https://www.facebook.com/103333268064870/

BASE News Australia, Broome (2026)

11/09/2026

The $94 Million Reason Government Stopped Building Affordable Homes

(Australian News - National - 2 min Media Critique and Commentary)

A MANUFACTURED CRISIS

Australia’s housing crisis is not an accident—it is the direct result of deliberate political choices. As highlighted in recent commentary by Punter's Politics, our policy settings are built to protect major political donors rather than average citizens.

While mainstream media pundits blame young working families for buying 'too many smashed avocados', they ignore how the system was systematically rewritten. Look at Singapore. Their government builds quality homes directly for citizens, keeping home ownership near 90 per cent. Australia used to do the exact same thing. Post-war public building programs drove Australian home ownership from 32 per cent to over 70 per cent, creating the prosperous middle class our nation was built on.

FOLLOWING THE MONEY

So why did our leaders stop? Media commentators claim government building 'distorts the free market'. But that excuse simply shields a system engineered to enrich development giants like Walker Corporation and Meriton.

Property developers have poured over $94 million into major political party coffers over the last two decades. Big banks rake in record profits off bloated mortgages, while the top 1 per cent of property investors now own a quarter of all investment properties. To top it off, federal politicians regularly hold personal property portfolios while preserving tax breaks like negative gearing.

TIME FOR A FAIR GO

When public policy rewards property hoarders over working families, our children and grandchildren lose any chance of a 'fair go'. We do not need more handouts for private developers. Australia needs to end taxpayer-funded investor perks and get back to directly building affordable homes.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

11/09/2026

A PATTERN OF REGRET: Who Should Decide When We Fight?

(Australian News - National - 3 min Media Critique and Commentary)

A NATIONAL SCANDAL, 20 YEARS LATE

History has a cruel way of repeating itself in Canberra. The 2003 Cabinet papers—finally released this week under the 20-year rule—revealed what should have been a national scandal: Australia joined the Iraq invasion without a single formal submission to Cabinet on the 'costs, benefits and implications' of going to war.

Prime Minister John Howard simply took the nation to war on oral reports—the same kind of closed-door decision-making that had sent young Australians to Vietnam decades earlier.

No one bothered to model civilian casualties, displaced populations, or the long-term regional instability; the human cost was treated as an afterthought, or not thought about at all. And what did we learn?

Apparently nothing.

THE SAME DARK ROOM, DECADES LATER

Today, the Albanese Government has sent 85 military personnel, including an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, to the UAE in support of the war on Iran.

The decision was made in a closed room by a handful of Cabinet members. No parliamentary vote. No public debate. Just the same executive discretion that sent young Australians to Vietnam and Iraq.

THE REPLY YOU'LL HEAR

The defence from both major parties is predictable: emergencies demand speed, allies require trust, and parliamentary debate would weaken our hand. But this argument collapses under basic scrutiny.

Because a decision that sends young Australians into combat, to kill and to die, is far too grave to be made without the scrutiny and accountability that only a parliamentary vote can provide.

Germany, France, Finland, Denmark and Spain all require parliamentary approval before deploying troops. Are they weaker for it? Or do they simply respect that sending citizens to war is too profound a decision for one person's signature?

THE PUBLIC GETS IT. THE PARTIES DON'T.

The public already knows the answer. Polling consistently shows 90 per cent of Australians support a parliamentary vote before troops are deployed.

Yet Labor and the Liberals oppose the reform. They want to keep the decision in 'a dark room that only they can enter'—and under our current laws, they can.

The government has the legal power to send young Australians to war without a single vote in Parliament. The law doesn't require it. That's the problem.

Meanwhile, 62 per cent of Australians now see China as a military threat within 20 years. This makes it imperative to fix the system before that crisis arrives.

Yet we are sleepwalking toward the next conflict while refusing to install the most basic democratic safeguard.

Vietnam taught us that public opinion shifts once the coffins come home. Iraq taught us that the justifications—like the infamous 'weapons of mass destruction' claim—are often false.

The question is whether we will ever demand the reform—or whether we'll wait until the bodies start coming home from a war we never voted on.

*Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

10/09/2026

One Nation's Gamble — Raid Super Now, Pay the Price Later

(Australian News - National - 3 min Media Critique)

ONE NATION IS PEDDLING A TRADE, NOT A SOLUTION.

