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Bill Bennett

@billbennett.bsky.social

900 followers 250 following 3.9K posts

It’s tough at the top. https://billbennett.co.nz

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · Jul 30

You can read my newsletter online at this site: billbennett.co.nz

Or you can subscribe for free and get the newsletter delivered to you inbox on a Friday morning.

And it is published on Scoop at this address: info.scoop.co.nz/Bill_Benn…

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 15h

Have I got this right? We can't afford to fund the health system but we can build a Death Star.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

NZ defence strategy explores space weapons export potential

Defence Minister Judith Collins insists NZ-produced technology could compete internationally.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 15h

You speak my language.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 15h

White chocolate and raspberry ice cream counts as a portion of fruit or vegetables....

... fight me.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 1d

soundcloud.com/spiteful-hor...

Forever starts now

Started out in a punk rock band.

soundcloud.com

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 2d

I voted in the local elections. The big positions were straightforward, but the local board choices seemed to be... let's say "limited".

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 2d

Download Weekly - Mobile plan transparency slips: https://billbennett.co.nz/mobile-billing-transparency-2025/

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 3d

I thought www.howexposedami.co.nz might be useful. But some of the sites which it claims have exposed my data are places I have never been. For example Last.FM. I've never been there. Which has me worrying if people are impersonating me on those sites or is the NCSC data cooked?

How Exposed Am I? Own Your Online

Over 4.3 million New Zealand account details are exposed to scammers. Use this tool to see if yours are too.

www.howexposedami.co.nz

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 3d

You're the economist, but my intuitive not-an-economist grasp of government spending tells me the cost to the taxpayer of this enlightened decision, one way or another, would be smaller than a rounding error in the total government wage bill which must now be close to $10 billion.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 3d

Last night I cooked up mashed potatoes and cabbage to make Bubble and Squeak. It was glorious.

If I wanted to sound impressive I could have called it Colcannon. Maybe another day.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

I think I'm going to grab a glass of Syrah and spend an hour with Jackson Lamb.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Call me cynical if you like, but I think the cruelty is the whole point. Someone thinks being pointlessly nasty to kids will resonant with key voter demographics.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Cigarettes... how retro.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

I suspect that it will end up costing almost as much to administer this rule change as the money it allegedly saves...

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

You can hear me on RNZ Nights with Emile Donovan after the 9pm news talking about attacks on cell towers and then on Nine to Noon tomorrow with Kathryn Ryan after the 11am news talking about, among other things, mobile bill transparency.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

You are not wrong ;)

So. Not wrong.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

NT News with a crocodile on the front page.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

That would be the newspaper coverage. Have you ever seen the NT News?

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

We did Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in O Level English Lit:

Question asked: "What were Caesar's last three lines"?

I answered:

"Et tu Brute.

Arrgh

Arrgh."

English teacher told me other teachers the staff room laughed so much that some needed medical attention.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Morning Report political panel: Nicola Willis defends telling Greens to 'call the dogs off'

"I think we shouldn't be so precious that we can't use metaphorical speech," the Finance Minister says.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

For Australia it would be: Snake, Crocodile, Spider...

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Let's hope Labour doesn't get complacent about this...

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

National falls below 30% in latest Curia poll, left bloc could form government

Both Labour and National have taken hits, but the centre left bloc could form a government, according to Curia's polling.

www.rnz.co.nz

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

It's bonkers. Smoke and mirrors accounting. The value of processors depreciates faster than buying a new car as better, faster processors appear every six to 12 months.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

One last, hopefully helpful suggestion. If it’s a new build, the developer may offer finance options. They struggle to sell small apartments right now and can be creative… that won’t last when the market takes off again.

Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Yeah, I was going to suggest that next. Also, mortgage brokers can be helpful. I’ve had to use these in the past because I’m a freelance journalist with the kind of variable income bank lenders hate. They’ll know the wrinkles.. and trust me, there are tons of wrinkles in this game.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Here’s the thing… you won’t need to pay that interest premium for long... After 2 or 3 years, chances are you’d have the equity for a conventional loan. even if you don’t, a track record of 3 years of mortgage payments can usually sway a conventional lender anyway.

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Bill Bennett @billbennett.bsky.social · 4d

Try web searching things like: “non bank property loan, Auckland apartment”.

I went down this route when buying my first flat in London about 40 years ago. Obviously there was no web search then, a friend put me in touch with a lender. In the end I didn’t need it, got a building society loan.

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