Rex Patrick

I now conclude my time as a Senator in the Federal Parliament. It’s been such a privilege to represent South Australia. Unconstrained by party lines, I never held back and I never voted against my conscience. I’m proud of what my team and I achieved. No regrets! #auspol

It’s great to see Senator @DavidPocock has convinced the Senate to order the Govt to hand over its response to a House Committee’s June 2023 report on online gambling. The question is, will the Govt snub the Senate? My #FOI appeal nows stand as the backup option.🥊#auspol

Oh, the juxtaposition created by govt flouting #FOI laws to prevent you seeing information about what they’re doing (which you are entitled to see) and the total lack of rules to prevent political parties releasing information they hold about you. #auspol theguardian.com/technology/202…

A new 50 year treaty level defence agreement between Australia and the UK may make everyone feel really good in parliamentary hallways, but it wont change the risk profile of the submarine programs being conducted in US and UK shipyards. #AUKUS #auspol theguardian.com/world/2025/jul…

Sometimes an #FOI turns up something you didn’t ask for, but which reassures you that everything is working just as it always has - like News Corp wandering the ministerial halls of a newly re-elected government. #influence #auspol

Where and how the Govt will dispose of #AUKUS nuclear waste is being kept from everyday Australians; not because of any military secrecy needs, but because it’s political plutonium. Not one of the Govt’s 14,651 documents dealing with the topic is being shared. #FOI #auspol

In 2024 the Govt refused me access to a Maugean Skate preliminary brief on bogus grounds. After they wasted $50K, the ART overturned the refusal. In 2025 the Govt refused me access to a final brief on the same bogus grounds. I’m back in the ART 🤦‍♂️. #auspol michaelwest.com.au/groundhog-day-…

Exactly what won’t @AlboMP do to please Emperor Trump? #auspol

Fair enough! If Twiggy’s not going to proceed with a Gladstone Hydrogen Plant, he should return the $60M in taxpayers’ fund he received for the project. But if the US doesn’t proceed with #AUKUS subs, why do they get to keep the $4.7B we’re pouring into US shipyards? #auspol

In May @aergovau lifted default electricity prices in NSW 9%, Qld 4% and SA 3%. Given so many people were already struggling with their energy bills, I asked Dept of Social Security what analysis they’d done on the social impact of the price hike. Answer: None 🤷‍♂️ #auspol

The duopoly has just joined forces to oppose disclosure of conditions relating to the provisional approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf extension. #Transparency isn’t about which side of the argument you sit, it’s about being informed in the argument. #disappointing #auspol

What an indictment! @AlboMP’s Govt is more secretive than ScoMo’s. Even though he doesn’t personally make #FOI decisions, secrecy of Govt is a cultural issue. The PM sets the culture. Govt info is generated for public purpose and is paid for by the public. It’s our info! #auspol

Algae politics have ramped up as our leaders realise there’s further devastation to come. But their belated $28M ‘response package’ won’t stop the current bloom, or the next bloom. That will require much more significant action. #saparli #auspol michaelwest.com.au/algae-politics…

Until now, the $24B Medical Research Future Fund has operated in total secrecy. Taxpayers’ money was being thrown around inside a ‘corruption incubator’. After a 4 year #FOI battle I’ve had a massive transparency win that opens the fund’s grants up to scrutiny 💥🎉💪. 1/2 #auspol

“Nothing unusual” says @AlboMP. That’s is, there’s nothing unusual about $800M more in cash being sent to US shipbuilders, bringing the total gift (so far) to $1.6B - with no guarantee of sub delivery and no refund possible. Trump must think we’re absolute suckers #AUKUS #auspol

The WA and Federal Governments (that’s YOU) are to pay more than half a billion for the clean-up of Chevron’s Barrow Island oil fields, returning about half the royalties received over six decades. #auspol michaelwest.com.au/australian-tax…

The first (Senate) debating sentence by the Labor Party in the 48th Parliament … “The Albanese Government will not be supporting the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill”. #auspol