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Reposted by Idiot/Savant

Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition @ponekeantifa.bsky.social · 4h

Join us for the launch of Protect Protest, a coalition established to defend protest as a tool of democracy and liberation.

15 October 4:30pm - 7pm in Government Building Lecture Theatre 1 (GBLT1), Pipitea Campus, Te Herenga Waka VUW

campaign launch + film screening "Operation 8"

protectprotest

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JJW @jjw.wtf · 5h

Drowned cows can’t exude methane though <roll-safe-taps-head.gif>

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samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 9h

this appears to be a power grab from actual scientists: funding decisions regarding Marsdens will soon be made by an 8-member panel with "a mix of academic, government and industry expertise" rather than the Marsden Fund Council which has (checks notes) 7 professors and 1 distinguished professor

Research Funding New Zealand
Research Funding New Zealand is a new independent board, being established to consolidate funding decision makers across the science, innovation and technology system.

This will simplify processes and improve transparency. It will also ensure funding is aligned with the Science Investment, which will set out strategic research priorities, and with the four pillars of national importance focused around the economy, environment, health and society, and technology.

Read more about the strategic approach to the science system:

A new strategy for the science system

Research Funding NZ will replace most existing decision makers across the system, including the Marsden Fund Council, the Science Board, some of MBIE’s decision-making functions and in the future, the Health Research Council.

The transition to Research Funding NZ will be phased over time. The Health Research Council operates under the Health Research Act. We’re working through the details of next steps to include health research funding under Research Funding NZ. The decision to move to a single funding body is in no way a reflection of the existing funders in the system.

Research Funding NZ will oversee the development and implementation of Pillar Investment Plans detailing the mix of funds and their criteria required to achieve strategic objectives. The Pillar Investment Plans will be informed by the Science Investment Plan. Research Funding NZ will also be required to monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of investments. This will ensure public investment is delivering value for New Zealanders.

Research Funding New Zealand Board members
The Board will be appointed by and report to the Science, Innovation and Technology Minister and consist of 8 members. Members will provide a mix of academic, government and industry expertise and strong strategic and governance expertise.

The recruitment process for Board Members is underway. Appointments will be made over the …

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 5h

If national overturns court rulings, so can we. Maybe next time the banks win a huge lawsuit against IRD to enable tax evasion, we'll just go "nope, wrong, and if they don't like it they can send the bill to Goldsmith.
www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/14/g...

Govt ignored advice against overturning marine title rulings

The advice given was that by doing so it could cost millions and affect decisions over 200km of coastline.

www.1news.co.nz

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 5h

dammit, do I have to buy one now? Also, recipe?

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Huia Sue @huiasue.bsky.social · 6h

Once again this #NZ government has ignored expert advice, which could cost NZers millions! #marine #nzpol www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/14/g...

Govt ignored advice against overturning marine title rulings

The advice given was that by doing so it could cost millions and affect decisions over 200km of coastline.

www.1news.co.nz

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 7h

Its crystal clear that National just doesn't want to talk about climate change, and just want to pretend its not happening.

Which is difficult with so much stuff flodding or catching fire.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 7h

But Brownlee is a conservative, and the uber-value of conservatives is "rules that bind but do not protect, and rules that protect but do not bind".

Parliament's rules are to punish the opposition, not bind the regime. And this is why it is a bad joke.

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mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 9h

You're living through one of the biggest technological transformations in world history and it has nothing to do with AI

Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 1d

Grid scale batteries are changing our electricity system. Excellent new visual story on batteries in FT today shows just how far this technology has evolved.

Fasten your seatbelts, this is just the beginning.

ig.ft.com/mega-batteri...

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Reposted by Idiot/Savant

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 11h

Woody Guthrie wrote a song called "Old Man Trump" that, shall we say, resonates today

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man...

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Its apparently OK if you're a Minister. But opposition MPs aren't allowed to make allegations or imply dishonesty in their questions.

The Speaker says they're "all honourable members", but some are clearly more honourable than others.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Well, its worth a go, if only to further discredit the Speaker, the Committee, and Parliament as an institution.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Except it clearly violates multiple clauses of TKM/PSC's standards of integrity and conduct.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Tama Potaka accuses Kieran Mcanulty of lying about pregnant women being refused emergency housing. Mcanulty says he provided contact details and the Minister hasn't been in touch. So we definitely have a weaponisation of parliamentary decorum by the regime to hide deceit here #nzqt

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Regime asked how many pregnant women have been refused emergency housing. Of course they have no statistics (because its not the sort of thing a public agency should ask) #nzqt

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Winston accusing an opposition MP of lying, but that's apparently OK from him #nzqt

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Unless he's going to specify knots, then that seems to fit within the definition of a "tie".

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Overwhelming rule: never give a minister an even break. They have armies of paid PR staff, and if they're going to take the piss like this, make them earn their money.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

So, if Ministers give these sorts of answers, take them at face value as substantiating a claim that they lied. proclaim it loudly and present his response as proof. And if Rimmer wants to say something different, then he can explain why he lied in his OIA response.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

And even if he kept no records, his memories are OIAable if the information is held in a Ministerial capacity.

if he is unwillign even to say "I did, but I can't recall exactly who", then he's basically saying he made it up. You can take that at face value, and he is inviting you to.

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

Well, you could take the Ombudsman at their word and complain in order to get them to review whether this is a proper application of the withholding ground. If he said it as a minister, he holds it as a minister...

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 10h

On NRT: The obvious question - norightturn.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...

The obvious question

Stuff has a story about ACC lying in an OIA response , and how it was exposed by a whistleblower under the Protected Disclosures (Protectio...

norightturn.blogspot.com

Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 11h

"I don't like you so I'm going to force you to wear a tie" is exactly the sort of bullshit you get from the sort of school brownlee taught at.

And now I'm wondering what malicious compliance on ties looks like...

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 11h

Parliament is meant to be about holding the government accountable, but Brownlee refuses to allow questions about Penny Simmonds' corrupt abuse of power over water consents #nzqt

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Idiot/Savant @norightturnnz.bsky.social · 11h

(I guess if the average speech is some loser droning on repeating the stuff they cribbed from wikipedia, then anything with real feeling feels staged and fake)

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