weka

When a picture is worth a thousand words… #OneTermGovernment #nzpol

Of Beetles' wings and Brittlestars: using Biomimicry to co-create a flourishing future with Michael Pawlyn What is humanity for?  What happens if we rethink not just the way we plan buildings, but our entire role as beings on a living planet?  These are the central questions driving Michael Pawlyn's third ...

How would it feel to wake every morning knowing that you were here to help all life to flourish? That as a species, we could still become self-conscious nodes in the web of life, to act for the good of all?

accidentalgods.life/of-beetles-w...

#accidentalgods #Podcast
#biomimicry
#WritersofBlueSky

NZ has normalised inequality. As the cost of living rises, Govt has to expand into every corner of life so people don't starve and end up homeless.
We need to reduce inequality and rampant rentierism so that people and communities have the resources they need to look after themselves.

Cool story!

indeed. My framing is don't let economists design social security, it should be designed by people who centre people. This is the Green's approach.

Chloe Ann-King Words by Auckland based community activist and advocate Chloe Ann-King. She isn't sorry about all the swears.

it's the combination approach. Guaranteed basic income (but only for those that need it), and extra support for people that can't earn extra themselves. UBI with welfare bolted on (a term from activist Chloe Anne King)

millennialposse.wordpress.com

The only UBI model I've seen in the NZ context that addresses that is the Greens' Guaranteed Minimum Income. Links in the post.

What they are right about is the mess that WINZ creates for people that need welfare. But they want to remove that all and replace it with *much* lower income for many beneficiaries, and their model seems dependent on being able to work to bring income up to livable.

I think the reason why TOP won't create a UBI model that is fair to people who can't work is because they actually think welfare entitlements are wrong (probably something about dependency).

It's theoretically possible to replace our current social security legislation with good UBI legislation, but I see nothing from TOP that suggests this is what they would do. They *want* welfare gone. Gareth Morgan hated welfare on principle.

If that gets removed, a UBI would need similar entrenchment in law, otherwise any government could just remove it or lower it or restrict it.

the benefits system is based in legislation that grants entitlements. If WINZ decline something someone is entitled do, it can theoretically end up in the High Court, where the law will be applied (this has happened). It's solid protection that is very badly applied at the coal face.

The Opportunity Party still hates beneficiaries If you dismantle welfare, you push many New Zealanders into desperate poverty.

The Opportunity Party still hates beneficiaries.

If you dismantle welfare, you push many New Zealanders into desperate poverty.

#nzpol #NZPolitics

thestandard.nz/the-opportun...

Global credit agencies warn against council rates cap 'Be careful what you wish for': rates cap could increase council costs, the opposite effect to what's intended. Jonathan Milne reports.

“The world’s two biggest credit rating agencies have both put big New Zealand councils on notice: they say the Government’s proposed rates cap could impact on the local authorities’ finances and drive up their interest rates.”

Seeing very little media interrogation of this proposal. From Newsroom👇

Are whales people? The Green Party Bill to give whales personhood Save the whales! (and ourselves)

Are whales people? The Green Party Bill to give whales personhood (and what that means)

thestandard.nz/are-whales-p...

#nzpol #greens #NZGreenParty #climate

Game on: Labour and the Greens speak to media from Waitangi Chris Hipkins, Marama Davidson, and Chloe Swarbrick speak on unity, working together while being separate partners, and the upcoming election.

this was very good, best thing in #nzpol I've seen in ages

thestandard.nz/game-on-labo...

I wondered about the Medi card as well. I think it’s to enable tracking of who gets what without breaching privacy rights by using the existing systems. I’m going to guess that it’s also part of a move to other kinds of welfare/Social Security.