They spin it as 'breathing room'—$44 a week for the average wage earner. But don't confuse this with a pay rise. Your boss hasn't paid you an extra cent. You're simply cracking open your superannuation and pocketing the principal.

THE REAL COST.

That $44 left to compound for twenty years at a conservative rate becomes over $4,600 in today's purchasing power. Take the full three years, and you've effectively robbed your retirement of a five-figure sum. It isn't relief; it's a high-interest loan from your future self.

THE HYPOCRISY.

One Nation spent months arguing minimum wage hikes drive inflation. Malcolm Roberts insisted wage rises "get swallowed by higher prices". Yet funnelling billions in super withdrawals into immediate spending is somehow immune to the same laws of economics? Same aggregate demand. Different political jersey. The RBA's inflation fight doesn't care where the cash comes from.

THE HOUSING TRICK.

Here’s the kicker—giving renters more cash doesn't lower rents; it gives landlords the leverage to hike them further. Mortgage holders with extra serviceability simply bid up prices. We’ve seen this movie with first-home super schemes. The shortage remains; the cash just inflates the asset values. Your 'relief' flows straight to property investors.

This policy is a strategic distraction. Instead of tackling wage stagnation, corporate gouging, or housing supply, they're offering a lease on your own retirement. We built super to secure our old age, not to paper over the cracks of a broken economy. Don't let them cannibalise Keating's legacy to avoid doing the actual work.

Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

10/09/2026

‘WE’RE THE TARGET’: Marles Just Volunteered Australia for World War III

(Australian News - National - 3 min Media Critique & Commentary)

Let’s be blunt. Australia’s defence policy is completely cooked. And Deputy PM Richard Marles just proved he’s happy to be the doormat for Donald Trump’s unhinged aspirations.

Michael West’s latest ‘Scam of the Week’ rips the lid off exactly how deep we are bending over. It’s not pretty.

THE $368 BILLION BLACK HOLE

We’ve already sunk $368 billion into the AUKUS submarine deal. That’s not a typo. Half a year’s federal budget. And for what? Boats that West says “will never arrive”. Meanwhile, the US is quietly setting up shop all over our backyard. Pine Gap, Darwin, Tindal, Perth – they’ve got bases everywhere. Apparently, that’s still not enough real estate for our American ‘mates’.

‘BOTH LEADERS’ – ONE OF THEM LITERALLY HOSTED MORNING TV

Marles sat down for a cosy “fireside chat” with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. This is the bloke in charge of America’s war machine. Who is he? A former Fox News host who has reportedly renamed his entire department the “Department of War”. Not Defence. War.

They’re agreeing to accelerate “force posture initiatives” at Aussie bases. Translate that from bureaucratic gibberish: they are turning us into a giant aircraft carrier for US interests. Our sovereignty isn't being traded; it's being gifted away for free.

PALANTIR IS WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE

This is the properly dystopian bit. The US surveillance behemoth Palantir has already infiltrated 25 Australian government agencies. We’re talking the NDIS, Defence, the tax office. Their CEO, Alex Karp, has openly said his mission is “to scare our enemies and on occasion kill them”. He also defines ‘enemies’ as “internal threats to western democracy”.

Who decides who that is? Him. The bloke selling the spyware. On top of that, Israeli tech firm Cellebrite can now clone your phone at the airport or a random traffic stop. As West puts it, this is “blatant, naked population control”. Nobody voted for this. Nobody asked us.

POLICE ESCORTS FOR WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS?

Here is the double standard that should boil your blood. Up to 40 IDF soldiers – linked to units that operated in Gaza – ran the Sydney Marathon with a dedicated police es**rt. Meanwhile, Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef had his visa sabotaged purely because he criticised Israel.

War crimes suspects get protection. A comedian gets blocked. That tells you everything about who our government is actually listening to.

THE ‘BUT THEY PROTECT US’ EXCUSE (AND WHY IT’S RUBBISH)

The usual defence of all this is:

“We need America to protect us from China.”

Here is the reality check. If the US starts a war with China, are they going to bomb Washington? No. They’ll bomb us. We are the forward base. We are the target. We saw it with Iran – when the US bombs them, Iran fires back at US assets. Australia is a US asset. We have bought a one-way ticket to someone else’s war, and we're paying $368 billion for the privilege.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Don't just rage-scroll past this. Politicians rely on us being distracted.

