A privilege to be at the ‘Future Right Now’ event at the Whitlam centre in Western Sydney to reflect on the big ideas and ways indigenous and intersectional justice movements are shaping the next wave of #climate mobilisation around the world

Professor Patricio Cabello’s clear compelling, chilling description of the revival of politics of the 1980s. THe ‘Chicago boys’ are back: political institutions are weak & the clear objective is to dismantle the state particularly environmental & Indigenous regulations As in 80’s NZ echoes Chile

A book launch with a difference here at the Australia museum - looks back on the climate strikes and forward to changes students and people of all ages want to see from those under 5 to over 60: Future Right Now edited by Michelle Catanzaro Pip Collin, Alice Ball

Kia ora Ōtautahi Christchurch the Christchurch City Council & Trees For Canterbury are giving away free native trees for Matariki! On a cold blustery night the team is here on Worcester Boulevard til 8.30pm tonight and Friday & Saturday night! Mānawatia Matariki. 🌟

I'm sad to learn of the death of Bronwyn Elizabeth Hayward ONZM. I was proud to share a name with such a fabulous NZ disability advocate, dancer, trail blazing TV writer & presenter & community advocate. “If you can Breathe you can dance” She made the world better. My love to her family & friends

At this point it’s probably fair to ask, who is actually running NZ right now? When the Minister if Energy, The Commisioner for the Environment & Transpower all opposed Meridian energy drawing down up to 5m more water But it was approved anyway by a Fast-track panel? This isn’t good governance

If you want to have a say in this year’s NZ election you must be registered to vote at the latest 13 days before the election - enrol here vote.nz/enrolling/en...

New Zealand needs fair lobbying rules but to have a say you must be registered to vote by 13 days before voting (that itself, an unfair change)

you can the OECD report 2026 on NZ here www.oecd.org/en/publicati... And you can read the High Authority Review of rules and definitions of lobbying here - www.hatvp.fr/english_news... I’ve clipped a few definitions used by other governments of ‘lobbying’ below

To repeat: NZ finds itself at the bottom of the OECD on lobbying - we basically have no effective rules governing lobbying This is eroding voter trust in democracy. It is corruption in plain sight NZ needs fair transparent regulations-any political parties ensuring this will get voter support

Here’s the international committee report on targeting Palestinian children by Israel’s forces. It is horrific reading. Yet some seem more outraged about the finding of genocide than the documented killing, sexual violence & torture & starvation of 1000s of children www.ohchr.org/sites/defaul...

Spoiler alert! I surprised myself (& cheered myself up) researching possibilities for science communication across polarized politics! But it’s still daunting to talk to a room of professional communicators! I hope you can join us 25-26 June Christchurch NZ static1.squarespace.com/static/548f8...

What kind of vision of the future of NZ is this? government funding slashed for the future of public imagination & care and significant philanthropic funding to help is also discouraged - ‘just volunteer’ But no changes to for-profit companies making political party donors or lobbying Again:

each year I ask new students what they expect in a political leader. This year the expectations were startlingly modest: ‘To be honest’ To act for ‘people not donors’ Understand the Treaty/Te Tiriti -themes repeated over & over That corruption/constitution is a growing concern troubles me a lot

Thinking of Tā Hirini Mead, ka aroha ki te whānau pani. The wonderful legacies he has gifted to Aotearoa. An exceptional vision and life, moe mai rā e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/...

3) we know women’s work is subsidising the projected budget surpluses after key pay equity cases were shelved last year but some people are simply not eating enough 21 % of NZers in the Waikato are living with severe food insecurity twenty one percent! In New Zealand!?

Recent events remind me of how my great uncle, Sir William Pickering saw missions to land on the moon. Offered an amazing choice-the Mars or moon programme-he chose Mars. As a kid I couldn’t understand not picking the moon! ‘Mars is about science, the moon is about politics’ was his quiet response

A shout out of thanks to people all over Aotearoa NZ today getting up & showing up- quietly supporting welcoming, inclusion for everyone at a time when politicians are using a cultures war from the UK to distract from real issues. thanks to whoever opened the UCrainbow room early today for eg ❤️🌈

I am very sad & concerned about the loss of Maki Sherman from TVNZ. It is extraordinary to lose a political editor of her talent-a very big loss for TV one and NZ.

I would shed a few tears but I am just so awesomely proud to be able to witness the leadership of Rik Tainui and Ōnuku marae and all the way business and environment and recreation and community have grown so much over 10 years in understanding the big issues

Tui ( plus lawn mower) . 😊 #BetterThanTwitter

Two NZ endemic Ruru /morepork calling to each other tonight in the bush, this isn’t Twitter it’s better 😉

Sorry about the quality of audio but disestablishing the NZ Ministry for the Environment-to merge it under a mega ministry exposes our economy land use & resources to lobbying & capture, trading away democratic scrutiny in a rushed decision-we also need NZ opposition’s clear commitment to stop this

I am speaking tomorrow at 8am on the proposed Merger of NZ The Ministry for the Environment with cities and transport and regions- a merger proposed by a coalition government that, if I can be frank, seems to be barely holding itself together right now let alone embarking on reckless restructuring

The real reason we don’t walk barefoot in the local stream! These Tuna - long fin eels have been here all my life, they can live to 80 Years, and grow to 1-2ms before they migrate to ocean near Tonga, spawn and lay eggs - a journey of over 2000km and somehow the small tuna find their way back…

I still love this image about the legacy of the Christchurch earthquakes-a lot has changed in this city for the better and they do have some lessons to offer NZ in a fuel crisis (p.s. asking two other great cartoonists @domesticanimal.bsky.social & @rodemmerson.bsky.social who is this cartoonist?)

Thanks too @christchurchlib.bsky.social tomorrow’s the last day of the outdoor pool at Jelly Park Christchurch NZ before a year of upgrades-a wonderful community space to move, breathe & connect in tough times & loved by many-what Kristin Scott’s ‘communal luxury’ www.versobooks.com/en-gb/produc...

I am so delighted to get back to my civic imagination lab & nice to start sharing good news- people powered and practical Last week 20% more people hopped on their bikes in Christchurch NZ and joined 119000 locals getting around by bike www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3609... #CivicImaginationAction

Tuvalu Prime Minister Teo at University of Canterbury speaking on a Pacific Studies panel with Dr John Vea, Dr Ashlena Noa & PhD candidate Emma Sale about their coastal protection project He meets NZ PM Luxon tomorrow on adapting to climate change & Foreign policy minister Peters on Friday

A final speaker today’ Democracy Resilience & Transparency session in NZ parliament Human rights commissioner Stephen Rainbow spoke about the fragility of democracy & the rapid roll back of rights, people need to feel and see they have real choices that can influence the direction of their country