Sam Sachdeva
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samsachdeva.bsky.social
Sam Sachdeva
@samsachdeva.bsky.social
1.2K followers 590 following 120 posts
Foreign affairs + more at Newsroom.co.nz, author of THE CHINA TIGHTROPE. @SamSachdevaNZ on the site formerly known as Twitter. Contact me securely via samsnews@protonmail.com
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samsachdeva.bsky.social
Decent shunt there! #eqnz
November 6, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
parsnip.bsky.social
the united states government acknowledges but does not endorse new york city’s claim on staten island, a strategic ambiguity political scientists refer to as the One New York Policy
November 5, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
captainruck.bsky.social
oh my god
"My newest hobby is finding lines from The Simpsons that could pass for Morrissey song titles." I took this image from somewhere else and can't write all of these out on my phone, so if you're reading this because you need the alt-text, take the opportunity to brainstorm some good ones of your own.
October 30, 2025 at 11:46 PM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
Christopher Luxon and Donald Trump meet one on one for the first time, ahead of an Apec leaders' dinner in Gyeongju, South Korea
October 29, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
marcdaalder.bsky.social
New from me: Just eight of the Government's 17 Roads of National Significance have already seen costs blow out by $5.1 billion - before any shovels are even in the ground.

The full programme would cost $44-$54 billion on the latest numbers.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/23/5...
$5b-plus blowout for eight Roads of National Significance
The Government's 17 Roads of National Significance will cost it at least $44 billion – enough to rebuild Dunedin Hospital 23 times over. Marc Daalder reports.
newsroom.co.nz
October 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
wellingtonskeleton.space
I wrote a (short!) piece in a newsletter for work about the use of generative AI to process and analyse submissions, sent it out, and then checked Newsroom only to see a (very good!) piece from @samsachdeva.bsky.social piece on the topic with more up-to-date numbers and a chat with the Clerk. #NZPOL
Parliament deluged by tsunami of submissions
Almost half of the select committee submissions since 1996 have come in this term of Parliament – creating headaches for MPs and staff alike. Sam Sachdeva reports.
newsroom.co.nz
October 20, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
wafflecut.bsky.social
Learned that an anonymous outside expert on submersibles did an interview with the OceanGate Titan investigation, and they released a transcript, with all the names redacted. The first line of his first answer? "I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic."
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ***************** Investigation of: LOSS OF THE SUBMARINE TITAN IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN ON JUNE 18, 2023 * * * * * * Accident No.: *********** * * * * * * Interview of: Co-designer/Pilot Deepsea Challenger DCA23FM036 via Microsoft Teams Friday, July 26, 2024 INTERVIEW OF 10 BY LCDR 11 Q. So how did you get yourself started into submersible 12 operations? 13 A. Well, I'm sure you're familiar with my film Titanic. When I 14 set down the path to make that film, the first thing that I did 15 was arrange to be introduced to the head of the submersible 16 program at the P.P. Shirshov Institute in Moscow, a guy named 17| Professor I. I did that through a mutual friend 18 of ours, a guy named , who is one of the preeminent underwater cinematographers in the world. And had been on a 20 submersible expedition out to Titanic the previous year with the 21 Russians. And that was organized by a Canadian company that was 22 doing an IMAX film which was released under the title Titanica.
October 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
A New Zealand ‘slave master’ and human trafficker is set to have two of his convictions quashed, after being caught up in a procedural bungle from the solicitor-general’s office. More @newsroom.co.nz:

newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/16/s...
'Slave master' to have some convictions quashed after solicitor-general bungle
Procedural flaws from Crown Law have affected another high-profile case, Newsroom can reveal.
newsroom.co.nz
October 16, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
dairymannz.bsky.social
To me, Jim Bolger's legacy will always be how he prevented NZ from becoming a nuclear superpower by declining the offer of a nuclear submarine as payment for butter

www.theguardian.com/world/2013/o...
Missiles for milk: how Russia offered NZ military hardware to settle dairy bill
Former PM Jim Bolger 'absolutely stunned' to be offered a nuclear sub and two MiGs in lieu of money, new book reveals
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
marcdaalder.bsky.social
New: Climate Change Minister Simon Watts concedes the Government’s new methane target could result in outcomes not consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5C above preindustrial levels – a threshold mandated in New Zealand and international law.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/15/c...
Climate minister admits new target may breach global 1.5C goal
Climate Minister Simon Watts admitted the Government's new methane target may not be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5C.
newsroom.co.nz
October 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
In 2022, Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton won a third term with a 12,049-vote margin. Now, he's 11,341 votes behind mayor-elect Lydia Gliddon – pretty staggering change in fortunes.

