Big money is flowing into this general election. ACT took in $700k in the last three days. What does that money buy?

It's so much worse than just automated decision making open.substack.com/pub/drbex/p/...

Reading about the Greens doggedly putting up the amendments to bills under urgency, in an effort to protect our most vulnerable, might be the thing that gets me donating time or money.

The utter rejection of information, evidence and science by this Government is astoundingly reckless. They didn't even want to see, let alone understand, the risks to the critical work of the Ministry for the Environment that would result from its disestablishment ☠️☠️

The Right is attacking free press everywhere. Israeli Govt murdering journalists; Trump using licensing laws to silence; Act Deputy PM threatening RNZ and then RNZ CEO resigning; Nats cutting RNZ budget etc. No free people without a free press.

This lollyscramble narrative is so sick and twisted. Every year since I’ve been an adult it’s a talking point when we know healthcare has gotten worse, higher education is expensive, poor families are struggling, disabled people are screwed over, elder care is a shitshow. Like where is lolly?

What a combo of headlines, and how it captures quite a lot abt this govt.

well that's all i need to know.

Budget 2026 in summary #nzpol

So NZ’s biggest climate polluter, Fonterra, gave a paper to the PM’s Policy Guy, who used to be at the far right NZ Initiative, asking Luxon to block a specific common law case currently b4 court. And then PM’s office illegally kept the document secret. NZ Govt is a corporate protection racket

The Green Party says Budget 2026 leaves New Zealanders fending for themselves with no vision or plan for the country. Everyday, New Zealanders feel the reality that Luxon’s Government has no hope, no plan, no ambition and no vision for our country. Today’s Budget is yet more proof ‼️

#Budget2026 is a gamble on lower oil prices. They assume oil prices tumble to US$77. Instead of reducing the exposure of the NZ economy to fossil fuel imports, by decarbonising, they assume away the risk. Being conservative is not about doing nothing, it's about taking action to reduce risk.

Anyone else find it really patronising of the government to talk to us about the budget like we are kids? ‘Lolly scramble’, ‘tough love’, ‘adult’ budget.. there’s nothing childish about wanting a responsible budget where we care for our poorest and everyone has a secure home.

Hey Andy, old mate, given you were on Wellington's council from 1992 until 2022, might you have played some sort of role in how expensive Wellington's housing is? Maybe just a bit of influence? Hmmm, a real head-scratcher isn't it

Benefits for me, but not for thee. #nzpol

When there's nothing to hide anymore, then the damage has already begun. Luxon's government doesn't care about your voice in Aotearoa's democracy. Only the 'experts' of a neoliberal think-tank are important, including a former director who already is the Minister of Finance. #nzpol

Occasionally you get a glimpse of how Govt money actually works. Here's the Minister of Finance saying that the cash received at ETS auctions isn't revenue. Why? Because it evaporates on receipt. The cash and an equivalent amount of outstanding Govt debt are just deleted.

The NZ Govt acts to protect polluting corporations against people who are harmed by that pollution. Late-stage-climate-disaster-capitalism. Officials told government not to intervene in a climate court case www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

OH COME THE FUCK ON.

Luxon claims he never saw the polluting corp docs but... C: “Is it OK if corporations are - what - having a direct impact on the wording of legislation?” L: “Well, I’d be careful saying that, John, I reject that characterisation completely.” C: “How do you know if you’ve never seen this document?

Has anyone looked on Casey Costello’s desk? #NZPol

I’m sure I must be remembering, but I think in olden times it was considered a sackable offence to have meetings with lobbyists that weren’t in a Minister’s diary.

Under Luxon’s New Zealand, Fuel Companies and Agricultural Polluters have more say in govt policy, than disabled communities, rainbow communities, public service workers, woman, Māori, Pasifika, and migrants. Why the hell should we accept corruption? #nzpol www.greens.org.nz/nz_democracy...

