Marc Daalder
@marcdaalder.bsky.social
Senior Political Reporter at newsroom.co.nz covering climate change, health, energy and violent extremism | He/him ✡️
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Marc Daalder
@marcdaalder.bsky.social
· Aug 13
We strangled our rivers; now they're fighting back
Special report: We forced NZ's braided rivers into tiny channels so we could build our homes and farms in their riverbeds – now we're seeing the consequences. Marc Daalder investigates.
newsroom.co.nz
Paywall now lifted: My special report this morning is about how we spent generations strangling our rivers to make room for our homes and farms, only to find we've ended up supercharging their flows.
What do we do when we realise we've built a society in a riverbed?
newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/13/l...
What do we do when we realise we've built a society in a riverbed?
newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/13/l...
This reminds me of the (extensive) rabbinical discussion of what to do during Passover when a mouse brings chametz (leavened bread, forbidden during Passover) into your house.
www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Aru...
www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Aru...
Many often ask whether Ramadan is difficult, & while it can be, it is by far my favorite time of year. You don't have to feel bad for people fasting. In many ways, Ramadan is a celebration of faith, culture, & community. Plus, Muslim TikTok gets hilarious:
February 17, 2026 at 11:25 PM
This reminds me of the (extensive) rabbinical discussion of what to do during Passover when a mouse brings chametz (leavened bread, forbidden during Passover) into your house.
www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Aru...
www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Aru...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
What jumped out to me from the long-term NZ temperature data was the acceleration in recent years.
The lowest annual average in the past decade was 11.34C in 2020. Yet, that threshold was only exceeded four times between 1901 and 2015.
The lowest annual average in the past decade was 11.34C in 2020. Yet, that threshold was only exceeded four times between 1901 and 2015.
February 17, 2026 at 10:04 PM
What jumped out to me from the long-term NZ temperature data was the acceleration in recent years.
The lowest annual average in the past decade was 11.34C in 2020. Yet, that threshold was only exceeded four times between 1901 and 2015.
The lowest annual average in the past decade was 11.34C in 2020. Yet, that threshold was only exceeded four times between 1901 and 2015.
The Tara it / Fairy tern photos are in and I can now confirm: He's just a lil guy. 🪶
www.instagram.com/mdaalderphot...
www.instagram.com/mdaalderphot...
February 17, 2026 at 5:07 AM
The Tara it / Fairy tern photos are in and I can now confirm: He's just a lil guy. 🪶
www.instagram.com/mdaalderphot...
www.instagram.com/mdaalderphot...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
Trump Administration Announces That We Don’t Know Where The Sun Goes At Night
Trump Administration Announces That We Don’t Know Where the Sun Goes at Night
After deciding carbon dioxide does no harm, it was the logical next move.
www.theatlantic.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Trump Administration Announces That We Don’t Know Where The Sun Goes At Night
New: The government has introduced legislation to abolish the Ministry for the Environment as part of its plans to build a new super-agency tasked with urban development, planning, infrastructure and transport.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/17/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/17/g...
Govt to disband environment ministry as part of agency merger
The environment department will be abolished and folded into a new super-ministry for cities, environment, regions and transport.
newsroom.co.nz
February 16, 2026 at 10:14 PM
New: The government has introduced legislation to abolish the Ministry for the Environment as part of its plans to build a new super-agency tasked with urban development, planning, infrastructure and transport.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/17/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/17/g...
One very cool bird moment on Tiritiri Matangi in January was watching two juvenile North Island robins / toutouwai battle over a skink. I'd like to think they're bickering siblings. One clearly won out! 🪶
www.instagram.com/p/DUuSlteCeu...
Video below ⬇️
www.instagram.com/p/DUuSlteCeu...
Video below ⬇️
February 14, 2026 at 9:10 PM
One very cool bird moment on Tiritiri Matangi in January was watching two juvenile North Island robins / toutouwai battle over a skink. I'd like to think they're bickering siblings. One clearly won out! 🪶
www.instagram.com/p/DUuSlteCeu...
