He lay under refuge, under assault, sick of the conflict, sick of what was happening, horrified and despairing at the state of everything, while dark forces and treachery and broken promises and an increasingly totalitarian government circled all around.
It was wrong what they were doing, faring farewell, noticing a kaleidoscopic slight, haunted by demons which had entered the house, trapped in a situation he had allowed to happen, moving, moving fast.
The sheets of coloured armour would wrap around him. It was essential to move on; to preserve safety. That's what they always said, take care of yourself first.
But the nastiness, the viciousness, not just of the malfunctioning apparatchiks who had focused on him for reasons which sounded insane every time he tried to explain, so he lapsed back into silence. Silence. It was a safer place to be.
But these words, the fragments of the threads that had been broken and then strung across low flung clouds, the contradictions, the confirmations, the evil that would be banished. Shortly. Go, just go.
And so it was, as the heraldry started again, as soldiers with their banners planted stakes into the ground, when the evil of those persecutors found them trapped up against a wall as the knife ran deep through their throats, three a time. Kill, kill. kill your enemies.
And all the time, as if prescient, as if a forecast, the consequence of war, out of control war, of clouds and death and pestilence and widespread devastation, he couldn't stop those images forming. A terrible dread. Would anybody be that insane, that cruel, to pull aside the curtain, to press the switch, finition, to launch a nuclear attack. That, of course, was the most serious threat, in these strange, deranged times.
Was anybody mad enough to do it? Yes, they were.
MAINSTREAM COVERAGE
The Albanese government's 2026 federal budget has triggered widespread backlash over broken promises on tax reforms, particularly changes to capital gains tax (CGT) and negative gearing. Critics slammed the measures as attacks on investors and small businesses, accusing Labor of targeting wealth creators to fund spending. The government later announced modifications and concessions following intense industry pressure, with reports describing it as a major policy retreat.Sky News host Chris Kenny called the budget "an absolute outrage," stating, “This is the moment where this government falls over.” Peta Credlin described the backlash as the worst since the Keating era, noting the government’s determination to push through tax grabs despite opposition. Business groups and even some former Labor figures dismissed the partial backdown as a “patch-up job” with “devastating consequences.”Cost-of-living pressures, inflation, and housing shortages continue to dominate criticism, with voters blaming the government for failing to deliver relief despite its election promises. Polling has shown many Australians attributing ongoing economic pain to federal policies, while the budget's perceived broken promises on tax incentives have eroded trust. Commentators highlighted Labor's focus on intergenerational equity as divisive, alienating property owners and investors who benefited from the very systems now under attack.One analysis noted that Albanese entered 2026 in "unsafe territory," with issues like immigration and cost of living sidelined amid "self-protective spin." Sky News previews warned that economic headwinds and policy missteps could push the government into a "danger zone."Defence spending and national security have drawn sharp rebukes, with the government accused of under-prioritising military readiness against threats like an "aggressive China." Sharri Markson on Sky News labelled it "embarrassing" that Australia was "completely out of step on defence." This criticism ties into broader concerns over handling of the Bondi terror attack, where Albanese's internal review was dismissed as inadequate, prompting calls for a full Royal Commission.Opposition figures and Jewish community leaders accused the government of allowing antisemitism to "fester," with Sussan Ley stating Albanese had failed to keep Jewish Australians safe. Former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and others criticised the response as weak and lacking urgency.The rise of One Nation in polls has amplified perceptions of Labor's vulnerability, with the budget disquiet fuelling populist gains and Coalition attacks on "toxic" taxes. ABC reporting noted that Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers underestimated the "extent and ferocity" of the backlash, which extended to memes and public anger over CGT and trusts. Angus Taylor and others have capitalised on eroded trust, while the government defends its record but faces ongoing pressure on migration, fuel excise, and economic management.These stories, drawn from outlets like Sky News, The Australian, ABC, and 7NEWS in mid-2026, portray a government on the defensive, repeatedly backflipping amid accusations of policy failure and broken trust with the electorate.
Courtesy of Grok. Not time tight.
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