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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Ireland against Fascism @irlagainstfascism.bsky.social · 1d

Miriam Margolyes is just a warrior woman. That's the post.

She said it all.

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 12h

It's almost as if national/state govt doesn't want a rival source of power.

If the right people don't have power - Yes, Prime Minister - BBC

YouTube video by BBC Studios

m.youtube.com

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 12h

It’s also WA local election season (polls close next Saturday) and it has similarly dire turnout. My council has had turnout of 24–29% for the past 15 years (biennial elections). The situation resembles NZ: optional voting, postal, virtually no open party affiliation, little media on most councils

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 11h

The Sir Humphreys of the world were snobs, but at least they were cultured snobs. I suspect many in govt today are just as arrogant, but are infected with a neoliberal philistinism that sees the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 12h

It's almost as if national/state govt doesn't want a rival source of power.

If the right people don't have power - Yes, Prime Minister - BBC

YouTube video by BBC Studios

m.youtube.com

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 15h

... the council received to the rugby club of which the mayor is president!) or is it code for cutting funding for anything deemed 'woke' (libraries, recycling, community events, the environment, etc)?

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 15h

At the moment, there's much too much need for reading between the lines in the candidate statements - e.g. is the almost de rigueur line about being responsible with council funds or stopping wasteful spending simply about not doing dumb stuff (such as redirecting the 3 Waters funding ...

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 15h

Without a dramatic change in the level of media coverage of and public engagement with local politics, it seems the only clear way to ensure people have at least some idea of what they're actually voting for.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 15h

I think having clear party identifications would certainly help.

While I think rigid party structures can be bad for democracy in various ways, it can't be worse than the current situation in local government.

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Sharon Murdoch @domesticanimal.bsky.social · 20h

Well, that didn’t go how I hoped it would. To say I’m a little disappointed in the NZ voting public’s decision on Māori wards is an understatement. Here’s a thought about aspiring to the bare minimum (& given our #nitrate problem even that might be too much)
My Stuff #cartoon today #nzpol

Cartoon. Title: “A Traditional Local Body Election Blessing” Image shows a fairy with a wand, dressed in orange, beside a levitating voting box. She’s saying, “May all your municipal dreams come true!” And then, “And if you can’t have that, may your reticulated water be potable”

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

The result is that attempting to make informed choices in local elections is difficult and time-consuming and, at times, can feel pretty futile.

It is no surprise that most people simply don't bother.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

The situation is made worse by the fact that there are multiple elections held simultaneously (mayor, councillors, regional council, etc.) and all have these same problems.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

Even as someone who is politically engaged, it can feel like you are choosing people on a vague sense that they seem relatively okay and hoping for the best, rather than making a truly informed decision.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

Voters therefore have little choice but to make their choices based on the statements made by candidates in the booklet provided with their ballot paper. These statements are often pretty generic, give little real idea of candidates' ideology or beliefs, and are pretty tedious to read.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

In many places, there is now almost no media coverage of the local election or local politics more generally, leaving voters with little information on which to base their voting decisions.

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 16h

Turnout figures this low (32.65%) raise serious questions about the democratic legitimacy of NZ local government.

It would be easy to say those who didn't vote have no right to complain, but it is clear there are significant problems that leave people feeling the process is futile.

The Press

www.thepress.co.nz

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 1d

Should the fact that the voting process literally involves putting your ballot paper in a bin be seen as symbolic of the health of local democracy in NZ? 🤔

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Newsroom NZ @newsroom.co.nz · 1d

Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Chris Finlayson offer praise for the Waitangi Tribunal – and damning criticism of the coalition Government. Sam Sachdeva reports.

Hell hath no fury like an attorney-general scorned

newsroom.co.nz

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 1d

Suggesting that Greta Thunberg is the antichrist, railing against attempts to constrain tech companies and prevent tax evasion, but still no sign of the promotion of NZ he promised when granted NZ citizenship without ever having lived here.

Inside tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s off-the-record lectures about the antichrist

The political svengali and investor has been giving lectures on ‘an evil king or tyrant … who appears in the end times’

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Tim @timward2014.bsky.social · 2d

Bloody well done.
When Australian comedians sum up your government better than the professional media 😑
#nzpol

the Juice Media @thejuicemedia.com · 2d

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!

YouTube video by thejuicemedia

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Timothy Gassin

the Juice Media @thejuicemedia.com · 2d

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!

YouTube video by thejuicemedia

www.youtube.com

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 2d

At least it's one definite bit of good news and one possible bit of bad news (although I doubt the restructure will be much fun even for those who keep their jobs!)

Have to look on the bright side. Wouldn't want to be one of those people with a negative attitude talking down the economy! 😉

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 2d

My wife and I felt a sense of relief when I started in a new position last week after a period of job hunting. The relief was short-lived as this week my wife's workplace indicated there would be significant job losses as part of a restructure.

Such is life in NZ in 2025 ...

Te Papa to cut jobs in restructure amid $13m forecast deficit

Rising costs and maintenance of buildings have put a strain on the museum's cash reserves.

www.nzherald.co.nz

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Timothy Gassin @timothygassin.bsky.social · 5d

A ‘magic pill’ made Israeli violence invisible. We need to stop swallowing it | Diana Buttu

For years, I pressed Palestinian interests in peace talks. The response to Trump’s plan proves the international community hasn’t learned from catastrophe

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Timothy Gassin

Andrew Geddis @acgeddis.bsky.social · 9d

Winston Peters arriving at the Koputai port today …

(Credit Stephen Jaquiery from the OFT)

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