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Dr Helen MacLean

@drhmaclean.bsky.social
675 followers 749 following 423 posts

Former medical research scientist, interested in politics, society and sustainability, also science, cats, music, gardening and AFL (Geelong, the mighty Cats). On Wurrundjeri land, Naarm (Melbourne, Australia).

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Dr Helen MacLean @drhmaclean.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Woke up during the night because windows rattled & bed shook. Thought it was weird & wondered if it was an earthquake, so took note of the time (2:01 am). Very excited to hear now it •was • one, with Leongatha epicentre. Hope no major damage anywhere, but glad I noticed it in inner north Melbourne
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Dr Blair Williams @blairwilliams26.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Oh my goddddd I haaaate these yank tanks!!! If you're too big for a generously-sized carpark, you're too big for the road! Tax these out of existence 😤😤😤 #YankTanks
A giant chevrolet yank tank, badly parked
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The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 02/10/2026
A Northern Territory body with ZERO full-time staff is the de facto national regulator for online gambling. Last year, Australians lost $36 billion gambling. @justinedavismla.bsky.social tells @ebonybennett.bsky.social about this extraordinary situation on Follow the Money 🎧 theaus.in/4jhnKz9
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Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Kogan CEO in June: Ruslan Kogan says changes to Capital Gains Tax will attract migrants motivated by “sick NDIS scams” and the welfare system." Today ATO Tax data for Kogan Pty Ltd: Income: $642.3m Taxable income: $0 Tax paid $0
Screenshot: "Sick scame": Kogan boss unleashes on Albanese government's capital gains tax changes"

rich lister Ruslan Kogan has issued an epic rant about Anthony Albanese's tax changes, warning they risk attracting a specific type of migrant to Australia'sSpreadsheet screenshot of ATO corporate tax transparency data

