Tom Marshall-Davis
@tommarshalldavis.bsky.social
PhD candidate, Monash University. Works on Australian political culture (I write junk about the Liberal Party). World expert on Brendan Nelson I guess.
Just so we're on the same page, this is the government that periodically implied it'd amend s18C of the Racial Discrimination Act whenever it thought it was losing the "Free Speech" crowd, only to back down whenever people pointed out doing so would enable Holocaust denial? That government, right?
January 20, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Just so we're on the same page, this is the government that periodically implied it'd amend s18C of the Racial Discrimination Act whenever it thought it was losing the "Free Speech" crowd, only to back down whenever people pointed out doing so would enable Holocaust denial? That government, right?
Honestly a little disappointed Sky haven't worked the phrase "Labor hate speech" into everything they've written about this. A golden opportunity for subliminal messaging, and they let it slip right through their grubby little fingers.
January 20, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Honestly a little disappointed Sky haven't worked the phrase "Labor hate speech" into everything they've written about this. A golden opportunity for subliminal messaging, and they let it slip right through their grubby little fingers.
Imagine screwing up so badly that your own party agree with you that the stuff they wrote about is so nasty it might break the law. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Liberal election autopsy delayed after Dutton suggests report defamatory
The report, co-authored by Liberal grandees Pru Goward and Nick Minchin, has now been sent to a legal team to ensure it is watertight while the party decides what step to take next.
www.abc.net.au
January 18, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Imagine screwing up so badly that your own party agree with you that the stuff they wrote about is so nasty it might break the law. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...
Taking stock of the ~350 movies I saw last year and 'Win a Date with Tad Hamilton' is by far the worst. Weird misogynistic slop. Don't know if we can pinpoint when romcom-but-secretly-for-neurotic-men (a la What Women Want) stopped being the mainstream go-to, but the fact that it's after 2004 is uck
January 16, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Taking stock of the ~350 movies I saw last year and 'Win a Date with Tad Hamilton' is by far the worst. Weird misogynistic slop. Don't know if we can pinpoint when romcom-but-secretly-for-neurotic-men (a la What Women Want) stopped being the mainstream go-to, but the fact that it's after 2004 is uck
Great Brendan Nelson representation on Hard Quiz tonight. It's nice to see him mentioned on TV for being a Liberal leader once, and not for insisting that Australian soldiers should, as a rule, never be held responsible for war crimes.
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Great Brendan Nelson representation on Hard Quiz tonight. It's nice to see him mentioned on TV for being a Liberal leader once, and not for insisting that Australian soldiers should, as a rule, never be held responsible for war crimes.
Is the beard important? Did they have to engineer some kind of special spacesuit to deal with static electricity in a high-oxygen environment or something? I get that he's, y'know, The First, but why is THIS a first that's important enough for paragraph one?
December 30, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Is the beard important? Did they have to engineer some kind of special spacesuit to deal with static electricity in a high-oxygen environment or something? I get that he's, y'know, The First, but why is THIS a first that's important enough for paragraph one?
NSW Government now allowing police to remove face-coverings at protests for any reason (as opposed to, y'know, an actual reason). "Face-coverings" is supposed to make it sound scary (balaclavas); but lots of people, in COVID times, wedged in crowds of thousands, will be penalised for wearing masks.
December 20, 2025 at 7:55 AM
NSW Government now allowing police to remove face-coverings at protests for any reason (as opposed to, y'know, an actual reason). "Face-coverings" is supposed to make it sound scary (balaclavas); but lots of people, in COVID times, wedged in crowds of thousands, will be penalised for wearing masks.
The woke green-lefties who run the ABC are at it again - this time, running the Royal Carols (Christmas, as we know, is the reddest of all the holidays)
December 20, 2025 at 3:34 AM
The woke green-lefties who run the ABC are at it again - this time, running the Royal Carols (Christmas, as we know, is the reddest of all the holidays)
Tony Abbott's just released a statement on the "Bondi Pogrom". It's understandable, I guess, that, since the most significant pre-Bondi attack within Australia was Lindt, the scale of Bondi is genuinely shocking, but this death-spiral of increasingly extreme rhetoric is getting a little frightening.
December 19, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Tony Abbott's just released a statement on the "Bondi Pogrom". It's understandable, I guess, that, since the most significant pre-Bondi attack within Australia was Lindt, the scale of Bondi is genuinely shocking, but this death-spiral of increasingly extreme rhetoric is getting a little frightening.
Feels appropriate that, when "post-Howard" turned 18, the Liberals celebrated by playing to anti-immigrant rallies, dumping even the most half-assed of commitments to climate action, and scrambling for the leadership, while Barnaby Joyce was jumping ship to One Nation. Talk about path-dependency.
