I just put my name & opinion to a submission on the bill below because I wanted to go on record that I oppose this racist bill that this government has NO MANDATE to pass. You have until 11.59pm tonight to tell this government of liars & racists to go get fucked

Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill - New Zealand Parliament

Public submissions are now being invited on this Bill

parliament.nz

If you think boot camps are a good idea because “something must be done” and are still open to engaging with the evidence, then plead read this article.

Jason Kemp@dialogcrm.bsky.social · 2y ago

“The research on boot camps, here and overseas, shows us that they are the worst criminal justice response we can take.”…. (Elizabeth Stanley professor of criminology) newsroom.co.nz/2024/03/10/p...

😬 I do not love this direction for "news". This is a puff piece, but it does feel like a bit of a slippery slope, especially in the current media landscape. #nzpol

Cities and towns of all sizes need to be doing this now. Passive cooling from more trees and plants is going to save lives in the years and decades to come. reasonstobecheerful.world/green-corrid...

How a Colombian City Cooled Dramatically in Just Three Years

With “green corridors” that mimic the natural forest, the Colombian city is driving down temperatures -- and could become five degrees cooler over the next few decades.

reasonstobecheerful.world

“The likes of The Platform and Reality Check Radio are poised to fill the gap left by ad-funded media's demise; they're amply bankrolled by dilettante millionaires, mystery money, and easily-fleeced cookers, and they can scale quickly.” So much this.

Josh | writer, painter, tinkerer@tworuru.com · 3y ago

If you think the wholesale destruction of mainstream media is bad, just look at what’s coming to replace it #nzpol 🇳🇿

Luxon probably should have checked in with Judith before he let Mitchell off the leash. www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/07/g...

Gang patch ban inconsistent with rights — Attorney-General

The Government's move to prohibit gang patches in public places would be inconsistent with the rights to expression, association and peaceful assembly, a report by the Attorney-General Judith Collins ...

1news.co.nz

When the PM is staying in his Wellington apartment, where do the DPS officers stay? What about electronic security and all the stuff that’s already set up at Premiere House? Are there extra costs because of that? What’s the bet the $52K is the small part of the whole thing?

In the Luxon accommodation supplement story, it’s worth remembering that he makes 4-5 million in capital appreciation *every year* on his property portfolio, including that Wellington apartment.

So we have a Minister accused of presenting tobacco industry talking points as policy, but she says she didn’t write them and won’t say who gave them to her. Then she blocks OIA attempts to find out. Meanwhile the smoke-free law gets repealed under urgency. How is this democracy?

Astroturfing NZ@astroturfingnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

Atlas-connected Minister accused of implementing tobacco industry policies by her own officials www.astroturfing.nz/atlas-connec...

WTAF? "In a statement, Costello said she did not agree with the Treaty analysis from health officials." Is she an expert on the Te Tiriti or something?

I hope Costello gets dragged in front of the Waitangi Tribunal for this. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello got warning of possible Treaty of Waitangi breach over smokefree law repeal

The minister in charge of tobacco regulation was warned repealing smokefree legislation would be seen as a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.

rnz.co.nz

Luxon poised to leave a legacy of shame and harm by repealing popular, evidence-based, and logical smokefree law. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

'Shameful': Researchers condemn smoking law repeal as bill hits the House

The bill was introduced under urgency as the Government's 100-day deadline nears.

nzherald.co.nz

“The Atlas network and tobacco companies must be thrilled with their investment.” The state of it.

Astroturfing NZ@astroturfingnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

Atlas-connected Minister accused of implementing tobacco industry policies by her own officials www.astroturfing.nz/atlas-connec...

It's not the deep state that's the threat - it's the shallow state. It's the astroturfers, lobbyists, corporate campaigning & the custard brained politicians who repeat their propaganda & ideology without question who are the threat. There's nothing deep about it. #nzpol

Urgent action needed to prevent a measles epidemic in Aotearoa New Zealand www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/urg...

