⚙️ Political Gadgets News | Friday, 8 May 2026
Today’s Political Gadgets digest covers: Parliament: not sitting; MP expenses: Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Lab) — $670,573 over 4 quarters; Political advertising: Google $40,500 (YTD $1,801,050); Facebook $93,552 (YTD $642,607).
Today’s digest includes:
- Parliament: not sitting
- MP expenses: Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Lab) — $670,573 over 4 quarters
- Political advertising: Google $40,500 (YTD $1,801,050); Facebook $93,552 (YTD $642,607)
Bluesky says Australians overwhelmingly back independent foreign policy, with housing and climate dominance in social media chatter.
BlueSky #auspol · 08 May 2026, 05:29 AEST · 500 posts · AI-generated
Australian Twitter users on Bluesky spent the 24 hours to 8 May dominated by economic anxieties, international relations, and domestic governance failures. A seismic shift in public sentiment emerged: 59 per cent of Australians now view Donald Trump as a greater threat to global security than Putin or Xi Jinping, up sharply from 31 per cent a year ago, according to new Australia Institute polling. Sentiment toward AUKUS, the US-Australia defence pact, has cooled markedly, with users calling for Australia to pursue a more independent strategic posture in the Asia-Pacific.
Key Issues centred on fossil fuels, regional inequality, and civil liberties. The federal government’s cautious east coast gas reservation scheme faced withering criticism from the left for failing to impose an export tax; critics invoked Norway’s 75 per cent tax rate as proof of timidity. Housing affordability collapsed into near-crisis territory, with users noting that higher interest rates have triggered a severe downturn in major cities while homelessness and poverty persist. The return of four women and nine children from Syria sparked heated debate over media coverage, prosecution, and double standards: users questioned why Australian IDF volunteers returning from Gaza faced no comparable scrutiny or legal threat. Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system drew fresh concern following UN statements.
A standout exchange saw Steph Hodgins-May sharply rebuke government claims that taxing gas exports was “not the right time,” retorting: “If it’s not the right time when they are set to make obscene wartime profits, when is the time?” The overall tone mixed urgency with disillusionment—voters felt heard on foreign policy realignment but largely abandoned by Labor on fiscal redistribution and climate action.
Top topics: Independent Foreign Policy · Housing Affordability Crisis · Climate and Fossil Fuels · AUKUS Defence Pact · Criminal Justice Reform
AI-generated from BlueSky #auspol posts.
Register of Interests Update — Sally Sitou
Reid, New South Wales
Additions
| Person | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Self | 11. Gifts | 4 x Netball Tickets @ $275 each from Netball NSW. NSW Swifts v GIANTS Derby, Ken Roswell Arena on 25th April, 2026. |
Deletions
None
Buying weapons from USA
U.S. Notifies Proposed Submarine Systems and Support Sale to United Kingdom [link]
Defence Awards Beretta Australia $9.5M for Detection Equipment Supply
The Department of Defence has awarded Beretta Australia two contracts worth a combined $9.47 million for detection equipment, marking the Victorian firearms distributor's continued role as a defence supplier. The contracts, signed in early May 2026, include a $9.36 million agreement running through May 2027 and a shorter $110,000 contract concluding in June 2026.
Founded in 2000 and based in Dandenong South, Beretta Australia serves as the exclusive Australian distributor for Beretta Holding Group products. The company operates through two divisions: a commercial arm supplying firearms, optics and accessories to hunting and sporting markets through over 300 dealers nationwide, and Beretta Defense Technologies Australia, established in 2012 to serve military and law enforcement clients. The defence division supplies firearms, optics, ammunition and related equipment to the Australian Defence Force and state police agencies.
While the contracts are described as detection equipment, military detection systems encompass a broad range of technologies including sensors for surveillance, threat identification and force protection. Defence detection capabilities span infrared sensors for thermal imaging, acoustic sensors for aerial threat detection, radar systems for tracking vehicles and aircraft, and chemical agent detectors. The contracts were awarded under limited tender provisions as additional deliveries from the original supplier for compatibility with existing systems.
Sources: berettaaustralia.com.au; bloomberg.com; army-technology.com; defence.gov.au [link]
All tenders
The Fed Govt announced $21,308,424 in contracts. Top of the list was BERETTA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ($9,468,042) [link]
Consultant Tenders
$112,171,550 in Federal contracts to the big consultants in 2026. $12,063,900 yesterday. – KPMG: $585,171 – EY: $113,239 – Accenture: $11,365,490 {795} [link]
Flights
The VIP fleet flew at least 985 km in the last few days. That’s 1 plane doing 2 flights over 1 hrs and 40 mins and costing around $7,670. [link]
Fed Govt Outsourced labour costs
Government Temporary Staff Tenders in the last day: $3,597,522 [link]
How does the tender money flow…
YTD tenders for Department of the Treasury: $12,242,680 {526} [link]
Politician Expenses
Cassandra Fernando (Reps, Holt, Lab) claimed $670,573 in expenses over the last 4 reported quarters for major categories such as travel, offices and cars. That is $96,405 less than the average. #auspol [link]
Double Donors
Woolworths Group donated $21,000 in 2023-24. That was $11,000 to Labor and $10,000 to the Coalition. {872} #auspol [link]
Parliamentary attendance
Maria Kovacic (senate, NSW, Liberal Party) attended 55.8% of possible votes. [link]
Political advertising on Google
Political advertising spend with Google in last 24 hours: $40,500. (YTD: $1,801,050) [link]
Political advertising on Facebook
Political advertising on Facebook yesterday: $93,552. (YTD: $642,607) [link]
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