The deputy Prime Minister this week admonished a regional council for enforcing its rules (which it is legally required to do) on the basis that the RMA will be overhauled at some point www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

A terrible change that the PM justifies by reference to Australia - without any acknowledgment of compulsory voting across the ditch. Not comparing apples with apples.

🤔 National’s election campaign talked a big game about localism which is quite different from scraping regional councils! Presume regional councils are seen as too environmental for Luxon. 🤯 www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

Morning report “does changing the balance mean more pollution?” Answer “it depends”. Rules to protect freshwater are to bring back swimmable rivers. Something that is an anathema to Hoggard and the Minister ‘for’ the Environment.

It will be a fascinating week in Parliament, as recommendations of Privileges committee to suspend 3 MPs are debated — as @acgeddis.bsky.social explains. I wonder if we might be discovering some conventional rules about operation of the Privileges committee? www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Exactly #nzpol

These are the pay equity claims that the government wiped out in just two days to make its budget balance. It's appalling that tax breaks for tobacco companies are being funded by cutting women's pay rises and backpay. (Also listed in alt text)

So, we knew it was bad — undemocratic expedited process, dodgy retrospectivity and objectionable nullification of claims. But this shows it was doubly worse — a calculated and deliberate ambush to deprive claimants and a policy fait accompli.

🤯

Golly gosh. Several important bills are today being passed through all stages under urgency and without select committee scrutiny/public submissions -- and bills with constitutionally objectional features, such as retrospective effect and nullification of existing court proceedings etc. #wildwest

WOAH! Huge #Aurora Australis from Ōtepoti #Dunedin - 12:21am 27/3/25 (Back of camera image)

🙅‍♀️ “amenity” not distingushed from “biodiversity” effects in discussion of this 💨farm & relevant laws. Killing native 🦇🦎 is very different from how something looks. Labour’s RMA replacement made this distinction. Nats went back to RMA 🤯https://www.odt.co.nz/southland/hint-rma-reforms-may-aid-projects

Nb Labour replaced RMA with Spatial Planning & Natural & Built Environment Acts removing non-complying activity status (which appears to be the issue here with threshold tests not met). Yes those laws would have taken time to implement. But better than what National has done - repeal & revert to RMA

WATCH: “You really get the idea that people are the boss on the street, & not machines.” Watch a GREAT mini-film on one of the most inspiring world cities, #Utrecht Netherlands, via exceptional urban film-maker @streetfilms.bsky.social with @modacitylife.com @bicycledutch.bsky.social & more. #Dutch

Free, fresh and locally made school lunches. Labour will bring them back.

❤️🐸 wonderful to see Phil’s work continued 👇

Electorate MPs have a super important but often under-appreciated role in our democracy, and effectively connecting with constituents is a huge part of that. This would be a great role for anyone looking for part-time comms work in Ōtepoti.

Are you in Dunedin and looking for a 10 hour a week job helping out the local MP with coms, research etc? If so please apply ASAP (noting this is my first post 😬) 🙏 www.livehire.com/careers/parl...

The Government has refused to join 79 other countries condemning US sanctions against the International Criminal Court even though NZ has long been a member of the International Criminal Court, which impartially prosecutes serious war criminals for atrocities. Silence is assent?

#Waitangi - an excellent speech 👇

Cliff the Ambulance & Labour MPs, along with Dunedin City Councillors & staff were there to hold the govt to account. @rachelbrooking.bsky.social #Nikon #Photography #DunedinHospital #TheySaveWePay

🏥 Good that tertiary teaching inpatient hospital build will be restarted on consented, remediated land with piles in the ground next to the built outpatients building. Bad that (including shelling) there will be fewer beds and theatres. Thread 🧵 thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-...

Totally bonkers to include coal in a special list of “critical minerals” 🤯 www.labour.org.nz/news-mining_...

Shane Jones is right - mines scheduled in FastTrack will go ahead. But they won’t have the same environmental controls as mines approved under the RMA because the new law trumps protections of nature. Fasttrack could do better- even Straterra submitted to include protections 🦗🐸

Christopher Luxon says we need to say “yes” more and “no” less, yet his government said NO to new interisland ferries, NO to new state houses, NO to Dunedin hospital, NO to affordable water reform, NO to school upgrades, and NO to higher wages.

Great demonstration of Government’s wrong priorities. In 2024 all the effort was to enable pollution by big companies through Fast Track AND by halting fresh water rules 👎 www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...

Excellent explanation on the importance of a teaching tertiary Dunedin hospital to both the south and all of NZ’s workforce 🏥 www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3605...

Select committee has met and extended the time for submissions on dreadful Treaty Principles Bill after the system crashed 👇

You can just email them. See also this for an expert breakdown.

Have you seen this one before? A short history of traffic engineering via @copenhagenizers.bsky.social. Manufactured #CarDependency takes a lot of forms, including how easy or hard we make it to get from A to B using any other ways of getting around. A direct result of the wrong priorities.

Another environment / climate policy goneburger. #nzpol www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

#FastTrack giant government amendment just dropped on the afternoon we will be discussing in Parliament. Hopefully it stops pet projects from polluting for profit but I’m not holding my breath 👀

Minister again tells a regional council to ignore the (current) law because she wants to allow more pollution at some point in the future. Absurd that a Minister for the Environment doesn’t want swimmable rivers. 🤯 www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3605...

Finally! I’ve created a starter pack for AoNZ elected representatives- past and present. Please let me know who I’ve missed! #nzpol

Well said Chris Hipkins. 🏥👇