Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 3h

Yup, I came to bluesky to do just that, and saw you'd beaten me to it!

A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 3h

Even sadder that nobody on the benefit has a hope in hell of affording close to a healthy diet.
What with the failure of the benefit to keep up with inflation and our Supermarkets fleecing us it's a ticket to long term ill health.

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 3h

And still, the unsaid elephant in the room is how much our disabled and other jobless are expected to live on.

Old age isn't the only thing that can knock you out of the job market. And at least with old age you get some warning.

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Reposted by A.J. Ponder

Kay in the End Times 🏳️‍🌈 💗💜💙📚 @jennykaynz.bsky.social · 1d

Voters in Te Whanganui A Tara Wellington or Pōneke, if you haven't voted yet and you're 18YO or older, please get on to it. Te Awe Library in Brandon Street off Lambton Quay is a special voting place if you need help.
#NZpol
wellington.govt.nz/your-council...

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 21h

Good to see lots of support for the Strike
23 October

#NZpol

www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

Massive strike action could hit schools and health services - all on the same day

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said that, if it goes ahead, this would be “one of the largest strikes in New Zealand history”.

www.stuff.co.nz

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 22h

Yup, it's like talking to people in a cult

I mean, they've got to be pretty brainwashed not to see that National is tanking the economy

theconversation.com/how-to-get-s...

How to get someone out of a cult – and what happens afterwards

If you’re worried someone has joined a high-demand group, it’s important not to shame or belittle them.

theconversation.com

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 22h

Feels & tribal us against "them" is what the RW are really good at & arguing against feels is impossible, but being inclusive and saying, "I know you're going to be against this xxx" is IMO a much easier corner to lift.

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 22h

I've made some movement on my rellies by asking them to submit against the bad bills that are being passed - not a whole lot, just the really bad ones.

Not only can they then see the bill is bad, but that National is passing horrible bills against massive public opposition.

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Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand @livingwageaotearoa.bsky.social · 1d

Through pure people power - with workers, faith, and community uniting - the Govt has decided to keep the Living Wage in its procurement guidelines for contracted cleaners, catering workers, and security guards.

Special mention to the many workers who stood up and organised for this win. #NZpol

LIVING WAGE SAVED
For workers employed by contractors in the core public service

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Shansen - famously the founder of antifas wife @srhansen.bsky.social · 1d

My god. What is this "good news", you speak of, Craig?

I have a vague recollection of some news being good, but it's been a long long time.

Honestly, this is fantastic. Pressure works. Do not relent.

#nzpol

Craig Renney @clrenney.bsky.social · 1d

#nzpol

GOOD NEWS ALERT 🚨

Today the government relented to pressure from the @livingwageaotearoa.bsky.social and retained the requirement for contracted workers to be paid at least the Living Wage rate in Government Contracts. Around 5,000 workers will likely benefit from this decision

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 1d

And @misswhanau.bsky.social is right: political violence is escalating. But the response can't be merely security funding (altho this is good, take advantage of this!) We also need coordinated action, from platforms, parties, and Parliament, to treat online violence as a democratic integrity issue.

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Rob🎸 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 1d

"Absolutely universally fucked" @clrenney.bsky.social

#nzpol

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bJ3...

#BHN The policy kicking 18/19-year-olds off jobseeker is "absolutely universally f**ked"

YouTube video by Big Hairy Network

www.youtube.com

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ⓘ Kaiwhiu ⓘ @aotearoa-nz.bsky.social · 1d

FFS!! This is what EVERYONE was warning about 🤬

ⓘ Kaiwhiu ⓘ @aotearoa-nz.bsky.social · Jun 18

The point of this governments should borrow for investment. Build infrastructure, social housing, schools &c; improve productivity, grow the economy.

But borrowing to cut income tax and give landlords tax breaks, is bad.

Really bad.

That *shudder* is what Truss & Kwarteng did…
#NZPol

Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, sometime British PM and chancellor that cost the UK economy tens of billions of pounds.

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Reposted by A.J. Ponder

Jolisa Gracewood @nzdodo.bsky.social · 1d

“The staff I’ve spoken to have been friendly, patient, and often just as frustrated as I am by the red tape.

It’s the system that’s the problem — one that demands precision fit for a multimillion-dollar contract, from people already dealing with chronic illness.” #nzpol

The grinding war of attrition of seeking a disability allowance

OPINION: The message seems clear: we’ll help you — but only after we’ve made you run a paperwork marathon until your head hurts.

www.thepress.co.nz

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 1d

With the sequel Winterburn which is close enough to a real term used to describe frost damage in plants

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 1d

Yup, we definitely need this.
Kind of horrified we don't already have better systems in pace already.

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Reposted by A.J. Ponder

Maxima @maxima-infinity.bsky.social · 2d

.

In the Blitz on London, in England's darkest days, 7736 children were shamelessly murdered by Hitler.

In the Blitz on Gaza 20 times that number of children have been murdered.

Yet the British government are trying to stifle protest at the famine and genocide.
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead

Every name on a list compiled by health authorities in Gaza of the child victims of Israel’s offensive

www.theguardian.com

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 2d

🏆💐
To everyone who gets their vote in before voting closes: Saturday 11 October 2025: 12 noon

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 2d

Interestingly extremely different from Stuff's "poll" where National can't even crack 15%

And yes I understand Stuff polls are about as scientific as pie thrown at a wall, but then I don't trust what's essentially an arm of ATLAS group either

Poll: Controversial pay equity changes could cost coalition the 2026 election

The survey, released by the Public Service Association and the Council of Trade Unions, found that more than a quarter of voters who backed the coalition parties in 2023 opposed the reforms.

www.stuff.co.nz

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PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 2d

Sign this, and we can (literally) take the power back
www.together.org.nz/public_owner...
#nzpol

Public Ownership of Electricity

Join us in building a better world

www.together.org.nz

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Reposted by A.J. Ponder

robfollis.bsky.social @robfollis.bsky.social · 2d

It’s been proven again and again globally that anywhere there are bike lines and ability to move slowly. Retail business goes up not down. Found out these businesses bothered to do any research at all. #NZpol

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 2d

In Wellington I saw businesses on Courtney Place with signs & petitions against the Golden Mile claiming it would hurt their business

In transport science this is a common response from business to pedestrian spaces, but a false one!

Cars don't shop, people do. People who are walking by!

#nzpol

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Reposted by A.J. Ponder

Gary Chiles 🚲 🍄 ☕ 🦚 🐱 𝟜 𝟚𝟘 @testtubeone.bsky.social · 2d

2 days left to sign.
2 days until the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 is 50 years old.😡
A law that is now damaging the grandchildren of the people it first damaged.

Please sign and share.✌️

#EndProhibition
#nzpol

Gary Chiles 🚲 🍄 ☕ 🦚 🐱 𝟜 𝟚𝟘 @testtubeone.bsky.social · May 12

Petition:
Repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975

Request:
That the House of Representatives repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 with health-focused harm minimisation legislation as recommended by the 2011 Law Commission review report.

Please sign & share
#EndProhibtion
#nzpol

Petitions are addressed to the House of Representatives and ask that the House do something about a policy or law, or put right a local or private concern.

petitions.parliament.nz

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 2d

💯
It's one of the reasons I think we should dump GST and put in a 1% transaction tax that corporations can't sidestep.

All those little shifting money around tax avoidance techniques suddenly have a price tag!

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 2d

I wish we had
He'd be better than this lot

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A.J. Ponder @ponderbooks.com · 2d

Good plan, because that was gross

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