Ohs noes! What will Dr Anna Breman cook up for our economy? (Cheap and easy shot based on nothing but national origin, I know. Believe me, I'm more disappointed in myself than you can ever be.)

Counterpoint: Shane Jones must dress up like the killer in "I Know What You Did Last Summer" every time he goes on TV to talk about fishing ...

"Earlier on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported ... that New Zealand would appoint a woman to head the RBNZ for the first time. [It] did not identify the new governor but said it could be a foreign appointment." Liz Truss. They're going to appoint bloody Liz Truss, aren't they?

Portishead reunited and did a pre-taped gig as part of Brian Eno's Together For Palestine benefit concert. 1. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 2. Hot damn they've still got it.

What's even more cringe is that it isn't even an original move ...

I don't care what side of the political fence you sit on, this is just seriously inappropriate behaviour from a political figure, and especially so for someone purporting to have the stature required to hold office as the Deputy Prime Minister.

I know "AI is the death of all that is good" stories are two a penny, but had my own experience last night. I agreed to MC a charity quiz night for a student group - basically, be the pretty face + jokester up the front while asking the pre-prepared questions and keep the thing running on time. 🧵/1

People ... people ... in the spirit of Ezra Klein, can't we all come together and agree that it is, in fact, all John Key's fault for saying he'd vote for Trump because he'd make the magic money tree grow faster?

The devil will be in the details and no doubt will be litigated in mitigation, but let's not paper over the fact that Stuart Nash was required to resign as Minister of Police for behaviour that was very similar to this ...

It sucks that Laneway’s organisers aren’t confident they’ll get sign-off to run this as a 16+ event and so have reverted to making it 18+ … strikes me as over caution on the part of the licensing body.

This should be given to every high school student/new undergrad as an explanation for why what they see on their feeds ("watch X DESTROY opponent Y!") is NOT "how to discuss issues" ...

As @dreddieclark.bsky.social has bewailed, this is (a reason) why it is not great having our local elections run by private companies.

Genuinely kinda surprised that the "EnZed connected to international events" klaxon hasn't sounded louder on this, given that two kiwi riders are in the team (and one of them was riding in this particular race).

This is $40 million well spent!!!

Just to note that this is the same breakdown of seats between the Right+Left blocs as the Taxpayer Union-Curia poll produced ... either a (truly) hung parliament or a left government based on an overhang seat.

Out from behind the paywall now (but, still - if we don't pay our $$$ for journalism, then there won't be any).

Behind a pay-wall until tomorrow, but I'm the "legal expert" gently pointing out that a party called "New Zealand First" arguing that we should have judges with no knowledge of our local conditions and values deciding our law is 💀🤡🤠

I assume that the reason Timmy Robbonsin didn’t use “Laid” at his hate party march was because he’s no experience of what the lyrics reference …

Some reckons. Oddly, if a mayoral candidate is formally withdrawn from the race, you MUST scrap that election even if there's an STV voting system in place. But if a council candidate is withdrawn, you continue the election and just transfer votes to the next preferred candidate. 🤷‍♀️

My hometown!!! (Not shown is that there is a brisk southerly in play and that it is a less-than-balmy 8 degrees ... but you need a certain degree of toughness to thrive these parts.)

I just wish Free Speech Union Council Member Jordan Williams would have a word with Taxpayers Union CEO Jordan Williams about how important it is that people learn to live with offence and that penalising people just for what they say is against everything that makes us free, etc, etc ...

Part 4 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 suddenly looks pretty important (this is the law allowing for a D Ct judge led inquiry into any poll to see whether the result should be voided because of errors in the election process)

My perpetual hobby horse is that it is A Problem that a private company runs almost all local elections, esp when something goes wrong. Something has gone wrong here. What are the lines of public accountability? Who is responsible? Do we hold the company to account or the Council for hiring them?

Parliament's workload squeezing out committees

Public Service Commissioner points out that by withdrawing their labour, primary school teachers will demonstrate the importance of their labour to society in general.

Post a perfect album from the '90s that isn't grunge. Bikini Kill were so much cooler than grunge, their drummer dumped Kurt Cobain for being too conventional.

Post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't grunge. C’mon then, fight me …

Kirsty is too modest to link to herself but I have no hesitation in doing so + noting that is (as usual) journalism of the highest order.

This poll actually may create the so-far mythic, but always possible, hung Parliament! If TPM won less than 6 electorate seats, there'd be a 60-60 split between the left-right blocs ... only if TPM can produce an "overhang" again does the left bloc get a 61-60 majority!!!

Largely unsurprised by this because: (1) Only the most committed participated; (2) The Takutai Tarsh Kemp legacy appeal was strong; (3) The "you've already got Peeni, so add Oriini" argument makes sense; (4) TPM are on the charge, while Labour still is in its "small target" phase.

In a better, saner world this revelation of the true meaning of canonical holy writ would result in entire religions having to alter their basic operating precepts ...

A leading Government Minister the Deputy PM led a conspiracy laden homophobic and transphobic campaign against an opposition MP who has now resigned citing safety concerns, supported full throat by the media and the Herald frames it as a problem for the Greens. Fuck Peters, and the Herald.

I think I need to hear again how the intolerant left with their cancel culture are ruining politics and shutting down those seeking to challenge the elites … etc, etc, etc

I've built walls A fortress deep and mighty That none may penetrate I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain It's laughter and it's loving I disdain I am a rock I am an island

Just listening to interview on RNZ Morning Report and I think Helen Clark and Judith Collins officially are now on a "no Christmas Cards" basis ...

If you claim to have committed a war crime, but actually faked the whole thing, is it still a war crime? Any international lawyers out there with reckons?

Contains some of my recycled reckons but nevertheless still a good overview of where things now stand ...

I love this story so much: (i) Life will find a way; and (ii) Teachers rock.

From my Otago colleague Steve Young ...

We’ve published an Open Letter calling on NZ leaders to deliver risk-based AI regulation & a national oversight body. AI has huge potential, but harms (deepfakes, gendered abuse, bias) are real and rising. Read the Letter (and sign it if you agree!) #nzpol regulateai.nz

This statement from Simpson Grierson gives a pretty good clue as to what was in the $52,000 worth of “advice” the lawyers for Hobson’s Choice gave to Kaipara District Council #grift

An “old-school Hollywood buffet”, if you will. (Only a lot less funny.)

If The Post + The Press suddenly have lots of stories about “improving your MARS-L rapid fire accuracy” and “preparing for the MH-60R Seahawks - what you need to know”, you’ll know why that is …

I haven't found a publicly available on-line copy of the judgment yet, but this is a very interesting and richly argued District Court decision - uses principle of legality + NZBORA (+ inconclusive consideration of tikanga) to interpret an ambiguous provision ...

Roger Partridge responds to my recently expressed concerns about mischievous hyperbole unsettling the balance in our constitutional ecosystem. open.substack.com/pub/rogerpar...

A Hague-iography.

It's Local Water, Done Well!!! At least them Maaris won't be owning it, I guess ...

This is … not wrong. Other thing I’d factor in is the way student evaluations affect promotion chances and the incentives this creates to be seen as a “good” (read, high-grading) teacher

Contains ranted reckons on my part …

Counterpoint - the current law was a compromise position specifically made subject to ongoing review on the basis that if and when a majority feels comfortable with expanding its coverage, then this could happen (or, it could be repealed if the worst predictions of opponents came true).