#auspol on Bluesky: Wednesday 4 November 2026

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Victorian state politics and the public service: The CPSU reportedly withdrew support for Victorian Labor over about 1,000 job cuts and $1.2bn spent on consultants, ahead of the 28 November state election.
• Cost of living, RBA outlook and economic policy: Posts cover the RBA's bleak forecast, Coalition–Labor legislative disputes over inflation ("#PartyofNo"), calls for higher taxes and revenue, and Canva's job cuts.
• One Nation and media coverage: Users criticise the ABC and mainstream outlets for legitimising One Nation and for the handling of the Torquay attack narrative.
• Israel, Gaza, AUKUS and US influence: Several high-engagement posts attack AUKUS, the Albanese government's stance on Israel, and the Jillian Segal report on antisemitism.
• Data breach, Palantir and tech concerns: Authorities' assurances on a patient data breach are met with scepticism, while Westpac's decision to drop Palantir is widely celebrated.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (21 likes, 10 reposts): Claims "ABC, Nine and NewsCorp acted as Segal's megaphone" while "indie media did the real journalism." It is the most-engaged post in the set and shows a strong left-leaning distrust of mainstream media.
• @kentparkskeet.bsky.social (53 likes, 17 reposts): Argues "one of the wealthiest nations in the history of humanity could just build homes?" The highest-engagement post, it captures the housing affordability frustration driving discussion.
• @jimpembroke.bsky.social (multiple posts): Pressing a Senate/candidate on whether he would help defend neighbours, arguing "that's not a contextual question. That's a fundamental strategic question." It reflects a substantive, non-partisan push for clearer defence policy.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly critical and distrustful, with frustration aimed at governments of both major parties, the mainstream media, and the US. Left-leaning voices dominate the higher-engagement posts, targeting Labor's Israel and AUKUS positions, corporate influence and the cost of living, while others attack the Coalition for obstructionism. There is also a notable undercurrent of anger at the rise of One Nation and calls for independents and the Greens. Much of the volume is repetitive: a single account posted the same parliamentary-committee notices several times, and a few accounts recycled identical US-focused hashtag strings. Overall, the conversation is cynical and polarised, with little constructive engagement across the spectrum.

Most active: @robduncan.bsky.social (6 posts) · Most engaged: @kentparkskeet.bsky.social (53 likes, 17 reposts, 8 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Budget cuts and the RBA's rate rise: Posters debate whether spending cuts or rate hikes are the right response to inflation, with many arguing cuts would hurt the least able and that the RBA is squeezing ordinary households.
• AUKUS and defence spending: A crowd-funded Peter Garrett/Chris Barrie inquiry criticising the $365bn submarine plan drew calls to cut or axe AUKUS as a savings measure.
• Jillian Segal and the Israel lobby: Her appointment and the IHRA-based approach drew sustained criticism over free speech, the ABC, universities and Australia's multicultural character, alongside genocide-related posts on Gaza.
• US midterms: Coverage of the midterms, including whether Australian media over-focuses on them and fears of Trump interference, formed a significant share of the stream.
• AI-driven job losses and housing: Canva's 1,200 job cuts, investor loan declines after tax changes, and calls for lower house prices were discussed as linked economic pressures.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @peggysanders.bsky.social: "Albanese gave Jillian Segal 'god powers' over elected ministers…" – One of the most-engaged political posts, it exemplifies the sharpest criticism of the Segal appointment and frames it as a government-level decision.
• @annehurley.bsky.social: "Why is AUKUS never mentioned in reducing Govt expenditure?" – Notable for a 8-like post that connects the cost-cutting debate directly to defence spending, reflecting a left-leaning push to scrutinise AUKUS as a savings target.
• @insnip.bsky.social: "Labor's budget tax changes spark a record collapse in investor home loans, down 27%…" – A data-driven post, relevant because it offers a policy-impact claim that other posters cite when arguing tax changes are working.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The tone is predominantly critical and frustrated, with progressive and left-leaning voices dominating: they target the Albanese government over Segal, AUKUS, housing and the RBA's rate policy, and they often frame economic issues in class terms. Pro-government and centrist voices are present but quieter, and there is a notable amount of cross-party jabbing (Greens, One Nation, Coalition). Many posts are brief link-shares or hashtag-only content, so engagement is low overall, with most posts getting zero to a few likes.

