Second part: a senior figure in Young New Zealand First has ties to a neo-Nazi group and online accounts that praised Adolf Hitler www.thepress.co.nz/politics/361...

NZ First youth leader linked to neo-Nazi network

A senior figure in New Zealand First’s youth wing has links to neo-Nazi groups and online accounts praising Adolf Hitler, an investigation by The Press has found.

thepress.co.nz

Charlie Mitchell @comingupcharlie.bsky.social · 5d ago

Part one of my investigation into a group of young men trying to import “remigration” into New Zealand politics www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3610...

Just noting that the hypocrisy clock struck a few days ago when the Minister appointed people associated with the FSU to fill these positions. Apparently the FSU abandons its principles when developments are self-serving for their political benefit.

Kyle Matthews@kylermatthews.bsky.social · 2mo ago

I look forward to the Free Speech Union's outrage at a government minister not re-appointing council members of a regulatory body because of their freely held (and evidential!) opinions: www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360... I'll start the free speech hypocrisy clock now?

'Remigration' starts from the underbelly of racism that exists in Aotearoa and people's concerns about migrants that "don't look like us" and targets minority communities. It's often an entry point to far-right movements but it's also just hateful and intimidatory by itself so it has no place here.

Charlie Mitchell @comingupcharlie.bsky.social · 5d ago

Part one of my investigation into a group of young men trying to import “remigration” into New Zealand politics www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3610...

I found this ranking useful in terms of my starting point for InternetNZ board voting. I dragged one person up a couple of spots. Vote now!

Jason Danner@jpdanner.com · last wk.

Any #InternetNZ members who haven't already voted in the current board elections: VOTE! It is critical that you do. This is a thread of some useful recommendations a friend put together on how to think about your vote as well as a link to my suggested rankings. bsky.app/profile/jpda...

In our recent report on the NZTU (tinyurl.com/WhoCountsANZ) we noted that it had been deregistered from the Incorporated Societies Register, but that we didn't know why. Here is the answer: it's now a company with three shareholders (Williams, Farrar & Richardson) and five directors.

Terry Baucher@trabaq.bsky.social · last wk.

#nzpol The Taxpayers Union is now a company, the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Limited incorporated in February this year. (Most companies DON'T have to file accounts) Its three shareholders look familiar🙄 Here's the link to the Companies Office record. app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/ap...

Some comments about the appointment by Simeon Brown of Manoja Kalupahana and Roderick Mulgan, who are entangled with the Free Speech Union, to the Medical Council board, by someone who researches the FSU. First, one of the right's strategies is not to destroy the institutions of governance, but

This UK story remains an astounding documentation of the abuse of state power which has particularly targeted female activists. The NZ angle is particularly disappointing: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

How the Met police spent £2.5m hiding spycop from former partner

Spycops inquiry has revealed how Helen Steel was secretly monitored in her search for undercover officer who deceived her into relationship

theguardian.com

Wow, it’s as if the FSU uses the language of free speech selectively to shield favoured speakers and ideas from scrutiny, who could have predicted this www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...

Free Speech Union attacks reporter for asking minister questions

The Free Speech Union ‒ which exists to defend free speech ‒ has attacked a journalist for asking Health Minister Simeon Brown questions over email.

stuff.co.nz

Fix this headline. Minister appoints FSU backed Doctor with history of anti-Māori views and transphobia to Medical Council to replace those he saw as having an "ideological agenda". Not even hiding it here are they? www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...

Doctor at centre of free speech row appointed to Medical Council

Dr Manoja Kalupahana has been appointed by Health Minister Simeon Brown to the statutory body responsible for regulating New Zealand's 20,000 doctors.

stuff.co.nz

This is the ultimate end of taxpayer citizenship, which we talked about in our recent report on the NZ Taxpayers' Union - citizenship (voting) rights based on the amount of tax that you pay: tinyurl.com/WhoCountsANZ

Rachel Gilmore@rachelgilmore.bsky.social · last wk.

Very cool that Shopify’s CEO thinks the poor should have far less of a vote than the rich. Still worth that ad read money, folks?

Sentencing the symptom, sparing the source: New Zealand Law Commission’s hate crime report www.linkedin.com/pulse/senten... (LinkedIn) sanjanah.wordpress.com/2026/07/23/s... (WordPress) #nzpol

Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa@sanjanah.bsky.social · 2w ago

The Law Commission's Hate Crime review is finally out. Has a dozen recommendations. www.lawcom.govt.nz/our-work/hat... #nzpol

[Taxpayers’ Union] claim distorts impact of Greens' tax plan on households www.aap.com.au/factcheck/nz... via @aapfactcheck.bsky.social #nzpol #disinformation

NZ lobby group's claim distorts impact of Greens' tax plan on households

A Greens Party tax proposal primarily aimed at large companies and a small percentage of wealthy individuals is being misleadingly presented by a lobby group as a cost to every household.

aap.com.au

Labour needs to stop giving ACT and Henry free attention which will play right into their base. He’s a gibbering twit, of course he played this game. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

'Shoot, shag or marry' game was ACT candidate Paul Henry being authentic Seymour says

The ACT Party is accusing Labour of "manufactured outrage" after it complained about new candidate Paul Henry's participation in a risqué radio game.

rnz.co.nz

Prime minister is just denying maths now: www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

New Zealand 'on track for net zero', says prime minister

The prime minister insists New Zealand will meet its climate change targets, despite a report saying they are very much at risk of being missed.

rnz.co.nz

Excited that the latest article out of my PhD, '“Getting in Trouble” as a Scholar-Activist: Crossing the Line in Police–Activist Negotiations', is now out in Contention Journal: www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journal...

