⚙️ Political Gadgets News | Monday, 29 June 2026

Bluesky says polling shows One Nation support has collapsed following Pauline Hanson’s controversial National Press Club speech, with Labor widening its lead.

BlueSky #auspol  ·  29 June 2026, 05:29 AEST  ·  487 posts  ·  AI-generated

The dominant tension across the social media discourse is Hanson’s dramatic fall in popularity after her push for an Australian “monoculture” sparked public backlash. Fresh polling shows One Nation dropped from 31 per cent to 29 per cent, while Labor gained two points to reach 30 per cent—a stunning reversal that has Labour strategists eyeing government retention. The narrative intensified when actor Paul Hogan publicly called Hanson a “pelican,” lending celebrity weight to the criticism of her regressive cultural vision.

Key issues dominating discussion include foreign interference in Australian politics through One Nation-aligned Facebook groups run from Southeast Asia to monetise engagement; media accountability, with particular focus on Karl Stefanovic’s platforming of far-right figures and the ABC’s editorial balance; and Labour’s tax reform on negative gearing and capital gains, which has triggered property price falls that voters are assessing as either helpful affordability measures or damaging investment policy depending on their perspective. Climate action, AUKUS sovereignty concerns, and governance integrity also featured prominently.

The standout post came from veteran journalist Amanda Vanstone, who delivered a withering critique of Hanson’s legacy, declaring she had achieved “two fifths of sweet bugger all”—a moment hailed across the platform as rare mainstream conservative criticism of the far-right surge. The overall tone is one of cautious optimism among centre-left voices about declining extremism, mixed with alarm from progressives about institutional capture and media complicity in normalising the right.

Top topics: One Nation Support Collapse  ·  Pauline Hanson Controversy  ·  Labor Poll Lead  ·  Foreign Interference  ·  Tax Reform

AI-generated from BlueSky #auspol posts.

ACIC Awards $271,656 IT Contractor Role to Canberra Recruitment Firm

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has engaged Encore IT Services for a one-year IT contractor placement valued at $271,656. The contract, signed on 28 June 2026, runs through to 29 June 2027 and was awarded through an open tender process.

Encore IT Services is a family-owned government recruitment agency based in Monash, Canberra, established in 2002. The firm specialises in placing ICT contractors with federal government clients across Australia, operating on what it describes as low margins with full fee transparency. According to company information, Encore won 132 government contracts in 2022-23 with an average value of $718,000, supported by a head office team of five to six staff handling recruitment and contract administration.

The contract comes as ACIC works to reduce its reliance on external ICT contractors. The agency's 2025-26 Corporate Plan states it will continue efforts to bring core work in-house, with targets focused on reduced outsourcing of ICT Digital Solutions and Portfolio Program and Project Management. In May 2026, the federal government allocated $50 million to ACIC to sustain operational activities and fund critical ICT system remediation.

Sources: encoreit.com.au; zoominfo.com; acic.gov.au; itnews.com.au [link]

All tenders

Fed govt contracts given today came to $462,961. The winner is Encore IT Services ($271,656) [link]

Consultant Tenders

$188,900,965 in Federal contracts to the big consultants in 2026. $0 yesterday. {364} [link]

Donations

Climate 200 declared $2,376,854 in political donations. {655} [link]

Flights

The VIP fleet flew at least 6,642 km in the last few days. That’s 2 planes doing 4 flights over 8 hrs and 57 mins and costing around $40,848. [link]

Politician Expenses

Michael Mccormack claimed $653,972 in expenses over the last 4 reported quarters for major categories such as travel, offices and cars. That is $142,077 less than the average. #auspol [link]

Double Donors

Australian Forest Products Association donated $58,500 in 2023-24. That was $22,000 to Labor and $36,500 to the Coalition. {6056} #auspol [link]

Parliamentary attendance

Paul Scarr (senate, Queensland, Liberal Party) attended 72.9% of possible votes. [link]

Political advertising on Google

Political advertising spend with Google in last 24 hours: $7,800. (YTD: $2,829,600) [link]

Political advertising on Facebook

Political advertising on Facebook yesterday: $93,552. (YTD: $642,607) [link]