Sunrise, Saturday, 18 April, from Makorori Headlands, Aotearoa / New Zealand. The low rumble is waves rolling beach rocks. 😊 Ata mārie / Good Morning ☀️

One of the best pieces I've read in a while on the political calculus. If parliamentary politics is about learning to count, this article presents some interesting numbers.

These gallery still can't understand why Christopher Luxon is so disliked. They just think he's unlucky to be in at a time when the electorate is grumpy and in other times he'd be super popular. They seem completely oblivious to his many, many faults.

@iamprettyawesome.bsky.social did you spot this Luxo gaffe?

In which the government doubles down on its classism... fuel shortages and cost-increases disproportionately impact those on lower incomes and from historically disadvantaged groups. I think we can take this as another strong indicator of how 'well' NAct1st are going to handle this crisis #Nzpol

I'm tired of software as a service, of never really owning anything, of needing to be online all the time, of being at the mercy of distant servers and subscriptions, and of video games that die when their servers do even when they're fully single-player. And I'm not alone.

I would really like to see a "declouding" movement where consumers demand any software that doesn't strictly need to be in the cloud, be downloadable to run locally on their own hardware. The way that things used to be.

This heavy use of urgency — shortcuts in the parliamentary process — is cheating democracy. And ministers know it too.

Also, trying to imagine Luxon and Willis doing book events together in a few years time. What we are seeing in the Beehive at the moment is that they all - at the least - mistrust each other or downright dislike each other.

Bloody hell.

What's the plan? Sadly, the plan appears to be to simply let that price shock roll through the economy and sit back eating popcorn while unemployment rockets. Hell, RBNZ might even join in - increasing debt-servicing costs for giggles. The cure for burns is fire apparently. What should we do? [5/n]

The fossil fuel price shock is already at 2022 levels, but it has hit the economy at incredible speed. Fixed-price contracts will be getting blown out all over the country as builders and other suppliers wrestle with surges in the price of thousands of goods that are made with oil. [3/n]

Hold onto your dollars friends, the price shock has started. Simple maths will make CPI this quarter 5% and that is without even considering the knock-on effects of higher fuel prices. We are already seeing plastic prices skyrocket for example. Food prices next. Are we in good shape? [🧵 1/n]

In olden times, you'd walk into a shop and look at, say, a cake, decide not to buy it, and walk out of the shop safe in the knowledge that nobody would be following you around with the cake for the next 6 weeks just in case you change your mind.

I remember I once missed an AKL-WGTN flight and I was on the “final call” list of shame and people were tweeting at me to get on my flight. This is a very small country

Me to 3yo: What do you want for your birthday party theme? 3yo: “Poopoo & peepee theme! We can get apple juice for the pee, so a skeleton pees and you drink the skeleton pee but it’s okay because it’s juice” Me: ..K I was thinking like “dinosaurs” but let’s put a pin in “piss fountain of the dead”

Reginos only do this when very sick

No issues with priority list of who needs fuel, AS LONG AS food banks/food rescue/food support (and other similar charities) are included in the "food supply chain" definition - as their are many in Aotearoa that rely on these outlets for their food.🙏🏾

'Saying he has the full support of his caucus implies he's not bothered by the rumblings and his team is behind him, but saying he has the numbers immediately suggests some of his caucus don't support him as leader, but he believes he has enough in his camp to win any challenge or vote.' #NzPol

In addition there used to be this program that kept a large US operated global logistics chain running, that could be transferred to emergencies when needed. Was called 'USAID'.

Large parts of the business of keeping the US military fed were privatised to civilian contractors. And then last year DOGE started making cuts in those civilian contractors. eu.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

If you have a team of more than 5 people and you happen to be in a few areas *dm me to check* we can also do a follow-up deep dive in person!

Omg after the success (almost TWO YEARS ago) of these webinars, I finally got them online as a fully self-led course. If you work with young people at all (social worker, teacher, other frontline) have at it. ecpatnz.thinkific.com/products/cou...

'Notwithstanding Luxon’s protestations, it is clear there are serious doubts about him in National’s caucus. The continual leaks on this and other caucus issues are a bad omen.' @marcdaalder.bsky.social #NzPol

The Massive Attack/Tom Waits collab we've all been waiting for. www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-57...

Ridiculous for journos to ask senior MPs about a caucus coup - try all the backbenchers who can see their job prospects evaporating with low polling. #NzPol

Why is Paddy Gower still on our airwaves?

'Darrow also headed up a five-person review panel for the National Party’s inquiry into its 2020 election loss.'

Good to see a GP added to the Te Whatu Ora board. Sorry about the photo.

'Don Braid told Morning Report moving freight via rail was more efficient than by truck, "yet we haven't seen KiwiRail stand up to offer additional services".'

"It suggests real economic activity is slowing - more linked to uncertainty and fear than price." - @seaqub.bsky.social #NzPol

Well I say a *wall* but it was like a palace to us.

“A plaque erected by the City of London to commemorate where William Shakespeare lived on a wall, top right, is pictured in London”. There is so much to discuss about this sentence. www.stuff.co.nz/culture/3609...

And yet we have 1 in 7 kids living in poverty

Catherine Beard used to head the "Greenhouse Policy Coalition" which was the business lobby group that argued to slow down climate action. No irony at all here.

Oh, and all the firms you represent have had *years* to plan for the transition. You've left it to the last minute, and *now* you want handouts? As a tax payer, I say no.

Catherine Beard told RNZ the "situation was created by the political decision to ban oil and gas while moving towards net zero" Oh, bollocks lady. The gas was running out long before the ban was announced. No one's digging for more cos there ain't any worth digging for. #nzpol

What every political leader should be saying about Angus' base racism that will doom his leadership and further poison the Liberal brand.

Australia secures another 100 million litres of diesel as Anthony Albanese hustles for Australia. Aust govt also helping underwrite a number of fuel contracts to allow Aus economy to continue unimpeded, in addition to securing commitment from Singapore #auspol #nzpol

nzoilwatch.com has gone. Boo!! There's an explanation about why on the site. Thanks, AI guy/gal. Your little site was really useful during its short life.

[shocked pikachu.jpeg]

Matt at #artybees is such a character. “Even having it on your shelf makes you more intelligent. You don’t even have to read it.” 🤣 #wellington #pōneke #shoplocal #prelovedbooks #booksky #read

Transport expert and MP @julieannegenter.greens.org.nz calls on government to green-light bus service bids from Councils, to help with fuel crisis. #NzPol

Same energy

In today’s NZ Herald

In a fuel crisis, why is Wellington back pedalling on bike lanes? Take action on Monday to save our bike lanes. @cyclewgtn.bsky.social

He is just fuckin doing it guys

Hey NZ! This is how you break up a supermarket duopoly.

In our family we call them “concussion castles” but that’s probably not as catchy.