Most active: @winkypop.bsky.social (8 posts) · Most engaged: @mspraxis.bsky.social (17 likes, 4 reposts, 0 replies)

1. TOP 3–5 TRENDING TOPICS

• Jillian Segal and the #SackSegal campaign: The Social Cohesion Commissioner dominated volume, with repeated calls to remove her and criticism of her role in lobbying and Israel-related advocacy, including a high-engagement post from Simon Rosenberg (51 likes) tying her to the PM.
• AUKUS and the NPC Public Inquiry: Commissioners Peter Garrett and Admiral Chris Barrie's National Press Club findings, including a claim the $368bn cost could reach half a trillion dollars, drove a strong wave of anti-AUKUS posts.
• US midterm election results: Heavy sharing of AAP feeds and commentary on Democrats' early gains in Congress and the Senate, with many Australians framing the result as a verdict on Trump.
• Cost of living, RBA rates and data centres: Posts linked the RBA's rate rises (with Governor Bullock warning of a 2027 "recession feel") to corporate profits, AI data centres and government spending cuts.
• Palantir, Snowy Hydro and government accountability: The Palantir backlash (Coles and Westpac reversing use) and the Snowy Hydro executive bonuses after a $13B blowout fuelled anger about corporate and government spending.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (51 likes, 23 reposts): "If Segal is a US tool for Zionists, so is the prime minister who appointed her and funds her propaganda campaign." Notable for being the highest-engagement post in the set and for pressing the Segal controversy directly onto the Albanese government.
• [kkarapanagiotidis.bsky.social] (39 likes, 3 reposts): Urges Americans to stop "this monster Donald Trump" on midterm day. Notable as a high-engagement post where the US election was framed through an Australian progressive lens.
• [mrrexpatrick.bsky.social] (23 likes, 11 reposts): "Yesterday Snowy Hydro's barrister told the Full Federal Court that the company operates on a commercial basis. Today we see its dished out executive bonuses in response to a $13B blowout." Notable for a sharp, fact-based accountability critique that cut across partisan lines.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is highly polarised and largely hostile toward the major parties, with a dominant strand of anger at the Albanese government over Segal, AUKUS, and perceived ties to US and Israeli interests. Many posts are highly repetitive, with a few accounts posting the same hashtag-laden messages many times, so volume overstates the breadth of the conversation. Anti-Trump and anti-corporate sentiment is strong, and the US midterms were widely celebrated as a rebuke to the far right. Cost-of-living frustration runs throughout, and there are also signs of disillusionment with politics generally, alongside some support for minor parties such as Fusion. Humour and sarcasm are common, but the overall tone is adversarial, sceptical, and often angry.

Most active: @fernandolongo.bsky.social (18 posts) · Most engaged: @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (51 likes, 23 reposts, 2 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• US midterms and "blue wave": Dominant theme, with many posts (largely AAP and news feeds) reporting Democrats gaining the House and Senate, and commentators framing it as a rebuke to Trump and a lesson for Australian politicians.
• AUKUS and the Garrett/Barrie inquiry: Strong call to scrap the $368bn submarine deal, with the Commissioners' report and an estimated $180bn nuclear waste cost driving calls for a royal commission and "Leave AUKUS" campaigning.
• Calls to sack Jillian Segal and Israel/Gaza criticism: Repeated, high-volume posts accusing the government of Zionist lobby influence and urging the removal of the Social Cohesion envoy, often with strongly worded or inflammatory language.
• Palantir, Facebook tax evasion and corporate accountability: Campaigns against Palantir contracts (Coles, Westpac) and reporting on Meta's tax arrangements highlight corporate power.
• Cost of living and housing: Rate-hike complaints, a gas tax proposal, rent defaults, and calls for AI creators to be paid, reflecting economic anxiety.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @michaelwestbiz.bsky.social (32 likes, 14 reposts): "Facebook Australia's tax evasion is rampant. We investigate 17 years of this multinational..." The highest-engagement original investigative post, pointing to corporate tax accountability.
• @hudsoncartoons.bsky.social (47 likes, 10 reposts): Cartoon captioned "A flicker of light" on the midterms. Among the most-liked posts, it captures the widely shared relief at the US result.
• @siriusstar3.bsky.social (41 likes, 21 reposts): "Tick-tock, anthony... May we have a tsunami of Greens, community independents and socialists in 2028." Notable for signalling a strong push toward minor parties ahead of future elections.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly critical and frustrated, with left-leaning and progressive voices dominating. Criticism is aimed mainly at the Albanese government over AUKUS, its handling of Israel/Gaza, and perceived corporate capture, while the US midterm results are received with clear satisfaction and used as a rallying point for Greens and independents. Discussion is energetic and highly partisan, with some emotionally charged and inflammatory language. Many posts are also amplifying automated AAP and news feed content, so organic engagement is generally low, with a small number of posts drawing most of the likes and reposts. Anti-One Nation sentiment appears throughout, reflecting concern about the party's rising profile.

Most active: @kimwingerei.bsky.social (18 posts) · Most engaged: @siriusstar3.bsky.social (41 likes, 21 reposts, 4 replies)