Now that things are wrapping up for Christmas-New Year in 2025, this might now be a good time for a new post.
We’ve been here for 13 years now, so while politics are about as relevant as some random wasp nest that can frankly sort itself out at this moment, let’s just maybe hold this time to be something of a break and wish everyone a good holiday season.
13 is an unlucky number, yes, but perhaps with superstitions like this, we can overcome that by openly defying it by not paying any meaningful attention to it? 2026 has a lot of potential one way or another.
Hopefully everyone here has a great Christmas-Holiday-New Year period in the next month.
THE PUB 
Big vid from Friendlyjordies tonight.
Have a good break everyone. I’m off on my annual camping trip with my family. See you all next year.
And from Da Pubsters
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/dec/24/nsw-gun-and-protest-laws-bondi-terror-attack-hate-crime-database-anthony-albanese-sussan-ley-chris-minns-labor-coalition-ntwnfb#top-of-blog
Two people wanted to kill Jews. And that could have been foreseen / prevented how?
“Antisemitism was the reason for this attack, and the people of NSW rightly expect strong and decisive action to confront and eliminate it.”
You cannot “confront and eliminate” how anyone thinks about a particular group of people; certainly not by any “strong and decisive action”. What you will get is what is happening in NSW: restriction of freedom. In this particular case the sole arbiter of what restrictions there will be is the Commissioner of Police, empowered by legislation.
Well if you can’t trust the big cheese of the Rum Corp then who can you trust ? :sarc: 😦
https://thenumbercruncher.substack.com/p/the-limited-and-complicated-impact
The (limited and complicated) impact of the Bondi Terrorist Attack on wellbeing and political attitudes
Nicholas Biddle
Dec 23, 2025
This post examines changes in Australians’ wellbeing and political attitudes immediately before and after the Bondi terrorist attack, using nationally weighted survey data. Comparing responses collected in the days preceding the attack with those collected immediately afterwards, and controlling for key demographic differences, the analysis finds little evidence of broad deterioration in wellbeing, social cohesion, or democratic attitudes. The most consistent changes are reduced confidence in the federal government, lower satisfaction with the direction of the country, and lower evaluations of political leadership. Overall, the findings suggest that Australians’ core social and democratic attitudes show considerable short-term resilience
https://josephnoelwalker.com/glyn-davis-terry-moran/
Dec 23, 2025
Cabinet is Australia’s Operating System: Here’s How It Works — Glyn Davis & Terry Moran
A tour of the routines that run the country
Glyn Davis and Terry Moran are two of the very small number of Australians who have literally sat in the Cabinet Room, week after week, watching the machinery of government operate from the inside.
Both served as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) — the most senior public servant in Australia. Terry held the role from 2008 to 2011 (including during the Global Financial Crisis). Glyn held it from 2022 to 2025, resigning only a few months ago.
Both have also held equivalent roles at the state level: Glyn as Director-General of the Office of the Cabinet in Queensland (1995–96), and Terry as Secretary of the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet (2000–08). Before PM&C, Glyn was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne for thirteen years, and later ran the Paul Ramsay Foundation (Australia’s largest philanthropic foundation). Terry’s career spanned senior roles across the Commonwealth and Victorian public services, including as CEO of Victoria’s Office of the State Training Board, inaugural CEO of the Australian National Training Authority, and Queensland’s Director-General of Education. He later served as Chancellor of Federation University.
In this episode, we trace the routines, conventions, and systems that shape power in Canberra. Where, exactly, does a prime minister’s power come from? What separates a good Cabinet submission from a bad one? What actually happens in the Cabinet room once the doors close? How does Australia’s Westminster model differ from the UK and Canada? And why is Australia so unusually good at bureaucracy?
(Episode recorded on 8 December 2025.)
And so it starts
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/25/nsw-police-restricts-public-assemblies-in-sydney-for-14-days-under-laws-passed-after-bondi-terror-attack-ntwnfb
Hope everyone has a great day today.
I just got back from lunch with family and it went fairly well, just the weather was a bit chilly for the elders.
Now at home to relax and recharge.
Hi all, hope you have had a great Christmas! Vale Nick Bolkus.
I hope everyone had a good Christmas or appropriate holiday season. I am getting my strength up the challenge the rightwing nutters in 2026. ‘Fight Tories!’ Whose saying was that.