Here's my pre-election @newsroom.co.nz piece on why Broughton was facing a tough battle: newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/06/t...
The growing pains shaping a Canterbury mayoral race
Selwyn's population is booming, and its economy is also holding up, so why is its three-term mayor facing a tough re-election battle?
newsroom.co.nz
October 11, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
junoryleejournalism.com
David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)
SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems... SIMON: What? SHAPIRO: ...Or saying... SIMON: You imagine that? SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over. SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level. SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this. SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.
October 9, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
philtwyford.bsky.social
Earlier this month Rachel Boyack, @teanau.bsky.social and I carried out a NZ MPs fact finding mission on Myanmar. Check @samsachdeva.bsky.social's story for a good summary. #NZMPsMyanmarFactFinding #Myanmar #SpringRevolution #ShamElection #whatishappeninginmyanmar newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/02/n...
NZ must reject 'sham' Myanmar election, MPs say
After meeting Myanmar's revolutionary groups and political prisoners, NZ politicians say we must offer more than 'nice words on paper'
newsroom.co.nz
October 8, 2025 at 12:37 AM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
Did a deep-ish dive on the race for the mayoralty in Canterbury's Selwyn district, which raises some interesting questions about how councils handle rapid growth, the rates debate, and the relationship between central and local govt. More here: newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/06/t...
The growing pains shaping a Canterbury mayoral race
Selwyn's population is booming, and its economy is also holding up, so why is its three-term mayor facing a tough re-election battle?
newsroom.co.nz
October 6, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
drewharwell.com
OpenAI employees are very excited about how well their new AI tool can create fake videos of people doing crimes and have definitely thought through all the implications of this
September 30, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
marcdaalder.bsky.social
New: My analysis on the Government's just-announced energy reforms. The uninspired package doubles down on fossil fuels, after a major market review recommended privatising the gentailers.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/01/g...
Damp squib energy reforms reject 8 of 10 review recommendations
Analysis: The Government's limited energy package doubles down on fossil fuels after a market review recommends privatising the gentailers
newsroom.co.nz
September 30, 2025 at 7:13 PM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
From me this morning - Coalition’s Palestine cop-out puts pragmatism above principle: newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/28/c...
Comment: A crucial part of New Zealand’s national identity – or myth, depending on your cynicism levels – is our history of moral leadership on the world stage. Whether on nuclear-free advocacy, the suffragette movement or the war in Iraq, we like to tell ourselves we are willing to put our head above the parapet on issues that affect our national conscience. Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ announcement that New Zealand will not yet support Palestinian statehood, splitting from the announcements made by Australia, the United Kingdom and a number of other close partners, at least technically maintains our claim to an independent foreign policy. But the coalition’s decision will leave a sour taste in the mouths of many New Zealanders, and a sense that pragmatism (bordering on cowardice) has trumped principle when it comes to the future of a territory that a United Nations commission has determined is being subjected to genocide.
September 27, 2025 at 8:49 PM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
I can’t help but wonder how the officials at Mfat are feeling about the coalition’s decision on Palestine: we’ve seen officials in other countries their govts’ policy, and NZ is now a real outlier on the issue
September 27, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
gtiso.bsky.social
What are Eve's financial credentials though?
Reserve Bank set to appoint first woman as governor, according to reports
September 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social
Izquierda Derecha, by Juan Genovés, 1967, 📸 via @beysicc
September 21, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
mmasnick.bsky.social
Post now deleted, more or less confirming it was a DM. Great opsec!
Not found. This resource could not be found.
September 20, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
cait.bsky.social
we should have never normalized filming strangers in public and posting them as content
yeeeerika.bsky.social erika @yeeeerika.bsky.social · Jan 13
i don't want to hear your most boomer complaint. what's your most millennial complaint?
September 20, 2025 at 10:20 AM
samsachdeva.bsky.social
Uhhhhh
scottnover.bsky.social Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · Sep 19
NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com
Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 20, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
marcdaalder.bsky.social
New research overrides the Government’s insistence that nursing shifts are safely staffed, suggesting thousands more hires are needed. My analysis:
newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/18/s...
Simeon Brown looks the taniwha in the eye without blinking – yet
Analysis: New research overrides the Government's insistence that nursing shifts are safely staffed, suggesting thousands more hires are needed.
newsroom.co.nz
September 18, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by Sam Sachdeva
newsroom.co.nz
Unable to afford to provide even basic services, there are fears for the remote island community's continued financial viability. Jonathan Milne reports.
'Significant doubt' Chathams council can continue as a going concern – auditor
newsroom.co.nz
September 17, 2025 at 7:57 AM