Thread by Kevin Hague, former Green MP on his private capacity:

Friday 11 July 2025 thread https://bsky.app/profile/kevinhague.bsky.social/post/3ltnb7t5yjc2j

"On RNZ’s political panel I heard that Seymour has been saying that Nats & NZ1st HAVE to support RSB because they said they would support THE Bill in Coalition Agreements. That’s pure rhetoric: THE Bill didn’t EXIST at the time so the Agreements have to be read as contingent.

For example, the Nat & NZ1st parties will have assumed any RSB they were asked to vote for would improve good governance and economic efficiency, as the Agreement states. This one doesn’t. They would have assumed a proper process. This one hasn’t even followed its own rules.

And, anyway, what’s he going to do? Force an election?"

Today 12 July 2025 he up'd the thread with comment:

"I’m hearing journalists echoing Seymour’s line. It is ABSOLUTELY NOT game over. National and NZ First still have a choice to make and we can help them make the right one" https://bsky.app/profile/kevinhague.bsky.social/post/3ltqyn7kp6c2f

Other observation to the friday skeet include one from

Eddit Clark https://bsky.app/profile/dreddieclark.bsky.social/post/3ltnjct4vhs26

#AoNZPol#NZPol

The Luxon government's new strategy for AI was written largely by AI. If you're interested in AI and poor governance, this is an important read.

"To be blunt, the document is poorly written, badly structured, and under-researched. It cites eight documents in total, half of which are produced by industry – an amount of research suitable for a first year university student. It makes no effort to integrate arguments or sources critical of AI, nor does it provide any balanced assessment. "

Chris McGavin is co-director of a public interest AI consultancy and a visiting scholar at the Engineering and Computer Science Department at Victoria University.

https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/13/nz-cant-afford-to-be-careless-with-its-ai-strategy/

#NZPol#AI

and if they HATED unpolluted rivers, they're in for a treat #nzpol

the newly de-extincted moa are sure going to enjoy wandering around all that unspoiled southern forest that hasn't been cleared and burned for grass, lumber, or mining in the last couple hundred years #nzpol

"But the legislation's supporters say universities can't be trusted to uphold freedom of expression."

"Freedom of expression" in their minds equals:

1 Support of NAZIS/Fascism
2 Expression of hatred against LGBT
3 Blatant sexism
4 Blatant racism

It doesn't equal
1 Criticizing genocide
2 Criticizing the Govt (current Govt only)
3 Criticizing THEM

#NZpol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/566712/no-need-for-bill-protecting-campus-free-speech-unis-and-legal-experts-say

This is such a good piece:
#Rate rises are due to people voting against rates rises | #TheSpinoff
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/10-07-2025/rates-rises-are-due-to-people-voting-against-rates-rises
#nzpol #wellington #localgovt

So you can see #nzpol that New Zealand's current coalition is using this authoritarian playbook, deliberately following in the US's footsteps. There's not one thing on it, IMO they haven't blatantly done. So keep this close: verfassungsblog.de/the-authorit...

The Authoritarian Regime Survi...

The mayor of Christchurch city, NZ, Phil Mauger, is in the news backing the government’s proposal to cap councils’ rates increases. The article on #RNZ says that Mauger “agreed with [finance minister Nicola] Willis that councils had engaged in wasteful spending”.

Ah, you must be thinking, surely Mauger must mean our $683 million new stadium. That’s a big reason why Christchurch rates have gone up by on average almost 25% during the 3 years of Mauger’s term, while inflation had only risen about 8%.

No, of course not. He’s pointing at our cycle ways. “We've wasted money on how we have designed and built cycleways”. The council has budgeted on average $21 million annually over the next 10 years for cycleway and footpath maintenance and construction.

😔

Remember that it’s election year this year.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/566309/christchurch-mayor-backs-proposal-for-government-capped-rates-rises

#nzpol #BikeTooter#CycleWays#UrbanPlanning#Christchurch #nz

An international coalition for phasing out fossil fuels says it told the NZ govt after the election it would have to quit the group if it re-started oil & gas exploration, contradicting what Climate Change Minister Simon Watts previously told media.
#nzpol
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/566152/government-told-after-election-it-would-have-to-quit-fossil-fuel-group-if-new-exploration-started

Wise words from Sir Geoffrey Palmer about the Regulatory Standards Bill. #nzpolhttps://newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/02/geoffrey-palmer-passing-regulatory-standards-bill-will-exact-high-political-price/