Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 27/09/2026There’s a lot going on, and it seems to me that the fundamental problem is that people around the world making consequential decisions are either idiots, assholes, or of course, a bit of both. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auMigration cuts, AI and rising interest rates means an era of long-term disinflationThe Reserve Bank will increase interest rates on Tuesday, but three new factors entirely outside the bank's control are pulling rates in different directions. 110
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 27/09/2026WTF? Seems to more prove the need to place consequences on fscking up at scale, more than it proves any need to use space, power, and water doing the same things as the fsckups? #auspol OpenAI breach proves need for more data centres, major parties say www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auOpenAI breach proves need for more data centres, major parties sayLabor, Coalition agree OpenAI's Medicare breach proves the need for Australia to secure "a seat at the AI table" by rolling out data centres nationally. 020
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 27/09/2026iPhone confuses me when I think “I’ll share this article”, and the share thing offers me Waze, but not Bluesky. Odd. 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 25/09/2026the robot didn’t go rogue or misalign. OpenAI through malice or negligence, used one of its tools to break laws. Consequence them so the reward function for being assholes is negated. #auspol www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comOpen AI attacked Australia’s health system – and then doubled down on its negligence. The time for ‘wait and see’ is over | Kate Crawford and Edward SantowHuman hackers face serious consequences, and so must AI companies. There is no excuse for what happened 153
Reposted by RobDara Moskowitz Grumdahl @deardara.bsky.social · 25/09/2026stop! this is like saying "an oil derrick has gone rogue again" and spilled oil all over the Gulf. humans are responsible for these things. stop treating AI like a mystical uncontrollable sky god. The humans running this are responsible, period. 1278
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Read it twice and it still sounds like folks in charge took money from the party (where’d that come from) and PayIDed a company they co-own… I’m sure that plays well with shonks who vote, but sounds pretty dodgy to me. #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...theguardian.comOne Nation admits using party funds to build $56,000 shed on James Ashby’s private propertyEmail to members says money lent to a party-linked company to establish a micro distillery 042
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 23/09/2026What a magalicious idea - Dan seems to idolise Javier and Elon with his chainsaw bluster. Let's put cocaine back in coke, bring back asbestos and ban seatbelts too. Twits. #auspol Coalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws and offshore wind www.reddit.com/r/australia/...reddit.comFrom the australia community on Reddit: Coalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws and offshore windExplore this post and more from the australia community 040
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Thanks Joe. Might as well enjoy your next cigar now that you got another boot into the poors like the good old days. Why not belt the rich with reforms instead? #auspol Former treasurer says economic reform in Australia will take 'financial crisis' www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auFormer treasurer says economic reform in Australia will take 'financial crisis'Former treasurer Joe Hockey says meaningful fiscal reform is not possible in Australia as it often conflicts with voters' economic self-interest. He says it will take a "crisis" for governments to ena... 142
Reposted by RobMar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Precisely this—the power attributed to technology makes it incredibly useful for laundering responsibility 12539183
Reposted by RobJudah Grunstein @judah-grunstein.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Don't get me wrong, Uruguay certainly has its share of challenges. But the fact that they chose the most politically and economically stable country in the Western Hemisphere underscores the degree to which their proposed alternative to the state actually depends on a strong and functioning state.nytimes.comTech-Utopian Movement Praxis Says It Has Found a Home in UruguayAfter a sprawling world tour, Praxis, a New York-based, crypto-backed “digital nation,” has signed a deal to build a physical city in Uruguay. 414330
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 22/09/2026there is no fucking heat in my wages #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auRates set to rise as RBA governor says 'heat' needs to be taken out of job marketAll four major banks and the bulk of money market traders believe the Reserve Bank will raise interest rates next week and governor Michele Bullock did nothing to dissuade them during a speech in Sydn... 052
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 21/09/2026A: banks and card companies and all the other layers will get their pound of flesh in other ways. Funny how the bright sparks behind this idea won’t mention that. Pay cash, choose no-fee bank products, hang on to your money. #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...theguardian.comAustralians will no longer be hit with card surcharges from 1 October. What will the ban mean for you?Fees on Visa, Mastercard, and Eftpos payments will be banned – but what does it mean for retailers, rewards programs and consumers? 231
Reposted by RobThe Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Good to see this finally get coverage in my old paper. This is the same mob who campaigned against me, but it wasn’t sufficiently newsworthy then. 32601261
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 19/09/2026Should be legal to collect the folks who thought they’d make money off this, and slap them with a fish until they clean it up. This is bloody kindy level knowledge - clean up after yourself #auspol www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.comA coalmine on Trish’s Queensland farm has been abandoned. Will anyone clean it up?The state government is reviewing laws introduced to ensure taxpayers are not left footing the bill for rehabilitation, leaving one cattle farmer wondering: what happens next? 298
Reposted by RobLucy Hamilton @lucyham.bsky.social · 18/09/2026This ✊ Defend *all* woman (and everyone) from the far right’s oppressive patriarchal ethnostate plans. 315634
