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Joshua Black

@joshuablackjb.bsky.social
1.4K followers 87 following 85 posts

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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Point @thepointau.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“How do policy cycles come to be, and what causes them to be remade over time? There’s a concept that could help us answer these questions: the Overton window” writes Dr Joshua Black. Read the full piece on The Point: thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
International Australian Studies Association @intlausstudies.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It's an exciting time of year for InASA as we get to announce several great prizes! Congratulations to winners of our ECR Publication Subsidy Award: Drs Catherine Gay, Joshua Black & Brendan Casey. More info about the prize & the winners' books here: inasa.org/blog/inasa-p...
inasa.org
InASA Publication Subsidy Outcomes
The ECR Publication Subsidy Scheme is designed to assist early career researchers in a publishing venture, or for the inclusion of essential items such as illustrations, photographs or maps. The se…
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Mike Beggs @mikejbeggs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The whole issue 'Australia in the Fraser Years' is now live and full of good stuff. Owen Bennett's paper "The Australian Union Movement and the Politics of Full Employment, 1945–1976" makes for a nice complement to mine on monetarism and arbitration. Thanks to editor @joshuablackjb.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Special Issue: Australia in the Fraser Years: Australian Journal of Politics & History: Vol 72, No 3
Click on the title to browse this issue
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Can’t thank the @intlausstudies.bsky.social enough for supporting the publication of Performance Politics with an ECR Subsidy this year!! It makes such a big difference to ECRs publishing solo-authored monographs, and I am very grateful to the Association 😊
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Just 2 months until this one is out in the wild! Performance Politics explains how Australian politics became so personal, emotive and self-referential in nature. It shows that life writing and docudramas played an outsized role in making modern #AusPol @newsouthpublishing.bsky.social
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Alice Grundy @alicektg.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
If you bet on the winner of the Miles Franklin, your windfall is tax free but if you win the Miles Franklin you pay tax. There's an easy and cheap way for the gov to help our best artists and writers. Make prizes tax free. Thanks to @charlottewood.bsky.social & Melissa Lucashenko for their thoughts
canberratimes.com.au
Here's something absolutely cooked about books in Australia
Winning authors pay tax. Mug punters, that's another story.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
A real privilege to talk with @tommcilroy.bsky.social about his book 'Blue Poles' for Australia's Biggest Book Club last week @australiainstitute.org.au. A lively and wonderful conversation about Jackson Pollock, abstract expressionism, 'Blue Poles' and Australian arts policy today!
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Rod Campbell @rodcampbell.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Very excited that @ketanjoshi.co is working with @australiainstitute.org.au!!! Check out his post on Woodside, dodgy offsets and the safeguard mechanism... australiainstitute.org.au/post/the-saf...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 27/05/2025
"The outer-Melbourne electorate of Calwell had "the most complex count in Australia's history", but almost nobody was talking about it before the election. Why? Only four journalists live in the seat, the least of anywhere in Australia. @rodcampbell.bsky.social writes ⤵️ #auspol
australiainstitute.org.au
Why the election’s closest seat went unnoticed: Too close to Calwell - The Australia Institute
The outer-Melbourne electorate of Calwell was named “Australia’s most unpredictable seat” by The Age after the election and was – aside from those going to a recount – the last seat to be called. The ...
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
"the result in Calwell shows that the press has lost touch with the people, the result in Australia shows that the people have lost touch with the press" Absolute fire from @skyelark.bsky.social and @rodcampbell.bsky.social on the coverage of the most interesting electoral race in 2025
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
"The long view matters here" "some things seem more historic than they are, while the truly novel features of Australia’s current political landscape may pass us by" My piece with @browne90.bsky.social on the size of the crossbench in historical context australiainstitute.org.au/post/end-of-...
australiainstitute.org.au
End of the LNP Coalition would makes this the largest crossbench in the post-WWII era - The Australia Institute
A large crossbench might seem unusual, but before WWII they were commonplace in Australia.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
Hilariously, the AFR is showing just how absurd is the scare campaign against the super tax changes. They give an eg where someone's super goes from $2m to $3.18m in a year! Yep a $1.18m increase. How much extra tax? $1,528! OMG!! THAT'S OUTRAG... err... oh actually that's bugger all
Assuming it is $3.1 million, with the $80,000 pension payment it becomes $3.18 million. If your balance on June 30, 2026, is greater than $3 million (say $3.1 million) then Division 296 tax will count a balance of $3.18 million in its calculations even if your balance at the start of the year was less than $3 million (in your case $2 million)

One aspect of Division 296 tax where you have a greater than $3 million balance at the end of the year but a balance of less than $3 million at the start is that it will be calculated as if your year started with a $3 million balance.

