LightNews LightNews
wombatpunch.bsky.social
@wombatpunch.bsky.social
350 followers 25 following 1.2K posts
Whatever post prompted you to follow me was probably atypical. Apologies in advance.
Posts Replies Media Videos
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"PM actively involved in talks with Greens to broker EPBC deal"

Oh, well that's the kiss of death, then.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has held talks with the Greens leader, Larissa Waters, in an escalation of efforts to land a deal to pass the government’s signature environmental protection laws. Guardian Australia understands Albanese has not held similar leader-to-leader talks with Sussan Ley as of 1pm on Wednesday, although the environment minister, Murray Watt, has spoken with his Liberal counterpart, Angie Bell, today. As reported this morning, the government is optimistic it can strike a deal with the Greens to overhaul the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act before parliament rises for the year on Thursday night.
November 26, 2025 at 5:14 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"Victoria police expand warrantless search powers over large parts of Melbourne with no reason given"

This doesn't seem like something a police force should just be able to declare...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Victoria police expand warrantless search powers over large parts of Melbourne with no reason given Victoria police has declared the entirety of Melbourne CBD and large parts of East and South Melbourne as a “designated area” for six months, which provides officers with greater search powers without a warrant. The declaration makes it an offence for anyone to stop or resist police from conducting “pat down” searches, or removing “items of of outer clothing such as headwear, scarves, jackets, etc”: "It is an offence under the Act to obstruct or hinder a police officer or protective service officer in the exercise of a power to stop and search a person or vehicle or to fail to comply with a direction to leave the designated area."
November 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"Brittany Higgins’ former boss to have her case heard in 2027"

Over in WA, a calculator is whipped out to work out what its owner's cut of any settlement should be.
The answer, to no-one's surprise, is "ALL OF IT".
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Brittany Higgins’ former boss to have her case heard in 2027 The former boss of Brittany Higgins will have her case again the commonwealth go to trial in March 2027. Fiona Brown, the former Liberal staffer and chief of staff of Linda Reynolds, is suing the government over allegations her workplace failed to protect her by breaching her general protections after Higgins made her rape claim against former staffer, Bruce Lehrmann. Brown appeared in the federal court on Monday before Justice Nye Perram for a case management hearing. Perram set down the hearing for her case from 29 March to 23 April 2027.
November 24, 2025 at 1:05 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
If this is what BoM are saying, I can only imagine what the clickbait-mongers at Higgins are churning out.
November 24, 2025 at 12:56 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
There's a wealth of contenders, but this is the one that's stuck with me since the first time I saw it.
November 23, 2025 at 10:55 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
Ablo is on board with another LNP policy. Thank goodness he fights Tories, because imagine where we'd be if he activey collaborated with them.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
11.41 AEDT The PM has been speaking in Melbourne with Premier Jacinta Allan about her government’s new “adult time for violent crime” law reforms, which could see children as young as 14 jailed for life. Asked if it was appropriate that children who were 14 could be locked up for life, the PM said: "The Premier is taking action, I support the Premier taking action to keep Victorians safe and to make sure that message is sent when it comes to violence in the community. "People have a right to be safe. State governments are responsible for law and order issues. There are different issues in six jurisdictions, and I will allow them to do their job, and we will do our job."
November 17, 2025 at 12:50 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
Was this image meant to look like Tehan's brainworms are making a bid for freedom?
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
November 13, 2025 at 1:10 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
NEWS CORP: Without intellectual property, AI is empty, ignorant infrastructure. We'd like to partner with the AI firms.
November 7, 2025 at 1:11 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
On this day...
November 5, 2025 at 11:32 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
Another triumph of the algorithm. "The Aussies will *love* this!"
Screenshot of a post from the New York Times's Facebook page, inserted into users' timelines. It's an article about a Mushroom Wellington recipe, because if Facebook have learnt one thing this year, it's that Australians love a story about Wellingtons and mushrooms. Who needs context, anyway?
October 30, 2025 at 2:49 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
Illiterate man formed from pudding urges support for "hard men".
October 30, 2025 at 12:22 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"Court overturns Queensland’s puberty blocker ban"

Conservative screaming ensues.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Queensland’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender patients has been overturned by the state Supreme Court. Judge Peter Callaghan ruled in favour of a challenge by the parent of a transgender child. As a result the directive is unlawful. On 28 January director-general David Rosengren ordered that the directive be published after consulting with health service executives for just 22 minutes. As exclusively reported by the Guardian, the legally-mandated consultation was taking place simultaneously with a press conference in which the health minister announced the decision.
October 28, 2025 at 2:06 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"Microsoft ‘deliberately omitted’ AI-free option in 365 price rises, ACCC alleges"

Fuck 'em up, ACCC.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The Australian consumer watchdog has alleged Microsoft deliberately omitted an AI-free subscription option for Microsoft 365 in communications to 2.7 million Australians when it advised them of price increases as a result of Copilot being integrated into the software package. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched federal court action against Microsoft claiming the company has misled subscribers to Microsoft 365 personal and family plans with auto-renew enabled that if they want to maintain their subscription they must accept the integration of Copilot AI into the software and pay higher prices, or cancel their subscription.
October 27, 2025 at 1:13 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
October 26, 2025 at 11:25 PM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"A report by a government-dominated parliamentary inquiry into Queensland’s container recycling scheme has made 10 referrals to the state’s corruption watchdog, alleging it was dominated by two large beverages companies."

