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Episode 500: 11 Years of Iron Fist and Velvet Glove Reflections

Trevor (“Iron Fist”), Scott (“Velvet Glove”), and Joe (“the tech guy”) mark episode 500 after 11 years, reflect on how their views have changed, and thank Patreon supporters who have covered production costs. They discuss growing skepticism about governments and media, arguing mainstream outlets filter narratives and that Gaza especially has exposed media failures, pushing them toward Twitter and independent blogs. They describe increased polarization, tribal thinking, and how COVID accelerated denial of expertise and conspiracy thinking in Australia. They revisit recurring themes from past episodes—religion in politics, Liberal Party branch-stacking by religious fundamentalists, free trade agreements, submarines/AUKUS, and stalled economic reforms like negative gearing and capital gains—contrasting these with “soft issue” wins such as marriage equality, voluntary assisted dying, and abortion law reform. Trevor plans a break for months, possibly shifting to writing and using Discord/community forums.

00:00 Episode 500 Kickoff

00:58 Hosts Introductions

01:52 Patreon Thanks Rollcall

06:23 Break Plans Ahead

07:06 Iran US Reality Flip

12:16 Views Changed Over Years

14:42 Changing Minds And Tribes

16:45 Media Trust And Propaganda

20:12 Religion Politics Flashbacks

25:11 Trade Deals And Submarines

29:18 Tax Reform Stuck Again

31:04 COVID And Conspiracy Spiral

33:46 COVID and Expert Trust

35:20 Radicalization and Simple Answers

36:01 Learning to Debate Ideas

37:32 Gaza as Societal Proof

40:36 War Crimes and Tribal Loyalty

43:00 Assange and Media Failures

44:54 Wins and Soft Issues

47:13 Lobbying Captures Politics

51:17 Old Topics and Culture Wars

01:00:13 Captured Media and Finding Sources

01:03:50 Taking a Break and Next Steps

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

• a per-episode donation via Patreon or
• one-off donation via credit card; or
• one-off or regular donations via Paypal or
• if you are into Cryptocurrency you can send Satoshis.

We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.

We have a website. www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

You can email us. The address is trevor@ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

Here is what AI thinks this episode is about:

This podcast episode meticulously examines the ongoing discourse surrounding pivotal global events, with a particular focus on the recent arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith, a highly decorated Australian serviceman accused of heinous acts during military operations. We delve into the intricacies of public perception regarding military conduct, interrogating the moral obligations of civilians to critique actions undertaken in the theatre of war. Furthermore, we analyse the tumultuous geopolitical landscape, spotlighting the escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the immediate repercussions of Israel's military actions in Lebanon. This episode aspires to provide a candid, intelligent analysis of these pressing issues, while also reflecting on the broader implications they hold for international relations and domestic narratives. As we approach our milestone episode 500, we invite listeners to engage with these complex themes as we endeavour to uncover the realities of our world.

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

• a per-episode donation via Patreon or
• one-off donation via credit card; or
• one-off or regular donations via Paypal or
• if you are into Cryptocurrency you can send Satoshis.

We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.

We have a website. www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

You can email us. The address is trevor@ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

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Iron Fist, Velvet Glove Episode 498: One Nation Surge, Resource Taxes, and Trading on Trump’s War Talk

Trevor and Scott mark episode 498 and discuss the South Australia election where One Nation won 22.5% of the vote but about 8.5% of seats, prompting debate over electoral systems and proportional representation, while noting Liberals fell to about 19% and Labor won 72% of seats from 37% of votes; they cite backing and amplification for One Nation from Gina Rinehart, News Corp/Sky, Barnaby Joyce networks, and coordinated social media. They critique a Reserve Bank rate rise amid fuel-driven inflation and argue for higher resource taxes, referencing a proposed 25% gas export levy and Norway’s 78% tax. On Iran/Israel, they debate Australia’s involvement (UAE defensive assets and Pine Gap), play clips alleging a US Tomahawk strike hit an Iranian school killing 165 girls, criticize Israeli actions in Gaza/Lebanon/West Bank, and question media coverage. They then discuss claims Trump’s announcements move markets, citing a large pre-announcement futures trade and suspicions of profiting. They close noting episode 500 may bring a break and mention Japan’s PM laying flowers for the Nagasaki bomber pilot.

00:00 Show Intro

01:29 Trump And Project 2025

02:27 Would You Visit America

04:21 South Australia Election Shock

06:17 Vote Share Vs Seats

07:16 Proportional Representation Debate

14:14 One Nation Backers And Media

21:23 Global Populism And Protests

22:11 Rate Rise And Fuel Inflation

25:43 Taxing Gas And Mining Giants

28:34 Climate Costs And Sea Levels

29:32 Pivot To Iran And Israel

31:32 Australia in the War

32:17 Pine Gap Target Debate

33:51 Troops on Ground Red Line

35:16 School Bombing Breakdown

39:39 Intentional or Mistake

43:10 Media Silence in Australia

45:54 Israel Society and Lebanon

51:41 Gaza Doctor Testimony

55:56 Trump Peace Talk Claims

59:00 Trading on Announcements

01:03:07 Missile False Flag Story

01:05:44 Wrap Up and Next Topics

To financially support the Podcast you can make:

• a per-episode donation via Patreon or
• one-off donation via credit card; or
• one-off or regular donations via Paypal or
• if you are into Cryptocurrency you can send Satoshis.

We Livestream every Monday night at 7:30 pm Brisbane time. Follow us on Facebook or YouTube. Watch us live and join the discussion in the chat room.

We have a website. www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au

You can email us. The address is trevor@ironfistvelvetglove.com.au