Fire off an email to your federal MP. Ask them straight:

"Why is Palantir accessing our health data? Why are war crimes suspects getting VIP treatment while critics are silenced?"

Then, do the bare minimum – hit share. The mainstream media won't touch this with a ten-foot pole. Independent journalism relies on us passing it around. Drop the link in the comments, tag your mates, and force this conversation into the light.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

10/09/2026

TRUMP'S 'FAT SLOB' FABLE — A Pitch Hiding A $680,000 Stock Scandal

(World News - USA - 3 min Media Critique and Commentary)

DONALD TRUMP HAS A STORY HE JUST CAN'T STOP TELLING.

He's got a 'very fat' Wall Street mate who pays $1,300 in New York for 'the fat drug' – Trump's charming nickname for GLP-1 weight-loss meds – but just $87 in London. Trump asks the bloke, 'Are you taking this stuff?' Then comes the punchline:

'I said, "It's not working – you look like s**t."'

It's a ripper yarn. There's just one problem: the 'friend' is almost certainly fictional and the punchline actually undermines the policy pitch. If the drug's a dud, why is he fighting so hard to lower its price?

Here's the real scandal:

Trump isn't fighting for cheaper medicine – he's fighting for Eli Lilly's bottom line.

Federal ethics disclosures show Trump's accounts purchased Eli Lilly stock on at least seven occasions in early 2026.

Total value: up to $680,000.

The first purchase was on January 6. Two days later, the deadline closed for drugmakers to apply for Trump's new Medicare GLP-1 pilot program. Eli Lilly was confirmed as a participating manufacturer.

The administration cut a 'grand bargain' with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk: lower prices in exchange for higher sales volume. But there was a catch: the $245 monthly price was contingent on private insurers agreeing to cover the drugs. The companies got the volume without always delivering the lower prices.

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly scored a fast-track FDA voucher for a future drug as part of the deal.

The USA shouldn't allow a stock portfolio dictate drug prices.Trump had seven Eli Lilly trades up to $680,000 worth in shares.

Public health or personal profit?

*Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

09/09/2026

RAY MARTIN EXPOSED: The Corporate Media Puppet Still Gaslighting Australians

(Australian News - National - 3 min Media Critique and Commentary)

'HE DOESN'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE HE HELPED CAUSE'

Ray Martin is one of the most recognisable faces in Australian television history. Five Gold Logies. Decades at 60 Minutes. A Current Affair. Midday. The bloke has been in our living rooms longer than most of us have been alive.

But after listening to his recent appearance on the Punters Politics podcast, one thing becomes painfully clear: Ray Martin is still doing exactly what he has always done—defending the system that made him rich while pretending to be one of us.

The episode saw Martin sit down with commentator Konrad for a raw, unfiltered conversation about media ownership, gas royalties and corporate power. What followed was a masterclass in establishment deflection dressed up as 'common sense'.
'I JUST THINK IT'S NORMALLY A STUFF UP'

Konrad laid out a clear, factual argument: every resource minister since the introduction of favourable gas laws has gone on to work as a gas lobbyist. Politicians pass laws that benefit billionaires, then cash in on the revolving door.

Ray's response? "I just think it's normally a stuff up." Politicians are just 'stupid', he said. They 'do what they think is best at the time'.

Let's be honest—this is not common sense. This is gaslighting.

When Konrad pointed out that gas companies are taking 56 per cent of Australia's gas for free while making billions, Martin shrugged it off as 'business as usual'. When Konrad raised the Kerry Stokes gas export exemption in Western Australia—a deal that reportedly netted Stokes around $65 million in a single day—Martin deflected.

Decades of reporting, and this is the best he can offer? 'Stuff ups' and 'business as usual'?

'I DON'T HAVE A MONOPOLY ON TRUTH'

Perhaps the most telling moment came when Konrad asked Martin to call Rupert Murdoch what he is: a tax-dodging bludger who uses his media empire to protect his other business interests.

Ray refused. "I'm not sure I'm right," he said. "I don't believe I've got a monopoly on truth."

This is false humility from a man who has spent 50 years on national television shaping public opinion. He knows Murdoch hasn't paid tax. He knows about the revolving door. He knows about the corporate capture of our political system. But he won't say it out loud because that would mean admitting his entire career was spent sanitising these people.

