iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Aaron Smith

Sue Barrett - Onward We Press @suebarrett.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Testimonials come in 3 grades: legitimate, opaque, manufactured. Dave Hughes stacks 2 opaque testimonials then accuses critic @aaronsmith333.bsky.social of being paid rather than fixing the claims. Always check what's underneath the voice. #auspol suebarrett.substack.com/p/the-politi...

suebarrett.substack.com

The Political Persuasion Playbook, Part 5: Testimonial

BYV: when someone you like stands in for evidence you don't have.

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

Independent Australia @independentaus.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Dave Hughes has become a self-professed corruption crusader and economics maven, denouncing the Labor Party as "corrupt" & appearing as a spokesperson for the Liberal Party. Neo-Liberal comic economics with Dave Hughes @davrosz.bsky.social @michellepini.bsky.social @aaronsmith333.bsky.social

independentaustralia.net

Neo-Liberal comic economics with Dave Hughes

Previously a comedian, Dave Hughes has become a self-professed corruption crusader and economics maven, denouncing the Labor Party as

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

Brent Hodgson @brenthodgson.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Perhaps this is the next “New Dawn” by-election for the next new leader. What say you @aaronsmith333.bsky.social ?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Watching the eternal denial over Dan Andrews is like hearing someone insist the sun didn’t rise this morning. The man won 3 elections, winning more seats each time, and left his opponents in a smoking ruin. Is there a medical diagnosis for this level of denialism?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Forget Shaked and Rotman, Gideon. Just send Netanyahu instead so Australia can fulfil its obligations as a signatory to the International Criminal Court and deliver him to The Hague.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

You see Ronni, and I quote James directly here, "the Sheik's office made those comments - that's a pretty standard thing". And I can't be clearer than that.

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

Ronni🧂Salt @ronnisalt.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

You mean to tell me old mate Matthew didn't turn up today? So James pretends that comments from an individual - that they directly attributed to this individual man - and who has been in prison for two years, should automatically be known by the public as really his "press office"? #pffft

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

The unanswered question here is who else knew — and who was party to quietly changing the article so substantially. Surely Knott wasn’t the only one?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

I'd be interested to see that comparison. I'd suggest the print edition will be as originally published, and the online edition would be whichever version they published last!

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

Jo Dyer @instanterudite.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

The initial smear was bad enough. The attempt to hide it was utterly reprehensible. Why did the @sydmorningherald.bsky.social let Knott completely rewrite the story to correct his embarrassing "stuff up" & claim it had merely been "updated"? And why is #Insiders not interrogating this properly?

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

John Nicolay @johnnicolay.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Must read thread. This is extraordinarily poor in any circumstance, but in the context of an issue this controversial and a claim this incendiary, it’s genuinely shocking. A newspaper committed to ethical journalism would have sacked Matthew Knott on the spot and retracted the article.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

If you managed to get this far but missed the original thread the covers what the SMH did, it's here: bsky.app/profile/aaro...

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

This scandal has been covered extensively in a video released this morning by @MichaelWestBiz - a link to the video on YouTube is below; youtu.be/exSr2Lh0sQg?...

youtu.be

SMH Fake Hamas Scoop Exposed | Scam of the Week

YouTube video by The West Report

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Claim a quote from a Hamas co-founder who’s in prison unable to comment. Quietly rewrite when busted. Pull Knott from the Insiders sofa and send Massola instead to waffle about "offices". Keep running the smear anyway. That’s SMH. That’s #Insiders. That’s garbage.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

First Matthew Knott's words were quietly scrubbed in his discredited article, now Matthew Knott himself has been quietly scrubbed from #Insiders.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

And, by complete coincidence I’m sure, this Sunday on #Insiders the guest will be “Proud Zionist” Tim Wilson. On the couch? Matthew Knott. I don't know whether to laugh, or cry. /end

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

On a topic this sensitive, it’s indefensible. This is precisely when journalism must be unimpeachable. Instead, its credibility is being torched in real time. /12

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

These aren’t small edits. They’re substantial and making them without disclosure is unethical. In print, it’s impossible. Online? Two readers can see 'the same' article hours apart and get different facts. That's not journalism. Attached image shows them side by side. /11

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

The rewritten article is here: archive.md/7ZoD0 /10

archive.md

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

The original article as published is here: archive.md/uKAru /9

archive.md

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

There’s more, but wading through it is exhausting - the changes aren’t tweaks, they’re a rebuild. And the only nod to this quiet surgery? A microscopic first published note in the byline and a limp clarification tacked on at the end. It’s fig-leaf transparency at best. /8

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Deleted entirely: a paragraph noting both the LNP opposition and the Israeli Government agreed Labor was “rewarding Hamas.” I’ve not yet unpacked why it vanished, but I have theories, as I'm sure others do too. /6

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Originally, Knott said it was the first time Hamas had commented on Australia’s decision. Now, that’s replaced with a line saying Hamas denies Yousef made the statement, (because he’s in prison and isolated). This denial exists entirely because of what Knott published. /5