I guess it's good-bye to container recycling, too, then.
tinyurl.com/467nkny5
A report by a government-dominated parliamentary inquiry into Queensland’s container recycling scheme has made 10 referrals to the state’s corruption watchdog, alleging it was dominated by two large beverages companies. It was tabled in parliament on Thursday. Labor leader Steven Miles, then the state’s environment minister, established the scheme in 2018. It pays a rebate to people recycling cans, and has successfully increased the state’s beverage container recovery rate from 18% prior to introduction of the scheme to 67.1% this year. But the parliamentary committee claimed that the structure he adopted for the scheme gave Coca-Cola and Lion, two of the biggest companies in the industry, too much control. Government members of the committee wrote: Of particular concern was COEX’s (the not-for-profit organisation appointed to manage and grow the container refund scheme) commercial relationship with Circular Economy Systems, a joint venture between its two founding members, Coca-Cola and Lion. CES has received significant—and increasing—payments over the life of the scheme. The arrangement “effectively handed monopoly control of the scheme to two of Australia’s largest beverage corporations. Those corporations dominated the board, and awarded a key contract to their own joint venture”. LNP members of the committee said they had made 10 referrals to the Qld Crime and Corruption Committee as a result of the inquiry.
October 16, 2025 at 4:24 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"... it would also remove a ban on private ownership on new generation, which unions have said would be akin to privatisation by stealth."

Just wait for next week, when the Qld Govt will announce plans to burn the state's remaining forests for fuel.
tinyurl.com/The-Guardian...
Queensland energy minister tables bill aimed at repealing ‘unachievable’ energy targets Queensland’s energy minister has introduced a long-awaited bill repealing the state’s renewables targets into state parliament. Aside from eliminating a legislated 80% by 2035 green energy target passed under the previous, Labor, government, it would also remove a ban on private ownership on new generation, which unions have said would be akin to privatisation by stealth. The bill also eliminates a requirement for the government to report progress towards the targets and allows the state to close three bodies, Energy Industry Council, the Queensland Energy System Advisory Board and the Queensland Renewable Energy Jobs Advocate, which provide advice about renewable energy.
October 16, 2025 at 4:20 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
The ABC still as on the ball as ever when it comes to understanding the reaction to Gillard's speech.
Image is from the ABC News website, where the ABC offers up a nearly two-minute video of famed punch-drunk, reactionary dimwit Tony Abbott's thought in Julia Gillard's "misogyny speech". Which, let's remember, was directed at Abbott himself. Abbott's expression in the thumbnail is that of a prune trying to cure its own constipation, and promises to be as enlightening.
October 15, 2025 at 11:04 PM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"Albanese welcomes China's first emissions target but says it should not open new coal plants"

China should instead switch to gas,said Ablo, which Australia would be more than happy to supply in world-burning quantities.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Albanese welcomes China's first emissions target but says it should not open new coal plants Anthony Albanese says China should do more on cutting carbon emissions, including closing more coal fired power stations. In a video statement to the UN in New York, president Xi Jinping said China would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions across the economy by 7-10% by 2035, while “striving to do better”. It is the first time Beijing has committed to an absolute target to cut its emissions. Speaking at an event at The New York Times, Albanese said it was not enough
September 25, 2025 at 12:46 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
QLD PRIMARY INDUSTRIES MINISTER: The Crisafulli government will always put the safety of people first. Fuck the whales.

QLD HEALTH MINISTER: The Crisafulli government has a zero-tolerance approach to illicit drugs. Fuck the people pill-testing would save.

Mixed messages, but they know & don't care
September 19, 2025 at 5:26 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
From Star Wars: Ben Kenobi (Sir Alex Guinness) looks out over the city of Mos Eisley and famously remarks "You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."
September 19, 2025 at 1:47 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
TRUMP: Australia wants to get along with me.
AUSTRALIA:
Illustration of a man in a suit, pointing. Caption reads: "You there. Fuck off. And when you get there, fuck off from there too. Then fuck off some more. Keep fucking off until get back here. Then fuck off again."
September 17, 2025 at 12:33 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
September 14, 2025 at 3:07 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
BOWEN: I want to see irreversible change.
ABLO & WATT: Done! [approve multiple fossil fuel projects]

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
September 13, 2025 at 4:20 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
"He's more machine now than man."
Image from The New York Post, with the caption: "Breaking. Rudy Giuliani arrives at Ground Zero for 9/11 memorial ceremony in wheelchair and body brace." Giuliani is seated in a wheelchair with a prominent brace covering most of his torso. The effect is somewhere between Davros and Budget Robocop.
September 12, 2025 at 11:56 AM
wombatpunch.bsky.social
Sod it. I'll allow myself one post of questionable taste today.
September 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM