#auspol on Bluesky: Saturday 24 October 2026

1. TOP 3–5 TRENDING TOPICS

• Political violence and the Helen Haines attack: The most dominant thread, with commentators linking the MP's assault to inflammatory rhetoric from politicians and media, and debating whether mental health framing is being used to deflect.
• Trump, Netanyahu and US/Israel influence on Labor: Recurring criticism that Labor is aligned with US and Israeli interests, spanning AUKUS, Starlink dependence, and the Marles "shared values" remarks.
• Hanson, One Nation and the far-right: Posters argue One Nation and its backers are a democratic threat, with concern that mainstream media normalises the party in polling and coverage.
• Steele-John misconduct allegations: Discussion of calls for the Greens senator to stand aside while rumours are investigated, with some disputing his response.
• Climate, gas and environment: Methane leaks from Chevron, atrazine pesticide concerns, and calls for Greens and independents to push Labor harder on fossil fuels.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @brionykidd.bsky.social (28 likes, 6 reposts): "Our leaders need to stop saying we have 'shared values' with this racist creep." It is among the highest-engaged posts and captures a widespread frustration with Labor's stance toward Trump.
• @kentparkskeet.bsky.social (57 likes, 7 reposts): "Please cease writing nonsense headlines like this." Its high engagement reflects anger at media framing around the Helen Haines attack, a central media-accountability theme in the feed.
• @decentral21.bsky.social (9 likes, 3 reposts): "If mental health becomes more of a factor here... Do better. MSM." It highlights the tension between speculative media coverage and responsible reporting after the attack.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is markedly angry and anxious, shaped by the violent attack on Helen Haines and a wider sense of political hostility. Discussion is heavily critical of media framing, the major parties' alignment with the US and Israel, and the rise of One Nation, while the left-leaning voices dominate engagement. Lighter moments appear, such as a good-morning post and a few policy promotions from minor parties, but they are outnumbered. Several posts also carry conspiratorial or hostile language, and a few accounts appear to be promoting divisive narratives, so the feed should be read with some caution about how representative it is. Overall, the tone reflects deep distrust of institutions, politicians, and the press.

Most active: @samoskal.bsky.social (5 posts) · Most engaged: @kentparkskeet.bsky.social (57 likes, 7 reposts, 4 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Helen Haines attack and aftermath: Multiple posts cover the grotesque attack on the Indi MP, her "serious but stable" update, and a debate over whether politics should be kept out of the tragedy.
• Israel, Gaza and the West Bank: Posts critique Netanyahu, the Israeli election, Ben-Gvir's reported removal plan, and Australian politicians' silence, with the Greens' Hannah Thomas quoted.
• Australia–US alliance and Trump: Users question "shared values" with Trump, call for ditching AUKUS and ANZUS, and criticise the ABC's coverage of White House claims.
• Housing and negative gearing: Commentary centres on housing affordability, negative gearing, public housing as a "last resort," and a Wodonga golf course rezoning for 133 homes.
• One Nation and the far right: Posts target One Nation's forestry policy, the Turning Point USA presence at CPAC Australia, and far-right politics more broadly.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (51 likes, 17 reposts): "Moral squalor, indeed. How are those 'shared values' travelling, @albomp.bsky.social?" This was the most-engaged post in the set and captures the wider frustration with the government's stance on the US and Israel.
• [lucyham.bsky.social] (30 likes, 20 reposts): A piece on far-right supporters of Israel and the "Silencing Squad" and "Make Muslims Hated Mob," with the line "The far right of any community is always far wrong." It was the highest-engagement post tied to a specific argument about extremism.
• [michaelwestbiz.bsky.social] (36 likes, 17 reposts): A profile of transparency campaigner Rex Patrick, who reportedly ran a year of "working from roam" with six lawsuits underway, an example of FOI-focused political activism gaining traction.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly angry, anxious and critical of the government and its international posture. Posts frame Labor and Albanese as too close to the US and quiet on Israel, and cast housing, cost of living and welfare policy as failures of political will. There is also alarm about the far right, reflected in criticism of One Nation, Turning Point and the Helen Haines attack, alongside some relief at her improved condition. Engagement is modest overall, and much of the activity comes from a left-leaning cluster of accounts and Mastodon bridge posts, so the tone reflects that community more than the full Australian electorate. Humour and sarcasm appear occasionally, but cynicism and distrust of major parties dominate.

