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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 13h

Human rights are not a priority for the government at this time.

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 1d

Letter from Goldsmith to Rights Aotearoa about the Ia Tangata report.

"Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time."

The Law Commission’s Ia Tangata report Thank you for your email and accompanying letter of 9 September 2025, regarding your concerns about the Law Commission’s (the Commission) report: Ia ‘Tangata Protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations of sex characteristics’. The Commission has made 27 recommendations for reform of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA). The Commission’s central recommendation is to add two prohibited grounds of discrimination to the HRA, which are: 1. gender identity or its equivalents in the culture of a person, and 2. having an innate variation of sex characteristics. The Commission also makes recommendations on how the 19 existing exceptions which allow, in prescribed circumstances, discrimination based on sex in the private sector, should apply to the two new prohibited grounds. The Commission’s report covers a number of complex questions and will attract a range of views. As Minister of Justice, I will be receiving advice over the coming months about the Commission’s recommendations. Whilst I do not want to predetermine the Government’s response, we have significant commitments and priorities in the Justice portfolio to restore law and order and improve timeliness in the courts. Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time. The Government will formally respond to the recommendations from the Commission as required, by the beginning of March 2026. I acknowledge your request to meet with me, however, I regret that I am unable to meet with you at this time. Thank you for taking the time to write. Yours sincerely

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Andrew Jull NZRN @andrewjull.bsky.social · 10h

Open letter from staff, students, and alumni of the New Zealand community of universities.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Open Letter to Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs: The New Zealand Government must recognise the State of Palestine

As students, staff and alumni of the university community in Aotearoa (New Zealand), we express our profound dismay at the Government’s recent decision not to recognise the State of Palestine. Aotearo...

docs.google.com

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

nzjanette @nzjanette.bsky.social · 8h

This is a really excellent piece from Emily Writes, about genocide and incitement and political violence and victimhood.
#nzpol

sprung, springing @aimeew.bsky.social · 9h

Just leaving this here.

www.emilywrites.co.nz/dogs/

Winston Peters, the victim.

Winston Peters needs you to know that he's a victim. He's a victim. And his dog is a victim. His house is a victim. What he has been through is worse than anything anyone else has ever been through. W...

www.emilywrites.co.nz

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Russell Brown @publicaddress.bsky.social · 8h

Fucksake. It's quite clear now that they only looked at this benefit policy as political marketing and took no advice on who it would impact – which includes young people with serious health issues and disabilities. Just feckless and cynical. Shame on them. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Hundreds of teens with a health condition, disability may be cut from Jobseeker benefit

The government is ending Jobseeker payments to 18- and 19 year olds whose parents earn more than $65,000.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 10h

Tory Whanau’s final speech as Mayor (in part) called out the racist misogyny, and gendered disinformation that defined her term. The comments on FB had to be turned off. That's what online violence against women politicians looks like in real time. #nzpol

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Tory Whanau @misswhanau.bsky.social · 19h

My final kōrero ❤️

If you’d like to watch in person come to Council by 9.30am.

www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608... (paywalled)

Tory Whanau plans blistering farewell speech

The media, colleagues and predecessors will be in the firing line when the Wellington mayor delivers a no-holds-barred valedictory.

www.thepost.co.nz

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Assiduously Julie @awaterevalley.bsky.social · 16h

‘Members around this table feeding defamatory rumour': Tory Whanau hits out in final council speech
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

‘Members around this table feeding defamatory rumour': Tory Whanau signs off, and hits out

Critics, colleagues and bullies: no one spared in Wellington mayor Tory Whanau’s parting shot.

www.stuff.co.nz

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

So when we talk about “lack of diversity” in local elections, we’re (arguably) really seeing the offline consequences of online hostility.
Safer digital spaces are about the health of our democracy just as much as they are about eliminating the social attitudes that drive abuse (eg misogyny)

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

Over time, that abuse takes a democratic toll.
Potential candidates see what happens to others like them and quietly decide it is not worth it. Candidates who've been thru it decide not to run again or retire or move on early.
The result? Fewer diverse voices before voters even get a say.

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

Research on online abuse shows that women, rainbow folk and minority candidates, like Māori, are more likely to face sexually violent, homophobic, racist threats and abuse. Their families and staff are also more likely to receive threats.
This is part of a system that polices who belongs in power.

