FYI I’ve opened this up for full public reading, listening & sharing after requests from paying subscribers. Their support allows me to do this kind of public interest journalism on Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate & poverty in public. #nzpol thekaka.substack.com/p/why-not-sp...

#BHN Luxon saying "It's a charge that's levied against the electricity companies" about the LNG proposal sounds an awful lot like "China will pay the tariffs" doesn't it? Who ultimately pays that "levy" Mr Luxon? #nzpol #nzpolitics #notalevy #powertax

Bit late to it but if you want to know the chain of events that led to us importing gas (and charging electricity users to pay for it!!), I did this deep dive for RNZ last year www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Being Better Economic Managers™️ involves far more economic recklessness than I anticipated. #nzpol

Whenever anyone in the whanau travels over to 'stralia, I get them to bring me back some of the Tip Top gluten free bread. While we do have variants under that brand here, the Aussie stuff is far superior to our local implementation. As I was sadly reminded at lunch today.

My daughter pre-ordered the new @bigbigtrain.bsky.social album for me for my birthday. It shipped last Wednesday, and is winging its way to me from Old Blighty. Will I be able to maintain the willpower to abstain from streaming it so I can hear it for the first time on vinyl? 🤔🤘

Perhaps we should just admit that the country only works at all because of the network of Aunties, and start electing governments that are basically made up of Aunties #nzpol

Breaking: Tragedy at the Winter Olympics

Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work. <swords clashing noises> Compiling! 😁⚔️

No surprise. Brad Olsen is National in a trench coat. #nzpol

Name them shame them

I need everyone to know that on the crochet subreddit the mods made a big post about how they're taking a week off because there was too much fighting/political posts. so there's currently no mods on r/crochet and people are being absolutely insane

It’s choice as that New Zillund has thrown a long weekend to celebrate my birthday. As a token of my appreciation I shall start Dave’s Birthday Weekend off in the appropriate fashion.

Wow! What sounded like the entire AEW Dynamite audience in Las Vegas tonight chanted "Fuck ICE! Fuck ICE!" in unison before the main event

What is te reo for 'Where do you usually go?'

After a rather... umm... interesting cinema experience last night I have decided I will vote for any political party that introduces a new content warning that states "Contains plot points that are intentionally vague and open to interpretation to viewers".

Well the cars are in the cycle lanes, so the cyclists took to the rail lines... and here we are

This person who heckled Luxon is my new favourite

Why is every modern tech story a Black Mirror episode these days?

Same pattern was common last election campaign. So voters elected the Better Economic Managers™️ that are shit at managing the economy. #nzpol

When the doc is so bad you have to recode your CMS

Jason Walls on One News was also spinning. Basically his take was the figures are higher because there’s more optimism so more people are applying for jobs which means there’s more unemployed people to count. #nzpol

PSA: this article i wrote 6 years ago still holds: www.webworm.co/farrier/

Sacre bleu

FFS! 🤦‍♂️ #nzpol

You'd expect this to be common sense to the Finance Minister of the Better Economic Managers™️ party. And yet here we are. 🤔 #nzpol

Being Better Economic Managers™️ involves far more record unemployment levels than I anticipated. #nzpol www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

Betteridge's law etc... #nzpol (Not meant as a slight on your awesome mahi, Russell)

Not sure if I have many West Midlands followers here, but just in case... 🤘😆🤘

Counterpoint:

I know you've heard that a federal judge ordered the release of 5 year old Liam Conejo Arias and his father, and that they're now home. But did you look at the judge's order? It's less than 2.5 pages and well worth a minute. "Jesus wept." Link to pdf: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

here's my response to your latest mailer @chrishipkins.bsky.social .... so, does Labour have what it takes to lead NZ? convince me. i haven't seen any signs of this, from you. #nzpol

Being Better Economic Managers™️ involves far more record levels of company liquidations than I anticipated. #nzpol

Is this the same Willis who keeps decrying how broke we are, and attempts to trim non-existent fat off pretty much every public service around? If so, reckon I'm with @ninjakitty.bsky.social. #nzpol

2026 in a photo

On a friendly note, it's difficult times, workwise. If you were ever thinking about getting some really nice earplugs for that gig you've got tickets for, I'd love you to consider mine. They're very good, I just quite suck at *checks* spending money on advertising. pocomoto.co.nz/shop/earplug...

I loved Garbage's debut album!

Follow up question: Is the sort of question you expect to be asking if an economy is Back On Track after careful stewardship from Better Economic Managers™️? #nzpol

Still does my head in that New Zealand has a Prime Minister who acts and looks exactly like a hairless David Brent #nzpol

Ferbruary #oldknees

Season 12 was sorely missed here in New Zealand. Here’s hoping a local broadcaster has secured rights to it now.

My wife and I were on a beach in the Wellington area and found this at a car park, in the grass. It is approximately the size of a person's hand,made of bone, and intricately carved. I've masked the lower half,as only the legitimate owner will be able to fully describe it. Please share this...(1)

With an economic system this broken and exploitative, it's no wonder that fascism is on the rise globally. #nzpol

🤔

I’ve made this into a GIF and uploaded to Giphy so it can be used as a comment on socials. I hope it gets through moderation but… Here is the GIF link Tags are chris_luxon, Chris Luxon, chris luxon, Luxon media1.giphy.com/media/mwKlA4...

This is just insane. It’s only a matter of time before DHS kills another innocent person here. (clip via MPR and @davidjbier.bsky.social on X)

One for @foxylustygrover.bsky.social

A version for those that don’t want to go to FB. 🤣

🤣 www.facebook.com/share/r/1BpB...

It's out! The new album, "Midnight" is out! youmeeverybody.bandcamp.com Complete with freshly-dropped video for the title single www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYvN... And tour dates! www.yme.nz/tour