February 2026

Woman and child walking through refugee camp.

“We are citizens until we are inconvenient”

23 February 2026 AIMN Editorial 16

By Maria Millers “Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future” (Maria Montessori). The plight of a group […]

Three men laughing, holding drinks, cigar.

The Real Crime Wave

23 February 2026 David Tyler 10

It began, as these things do, with grave faces on breakfast television. The nation was informed that the greatest threat to the Australian way of life was not money laundering through Crown towers of glass, […]

Hands typing on laptop under "AIMN Editorial

How ‘local’ was taken out of local government

23 February 2026 Dr Andrew Klein, PhD 10

HOW LOCAL WAS TAKEN OUT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT And Why Victoria’s Suburbs Are Now Governed by Algorithms, Ambition, and Aqueducts to Nowhere I. THE KENNETT EARTHQUAKE (1992-1999) When Jeff Kennett’s Liberal-National coalition swept into office […]

Tiger walking in an enclosure, focused gaze.

Sniffer dogs team up with air sampling device to tackle wildlife trafficking

23 February 2026 AIMN Editorial 4

Adelaide University Media Release Adelaide University researchers have shown that pairing sniffer dogs with a simple air-sampling device could dramatically improve the detection of illegally trafficked wildlife hidden inside shipping containers. In a new paper […]

The Border Wall and All Y’all

23 February 2026 AIMN Editorial 3

By James Moore “In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy” (John Steinbeck). My tendency has been to want to write a requiem for the Big Bend region […]

Blurred collage with smoke and text overlay.

The Sickle Sceptre Sway

23 February 2026 Jon Chesterson 7

So stow your gods and idols wherever you make your bed, listen to the theatre, the voices in your head. This article is the extant poem further below, but a few words and banter I […]

Ship sailing towards sunset with American flag.

The hospital ship that wasn’t there

23 February 2026 Michael Taylor 7

Within hours, the praise was everywhere. President Trump declared on Truth Social he was sending a hospital ship to Greenland to care for neglected and suffering people allegedly ignored by Denmark. Images of a gleaming […]

Tree with flowers and butterfly, "Merry Lent".

Wishing You All A Happy Lent!

22 February 2026 Rossleigh 8

I’ve noticed a number of people complaining that the PM mentioned Chinese New Year and Ramadan, but said nothing about Lent… The most interesting part of this for me is that the only people I’ve […]

The CFMEU Setup: How Workers Get Mugged in an Election Year

22 February 2026 David Tyler 13

Imagine Sarah, nurse at St Vincents, on the Number 96 tram, Melbourne dusk bruising purple outside the windows. Twelve hours done. Her navy scrubs are faded and soft, worn to the shape of her, the […]

Man speaking at a government assembly podium.

Tim Wilson: Product Placement, Not Public Servant. Hope is Not a Strategy

22 February 2026 AIMN Editorial 14

How one of the IPA’s most valuable parliamentary assets turned his first 48 hours as shadow treasurer into a masterclass in ego, incompetence, and serving the wrong Australians By Sue Barrett Who Is Tim Wilson, […]

Church with donation sign in foreground.

THE TITHE AND THE STRANGER: How Religion Perfected Fundraising While Forgetting Everything Else

22 February 2026 Dr Andrew Klein, PhD 4

Introduction: The Eternal Ledger There is a pattern that repeats across every religion, every culture, every century. It is so consistent, so universal, that one might almost think it was divinely ordained – except that […]

Political Incentives Now Reward Grievance Politics – and Social Media Monetises It

22 February 2026 Michael Taylor 8

It is tempting to say that Australia has become more racist. The ugliness feels louder. Islamophobia feels less coded. Public language feels coarser. Spend even a few minutes scrolling through X and it is easy […]

Diverse group standing against hate message.

The comfort of faith and the seeds of hate

21 February 2026 Bert Hetebry 8

Yes, there seems to be a bee in my bonnet, a buzzing in my brain, as I try to understand why religion can be such a comfort for some, but so marginalising for others, why […]

UTOPIA: Episode – “Consistency”

21 February 2026 Lachlan McKenzie 4

Cold Open A television in the Nation Building Authority reception area plays a news clip: Ø “The new assessment algorithm is delivering unprecedented consistency.” A ticker scrolls beneath: COMPLAINTS UP 68% Staff stare silently. TITLE […]

Man in suit looking upwards, serious expression.

Punishing Language: Queensland’s Antisemitism Bill

21 February 2026 Dr Binoy Kampmark 16

In a feat of enterprising delusion and sinister suppression, Australia’s second largest state has decided to deal with what it regards as an antisemitic problem. After last December’s attacks on Sydney’s Bondi Beach by two […]

The Australian Independent Media Network

The AIMN is an online platform that provides a space for citizen and public interest journalists to engage in and contribute to independent media, focusing on politics, democracy, environment, and identity.

Month: February 2026