'THE ULTIMATE POWER IS THE VOTE' (BUT DON'T ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING)

By the end of the conversation, Martin had pivoted to blaming the Australian public. "Why don't we bloody well do something about it?" he asked. "We've got the vote."

It sounds reasonable. It is not.

Martin spent decades on commercial television—the very machine that has systematically dumbed down political discourse, normalised corporate power and made Australians cynical about change. He was part of the problem. Now he's scolding the public for being exhausted while offering absolutely no solutions in return.

He even laughed off Konrad's suggestion that we could change the law to fix gas contracts. "Good luck," he smirked. "That's the challenge."

THE COUNTER-ARGUMENT (AND WHY IT'S WRONG)

Now, some will say:

"Ray Martin is just being realistic. You can't just tear up contracts. Change takes time. He's been a champion for Indigenous Australians and social justice his whole career."

This is the spin. It sounds fair. It is not.

First, let's deal with the 'contracts are sacred' nonsense. Ray sat there and told Konrad that changing gas contracts was basically impossible.

Here is the reality: governments change laws all the time. Superannuation rules change. Tax laws change. Your e-bike can be made illegal overnight. But when it comes to multi-billion-dollar gas giants taking our resources for peanuts, suddenly contracts are untouchable? That is not legal realism—that is choosing whose side you are on.

Contracts can be renegotiated. Laws can be amended. Parliaments can act. The only thing stopping them is political will—or lack thereof. And Ray Martin spent the entire conversation treating that lack of will as an immovable fact of nature. He offered zero ideas on how to fix it. Just shrugged and said 'good luck'.

Second, Martin has done good work on Indigenous issues—nobody disputes that. But good work in one area does not excuse complicity in another. He spent decades at Nine Network, a corporation that prioritised profit over principle, while simultaneously arguing that what Australia really needed was more media moguls like Kerry Packer. In a widely reported 2008 lecture, he argued that commercial television was in 'desperate need' of billionaire owners.

Let's be blunt: Ray Martin got wealthy and famous off the corporate media machine. He sat on the same side of the table as the billionaires for half a century. And now, with a straight face, he blames everyday Australians for not voting hard enough? He helped manufacture the apathy, and now he's mocking the public for feeling it. Cowardice.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

09/09/2026

EXPOSED: Hughesy Gets Slammed By Friendlyjordies For Selling Out The Working Class

(Australian News - Victoria - 3 min Media Critique & Commentary)

Dave Hughes is suddenly a political pundit. Huh.

He's on 3AW. He's in the papers. And apparently, he's 'woken up' to the truth about Victoria's Labor government. He wants to give Jess Wilson a 'go'.

But as Friendlyjordies pointed out in a brutal takedown, there's a very specific reason Hughesy has that microphone right now – and it ain't because he's telling hard truths.

"The reason that you are on here is because you are serving their interest," Jordies called out. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have the microphone, Dave."

So, what exactly is Hughes asking us to sign up for? Let's cut the spin.

THE SUBURBAN RAIL LOOP – 'PAUSE' IS A POLITE WORD FOR 'KILL IT'

Wilson says she'll "pause" the SRL within 100 days. Problem is, billions are already in the ground. You don't 'pause' a project this deep into construction – you cancel it. As Jordies put it, every major global city has one of these loops. Scrapping this doesn't save money; it wastes what we've already spent and instantly downgrades Melbourne.

VNI WEST AND THE GAS GIMMICK

She wants to scrap VNI West – the transmission link that connects us to NSW renewable energy. All so she can push more gas. Gas that hikes our bills. Gas that cooks the planet. "It locks us into expensive fossil fuels," Jordies argued. The Yallourn coal plant is shutting in 2028. If we cut those transmission lines, we aren't moving forward – we're just going backwards.

FIRE 7,000 WORKERS, PAY CONSULTANTS DOUBLE

Wilson promises to slash thousands of 'back office' public service jobs. Sounds like savings, right? Except the work doesn't vanish – it gets outsourced to private consultants at double the price. It's a classic rort – our taxes pay for the con.

THE DEBT DIVERSION

"But Labor ran up debt!" the other side shouts.

Yep. They did. But here's the kicker: cancelling projects doesn't magically fix the budget. You flush billions in sunk costs down the drain, trigger massive contract termination penalties, and wipe out long-term economic returns. That's not budget repair – that's burning cash for a headline.

SO, WHAT DO WE DO?

