Timothy Gassin
@timothygassin.bsky.social
Historian, former Chair of Oz Kiwi, and student of Hokkien/Taiwanese.
A Melbournian living in Wellington.
A Melbournian living in Wellington.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
Can someone point me to a single instance where Deloitte/McKinsey/Bain any of these consulting firms have said an org needs to hire more people? Half a million to tell us something we knew they would.
what % of Deloitte’s work could be handled by one person using search and replace to update their standard presentation with the name of their current client www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Deloitte report suggests Wellington City Council has 330 more staff than it should
PSA says analysis from Deloitte, which cost $435k, lacks a basic understanding of what the Council's role is.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 27, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Can someone point me to a single instance where Deloitte/McKinsey/Bain any of these consulting firms have said an org needs to hire more people? Half a million to tell us something we knew they would.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
Labor and the Coalition voted against me moving a motion to recognise Israel's genocide in Gaza.
After Israel has murdered thousands of Palestinians, destroyed Gaza, starved children, blocked aid, expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank, Labor still refuses.
After Israel has murdered thousands of Palestinians, destroyed Gaza, starved children, blocked aid, expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank, Labor still refuses.
November 27, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Labor and the Coalition voted against me moving a motion to recognise Israel's genocide in Gaza.
After Israel has murdered thousands of Palestinians, destroyed Gaza, starved children, blocked aid, expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank, Labor still refuses.
After Israel has murdered thousands of Palestinians, destroyed Gaza, starved children, blocked aid, expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank, Labor still refuses.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
"New Zealand currently feels like it’s at a dead end; our heartless government has gutted our public sector, welfare system, indigenous rights and more, the cost of living is so expensive, and there just aren’t a lot of opportunities in general."
god if that isn't the mood
god if that isn't the mood
Captures the mood of much of the country under this government - bleak, with a sense that everything is broken, that there is no opportunity for young people to get ahead, and that the government simply doesn't care.
‘I love my country. I don’t want to leave’: readers reflect on the exodus from New Zealand
As people continue to move away in record numbers, readers share their reasons for leaving and contemplate life in New Zealand
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
"New Zealand currently feels like it’s at a dead end; our heartless government has gutted our public sector, welfare system, indigenous rights and more, the cost of living is so expensive, and there just aren’t a lot of opportunities in general."
god if that isn't the mood
god if that isn't the mood
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
Lots of people sharing this clip because it's funny and cathartic but I also genuinely believe it's important.
We have to win the narrative battle between "I live in a corrupt society and that's just how it is" and "I live in a corrupt society and we are going to defeat and humiliate these ghouls."
We have to win the narrative battle between "I live in a corrupt society and that's just how it is" and "I live in a corrupt society and we are going to defeat and humiliate these ghouls."
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Lots of people sharing this clip because it's funny and cathartic but I also genuinely believe it's important.
We have to win the narrative battle between "I live in a corrupt society and that's just how it is" and "I live in a corrupt society and we are going to defeat and humiliate these ghouls."
We have to win the narrative battle between "I live in a corrupt society and that's just how it is" and "I live in a corrupt society and we are going to defeat and humiliate these ghouls."
There would seem to be a pretty easy way for Labour to neutralise a fear campaign about progressive tax and employment law reform - make it part of trans-Tasman harmonisation to create the Single Economic Market.
November 26, 2025 at 8:47 PM
There would seem to be a pretty easy way for Labour to neutralise a fear campaign about progressive tax and employment law reform - make it part of trans-Tasman harmonisation to create the Single Economic Market.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
The NZ Labour Party must provide hope to, and inspire, a generation of people.
If the policy options it will finalise at this weekend’s conference don’t do that, don’t provide a radical alternative and sense of optimism, people will continue to leave Aotearoa in droves.
If the policy options it will finalise at this weekend’s conference don’t do that, don’t provide a radical alternative and sense of optimism, people will continue to leave Aotearoa in droves.
Captures the mood of much of the country under this government - bleak, with a sense that everything is broken, that there is no opportunity for young people to get ahead, and that the government simply doesn't care.
‘I love my country. I don’t want to leave’: readers reflect on the exodus from New Zealand
As people continue to move away in record numbers, readers share their reasons for leaving and contemplate life in New Zealand
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The NZ Labour Party must provide hope to, and inspire, a generation of people.
