Pat Simons

Pat Simons

@patsimons.bsky.social

Campaigns Coordinator for Yes2Renewables at FoE Australia bsky.app/profile/foe.org.au Climate jobs, energy democracy, punk & hip hop. he/him.

2.7K followers644 following1K posts

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Politicians speaking to each other w/ respect would clearly be a good thing. But the source of society's anger is really material. People's lives are getting harder + Aus does not have a believable plan to change that. Want to dial down the temp? Get corp money out of politics + build public housing

Pat Simons reposted

Senator David Shoebridge
@davidshoebridge.bsky.social

Lula has won a fourth term in spite of Meta, after Brazil’s electoral court had to order platforms to stop throttling his reach while they boosted his Trump-backed opponent. Big Tech tried to rig this but the Brazilian people had the final say ✊

Pat Simons reposted

CAMERON WILSON
@cameronwilson.bsky.social

Scoop: ABC has wiped staff devices exposed to malicious ads from an Israeli company that used digital advertising to hack and track devices without a click. ABC is just one of many Australian government/critical infra/media orgs reportedly targeted www.abc.net.au/news/...

Pat Simons reposted

benjamin
@benjamino.bsky.social

West Footscray residents slashing NextDC's value by 40% is a beautiful thing

Josh Taylor@joshtaylor.bsky.social

3 from 3 now with the datacentres I reported on in May cancelled or delayed. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

theguardian.comAustralia’s largest datacentre operator NextDCs shares dive as Melbourne expansion delayedNextDC has told investors that its plans to double the size of its west Melbourne datacentre has hit an obstacle in community objections to 22m high power poles
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Public energy companies are emerging as key players in securing new renewable energy, with at least six new wind projects proceeding through public contracts in Vic, WA and Qld. The private sector in contrast has largely been refusing to back new generation. reneweconomy.com.au/australian-w...

reneweconomy.com.auAustralian wind farm starts hit record levels, but the technology is dead in the state that needs it mostAustralia can now boast of record amounts of wind farm construction starts this year, but it remains at a standstill in the state that needs it most to replace ageing coal.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Firmus float delayed as data centre company cut it's initial share offering, a move that will shave $8 billion from its value. CEO Oliver Curtis went to jail for conspiracy to commit insider trading ten years back, I'm sure everythings fine... www.afr.com/companies/fi...

afr.comFirmus float meets reality as sceptical investors force IPO rewriteThe neocloud hopeful had been hurtling toward a blockbuster Australian sharemarket float that was expected to value the company at more than $43 billion.

Pat Simons reposted

CAMERON WILSON
@cameronwilson.bsky.social

Next Monday, I'll be moderating a panel with Father Paolo Benanti — who served as the pope's AI advisor— La Trobe's PVC Prof Phil Laufenberg, ACU's PVC Prof Phil Parker and ACU Prof Niusha Shafiabady. It's at 5.30pm at ACU Melbourne, tix still available. acuevents.swoogo.com...

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

There's choosing the leader and there's how you choose the leader. Shoebridge is a sharp communicator and will take the fight to Labor. But the Greens have missed a bigger opportunity to empower grassroots membership in that decision.

Crikey@crikey.com.au

The Greens need a Polanski or a Mamdani, a charismatic unifier who can speak compellingly to those looking for alternatives, writes Rachel Withers. Can Shoebridge and Hodgins-May cut through? www.crikey.com.au/2026/09/30/g...

crikey.com.auCan David Shoebridge revive the Greens?The Greens need Polanski-Mamdani-style leadership. We'll have to wait and see if David Shoebridge and Steph Hodgins-May can pull that off.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

There are many of us that'll look at yet another interest rate rise and think fuck how the hell am I going to pay for XYZ... We should also ask who profits from this decision? Its banks and other lenders, wealthy individuals with big savings accounts, and investors.

Pat Simons reposted

6 News Australia
@6newsau.bsky.social

#BREAKING 🚨 Greg Hansford, One Nation's lead candidate for the Eastern Victoria Region at the November state election, has withdrawn for health reasons The party has told the Gippsland Times that he has a "serious health matter that requires ongoing treatment"

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Inflation is being driven by war, greedy corporations and climate change. But somehow it's regular people that need to pay through job losses, mortgage and rental stress. What looks sensible to the RBA is hubris on a society level www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...

abc.net.auLive: RBA hikes rates, pointing to Middle East war and AI boomThe RBA delivers its fourth rate hike for 2026, bringing interest rates to the highest level since November 2011. Follow the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live ...
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

No surprises data centre lobbyist Belinda Dennett is talking down to protestors. Won't work. Backlash is increasing because ppl plainly see electricity prices + air pollution will go up, and it's being done *to* us by some of the wealthiest people on the planet www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

theguardian.comAustralian backlash to datacentres is faux import from US, officials say: ‘We are not the United States’Pro-datacentre officials argue scale of Australia’s buildout is smaller, more regulated and less damaging than in US
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Electricity demand from AI data centres is predicted to increase sevenfold. It's like suddenly adding 2 SAs worth of electricity demand to the grid. When we're supposed to be closely coal fired power stations... Dennett can claim it's just a US problem but Aus is completely unprepared for this.