BREAKING:
Labour has announced a tax policy that includes a tight Capital Gains Tax:
- 28% on profit after 2027 for residential and commercial property
- Family home, KiwiSaver, farms, financial assets excluded
- Would pay for a medicard for three free GP visits a year

It’s a good start!
#nzpol

Farmers feel ‘picked on’, says agriculture minister after ECan’s declared a Nitrate Emergency … but imagine how it feels for the Canterbury families that can’t trust the water from their kitchen tap is safe to drink!!
#TooManyCows #nzpol

www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

My friends who were observing at Davos say the masks were off and the narrative was set at, ‘we have 7 years left before it’s too late, so make a f*ck-tonne of money and party while we can’.

And it felt a lot more authentic than all the greenwash years. Sadly.

So, has the "mainstream media" picked up on how Contact Energy is increasing what they're paying their directors from $350,000 to $500,000?

Really hope this headline is a mistake, but this is a tragedy and no one involved deserves that level of misrepresentation. Please take it down.

Love this for him. Above the fold in NZ 'papers' as well.

Govt rolls back clean-up liabilities for offshore drillers Five years after the taxpayers got left with a $300m clean-up bill for an oil field, Shane Jones is weakening the rules put in place to prevent a repeat.

Unbelievable.

The New Zealand government is rolling back clean-up liabilities for offshore oil drillers
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/30/g...

#nzpol

Clearly quotas for women in Parliament work, how about quotas for non property owners.

#auspol
#nzpol

Home

yep, 12 hours, so around 11pm

www.civildefence.govt.nz

Map of basically 80% of NZ coast line could be affected by the incoming tsunami

New Zealand #Tsunami forecast map issued at 1pm this afternoon

We have issued a NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY following the M8.7 Kamchatka, Russia earthquake. Go to civildefence.govt.nz for more information.

Fucken badass!!!!!!

I can’t take credit for but a round of applause to the person who created this iconic image 👏👏👏

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR June 8, 2025 Hon. Pete Hegseth Secretary of Defense Washington, DC 20301 Via email only Re: Federalization of the California National Guard Dear Secretary Hegseth: On June 7, 2025, President Trump issued a memorandum to your office entitled "Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions." The memorandum purports to invoke 10 U.S.C. § 12406 to "call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard ... to temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property." The memorandum further directs "actions as necessary for the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau in identifying and ordering into Federal service the appropriate members and units of the National Guard under this authority." Section 12406 states that "the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary" to (1) repel an invasion of the United States by a foreign nation: (2) suppress a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or (3) execute the laws of the United States when the President is unable to do so with regular forces. Section 12406 further states that "[o]rders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States." Last night, the Adjutant General of California received a memorandum from your office with the subject line "Calling Members of the California National

Guard into Federal Service," which states that "[t]wo thousand members of the California National Guard will be called into Federal service effective immediately for a period of 60 days." Notably, this directive did not issue "through the governor] of the State[l" as required by section 12406; the Department of Defense did not transmit this directive to the Office of the Governor, nor was it approved or ordered by the Governor of California. This directive is also inconsistent with the President's memorandum, which anticipates "coordinat[ion] with the Governors of the States" in identifying and ordering units of the National Guard into federal service. At present, law enforcement authorities from the City and County of Los Angeles are safeguarding public safety, and, as demonstrated by the robust law enforcement response yesterday evening to protect federal facilities, local law enforcement resources are sufficient to maintain order. In dynamic and fluid situations such as the one in Los Angeles, State and local authorities are the most appropriate ones to evaluate the need for resources to safeguard life and property. Indeed, the decision to deploy the National Guard, without appropriate training or orders, risks seriously escalating the situation. There is currently no need for the National Guard to be deployed in Los Angeles, and to do so in this unlawful manner and for such a lengthy period is a serious breach of state sovereignty that seems intentionally designed to inflame the situation, while simultaneously depriving the State from deploying these personnel and resources where they are truly required. Accordingly, we ask that you immediately rescind your order and return the National Guard to its rightful control by the State of California, to be deployed as appropriate when necessary. Sincerely, Saud Of David Sapp Legal Affairs Secretary Office of Governor Gavin Newsom cc. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (via email only) 2

Ca Gov Gavin Newsom: “I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command…

“This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”