Last day today for Local Board 3 year plans! Ask for safe, connected walking, cycling and micro-mobility options, and be specific. Name the street, the intersection, the gap. How to submit: https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/07/20/quick-speak-up-for-local-board-three-year-plans/

Just today and tomorrow left, to back your Local Board to do great things in your local area! Feedback is open until this Thursday 23 July. @pippacoom.bsky.social spells out the power of a plan, plus some top tips for giving great feedback. www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/07/20/q...

Quick! Speak up for Local Board Three-Year Plans - Greater Auckland

Keen to influence what happens in your community? Give feedback on your Local Board’s three-year plan,

greaterauckland.org.nz

This National Party attack ad is stupid - they can't even focus on a job without resorting to "blame Labour". BTW Global inflation was 9-10% during Covid. NZ did much better than most. And Labour saved 20,000 lives. National's debt is tracking to $120b ($100b w pay equity) without a crisis.

Beautiful and thoughtful writing @nzdodo.bsky.social making sense of the climate disaster, the personal tragedies and the real story behind the headlines.

Greater Auckland@greaterauckland.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Today's post: @nzdodo.bsky.social on getting beyond splashy headlines, so we can channel our attention and ingenuity towards the real story – and meaningful action: www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/01/28/s...

State of the Nation impressions: Tone and affect both miles away from encouraging, let alone inspiring; very flat delivery, including in the Q&A. If there was a glimmer of a smile at all, it passed me by. Also, the clink and clank of cutlery in the background is its own particular subtext. #nzpol

"Just in the nick of time, New Zealand’s trans youth—and the people who love them and care for them—can breathe a sigh of relief" 🥰 This is the heart of it. Everyone who knows and loves a trans kid knows how vital—as in literally life-saving—this injunction feels (and will hopefully continue to be)

Erin Reed@erininthemorning.com · 10mo ago

While we were busy with the US Congress, major international news on trans healthcare. A New Zealand court announced an injunction on the far-right trans health care ban there. The court says that the biggest danger is posed by banning care. Big story for us from @transvestigations.bsky.social

womp womp. Performative culture war policy doesn’t last long. www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

The Government's 'Road Cone Hotline' to close

The Government will close its “Road Cone Hotline” at the end of this week, after just six months in operation.

stuff.co.nz

Over a quarter of a trillion dollars being poured into expensive & complex infrastructure (roads) with almost zero transparency. What is the public interest in hiding basic information about these billion-dollar projects from the public? Good question @connorsharp.bsky.social #releasetheRONSfiles

Greater Auckland@greaterauckland.bsky.social · 10mo ago

The RoNS: “the most complex & expensive infrastructure programme in NZ’s recent history.” A $56B programme… with a $49B shortfall. And all signs point to low-to-no-value for public money. Given the huge public interest, why are the details being kept from the public, asks @connorsharp.bsky.social?

It's only going to get better.

The Spinoff@thespinoff.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Is it doing O-K Road?

Honestly, with a lot of things happening right now, it's easy to feel down. But then you go see (and celebrate) the great things that are happening, and cheer right back up :) Need to talk up the good way more tbh!

Connor Sharp@connorsharp.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Great vibes and weather at the Party on the Path celebrating the Māngere Cycle Path! More of this everywhere please!

Boards Chair here - before our BOT passed a motion affirming our commitment to Te Tiriti, I received emails from parents and teachers urging the board on. The union never said a word. Amazing that reaffirming a commitment to Te Tiriti is viewed as "anti-govt" (his words)

'.. it seems that local and regional government are being set up as a target to distract New Zealanders from their dissatisfaction with the current regime.' - Anne Salmond

Anne Salmond: We're reforming the wrong part of government

Coalition Govt ministers insist their reform of regional councils is 'not a power grab' - but all the evidence suggests the opposite, to democracy's detriment

newsroom.co.nz

The abuse Julie Fairey copped after being HIT BY A CAR is exactly what happens when we treat online harm as background noise. Women in politics bear the brunt, especially women of colour. Until NZ actually regulates platforms properly, this will keep happening #nzpol www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

'It just seems cruel': Councillor shocked by comments after cycling accident

Councillor Julie Fairey has become accustomed to abusive comments - but she was still stunned.

rnz.co.nz

This is a great op-ed on the immense value of complete and connected bike networks but author @connorsharp.bsky.social is too modest. He wasn't just there at the celebration he helped open the Westmere to Pt Chev cycleway

Connor Sharp@connorsharp.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Op-ed of mine in The Post today on behalf of @greaterauckland.bsky.social on why urban cycling infrastructure is really important (and why urban roading infrastructure is not) www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

"Power confers this hypocrisy, as does increased aggression, less empathy and a sense of entitlement, all of which characterise this Government. It’s the ultimate judge of character and, at its worst, strips politicians of any authenticity" - Janet Wilson (no paywall on The Post articles today)

Ms Hooper@mshooper.bsky.social · 11mo ago

There’s a moment in every party’s governing term when realisation slowly dawns that it has lost any agency it once had with those who put it in power. #nzpol

Matt @greaterauckland.bsky.social drills down on Chris Bishop's speech about how expensive all the mega-roads his government keeps promising will be. If they ever get built. www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/11/20/m...

