#auspol on Bluesky: Thursday 5 November 2026

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Israel, antisemitism and foreign policy: Heavy discussion of IHRA-linked university funding, the antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, boycotts of Israeli goods, and calls for sanctions and an ambassador's expulsion.
• Cost of living, housing and rentals: Anglicare's rental affordability findings (1.1% of listings affordable on a nurse's wage), rising rents, negative gearing and calls to tax gas and corporate profits.
• RBA and interest rates: Posters blame the central bank for job losses and inflation, with some framing it as serving wealthy "owner class" interests.
• US midterms and Trump: Many posts draw lessons for Australia from the Democratic "blue wave," with some urging the ALP to adopt more left-wing, generational change.
• Robodebt, NDIS and social security: Criticism of the algorithmic Independent Assessment Tool and the government's failure to act on Robodebt royal commission recommendations.
• Carbon capture, AUKUS and gas: Opposition to the Singapore CO2 sea-dumping agreement and a call for an AUKUS inquiry, alongside broader criticism of Labor's energy stance.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (73 likes, 23 reposts): "I'd vote for these. Especially if funded by a Gina [etc.] Tax." Linking to a Guardian commentary piece, this was the most-engaged post in the set and reflects strong appetite for wealth-tax proposals.
• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (34 likes, 17 reposts): "Waiting for Penny Wong to tell us that these #WestBank dates are 'non-lethal components'..." Highly engaged and typical of the sharp criticism of the government's Israel policy, framed around ethnic cleansing.
• [guildford.bsky.social] (no engagement): Cites a survey finding 38% agree immigrants "take jobs," a record high, and pushes back that migrants fill jobs Australians won't. It is one of the few posts offering a pro-immigration counterpoint in a thread dominated by anxiety about immigration.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly angry, distrustful and left-leaning. Most posters see the Albanese government as timid or complicit, whether on Israel, Robodebt, housing, gas or AUKUS, and describe it as "gutless" or "arrogant." Anti-Trump and anti-MAGA sentiment runs throughout, often paired with arguments that Australia must learn from the US. Some posts are hyperbolic or conspiratorial, including claims about "Zionist" influence and "owner class" plots, and the discussion is notably polarised. Engagement is modest overall, with a few high-performing posts on Israel and tax reform standing out. A minority of posts are neutral news sharing or historical trivia, such as the ABC's 1956 launch.

Most active: @peggysanders.bsky.social (10 posts) · Most engaged: @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (73 likes, 23 reposts, 3 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• AUKUS submarine deal: The most-discussed policy issue, driven by an unofficial inquiry recommending the plan be scrapped and calls from Chris Barrie and Peter Garrett for voters to contact their MPs.
• US midterms and Trump's influence: Posters read the result as a rebuke of Trump and debate how far Australian parties, especially One Nation and the Coalition, are tied to MAGA politics.
• Victorian and Queensland politics: Debate over One Nation's Victorian candidates, the LNP's Queensland public sector and youth detention policies, and Victoria's upcoming election.
• Israel, Palestine and the Australian response: Posts cover the illegal West Bank settlement dates, the Jillian Segal antisemitism commissioner role, and proposed university and curriculum changes.
• Cost of living and interest rates: Discussion of bulk billing gains, rising inflation from oil prices, a possible RBA rate rise, and the David Jones collapse.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @jeanniedz.bsky.social (33 likes, 16 reposts): "One Nation are distancing themselves from Trump & just removed their fangirling from their website." This is the most-engaged post, reflecting a visible shift in One Nation's public positioning after the US midterms.
• @strangerous.bsky.social (27 likes, 11 reposts): Reports One Nation Vic leader Warren Pickering defending a candidate who platforms people spreading Port Arthur massacre lies. It is a clear example of the candidate-vetting story driving Victorian coverage.
• @1earthmedia.bsky.social (6 likes, 6 reposts): Quotes Admiral Chris Barrie: "Our report recommends ending the Aukus submarine plan. That is not an argument against submarines." It shows that the critique comes from defence insiders, not just the left, and that it is framed as a defence-capability argument.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is largely angry and anxious, with a left-leaning majority frustrated at both major parties. Criticism focuses on AUKUS, Labor's stance on Israel, the LNP's cuts and policies, and the perceived influence of billionaires and the right-wing media. Concern about the rise of the far right, especially One Nation and Trump-style politics, runs through many posts, and some celebrate the US midterm result as a turning point. Many posters also call for independents or the Greens, though the tone is sometimes sardonic or hostile toward Labor. Some posts are plainly commercial or spam, including hashtag-trend bots and a telco complaint, and a few are neutral news shares. Overall, engagement is modest, with most posts getting few likes, so the most engaged voices carry the sentiment.

