So I understand that the government is expecting city and district mayors to not only be across everything going on in their own area, but they'll have to be across everything in their region...? That's a big ask, too big for actual humans.

So the Israelis are going from killing hundreds of Palestinians a day back to the historic average of one or two dozen?

If you haven't seen it already, @thejuicemedia.com is being awesome again, this time with a Kiwi flavour. youtu.be/h-yjkAXxnMA?...

@ellecordova.bsky.social is a bloody treasure. I strongly recommend everyone follow her on all the channels. youtube.com/shorts/AYm9w...

It's interesting that this Paddy Gower piece on the 'Modern Learning Environments' in schools doesn't have a timeline or dates. The only one mentioned so far is 2019. Sounds like a botch job by Labour right? Except these were implemented by National from around 2011.

Finally watched KPop Daemon Hunters last night. Gotta say, the hype is real. A fun movie with a most excellent soundtrack. 9/10, will watch again (and listen to the songs on repeat for ages).

Robert Arnold is a very clever and erudite man with some excellent things to say about the bullshit that is the 'Male Loneliness Epidemic'. This is long at 5.37, but worth paying attention to if you have the time. youtu.be/Ker0LPaaKCY?...

This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.

@3mbg.bsky.social Playing Betrayal at House on the Hill with two mates. Here's when the Haunt started...

Quick video for the 'we saved too many lives, spent too much $, sent inflation to the moon, made interest rates go up, and now we have to pay for our sins 😢' crowd. The idea that NZ could have 'opted out' of global inflation surge is daft. Almost as daft as NZ opting almost uniquely for a recession.

When it happens, you're probably not even going to learn about it directly before you feel it in the air. You'll just hear car horns and cheering in the streets. You'll feel confused, annoyed. You'll check your phone. Huh, 41 new texts.

"Dropkicks" and Prisoners Deserve the Right to Vote, I dive into this over at my substack: yeehawtheboys.substack.com/p/dropkicks-...

Stopping people who have the right to vote from voting, for bureaucratic reasons, is a kick in the guts for democracy. The government is rolling back our freedoms to strengthen their hold on power. This must be resisted, and if legislated, repealed immediately when the government changes.

If farmers want us to pay international prices for their products, OK, they can pay for their own fences and drains when it floods. We'll pay them whatever recovery funds they get on the international market, which I think is sod all.

You'd think that the man who joked about bombing an office of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples wouldn't be so upset about someone making a finger pistol at him in Parliament. Except of course he is, because it serves his purpose to be a hypocrite.

Voila.

strange women lying in ponds distributing swords starting to look like a reasonable basis for a system of government

So are we all agreeing that Davis Seymour is cannon fodder?

Four year government terms in NZ won’t fix the actual limitations we have on advancing programmes: reluctance to raise revenue from taxes, reluctance to borrow and a retail political class that has no experience in complex decision-making or community leadership.

Violent religious sectarians force entry to local government facility Police must charge them as a deterrent and provide future such events with security. It should not fall to librarians to physically defend themselves www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...

The Papua New Guinea Courier is in rare form.

Yeah, he went full Nazi.

I still can't believe that America voted that choad back into office 🙄 I thought Luxon was bad enough, but he looks adequate in comparison.

Happy New Year to everyone overseas, coming to you from the far future, the Year 2025

Gotta admit I'm intrigued to see whether Trump fucks over Musk or Musk fucks over Trump. Even the US government isn't big enough for those two egos.

Apparently in project management there's a saying; good, fast, cheap, pick two. Luxon and Willis decided that bad, slow, expensive was a better deal. We're all going to pay for their idiocy for decades to come. Gordon Campbell once again nails it wellington.scoop.co.nz?p=166389

An important industrial dispute is underway at disability support provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust. First of all the employer wants to institute 90 day fire at will trials in a collective agreement.

Regarding #whamageddon, if the version you hear isn't by Wham, are you still alive or are you still goneburger...?

Health NZ doesn't have a 'budget deficit, they're underfunded. And that's a deliberate choice (thanks Luxon!)

The government and Reserve Bank actively worked to increase unemployment to bring inflation down, and now cry about the number of Jobseeker beneficiaries increasing. They knew this entirely predictable increase would happen, and have done nothing to prepare beyond writing a whiny comms plan.

At least people aren't crying that this is the worst possible year and things can't get even shittier just because some beloved celebrities died.

Good thinking mate 😎

The Opposition needs to declare that any charter schools will be rolled back into the state system without compensation to shareholders. To hell with private education.

Seemed like an appropriate message to take to Parliament.

Pretty busy day here in Wellington

Apparently all the cool kids are signing this. I did too, but don't let that stop you. Show the government what the Treaty Principles Bill means to you 🙄 our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/ka...

this rules 🇳🇿 #nzpol

The USA is so powerful now compared to every other nation, that the only country that can defeat it is the USA. I think they're about to test that...

We should rememb that NONE of the National ministers who deregulated building regs in 1991 were ever held to account. They were responsible for billions of dollars of damaged homes,and ruined lives,& walked away. Nats espouse personal responsibility.But rarely practice it. #NationalNotFitToGovern

A right wing government overturning the left wing elected council of a left leaning city is not democratic in any way, shape or form. It's raw power overturning the expressed will of the people, in response to a manufactured crisis. Another norm weakened, another part of our democracy undermined 😕

Councillors disagreeing does not mean a council is dysfunctional. Members of Parliament disagreeing does not mean Parliament is dysfunctional. We elect councillors to represent our views. Councillors voting a way Simeon Brown doesn't like isn't a reason to appoint a commissioner.

If your enemy builds their headquarters under a residential building, that's a shitty thing to do and yes, they are using innocent people as human shields. If you decide to bomb it anyway, that's a war crime, and that's on you.

I don't agree with charter schools for a number of reasons. Primarily I think it's bad for students, ultimately. That the MoE won't oversee them gives me zero confidence in the processes and accountability.

This Treaty moment is our Brexit. Seymour is Faraging an oblivious Luxon/Cameron into chaos and division so the private sector can profit from the disorder.

New Year's party sorted. Board games and gin, chips and dip, and then the kids can jump in the pool at midnight.

I'm loving all the Māori phrases on the news, partly because I'm learning from them, partly because I know a bunch of people across Aotearoa are shaking their fists, red-faced and bellowing "Naaaargh! Speak English, this is New Zealand, not Arteearowa!"

Really not keen on the idea of a 4 year government term (though it makes it easier for party activists...), unless we get a second chamber to help rein in the first. I wait with bated breath for the referendum on that...

Something, something, coalition of chaos, something.