When determining your super earnings for Division 296 tax purposes you add together your year-end balance with pension payments and then deduct your balance at the start of the year from this. That’s $3.1 million plus $80,000 less $3 million. This will give you total super earnings for Division 296 purposes of $180,000.

Despite the large increase in your fund from $2 million to $3.1 million, your Division 296 liability will be significantly less given it won’t include the increase in your total super below the $3 million threshold. The 15 per cent tax will only apply to the percentage that $180,000 represents of $3.18 million or 5.66 per cent.

While 15 per cent of $180,000 is $27,000, 5.66 per cent of this results in a Division 296 tax liability of $1528.

This assumes there is no change in the proposed tax when – and if – it finally becomes law.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 23/05/2025
If the LNP remains split, @joshuablackjb.bsky.social & @browne90.bsky.social note it would be the biggest crossbench since WWII. But before WWII big crossbenches were common #OffTheCharts australiainstitute.org.au/post/end-of-...
australiainstitute.org.au
End of the LNP Coalition would makes this the largest crossbench in the post-WWII era - The Australia Institute
A large crossbench might seem unusual, but before WWII they were commonplace in Australia.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
A brilliant brief from @yuan-frank.bsky.social explaining how the Chinese foreign policy establishment views world affairs right now, including their determination to "resist Trump's trade offensive" australiainstitute.org.au/report/chine... @australiainstitute.org.au
australiainstitute.org.au
Chinese Foreign Policy Brief - The Australia Institute
The Chinese foreign policy establishment appear determined to resist Trump’s trade offensive. They have asserted China’s position on Taiwan through both direct pressure and diplomacy, and sought to ma...
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Great piece in National Account on declining legacy media influence, and The Oz's logical fallacies in response to that reality "Printed newspapers are no longer the political kingmakers they once were." @australiainstitute.org.au @skyelark.bsky.social www.nationalaccount.com.au/p/newspaper-...
nationalaccount.com.au
Newspapers spent 30 years picking winners. That streak's over.
A new report has confirmed what plenty of voters have long suspected: newspaper endorsements don’t swing elections like they used to.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Rod Campbell @rodcampbell.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Absolutely cracking new report from @ieefainstitute.bsky.social @adenisryan.bsky.social Japanese gas companies on-sell more Australian gas than Australian domestic use. Read it and weep. Big gas is taking the piss. 1/2 @australiainstitute.org.au ieefa.org/resources/ho...
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Today’s coalition breakup is the latest in a much longer history of separations and reconciliations between the Libs and Nats #Auspol Here is my piece on this for @theconversation.com theconversation.com/the-band-is-...
theconversation.com
The band is breaking up: has the Coalition stopped making sense?
This is not the first time the Liberals and Nationals have gone their own ways - but this time they may find going solo is extremely hard.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
By ‘changing media landscape’ we mean several interrelated forces and features…including this, yes 😂
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
Australian newspapers used to be good at backing winners. Over the past 30 years, most major newspapers backed the winner. Until 2022 and 2025, that is, when newspaper editorials came down on one side and voters came down on the other. 1/6 #Auspol2025
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Rod Campbell @rodcampbell.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
Here's the great new paper by Skye Predavec and @joshuablackjb.bsky.social australiainstitute.org.au/report/decli...
australiainstitute.org.au
Declining legacy media influence on Australian elections - The Australia Institute
Securing newspaper endorsements was once a key part of running a successful Australian election campaign, through which Australian media shaped Australian politics. Televised debates between the prime...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Rod Campbell @rodcampbell.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
The Aus's Dennis Shanahan devoted a column to @australiainstitute.org.au 's new report on declining media power & this was the best he could do: "the big election editorial has never counted for much with voters. To suggest there’s been a decline of their influence ignores the political reality." 🧵
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
In response to @australiainstitute.org.au research about declining media influence in Aus elections, @theaustralian.bsky.social says newspaper endorsements "never counted for much" in the first place! 🤦‍♂️ Leaders can now govern boldly, without glancing over their shoulder at these guys all the time
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Gavin Miller @glmiller.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
'The spectre of media moguls as political kingmakers still looms large in the imagination of Australia’s political class': yes, but are they still in control of leaders/factions/duopoly? Will they meet again in 2025? Over to u JB? @joshuablackjb.bsky.social www.crikey.com.au/2022/08/29/a...
crikey.com.au
Labor and Murdoch, a match made in silence
Labor hasn't commented on the prime minister's reported meeting with Lachlan Murdoch. But if it has met with the News Corp billionaire, why is the government dealing with such a company?
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 16/05/2025
“The endorsement of newspapers used to be much sought-after, but these days such endorsements are practically irrelevant,” said @joshuablackjb.bsky.social, report co-author. A new report explores the declining influence of media endorsements and leaders’ debates on election outcomes. Read:
australiainstitute.org.au
Bellowing from the sidelines. The declining influence of Australia's traditional media. - The Australia Institute
The days of media moguls deciding Australian elections are over, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
An op-ed from @jack-thrower.bsky.social and myself in @canberratimes.bsky.social this morning: how ANU became mired in scandal, and what can be done to steady the ship ANU boasts some of the world's finest scholars and teachers. They deserve better governance ASAP @australiainstitute.org.au
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
"Dosed-up Tasmanian salmon could pose health risks in the long run" My piece for @thenewdaily.bsky.social on Tassie salmon farming, antibiotic dosing and the ecological + health risks @australiainstitute.org.au www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2025...
thenewdaily.com.au
Dosed-up Tasmanian salmon could pose health risks in the long run
Tasmania's salmon farming practices are no longer a solely environmental issue – they're a public health issue, too.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
After a brief sleep, here’s my piece for @theconversation.com on the success of independents at the election and their prospects for the next parliament @australiainstitute.org.au theconversation.com/independents...
theconversation.com
Independents will not help form government – but they will be vital in holding it to account
Yes, Labor has won a huge majority. But it will still need to work constructively with the crossbench in both the House and the Senate.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 02/05/2025
Today's retail trade figures show the RBA failed when it did not cut rates in April #OffTheCharts @grogsgamut.bsky.social australiainstitute.org.au/post/retail-...
Chart showing retail spending in the March quarter is 3% below the per-pandemic trend
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Huge thanks to WIN News for talking to us about our research on university spending. It's really important that we start to get some proper disclosure about this spending from every university, not just some!
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
A privilege to work with @browne90.bsky.social and @skyelark.bsky.social on this report about the recent history of power sharing in Australia's parliaments. There are many ways to make a balanced parliament work well! @australiainstitute.org.au
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Just so we're clear, Peter Dutton has been "very clear" throughout this campaign. He says so himself... australiainstitute.org.au/post/this-el... @australiainstitute.org.au's Pritika Kumar counts the clarity
australiainstitute.org.au
This election, Peter Dutton has been repeatedly very, very clear - The Australia Institute
Over the course of an election campaign punctuated by about-faces and flip flops, one constant has been Peter Dutton’s use of “clear” and “very clear” in his press conferences. Based just on the trans...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Frank Yuan @yuan-frank.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
@joshuablackjb.bsky.social and I and I put together this piece (our first collab!) on the appalling 'Chinese spy' beat-up in recent days. It was a great pleasure working with a fellow historian and an outstanding writer. live.australiainstitute.org.au/category/aus...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Bill Browne @browne90.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
I hope you've been enjoying the political ads this election campaign - you pay for many of them! @joshuablackjb.bsky.social on @australiainstitute.org.au live blog explains what we know - and don't know - about political finance. live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/05/aust...
live.australiainstitute.org.au
Australia Institute Live: Day 34 of the 2025 election campaign
It's the start of a 48 hour blitz where the leaders will criss cross the country trying to shore up final votes. All the day's events, with fact checks, as it happens.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
"Dark money and your money pay for most of the political ads you’re seeing" A piece from @browne90.bsky.social and I on the importance of undisclosed private funds, and public funding, for political parties' income. @australiainstitute.org.au australiainstitute.org.au/post/electio...
australiainstitute.org.au
Election entrée: Dark money and your money pay for most of the political ads you’re seeing - The Australia Institute
At this stage of the election, you have no doubt seen plenty of political ads.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
University is expensive, especially so for humanities students If the next parliament wants to show that it is serious about helping graduates with the cost of living, it would scrap the unfair Job-ready Graduates package @jack-thrower.bsky.social @australiainstitute.org.au
live.australiainstitute.org.au
Australia Institute Live: Day 33 of the 2025 election campaign
The leaders are making their final set piece announcements before both embark on a multi-jurisdiction blitz. All the day's events, with fact checks, as it happens/
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The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 30/04/2025
"Spending $54 million on consultants, which is what the ANU spent in 2023, is quite striking, especially when you have so much knowledge & expertise on your staff. The need to spend $54M seeking external advice to make big decisions suggests poor prioritisation." @joshuablackjb.bsky.social #auspol
canberratimes.com.au
ANU spending on ads, travel and consultants to blame for cuts, think tank says
Cuts to elective spending could have saved ANU jobs, report says.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
Kate-Eviva @kate-eviva.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Please read and consider. Thank you @joshuablackjb.bsky.social @australiainstitute.org.au