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

Newsroom’s survey shows local government candidates are still overwhelmingly older, male, and white.
It’s a familiar pattern, but we rarely connect it to the digital spaces that shape public life 🧵
#nzpol

newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/06/l...

Lack of diversity in survey of 1000 council candidates

Newsroom's survey of more than 1000 local election candidates shows those running for council who responded are less diverse than their constituents.

newsroom.co.nz

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

Politician gonna dirty politic

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Danielle, Petty Hate Machine @dimsie.bsky.social · 1d

- we don't have to be weird about protesters
- we don't have to become anti-vaxxers
- we don't have to threaten our politicians with violence
- we don't have to be extra racist, we have quite enough of that already
- we don't have to use terminology like "liberals", it doesn't make any sense here

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Keith Ng @keithng.bsky.social · 1d

"show some civility you cowardly dogs". Come on.

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Keith Ng @keithng.bsky.social · 1d

Calling people attack dogs is not at attempt to deescalate and maintain civility, it's a attempt to escalate to distract from a failing economy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

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

Imagine preaching to the Green Party about political violence. Are we living in the Twilight Zone? Some of their MPs have been bearing the brunt of online violence & threats of offline violence for yrs. Leaving online violence against politicians to thrive normalises the same offline. Talk abt that.

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

Predictable politics is predictable.

"Luxon ... 'It's lovely his sentiment and his words last night, but... he voted against the bill that actually is designed to stop this stuff from happening.'"

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 2d

Throwing a brick through a window is criminal behaviour already, btw. Before anyone gets ideas of using this event to suggest changing the law on lawful/not lawful protests.

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 2d

Remember when social media was weaponised against a nonbinary MP so effectively they had to leave to protect themselves & their child from ongoing online violence & threats? That's political violence, too.

Where were all the calls for change? Where were the posts of "That's not okay"?

Interesting

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 2d

Hard side eye to all those MPs tonight.

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 2d

Remember when social media was weaponised against a nonbinary MP so effectively they had to leave to protect themselves & their child from ongoing online violence & threats? That's political violence, too.

Where were all the calls for change? Where were the posts of "That's not okay"?

Interesting

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 2d

Throwing a brick through a window is criminal behaviour already, btw. Before anyone gets ideas of using this event to suggest changing the law on lawful/not lawful protests.

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Oli - ultracrepidarian @olimnz.bsky.social · 3d

I've signed.

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 3d

Virtually all NZ based experts who work with AI or have work that is threatened by AI have now signed our open letter calling on Parliament to regulate it. We shouldn't have to wait for an election, given the speed of dev & the harm already threatening people & jobs. #nzpol

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · Aug 31

We’ve published an Open Letter calling on NZ leaders to deliver risk-based AI regulation & a national oversight body. AI has huge potential, but harms (deepfakes, gendered abuse, bias) are real and rising. Read the Letter (and sign it if you agree!) #nzpol

regulateai.nz

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Reposted by Dr. Cassandra Mudgway

Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚 @notjustdna.bsky.social · 3d

I agree, as I’ve said -

“MHO: Better for governments to focus on the regulation of potential issues. Protection of consumers and smaller players is an important part of governance, after all.”

bsky.app/profile/notj...

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 3d

Virtually all NZ based experts who work with AI or have work that is threatened by AI have now signed our open letter calling on Parliament to regulate it. We shouldn't have to wait for an election, given the speed of dev & the harm already threatening people & jobs. #nzpol

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · Aug 31

We’ve published an Open Letter calling on NZ leaders to deliver risk-based AI regulation & a national oversight body. AI has huge potential, but harms (deepfakes, gendered abuse, bias) are real and rising. Read the Letter (and sign it if you agree!) #nzpol

regulateai.nz

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Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · 3d

Virtually all NZ based experts who work with AI or have work that is threatened by AI have now signed our open letter calling on Parliament to regulate it. We shouldn't have to wait for an election, given the speed of dev & the harm already threatening people & jobs. #nzpol

Dr. Cassandra Mudgway @legallyfeminist.bsky.social · Aug 31

We’ve published an Open Letter calling on NZ leaders to deliver risk-based AI regulation & a national oversight body. AI has huge potential, but harms (deepfakes, gendered abuse, bias) are real and rising. Read the Letter (and sign it if you agree!) #nzpol

regulateai.nz

Home

A call to the NZ Parliament to regulate AI

regulateai.nz

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