Michael Taylor, Author at The Australian Independent Media Network

Red-haired woman pointing and speaking passionately

Hansonism: Politics Built on Grievance and Confrontation

16 June 2026 Michael Taylor 12

For Australians who lived through decades of relatively civil politics, many of us watch with dismay as respectful debate gives way to personal attacks and tribal shouting matches. Pauline Hanson and her One Nation supporters […]

Side-by-side portraits of elderly man and woman

The politics of division: the masters

9 June 2026 Michael Taylor 8

In more than four decades of following Australian politics, two names stand out when I think about division: Pauline Hanson and John Howard. That is not because they were the most extreme politicians Australia has […]

Serious man beside missile and fiery explosion

How do you justify a war?

27 May 2026 Michael Taylor 16

There comes a point when the language of war stops matching the reality of it: Bombed apartment blocks become “targets” Dead children become “collateral damage” Starving civilians become “human shields” And anyone who questions the […]

Family angrily blaming elderly couple near street

The generation that apparently ruined everything

14 May 2026 Michael Taylor 16

The modern stereotype of the Baby Boomer has become so familiar that people barely question it anymore. Apparently we Boomers are all wealthy, own multiple investment properties, and of course vote conservative. We selfishly hoarded […]

If chooks could kill

4 May 2026 Michael Taylor 2

I’m delighted that my previous stories about life as a young lad on a Kangaroo Island farm were so warmly received. In many of those tales, the real stars were mischievous or seemingly innocent youngsters […]

When “data” becomes “danger”

3 May 2026 Michael Taylor 4

There’s a quiet sleight of hand happening in parts of Australian media – and once you see it, it sticks. The first screenshot shows the relatively neutral introduction to an article on realestate.com.au. It reports […]

Three people in NASA spacesuits giving thumbs-up

Ground Control to Major Donald

30 April 2026 Michael Taylor 16

There are moments in public life when satire simply gives up, packs a small bag, and leaves town without a forwarding address. This may be one of them. In a recent reflection on his own […]

Man in suit interview with quote overlay

The arsonist complains about the smoke

27 April 2026 Michael Taylor 7

I nearly choked on my vanilla slice. There was Donald Trump, sitting down with 60 Minutes, solemnly warning that America has become more violent because of the language used by Democrats. For a moment, I […]

Man in tuxedo speaking at presidential podium

A strange honour

26 April 2026 Michael Taylor 11

The shooting that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was a stark reminder of how quickly public life can turn volatile – gunfire, confusion, and the swift evacuation of Donald Trump and other officials. […]

Man on TV with government budget caption

From Welfare to War: Following the 2007 Money Trail

25 April 2026 Michael Taylor 1

Many social media articles lately push a familiar argument: as defence spending rises, government services fall behind. The more we allocate to the military, the more strain we place on the systems people rely on […]

The cage John Howard built

21 April 2026 Michael Taylor 9

In 2001, as Australia argued over refugees, borders, and national identity, John Howard delivered a line that would come to define an era: “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in […]

Man reading papers at podium with microphones

Two men found dead on the Moon

18 April 2026 Michael Taylor 14

I’ve recently started watching For All Mankind, the alternate-history series where the Soviets reach the Moon first and the space race never ends. It’s gripping stuff – but it also sent me back to the […]

Man in suit, red tie, White House caption

The Normalisation of Contradiction

18 April 2026 Michael Taylor 12

There are moments in politics when language is no longer used to describe reality, but to overwrite it. This week, Donald Trump declared that the United States has a “very good relationship” with Iran – […]

Sovereignty for some

15 April 2026 Michael Taylor 5

There are moments when irony is so perfectly formed, that it scarcely needs commentary. It simply waits – patiently – for someone to point at it. This week provided one such moment. Fresh from a […]

Person in suit with controversial Iran quote

When “exterminate the world” isn’t a headline

15 April 2026 Michael Taylor 13

A sitting president speaks of world extermination – and the world barely looks up. There was a time – not so long ago – when a statement from a sitting president that another nation wants […]

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.

Articles by Michael Taylor