🐝 all the way

@BenThomasNZ From the article "MBIE’s own papers warned there could be confusion because the existing Major Events Fund, the new Event Boost Fund, and the Events Attraction Package were operating at once". Do Willis and Upston even know which fund paid for what?

Ministers making these decisions explains the music acts the major events fund has paid for, should have been done by qualified experts (the staffers who compile Chris Luxon’s Spotify playlist)

@henrycooke "Timing Issue" is such a cop out. Followed by blaming Foreign Affairs (Winston Peters). What I don't get is that he supposedly works 18 hours a day yet he never seems to be on top of his brief

Luxon says we shouldn't read too much into NZ not signing onto joint-statement many others did on ceasefire (which said it must include Lebanon). Suggests it might just be a "timing issue".

@XTOTL Been missing the People Watching - will it return??

Made myself a new website for the first time in about 15 years, done a few things since then. Bet you $3.79 there's at least one thing on there you didn't know I drew... xtotl.com

@BenThomasNZ So who will be the PM? Also, since they will probably win Tamaki electorate, Willis, Goldsmith, Brownlee and possibly Bishop gone they will be completely rudderless

Wild situation that National might record its third worst election result of all time and lead the government in a second term

National, December 2023: our primary goal is to be returned to government in 2026 *monkey’s paw curls*

@rugbyintel What are the chances he will can this weekly appearance just like he no-shows on Jack Tame's show.

What I'd just say to you Tama, I mean Tova, how many Maori National Party MPs do we have in cabinet you ask. It's a number. #LyinLuxon #WorstPMever

@BenThomasNZ It would have been a complete non-story if Erica Stanford hadn't attended, that was a clumsy mistake which she could easily have avoided

Crazy claims from some sore losers. Papakura has hundreds of party members, there was no scope for screwing the scrum outside the many local delegates who voted on the candidate - the only complaint seems to be Erica Stanford came with Emma Chatterton to the selection meeting

@_ConnorSharp Good summary @_ConnorSharp. Your comment "Nobody wants younger generations forced to leave as the cost of housing soars out of reach" Nobody? are you sure? The leafy suburb dwellers seem to be quite happy with fewer young people to disrupt their neighbourhoods.

Some thoughts of mine about the governments backdown of PC120 and Auckland's planning rules, in the Sunday Star Times/The Post on behalf of Greater Auckland. thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360956…

@henrycooke Even if they are not obligated to stand down, surely this completely ruins Rainbow and Derby's reputations? The Minister of Justice broke the law - he should resign.

NEW: The High Court has ruled that Paul Goldsmith's appointment of Dr. Stephen Rainbow as Human Rights Commissioner was unlawful thepost.co.nz/politics/36091…

@XTOTL "ow!" - captured perfectly by the squinting eye

People Watching: Backstage preparations at Auckland Academy of Dance's end of year show, Playhouse Theatre, Glen Eden, on a Thursday evening

@XTOTL Great observations this week Toby. Christoph looks very familiar 😯

People Watching: Dan's Traditional Barber Shop, Karangahape Rd, Auckland, on a hot Friday afternoon

@GreaterAKL @nztaaklnth Those buses will have snow on them by the time they come back down from that height

What the heck @nztaaklnth? Busway bridge over the top of the pedestrian bridge at Newton? How high is that thing???

@larssivertsen Can you edit that post? I read it four times before I realised you meant to say since

@XTOTL Those are brilliant, thanks for sharing.

Love this so much - kids at Hamilton East School have been reading my book Pūkeko Who-keko, and one class decided to write and illustrate their own version. A few favourite pages here but the whole thing was great

@dogandlemon @GreaterAKL @AklTransport @DarrenDavis10 So all these experiences have been had by you personally or maybe you've just "heard it". Sounds like you are being contrary because you can't get your head around the fact good public transport is the solution to congestion

@GreaterAKL @AklTransport @DarrenDavis10 "Auckland has the best bus network in Australasia" Most unfortunate bus patrons believe the opposite. If a bus happens to turn up on time, it's pure coincidence, most buses won't carry bikes & many bus stops lack shelter. And many bus patrons feel very unsafe, for good reasons.

Auckland has the best bus network in Australasia, and it's not even close. A great and under-celebrated achievement of @AklTransport. Comprehensive overview of how this happened from @DarrenDavis10 greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/11/19/the…

@henrycooke If he in anyway concedes that "giving it a go" won't get us there, then the MoF would have to instruct Treasury to dial in that future liability to the forecast 😱

PM concedes the "NDC is tough" but says we will "give it a go".

The PM tells Chlöe Swarbrick the Govt won't be spending "billions" offshore to meet our 2030 Paris climate target - which he says we are still committed to - despite disconnecting the ETS from the target. It's very hard to see what else we could do to meet it.

@_ConnorSharp At a guess Moyle and Trotman

You'd think if you were elected to a local board you would do the bare minimum and stay for the whole meeting, instead of leaving after the item you 'care' about. Especially the first one! Yet two members already left this Waitematā local board meeting.

NZ plummets 50 places in global tobacco control ranking rnz.co.nz/news/political… "New Zealand has become an international embarrassment and an example of how quickly a government can be corrupted by the tobacco industry,"

@urbanistfromwhk Scootling have just moved. What replaces this building will be a huge improvement won't it?

@canderlodge @CorinDann Exactly. PM saying 42% of households will be $300 better off by end of year is just a flat out lie. 42% of households with a mortgage is only 13.5% of all households (not people). They are going to be sorely disappointed if they carry on thinking OCR reductions will rescue us.

No @CorinDann interest rates dropping won't save the economy. Only 30% have mortgages, many of them also finding it tough & have lost jobs, so won't be spending meaning businesses won't be on the up, and they also have increased costs to deal with. You should know this?

@carlworker Can you give us our OIA response back, we accidentally told you too much of the truth. Watts is the master of obfuscation and the quintessential Opaque Minister in this Government

Officials warn of damage to diplomatic relations in secret climate change memo | RNZ News rnz.co.nz/news/top/57068…