Minister admits RoNS reality is biting – and hard - Greater Auckland

“Whatever the problem, build another road” has been a hallmark of policy from the current government. And we’ve long suggested that is simply not affordable or practical – including just

greaterauckland.org.nz

Sweet vindication after the nasty culture war #bikelash election 3 yrs ago. Turns out communities do want safe streets & cyclelanes. Not the complete result we wanted but very happy to have been part of a campaign built on positive progressive policies with a great group of candidates #nzpol

City Vision@cityvision.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Celebrating our wins! Being trusted by the residents of both Waitematā and Albert Eden local boards to hold a majority, topping the councillor poll in Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa and retaining seats in Puketāpapa and on the PLT #nzpol cityvision.org.nz/news/positiv...

Happy Halloween! The scariest thing about tonight isn't the costumes, it's the road safety stats. Halloween sees a 30% spike in crashes involving people walking or cycling w/ 1/3 of these crashes between 4-8pm, peak trick-or-treating hours. Drivers: slow down tonight so everyone gets home safe.

A day to unfurl the United Tribes Ensign selected a year earlier by W[h]akaputanga o Nu Tireni at Waitangi in 1834 — the first flag of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Stephen Clarke@stephenclarkenz.bsky.social · 12mo ago

190 years ago today 34 Māori rangatira at Waitangi signed He W[h]akaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni | The Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand on 28 October 1835. Rā Maumahara Day National Day of Commemoration! #RāMaumahara #Aotearoa #History

At the #nzstrike with the fam. Good vibes, massive turnout, righteous signs, perfect birthday outing! 🥳 #nzpol

It’s going as well as you might expect

Aaron Hawkins@ahawkins.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Having a quiet chuckle at all the govt boosters attacking teachers this week. 'I hate the left wing activist unions but I'm also mad that I only get four weeks annual leave a year.' If only there was some way for them to organise for better work conditions 🤔

Comment of the day (so far): "I would rather have a smaller road on my way to a high-class hospital." 🎯

Greater Auckland@greaterauckland.bsky.social · 12mo ago

"They know they can’t deliver all of these projects, but they want to pretend they still can. It seems that whatever the question, this government’s answer is 'More RoNS'. But more RoNs will bankrupt the nation." In today's post, Matt Lowrie gets real on the costs of Roads of National Significance.

What was actually in the fine print of yesterday's roading announcement: a $40-to-$50 billion bill that we could not pay without bankrupting ourselves. This has been implicit for a long time and should be in the damn headlines. greaterauckland.substack.com/p/reality-bi...

Reality bites: RoNS will bankrupt the nation

The government’s mega-roads programme is now looking to cost an astonishing $40-50 billion, based on new documents released yesterday by the NZTA.On Monday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop touted the ...

greaterauckland.substack.com

Doctors cross ethical line says man who raised speed limits for no reason despite extensive evidence it would lead to more injuries and death. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Simeon Brown accuses doctors of crossing 'ethical line' with mega strike

There were audible cries of disbelief during the Simeon Brown's speech to a senior doctors' conference.

rnz.co.nz

That feeling when the special votes tip your local board back towards favouring kid-friendly and bike-friendly streets…

Pippa Coom@pippacoom.bsky.social · 12mo ago

This is really great news. City Vision (Labour, Greens & independents) has flipped two local boards. This is a win for progressive policies. Communities want climate action, street improvements, safe speeds and bike lanes

This is really great news. City Vision (Labour, Greens & independents) has flipped two local boards. This is a win for progressive policies. Communities want climate action, street improvements, safe speeds and bike lanes

City Vision@cityvision.bsky.social · 12mo ago

The preliminary result is now out. We're really delighted to have secured the majority on the Albert-Eden Local Board with the election of Michelle Thorp voteauckland.co.nz/en/2025-loca...

The select committee report on the Regulatory Standards Bill is in. 📝166,000 submissions. ❌98.7% opposed. Yet National are going to continue supporting it. 🗣New Zealand could not have been louder, but Luxon still isn’t listening.

#Auckland there's a heap of places to drop off voting papers right up until midday TODAY Your vote matters to secure progressive local boards & a council that supports #climateaction #safestreets #affordablehousing #TeTiriti No papers? Make a special vote voteauckland.co.nz/en/informati...

Candidates in local govt elections face very little scrutiny. I'm grateful to @misswhanau.bsky.social for calling out the abuse and raising awareness. This 🧵 on why it matters (incl extra red flags for Nat party aligned candidates courting cookers)

Connor Sharp@connorsharp.bsky.social · last yr.

Get your local election votes in by noon on Saturday! Why? To ensure a great future for your city, of course. And also, to help make politics civil again. We owe it to each other to lift the standard of discourse, keep it evidence-based, and avoid falling for conspiracy and abuse. Here’s the thing🧵

Goldsmith “exploring ideas for cutting down (special) votes” We see you and your imported anti-democratic strategies. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

Government explored ban on people voting outside their electorate

The justice minister had said it was “worth exploring” requiring people to be in their electorate to vote, one of the ideas for cutting down on the number of special votes.

thepost.co.nz