It is in the nature of fascist states to use 'counter-terrorism' to crack down on left-wing movements. In unrelated news: www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

US urges global crackdown on ‘far-left terrorism’ - NZ says focus on behaviour rather than labels

New Zealand's spy agency doesn't use 'left-wing' or 'right-wing' descriptors.

nzherald.co.nz

"The boss of Z Energy says his team "followed the instructions of government" when handing over a document to a former Beehive staffer with suggestions for a law change." www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic... Of course they did. The government was trying to avoid the OIA.

Missing climate briefing note: Z Energy boss speaks out

The boss of Z Energy says his team "followed the instructions of government" when handing over a document to a former Beehive staffer with suggestions for a law change.

rnz.co.nz

Of course this is the guy that keeps on 'giving'. ACT will be continuing to hope that the media don't profile exactly what they knew and didn't do on this story. www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-ac...

Former Act Party president admits fresh historical sex abuse charge

The charge was laid late last year.

nzherald.co.nz

What's the purpose of paying taxes? Are they a burden extracted from individuals, or a mechanism for collective care? Our research examines how the Taxpayers' Union constructs the purpose of taxation, and what that means for Aotearoa. tinyurl.com/WhoCountsANZ #NZPolitics #Aotearoa

The Taxpayers' Union doesn't just advocate for lower taxes. Our research found they actively construct a political identity, 'taxpayer citizenship', that promotes who deserves rights in Aotearoa. Here's what it's made of. 🔻 buff.ly/MIayuwQ #NZPolitics #Aotearoa #TaxpayerCitizenship

Taxpayer citizenship narrows democratic belonging in Aotearoa, but critique alone isn't enough. In our final video, we argue for an alternative: a model of citizenship grounded in universal rights, collective responsibility, and the constitutional promises of Te Tiriti

Here's the strategy: The Taxpayers' Union finds one example that sounds wasteful, then presents it as the 'tip of the iceberg'. When this is highlighted over and over, all government spending starts to sound like waste. But who decides what counts as waste? tinyurl.com/WhoCountsANZ #NZPolitics

Actions speak louder than words. Our research found the NZTU is largely silent when it comes to Te Tiriti, but campaigns hard against every attempt to enact its promises. Any serious account of citizenship in Aotearoa has to start with Te Tiriti. Video 4 in our series. 🔻

The tip of the iceberg strategy as used by the NZTU to label government spending as waste.

Avery Smith@averysmith.bsky.social · last mo.

#nzpol #Aotearoa

Wonder what never gets called 'wasetful' by the Taxpayers' Union? Billions in government spending get a free pass while research grants, mātauranga Māori, and local government get targeted. Our research shows the pattern. 🔻 buff.ly/MIayuwQ #nzpol #Aotearoa

Today's news that Jim Grenon has been ordered to pay costs to TVNZ and my friend and colleague @sanjanah.bsky.social is a genuine win for free speech in Aotearoa. If you don’t remember the (frankly, insane) details of this case, strap in and I’ll do my best 🧵 www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3610...

Billionaire must pay costs to TVNZ after funding ‘wholly unsuccessful defamation case’

The billionaire said he was not a “litigation funder” in “any commercial sense”.

stuff.co.nz

beneficiary spending cards are one of the inevitable outcomes of thinking that we get to control state spending at the far extremities - what beneficiaries spend their money on. It’s the ultimate ‘taxpayer citizenship’ that our research talks about and of course David Seymour is fawning about it.

Andrew Dickson@andrewdickson13.bsky.social · last mo.

1/7 Yet again, David Seymour provides an appalling, evidence-free policy. His new welfare reforms are built on a complete fantasy (shock!) and the machinery he’s designed will reliably break real bodies while completely missing the target. 🧵 andrewdicksonnz.substack.com/p/staining-t...

It is astounding how far behind Australia we are on rooftop solar power, despite our good conditions for solar. The unwillingness of govt to develop a scheme is key.

Sargent Salt & Pepa@giza009kkg.bsky.social · last mo.

Today’s the 1st of July, Mr Speaker, which means the cheaper #battery policy is officially one year old today. And I’m pleased to tell the house that 457,439 households have installed a cheaper #home battery since [then],” Bowen said #RenewableEnergy #auspol reneweconomy.com.au/one-in-17-au...

In the third video in our series on the NZ Taxpayers' Union, 'Who Counts as a Taxpayer' we take a dive into how the NZTU talks about the public service, particularly the language of the 'bloated bureaucracy'. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTc7... #nzpol

Who Counts as a Taxpayer? Video 3- Slashing the "Bloated Bureaucracy"

YouTube video by Who Counts as a Taxpayer

youtube.com

In our recently released research on the NZ Taxpayers’ Union we outline how they have centralised ‘taxpayers’ in public debates and how once you see this you will notice it everywhere. Here is our Minister for Climate Change directing local councils in the interests of ‘value for taxpayers’.