Most active: @mark-melbin.bsky.social (4 posts) · Most engaged: @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (51 likes, 17 reposts, 3 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Israel/Gaza and Australian foreign policy: Heavy volume of posts criticising Labor's stance on Israel, the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and calls for sanctions or an ambassador's expulsion.
• Political rhetoric and the PM's "turn the temperature down" comments: Widely shared criticism, most notably Simon Rosenberg's post (29 likes) and a 69-like thread challenging the PM on political violence and the "Silencing Squad."
• One Nation and the Capricornia by-election: Posts on James Ashby considering a run, One Nation's reported 28% polling surge, and Ashby's past allegations.
• Ben Roberts-Smith legal case: Concern that One Nation's public backing and media commentary could prejudice a fair trial.
• Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John controversy: Misconduct allegations, his stepping back from parliament, and a retracted letter, which splintered party discussion.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (69 likes, 31 reposts): "...and the PM is asking us to turn the temperature down?" This was the most engaged post in the set. It links the PM's de-escalation message to a live-streamed genocide, civil liberties erosion and femicide, which frames the rhetoric debate as one of accountability.
• [ajgardineresq.bsky.social] (11 likes): Flags One Nation standing "behind" Ben Roberts-Smith, whom the post calls a "confirmed War Criminal." It is a sharp example of the Roberts-Smith case being used as a partisan wedge ahead of a potential by-election.
• [archedeyebrow.bsky.social] (4 likes, 3 reposts): Argues Pauline Hanson and commentators are building a prejudice-based case to get the Roberts-Smith charges dismissed. It is a notable claim about how public commentary may affect legal proceedings, though it is unverified.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly angry, distrustful and polarised. Most posts are critical of the major parties, particularly Labor over Israel, the handling of domestic violence, and perceived corporate or billionaire influence, while a strong strain targets One Nation and the LNP. Commentary is often sweeping and accusatory, with recurring language such as "complicit," "Zionist" and "fascist," and several posts contain conspiratorial or unsubstantiated claims. Engagement is concentrated on a few high-profile posts, while many others are low-engagement tags or single hashtags. Some posts, such as those on pension figures or the Steele-John matter, are more measured, but the overall tone is hostile toward the political establishment and fearful about the direction of Australian democracy.

Most active: @winkypop.bsky.social (6 posts) · Most engaged: @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (69 likes, 31 reposts, 5 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Helen Haines attack and fallout: The independent MP's attack and the alleged attacker's coverage dominated, with debate over media framing, the PM's "turn the temperature down" appeal, and a Labor-versus-News Corp dispute over a "dirt sheet" on Haines.
• Save The Children fundraiser for Haines: Posts celebrating her campaign passing $1 million in donations were widely shared and liked.
• Israel, Gaza and AUKUS: Posts criticised the government over an Israeli spyware finding and a contract with an Israeli tech firm, alongside calls to drop AUKUS and claims about Israeli school curricula.
• Queensland politics: Discussion centred on Amanda Stoker's appointment as Child Safety Minister, Steven Miles's LGBTQIA+ portfolio, and the Canavan–Ashby contest for Capricornia.
• Energy, coal and tax: Posts pushed "#TaxTheGas," criticised Matt Canavan's coal stunts, and discussed batteries, the Hunter coal transition and a data centre levy.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [peterwmurphy1.bsky.social] (59 likes, 10 reposts): "I don't know who is writing the headlines at Australia's ABC News, but I wish they'd stop looking for ways to praise Brendan Nugent... The Australian mainstream news media need to srsly examine how they report men's crimes of violence against women." This was the most-engaged post in the set, and it links the Haines attack to a wider critique of how media report male violence against women.

• [blairpalese.bsky.social] (13 likes): "For @Helenhaines with so much respect." A short tribute that stood out for its warmth in an otherwise combative feed, and reflected cross-party sympathy for Haines.

• [lynnettedobson.bsky.social] (6 likes, 5 reposts): Argues that after Israeli spyware was found to have hacked the Australian Atomic Agency, banks and newsrooms, the government contracted another Israeli tech company. It is one of the few posts linking a concrete security story to the foreign policy debate.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is angry, distrustful and polarised. Much of the discussion treats the Haines attack as a lens for criticising the media, Labor and the Coalition, with frequent claims of spin and "rage bait." Support for Haines is strong and sincere, but it sits alongside cynicism about the political class; one popular post argues that "Albo stands for nothing" and that Australian politics "needs a leader." Foreign policy posts, particularly on Israel, are harshly critical and sometimes conspiratorial. A notable share of the feed is low-engagement or automated: hashtag-trending bots, repeated posts from a few accounts, and spam-like content. The genuine human posts are therefore a small, intensely engaged minority, with the strongest reactions reserved for gender-based violence coverage, Haines's campaign, and Queensland LGBTQIA+ and child-safety policy.

Most active: @coupdegraz7.bsky.social (11 posts) · Most engaged: @peterwmurphy1.bsky.social (59 likes, 10 reposts, 6 replies)