbourne & worldwide via RRR Apps

www.rrr.org.au

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Osmond Chiu (赵明佑) @redrabbleroz.bsky.social · 23d

A good little chart from the Parliamentary Library showing how almost all social spending by the Commonwealth is already means-tested #auspol

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 24d

You nailed it!

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

Oh true, I forgot about the rapture

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

But to be 42 with young kids and feel that way? It boggles the mind — or bobbles the head 🙃

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

A perfect portrayal from @fionakatauskas.bsky.social. Smug little man child.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

Like, obviously the Right has been focusing on getting in young talent, but c'mon. You guys are presumably going to be around dealing with the consequences in 2050. Enough of this grift.

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

Something weird about these early 40s white men insisting we ditch net zero and fuck the consequences.

The pig-headed, nihilistic disregard almost made sense for Abbott (67), Joyce (58), Morrison (57).

But Hastie/Duniam are 42. Millennials who might've led the Coalition into the 21st century...

6 News Australia @6newsau.bsky.social · 25d

#BREAKING 🚨 Andrew Hastie has threatened to quit the opposition frontbench if the Coalition does not end its support for net zero

Speaking to the ABC, Hastie says he would think about quitting – or be sacked by Sussan Ley – because he wants the climate target scrapped

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

Perhaps whoever at The New Daily wanted this taken down might heed that message...

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · 25d

"Kirk represented everything we should be pushing back against. And if you are worried that saying so will trigger more violence, and a further slide into authoritarianism, then you have already ceded the space."

@amyremeikis.bsky.social bang on as always:
amyremeikis.substack.com/p/charlie-ki...

Charlie Kirk died in the America he wanted

I mourn the loss of human life. I feel compassion, empathy and grief at an inexcusable killing. But I find nothing to lionise in his legacy.

amyremeikis.substack.com

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Reposted by Rachel Withers

Charlie Lewis @theshufflediary.bsky.social · 29d

Following today's rally, we are going on Spin Cycle by the wonderful @evelynaraluen.bsky.social to discuss the closure of Meanjin, Australia's shrinking public square and much more after a monstrous week of news.

Join @jessielilley.bsky.social @rachelwithers.bsky.social and I on RRR from 7pm!

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · Sep 4

Feels like only a matter of time before the word "Palestinian" is deemed antisemitic by the people who put together this list
www.deepcutnews.com/p/watermelon...

Watermelons deemed an antisemitic symbol at pro-Israel mayoral summit

A leaflet shared at Gold Coast summit includes a bizarre list of 'antisemitic' items

www.deepcutnews.com

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · Sep 4

while his comments about simultaneously "oppos[ing] Netanyahu’s vicious regime" would probably be considered antisemitic under the conference's own definition:
www.deepcutnews.com/p/watermelon...

Watermelons deemed an antisemitic symbol at pro-Israel mayoral summit

A leaflet shared at Gold Coast summit includes a bizarre list of 'antisemitic' items

www.deepcutnews.com

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Rachel Withers @rachelwithers.bsky.social · Sep 4

Worth noting that Darcy Byrne's justification for going to the conference *directly contradicts* Segal's claim that the March was not relevant to the conference...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Failure to tackle antisemitism should see organisations’ funding cut like subpar childcare centres, special envoy says

At a Gold Coast conference, Jillian Segal declined to address the presence of neo-Nazis at Sunday’s anti-immigration marches

www.theguardian.com

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