If the policy options it will finalise at this weekend’s conference don’t do that, don’t provide a radical alternative and sense of optimism, people will continue to leave Aotearoa in droves.
If the policy options it will finalise at this weekend’s conference don’t do that, don’t provide a radical alternative and sense of optimism, people will continue to leave Aotearoa in droves.
Captures the mood of much of the country under this government - bleak, with a sense that everything is broken, that there is no opportunity for young people to get ahead, and that the government simply doesn't care.
‘I love my country. I don’t want to leave’: readers reflect on the exodus from New Zealand
As people continue to move away in record numbers, readers share their reasons for leaving and contemplate life in New Zealand
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Captures the mood of much of the country under this government - bleak, with a sense that everything is broken, that there is no opportunity for young people to get ahead, and that the government simply doesn't care.
Beside Ratner's sullied reputation, one might have thought that giving positive publicity to the HK Police (who are involved in the crackdown on democracy supporters in HK) and having Jackie Chan (who has vocally supported the crackdown) in the lead role would be a barrier to this being produced.
Rush Hour 4 in the works at Paramount after reports of Trump intervening
Brett Ratner, accused of sexual misconduct by several women, will bring his hit franchise back to the big screen
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Beside Ratner's sullied reputation, one might have thought that giving positive publicity to the HK Police (who are involved in the crackdown on democracy supporters in HK) and having Jackie Chan (who has vocally supported the crackdown) in the lead role would be a barrier to this being produced.
How long before a follow-up report come out saying that Deloitte had been contracted to manage the programme and they'd just got their intern to get AI to build the website?
1 hour of our unpaid intern's time .... that'll be $96.5 million. 😉
1 hour of our unpaid intern's time .... that'll be $96.5 million. 😉
$96.5 million for a website redesign!?!?
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
BOM reveals new website cost $96.5m, not $4.1m as first announced
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has asked the weather agency's new boss to examine how the website's cost and redesign went so wrong.
www.abc.net.au
November 23, 2025 at 8:27 AM
How long before a follow-up report come out saying that Deloitte had been contracted to manage the programme and they'd just got their intern to get AI to build the website?
1 hour of our unpaid intern's time .... that'll be $96.5 million. 😉
1 hour of our unpaid intern's time .... that'll be $96.5 million. 😉
$96.5 million for a website redesign!?!?
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
BOM reveals new website cost $96.5m, not $4.1m as first announced
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has asked the weather agency's new boss to examine how the website's cost and redesign went so wrong.
www.abc.net.au
November 23, 2025 at 8:16 AM
$96.5 million for a website redesign!?!?
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
And it still has issues!!
This makes some of the badly botched NZ government IT projects seem like great successes by comparison.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
This is the 2nd time a major government report from Deloitte has been found to contain errors likely generated by AI.
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
First in Australia and now, as The Independent has confirmed, in a major healthcare policy paper for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador #nlpoli #AI #deloitte
A major healthcare policy paper commissioned by @govnl.bsky.social government from Deloitte at a cost of $1.6 million, cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months. #nlpoli #AI
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. – The Independent
$1.6 million Health Human Resources Plan from Deloitte cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months
theindependent.ca
November 22, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
EXPECT MORE
Too many people act like decline is inevitable. It is not.
Expect more from our institutions, including honesty and transparency.
Expect more from our democracy, with real checks and balances.
Expect more from our economy, with fair wages and support that lets families breathe. 🧵1/3
Too many people act like decline is inevitable. It is not.
Expect more from our institutions, including honesty and transparency.
Expect more from our democracy, with real checks and balances.
Expect more from our economy, with fair wages and support that lets families breathe. 🧵1/3
November 23, 2025 at 6:53 AM
EXPECT MORE
Too many people act like decline is inevitable. It is not.
Expect more from our institutions, including honesty and transparency.
Expect more from our democracy, with real checks and balances.
Expect more from our economy, with fair wages and support that lets families breathe. 🧵1/3
Too many people act like decline is inevitable. It is not.
Expect more from our institutions, including honesty and transparency.
Expect more from our democracy, with real checks and balances.
