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fabbovis.bsky.social
@fabbovis.bsky.social
37 followers 120 following 95 posts
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Reposted
jennykaynz.bsky.social
NZ High Court has ruled Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith unlawfully appointed Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby.
Neither will have to stand down as challenge did not seek their removal.

Bad look tho' 😒
#NZpol
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
Summarized: The High Court has ruled Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith unlawfully appointed Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby. Neither of the commissioners will have to stand down from their jobs as the challenge from human rights advocate Paul Thistoll did not seek for them to be actually removed. The court found that Goldsmith applied an incorrect legal test and failed to properly consider mandatory statutory criteria when making the appointments in August 2024. An independent panel of legal experts, including former Court of Appeal judge Sir Terence Arnold and former Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson KC, had rated Rainbow as “not recommended” for Chief Commissioner as he lacked proper human rights experience. The panel also said it couldn't recommend Derby, warning she lacked depth of experience and would find the role “very challenging”. Goldsmith put up a candidate for Human Rights Commissioner who had been recommended by the panel but, after discussions with coalition partners, decided to put up Rainbow instead, who had earlier been suggested by the ACT Party as a candidate. Thistoll said he brought the case as it was clear to him that “coalition dynamics” had driven the appointment. “The Human Rights Commission exists to protect the rights of all New Zealanders, particularly the most vulnerable, and it’s essential that those who are appointed to lead it are selected through a lawful process,” Thistoll said. The judge was careful to note that the appointees themselves had done nothing wrong, but was critical of Goldsmith - particularly as there was little contemporaneous written evidence of why he changed his decision. Goldsmith said he had sought to find a candidate that had broader appeal and strong communication skills. The court also found Goldsmith’s Cabinet paper improperly noted what the actual legal requirements were for the appointment.
December 18, 2025 at 8:40 AM
fabbovis.bsky.social
Marvellous!
December 18, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Reposted
acgeddis.bsky.social
Chris Bishop: "I am reluctant to use urgency to avoid select committees outside of the standard Budget urgency process, and it is only done so when there are good reasons."

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
The government has quietly passed legislation easing New Zealand’s foreign buyer ban, with changes pushed through parliament under urgency late on Friday night, the Herald's Jamie Ensor reports (paywalled). The amendment, altering the Overseas Investment Act, allows holders of the Active Investor Plus residency visa to buy or build one residential property worth $5 million or more. The move was unexpected – as recently as last month ministers had signalled the policy would not become law until next year. The amendment was introduced late in the legislative process, avoiding select committee scrutiny.
December 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Reposted
aapfactcheck.bsky.social
A fabricated death toll is fuelling the latest false claim attempting to link incidents at festive events to immigration.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/fa...
Falsehoods spread about crash at Christmas celebration
A fabricated death toll is fuelling the latest false claim attempting to link incidents at festive events to immigration.
www.aap.com.au
December 11, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Reposted
kirstyjohnston.bsky.social
My last story for the year - the third in a sort of trilogy about the energy crisis. This one is about about the unmanaged, unfunded, messy transition away from gas and the impact on businesses.Feels like a perfect example of where we really really could be doing better www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
Lost in transition: The businesses trapped by New Zealand’s energy crisis
Behind the nation's energy crisis are businesses quietly fighting to survive - many feel they have nothing but bad options.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted
greaterauckland.bsky.social
Wait, what?! Yesterday, it emerged that Auckland Transport plans to re-open Queen St to all night thru-traffic. Boy racers, start your engines!🏎️🏎️🏎️

But why? And who on earth asked for this? Is this Project K all over again?

@connorsharp.bsky.social has the scoop - and a campaign to restore sanity.
It's time to stand up for a better Queen Street, again! - Greater Auckland
Here we are again. For the umpteenth time, more changes are being proposed for Queen Street (and Midtown). Unfortunately, these are not good changes, and they include pouring traffic back into the sho...
www.greaterauckland.org.nz
December 9, 2025 at 9:43 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
Govt warned new methane target aligned with 'catastrophic' warming newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Govt warned new methane target aligned with 'catastrophic' warming
Newly released documents reveal the Govt's new methane target is associated with 2.7C of warming – a level labelled 'catastrophic' by the UN.
newsroom.co.nz
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Reposted
parismarx.com
The Amazon model is all about using technology and corporate power to beat down the pay and rights of workers, whether in warehousing, delivery, and even air freight. At what point will legislators finally move in to stop its assault on working people?
December 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Reposted
marcdaalder.bsky.social
Scoop: A trove of briefings and Cabinet documents released under the OIA reveals the Govt was advised its new methane target is only consistent with warming of 2-2.7C (and possibly up to 4.5C).