KOGAN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD: Total income $642,335,009; Taxable Income $0; Tax payable $0
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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 27/09/2026
Four days ago, a scientist was surprised by the news that Anthropic discovered new virus genes for making DNA. He says he’s been studying them for years—and feeding his data to Anthropic’s AI as part of his own research. Coincidence? Here’s my story. nyti.ms/3VSWayc
nyti.ms
Did Anthropic’s A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own? (Gift Article)
An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company’s A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work.
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 26/09/2026
I don't know if anyone cares, but Victoria's proposed rules do not "force datacentres to use renewable energy", and falsely stating that they do is actively helping the data centre industry do the pretend-fainting shock performance they're doing to try and kill even the weakest of regulations
But the peak body for datacentres has made no secret of its disappointment. It warns the new rules, which also force datacentres to use renewable energy, could cause investment to flow to other states.
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Dr Helen MacLean @drhmaclean.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Feel very sorry for Freo & Dockers fans. So hard to lose in the last few minutes, & after their heroic captain went down. But they squandered the advantage of their dominance in the 3rd quarter by not kicking straight. Brisbane was always going to come back. It’s a cruel game sometimes #AFL #AFLGF
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Dr Helen MacLean @drhmaclean.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
And the “singing budgie” is flying #Kylie #AFL #AFLGF
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Dr Helen MacLean @drhmaclean.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Padam padam ❤️❤️ #AFL #AFLGF Followed by Locomation. Legendary Kylie!!!
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tonywindsor.bsky.social @tonywindsor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Farmers who intend to vote for One Nation should know that they are accepting that “climate change” is normal.By doing so they will negate any logical argument for taxpayer assistance when “normal” weather events occur. Don’t ask for help if you deny the very thing you need help to overcome!
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The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026
New research shares the stories of Australians with dementia who want a choice in how they live and die.
theconversation.com
We asked people with dementia about voluntary assisted dying. Here’s what they said
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PlsUseYourBrain @useyourbrain.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
There is no good reason that pre-consent for VAD could not be included in an Advance Healthcare Directive. To deny those with dementia this option is cruel to the point of being barbaric. #VAD #dementia
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Helen Kennedy @helenkennedy.com · 19/09/2026
The military is being buffeted by huge materiel losses and is actually hiding war casualties but Hegseth is obsessed with fitness and his men's penises.
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Peter Turner @rppt.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Sums it all up. If it happened again, We'd feed and shelter your folks again. If it happened to us, You'd probably send ICE.
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mariecolemanao.bsky.social @mariecolemanao.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Quite the vindication
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Mark Carney @mark-carney.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The old order is not coming back. From the fracture, we can build something bigger, better, stronger, and more just.
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💚🌏Myles🌏💚 @rainbowregionmyles.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Democracy isn’t being corrupted in some dark back room anymore. It has a lanyard, a Parliament House pass, an expense account and a job title. Lobbyists now vastly outnumber the politicians we actually elected. We professionalised corruption! #auspol
abc.net.au
They're not politicians, but critics say they wield real power in Canberra
Inside Parliament House, hundreds of lobbyists freely roam the corridors advocating for corporate interests. Critics say it's a problem.
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Mark Kenny @markgkenny.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
All the way with USA but to where? Soon to enter the 7th month of his 4 week war, Trump has made his country visibly weaker and its foreign policy, incoherent.
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Andrew Wilkie MP @andrewwilkiemp.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
MPs are elected to serve Australians, not the vested interests that profit from gambling harm: gambling companies, media companies & major sporting codes. These corporations are directly responsible for this harm & this Gov is complicit in allowing it to continue. #auspol #politas
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Rick Morton @squigglyrick.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
My temporary return to Australia has been more stressful than anticipated and has brought forward parts of a much older life I thought we had left behind. rick-morton.ghost.io/something-fa...
rick-morton.ghost.io
Something Familiar
A few months ago my brother Toby went back to prison for the first time since his inaugural stint circa 2010. I was in Paris at the time and Mum was left to figure out what was happening and why, thou...
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Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS @euanritchie.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Yet again, @albomp.bsky.social's @australianlabor.bsky.social would seemingly prefer to put big business first, no matter the devastating harm it causes to Australian families and children www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08.... Again we ask, who do you serve, Albo?
abc.net.au
Gambling ad reforms at risk as Labor draws line on major changes
Labor is unlikely to entertain major changes to its gambling ad crackdown despite the bill being 'friendless' in parliament.
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Simon Rosenberg @simonrosenberg.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
More accurate headline: 'Labor prioritizes lobby groups over gambling harm.' And I wish journos would stop using "crackdown" to describe Labor's pissweak package. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...
abc.net.au
Gambling ad reforms at risk as Labor draws line on major changes
Labor is unlikely to entertain major changes to its gambling ad crackdown despite the bill being 'friendless' in parliament.
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Kate Manne @katemanne.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Generative AI is catnip to the men who miss female sycophants katemanne.substack.com/p/a-culture-...
katemanne.substack.com
A Culture Hooked on Generative AI is a Culture that Misses Female Sycophants
And we have missed a central reason why AI is a feminist issue
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Nahel Belgherze @wxnb.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Bordeaux, France, has now recorded more days above 40°C in 2026 alone than during the entire 105-year period from 1920 (when observations began) to 2025. This is deeply shocking.
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
It would be easy to call this the “new normal“ but that’s incorrect. In actual fact, “normal” is going to keep getting worse and worse and worse. Just how bad it will get depends entirely on how fast & far we go on real, legitimate (not performative) #ClimateAction. We know how. It’s about will.
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Loony Left Media 🚨#TaxTheGas + KillAUKUS @loonyleftmedia.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Remember when Pauline Hanson praised Vladimir Putin, even after Barry Cassidy reminded her Russia shot down MH17 in which 298 people were murdered, incl 35 Australians Barry Cassidy didn’t forget when he replayed the clip on today’s Back to Back Barrie’s And we can’t forget because MSM sure has
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conputer dipshit @davidcrespo.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
"because more papers contain more AI-generated errors, greater human oversight is required to check the findings" more papers means more review effort is needed regardless of whether they have more errors or fewer. science needs to be looking ahead to having 5x, 10x, 20x as much to review
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Tony Cartledge @decentral21.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Brilliant piece on our real culture by Sue: "So the culture Australians actually live, the one they carry into their streets, workplaces, and friendships, remains stubbornly, quietly plural and fair minded ... What has stopped being maintained is the culture at the top, in Parliament ..." #Auspol
