#auspol on Bluesky: Wednesday 11 November 2026

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Aged care fees and funding: The Higher Everyday Living Fees program, Bupa's $947m profit, and $42 breakfasts drew the most sustained anger, with "ghouls" and "disgusting" among the strongest reactions.
• Victorian state election and One Nation preferences: Liberal and National preference deals with One Nation, Jess Wilson's billboard, and a dumped One Nation candidate dominated the state-politics threads (#vicpol, #springst).
• Labor's direction and neoliberalism: Critics framed Albanese's government as pro-business, pro-gas, and "Trump-like," with the #neoliberalism and #capitalism tags recurring.
• Israel, AUKUS and the Jillian Segal appointment: Calls to "#SackSegal," accusations of a "protection racket for Israel," and AUKUS opposition formed a steady strand of foreign-policy criticism.
• Dutton's War Memorial appointment and institutional trust: Posters questioned the appointment as corruption or cronyism, with the NACC's effectiveness also questioned.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• @michaelwestbiz.bsky.social (27 likes, 17 reposts): Asks "Why NT and Qld govts are refusing to let UN Human Rights into their detention centres," the most-engaged post in the set and a rare focus on Indigenous and detention rights.
• @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (16 likes, 5 reposts): "The triumph of neoliberalism. #agedcare" is the highest-engagement post on aged care, capturing the framing that drove the topic.
• @simonrosenberg.bsky.social (9 likes, 6 reposts): Quotes a critic: "After months of scaremongering about a Liberal-One Nation government, Labor is now using its preferences to help elect one." This points to a major strategic story, though the quoted claim is secondhand.
• @tassiedevil.bsky.social (6 likes, 3 reposts): "An egg at breakfast might be the only protein they get... Is this how politicians want their own parents and grandparents treated?" A vivid, emotive case for the aged care concern.
• @peggysanders.bsky.social (sharing Sue Barrett and John Menadue): Repeated posts on specialist fees and Victoria's electoral funding show a politically engaged account driving policy-focused discussion.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is overwhelmingly hostile and cynical, with distrust directed at both major parties. Labor is criticised from the left (neoliberalism, gas, Israel, AUKUS, and perceived complicity with the Coalition on preferences), while the Coalition and One Nation are attacked as extreme or corrupt. Ordinary people's hardship, especially in aged care, food insecurity and health costs, is a recurring emotional thread. Some posts are measured, such as the preferential voting explainer and the Crikey piece on populist economics, but most are angry or sardonic. Engagement is modest overall, and a large share of posts are bot-like, repetitive hashtag stacks (notably the #marxism-tagged repetitions) that add noise without substance.

Most active: @robduncan.bsky.social (7 posts) · Most engaged: @michaelwestbiz.bsky.social (27 likes, 17 reposts, 1 replies)

1. TOP 3–5 TRENDING TOPICS

• Qantas and Andrew Forrest/climate policy: Heavy discussion of the $2.7B Qantas COVID support never repaid, alongside calls to cap fuel tax credits for miners, with Forrest's motives and donations widely questioned.
• Gaza, Israel and AUKUS-linked foreign policy: Posts attack Labor and Penny Wong over the Gaza "ceasefire," the envoy's conduct, and US alignment via AUKUS, with the Federal Court anti-Zionism ruling also shared.
• Victorian state election and preference deals: Greens criticise Labor's open ticket in Prahran, warnings of a Liberal–One Nation alignment, and the Liberals' decision to preference One Nation ahead of Labor.
• Cost of living, housing and aged care: Resolve polling showing only 20% trust Albanese, plus anger over housing unaffordability, aged care fees and rate hikes.
• Newcastle protest ban and Rising Tide: Council moves to bar the climate group from public land are framed as a constitutional and free-speech issue.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [angry-goddess.bsky.social] (57 likes, 24 reposts) and [coalisdead.bsky.social] (52 likes, 20 reposts) were among the highest-engagement posts, though both are brief shares of content rather than substantive analysis. Their reach shows the most-liked material was pointed commentary rather than policy detail.
• [qldaah.bsky.social] (10 likes, 12 reposts): "Qantas received approximately $2.7 billion in Australian taxpayer funding from the Morrison government during the covid-19 pandemic with no financial obligation to repay." This was the most-reposted factual claim, and it links directly to the budget-savings debate.
• [rainbowregionmyles.bsky.social] (23 likes, 8 reposts): "If you work full time and still can't afford a roof over your head, the system is fucked." Housing affordability was a strong cross-partisan grievance, and this post captured it most widely.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The tone is overwhelmingly hostile and cynical, with the main targets being Albanese's Labor government, the Coalition, One Nation and the major parties collectively, framed as a "duopoly" or "uniparty." Left-leaning and progressive voices dominate, pushing Greens and independents, attacking AUKUS and Israel policy, and calling for accountability over Qantas, mining and housing. Engagement is generally low, with most posts receiving a handful of likes, and the conversation is fragmented across many small threads rather than a single dominant debate. Some posts are partisan or profane, and a few are satirical or meme-style. The overall mood is one of distrust and frustration with the political establishment rather than optimism about any particular party.