Most active: @toptags.bsky.social (8 posts) · Most engaged: @jeanniedz.bsky.social (33 likes, 16 reposts, 1 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• AUKUS defence pact criticism: A large cluster of posts questions the $368 billion submarine deal, citing sovereignty, cost blowouts and US dependence, with calls to "leave AUKUS now" (fernandolongo's post drew 13 likes).
• Segal, Israel and Gaza politics: Heavy criticism of Jillian Segal's appointment and Labor's stance on Israel, including claims of Zionist lobby influence and a reported $12.9m funding boost (zem-australia's post drew 20 likes).
• Interest rates and cost of living: Discussion of the RBA's fifth rate rise, housing affordability, and anger over wages, bank profits and inflation.
• One Nation and Pauline Hanson: Commentary on One Nation's links to Trump, including claims it has scrubbed pro-Trump material from its website (sabrinanotowar's post drew 8 likes and 4 reposts).
• PFAS contamination and data centres: Recurring concern about forever chemicals in water and calls to regulate AI data centres' power and water use.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• zem-australia (20 likes, 12 reposts): "NO ONE... NO ONE voted for her or wants her in any publicly paid capacity!!!" Its high engagement reflects how strongly the Segal funding story is resonating.
• qldaah (24 likes, 14 reposts): On the cash rate rise, "No Australian treasurer determines the cash rate. The RBA is foolishly attempting to fix an inflationary problem created by Trump's war on Iran." It was the most-engaged post in the set and pushes back on the framing of ABC coverage.
• boganintel / Tim Dunlop quotes (12 likes, 5 reposts): The shared "Better times are possible" piece on David Shoebridge's National Press Club speech shows a current of interest in alternative left politics and hope for change, rather than just anger.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The tone is predominantly angry, distrustful and critical, aimed at both major parties. Labor is criticised from the left over AUKUS, Israel and the NACC, while the Coalition and One Nation are attacked for their ties to Trump and culture-war positioning. Many posts express financial stress over housing, rates and living costs, and a sense that the political system serves elites. Some posts, including those on the Shoebridge speech and the Greens' stance on Ukraine and climate, show more hopeful or ideological engagement. Overall engagement is modest: most posts have few or no likes, and a substantial share are automated feeds, hashtag bot posts or repeated news links, so the conversation is more fragmented than the volume suggests.

Most active: @alannah57.bsky.social (17 posts) · Most engaged: @qldaah.bsky.social (24 likes, 14 reposts, 4 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• AUKUS and US alignment: Repeated posts (notably from simonrosenberg and sabrinanotowar, plus calls to #SackMarlesToo) criticise Marles, Albanese and the government's "doormat" posture toward Trump's administration, with Garrett and Barrie's National Press Club address amplifying the critique.
• Israel, Gaza and Pauline Hanson's racial vilification case: The High Court referral of the Faruqi–Hanson case, the Guardian report on settlement produce labelled "Produce of Israel," and debate over Segal and pro-Israel lobbying drew some of the highest engagement in the set.
• NSW policing and Chris Minns: A michaelwest.com.au piece on a $94m, 250-officer police unit (81 likes, 46 reposts) was the single most engaged post, linked to criticism of gang violence in western Sydney.
• Cost of living, inflation and housing: AAP-fed stories on RBA trust, the trust-tax on property, David Jones' collapse and Victorian inflation drew repeated, low-engagement shares.
• Fossil fuels and climate: Criticism of NAB and Westpac lending, the Singapore carbon-offset deal and NSW fossil fuel subsidies pushed a green-leaning thread.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• michaelwestbiz (81 likes, 46 reposts): "NSW Premier Chris Minns spends $94m on army of 250 officers with high-powered rifles in response to Bondi. Meanwhile, gangland wars continue out west." This was the most engaged post in the window and shows a law-and-order critique resonating from both sides of the spectrum.
• qldaah (16 likes, 14 reposts): Reporting that food from illegal Israeli West Bank settlements was shipped to Australia labelled "produce of Israel." It is a concrete, sourced claim that fed the broader Israel debate.
• blairpalese (19 likes, 12 reposts): Questioning whether an ACIL Allen gas report is legal and warrants investigation, linked to Climate Integrity. It is a notable accountability push on the gas industry, with the post framing the issue as a legal rather than purely policy matter.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is predominantly angry and distrustful, with a strong left-progressive and anti-establishment tone. Much of the conversation frames the major parties (Labor and the Coalition alike, and the "duopoly") as subservient to the US, Israel, billionaires or fossil fuel interests, while calls to "vote them all out" and to vote Greens recur. Engagement is thin for most posts, and the feed is heavily padded by automated AAP news reposts and trending-hashtag bot posts, which dilute the genuine discussion. Right-wing and One Nation voices appear mainly as targets of criticism rather than active participants. Overall, the tone is combative and polarised rather than constructive, with economic pessimism and foreign policy anger dominating.

Most active: @kimwingerei.bsky.social (11 posts) · Most engaged: @michaelwestbiz.bsky.social (81 likes, 46 reposts, 9 replies)