Bob Carr

Speaking to students of international law @Sydney_Uni yesterday evening describing a climate where the world’s superpower has withdrawn all support from any notion of rules-based order and where middle powers must salvage as much of it as possible.

30 years ago as Premier I opened Michael Mobbs’ home in Chippendale with its self-sufficiency in water and energy. Later I mandated policy that made water tanks compulsory in all new housing (BASIX). Here, gathered with his neighbours to mark the occasion.

At last night’s dinner for 25th anniversary of Salaam whose charity arm I chair (funding refugee university scholarships). Here with championship boxer “Billy the Kid” Billy Dib, brother of state minister @jihaddibmp

While US is spending ~$1bn/day on its losing Iran campaign, Def Dept is sitting on $400m Congress voted for Ukraine. This is no accident. Trump hasn’t been able to explain in consistent argument why US has attacked Iran. He doesn’t need to explain Ukraine-he wants Russian victory

More Americans are hostile than supportive - also for the first time. Serious analysis from Edward Luce. afr.com/world/north-am…

Confirmation of the dramatic shift against Israel in US opinion. For the first time a serious candidate for the Democratic nomination has to prove they’ll stop subsiding arms for the ethnonationalist state.

Kos Samaras says polling shows voters aren’t blaming immigration for cost of living pressures anyway. Very sound analysis here johnmenadue.com/post/2026/04/c…

Every time Angus Taylor attacks immigration the vast Indian and Chinese communities think he’s talking about them and chances fade of Liberal candidates winning city seats.

A weaker Germany is a weaker West - thanks to the ethno-nationalists who run Israel and conned Trump into a disastrous military adventure.

Evidence mounts of the cost of the Israel-initiated war on Iran. Rising oil prices dash hopes of Germany recovery - this will be 4th year of stagnation. Hard to lift defence spending. Hitting welfare only helps the populist Right.

The shock of convictism hits as soon as you enter. Will reread Anne Summers’ Damned Whores and God’s Police. Bought Tasmania’s Convicts by Alison Alexander which looks pretty good

Reinforced by visit to Cascades Female Factory, also part of WH convict sites. Indispensable monument to the horrors of the system and the resilience of female convicts. Savage mistreatment of women and their babies. A living hell.

The visitors’ centre offers one of best museum interpretive models of an historic site. My first visit to Port Arthur. Congratulations to the team for management worthy of its World Heritage listing, one of 11 sites across Australia comprising the Aust Convict Sites WH Property.

Two years after state government culled wild horses in Kosie this is the recovery in parts of the wild country. Spectacular win delivered by sound policy. Credit to Environment Minister @PennySharpemlc

The US vice president goes to a foreign country to campaign in an election. Blatant intervention in another nation’s domestic affairs - and for a government that supports Putin and views US NATO allies with contempt. Different US, radically.

That they are applying the Gaza way of war confirmed by reliable reports this morning of the IDF targeting an ambulance and health workers in general. And also as in Gaza, never being concerned about child casualties.

The astounding egotism of this right wing state run by settlers now blocks what the rest of the world wants, even Trump: a ceasefire, resumption of oil exports and peace talks.

The ethno-nationalists running Israel believe their lust for new territory must override the interests of the world economy, the civilian populations of the Middle East and even the credibility of Washington.