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

First change: Originally — Knott claimed Yousef gave the SMH a direct statement. Now — it’s “via his office.” Also new: a concession that Yousef is in prison. /4

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

I’ve saved two versions of the article from these exact times: (I'll link them later) 🗓 12:29 pm Wed 13 Aug 🗓 1:49 pm Thu 14 Aug In just 24 hours it grew by 40%, with whole sections removed and new ones added. Which version you saw depended entirely on when you read it. /3

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

After the backlash, and an AFR piece (same parent company, see quote tweet) inadvertently called Knott's article into question without explicitly saying so. The SMH / Knott quietly rewrote the article. They should've written a new one. They didn't. /2 bsky.app/profile/aaro...

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

You’ll remember the blow-up over Matthew Knott’s SMH piece quoting a Hamas co-founder in what looked like a hit job on Albanese. (Context in the quote tweet below if you aren't up to speed.) Well, it gets worse, and no one’s noticed. A thread.... /1 bsky.app/profile/aaro...

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

AFR article says Sheikh Hassan Yousef couldn’t have made the quote because he’s been in prison for 2 years with no outside contact. And yet, AFR didn't touch the obvious question - why their sister paper, the SMH, claimed he did. /2 t.co/MnsCKOiB3A

t.co

https://archive.md/wkuCP

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

OMFG. AFR says Hamas denies co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef praised Albanese - because he’s been in prison for 2 years. Hey AFR - maybe wander over to your SMH colleagues and ask why / how they quoted Yousef from prison, because that is now the fucking story. Link below /1

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Plenty of detail in this piece, but the glaring omission is the bigger story - Ninefax / SMH somehow has a direct line to Hamas, and the article never once explains how that came to be. t.co/6UkGjnyAAb

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

According to Abraham Edwards, SMH journalist Matthew Knott has been a “stenographer” for pro-Israel groups - and today’s coverage suggests he may have a direct line to Hamas. medium.com/@abrahamedwa...

medium.com

The rift between the Federal Government and pro-Israel groups

Ninefax’s Matthew Knott has basically been a stenographer for pro-Israel groups and the Federal Government for roughly the entire period…

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Curious that the Sydney Morning Herald suddenly has direct contact with Hamas. Even more intriguing is that Matthew Knott - once described as a stenographer for pro-Israel groups got the story. (Article in post 2)

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Labor stumbles behind public conscience, slowly shifting on Gaza once the outrage is undeniable. The Liberals? No shame, no hesitation - just unwavering support for a regime starving children and bombing civilians. Silence as endorsement. Genocide as policy.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

"We can’t trick voters into thinking we care about the climate," says Matt Canavan, while single-handedly reminding every teal voter why they left.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

American beef in Australia is like sending instant coffee to Italy. Who in Australia would want this?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Penny Wong’s right - Faruqi was seeking attention…. Attention to the fact that the govt’s response to Israel’s mass killing and starvation is as effective as a slap with a wet lettuce. Honestly, an actual wet lettuce might do more.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Victorian Liberals trying to pressure Labor on the Comm Games fiasco yesterday: No policies, no alternative plan, just whinging and walking next to a man with bagpipes - because Scotland has the games now. Not opposition. Just noise in tartan. Politics as pantomime.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Hanson represents the calcification of public thought - an ossified relic of white anxiety, preserved and paraded like a national artefact long past its relevance. She is what happens when grievance becomes a lifestyle, and ignorance becomes a brand.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Below is the Penny Wong I respected - the Penny Wong who called out injustice. Today she rolled over, and chose silence in the face of genocide. Has she become what she once derided?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

One Nation Senators turn their back on First Nations people by refusing to respect Welcome to Country, and there's zero consequences. But speak out for starving Palestinians and that results in punishment? What kind of Parliament is this?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Faruqi held a sign: “Gaza is starving. Words won’t feed them. Sanction Israel.” Labor and Liberal censured Faruqi and banned her from taking part in any overseas parliamentary delegations. Labor and Liberals on a unity ticket to punish truth before they ever confront genocide.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Morally stunted and intellectually barren.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

Louise Milligan’s work has sparked reform once the truth was revealed. I hope this story has the same effect.

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Reposted by Aaron Smith

Simon Rosenberg @simonrosenberg.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

As Louise Milligan notes, this is a systemic issue. So the question is not just why did Greg Malham last so long. But how many more Greg Malhams are there?

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

Greg Malham became known in recent federal election campaign for being filmed smashing Monique Ryan’s sign and laughing about "burying the body". Four Corners looked deeper, and what they found is very disturbing. Full story next tweet. 1/2

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

Does anyone know if this guy was a candidate in Tasmania's State Election yesterday. It seems like a huge missed opportunity if not.

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Aaron Smith @aaronsmith333.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

I wonder what qualified Tim Smith for this role.

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