Urgent action needed to prevent a measles epidemic in Aotearoa New Zealand

It is only a matter of time before an overseas case sparks an outbreak in Aotearoa New Zealand.

phcc.org.nz

Sometimes the fossil fuel industry works through the Atlas Network to get what they want, and sometimes they just go balls-out in plain view. This one is the latter. It’s amazing to think this is legal.

Astroturfing NZ@astroturfingnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

Usually fossil fuel interests are slightly more subtle in their attempts to subvert democracy. Bathurst 100% funded a spoiler candidate in the West Coast electorate and told their staff to vote for him. It worked. www.astroturfing.nz/big-coal-com...

Gender critical transphobes: “Yes, this is normal and good”

Melanie D’Arrigo@darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 3y ago

To protect young girls in sports, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman will want their genitals inspected by coaches and teachers before they can play. Is that how Republicans want to protect kids now? By humiliating and violating them?

Businesses can’t vote in our elections, so why do we even let them fund our politics?

Nick Young@nickofnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

This insidious influence is a significant threat to our democracy and the environment. Big coal miner bought West Coast election campaign newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/23/b... #nzpol

This looks like some pretty shady shit. Absolute bad faith from the government. “Government could bring forward bill to close Māori Health Authority, avoiding Waitangi Tribunal defence” www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350...

The whatnow?

Danielle, Petty Hate Machine@dimsie.bsky.social · 3y ago

Holy shit. The Waitangi Tribunal granted an urgent inquiry into the repeal of the Maori Health Authority which it planned to finish by March 8th when the bill was introduced (and its jurisdiction ends). The Crown has now said the bill could be introduced "as early as 27 February" #nzpol

literally a newsletter begging journalists to make the connection between beneficiary-bashing and the unemployment created *on purpose* by government-incited monetary policy: www.badnewsletter.com/say-it-loud-...

Say the quiet part loud, for once

Our system creates unemployment on purpose, while demonising the unemployed. You'd think journalists would ask politicians about it.

badnewsletter.com

Claiming a mercenary is paid to kill is about as outrageous as saying a teacher is paid to teach. Mitchell played on his overseas experience to become elected, so why shouldn’t his experience be open to examination?

Labour’s Ginny Andersen claims Police Minister was ‘paid to kill people’ while working in private security overseas

Labour police spokeswoman Ginny Andersen now says her statement went too far .

rnz.co.nz

Gosh, who could have predicted this: "...international credit rating agency S&P Global has placed 15 NZ councils on negative credit watch, in response to last week’s repeal of the water reforms"? newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/20/c... #nzpol

Councils placed on negative credit watch due to Three Waters repeal

Twenty-one city and district councils face paying millions more in interest. Jonathan Milne reports.

newsroom.co.nz

Srsly, I am begging for a gallery journalist to learn how the benefit system works so that when this happens at a presser "The Minister says Jobseeker does not have a sickness element and old sickness benefit falls under Supported Living" they can say, "No, it doesn't, that's a lie"

Heh

Astroturfing NZ@astroturfingnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

It’s becoming almost comical how many shitty things end up with an Atlas Network connection.

Astroturfing NZ@astroturfingnz.bsky.social · 3y ago

Those three new anti-mandate astroturf unions aimed at doctors, nurses and teachers? You'll never guess who's behind them.

Shane Jones said he was "horrified" by recent court rulings and accused the nation's top judges of having "flexed their muscles" in the Mike Smith case. When Stuart Nash criticised court rulings, Christopher Luxon called for him to be sacked from Cabinet. newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/19/s...

Shane Jones criticised over attack on Supreme Court ruling

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who called for Labour's Stuart Nash to be sacked when he criticised court rulings, didn't respond to a request for comment.

newsroom.co.nz

The linked article is fascinating, and is certainly something we should be looking at much more widely.

Michele Bannister@astrokiwi.bsky.social · 3y ago

So, when does the native reforestation of the Port Hills kick up a gear? "A video of [ecologist Tim Curran's] plant barbecue shows gorse igniting like a torch while broadleaf/kāpuka doesn’t even smoulder. (He’s now tested 550 plant species)."