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The DILETTANTE @demwar.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Same thing he said about VR, metaverse, and the glasses. Perhaps he’s not a visionary and just got lucky with Facebook. He didn’t invent Insta or WhatsApp or any of his other assets. Like Musk massively inflated genius aura
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Jason Scott @textfiles.com · 03/07/2026
I'll summarize this: Mamdani asked NYers to keep air conditioning at 78 degrees. A wave criticism hit online. A MSNBC broadcast pointed out the US Department of Energy recommends that 78 degree figure. Immediately after, the US Department of Energy deleted 6,000 web pages related to energy saving.
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Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Here’s another NY Times headline about another unidentified U.S. official claiming another “deal” with Iran in another announcement lacking Iranian confirmation. Just in time for the U.S. markets to open.
U.S. Reaches Deal With Iran to Halt Attacks, Official Says
The agreement would allow vessels to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said. Iran has not confirmed the deal.
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Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Sarah Martin has been absolutely all over the grift that is One Nation www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation withdrew more than $800,000 of election spending claims after AEC inquiries
The Australian Electoral Commission is examining if party breached laws in its $6m public funding claim after the last election, documents show
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licia @astra99.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Saw something wild today: Monash engineers just created a super alloy that's twice as strong as steel, three times aluminum, with >2 gigapascals strength. They did it by making atoms self-organize, totally rewriting alloy design. What an engineering feat!
miragenews.com
Engineers Create World-first 'super Alloy'
Monash University engineers have revolutionized metal manufacturing by creating the first large, continuous piece of Refractory High-Entropy Alloy (RHEA) using a novel, controlled heating process. Thi
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Tim Baxter @timinclimate.naruresearch.com.au · 22/06/2026
🚨On Monday July 27 at 2pm AEST, every phone in Australia will get very loud. 🚨 If you are vulnerable, with a phone as part of your escape plan, please make sure that you take steps to protect yourself. If you aren't vulnerable, please help get the word out to protect those who are.
ausalert.gov.au
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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
This photo is of Betty Simmons, who was more than 100 yrs old when she was interviewed in 1937 in Beaumont, TX. She was married during slave times, and widowed, but was very happy that freedom came when it did because her enslavers were preparing to put her 3-yr old child to work in the fields.
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Jon Sternfeld @jonsternfeld.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Is this the SINGLE WORST presidential response in history? I know he holds the top 100, but this feels like the gold to me.
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 17/06/2026
March 9: "We're now totally independent of the Middle East. We don't need their oil." April 1: "It doesn't really affect us. We have so much oil, much more than we need." June 17: If I didn't agree to the MOU, we "would run out of reserves at about 4 weeks..."
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Tony Cartledge @decentral21.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
We have 8 community independent MPs who represent the best of politics. Why aren't their achievements being trumpeted to the nation? We'd rather read about grievance and controversy. We've got to show #Auspol that there is an alternative to PHONy. www.newpolitics.com.au/p/the-one-na...
newpolitics.com.au
The One Nation reality check is coming soon
One Nation’s surge says less about Pauline Hanson and more about a political system losing the trust of voters who no longer believe change is coming.
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Tassie Devil @tassiedevil.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Labor's tax changes are already having the desired effect. Investors pulling out of the market with house prices stabilising. This is a good thing despite what the real estate industry and media would have you believe. #auspol
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Killerspud @killerspud.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Reverse Gallipoli where the Turks can’t get past the Beach
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Nicole Chvastek @nicolechvastek.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
The biggest threat to our lives is not “non citizens”, not the brown people living next door - it is the blood sucking bullshitting tax free billionaire grifters who own our politicians. So of course The Age bury that ACTUAL NEWS but inconvenient truth somewhere past page 20 in the business section
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Victoria Fielding @drvicfielding.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
As you've noticed, News Corp have jumped on the One Nation bandwagon. I wonder if Lib Nats are dirty about this? Here is my analysis about how News Corp did the same thing when Trump radicalised Republican Party. They have form on mainstreaming the far right! independentaustralia.net/politics/pol...
independentaustralia.net
News Corp jumps on One Nation bandwagon
News Corp’s growing support for One Nation follows a familiar playbook: protecting billionaire interests by repackaging far-right politics as a movement for ordinary Australians.
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Rowdy Rebel @rowdyrebel.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
University lecturers too. 👍
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alexvonwitzleben.bsky.social @alexvonwitzleben.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
"France passed a single law and instantly unlocked 11 gigawatts of #solarenergy — without using new land. In 2023, France's government mandated solar canopies over all car parks larger than 80 spaces. The scale was enormous: There are 400,000 parking areas across France #ActOnClimate #Renewables
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The Saturday Paper @thesaturdaypaper.com.au · 01/06/2026
The explosive growth in data centres threatens Australia’s emissions reduction targets by locking in fossil fuel energy generation, unless there is decisive government action. And government regulation of the sector is not keeping up. trib.al/4QJGqEw
trib.al
How data centres jeopardise net zero
With Australia now a top global destination for data centres, new reports show they are boosting demand for fossil fuel generated power, with one revealing they had absorbed half of rooftop solar growth in a year.
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Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Trump told Netanyahu he's "fucking crazy," Axios reports. www.axios.com/2026/06/01/t...
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Dr Helen MacLean @drhmaclean.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Fixed it for you, The Age
Headline from The Age website that originally said “Property prices in Sydney, Melbourne fall sharply, new research shows. Price growth has ground to a halt, as higher interest rates, stretched affordability and overhaul of tax incentives combine to suppress values” edited to read: “Housing affordability in Sydney, Melbourne increases sharply, new research shows. Price rises have halted, as higher interest rates, stretched affordability and overhaul of tax incentives combine to increase accessibility”
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Adam Morton @adammorton.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
The extraordinary rise of batteries in Australia www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
The household battery revolution that could change energy bills … and the world
Australia is pioneering a revolution in home renewables and battery use, proving what is possible with the right policies
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19/05/2026
"Trump either underestimated how powerful the weapon of Hormuz is, or didn’t believe Iran would use it. And now that Iran has successfully created a global energy crisis that’s rapidly turning into an economic one, he still wants someone else to solve the problem. Yet he keeps getting turned down."
publicnotice.co
No one is coming to bail Trump out of his disastrous war
He's the only one who can end this.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12/05/2026
Trump: "What a job our military is doing with respect to drugs coming in by sea. Meaning, drugs coming in by water. A lot of people know what I mean by 'sea.' They think I'm taking about vision."
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