Thinking about all the people who sat in that room and said “here’s a policy announcement that’ll be appealing to women” and about how many of them then said “actually let’s just pass it now and not use combating sexual violence as an election carrot” and betting the number that said anything is 0.

On the surface, this looks good but why wait? Govt could pass this now, under urgency. But no, they don't care enough to pass it now. #nzpol

Excellent point. My initial response to this was positive, but this and a few other posts have made me realise how cynical it is. They can rush legislation to extinguish climate torts against corporations, but victims of abuse must wait and vote National to get relief

They’ve passed so much under urgency and without a mandate and against the majority of submissions but they’re leaving this critical actually useful action until after the election. They’re not going to do squat and blame a coalition agreement.

Yes - they've done some rubbish under urgency but something that is actually a good thing? Nah, push it out to the next term.

This has just passed in Victoria. About bloody time. Giving character references has recently forced a political candidate to quit/get fired and the same perpetrator got one from a mayor who has weekly protests trying to force him out. Seems like a no brainer.

“No victim should have to sit in a courtroom and hear that individual who robbed them of their dignity deserves a discount at sentencing.” If that’s true, why wait until National is back in power to pass this? It’s pretty foul imo that this is a re-election ploy and not a given to pass - now. #nzpol

On the face of it this is their one good idea after undermining women in policy for the last three years - but they’re actually kicking the can down the road/getting in front of the petition below that’s been in play for over a year and has 17,000+ signatures🫠 petitions.parliament.nz/cf986021-083...

Reflecting that the utter disdain for/dismissal of advocates, experts, lived experience voices as policy/law changes have been made in the last three years is a pretty big warning: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." #nzpol

“How ... can you explain stripping working families of support during a cost of living and fossil fuel crisis, while handing tax cuts to landlords and spending over a billion on an LNG terminal?” Already wealthy people 🤝 more wealth = 👇

The Transport Minister has confirmed that the Total Mobility subsidy is being cut - disabled ppl use the subsidy to do ordinary things like meet-ups with friends, shopping for groceries, and attending health appointments. #savetotalmobility open.substack.com/pub/drbex/p/...

this is ENRAGING. when I couldn't drive due to seizures I relied on the Total Mobility subsidy even just to get to work. public transport out west is chaotic, disruptive and often inaccessible, and absolutely cannot be relied on to get anywhere on time. why the fuck would you cut the subsidy down???

“The first thing Winston Peters did was make a blanket statement to the New Zealand media that Everlee Wihongi had lied on an immigration form.“ Appalling behaviour from the Foreign Minister no New Zealander ever wants in their corner, which should be called out more widely in our media. #nzpol

new zealander everlee wihongi has been found in a new ICE prison, that also has a track record of abuse. today on webworm, audio with everlee about the dehumanising, endless journey of being flown around the united states, hidden from her lawyer. please RT: www.webworm.co/everleeupdate/

This is about dating but also for sure the reason it is so difficult for women to own a home in New Zealand is almost solely due to the fact that the men who deliberately create the conditions for that reality have it deeply ingrained in their psyche that women should not own their own homes. #nzpol

If anyone is in or knows anyone in New Zealand news or media or public health and can get me in contact, reach out, because I can answer this question (but have like zero New Zealand contacts) www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...

“Did it understand the extra grind that Māori operators endure to do the same job as their peers? Did it understand the taonga it had in Maiki, and how to protect her and her mahi? And how will it address the vacuum her departure has left?“ Miriama Kamo, as always, with important questions: (🎁 link)

The camp described in the post below is where they are planning to take Everlee Wihongi, who is being held at an airport in Arizona, according to reports this morning. This deliberate kidnapping by the US is enabled by NZ’s inability to stand up for its citizens. www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...

The kidnapping of a NZ citizen by the US was reported about 8 hours ago and there is only one story on this I can see from NZ media beside this article breaking the news. Independently verifying is one thing but this feels very quiet in a democracy where we presumably still challenge our leaders…

My favourite person in the world lives in Bell Block - please share this deeply concerning and irresponsible reality so that decision makers know they need to actually do something about it.

In a fire, you don’t have minutes. You have seconds. ⏳ A structure fire doubles in size every 30 seconds. PART 1 of 5: Our evidence to the New Plymouth District Council on the Bell Block crisis. Every extra km from town is another 30s for a fire to grow twice as large.

Breaking hiatus because this government has done a lot of awful shit but I really, truly believe that not only letting ICE disappear a New Zealander, but lying on ICE's behalf to justify her detention, has got to be the kind of thing that cuts through to politically disengaged people

We should really stop calling them ICE facilities or detention camps when they meet the definition of a concentration camp.

Media please note that “Consular officials are in regular contact with the individual and their family” is a blatant lie because it was reported today that no one can locate the individual. This is a NZ citizen who has been kidnapped by the US - it’s untenable. Media must get much louder. #nzpol

Winston Peters' office refusing to comment on the direct call for him to help from this Kiwi's family. Say MFAT are handling it as a consular matter and pass on queries to them. Confirmed he has not made any representations on her behalf.