Video below ⬇️
www.instagram.com/p/DUuSlteCeu...
Video below ⬇️
Reposted by Marc Daalder
When this tweet (and many of hers similar to it) started making the rounds, a lot of Jews were worried about the long term result of conflating Israeli + Zionist identity to all Jewish people because of the awful baggage that comes with it.
February 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM
When this tweet (and many of hers similar to it) started making the rounds, a lot of Jews were worried about the long term result of conflating Israeli + Zionist identity to all Jewish people because of the awful baggage that comes with it.
Reposted by Marc Daalder
Reposted by Marc Daalder
tell it to the hague, buddy
Homan: "ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We're not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process."
February 12, 2026 at 2:42 PM
tell it to the hague, buddy
Having caved on the Treaty Principles Bill, the PM is staring down the barrel of a nine-month campaign dogged by questions about the Māori seats.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/13/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/13/m...
Māori seats referendum a Treaty Principles-sized headache for Luxon
Comment: Having caved on the Treaty Principles Bill, the PM is staring down the barrel of a campaign dogged by questions about the Māori seats.
newsroom.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Having caved on the Treaty Principles Bill, the PM is staring down the barrel of a nine-month campaign dogged by questions about the Māori seats.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/13/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/13/m...
Paywall now lifted: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Most economic damage from gas crisis 'locked in', officials warn
Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether or not the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead, new modelling has found
newsroom.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Paywall now lifted: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
The No ICE in Minnesota Charity Bundle has officially LAUNCHED!
There are 1,439 games to discover for a $10+ donation to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota!
Purchase the bundle here: itch.io/b/3484/no-ic...
There are 1,439 games to discover for a $10+ donation to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota!
Purchase the bundle here: itch.io/b/3484/no-ic...
February 9, 2026 at 2:33 PM
The No ICE in Minnesota Charity Bundle has officially LAUNCHED!
There are 1,439 games to discover for a $10+ donation to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota!
Purchase the bundle here: itch.io/b/3484/no-ic...
There are 1,439 games to discover for a $10+ donation to Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota!
Purchase the bundle here: itch.io/b/3484/no-ic...
New from me: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Most economic damage from gas crisis 'locked in', officials warn
Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether or not the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead, new modelling has found
newsroom.co.nz
February 11, 2026 at 9:45 PM
New from me: Big industrials are slated to close or switch off gas whether the proposed LNG terminal goes ahead or not, new modelling has found.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/12/m...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
It seems like we have the dumbest trolls in government, but it's way worse than that.
These men are evil.
Every single one of them knows they're lying about climate change. They know that actual science shows it's real, it's us, it's dangerous, but we can fix it—yet they truly do not give a fuck.
These men are evil.
Every single one of them knows they're lying about climate change. They know that actual science shows it's real, it's us, it's dangerous, but we can fix it—yet they truly do not give a fuck.
Burgum: "CO2 was never a pollutant. When we breathe, we emit CO2. Plants need CO2 to survive and grow. They thrive with more CO2. So the whole endangerment thing opens up an opportunity for the revival of clean, beautiful, American coal."
February 11, 2026 at 6:23 PM
It seems like we have the dumbest trolls in government, but it's way worse than that.
These men are evil.
Every single one of them knows they're lying about climate change. They know that actual science shows it's real, it's us, it's dangerous, but we can fix it—yet they truly do not give a fuck.
These men are evil.
Every single one of them knows they're lying about climate change. They know that actual science shows it's real, it's us, it's dangerous, but we can fix it—yet they truly do not give a fuck.
My analysis: Energy Minister Simon Watts is confident importing gas will lower power prices, but questions remain about the scheme and its costs which will be crucial to the actual outcome.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/10/w...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/10/w...
Why the new LNG terminal could raise, not lower, your power bill
Analysis: Energy Minister Simon Watts is confident importing gas will lower power prices, but questions remain about the scheme and its costs.
newsroom.co.nz
February 11, 2026 at 12:47 AM
My analysis: Energy Minister Simon Watts is confident importing gas will lower power prices, but questions remain about the scheme and its costs which will be crucial to the actual outcome.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/10/w...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/10/w...
