Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs; Member for Gellibrand. Authorised: Tim Watts, Australian Labor Party, 455 Melbourne Rd Newport.https://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3mgsvmpoy3s2wThere are just two Liberal MPs in the Chamber as Anne Aly delivers a Ministerial Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.11 Mar 2026 22:09 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgsvmpoy3s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3mbaq2peikc2hWhile there has been a drum beat of op eds heralding the end of long form reading in the face of increasing AI adoption and decreasing attention spans this year, I’ve found the opposite in my own reading life in 2025. I’ve read more - and in more depth - this year than in a long time. Highlights:31 Dec 2025 01:36 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbaq2peikc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3m6sagmcmgc2hTragically I polished off “Bedtime Stories for Cricket Tragics” in a session this weekend. Felt like a ten year old again obsessing about test cricketers from a century ago. Thankfully there are plenty more stories to come… starting the clock on Vol 2 now @finalwordcricket.bsky.social29 Nov 2025 20:29 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6sagmcmgc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3m67iyq26a22tMoral victory #Ashes22 Nov 2025 09:41 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m67iyq26a22thttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3m4tdhgo3e22sSo happy to see Race Around the World coming back. An iconic Australian TV Series. Well done ABC! https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-05/race-around-the-world-2026-abc-how-to-apply/105941288?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=link04 Nov 2025 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4tdhgo3e22shttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3m34wr4kadc2lIt’s always a pleasure to share a conversation over a meal with Shashi Tharoor - but particularly when he comes bearing books! It was wonderful to be able to welcome Shashi back to Melbourne and to talk cricket, books and international affairs (I promise that I only mentioned Alyssa Healy once).14 Oct 2025 04:54 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m34wr4kadc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lzfhusqvtk26Today the House Education Committee launched a new inquiry into Australia’s Asia Capability: lnkd.in/gzadKje9 Australians have long known that our future security and prosperity will be determined in our region, the Indo-Pacific.22 Sep 2025 03:31 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzfhusqvtk26https://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lxxlueawsc23Some inconvenient research for the conspiracy theorists: “The voting behaviour of Indian Australians reveals a sophisticated and pragmatic approach to electoral participation.” https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/understanding-australia-indian-communities-statistical-snapshot.pdf03 Sep 2025 21:40 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxxlueawsc23https://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lxqzk6cnck25Ok ABC Radio National, you know how to get me to bite!📚 Voting opened today in RN’s Top 100 Books of the past 25 years and I couldn’t help voting early. What's your favourite book of this century so far? Vote now: bit.ly/45rGkgE #RadioNational #Top100Books01 Sep 2025 06:56 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxqzk6cnck25https://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lxeb6cj4fs2eAll the world’s a stage - including Australian Parliament House! A lovely change of pace this morning when Bell Shakespeare gave a pop up performance of scenes from Romeo and Juliet in the Marble Foyer this morning.27 Aug 2025 05:08 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxeb6cj4fs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lks7ogpbzs2vThe great historian of Australia's relationship with Asia, David Walker, once recounted how in 1966, a newly elected Andrew Peacock burnished his leadership credentials by taking up the cause of Asian engagement - 'a proven topic for earnest statements with visionary appeal' even then.20 Mar 2025 07:51 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lks7ogpbzs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lkrzjzkcz22pAustralia's economic, strategic and community connections with India have never been stronger or more important. Which makes it all the more extraordinary that Peter Dutton didn't mention India once in his Foreign Policy "vision speech" today.20 Mar 2025 06:01 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkrzjzkcz22phttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lei4d6ldak2fSince it's that time of the year, a selection of books that I've particularly enjoyed throughout 2024...29 Dec 2024 22:53 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lei4d6ldak2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3le67d62t4s2fMost unlikely debut test innings since Ashton Agar #ausvind26 Dec 2024 00:21 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3le67d62t4s2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lbypuhierc2dA bit of a thrill to meet the Australian and Indian players in the PM's XI game at Parliament House. I told Virat Kohli that I support Royal Challengers in the IPL because it's the only opportunity I get to legitimately barrack for him.28 Nov 2024 09:10 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbypuhierc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lbsgwhsuhs2bFirst #APHBasketball post of the BlueSky!25 Nov 2024 21:14 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbsgwhsuhs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lbqlcegc4c2mChoose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #Books #BookSky 📚📚📚 #BookChallenge 1/2025 Nov 2024 03:27 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbqlcegc4c2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3lb2arsdst52dEveryone is raving about it, so let me join in - the @MelbTheatreCo production of My Brilliant Career is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. An Australian story, a universal story - it deserves success as great as its ambition. It will fill your heart.16 Nov 2024 06:20 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb2arsdst52dhttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3laso6tg7wu2pIt was a privilege to catch up with author, diplomat, MP & public intellectual, Dr Shashi Tharoor at the Australia India Institute today. I thanked him for teaching Australians the meaning of the word 'epicaracy', during the last Indian test tour of Australia. Hoping to get use of it this summer!13 Nov 2024 05:59 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3laso6tg7wu2phttps://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3la5mycklhw24William Dalrymple's books have given me countless hours of entertainment and enlightenment so it was thrill for me to be able to meet him to say thank you. We had a typically wide-ranging chat about the world past and present .. and some Dalrymple ancestors. No spoilers for what's next!04 Nov 2024 21:12 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3la5mycklhw24https://bsky.app/profile/timwattsmp.bsky.social/post/3l6yxir2lor25A pleasure to catch up with Rory Stewart on his Australian tour to compare notes on global politics and political life. It's great to see Rory in Australia, but it does beg the question of why there isn't a @restispolitics Australia?21 Oct 2024 07:11 +0000at://did:plc:vqk7si4ugpxaenevgsoh4jfn/app.bsky.feed.post/3l6yxir2lor25