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Laura Rademaker @laurarad.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
"Across 2022 and 2023, the ANU spent more than $71.6 million on travel, over $11 million on advertising and over $107 million on consultants. That $190 million, if saved, would have negated entirely the $100 million cuts to jobs" @joshuablackjb.bsky.social
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 30/04/2025
Australia’s universities spend hundreds of millions of dollars on travel, marketing and consultants, while cutting costs, staff and courses, according to new research by The Australia Institute's @joshuablackjb.bsky.social. Read:
australiainstitute.org.au
Australian universities slash costs, staff and courses, while lavishing hundreds of millions on themselves - The Australia Institute
Australia's universities spend hundreds of millions of dollars on travel, marketing and consultants, while cutting costs, staff and courses, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
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PlsUseYourBrain @useyourbrain.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
"Instead of spending millions of dollars competing with one another using advertising campaigns that no longer work, universities could improve their reputations by investing properly in staff and lifting the quality of their courses." @joshuablackjb.bsky.social
australiainstitute.org.au
Australian universities slash costs, staff and courses, while lavishing hundreds of millions on themselves - The Australia Institute
Australia's universities spend hundreds of millions of dollars on travel, marketing and consultants, while cutting costs, staff and courses, according to new research by The Australia Institute.
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Kate Fullagar @kfullagar.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
ESSENTIAL reading for anyone involved in Oz unis. *Especially voting parents* ACU, ANU and UOW case studies. Appalling stats but they are ‘typical not extraordinary’: go get em @joshuablackjb.bsky.social @australiainstitute.org.au australiainstitute.org.au/report/elect...
australiainstitute.org.au
Elective spending at Australian universities - The Australia Institute
Universities spend vast sums on consultants, advertising, and travel. Reducing these expenses could have prevented the deep cuts that some of these same universities have made to their staff and cours...
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 29/04/2025
There's no such thing as a safe seat anymore. And that's a good thing! As more and more Australians vote for candidates outside the major parties, the idea of a 'safe' seat is increasingly a thing of the past. @joshuablackjb.bsky.social #auspol
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
This election campaign is 37 days long. Minus the Easter long weekend and ANZAC Day, and you get the shortest election campaign of the past 30 years. So why does it feel like a lifetime...? australiainstitute.org.au/post/electio... @australiainstitute.org.au @browne90.bsky.social #Auspol2025
australiainstitute.org.au
Election entrée: Feel the election campaign has dragged on? It could have been longer - The Australia Institute
Election campaigns come and go, but some go faster than others.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
"If there is a hung parliament after May 3, history shows us it can be put to good use." Here's my piece for @theconversation.com on the independents, their campaigns and the possibilities that a hung parliament presents for meaningful reform #Auspol2025
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Bill Browne @browne90.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
"Few of us stop to think how unusual it is that a competitor also enjoys control over the starter’s gun." @joshuablackjb.bsky.social on @australiainstitute.org.au live blog on how often Australians vote in elections. australiainstitute.org.au/post/think-t...
australiainstitute.org.au
Election entrée: think three-year terms are too short? Spare a thought for generations past. - The Australia Institute
Complaints about the brevity of three-year parliamentary terms are common in Australia.
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Reposted by Joshua Black
The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 23/04/2025
Policy of the Day: Five ideas to make our tax system better. If we make the gas industry pay their fair share, reduce loopholes that benefit the wealthy, and stop subsidising fossil fuels, we can collect more revenue to build world-class services that a country like Australia deserves.
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Joshua Black @joshuablackjb.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Watched the third leaders’ debate tonight so you don’t have to. (I stress: you truly don’t have to…) @theconversation.com @australiainstitute.org.au #Auspol2025 #debate
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The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 16/04/2025
All of the major players have said there’s no gas shortage. It hasn't stopped Big Gas from crying about “demonisation of gas” when Vic Govt banned gas connections to new homes. Reducing gas dependence is the right response to engineered scarcity & price gouging, writes @joshuablackjb.bsky.social.
thenewdaily.com.au
Never mind Liberal v Labor – right now, it’s Big Gas v the rest
Despite the gas industry's attempts, all the major political candidates this election acknowledge there’s no supply shortage in Australia.
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Morgan Harrington @mhharrington.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
@joshuablackjb.bsky.social turns up the heat on big gas. www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2025...
thenewdaily.com.au
Never mind Liberal v Labor – right now, it’s Big Gas v the rest
Despite the gas industry's attempts, all the major political candidates this election acknowledge there’s no supply shortage in Australia.
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