Expect more from our economy, with fair wages and support that lets families breathe. 🧵1/3
All the while, much of NZ's political and policy elite have continued to smuggly assert the supposed virtue of NZ's 'pure' policy settings.
NZ's relatively poor economic performance compared to much of the developed world and the mass emigration of NZers strangely fail to dent this smugness.
NZ's relatively poor economic performance compared to much of the developed world and the mass emigration of NZers strangely fail to dent this smugness.
NZ's achievement is really quite remarkable - unilaterally dropping trade barriers and tariffs, destroying local industry in the process, and somehow still ending up with higher consumer prices than countries that maintain more protectionist policies. 🤦♂️
November 22, 2025 at 8:07 PM
All the while, much of NZ's political and policy elite have continued to smuggly assert the supposed virtue of NZ's 'pure' policy settings.
NZ's relatively poor economic performance compared to much of the developed world and the mass emigration of NZers strangely fail to dent this smugness.
NZ's relatively poor economic performance compared to much of the developed world and the mass emigration of NZers strangely fail to dent this smugness.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
People love the idea of importing overseas wild flower meadows into New Zealand (for the bees) but what they really want is a manicured flower garden. Most people see photos like this and tell us we need to mow it.
Mostly exotic species but high plant diversity and supports domestic honeybees.
Mostly exotic species but high plant diversity and supports domestic honeybees.
November 22, 2025 at 5:19 AM
People love the idea of importing overseas wild flower meadows into New Zealand (for the bees) but what they really want is a manicured flower garden. Most people see photos like this and tell us we need to mow it.
Mostly exotic species but high plant diversity and supports domestic honeybees.
Mostly exotic species but high plant diversity and supports domestic honeybees.
The problem of high prices and lack of competition 40 years after neoliberal reforms were supposed to unleash competition are correctly identified by @bryceedwards.bsky.social
However, he could have said more about how today's lack of competition is very different to that seen prior to the 80s
However, he could have said more about how today's lack of competition is very different to that seen prior to the 80s
Bryce Edwards
NATIONAL’S CRONY CAPITALISM PROBLEM
The National-led coalition government rode into power in 2023 on a wave of public dissatisfaction. Voters were fed up with soaring living costs, stagnant growth,.....
www.facebook.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:08 AM
The problem of high prices and lack of competition 40 years after neoliberal reforms were supposed to unleash competition are correctly identified by @bryceedwards.bsky.social
However, he could have said more about how today's lack of competition is very different to that seen prior to the 80s
However, he could have said more about how today's lack of competition is very different to that seen prior to the 80s
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
The nepotism/two degrees/you scratch my back/etc corruption and collusion of the NZ establishment is rotten to the core. A colony built on mediocrity, gatekeeping, and favours, that's, on occasion, excelled by doing the right thing (and then destroyed those who made the rest look average)
So the Police Minister knew, or ought to have known, about the devious deeds of his departmental leadership, and if he did not know it was because he was intentionally kept in the dark by his staffers ... one of whom is his sister
Now about the PM ...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Now about the PM ...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Police Minister's staff replied to Jevon McSkimming accuser's emails
Emails containing allegations about Jevon McSkimming were forwarded to Mark Mitchell's minsiterial office, months before he says he was made aware of charges.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
The nepotism/two degrees/you scratch my back/etc corruption and collusion of the NZ establishment is rotten to the core. A colony built on mediocrity, gatekeeping, and favours, that's, on occasion, excelled by doing the right thing (and then destroyed those who made the rest look average)
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
Civilian control of police, military, and intelligence is one of the assumed constitutional guardrails. In Aotearoa's Westminster–Te Tiriti system, coercive power must answer to elected civilians, not to itself.
November 21, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Civilian control of police, military, and intelligence is one of the assumed constitutional guardrails. In Aotearoa's Westminster–Te Tiriti system, coercive power must answer to elected civilians, not to itself.
True to form, Trump shows himself to be unpricipled, gutless, and weirdly enamoured with Putin and his cronies.
These proposals, after Putin has shown his willingness to freely use force against neighbours and breach agreements, make Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler seem wise by comparison.