Let's bring it back to Jordies – because this is exactly what he's been warning us about for years. Corporate media dressing up a celebrity as a 'truth-teller' to flog a political agenda.

Meanwhile, Hughesy isn't some battler giving it to you straight. He's a comic with a property portfolio, cashing in on a working-class accent he left behind years ago. This whole circus turns the election into a joke – a serious decision about Victoria's future reduced to a cheap vibe check.

Does Hughes even know he's a pawn? Probably not. Hughesy and corporate media are in bed, and they want you to ignore the policy mess and just 'give someone a go' – the someone who'll cancel the Rail Loop, gut the public service, and hand the state over to consultants and gas giants.

So don't just scroll. Share this. Call your local MP. Ask them directly:

"Are you really cancelling the Rail Loop?" and "Where is the money for those gas wells coming from?" Make them say it out loud.

Because if a bloke who made his name telling jokes is now telling you who to vote for, maybe it's time to stop laughing and start thinking, and then acting at the ballot box.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

09/09/2026

THE EU, CHINA AND UK DROPPED BOMBSHELL LAWS– 2026's Biggest Global Wins

(World News - 2 min Media Critique and Commentary)

DITCH THE CULTURE WARS FOR A SECOND

While our Parliament scraps over optics, three massive laws dropped overseas in 2026 that actually benefit the environment, your privacy, and job security.

First, the EU locked in its AI omnibus. Tech giants now have to prove their algorithms aren’t feeding you garbage or scraping your face without consent.

They even banned AI from generating non-consensual intimate images. Thankfully, someone had the courage to put a leash on the Tech-bro billionaires.

Second, China codified its entire environmental rulebook into an 'Ecological Code'. Love 'em or hate 'em, the world’s biggest polluter just legally cemented its net-zero pathway.

That isn't greenwashing; it's binding leverage that forces the rest of Asia to keep up.

Third, the UK slashed the waiting period for unfair dismissal protection from two years down to six months. They also scrapped the three-day wait for sick pay.

THE BACKLASH YOU'LL HEAR

The business councils are already screaming:

"This kills innovation! It's too expensive! We'll lose our competitive edge!"

THE REALITY

It’s a tired distraction. They said the exact same thing about renewable energy targets, data privacy laws, weekends, and superannuation.

"The sky will fall!" they cried. It didn't.

Innovation without guardrails isn't progress – it's a race to the bottom.

Regulating AI doesn't kill technology; it stops tech-bro billionaires from stealing your privacy, water and energy, and flooding the internet with deepfakes.

Enforcing climate laws doesn't destroy industry; it forces polluters to innovate instead of trashing our environment for profit.

And protecting workers doesn't break the economy; it forces bosses to compete on quality, not exploitation.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Don't just scroll and get angry. Open your emails.

Find your local Federal MP’s contact details. Shoot them a one-liner:

"Why are we dead last on AI privacy and binding climate targets? The EU and China just locked in their big 2026 laws. Our High Seas Act and ACCU Integrity Bill are baby steps, not a leap. What's your actual bill to match global pace – and when is it landing in Parliament?"

If they dodge you, tag them. Don't let them hide behind a 'considering' email. They work for us – make them prove it in plain sight.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest.

08/09/2026

GLOBAL EMBARRASSMENT: Why Nations With A Fraction Of Our Wealth Are Leaving Australia In The Dust

(Australian News - National - 3 min Media Critique and Commentary)

THE GLOBAL RACE IS ON

Around the world, other countries are actually pulling their weight on climate action.

Denmark has locked a 70 per cent emissions cut straight into law.

China is building solar and wind projects faster than the rest of the planet combined.

Even developing nations like Morocco and Brazil are locking in massive renewable builds and cracking down on rainforest destruction.

These countries aren't doing this out of charity.

They're doing it to secure cheap power, build energy independence, and create solid jobs for their workers.

Meanwhile, Australia is acting like a climate rogue state.

AUSTRALIA'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

While our politicians love to brag about rooftop solar panels at home, our actual national footprint tells a completely different story.

Australia still ranks among the worst in the developed world for per capita carbon pollution (carbon is the stuff that acts like a blanket in our atmosphere, trapping heat in).

Worse still, we are one of the biggest fossil fuel exporters on earth, competing directly with Russia and Saudi Arabia in shipping coal and gas overseas.