Reposted by RobRobert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 16/09/2026"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." -Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953 430115834854
Reposted by RobLucy Hamilton @lucyham.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Outstanding reporting from #Canada on how deeply embedded Atlas Network partners & people are in trying to get #Alberta to be a separated US pawn. (Note Gina Rinehart is part of the problem there too.) The Atlas Network’s ppl want profit for donors, not your good. See #NZpol links. #Auspol #Cdnpoli 79162
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 14/09/2026software based in the actions does all the petty and malicious shenanigans humans do. New rule of thumb: don’t trust new software any more than a new human. Get references. Have a probation period. It is HR and office politics, at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2026/09/14/1...technologyreview.comAI agents blew the whistle on their cheating colleaguesSwarms of AI agents could supercharge scientific progress or wreak havoc. New research from Google DeepMind suggests that peer pressure could keep them in line. 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 14/09/2026in which the magic touch of PE is shown again to be shit for the industry it seeks to suckle wealth from. Why the fuck don’t we take the chance to move those hospitals into the public system, which, near as I can tell, works a lot better? #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auMajor private hospital operator to be divided up following financial collapseAustralia's second-largest private hospital operator will be divided between a consortium after it went into receivership last year. 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 14/09/2026when you inspect the impact modelling, don’t smudge the crayon for the next person The tick box beside “Gina likes” had better be ticked too #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auOne Nation unveils 'breathing space' plan for net-negative migrationOne Nation unveils its plan to slash immigration by 750,000 places over three years, with major cuts targeting international students and the families of skilled migrants. 000
Reposted by RobAlondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · 13/09/2026To put a finer point on it: he is right. 46523
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Let me understand: I'm already cutting back spending, assholes blow shit up, which makes my nondiscretionaries more expensive, which is solved by making my mortgage more expensive? Fuck that. #auspol Analyst warns of 'late-stage bubble' as rates and oil prices surge www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auAnalyst warns of 'late-stage bubble' as rates and oil prices surgeGlobal interest rate hikes are predicted as oil prices spark inflation fears. 123
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Important to think about things like this; though I think we’re at the pointy end of needing to do the hard work of connecting with respect and care… www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...radiofrance.frLe pluralisme est-il un piège ?Comment faire coexister différents points de vue en démocratie ? Pour répondre au trouble que génère la notion de pluralisme, le sociologue Arnaud Esquerre publie "Le point de vue manquant, médias et ... 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 10/09/2026hope this guy’s sentence gets tripled or more as a result of the appeal… www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...theguardian.comHow one woman’s Tesla was remotely controlled – and used to harass her – by an abusive ex-partnerEnrico Pucci was able to control his former partner’s electric car remotely, controlling its speed, temperature settings and lock 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Anyone want to help build a buyers/workers AI to rebalance the power distributions a little bit? theconversation.com/ai-is-helpin...theconversation.comAI is helping businesses learn what customers will pay – and workers will acceptBusinesses are increasingly turning to AI and personalised data to become more efficient. Will that leave workers earning less and customers paying more? 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 08/09/2026i’m in. This guy sounds wiser than all the rich so-and-sos who think they should rule the world. Let’s try it! theconversation.com/do-tech-bill...theconversation.comDo tech billionaires dream of shared abundance? We should probably just tax themDemocracy demands that citizens are treated equally under the law. The tax avoidance practices of the ultra-rich violate that principle, a new book argues. 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 08/09/2026time for different people to be top bureaucrats. like folks that do the job without embarrassing themselves, or can handle someone else doing some spinning #auspol .https://theconversation.com/top-bureaucrats-dont-want-to-be-criticised-on-social-media-but-their-fix-may-be-unconstitutional-291448theconversation.comTop bureaucrats don’t want to be criticised on social media, but their fix may be unconstitutionalSome of the country’s highest-paid public servants would like politicians to stop posting videos of them online. It would be an antidemocratic, even unlawful, move. 010
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 08/09/2026revelling in a little daydream where enough people do not buy stuff from the companies playing these shenanigans… at all, until the complexes fall silent and there is no point to the pollution. arstechnica.com/features/202...arstechnica.comThe complex corporate web behind a $3.2 billion AI data centerWhen multiple companies are behind one project, who bears responsibility for problems? 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 08/09/2026in which barnaby joyce gets frustrated at minimal expectations of knowledge and preparation #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auUnder pressure to explain super policy, Joyce says he is 'not Jesus Christ'The One Nation Treasury spokesperson sidesteps questions about modelling the inflationary impact of the proposal, saying Australians are "not stupid" and can manage their own money. 020
