Matthew Littlewood

A word of caution to media/pundits claiming low turnout means no mandate. The first rule of politics is “learn how to count”. The second rule is “learn how to count”. Third rule: the mandate is made at the ballot box, not back rooms or in front of your computer. Fourth rule: see rules one and two.

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

Otago hang on in 85-point thriller to reach semifinals Cameron Millar nailed a penalty on fulltime to seal a dramatic 44-41 win against Waikato in the NPC quarterfinal at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight.

www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/... What an astonishing match this was. The kind of match that reminds me why I love the game.

fdr

"the girlfriend of one of the founders of anti fa"

the founder of anti fascism

News Corp Australia chairman says social media platforms are monsters and torment kids but I guess hacking the phone of a murdered schoolgirl is ok though.

Oh hell yes. There’s something oddly sinister and dreamlike about it.

Book of the Week: To Chris with love NZ's best book reviewer on a major biography of the caustic, abrasive, sarcastic and loveable Chris Knox.

My review of the Chris Knox biography.

Book of the Week: To Chris with love newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/09/b...

No, I’m looking to upgrade!

There’s gotta be a new vinyl player with my name on it!

Baldwin’s monologue from 11.20 of this clip is remarkable in its passion but also its savage clarity. What a man.

YouTube video by The Dick Cavett Show James Baldwin and Paul Weiss's HEATED Debate On Discrimination in America | The Dick Cavett Show

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzH5... I still think James Baldwin’s performance, and Cavett’s deliberate silence, is still one of the best things on YouTube. God, Baldwin was an astonishing thinker and Cavett was a remarkably patient host.

Treasury warnings over medical school ignored The government ignored repeated warnings from Treasury not to approve the new Waikato Medical School amid concerns about cost overruns. The...

www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin... Treasury repeatedly criticised Waikato Medical School proposal, but those complaints fell on deaf ears. @publicaddress.bsky.social

A fantastic “personal history” of hiphop, written by someone who has been close to it. I prefer the early chapters because he’s such a close listener. The chapters about the Roots are less compelling, but if you’re a fan of any kind of rap music, you need this. He’s one of the good guys.

to avoid confusion I have made a little table of Mitford siblings

If you'd asked me which celebrity would posthumously unveil a list of people she wanted fired into the sun, I would not have guessed Jane Goodall

John Huston’s directorial debut in the 🇺🇸American film noir “THE MALTESE FALCON” starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George and Peter Lorre premiered #OnThisDay in 1941 at The Strand Theatre, New York City

🎬 Warner Bros.
🎞 #FilmNoir

If, say, 15 years ago, you had told me that Otago would hold the Ranfurly Shield, be top of the NPC table and beat Auckland by 35 points, I’d have told you that you were certifiable. And yet here we are! 😀 #NPC

Dame Patricia Routledge obituary Formidable and versatile actor best known for her comic turn as the snobbish Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances

It's not inappropriate that the monstrously gentility of Hyacinth Bucket is the first thing that comes to mind when people eulogize Patricia Routledge (RIP) but its her turns in Alan Bennett's unforgiving monologues that stick in mind and break my beart.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Staffing, resource issues plague ED If the ED is the canary in the Dunedin Hospital coalmine, then there is cause to worry about the bird’s health. Matthew Littlewood looks into the...

www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin... I take a look at the beleaguered Dunedin ED and see whether there are any solutions…

Are TRANSformers biological men? Bro they're not even cis-robots, they only became cars once they moved to Earth to conform to our gender norms (the two genders being cars and small electronic appliances)

An Autocracy of Dunces How stone-faced generals, Wall Street pushback, and a government shutdown may save America’s quickly declining democracy

open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

Cancer treatment targets ‘meaningless’ A University of Otago oncology professor says the government cancer treatment targets have become "meaningless" and need to be rewritten. Prof...

Speaking of HNZ targets….
www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...

Seymour's response seems to be that if we passed his regulatory standards bill it would be harder for <the government he is deputy PM in> to get away with this sort of thing

Slash & burn: How Trump’s health and science cuts are hitting home in NZ US govt research cuts cast a global shadow, threatening serious consequences for us all.

My story in this week's Listener tracks impacts of the Trump administration's cuts on research in Aotearoa, from vaccine studies to climate change. More great stuff in the magazine, also online (albeit paywalled). Free to read on Libby if you have a library card!
www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener...

that The Far Side comic with two gorillas in a tree, one grooming the other, saying "Well, well—another blonde hair...Conducting a little more 'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?"

RIP Jane Goodall, you were cool as hell for lots of things, but especially for liking this

www.stuff.co.nz/entertainmen... RIP Nigel Latta. I interviewed him a decade ago and he was loads of fun and very thoughtful.

Screenshot of an article from the ODT NZ by Matthew Littlewood titled, ‘Frankly Astonished’: Concerns raised over Health Minister’s meeting. Paywalled - accessible article in the comments.

Concerns are being raised about privatisation after Health Minister Simeon Brown met representatives of a controversial multinational company that runs prisons and hospitals.

“The Minister must immediately & fully disclose the nature, purpose, & content of his discussions with Serco.”

#nzpol

Really crystal clear opportunity for Democrats to stand tall and say "the President hates trans people more than he loves America and he is willing to hold the entire country hostage to prove it"

Chris Slane’s political cartoon of the week Chris Slane’s take on current events.

Every new funding announcement is no new funding #nzpol www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener...

One of those records where it tries to follow a streamlined classic by overstuffing with ideas and sounds, yet it’s fascinating all the same. You can hear the band coming apart at the seams.