These proposals, after Putin has shown his willingness to freely use force against neighbours and breach agreements, make Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler seem wise by comparison.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine has impossible choice as Trump pushes plan to end war
US president demands that Kyiv accepts plan that would mean giving up territory to Russia
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:05 PM
True to form, Trump shows himself to be unpricipled, gutless, and weirdly enamoured with Putin and his cronies.
These proposals, after Putin has shown his willingness to freely use force against neighbours and breach agreements, make Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler seem wise by comparison.
These proposals, after Putin has shown his willingness to freely use force against neighbours and breach agreements, make Chamberlain's agreement with Hitler seem wise by comparison.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
We elect people who value numbers on a piece of paper over whether actual people eat or have a roof over their head or can get healthcare when they sick. We elect people who value numbers on a piece of a paper over children eating or being educated. I also note that the numbers are all fake.
November 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
We elect people who value numbers on a piece of paper over whether actual people eat or have a roof over their head or can get healthcare when they sick. We elect people who value numbers on a piece of a paper over children eating or being educated. I also note that the numbers are all fake.
Hardly surprising. This is the same minister who, at a times when hundreds are leaving the country each day in search of better pay and opportunities, is siding with a multinational company that has been breaking NZ employment law against the workers it has been underpaying.
Meeting with govt 'complete waste of time', Pike River families say
Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse sat down with Brooke van Velden on the 15th anniversary of the disaster: "She seemed to be focusing all the time on the employers."
www.rnz.co.nz
November 19, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Hardly surprising. This is the same minister who, at a times when hundreds are leaving the country each day in search of better pay and opportunities, is siding with a multinational company that has been breaking NZ employment law against the workers it has been underpaying.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
Fantastic.
It’s no wonder people in Britain are abandoning Labour for the Greens.
It’s no wonder people in Britain are abandoning Labour for the Greens.
A Government of cowards.
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
November 18, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Fantastic.
It’s no wonder people in Britain are abandoning Labour for the Greens.
It’s no wonder people in Britain are abandoning Labour for the Greens.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
"Keir Starmer – her boss, for now – pledged to back free movement when he campaigned to become leader, denounced the “hostile environment” for migrants, and reprimanded his party for being “a bit scared of making the positive case for immigration for quite a number of years.”"
In which @owenjones.bsky.social carefully and irresistibly unpicks the sadistic, intellectually dishonest and politically self-defeating policies of Shabana Mahmood. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A question to the few remaining Labour supporters: is this refugee-bashing what you voted for? | Owen Jones
The government’s callousness has won it respect – from Tommy Robinson and the hard right, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:39 PM
"Keir Starmer – her boss, for now – pledged to back free movement when he campaigned to become leader, denounced the “hostile environment” for migrants, and reprimanded his party for being “a bit scared of making the positive case for immigration for quite a number of years.”"
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
80s: Japan is the future
90s, 00s: Japan in dying country typified by stagnant incomes, xenophobia and toxic, sexless nerd culture
Now: oh, that WAS the future
90s, 00s: Japan in dying country typified by stagnant incomes, xenophobia and toxic, sexless nerd culture
Now: oh, that WAS the future
the actual suicide of the West will be combining a rapidly aging population with hostility to migrants. however we must give credit to East Asia, especially Japan, for pioneering this model.
November 18, 2025 at 9:22 PM
80s: Japan is the future
90s, 00s: Japan in dying country typified by stagnant incomes, xenophobia and toxic, sexless nerd culture
Now: oh, that WAS the future
90s, 00s: Japan in dying country typified by stagnant incomes, xenophobia and toxic, sexless nerd culture
Now: oh, that WAS the future
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
So the solution is… to join in?
I'm afraid the “dark forces” are calling from inside the house at this point.
I'm afraid the “dark forces” are calling from inside the house at this point.
November 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
So the solution is… to join in?
I'm afraid the “dark forces” are calling from inside the house at this point.
I'm afraid the “dark forces” are calling from inside the house at this point.
Reposted by Timothy Gassin
I’m generally not a fan of judging people by their worst supporters, but if Tommy Robinson is endorsing your immigration policy you do at least have some questions to ask yourself.
The government should be ashamed that its migration policies are being cheered on by Tommy Robinson and Reform.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
November 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I’m generally not a fan of judging people by their worst supporters, but if Tommy Robinson is endorsing your immigration policy you do at least have some questions to ask yourself.