This is an appalling catalog of climate-impacting policy decisions.

A photo of my former front lawn. A bee is feeding on a blue flower (not sure what kind of flower, please let me know if you do). More flowering plants in the background.

At my place I've had wildflowers where my front lawn used to be for the past six years, but I'm pondering having a cleanout and going native instead.

NZ Op-eds:

- bizarre trust in Luxon despite all evidence to the contrary: check
- saying that business people don't usually argue for corporate welfare when that is literally all they do: check
- unnecessary swipe at the COVID response when it was the best response by any government on earth: check

Are we back on track yet?

#2 here looks spot on to me.

Wait, if someone is "taking over" leadership of the crisis response, that implies the Government both accepts that it's a crisis, and that there has already been someone leading a response up until now. Both of which are news to me.

Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point

This selective coverage is ... um ... Cooked.

I mean, it's inevitable that Henry's going to post the inflammatory photos for the engagement, but _surely_ balancing this with a couple of photos of the people attending the event wouldn't hurt his stats that much?

Keen to see your pics of the huge line?
bsky.app/profile/bewa...

Foam sword, Crusaders [Rugby] From Nelson Provincial Museum: Foam sword 'Day of the Sword' Crusaders Rugby Team. A souvenir from a Super12 Rugby game between the Canterbury Crusaders and the ACT Brumbies. The game was sche...

After the shootings there was some apparent consideration given to rebranding, and then an attempt to retcon the brand as being about the 'crusading spirit' rather than literal crusaders Which I struggle to accept given that swords were part of their merch.
digitalnz.org/records/5545...

The news was "incredibly disappointing", Crusaders horseman Mark Donald said. "From the earthquakes, then the mosque attack and then Covid, The Crusaders mean everything to us. We aren't just guys who ride horses around a field. We are an important part of this club, and this is what hurts the most."

Reading this banger in today's article in The Press - name-checking the mosque shootings as somehow a reason that Crusaders branding is good!?

For those like me who assume a deadline falls at the end of the day, note this this one is 12 midday!

An event so fresh it didn't even make our 'What's on this Week' post!

This Taitei/Thurs : 5.30-6.30, @maramadavidson.bsky.social is going to be in the whare.

Head along for a very special Greens Event. Some say she may even say a few wise words...

FREE - all welcome

The 'I'm the guy in the pic' meme.

VJ: "Someone smart, tough, and principled. And - even more crucially - someone with the vision to see through this fog of hopelessness."
Swarbrick: Hey
VJ: "No"

See you there? Aoraki Greens 'meet the candidates' (and pizza & pints) tonight 5pm-7pm.

Turns out I was mistaken:
"Data provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment confirms the country’s five fuel importers have the spare capacity to store significantly more fuel than they currently have on hand."
www.thepress.co.nz/business/360...

Update: maybe I was giving our Government too much credit.
"Data provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment confirms the country’s five fuel importers have the spare capacity to store significantly more fuel than they currently have on hand."
www.thepress.co.nz/business/360...

Climate change - a timeline. By @semi_rad on Instagram.

...with acknowledgments of course to semi_rad on Insta for this banger.

Our outgoing CE will finish up on 1 May, two months ahead of the end date in her contract.

Instead of asking Ukraine - the victim of illegal war and genocide - to pause its legal right to self defence because of the growing cost of oil, Ukraine's international partners should demand Israel and the US stop their illegal aggression that has caused the spike in oil prices.
2/2

Most plausible theory I've heard is that our limited in-country storage means there's little benefit in reducing consumption *so long as more fuel is on its way*? In which case I'd be hoping that planning is well underway for a hard pivot to restrictions as soon as tankers stop sailing our way.

Redwood Library

Easter at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre

Aroha mai. Redwood Library is closed today Saturday 4 April.
Our other libraries are open as normal, but Linwood Library at Eastgate and South Colombo will be closed tomorrow Easter Sunday.
Easter Monday 6 April, Tūranga is open from 10am to 5pm.
my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/holiday-hours/ ^DR

I'm off for my 6-month COVID booster next week. Thanks @marcdaalder.bsky.social for clarifying, and it's worrying that the comms on this were so confusing.
"...there’s been no change to eligibility and anyone 30 or over can receive a booster on request twice a year."
newsroom.co.nz/2026/04/01/c...

"MBIE denied it was in breach, delaying the hearing at the Authority on numerous occasions. It refused to withdraw the policy. It refused to engage constructively. It went through three rounds of failed mediation. And then, on the eve of the hearing, it folded."

Join your union.

I can't believe that woke Standard & Poors has come out warning that rates capping will worsen financial strains on local government.

"Either way, councils may postpone essential investments or be driven to borrow more."

Imagine if a left coalition had been voted in at the last election - we’d have
- an electric hybrid ferry
- be 2.5 years further into renewables
- a better economy to face this fuel crisis
- less poverty & homelessness
- a govt taking proactive steps for the crisis
- a more positive outlook

Voyaging waka Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti, resting on the shore at low tide in Rāpaki Bay, Whakaraupō | Lyttelton Harbour.

Scenes in Rāpaki Bay this evening.

Phase 1: fuel shortage isn't real
Phase 2: fuel shortage is real, we're just not convinced it'll affect us
Phase 3: oops
Phase 4: fuck

Coming from a party that criticized Labour's consultations and working groups, taking this long to announce something that's still being consulted on is pretty weak.