Bruce Buckman

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon' absolutely not' considering standing down The Prime Minister told Newstalk ZB all of his ministers were telling him they back him.

His streak of not taking feedback remains unbroken.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Eleven days on the Northwest circuit, on Rakiura, and what do I have to show for it?

Here comes my best attempt at a trip report, tips, tricks, and confessions included…
#NWC2026

First tip: the water taxi to Freshwater Landing is ALWAYS a good time; you have plenty of walking to do, don’t waste it

I also think one of the key things driving the schadenfreude we clearly feel about Luxon’s predicament is not even political. It’s that he reminds us all of a colleague or boss who was elevated way beyond their ability who we always wanted to see fail but didn’t get the opportunity. Now we do.

Analysis: What would it take for Christopher Luxon to quit as prime minister? Analysis - One of Luxon's weaknesses has been his inability to take feedback. Another is his complete lack of self-doubt, writes Jo Moir.

Oh boy the crows are cawing from the branches of the dead tree in the graveyard as the shovels dig the hole by the light of a lantern.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

I think ‘considering his options’ is clearly a leap frog right over ‘embattled’.

It’s interesting that what can unite Kiwis in the polarised political environment we now live in is how much we all hate Luxon. He’s really managed to bring us together, if only on this one specific thing. But hey, in his current position you’ve got to take the wins where you can find them.

Sometime in the future, on the speaker circuit: “Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Sir John Key and … um [checks notes] Christopher Luxon”

If Luxon is indeed gone burger the funniest thing is his disastrous stint as PM is probably not going to secure him that coveted knighthood.

PM shaken by horror poll result, said to be considering options Political insiders have indicated to Stuff that the Prime Minister is shaken by today’s horror poll result and that he is taking some time to consider his options.

‘Considering his options’. Ouch.

www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...

There was a whole lot of arrogance involved in the whole assumption that he could just walk into the job and handle like it was just another corporate appointment.

Being PM is it is quite different to being even a minister. You need to talk on subjects at the drop of a hat with very little preparation. Luxon is obviously terrible at this. But even experienced ministers can fail when out under that pressure. It’s a very particular set of skills.

Granted there is rarely ‘the perfect candidate’ in situations like this but oh boy there really is not a perfect candidate here. There’s not even a good candidate here. There’s barely a candidate at all.

Whole thing has a very ‘Mitchell & Webb Doenitz becomes fuhrer skit’ vibe.

My old man's a thermos
He wears a thermostat

The businesses failing most frequently and what can you do to avoid joining them That number of liquidations is up 16 percent compared to last year as the economy grinds to recovery.

Just another glorious day in the rockstar economy.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

ICO writes to Meta over 'concerning' AI smart glasses report Videos, including of glasses-wearers using the toilet or having sex, are sometimes reviewed by a Kenya-based subcontractor.

Last year when I was checking into a hotel, the desk person was wearing Meta glasses. I kindly asked them to take them off. They were annoyed. I said, “I do not consent to you looking at my credit card and ID with Meta glasses on.” My instincts were correct: www.bbc.com/news/article...

Sorry, ‘potpourri’.🙄

Luxon is awful but he’s also merely a reflection of the party he (currently) leads. They put him there. They kept him there. Replacing Luxon is like changing the air freshener in the toilet. It doesn’t actually turn it into a bowel of flowers.

One of my sons sent through a spoken word poetry phase at secondary school and yeah, I was not the most effective clicker in the audience.

I can click my thumb and finger on my right hand, totally fail to do it on my left, like not even a hint of a ‘click’. 🤷‍♂️

I’m left handed for writing, drawing basically things that require dexterity. Right handed for tools, things that require strength. Confused for cutlery, only use a knife in the right hand, spoon & fork both left hand - always putting one down to puck up the other.

nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: banana's loose
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* banana's loose.

More distinctive street art from New Zealand
#TagTuesday
#TiritiriMatangi
#Photography
#PhotographersOfBlueSky

The main recommendations Introduce under-16 age restriction for social media. Establish a national regulator for online safety. Ban “nudify” apps and non-consensual deepfake sexual imagery. Explore regulating online platforms’ algorithms and ways to evade restrictions, such as VPNs. Increase platforms’ liability for the content they host, and their platform design. Restrict online advertising of alcohol, tobacco, and gambling — to over-18s. Review laws, consider new offences and penalties associated with online harm. Invest in public campaigns or resources about online safety.

Banning VPNs is a joke policy that could not be taken seriously by anyone who has ever worked remotely for a medium or large organisation or one with a significant international presence

These are not serious people

www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

Ironically given who is currently in govt you’re more likely to have this not go through by pointing out the adverse effects on business than pointing out the privacy and freedom issues.

See that late afternoon, just a hint of a chill in the air on a sunny day feeling, that’s why autumn is awesome.

Yeah, nah. That's a big fat "No". 🤦‍♂️

The "Party of Business" knows that its routine for businesses to use VPNs to give their employees access to remote company resources, right? RIGHT?!

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford apologises after inflating overstayer figures The government has been accused of scaremongering after Erica Stanford said there were "tens of thousands more" overstayer.

Introducing legislation which will target our ethnic communities of colour without checking the numbers freely available on the Department of Immigration website is point blank racism against our ethnic communities.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Banning VPNs is a classic bit of policy that people who don’t really understand the complexity of modern life & work think is a simple solution to a problem they’ve largely overstated. It’s a pandora’s box of unintended consequences.

AI VR just transcribed "4 out of 10" as "4%". That's probably fine, right?