My comment: Ministers seemed unprepared for criticism over how to pay for liquid natural gas and then unable to salvage the narrative once the severity of the situation became apparent.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/11/n...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/11/n...
National's LNG blunders are a warning ahead of election campaign
Ministers seemed unprepared for criticism over LNG and then unable to salvage the narrative once the severity of the situation became apparent.
newsroom.co.nz
February 10, 2026 at 9:32 PM
My comment: Ministers seemed unprepared for criticism over how to pay for liquid natural gas and then unable to salvage the narrative once the severity of the situation became apparent.
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/11/n...
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/11/n...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
This is why I really hate it when people start spewing that "buhhh the law doesn't matter anymore u dumb lib" nonsense.
There are people fighting for their rights in court right now and winning; I'm not going to stand here and say they're fools.
There are people fighting for their rights in court right now and winning; I'm not going to stand here and say they're fools.
[leftistly] "trump doesn't care about the law! he can do anything!! we've already lost!!!"
meanwhile
meanwhile
An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, a little less than a year after federal agents arrested her on a street near Tufts University
February 10, 2026 at 2:41 AM
This is why I really hate it when people start spewing that "buhhh the law doesn't matter anymore u dumb lib" nonsense.
There are people fighting for their rights in court right now and winning; I'm not going to stand here and say they're fools.
There are people fighting for their rights in court right now and winning; I'm not going to stand here and say they're fools.
Reposted by Marc Daalder
Reality: Mars sucks. No one can live there.
Also reality: the Moon sucks. We can’t live there either.
More reality: Earth is the only place we can thrive.
Also reality: the Moon sucks. We can’t live there either.
More reality: Earth is the only place we can thrive.
February 9, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Reality: Mars sucks. No one can live there.
Also reality: the Moon sucks. We can’t live there either.
More reality: Earth is the only place we can thrive.
Also reality: the Moon sucks. We can’t live there either.
More reality: Earth is the only place we can thrive.
The vibe today in Wellington.
February 10, 2026 at 2:18 AM
The vibe today in Wellington.
Reposted by Marc Daalder
🚨🚨IT IS BASEBALL SEASON
February 9, 2026 at 3:28 AM
🚨🚨IT IS BASEBALL SEASON
I found the NZ fairy tern / tara-iti! There are only about 50 adult fairy terns in New Zealand, making them the rarest bird that breeds here by far. It took a lot of trial and error (and some dumb luck) but yesterday, I succeeded! 🪶
www.instagram.com/reel/DUeIROk...
www.instagram.com/reel/DUeIROk...
February 8, 2026 at 3:01 AM
I found the NZ fairy tern / tara-iti! There are only about 50 adult fairy terns in New Zealand, making them the rarest bird that breeds here by far. It took a lot of trial and error (and some dumb luck) but yesterday, I succeeded! 🪶
www.instagram.com/reel/DUeIROk...
www.instagram.com/reel/DUeIROk...
A week of reporting from Waitangi for @newsroom.co.nz.
Started with the question: After skipping Waitangi last year, how would Luxon be received at the start of election year?
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/03/h...
Started with the question: After skipping Waitangi last year, how would Luxon be received at the start of election year?
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/03/h...
How Luxon could be received at Waitangi
Comment: A year after spending Waitangi in the South Island, the PM is returning to Northland despite the possibility of a stormy reception.
newsroom.co.nz
February 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
A week of reporting from Waitangi for @newsroom.co.nz.
Started with the question: After skipping Waitangi last year, how would Luxon be received at the start of election year?
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/03/h...
Started with the question: After skipping Waitangi last year, how would Luxon be received at the start of election year?
newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/03/h...
Reposted by Marc Daalder
even if you don't care about sports you gotta admit it's awesome that this guy had to hear to his face how the world feels about him
I'm at the Olympics and the entire stadium booed JD Vance. 😌
February 6, 2026 at 9:27 PM
even if you don't care about sports you gotta admit it's awesome that this guy had to hear to his face how the world feels about him