Pat Simons reposted

Mark Follman
@markfollman.bsky.social

NEWS: My new investigation uncovers the horrific ChatGPT history of the Tumbler Ridge school shooter. OpenAI’s chatbot fueled the shooter's violent fantasies and plans up to the day of the massacre. Chats about guns, timing of attacks, becoming infamous, and more. www.motherjones.com/media/2026/0...

motherjones.comChatGPT helped the Tumbler Ridge school shooter focus on guns, tactics, and terror, our investigation revealsOpenAI’s chatbot fed the shooter’s violent fantasies and planning up to the massacre.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Love to see American corporations training their new hacking tool on our public healthcare system

CAMERON WILSON@cameronwilson.bsky.social

Australia's cyber security agency has given new details re: the OpenAI Medicare stats hack: "The AI agent independently identified vulnerabilities and attempted to progress actions without direct human authorisation to ensure it was able to complete the activity it was assigned."

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Albo is trying to sell the AI dream while simultaneously trying to restrain it...meekly. His main problem is that it's not even clear why we need this technology in the first place, or what public benefit or community benefit it provides, if any at all.

Pat Simons@patsimons.bsky.social

*proceeds to roll out the red carpet www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...

abc.net.auOpenAI agent hacked Medicare portal, PM saysAnthony Albanese says he has spoken to the Open AI chief executive to express his concern about the incident and the length of time it took the tech company to inform the government of the breach.

Pat Simons reposted

Cam Walker
@camwalker.bsky.social

'The Coalition has vowed to detonate most of Australia’s efforts to decarbonise its economy “within 30 days” of winning power, incl slowing the advance of renewable energy, supporting nuclear power plants & scrapping the emissions-curbing industrial policy.' reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-vo...

reneweconomy.com.au"Dumb and desperate:" Coalition panned after vowing to scrap renewable, EV and climate policiesFederal Coalition vows to detonate most of Australia's efforts to decarbonise "within 30 days" of winning power, including the advance of renewables and the emissions-curbing policy it introduced.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Angus Taylor introduced the offshore wind laws he now wants to repeal. Why would anyone trust a govt that backflips this easily?

Nick Feik@nickfeik.bsky.social

Cool reference there, fellas. People love Elon Musk and that DOGE shit

abc.net.auCoalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws, offshore windThe Coalition has promised a major slowdown of renewables if it wins power, including scrapping most offshore renewables sites, formalising its commitment to unpick Australia's key climate policies.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

This is a policy to push up power bills and pollution and take away consumer access to high quality EVs

Tim Stephens@proftimstephens.bsky.social

'A Coalition government has vowed to detonate most of Australia’s efforts to decarbonise its economy “within 30 days” of winning power' reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-vo...

reneweconomy.com.auCoalition vows to scrap "ideologically driven" renewable, EV and climate policies if returned to powerFederal Coalition vows to detonate most of Australia's efforts to decarbonise "within 30 days" of winning power, including the advance of renewables and the emissions-curbing policy it introduced.
Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

The Coalition says it wants cheaper power without the ideology...yet it wants to stop the cheapest source of new energy, renewables, and prop up expensive fossil fuels and even nuclear. Their policy is a recipe for expensive power and more pollution.

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

The community resistance to AI data centres continues to grow. A headlong rush to this industry places our energy, water and climate all at risk. That's why we're telling the senate we need a moratorium now!

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Well friends it turns out the "ban" is actually a setback distance of 150 metres from homes. So not really a ban after all. Dodgy framing! Communities not buying it and the resistance continues.

Pat Simons reposted

Dylan McConnell
@dylanjmcconnell.bsky.social

Just FYI - there is a cost curve for RE projects ( a fairly basic / uncontroversial point I think!) New loads (...looking at you data centers) necessarily push you along the cost curve. All else being equal, RE used for data centers means more expensive RE for everyone else. Not rocket science.

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

Rest in Peace Tim Read MP. It's rare to find politicians with his level of integrity and willingness to both fight the good fight and work with different parties to get real outcomes. You will be missed.

Pat Simons
@patsimons.bsky.social

This is why refusing to get AI pilled is important for the climate movement

Tim Hollo@timhollo.bsky.social

I keep hearing this idea that "I don't like AI, but maybe it can solve climate change" and I just... what? Surely there is nothing about "solving" climate change that needs more computing power or ideas. It's purely about the interaction of power structures and social realities. Can we not?

Pat Simons reposted

Tim Hollo
@timhollo.bsky.social

I keep hearing this idea that "I don't like AI, but maybe it can solve climate change" and I just... what? Surely there is nothing about "solving" climate change that needs more computing power or ideas. It's purely about the interaction of power structures and social realities. Can we not?

Pat Simons reposted

Royce Kurmelovs
@roycerk2.bsky.social

Compare these "free fire zones" to the mandatory consultation requirements applied to commercial wind and solar projects that force companies to consult within a similar radius.

Matt Dennien@mattdennien.bsky.social

People & groups more than 125km from proposed mining projects would be blocked from making formal objections to lease applications, under draft laws overhauling the process the Qld govt says are needed to stop delays. Criticism already flowing from enviro groups, Greens MP

brisbanetimes.com.au‘Fossil fuel free-for-all’: Queensland to block ‘activists’ from objecting to mining leasesThe laws would prohibit objections from anyone living more than 125km away from a mining project, while also limiting the grounds for challenges.

Pat Simons reposted

Climate Action Merribek
@camerribek.bsky.social

The late John Englart was remembered yesterday in a moving and simple ceremony when his portrait was unveiled at Fawkner Community centre Maggie Cowling, who painted the portrait, explained what she had tried to achieve in the portrait, especially capturing John’s vision.