According to a 2024 Climate Analytics report, Australia's fossil fuel exports account for roughly 4.5% of global emissions when counted at the point of extraction — and our per capita footprint is among the highest in the developed world, ranking us near the bottom of the climate performance table.

We aren't leading — we are acting as a middleman for multinational mining profits. And the verdict is in. Pacific Island leaders and climate experts have rightfully argued we are 'Climate Vandals'.

THE 1% SPIN DEBUNKED

Mining lobbyists and captured politicians love hitting us with their favourite lazy line:

"Australia only produces 1% of global emissions, so why should we bother changing?"

This argument is a deliberate smokescreen designed to keep us asleep at the wheel.

It deliberately ignores our massive fossil fuel exports and our sky-high per capita footprint. Claiming that 1% for a country of 28 million people (when the world is nearly 8.5 BILLION people deep) is astonishingly ignorant.

Also, claiming our exports don't count because they get burned overseas is like a drug dealer claiming he isn't responsible for the addiction he feeds.

The '1% myth' is just a corporate distraction to protect mega-profits while communities from Lismore to the Hunter Valley clean up floods and breathe smoke from summers that keep getting hotter.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

We don't have to sit back and accept being a global embarrassment.

The quickest way to hit these polluters is right where it hurts — their bank accounts.

Move your money and superannuation away from funds that invest in new coal and gas projects — switch to Future Super (100% fossil-free), Australian Ethical (excludes coal, oil, and gas), or AustralianSuper's Socially Aware option.

By switching to an ethical fund today, you directly pull capital away from fossil fuel lobbies and force politicians to start backing local renewable jobs instead.

We're the sunniest, windiest country on earth — and we're paying coal barons to destroy it.

Every dollar you leave in fossil fuels is a down payment on the next flood, the next fire. Stop enabling it with your hard earned.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and court records published in the public interest

08/09/2026

EXPOSED: How Former Lobbyists Are Quietly Drafting Our AI Laws

(Australian News - National - 2 min Media Critique and Commentary)

THE CANBERRA REVOLVING DOOR

When politicians look into the camera and swear they're standing up to corporate giants, always check who's pulling the strings. In Canberra, the line between slick Big Tech lobbyists and your elected representatives has essentially vanished.

Take Andrew Charlton, the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology, and the Digital Economy. He once blasted crypto as a 'planet-destroying gamble'. Then industry donations started flowing and he cozied up to the sector, conveniently penning a report that reads like a Silicon Valley wishlist.

But it gets worse. This isn't just a vague "web" of faceless staffers—we're talking about specific, named players. Take Kate Pounder, who jumped straight from running the Tech Council of Australia to lobbying for OpenAI. That's not a conspiracy theory, it's a career path. These former insiders glide through the revolving door, scoring private meetings between Silicon Valley bosses and senior Labor ministers like Andrew Leigh. It's an outrageous mates' club where public policy isn't built for everyday Aussies—it's tailored for corporate boardrooms.

THE BIG TECH DISTRACTION

Defenders of this cozy arrangement claim that rolling out the red carpet for overseas tech titans is the only way to attract foreign investment and build a 'modern digital economy'. "Australia cannot afford to fall behind," corporate suits insist.

Do not fall for it. This argument is trash, and it's the exact same scam politicians ran with our natural gas. They want us to hand over our valuable data and strain our electricity grid for peanuts, while offshore monopolies pocket billions in untaxed profit. They leave ordinary Aussie punters with higher power bills, zero digital privacy, and all the risk.

TIME TO CLOSE THE DOOR

We cannot let our digital sovereignty be quietly auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Email your local MP today and demand action. At the very least, we need an immediate ban on tech industry political donations and a strict five-year cooling-off period before politicians and staffers can lobby for Big Tech.

It's not a big ask. It's the price of proving they work for us, not their Silicon Valley mates.

And if you're wondering who's actually on our side, look to the crossbench.

David Pocock, Helen Haines, and Dr Monique Ryan are among the few pushing to close the revolving door, publish ministerial diaries, and force lobbyists into the light.

Pocock has even set up a public website for lobbyists to self-disclose. Haines has spent years campaigning for real-time donation disclosures and spending caps. They're doing the job our major parties won't.

Get behind them Australia.

* Opinion: The views expressed in this commentary are based on verified public broadcasts and AEC disclosures published in the public interest.

BASE News Australia

11/09/2026

11/09/2026

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request