Gwynn Compton
@gwynncompton.bsky.social
Former local govt councillor, current govt relations and policy guy, writes about local government at www.localaotearoa.nz, overly enthusiastic runner. 🏃♂️👟
Got a call at 8:30pm on Wednesday to come in for an interview at 9:30am the next day. Interview went amazing and was offered the job at 3:30pm! In less than 24 hours I went from 2026 looking like a fourth year of under/unemployment to having my first teaching role! Head is still spinning about it.
December 18, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Got a call at 8:30pm on Wednesday to come in for an interview at 9:30am the next day. Interview went amazing and was offered the job at 3:30pm! In less than 24 hours I went from 2026 looking like a fourth year of under/unemployment to having my first teaching role! Head is still spinning about it.
Kind of stoked to have gotten my first ever A+ on a paper!
December 18, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Kind of stoked to have gotten my first ever A+ on a paper!
Reckon National can squeeze an emergency caucus meeting in via Zoom before Christmas?
December 17, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Reckon National can squeeze an emergency caucus meeting in via Zoom before Christmas?
So the hotline’s 12 month budget was $400k. If we generously assume it spent only $200k given it operated for half of that time, that’s still $1000 per road cone removed. Nutty waste of money from the Coalition. 🤦♂️
December 16, 2025 at 11:54 PM
So the hotline’s 12 month budget was $400k. If we generously assume it spent only $200k given it operated for half of that time, that’s still $1000 per road cone removed. Nutty waste of money from the Coalition. 🤦♂️
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
For all the hype around today’s mega-ministry announcement, it’s the replacement of the Resource Management Act and local government reforms already underway that will have the biggest impact on councils, communities, the environment, and the economy.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/dont-fear-...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/dont-fear-...
Don't fear the new mega-ministry
While today’s mega-ministry announcement has drawn plenty of hype and concern, it’s the wider reform programme already in motion that will have the greatest impact on the economy, communities, and the...
localaotearoa.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:44 AM
For all the hype around today’s mega-ministry announcement, it’s the replacement of the Resource Management Act and local government reforms already underway that will have the biggest impact on councils, communities, the environment, and the economy.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/dont-fear-...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/dont-fear-...
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
Chris Bishop: "I am reluctant to use urgency to avoid select committees outside of the standard Budget urgency process, and it is only done so when there are good reasons."
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December 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Chris Bishop: "I am reluctant to use urgency to avoid select committees outside of the standard Budget urgency process, and it is only done so when there are good reasons."
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
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Genuinely wild that it took me going to the Ombudsman to get Greater Wellington to get motivated to do what most other councils had already proactively chosen to do. Frustrating that the CE and Chair won't likely be held to account over their lack of action either.
It's Local Aotearoa's biggest transparency win so far: the Ombudsman has, in a provisional opinion, told Greater Wellington Regional Council that their practice of closing workshops to the public is unreasonable. ✊
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/transparen...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/transparen...
Transparency win: Ombudsman says Greater Wellington's closed workshop practices "unreasonable"
In Local Aotearoa’s biggest transparency win so far, the Ombudsman has told Greater Wellington Regional Council that its practice of closing all workshops to the public is unreasonable.
localaotearoa.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Genuinely wild that it took me going to the Ombudsman to get Greater Wellington to get motivated to do what most other councils had already proactively chosen to do. Frustrating that the CE and Chair won't likely be held to account over their lack of action either.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari taku toa he toa takitini.
(My success is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many.)
Nearly 100 years to the day since my grandma completed her teacher training, I've just received my final marks and have completed my Graduate Diploma of Teaching. 😁👨🎓
(My success is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many.)
Nearly 100 years to the day since my grandma completed her teacher training, I've just received my final marks and have completed my Graduate Diploma of Teaching. 😁👨🎓
December 14, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari taku toa he toa takitini.
(My success is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many.)
Nearly 100 years to the day since my grandma completed her teacher training, I've just received my final marks and have completed my Graduate Diploma of Teaching. 😁👨🎓
(My success is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many.)
Nearly 100 years to the day since my grandma completed her teacher training, I've just received my final marks and have completed my Graduate Diploma of Teaching. 😁👨🎓
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
Kāpiti is at a crossroads. With a fresh push for regional reorganisation underway, our leaders must engage in good faith with this new process. Opting out again means losing our community's ability to shape and ultimately decide our own future.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/will-kapit...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/will-kapit...
Will Kāpiti shape reorganisation, or be shaped by it?
Kāpiti is at a crossroads. Whether we join an amalgamated council or choose to remain independent, our leaders must front up and engage in good faith. Opting out means giving up our community’s abilit...
localaotearoa.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Kāpiti is at a crossroads. With a fresh push for regional reorganisation underway, our leaders must engage in good faith with this new process. Opting out again means losing our community's ability to shape and ultimately decide our own future.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/will-kapit...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/will-kapit...
Am… am I an influencer now?
December 11, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Am… am I an influencer now?
Received some fan mail this morning from someone who’s well regarded in the local government media scene who evidently has no idea what he’s talking about. 🤣
December 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Received some fan mail this morning from someone who’s well regarded in the local government media scene who evidently has no idea what he’s talking about. 🤣
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
The Wellington region is once again gearing up for another push at local government reorganisation. If amalgamation is back on the table, we owe it to our communities to get the process right. So what can we do differently to avoid the mistakes of the past?
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/once-more-...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/once-more-...
Once more unto the Wellington amalgamation breach
Yes, you read that correctly: the Wellington region is once again gearing up for another push at amalgamation, so I’ve put together 10 recommendations on how our leaders might approach things differen...
localaotearoa.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:16 AM
The Wellington region is once again gearing up for another push at local government reorganisation. If amalgamation is back on the table, we owe it to our communities to get the process right. So what can we do differently to avoid the mistakes of the past?
