⚙️ Political Gadgets News | Monday, 1 June 2026
Today’s Political Gadgets digest covers: MP expenses: Tom Venning (Grey, Lib) — $815,013 over 4 quarters; Political advertising: Google $14,250 (YTD $2,134,350); Facebook $93,552 (YTD $642,607).
Today’s digest includes:
- MP expenses: Tom Venning (Grey, Lib) — $815,013 over 4 quarters
- Political advertising: Google $14,250 (YTD $2,134,350); Facebook $93,552 (YTD $642,607)
Bluesky says submarine deal collapse dominates Australian politics as second-hand vessels replace new Virginia-class subs amid AUKUS crisis
BlueSky #auspol · 01 June 2026, 05:29 AEST · 526 posts · AI-generated
The dominant story across Australian political discourse is the AUKUS submarine deal’s dramatic downgrade: Defence Minister Richard Marles announced Australia will receive three second-hand Virginia-class submarines instead of the promised mix of new and used vessels, with costs remaining at approximately $370 billion. This reversal has triggered fierce backlash across the political spectrum, with critics arguing Australia has been comprehensively outmanoeuvred by the United States and is essentially paying full price for obsolete nuclear waste.
Key issues dominating the 24-hour conversation include the AUKUS submarine fiasco itself, with users questioning why Australia is absorbing escalating costs for ageing equipment; the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s institutional collapse following Commissioner Paul Brereton’s shock resignation amid integrity breaches; and One Nation’s surging polling numbers, attributed by commentators to the Labor government’s failure to address cost-of-living pressures, housing affordability, and wage stagnation. A secondary concern involves the Liberal Party’s decision to appoint Tony Abbott as president, viewed by critics as a backwards-looking move that undermines its modernisation efforts.
A standout exchange saw Simon Rosenberg observe that the “only rules-based order Hegseth is interested in is a Christian Nationalist one,” crystallising widespread unease about Australia’s defence alignment with an increasingly erratic United States. The overall tone is one of political frustration bordering on despair: users across the ideological spectrum express deep scepticism toward both major parties, with the dominant narrative suggesting Australia’s political class is captured by corporate and foreign interests at the expense of ordinary Australians struggling with housing, cost of living, and national sovereignty.
Top topics: AUKUS Submarine Deal · Anti-Corruption Commission Collapse · Cost-of-Living Crisis · One Nation Rising · Liberal Party Leadership
AI-generated from BlueSky #auspol posts.
Treasury Finance Agency Awards $44,630 Laptop Contract to Canberra IT Firm
The Australian Office of Financial Management has awarded a three-year contract worth $44,630 to Qirx Pty Ltd for laptops to support business continuity activities. The contract, signed on 31 May 2026, runs through May 2029 and was awarded through an open tender process.
Qirx is a Canberra-based IT solutions provider founded in 2000 that specialises in professional and managed services across the ACT, Sydney and southern New South Wales. The company employs over 30 IT specialists and has developed partnerships with technology vendors including VMware, NetApp, Nutanix, and IBM. Qirx serves federal government, education and commercial clients, and is registered as a supplier on the NSW Government procurement panel.
Business continuity planning in Australian Government entities is governed by the Protective Security Policy Framework, which requires agencies to maintain arrangements for continued availability of critical services and assets. Such planning typically involves ensuring IT infrastructure and systems can be restored after major incidents, with hardware procurement forming part of disaster recovery strategies.
Sources: qirx.com.au; buy.nsw.gov.au; linkedin.com; rocketreach.co; treasury.gov.au; anao.gov.au [link]
All tenders
The Fed Govt announced $44,630 in contracts. Top of the list was Qirx Pty Ltd ($44,630) [link]
Consultant Tenders
$139,042,636 in Federal contracts to the big consultants in 2026. $0 yesterday. {37} [link]
Politician Expenses
Tom Venning (Reps, Grey, Lib) claimed $815,013 in expenses over the last 4 reported quarters for major categories such as travel, offices and cars. That is $91,129 more than the average. #auspol [link]
Double Donors
Telstra Corporation donated $100,500 in 2023-24. That was $33,000 to Labor and $67,500 to the Coalition. {8156} #auspol [link]
Parliamentary attendance
Alex Hawke (representatives, Mitchell, Liberal Party) attended 88.0% of possible votes. [link]
Political advertising on Google
Political advertising spend with Google in last 24 hours: $14,250. (YTD: $2,134,350) [link]
Political advertising on Facebook
Political advertising on Facebook yesterday: $93,552. (YTD: $642,607) [link]
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