Most active: @sabrinanotowar.bsky.social (6 posts) · Most engaged: @angry-goddess.bsky.social (57 likes, 24 reposts, 8 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Victorian election preferences and One Nation: Many posts criticise Labor and the Liberals for preferencing One Nation, with the Greens urged as the alternative, and one highly liked post telling Labor voters to ignore their how-to-vote cards.
• Segal and the Royal Commission on antisemitism: A heavily engaged thread questions Special Envoy Jillian Segal's role and calls for her removal, with the highest-engagement post of the period asking what happened to the Murdoch Royal Commission.
• AUKUS scrutiny: Repeated posts promote a petition for a Royal Commission into AUKUS, often shared with the same link.
• Health and aged care costs: Bupa's $42-a-day charge for hot breakfasts and private health insurers' influence over GP care drew anger, with one post repeated many times.
• Business and economy: AAP-syndicated news on David Jones store closures, mortgage slumps, and inflation debate (Coalition's Kevin Hogan on core inflation) generated steady, low-engagement sharing.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [angry-goddess.bsky.social] (29 likes, 8 reposts): "What happened about the Murdoch Royal Commission @albomp.bsky.social ? #auspol". The most-liked post among the top tier, it captures a broader frustration about media accountability and unfulfilled promises.
• [kentparkskeet.bsky.social] (51 likes, 18 reposts): "Victorian Labor voters, you can ignore the how to vote card your party hands you." This was the highest-engagement post in the set and reflects a strategic push ahead of the Victorian election, with early voting opening on 18 November.
• [simonrosenberg.bsky.social] (44 likes, 22 reposts): "Excellent question. And it's a clear undermining of our so-called democracy that the prime minister won't answer it." Paired with #SackSegal, it shows the Segal controversy drawing significant engagement.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The tone is predominantly hostile and distrustful, directed at both major parties, with the Liberals and One Nation drawing the sharpest criticism and Labor criticised for perceived spinelessness on Israel, AUKUS, and coal. Left-leaning and Greens-aligned voices dominate, and many posts are campaign-driven, urging votes or petitions. A notable share of the conversation is repetitive, with automated or syndicated posts (AAP feeds, a repeated health insurance link) inflating volume without adding engagement. Engagement is generally low, with most posts receiving zero to a few likes, though the Segal and Victorian preference threads stand out. Some posts are heated or use inflammatory language around Israel and Zionism, and a few are satirical or off-topic, so the overall discourse is polarised and largely one-sided rather than deliberative.

Most active: @twitter-exile.bsky.social (17 posts) · Most engaged: @kentparkskeet.bsky.social (51 likes, 18 reposts, 4 replies)

1. TOP TRENDING TOPICS

• Victorian election (Vic Votes 2026): Heavy chatter about Liberal leader Jess Wilson, Labor, and the push to put One Nation/PHON last on ballots, with #vicpol and #springst prominent.
• AUKUS and Hegseth: Marles says the $368bn submarine deal is "full steam ahead" despite US pressure on Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, with several calls for a royal commission and to "Stop AUKUS."
• Jillian Segal and antisemitism envoy controversy: Posts celebrate Labor rejecting Segal's push for changes to ABC and SBS news oversight, and call for scrapping the envoy role.
• Dutton's appointments and "lifters not leaners": Criticism of Peter Dutton receiving a War Memorial (AWM) board role and a Queensland Investment Corporation position after losing his seat.
• Qantas, Rio Tinto and economy: Discussion of Qantas's AI-linked job cuts and executive pay, Rio Tinto ditching coal power, and RBA rate concerns tied to oil prices from the Strait of Hormuz closure.

2. NOTABLE POSTS

• [qldaah.bsky.social] (47 likes, 16 reposts): "Labor says no. Jillian Segal has suffered defeat in her accusations against the ABC and SBS news reporting." The highest-engagement post in the set, showing strong resonance with audiences concerned about media independence.
• [michellesuiter.bsky.social] (6 likes, 3 reposts): On Dutton's post-defeat appointments, invoking "lifters not leaners." A pointed, widely shared critique linking a political figure's record to current government decisions.
• [michaelwestbiz.bsky.social] (23 likes, 11 reposts): Highlights the Qantas AGM and CEO Vanessa Hudson's $4.07m share package while jobs are cut. Notable for connecting corporate pay with the AI-job-loss narrative.

3. OVERALL SENTIMENT

The mood is largely cynical and combative, with heavy distrust of major parties and political figures across the spectrum. Victorian election posts are sharply partisan, with many urging voters to avoid Labor and the Liberals alike, and some framing One Nation as a threat. Critics target Labor on AUKUS, its handling of the Segal controversy and perceived closeness to the US, while others attack Dutton's appointments and corporate pay. A notable portion of posts are activist-driven, pushing campaigns on AUKUS, Gaza and Israel-related issues, and the tone there is often confrontational and emotive. Overall engagement is low: most posts have zero or one like, so the conversation is fragmented and dominated by a small number of higher-engagement posts. Several entries are automated or aggregator feeds (AAP news, Indymedia, trending-hashtag bots) that dilute the organic discussion.

Most active: @kimwingerei.bsky.social (8 posts) · Most engaged: @qldaah.bsky.social (47 likes, 16 reposts, 9 replies)