The recent election results have brought a particularly satisfying outcome that’s worth celebrating over my afternoon batch brew. The far-right Trumpet of Patriots party has achieved what they’ve been promising all along - net zero. Though probably not quite in the way they intended.

It’s fascinating to watch how our democratic system naturally filters out the extreme elements. While we’ve seen concerning rises of far-right movements in various parts of the world, our preferential voting system and mandatory voting continue to act as powerful buffers against political extremism.

Tonight marked the end of an era in Australian democracy. Watching Antony Green’s final election coverage brought a lump to my throat, especially seeing him awkwardly clutching those flowers and admitting he didn’t own a vase. It was a perfect encapsulation of the man who has been the steady hand guiding us through election nights for over three decades.

Most viewers only see the polished presenter explaining complex electoral data with his trademark touchscreen and calm demeanor. But behind that familiar face lies an extraordinary legacy of innovation and dedication. When Green started in 1989, election counting involved rooms full of people manually tallying votes via telephone. He revolutionized the process by developing software systems that transformed Australian electoral coverage into the efficient, transparent process we know today.

The recent call by Peter Dutton telling his supporters to ignore certain media outlets rings eerily familiar bells. Standing at a podium, directing followers to disregard specific news sources while promoting others feels like a carbon copy of political tactics we’ve witnessed overseas - and not in a good way.

Living in the digital age means we have unprecedented access to diverse news sources. The ABC, The Guardian, and other independent outlets play crucial roles in our media landscape, providing necessary counterpoints to the dominant commercial narratives. When a political leader actively discourages engagement with these sources, it should concern every citizen who values democratic discourse.

The irony wasn’t lost on me when I read that “oligarchy” has become a trending search term following Biden’s farewell speech. Nothing quite captures the state of our democracy like citizens having to Google the very system that’s threatening it.

Looking through online discussions, the mix of dark humor and genuine concern perfectly encapsulates our current moment. Between references to “Idiocracy” and serious debates about wealth inequality, there’s a palpable sense that we’re approaching a critical juncture in history.

The tech world has taken quite a turn lately, hasn’t it? Meta’s recent announcement about dropping fact-checking, combined with Zuckerberg’s peculiar image transformation and Tim Cook’s political donations, paints a disturbing picture of where we’re heading.

From my desk in Richmond, watching these tech billionaires realign themselves feels like observing the final act of a particularly grim play. Gone are the days when Silicon Valley at least pretended to care about making the world a better place. Now, it’s all about naked power grabs and political maneuvering.