Incidentally thought to myself this week: If you were alive when John Howard was last in office, you can have a social media account (also drink, vote etc)
December 17, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Feels appropriate that, when "post-Howard" turned 18, the Liberals celebrated by playing to anti-immigrant rallies, dumping even the most half-assed of commitments to climate action, and scrambling for the leadership, while Barnaby Joyce was jumping ship to One Nation. Talk about path-dependency.
Reposted by Tom Marshall-Davis
a friend reminded me of the existence of Conor Court publishing and after twenty minutes on the website I discovered it: the perfect Christmas gift for young and old, friend or foe
December 16, 2025 at 10:31 AM
a friend reminded me of the existence of Conor Court publishing and after twenty minutes on the website I discovered it: the perfect Christmas gift for young and old, friend or foe
Anyone see the Amazon War of the Worlds movie? Where the moral is that the 24-hour surveillance state is actually good so long as you get rid of the bad apples, and the Amazon delivery-guy son-in-law is an incompetent clown who only saves the world cos of Amazon's new same-day-delivery drone? Wild.
Wow, sounds like Jeff Bezos is mad
(from A Washington Post editorial entitled "Zohran Mamdani’s victory is bad for New York and the Democratic Party")
(from A Washington Post editorial entitled "Zohran Mamdani’s victory is bad for New York and the Democratic Party")
November 7, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Anyone see the Amazon War of the Worlds movie? Where the moral is that the 24-hour surveillance state is actually good so long as you get rid of the bad apples, and the Amazon delivery-guy son-in-law is an incompetent clown who only saves the world cos of Amazon's new same-day-delivery drone? Wild.
Reposted by Tom Marshall-Davis
NEW at #VIDAblog!
Eli Branagh and Taylah Evans discuss their experience hosting ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’, a one-day symposium held in response to the recently published Personal Politics: The Remaking of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship (2024).
Find out more here ⬇️
Eli Branagh and Taylah Evans discuss their experience hosting ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’, a one-day symposium held in response to the recently published Personal Politics: The Remaking of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship (2024).
Find out more here ⬇️
Reflection: ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’ Symposium | Australian Women's History Network
Eli Branagh and Tahlya Evans reflect on their experience hosting the ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’ symposium.
www.auswhn.com.au
October 28, 2025 at 11:36 PM
NEW at #VIDAblog!
Eli Branagh and Taylah Evans discuss their experience hosting ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’, a one-day symposium held in response to the recently published Personal Politics: The Remaking of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship (2024).
Find out more here ⬇️
Eli Branagh and Taylah Evans discuss their experience hosting ‘Thinking Beyond Liberal Narratives of Progress’, a one-day symposium held in response to the recently published Personal Politics: The Remaking of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship (2024).
Find out more here ⬇️
Seems to reflect, more than anything, how little name recognition any of them have. Price and Hastie making a fuss seems to have swallowed up whatever support Taylor might've had (even though Price is a Senator, and a Liberal of convenience).
🚨 NEW: Just 13% of Australians think Sussan Ley is the best person to lead the Liberal Party, according to new Essential polling
Among Coalition voters, 22% think she is the best to lead, while 20% think Andrew Hastie would be better
Among Coalition voters, 22% think she is the best to lead, while 20% think Andrew Hastie would be better
October 29, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Seems to reflect, more than anything, how little name recognition any of them have. Price and Hastie making a fuss seems to have swallowed up whatever support Taylor might've had (even though Price is a Senator, and a Liberal of convenience).
This is all very exciting - I guess that's the word - but remember that defecting to (and, inevitably, becoming the parliamentary leader of) these far-right parties is a well-established way for right-wing Coalition MPs to make what (to them) is meant to be their graceful exit from politics.
Barnaby Joyce confirms conversations with Pauline Hanson amid speculation on possible defection to One Nation
Barnaby Joyce confirms conversations with Pauline Hanson amid speculation on possible defection to One Nation
Former Nationals leader insists ‘nothing locked in’ for next step after announcing intention to leave party
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Barnaby Joyce has confirmed he has spoken with the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, as he weighs a possible move to the far-right party after a spectacular breakdown in his relationship with the Nationals.
However, Joyce insisted on Monday that “nothing is locked in”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:25 AM
This is all very exciting - I guess that's the word - but remember that defecting to (and, inevitably, becoming the parliamentary leader of) these far-right parties is a well-established way for right-wing Coalition MPs to make what (to them) is meant to be their graceful exit from politics.
Reposted by Tom Marshall-Davis
Abbott was so bad as PM that his own socially conservative side of the party were plotting to dump him after less than 18 months - including Hastie's predecessor in Canning the late Don Randall. He's got considerably weirder since.