Prime Ministers’ Office unlawfully hides briefings from corporate polluters Fonterra and Z Energy. Briefings to change law to block climate litigation. 'A co-ordinated campaign of secret lobbying' - climate activist www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

For 2 years NZ Govt sold a fossil gas fairytale. Today reality has bitten and they have announced a new scheme to support businesses to transition off gas (similar to the one they abolished in 2023). But 2 years have passed and huge damage has been done by their delay.

… No??? At least 26.5% of households spend at least 30% of their income on rent. And that’s from the 2023 census. We can’t imagine how much more are households getting ripped off, following this govt’s landlord tax cuts. #nzpol

This is a good article but doesn't quite get what struck me about the video: the Israeli government's whole tone [in English] is always a bit sorrowful. "We have no choice. We don't WANT to do this. But look! *waves a big racism flag* We're under attack!" The video proved that they fucking ENJOY IT

i thought we were done with wasteful government spending? #nzpol

This would be completely unsurvivable if it was a real product being delivered in a real market, not the Potemkin market of lowest bid wins neoliberal public service contracting. Corporate business models are not fit for purpose here. The old system worked. businessdesk.co.nz/article/poli...

I find it both chilling and obscene that David Seymour is the person fronting media to explain Pharmac’s decision to stop priority access to Type 2 diabetes treatment for Māori.

@nzpsa.bsky.social are organising a rally against the cuts to the public service Facebook link here facebook.com/events/s/ral... #nzpol

Nicola Willis is directing billions in subsidies to fossil fuel companies. They can’t compete with cheaper renewables anymore so she is helping them out. Now that isn’t like winning the lotto because it’s not luck, it’s rigged.

Great statement from the Human Rights Commission. tikatangata.org.nz/news/definit...

Yeah, like winning the lotto.

REDUCING SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS AND INCREASING THE SUBSIDY FOR PRIVATE TENANTS IS GIVING MORE MONEY TO PRIVATE LANDLORDS www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

National’s public housing reform ‘cuts costs’ at the expense of our most vulnerable. The Green Party is warning that the Government’s changes to public housing will see more public housing tenants evicted and driven deeper into poverty.

Email 1 to Steve Abel. Green.

A 40 year consensus on the existence and operation of a ministry dedicated to our environment is set to end. Not one Government party campaigned on this, and not one credible submission was in support ☠️☠️☠️

NZ Govt says it is cutting public services again, to save money. Yet it subsidises fossil fuels: $200m to oil/gas exploration; up to $8billion for LNG import terminal (direct + tax on electricity); $264m to weaken the Clean Car Standard; free allocation of ETS units (cost of 100s of million$) etc

A selection from speeches from the debates on the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Recognition Act 2021. Any journos reading this feel free to ask any of the speakers whether they stand by these comments made less than five years ago. At the second reading: Nicola Grigg:

Tldr: I went to the famous Oxford Union Debate to hold Empire accountable. Against 3 older power laden men pimping for colonisation. No biggie. I shat myself. It was terrifying. I won by just agreeing to do it, and telling my story anyway. But the win of 163-86 was a bonus. youtu.be/SlZE8BT_fio?...

Every single problem in the public service is a result of government cost-cutting and prioritising optics, spin and ideology over just spending the money to do the job properly, which would have the benefit of making everyone's lives better but on the other hand doesn't make rich people richer

Put more directly, the Luxon-led Government is causing this pain and mayhem, knowing that it is the worst economic approach. They are doing it, instead, for reasons of political theatre

I’m in 2 minds about posting this. It may already be obvious to everyone. Just skip over if it is to you. National is going to campaign on being good economic managers, on the basis of cutting public spending and jobs. Austerity is supposed to convince you they are ‘prepared to make the tough calls’

They're right you know

In light of today's news, here's a daily dose of anti-neoliberal learning that helps to explain, in Aotearoa's own context, how government spending ACTUALLY works. In short: - "Taxpayer dollars" don't fund public services - Govt spending NEEDS to be in deficit (not surplus) - Tax the rich #nzpol

One of the worst things about our press gallery is almost without exception - and please, point me to any that don't do this so I can give credit! - they accept completely uncritically the framing that "cuts = savings". Which *extremely obviously* are concepts which are not 1:1 equivalents.