Boycott FIFA. Sell your tickets. Get your money back. Do not under any circumstances go to the US. Please. We want you home and safe. Watch it on tele if you must, NZ. Just don't go to the US.

FREE EVERLEE WIHONGI "WE MUST SHOW UP! 📅 Sat 16 May ⏰ 1pm 📍 Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade – 23 Quay St, Akld DEMAND answers for Everlee. Demand Minister Peters ACT NOW. CAN’T ATTEND? Email the Minister immediately: 📧 [email protected] Tell him: Find Everlee Wihongi." @toitu_te_aroha

“ICE detained Everlee Wihongi, an NZ citizen who has lived in the US for decades & holds a green card…” & now she’s lost in the system. Meanwhile the coalition NZ govt >ARE NOT< advocating for her release. Why not? #NZpol

As someone who spent a lot of time around greencard holders people with greencards basically behaved like citizens without the voting. This is so scary. If you’re visiting the US or leaving the US god help you.

I do expect the nation under whose passport I'm travelling to care about my wellbeing at least to the level of keeping me out of a concentration camp. Perhaps I'm hopelessly naive. #nzpol

This is terrifying and awful. And so far Winston Peters's only response has been to blame her. We're not hearing a lot about it in the media either.

Every NZer should be shit-scared that if they get unlawfully and arbitrarily detained by an authoritarian regime overseas, their Minister of Foreign Affairs For Life Winston Raymond Peters will just tell them that they shouldn't have been wearing a skirt that short in the first place

A pretty demonstrably bad democracy when the kidnapping of a NZ citizen by the US inspires zero concern - across the board. If this had happened during Jacinda Ardern’s term NZ media would have followed her every move until this was resolved. The silence - and the complicity - is very loud. #nzpol

new zealander everlee wihongi was due to meet with her lawyer yesterday. then ICE moved her to their most notorious tent facility in texas: 3000 people, highest death rate, most sexual assaults. and today, she disappeared off the system. please RT: www.webworm.co/everleehasdi...

“Then it got – somehow – worse. Everlee has disappeared. As I write this, she is no longer listed on ICE's online detainee locator system.” NZ media pls urgently ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs what he’s doing about the US kidnapping of a NZ citizen.👇 Choosing not to act is unacceptable. #nzpol

Am at the ER with my Mum for the second time in a month and the level of care both times, in a clearly under pressure environment has been so heartening to experience - and it makes me so angry how undervalued and eroded public health is. We need this system - and it needs our backing in elections.

“67% of New Zealanders now believe that “government and business harm them and serve narrow interests, and ultimately the wealthy benefit while the regular people struggle.” Given the erosion of NZ’s media you have to wonder if this stat would even be reported after another term of this government.

This is great as per usual but goddamn I am sick of Anne Salmond continually being the one to stick her neck out. So many powerful people in our country just afraid to take a stand or too insulated to realise we're on a really dark path #nzpol

Useful. #nzpol

The more I see these articles (which seem to average 3-4 a week in NZ) the more it seems our understanding of rape culture is declining - or we’re getting better at using power to protect predators. Judges, decision makers, HR - all justifying unacceptable behaviour instead of holding it to account🫠

“It’s just a joke” is so widely used as an excuse for perpetuating rape culture that it’s now a trope. This man should not be anywhere near a school. Note, the people making this decision have also participated in rape culture by enabling the behaviour - and demonstrating to others it’s acceptable.

This is NZ, where misogny rules. He doesn’t believe he did anything wrong. This guy shouldn’t be near girls or children but he gets name suppression and a profession, the girls under his care will get abuse. #nzpol

@paulbarlownz.bsky.social makes some very good points in this 5 minute video around the dismantling of the BSA. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkaq... #nzpol

YES❗Mandatory Lobby Register for Aotearoa #nzpol "... voluntary codes are insufficient, and a statutory framework is required to ensure consistent, mandatory accountability and transparency across the industry." 💯 from @lobbyreformnz on IG and FB ✍️ Petititon: petitions.parliament.nz/22de6272-7c9...

I've also written up an analysis on the implications of these findings for MPs: The report must be a wake-up call to politicians. Decisions around cost-sharing and managed retreat may be unpopular, but kicking the can down the road is an abdication of responsibility. newsroom.co.nz/2026/05/07/t...

“They’re attacking the institutions, the universities, because the universities provide critical inquiry into the kind of myths that’s required for these kinds of politics.” - Professor and fascism expert Jason Stanley, apropos of nothing. www.democracynow.org/2024/9/17/er...

Well that's our first year uni student totally screwed over then - and all first and second year students tbh. Student Loans are a hardship to pay off, leave our young people saddled with debt, make it harder to build capital & create poorer social outcomes www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

seems bad (widely applicable)

That should actually be they *engineered* a chilling effect. This was absolutely deliberate.

As somebody who researches harassment campaigns, my guess is that we've only seen the visible/successful tip of the iceberg. It's likely that the shitbags responsible shopped around as much dirt as they could find to see what got traction. #nzpol When that was identified, they piled on to amplify.