Bernard Hickey

Fighter pilot faces NZ spies over Chinese military training

New details of apparent NZ involvement in surveillance of foreign trainers has been unveiled as part of US court proceedings - Newsroom Pro - $ -

WA ‘millionaires tax’ gains ground as Ferguson pledges signature Gov. Bob Ferguson and legislative Democrats reached a deal on a proposed income tax on people earning more than $1 million, clearing the way for a final vote.

Washington State looks set to tax millionaires, as the governor says he’ll sign legislation creating a new state income tax of 9.9% on people earning of over $1 million a year.

Washington currently doesn’t have a personal income tax.

www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

This is the largest oil supply shock in history in mb/d
The enemy gets a vote. Iran is now delivering pain to Trump via multiple paths
(1) Gulf Kings
(2) Financial meltdown
(3) AI tech oligarchs
(4) Fuel, fertilizer, food disruptions
Read our Polycrisis Dispatch:
buttondown.com/polycrisisdi...

The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Following the passage of rent control in S…

Carefully designed paper finds that St Paul's rent control ordinance 1) led to significant declines in home values for Saint Paul home owners, 2) gave greater benefits to higher cf. lower income renters, 3) harmed small landlords as much as large ones
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Here comes the TACO

Cartoon depicts National Party Prime Minister of New Zealand's 3 party coalition dressed as a clown wearing long shoes as he is tripping over the skull of smokers ( refers to plans to cancel the smokefree target and repeal legislation). Luxon's head has struck a bee's nest labelled 'Tiriti O Waitangi' from which angry bees fly to sting him on the ass. His top hat falls off labelled '7 Houses'. He is about to fall face first into budget custard while crying profuse clown tears "Why can't I get a break?" he whimpers plaintively.

Introducing Cluxo The Clown #nzpol cartoon (Dec 2023)

Mojtaba Khamenei ascends to the role of supreme leader.

Cartoon

Everything’s fine. #IranWar

Carbon Direct releases groundbreaking paper calling for integration of superpollutant mitigation with carbon removal strategy | Carbon Direct Reduce, remove, and monitor your carbon emissions with Carbon Direct’s science-backed carbon management platform.

A new report by Carbon Direct (out today) makes the case for how combining superpollutant mitigation and durable CDR could work in practice:

Good thread

Dawn Chorus: Treasury warns of stagflationary hit Treasury says NZ to grow 0.2%-0.4% slower than pre-Iran war forecasts, while inflation may be 0.5%-1.0% higher; Oil slips off highs overnight after G7 says it's ready to release reserves

Dawn Chorus out: Treasury says NZ to grow 0.2%-0.4% slower than pre-Iran war forecasts, while inflation may be 0.5%-1.0% higher; Oil slips off highs overnight after G7 says it's ready to release reserves #nzpol open.substack.com/pub/thekaka/...

U.S. orders staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran war spreads and oil surges above $110 The U.S. ordered non-emergency government staff to leave Saudi Arabia as the widening Iran war rattled markets and sent oil prices surging above $110 per barrel.

U.S. orders staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran war spreads and oil surges above $110

VIEW Oil surges 20% as Iran war fuels supply fears Oil prices surged about 20% in early trade on Monday, hitting their highest since July 2022, as the expanding U.S.-Israeli war with Iran led some major Middle East oil producers to cut supplies and on concerns of prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

VIEW Oil surges 20% as Iran war fuels supply fears reut.rs/46P3FJr

10 vessels attacked in Strait of Hormuz, data analysis groups report

u.afp.com/SuzV

U.S. considers idea of special operation to seize Iran’s uranium Publicly, U.S. officials have projected confidence that they know where the uranium is stored. Privately, there is said to be less certainty.

U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing the option of deploying special forces on the ground to seize Iran’s near-bomb-grade uranium, as officials grow increasingly concerned the stockpile may have been moved.

U.S. Tomahawk Hit Naval Base Beside Iranian School, Video Shows

U.S. Tomahawk Hit Naval Base Beside Iranian School, Video Shows www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/w...

Brent, the international benchmark, leapt 20% in Asia trading on Monday to $112.40, over concerns that the widening conflict in the Middle East would lead to weeks-long supply disruptions. ft.trib.al/AGLYaLV

Dawn Chorus: Will the fuel tax hikes actually happen? Big question in election year is: will the 18c/litre of fuel tax hikes set for 2027 & 2028 actually happen?; Petrol to rise over $3/litre & $2.50/litre, with diesel rises correlated to CPI inflation

Dawn Chorus out: Big question in election year is: will the 18c/litre of fuel tax hikes set for 2027 & 2028 actually happen?; Petrol to rise over $3/litre & $2.50/litre, with diesel rises correlated to CPI inflation #nzpol open.substack.com/pub/thekaka/...

Bibi and Donald climbing the Escherian Stairwell.

lettuce prey

Thanks!

Would love an update… ;)

We need to start setting polymarket contracts for these sort of things. I’d bet chocolate fish they’re abandoned before Nov 7

Dawn Chorus: Luxon clings on as inflation shock looms Luxon won't resign after poll shock; Oil over US$90/bbl overnight; Petrol over NZ$3/l in some areas; Freight cost warning after diesel rises 44c/l; Pak n'Save buying US butter; Dialysis rationing

Chorus out: Luxon says won't resign after poll shock; Oil over US$90/bbl overnight; Petrol over NZ$3/l in some areas; Freight cost warning after diesel rises 44c/l; Pak n'Save buying US butter; Dialysis rationing at Christchurch hospital #nzpol. thekaka.substack.com/p/dawn-choru...

In today’s NZ Herald

Interesting thread

Feels about right.

National in turmoil: Luxon on the brink as party searches for a reset OPINION: The frontrunner to take the top job seems to be Education Minister Erica Stanford: liked by the public, especially parents, and TV-friendly. The consensus is any new leader must be Auckland-based.

OPINION: The frontrunner to take the top job seems to be Education Minister Erica Stanford: liked by the public, especially parents, and TV-friendly. The consensus is any new leader must be Auckland-based.

Wellington council budget cuts - big climate cuts Deputy mayor Ben McNulty has been behind closed doors taking a scalpel to council spending and today, some time around noon, invites Wellington to see his masterpiece.

We’re in a climate crisis, a 40 percent cut to our climate response budget makes no sense financially or for the future of the city. Next week’s proposals include a total gutting of cycleway funding, & a backdown on commercial rates for Air B&B providers www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3609...