The Yarn

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Republicans received just 32 per cent of the Jewish vote in the 2026 midterms after Donald Trump spent his second presidency making Israel one of the central priorities of US foreign policy, maintaining billions in military support and taking America into war with Iran alongside Israel. Democrats received 67 per cent. The US already provides Israel about US$3.8 billion a year in military assistance under the current long-term agreement. Trump then went further, committing American forces to the Iran war and absorbing the political cost at home. After all of that, Republicans still failed to win even one-third of Jewish voters and performed virtually no better than Trump did in 2024. That is the contradiction the Republican establishment cannot ignore. America First voters were promised fewer foreign wars, action on the border, transparency over Jeffrey Epstein and a government focused on problems at home. Instead, Israel and another Middle Eastern war consumed enormous political attention while younger conservatives became increasingly hostile to the direction of US foreign policy. Republicans then lost both chambers of Congress. Israel was not the sole cause, but the political return is impossible to miss: billions spent, American military power committed, a divided Republican base, and 67 per cent of Jewish voters still choosing Democrats. If America First is going to mean anything, Republican leaders will have to explain why this foreign-policy commitment keeps taking priority over the voters who actually put them in power. Subscribe: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

Ashley Paul Griffith held a Blue Card and reassured parents about child safety while working as a Brisbane childcare director. He later admitted committing 307 sexual offences against 69 young girls. Warnings had been raised, yet the safeguards intended to protect children failed to stop him. Griffith was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2024, and NSW Police have since laid another 202 charges concerning 23 children. Those latest allegations remain unproven. In The Pedo Files #003, I’ve examined how a convicted child sex offender remained in positions of trust, the warnings that preceded his arrest and the institutional failures exposed by an independent investigation. The full investigation is now available to paid subscribers. Your support also helps fund my ongoing Freedom of Information investigations. theyarnau.substack.com/p/the…

In 1986, St Ann’s Special School in Adelaide hired Brian Perkins to drive children with intellectual disabilities, many of whom had limited ability to communicate abuse. What the school failed to discover was that he already had three convictions for offences involving children and sexual misconduct. No police check was conducted. Perkins drove students without another adult present and was given further access to children through school activities and respite care. In 1991, police searched his home and seized photographs of unclothed schoolboys. Perkins was present during the search but was neither interviewed nor charged. He later absconded, and when police located him in Queensland in 1998, they declined to seek his extradition. Perkins eventually pleaded guilty to five sexual offences involving three St Ann’s students. In September 2003, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. A Royal Commission subsequently exposed failures by the school, Catholic authorities and police, while 38 families received a combined $2.3 million under a separate compensation arrangement. The second edition of The Pedo Files examines the criminal record that was never checked, evidence that went unexamined and the years families spent demanding answers. Read the full investigation through The Yarn’s paid Substack subscription: theyarnau.substack.com

A three-year-old exchange involving tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson has resurfaced after Robinson, his wife and their two young children were among nine people killed in a Learjet crash in Florida on 1 November. Robinson founded Retention.com and RB2B, businesses built around identity-resolution technology capable of turning otherwise anonymous website traffic into identifiable people, business emails, LinkedIn profiles and other information. He repeatedly promoted a bootstrapped model, publicly stating that Retention.com reached more than $20 million in annual recurring revenue without venture-capital funding. The renewed attention centres on a July 2023 X exchange in which entrepreneur Ron Shah wrote: “If your SAAS company isn’t being built in Tel Aviv you’re NGMI.” Robinson replied simply: “I guess I’m dead.” Screenshots of the exchange are now circulating widely following his death. The timing has fuelled speculation online about Robinson’s independence, his technology and the meaning of the old exchange. None of that currently establishes any connection to the crash, however, and there is no evidence from investigators that Robinson was deliberately targeted. The National Transportation Safety Board says the Learjet 60 encountered icing, moderate turbulence and precipitation before entering a catastrophic descent. Investigators have also found evidence suggesting the aircraft may have begun breaking apart before impact, but the investigation remains open and no final cause has been determined. Robinson died alongside his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, and five others. Whatever ultimately emerges from the investigation, the resurfaced 2023 exchange is real enough to attract attention, but any claim that it explains why the aircraft crashed remains speculation. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