October 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Abbott was so bad as PM that his own socially conservative side of the party were plotting to dump him after less than 18 months - including Hastie's predecessor in Canning the late Don Randall. He's got considerably weirder since.
The party's at a low ebb when the best endorsement for a guy people are actually talking about as a leader is still "he thinks war crimes are bad, sometimes". www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06...
'Cold, hard truth': Hastie breaks silence after Ben Roberts-Smith verdict
Former SAS captain and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his relief at Ben Roberts-Smith losing his defamation trial, saying the courage of former colleagues in giving evidence against the Victor...
www.abc.net.au
October 4, 2025 at 1:20 AM
The party's at a low ebb when the best endorsement for a guy people are actually talking about as a leader is still "he thinks war crimes are bad, sometimes". www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06...
John Howard's engagement with international law has never been anything but instrumental. The only way to read comments like this is that they're entirely disingenuous, meant to turn the language of international law back on Israel's critics after the UN findings. www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne...
Former PM accuses Labor of betraying intl law over Palestine recognition
Former prime minister John Howard has accused the Albanese government of “betraying” international law by recognising Palestine as a sovereign state.
www.skynews.com.au
September 29, 2025 at 5:15 AM
John Howard's engagement with international law has never been anything but instrumental. The only way to read comments like this is that they're entirely disingenuous, meant to turn the language of international law back on Israel's critics after the UN findings. www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne...
"We can't give the award to the war-criminal book, that'd be embarrassing".
Nope, you're right, this is much better.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Nope, you're right, this is much better.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australian War Memorial defers military history prize after judging panel awards it to book on Ben Roberts-Smith
Exclusive: Governing council ‘retrospectively’ decides the Les Carlyon literary award should go only to first-time authors, ruling out Chris Masters’ book
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
"We can't give the award to the war-criminal book, that'd be embarrassing".
Nope, you're right, this is much better.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Nope, you're right, this is much better.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Tom Marshall-Davis
Absolutely shameful hagiographies of Charlie Kirk by “liberals” like Ezra Klein and Gavin Newson. It’s like Fortuyn all over again.
It is perfectly possible to oppose the killing of people you vehemently and wholeheartedly disagree with.
It is perfectly possible to oppose the killing of people you vehemently and wholeheartedly disagree with.
September 11, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Absolutely shameful hagiographies of Charlie Kirk by “liberals” like Ezra Klein and Gavin Newson. It’s like Fortuyn all over again.
It is perfectly possible to oppose the killing of people you vehemently and wholeheartedly disagree with.
It is perfectly possible to oppose the killing of people you vehemently and wholeheartedly disagree with.
Reposted by Tom Marshall-Davis
A concern about Price's remarks that I have is that they feed into the false conspiracy theory that migrants who came in under Labor helped Labor win the 2025 election (debunked by the simple fact that they generally hadn't been here long enough to be voters.)
September 10, 2025 at 8:51 AM
A concern about Price's remarks that I have is that they feed into the false conspiracy theory that migrants who came in under Labor helped Labor win the 2025 election (debunked by the simple fact that they generally hadn't been here long enough to be voters.)
Working through primary source material for the Republic (which I find pretty dull), so I'll be entertaining myself by dropping whatever zany nonsense I find in below. (This is mainly for my own edification, but hey).
September 8, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Working through primary source material for the Republic (which I find pretty dull), so I'll be entertaining myself by dropping whatever zany nonsense I find in below. (This is mainly for my own edification, but hey).
Remember ten years ago, when the weird Aryan shit and the goofy Trump-movie mashups were a thing only parody accounts and earnest sycophants'd because it was embarrassing? Those were the days
September 7, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Remember ten years ago, when the weird Aryan shit and the goofy Trump-movie mashups were a thing only parody accounts and earnest sycophants'd because it was embarrassing? Those were the days
The last time parliament had a big enlargement (y'know, 40 years ago) there were about 9.9 million voters. Now there's 18 million and it's the same size. "Politicians bad," sure, but it's unhealthy in a democracy for voters to be half as represented as they used to be. www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Bigger parliament, longer terms in PM’s sights
After Labor’s record election victory, the Albanese government has opened the door to totemic changes to the democratic process.
www.smh.com.au
September 3, 2025 at 7:50 AM
The last time parliament had a big enlargement (y'know, 40 years ago) there were about 9.9 million voters. Now there's 18 million and it's the same size. "Politicians bad," sure, but it's unhealthy in a democracy for voters to be half as represented as they used to be. www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Going on four hours since they were officially upgraded from "scuffles" to "clashes"
August 31, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Going on four hours since they were officially upgraded from "scuffles" to "clashes"