Take care

#nzpol Opposition MPs accepted our 93,000+ strong petition at Parliament yesterday, and spoke to the shocking attacks on pay equity made by this Government back in May. Thank you to Jan Tinetti, @whaeadeb.bsky.social and Kahurangi Carter for your korero and support.

Nicola Willis’s Debt Higher Than All 6 Years of Ardern Government Current & planned debt will surpass Labour’s full term debt in less years. Willis also admitted Budget 2024 had a higher deficit than all of Grant Robertson’s bar Covid.

"Nicola Willis's NZ Debt Higher Than All 6 Years of Ardern Government” - but it’s been spent on the richest, & stolen from the poorest NZers #nzpol
thestandard.org.nz/nicola-willi...

Pope condemns Gaza war’s ‘barbarity’ as 93 reported killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food Israeli forces open fire on hungry Palestinians near Gaza City in one of bloodiest incidents involving aid seekers

I guess the Pope is lucky he's not saying this in Britain and therefore won't be charged with a terrorism offence. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

What Ray Chung did mirrors what we see happening to women politicians globally.

From Finland, UK, Canada, US, Aus etc... gendered disinformation is used to disengage, undermine & silence.

It’s not “just Wellington politics.” It’s part of a transnational pattern & feeds into online violence.
#nzpol

Another ICE "assault" case unravels. Border Patrol and ICE are arresting US citizens and then after they find out that they are US citizens, they are charging them with "assault" to justify their actions. This is clearly DHS policy at this point. We've seen it repeatedly now.

It’s utterly appalling that you have been subjected to this awful behaviour. These men have demonstrated they are unfit to serve in any capacity. Take care and wishing you strength in such adversity.

Wellington Hospital cuts maternity and gynaecology beds for ED It's a trial aimed at making more room for patients from the overcrowded Emergency Department, according to a leaked memo.

In addition to the sheer insanity of reducing capacity in an already super busy maternity unit (can we PLEASE listen to the midwives and OBs?) we need to ask why it’s always women whose needs are considered secondary? 😡
(Spot the former midwife, eh?)
#nzpol

RFK Jr. says U.S. will stop funding global vaccine alliance Gavi Gavi works to expand access to vaccines for children in some of the world’s poorest countries. Health experts say the move could have deadly consequences.

Let’s be absolutely clear. This decision, based on fringe conspiracy theories, will kill children.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Yes, Seymour and ACTs targeting of academics this way could be described as "lame", but it's also dangerous for democracy which, as we're seeing overseas, is fragile indeed. Any other PM would be pulling their Minister’s up for such behaviour. Where is ours? *crickets

Good to see this from @misswhanau.bsky.social - Seymour’s behaviour has been deplorable. Totally unacceptable for anyone to behave this way let alone someone in role of Deputy PM. Everyone should complain and he should be called to account, apologise and desist or be sacked.

From post Cab Q&A: When Seymour targets individual academics he says he's being "playful", that there's no breach of the Cabinet Manual. He sneers about @misswhanau.bsky.social's concerns.

A totally predictable response. But this is not just being playful. It's about silencing dissent.

Statement by the Secretary-General - on Iran
António Guterres
“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today.
I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.”

'Totally obliterated': Trump claims successful attack on Iran’s nuclear sites Trump says US dropped 'full payload of bombs' on Iran's Fordow nuclear site.

An accurate headline would read ‘Trump claims illegal attack on Iran’s nuclear sites’

hey @nytimes.com what if instead of this you reported accurately that the president of the united states has violated the united states constitution by entering into war with a foreign power without the approval of congress, just like, what if

Regulatory Standards Bill threatens the public interest, public health and Māori rights Public policy and law experts urge New Zealanders to oppose the Regulatory Standards Bill, warning that it excludes key public values like health, wellbeing and environmental protection.

If you're still working on your submission about the Regulatory Standards Bill, I strongly recommend this short piece jointly written by Jonathan Boston, Michael Baker, Andrew Geddis, Carwyn Jones, and Geoffrey Palmer.

www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/reg...

All the little ordinary things we keep doing feel simultaneously like fiddling while Rome burned but also like leaning into the fragile humanness that it precious & worthy of protection.

Some perspective for people that don’t live here. The protests in L.A. are happening downtown, within the red area. That red area is 0.2% of the city, and 0.02% of the county. The majority of the protests are peaceful, a small fraction are violent.

The Washington Post Plans an Influx of Outside Opinion Writers A new program, known internally as Ripple, would open The Post to journalists at other publications and influential writers on Substack.

The Washington Post will sharply expand its opinion offerings, including with articles from other publications, according to people familiar with the plan. A final phase, allowing nonprofessionals to submit columns with help from an A.I. writing coach called Ember, could begin testing this fall.

A Parliament that disrespects the voting public by saying a computer will read their submissions on a bill is not one that is worthy of our trust to have four year terms.

Labour must commit to funding Parliament to do its own analysis of submissions, and press this at Standing Orders review too.

The way round AI in search is to insert swear words at random.

I will be doing the same with my submission I suspect.

Horses and Trees above the Mist - Hawke's Bay, NZ.

Golden morning light washes over horses and leafless trees in the misty foothills of Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay.

#photography #landscape #nz #foggymorning

PM’s press secretary ‘recorded sex workers without consent’ Christopher Luxon’s deputy chief press secretary quits after Stuff investigation into allegations he secretly recorded sessions with sex workers.

Image-based sexual abuse is gender based violence. Pretty clear criminal offences apply here. Disturbing, awful, misogynist behaviour.

www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3607...

Chris Bishop frustrated by 'politicalised' Stan Walker Aotearoa Music Awards performance "It's not about Stan Walker ... It was just the sort of politicisation of it," the Cabinet Minister says after declaring "what a load of crap" during a Aotearoa Music Awards performance.

"It's not clear what I'd be apologising for," says Chris Bishop when asked whether he'd apologise to Stan Walker. Let me help: for attending the AMAs a guest, drinking the free beer and then loudly and rudely behaving like an arse during Stan's performance. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

This government has seemingly no regard for the safety or welfare of people it represents - this MP and new deputy PM are unrepresentative of the electoral vote and in place through sheer luck of the Luxon draw who appears content to hand off government to an extreme minority of tiny minds

Flower moon

BBC: "Make it make sense."
Me: "I can't."
[awkward pause]
[pause lengthens]
Me: "That's the answer."

Bluesky is emerging as the new platform for science - Mike Young Academy Scientific Twitter is about to find its true successor. And it is not X. This, our latest release, shows that the Bluesky network of scientists is growing — and growing.

🌍 We have just released a NEW global top 100 list of scientist and science communicators on Bluesky. @lassehjorthmadsen.bsky.social and I map out the new emerging community: How are the research fields clustered? All likes, reshares, and love 😍 is appreciated! mikeyoungacademy.dk/bluesky-is-e...

BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Miller makes clear the Trump regime will suspend habeas corpus—effectively ending American democracy—if the Supreme Court does not rule the way Trump and Miller want.

We are getting close now.