Willie Arthur Mareko, a former Hamilton Island resident, was sentenced to fourteen years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to eighteen Commonwealth offences involving the sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines. Over approximately three and a half years, Mareko used social media to contact women overseas and arrange access to children being sexually abused in exchange for money. Some of the youngest children involved were aged between three and five. Financial intelligence identified more than 826 transfers totalling nearly $50,000 to the Philippines, although his defence disputed that every payment was connected to the offending. The investigation extended beyond Mareko. Four people were arrested in the Philippines following an international police referral, and ten children aged between two and sixteen were removed from harm. Authorities also identified a wider network of people in Australia purchasing child exploitation material. This is Edition #001 of The Pedo Files, my ongoing investigative series documenting the criminal histories of people convicted of sexual offences against children. The full investigation examines the convictions, financial records, sentencing and international investigation, with the complete article available exclusively to paid subscribers. Read The Pedo Files on Substack: theyarnau.substack.com/p/the…

Australia maintains registers of convicted child sex offenders, yet there is no single national register that Australians can freely search. Public access remains restricted, with different rules determining what information can be obtained depending on the state or territory. Meanwhile, the criminal histories of people convicted of sexually abusing children are scattered across court records, sentencing decisions and news reports, many of which have long since disappeared from public attention. I am launching a new investigative series through The Yarn called The Pedo Files, dedicated to examining and exposing the documented criminal histories of Australians convicted of sexual offences against children. This will not be a series reserved for notorious offenders whose crimes attracted national headlines. It will extend to lesser-known individuals whose convictions received little attention beyond their local communities, because the seriousness of an offence is not determined by how much publicity the offender received. Each investigation will carry a permanent edition number, beginning with #001, and examine an individual offender’s convictions, the circumstances in which the crimes were committed, how the offending was uncovered, the evidence and findings established in court, the sentence imposed and any subsequent appeal outcomes. Where the available evidence reveals institutional failures, ignored warnings, mishandled complaints or opportunities to protect children that were missed, those circumstances will receive the same scrutiny as the offender’s actions. These investigations will be confronting, detailed and uncompromising. I have no intention of diminishing the seriousness of child sexual abuse through vague descriptions that leave readers unable to comprehend what actually occurred. Where the facts can be lawfully published, they will be examined in their full context, while protecting victims’ identities and distinguishing proven offences from allegations. Every investigation will be built on verifiable records, because exposing serious criminal conduct demands evidence that can withstand scrutiny. The complete investigations will be published exclusively for paid subscribers on The Yarn’s Substack. Shorter public reports will appear on Facebook, Instagram and Substack Notes, introducing each case and directing readers to the full investigation. This series has no predetermined conclusion, and the selection of cases will not depend on an offender’s wealth, occupation, public standing or notoriety. The Pedo Files is an ongoing examination of Australia’s convicted child sex offenders, the crimes established against them and the systems responsible for protecting children. Subscribe to follow the series: theyarnau.substack.com⁠

French presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann has backed a proposal to grant legal residency to approximately 300,000 undocumented migrants if elected in 2027, supporting a major expansion of immigration regularisation as France confronts continuing political divisions over border control and national sovereignty. The Socialist Party legislation, introduced on 6 October 2026, would automatically grant residency and work authorisation to foreign nationals who demonstrate at least six months of employment within the previous two years, regardless of how long they have lived in France. Parliamentary documents estimate that between 300,000 and 400,000 undocumented workers could qualify, significantly weakening the restrictions governing their current immigration status. Socialist Party spokesman Romain Eskenazi has defended the proposal, arguing that undocumented workers are essential to France’s economy and public services. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally has rejected the measure, with MP Laurent Jacobelli demanding “zero regularisation” and warning that immigration has already reached unsustainable levels. The legislation is scheduled for parliamentary consideration on 19 November. The proposal would effectively reward hundreds of thousands of people who entered or remained in France without lawful residency by granting them legal status after just six months of employment. Its supporters present the measure as economic necessity, yet the legislation would establish a substantial new pathway to residency without requiring a minimum period of lawful residence. France’s voters are entitled to demand an immigration system governed by enforceable entry requirements, transparent eligibility standards and democratic consent rather than successive political decisions to retrospectively legalise unlawful residence. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

Australians are working harder, earning more and carrying greater financial burdens, yet achieving a comfortable standard of living is becoming increasingly difficult in one of the world’s most resource-rich nations. I’ve launched The Cost of Being Australian, a seven-part investigative series examining our monetary system, government expenditure, taxation, resource wealth, energy costs, housing affordability and the reforms needed to rebuild Australia’s prosperity. The first article examines why earning more money doesn’t necessarily mean getting ahead. I’ll be publishing a new instalment each day, with the entire series available to read completely free. I want Australians to better understand the economic systems shaping their lives and question whether those systems are delivering the prosperity this country should be capable of achieving. Subscribe for free and share the series. Read Part 1: theyarnau.substack.com/p/why…

Meaghers Hotel in Ballarat East has been targeted in an anti-One Nation vandalism attack, with obscene political slogans sprayed across the historic pub, private vehicles and campaign advertising for One Nation’s Eureka candidate, Paul Ballinger. Photographs show repeated messages attacking One Nation, accusations of racism and extensive graffiti covering the hotel’s doors, windows and exterior. At least two vehicles were also defaced, while Ballinger’s election poster was covered in paint. Local supporter Anthony Koop publicly condemned the destruction, despite openly supporting One Nation himself, urging those who want political change to campaign, volunteer or stand for election rather than damage other people’s property. With Victoria’s state election approaching on 28 November, the vandalism exposes an ugly form of political intolerance in which expressing support for a lawful political party can make ordinary businesses and residents targets for intimidation and abuse. Disagreement is a fundamental democratic right, but destroying private property because somebody supports a different political party demonstrates contempt for the very freedoms political activists claim to defend. The hypocrisy of the self-proclaimed tolerant left deserves particular scrutiny when political hostility takes this form. Those who continually lecture Australians about progress, inclusion, respect and acceptance cannot credibly defend those principles while excusing intimidation, aggression or criminal damage directed at political opponents. The perpetrators’ identities and affiliations remain unconfirmed, but anyone prepared to justify this destruction because its target is One Nation exposes the selective nature of their tolerance. A political movement that claims to represent a more progressive and respectful society should be the first to condemn such conduct, rather than allowing ideological hostility to become an excuse for destroying other people’s property. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