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/once-more-...
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/once-more-...
Two papers all passed for this trimester… just waiting for grades on two assignments for the final paper which I’m 99% sure I’ll have also passed but still nervous. 😥
December 11, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Two papers all passed for this trimester… just waiting for grades on two assignments for the final paper which I’m 99% sure I’ll have also passed but still nervous. 😥
Surely the White Ferns selectors can’t ignore Xara Jetly any longer?
www.nzc.nz/news-items/c...
www.nzc.nz/news-items/c...
Carson to Undergo Surgery | Rehabilitation Set for Six Months
WHITE FERNS off-spinner Eden Carson will undergo surgery on her right elbow today and is expected to require six months of rehabilitation before returning to play.
www.nzc.nz
December 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Surely the White Ferns selectors can’t ignore Xara Jetly any longer?
www.nzc.nz/news-items/c...
www.nzc.nz/news-items/c...
Ultra New Zealand already missing its first deadline with no announcement of its line up today as promised…
December 10, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Ultra New Zealand already missing its first deadline with no announcement of its line up today as promised…
Luxon in post-cab declaring that both he and the NZ public trust Mark Mitchell are words which will surely not come back to haunt him 🤣
December 8, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Luxon in post-cab declaring that both he and the NZ public trust Mark Mitchell are words which will surely not come back to haunt him 🤣
It's funny how this story has evolved from NZ being shut down for January, then it was extended to February, now we're apparently on holiday till March. Next will be business leaders complaining that due to Easter and ANZAC Day April is a write-off too.
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
‘Are we still in holiday mode until March?’ Simon Bridges also questions the long summer break
The summer shutdown is coming but should the Kiwi summer holiday still stay sacrosanct?
www.stuff.co.nz
December 8, 2025 at 1:10 AM
It's funny how this story has evolved from NZ being shut down for January, then it was extended to February, now we're apparently on holiday till March. Next will be business leaders complaining that due to Easter and ANZAC Day April is a write-off too.
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
The House's last sitting day is December 18 and it does not meet again until the last week of January (for just a week, before it breaks again for Waitangi Day).
(I do not begrudge MPs this break - it's a hard, grinding job - but I also think everyone else should also have this time off.)
(I do not begrudge MPs this break - it's a hard, grinding job - but I also think everyone else should also have this time off.)
Are NZ summers too long? The PM says we’ve got to keep moving
The summer shutdown is coming but should the Kiwi summer holiday still stay sacrosanct?
www.stuff.co.nz
December 7, 2025 at 9:29 PM
The House's last sitting day is December 18 and it does not meet again until the last week of January (for just a week, before it breaks again for Waitangi Day).
(I do not begrudge MPs this break - it's a hard, grinding job - but I also think everyone else should also have this time off.)
(I do not begrudge MPs this break - it's a hard, grinding job - but I also think everyone else should also have this time off.)
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
In another transparency win, Upper Hutt is set to open its council workshops, joining Wellington, Hutt City, and Porirua in lifting transparency.
Greater Wellington is now the holdout. It’s time they met the same standards their communities deserve.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/looming-tr...
Greater Wellington is now the holdout. It’s time they met the same standards their communities deserve.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/looming-tr...
Looming transparency win: Upper Hutt set to open up workshops
In what looks likely to be another transparency win for Local Aotearoa, Upper Hutt City Council is set to consider whether to finally make their workshops and briefings “open to the public by default”...
localaotearoa.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 11:51 PM
In another transparency win, Upper Hutt is set to open its council workshops, joining Wellington, Hutt City, and Porirua in lifting transparency.
Greater Wellington is now the holdout. It’s time they met the same standards their communities deserve.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/looming-tr...
Greater Wellington is now the holdout. It’s time they met the same standards their communities deserve.
localaotearoa.substack.com/p/looming-tr...
Honestly feels very weird to have finished all my grad dip studies and now waiting in limbo for final grades to be posted which apparently won’t happen until next Friday.
December 4, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Honestly feels very weird to have finished all my grad dip studies and now waiting in limbo for final grades to be posted which apparently won’t happen until next Friday.
Guess who might be a bit excited by Ultra coming to Wellington judging by my Spotify Wrapped 🪩
December 3, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Guess who might be a bit excited by Ultra coming to Wellington judging by my Spotify Wrapped 🪩
Saw more runners and cyclists this morning out around Oriental Bay using the great shared pathway than cars were using the road. So by the logic of anti-cycleway nutters, based on my single anecdote we must now replace all roads with shared pathways 🏃♂️🚴♂️🤣
December 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Saw more runners and cyclists this morning out around Oriental Bay using the great shared pathway than cars were using the road. So by the logic of anti-cycleway nutters, based on my single anecdote we must now replace all roads with shared pathways 🏃♂️🚴♂️🤣
Have gone from feeling cool as a cucumber all day to now being a crazy bundle of nerves/stress/exhaustion/emotion all at once with our final assessment kicking off at 3:45 🫠😭
December 3, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Have gone from feeling cool as a cucumber all day to now being a crazy bundle of nerves/stress/exhaustion/emotion all at once with our final assessment kicking off at 3:45 🫠😭
Reposted by Gwynn Compton
Even the Government’s own departments are trying to warn them about the dangers of keeping rates increases artificially low by underfunding infrastructure.
December 2, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Even the Government’s own departments are trying to warn them about the dangers of keeping rates increases artificially low by underfunding infrastructure.
Latest Local Aotearoa post really riled up the tinfoil cooker racists it seems 🤣
December 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Latest Local Aotearoa post really riled up the tinfoil cooker racists it seems 🤣