Climate scientists have said 2.7C would represent 'unprecedented peril'.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/04/g...
Govt warned new methane target aligned with 'catastrophic' warming
Newly released documents reveal the Govt's new methane target is associated with 2.7C of warming – a level labelled 'catastrophic' by the UN.
newsroom.co.nz
December 3, 2025 at 7:43 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
No matter the issue, the government systematically rejects expert advice in favour of ideology and vested interests... www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Government rejects all of Climate Change Commission's emissions target recommendations
It comes despite a Climate Change Commission warning that New Zealand is being hit sooner and more severely than expected.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 3, 2025 at 11:27 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
How the oil and gas industry helped rewrite New Zealand’s drilling rules www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
How the oil and gas industry helped rewrite New Zealand’s drilling rules
A paper trail shows just how far ministers went to accommodate the industry's wishlist, including giving it access to draft laws.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 24, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Reposted
mattnippert.bsky.social
The Cook Islands allowed over a hundred shadow fleet tankers trafficking sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil. A Big Read from me looking at the curious case of Maritime Cook Islands with an investigation employing big data analysis and fieldwork in Raro. www.nzherald.co.nz/business/com...
The dark fleet hiding in our own backyard: How the Cook Islands sold its flag to Moscow and Tehran
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: How shadow fleets made the Cook Islands flag inconvienent.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 24, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted
haydendonnell.bsky.social
Auckland’s traffic is bad because we built all our houses in Massey and Papakura to avoid upsetting the inhospitable residents of our inner city suburbs thespinoff.co.nz/society/19-1...
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Reposted
marcdaalder.bsky.social
If only NZ was as ambitious as... any country other than Iceland.
November 19, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Reposted
acgeddis.bsky.social
IDK if the Government is still thinking about putting a 4-year parliamentary term up for a vote at the 2026 election, but if it is then it's also doing its best to sink any chance of the proposal passing.
How a 'loophole' resulted in 11-day submission period on fast-track amendments law
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the decision "infringed on the rights" of the public to take part in the process.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 18, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Reposted
canadianarchitect.bsky.social
The guides translate sustainability targets into actionable, accessible pathways for every building type, including best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency.
Toronto unveils blueprint to prepare its buildings for net-zero future
The guides translate sustainability targets into actionable, accessible pathways for every building type, including best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency...
www.canadianarchitect.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Reposted
rnzrss.bsky.social
New Zealand awarded dubious 'Fossil of the Day' at COP30 climate talks
New Zealand awarded dubious 'Fossil of the Day' at COP30 climate talks
The government's decision to weaken methane emissions targets have garnered it the award for a fourth time, after avoiding it last year.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 17, 2025 at 10:35 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
Opinion: We’ve forgotten what universities are for thespinoff.co.nz/society/10-1...
We’ve forgotten what universities are for
With New Zealand universities facing not only a funding crisis but a philosophical challenge to their role, the soul of tertiary education is at stake.
thespinoff.co.nz
November 14, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Reposted
phcc.bsky.social
NZ’s ranking for protection from tobacco industry interference has fallen dramatically from 2nd to 53rd in global ranking, with repealed smokefree laws and a tax cut for heated tobacco products noted as key factors. @janethoek.bsky.social

tinyurl.com/yfek4fwm
Aotearoa plummets from 2nd to 53rd in Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index ranking
Recent policy changes have led to a dramatic drop in NZ’s global ranking for tobacco interference protection.
tinyurl.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Reposted
domesticanimal.bsky.social
The govt is considering banning homeless people and rough sleepers in city centres.
My Stuff #cartoon today #homelessness #poverty #homeless
Cartoon. Title: Homeless Help. Image shows PM Christopher Luxon and helper Chris Bishop wearing maid’s aprons and sweeping the homeless from Auckland’s CBD under a rug with “SUBURBS” written on it. Chris Bishop is saying “Move on”, which is the name of the “tool” they will give police to “deal” with rough sleepers.
November 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
The government's dismantling of climate laws breaks years of cross-party agreement
Governments make grand statements on targets without awkward detail about what we have to do to reach them, write Barry Barton and Jennifer Campion.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 7, 2025 at 2:40 AM
fabbovis.bsky.social
www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2025/11/06/t...
This government’s legacy for transport in Auckland - Greater Auckland
The following is an op-ed I wrote which ran in
www.greaterauckland.org.nz
November 6, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Reposted
globalaffairs.canada.ca
We spoke with Canada’s Special Envoy, Ian McKay, about why #IndoPacific trade partnerships are key to driving #growth for Canadian businesses. In today’s shifting global landscape, #TradeDiversification matters more than ever.

More on Indo-Pacific strategy ⬇️
www.international.gc.ca/transparency...
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
fabbovis.bsky.social
www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
The Post
www.thepost.co.nz
November 2, 2025 at 11:05 PM