Senior The Age journalist Michael Bachelard is facing questions about his editorial independence following his latest scrutiny of Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, with documented records revealing his participation in an overseas study tour sponsored by the influential Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC). On 22 October, Bachelard published a fact-check challenging Roberts-Smith’s interview with Ben Fordham, drawing on findings from the former SAS soldier’s defamation battle against Nine newspapers. Those same publications were defendants in the litigation, giving the organisation a direct institutional interest in the dispute. Roberts-Smith continues to defend five war crime murder charges, which he denies, while attempting to rebuild his life and support his family. Bachelard’s external relationships also warrant examination. On 27 November 2018, J-Wire confirmed his participation in AIJAC’s Rambam Israel Fellowship, publishing photographs alongside executive director Colin Rubenstein. Bachelard subsequently addressed an AIJAC function and thanked the organisation for arranging the visit. The programme provides sponsored overseas study opportunities, although the financial value of his individual arrangements remains undisclosed. In September 2026, Bachelard co-authored an investigation concerning the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, quoting AIJAC representative Rabbi Ralph Genende. The church strongly disputed the reporting, accusing Bachelard of selectively presenting religious teachings and pursuing a longstanding pattern of hostile coverage. The involvement of a representative from an organisation that previously sponsored his travel makes editorial disclosure and transparency particularly relevant. Roberts-Smith served Australia in Afghanistan, received the nation’s highest military honour and remains entitled to defend himself against serious criminal allegations. His supporters are equally entitled to scrutinise the accuracy, fairness and institutional interests of journalists challenging his account. Nine’s previous litigation against Roberts-Smith makes rigorous editorial independence particularly important. Nine must explain what financial benefits accompanied Bachelard’s 2018 trip, whether relevant editors approved the arrangement, what disclosure policies applied and how potential conflicts were managed in subsequent reporting. It should also account for the standards applied when its journalists assess someone with whom the organisation has already fought a major legal battle. Journalists who demand accountability from decorated soldiers, religious organisations and public officials cannot exempt their own professional relationships and editorial decisions from equivalent scrutiny. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

The Albanese Government has selected a former Labor attorney-general to lead Australia’s federal corruption watchdog, following the resignation of its inaugural commissioner over a conflict-of-interest scandal. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland announced on 19 October that Robert McClelland, a former Labor MP and minister under Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, would become the next National Anti-Corruption Commissioner in January 2027. His predecessor, Paul Brereton, resigned after an independent inspector found he had improperly managed a conflict of interest involving Robodebt royal commission referrals. The watchdog had controversially declined to investigate six individuals referred over one of Australia’s most serious public administration scandals. Despite mounting criticism over its effectiveness, transparency and expenditure, Labor has now chosen one of its own former cabinet ministers to oversee investigations into serious Commonwealth corruption. McClelland received unanimous parliamentary committee approval, but his extensive political history makes independence and conflict-of-interest safeguards essential. The institution established to hold powerful officials accountable must now demonstrate that political connections will never determine who gets investigated. Australians are entitled to a corruption watchdog capable of scrutinising the government that appointed its commissioner, without favour, interference or preferential treatment. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.

No better place to wash your underwear than at a beach full of people. 🇮🇳 - Halong Bay, Vietnam

Melbourne fashion week. 👩🏿👳🏾‍♂️🧕🏿🧔🏿‍♀️👩🏿‍🦳🧕🏾

Australia’s preferential voting system is exposing the political alliances and ideological divisions that campaign slogans often conceal. While parties publicly attack one another, the election results reveal where their supporters ultimately direct their votes. The Australian Electoral Commission’s official 2025 federal election results show that 88.2% of Greens preferences flowed to Labor over the Coalition, while 74.5% of One Nation preferences flowed to the Coalition over Labor. These aren’t political opinions. They’re the recorded choices of Australian voters. The policy connections deserve equal scrutiny. Labor and the Greens have found common ground on climate legislation and housing expenditure, including negotiating an additional $3 billion for public and community housing. The Coalition and One Nation share positions on reducing immigration and challenging aspects of Australia’s energy transition, despite substantial disagreements over their respective policies. Michael Arbon has raised an important point about the popular “Put Labor Last” slogan. In electorates where Labor and the Greens are competing for the final positions, preference rankings can determine which candidate survives elimination. Putting Labor last does not automatically defeat the broader political agenda a voter may oppose. Depending on the electorate, it could contribute to a Greens victory instead. The critical distinction is between political rhetoric, actual parliamentary cooperation and the preferences voters record themselves. Parties can oppose one another publicly while agreeing on major legislation, just as voters can favour parties that have no formal alliance. Australians deserve to understand precisely how their electoral system works, which policies parties genuinely share and where their preferences can ultimately end up. The political consequences are determined by the numbers on the ballot, not the slogans printed on campaign material. Register and become a member: newsycle.com Become a supporter via the links in our bio.