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 07/09/2026yeah nah - send the bill to the fossil fuel folks who made billions out of stuffing up food. #auspol www.theguardian.com/business/202...theguardian.comRecord strength El Niño could mean bigger supermarket bills for Australians, experts warnPredicted hot and dry weather in growing areas in eastern Australia identified as ‘one of the key issues’ that will affect food prices over next 12 months 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Annoyed with these so-called structural shifts which are wittingly or otherwise initiated by a few folks - not the zillions of normals who just want reasonably priced groceries. And the inevitability in the descriptions is horseshit: people made decisions. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auGlobal economy on a financial crisis 'trajectory' as bond markets diveIf inflation remains stubbornly high in Australia, we can expect interest rates to rise and asset prices to go down. But it's that exact scenario that risks putting the global economy on the trajector... 131
Reposted by Rob𝕯𝖆𝖓🍂🎃🕸️ @arepublic86.bsky.social · 06/09/2026🇹🇭Nene Royal🇹🇭 doing Metallica's Master of Puppets. She's pretty damn good. Only 16 but you'd think she's a seasoned rock goddess with how confident she blasts through it. 🤘🤘🎸 31165931589
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 06/09/2026oh what a surprise when the shadowy shenanigan shysters playing clever with letters of the law to sow shit are revealed. No doubt @lucyham.bsky.social has a chapter or three on them. Now… about VIC campaign laws… time for an update? #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...theguardian.comAlarming AI ads are flooding social media in the lead-up to Victoria’s election. But who is behind them?A machete-wielding robber, a ‘tsunami of debt’ … campaigns echoing opposition talking points outspend major parties 2126
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 06/09/2026I hope the author will follow this descriptive with a more pointed diagnosis of ways to achieve some definition of a solution. But until those with influence and advantage in the world of this summary have less of both, fine words change little #auspol www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comThat sound you hear is not the world ending – it’s liberalism being monstered | Waleed AlyIt turns out most of us no longer believe in progress. And when that happens, it quickly becomes a crisis for societies like ours 010
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 06/09/2026I would prefer a considered economic policy that addresses causes of cost of living to this ahistorical sound bite bubble of an idea that will likely freak the RBA out. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auLive: One Nation reveals plan to divert superannuation to boost payAustralians paying rent or a mortgage would be given a choice to divert a portion of their superannuation to boost their income for up to three years under a One Nation proposal. Follow live. 120
Reposted by RobWolf Hour @wolfhour.bsky.social · 05/09/2026"No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wages of decent living." .. (Franklin. D. Roosevelt) ..(cartoon Nick Anderson) 8867012532
Reposted by RobGreg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Stewart Lee over a decade ago joked that worried about “political correctness” was just a generation of people confused about health and safety legislation, and he ain’t wrong. 2115738
Reposted by RobRobert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Increase in productivity since 1979: 93% Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 34% Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%. As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power. 17273952697
Reposted by RobCraig Sicknick @jan6risingvoice.bsky.social · 05/09/2026The only way to get a company to change its ways is to stop buying their products or using their services. www.pcmag.com/picks/best-a...pcmag.comBeyond Chrome: The Best Alternative Web Browsers We've Tested for 2026If you stick with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari, you're missing out on some intriguing extras, including ironclad security, privacy, and the ultimate in customizability. These 6 under-the-radar bro... 58871265
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 06/09/2026In which the Coalition demonstrates again there is nothing it won’t paint with ideological dogwhistle claptrap for a short term sound bite. A successful housing strategy by definition will be a collective win if folks work together. Doofus is not doing that. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...abc.net.auTrading 'woke palaces' for 'basic' homes could come with drawbacksThe shadow housing minister is spruiking a simpler building code to speed up housing construction, but could cutting back on energy efficiency and accessibility cost more in the long run? 010
Reposted by RobEvan Greer @evangreer.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Age verification makes everyone less safe. Age verification makes everyone less safe. Age verification makes everyone less safe. Age verification makes everyone less safe. Age verification makes everyone less safe. Age verification makes everyone less safe.techdirt.comHackers Had A Live Feed Of Every ID This Verification Company Scanned. For Over A Year.From the very beginning of this recent obsession with identifying everyone online (yes, they like to call it "age" verification, but it always ends up as identity verification), we've been pointing out that it was a huge privacy nightmare waiting to happen. Or maybe it wasn't waiting. Maybe it was already happening. This week a... 80148267733
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Just sayin - we do not HAVE to accept an economy that looks like this… gizmodo.com/the-ai-took-...gizmodo.comThe 'AI Took My Job' to 'Payday App Took My Money' PipelineThe big winners of the AI jobpocalypse are payday apps. 000
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Here is something to get cranky about. anildash.com/2026/09/02/c...anildash.comVC isn’t VC anymore — understanding the rise of Cancer Capital - Anil DashA blog about making culture. Since 1999. 010
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Keeping to a theme here, I’d trade one of those bullshit submarines and and set up a proper funded “support the folks caring for kids” system. No get rich quick dicks need apply. #auspol #formerfosterer www.theguardian.com/society/2026...theguardian.comFoster carers in Victoria receive just $231 a week – one quarter the cost of caring for a childExclusive: Report by Australian Institute of Family Studies found payments to foster carers fall ‘significantly short of a meaningful contribution’ 020
Rob @robbomck.bsky.social · 04/09/2026I think that anyone who starts from “Let’s see how much we can make out of looking after people” is on permanent Clean Up Australia duty. #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...theguardian.comA $1.95m deposit and $10k a month: welcome to the for-profit world of Australian aged care where no one is a winner | Julianne SchultzLike all the privatised care services, the business of aged care is about property, cheap labour and public money 010