David Peetz
LightNews LightNews
banner
davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz
@davidpeetz.bsky.social
9.8K followers 790 following 770 posts

Researcher, FASSA. Employment relations; labour markets; economics; pol science; gender; climate & finance; science; birdies. Carmichael Fellow at Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute, but views mine. Meanjin (Brisbane) & Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). .. more

Videos
Political science 20%
Economics 19%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by David Peetz

byroncclark.bsky.social
Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 4h
"far-right groups have seized on cultural production – from clothing brands to top 40 music – to normalise their ideas, in a process that researchers say has hit new heights in the age of social media."

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
‘It’s frightening’: How far right is infiltrating everyday culture
Extremist messaging now woven into music and YouTube videos, with one expert saying: ‘You can be radicalised sitting on your couch’
www.theguardian.com

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 4h
Weber (and these authors) use a different meaning for the word ‘patrimonialism’ to that deployed by Piketty (as reviewed by @johnquiggin.bsky.social in ARPA) a few years ago.

But the USA under Trump manifests both meanings, and they mutually reinforce.

www.australianreview.net/digest/2015/...

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 9h
"Based on individual loyalty and connections, and on rewarding friends and punishing enemies (real or perceived), [patrimonialism] can be found not just in states but also among tribes, street gangs, and criminal organizations.'
jayrosen.bsky.social Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 12h
"One Word Describes Trump" www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

I missed this on its first trip around, then saw it on the "most popular with readers" list for 2025. Recommended, despite the cheesy headline.

Especially valuable if you have ever compared him to a mob boss.

[Gift link]
One Word Describes Trump
A century ago, a German sociologist explained precisely how the president thinks about the world.
www.theatlantic.com

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 10h
"Based on a four-year rolling average, [Victorian] pedestrian deaths have increased 27% since 2015, while driver and vehicle passenger deaths have fallen 10%%…
[In] the United States, pedestrian deaths hit an all-time low in 2009 but then grew 77% to hit a 40-year-high in 2022."

Reposted by Mark J. Brandt, David Peetz, Ian Hall , and 2 more

picketer.bsky.social
Tim Lyons @picketer.bsky.social · 11h
SUVs and big Utes "are 44 per cent more likely to kill an adult pedestrian or cyclist in a crash compared with a sedan, and 82 per cent more likely to kill a child" www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Pedestrian fatalities reach 17-year-high. This trend could be why
Fifty-one pedestrians had been killed on the state’s roads this year as of Saturday – the most in any calendar year since 2008.
www.theage.com.au

Reposted by David Peetz, Christian E. Weller, Greg Linden

jayrosen.bsky.social
Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 12h
"One Word Describes Trump" www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

I missed this on its first trip around, then saw it on the "most popular with readers" list for 2025. Recommended, despite the cheesy headline.

Especially valuable if you have ever compared him to a mob boss.

[Gift link]
One Word Describes Trump
A century ago, a German sociologist explained precisely how the president thinks about the world.
www.theatlantic.com

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 23h
It turns out that the only *specific* works that AT mentions in its 15/12 media release justifying the network-wide shutdown are all happening at Henderson station, 3 from the end of the Western line, almost as far as you can get from CRL. Hardly grounds for closing the network for a month.

Reposted by David Peetz

dncameron.bsky.social
Doug Cameron @dncameron.bsky.social · 1d
I have been an active member of the ALP since the early 70’s. The description of the ALP by a group calling themselves “Labor Israel Action Committee” and reported in the Murdoch press makes no sense to me or thousands of ALP members. It’s straight out of the Starmer play book!

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 1d
and yes, that includes no trains on New Year’s Eve.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 1d
Like the apocryphal health administrators in ‘Yes Minister’ who thought the hospitals run so much better without patients, Auckland Transport thinks the city’s entire rail network runs most efficiently if it’s without trains for a month.

The *entire* network.

For a *month*.

Again!

#nzpol

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 1d
Having lived most of my life in Australia but also a bit of time living in North America and Europe (and NZ), this never ceases to astonish me.

Not only is Auckland’s the poorest public transport infrastructure of any city this size in the ‘West’, it is also soooo incompetently run.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 1d
Someone in the DoE card meme chain is trolling.

Reposted by David Peetz

pupfiction.bsky.social
Pup Fiction @pupfiction.bsky.social · 1d
I asked ChatGTP to write an original classic pop song, so sit back have a listen to I Wanna Hold Your Third Hand

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 2d
S Morrison - “I don’t hold a ho-ho-hos"

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 2d
'Secret Santa' for adults, individual gifts for children.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 2d
Mine did that, and also (later) would instead wrap the decimal coins in aluminium foil.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 2d
good luck

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 3d
Sir, would you like hot custard with that?

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 5d
“Today, only 3% of bank activity consists of 'lending to firms and individuals engaged in the production of goods and services.'

The other 97% of finance is gambling."

pluralistic.net/2025/12/18/s...
Pluralistic: A perfect distillation of the social uselessness of finance (18 Dec 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net

Reposted by David Peetz

neiljrm.bsky.social
NK JJB @neiljrm.bsky.social · 6d
Can highly recommend on audio book 'A Different Kind of power' by Ms Ardern and narrated by her. Absolutely superb.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 6d
If you get a chance to see “Prime Minister”, about Jacinda Ardern, take it. I saw it tonight. You’ll never see another political bio documentary like it.

Two features of its production make it more like a revealing diary. Very rare with living political figures.

www.flicks.co.nz/movie/prime-...
Prime Minister | Movie session times & tickets in New Zealand cinemas | Flicks
Find where to watch Prime Minister in New Zealand cinemas + release dates, reviews and trailers. Sundance audience award-winning documentary chronicling Jacinda Ardern's tenure as New Zealand PM, navi...
www.flicks.co.nz

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 8d
"And can you tell me, doctor, why I still can't get to sleep?
And why the Channel Seven chopper chills me to my feet?
And what's this rash that comes and goes?
Can you tell me what it means?
God help me
I was only nineteen"
sophianyx.bsky.social Sophia_Nyx 🏳️‍⚧️ @sophianyx.bsky.social · 10d
Name your fav song lyric.

Reposted by David Peetz

sophianyx.bsky.social
Sophia_Nyx 🏳️‍⚧️ @sophianyx.bsky.social · 10d
Name your fav song lyric.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 12d
It’s important to accept that most people who have dementia don’t behave like this.

That’s because they’re mostly otherwise ordinary, decent people for whom dementia is an illness & personal tragedy.

But when you combine dementia with extremely undesirable personality, this is what it looks like.
pbump.com Philip Bump @pbump.com · 12d
utterly incapable of grace

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Matthew Bunn, Richard S.J. Tol , and 23 more

pbump.com
Philip Bump @pbump.com · 12d
utterly incapable of grace

Reposted by Aurélien Mondon

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 13d
They said it.

They’re winning.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia’s gun lobby says it’s ‘winning’ the fight against firearm control as numbers surge
There are now more than 4m guns in the community – almost double the number recorded in the years after the Port Arthur massacre that prompted a national crackdown
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by David Peetz, Stephen J. Ware

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 14d
DNA too. (p57210, 3rd column, para (i))
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...
www.govinfo.gov

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 14d
Disagree. A sweep is as lucky, as lucky can be.

davidpeetz.bsky.social
David Peetz @davidpeetz.bsky.social · 15d
I don’t recall seeing anyone in public life with as little ability to perceive how they are seen by others, and without an excuse such as dementia or being surrounded by sycophants.