Pothole Poet

ageing activist past my prime, writing poems just in time.

[Pothole Poet @marksterms]

INAUGURAL POTHOLE POEM

Times are difficult
times are tough
I never know if I’m doing enough
So these lines of impromptu verse
May help stop you
feeling worse 🌻

Many thanks to @themistern for the wonderful drawing.

[Pothole Poet @marksterms]

Africa's highest court is about to hear something historic. For the first time, we're arguing that the climate crisis is a violation of African people's rights and that polluters must be held accountable under African law. Add your name: https://t.co/ylktTQ0KA0

[Nick Young @nickofnz]

“We cannot buy food security on a volatile global chemical market. The only path to true food sovereignty and resilience is through a transition to ecological farming. By moving away from synthetic fertilisers and toward diverse, nature-based practices, we can break the cycle of chemical dependence, protect our water, and ensure that the price of food is no longer dictated by the whims of war and corporate greed.” https://t.co/EFOo9DzCwL

[Helen Clark @HelenClarkNZ]

Shocking report by @NickKristof on rape & other sexual assault & torture of #Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities. Will there ever be accountability for these crimes?
https://t.co/a8cbqQgmtb via @NYTOpinion

[QuinnjinWilliams @quinnjin2009]

Good to hear venerable climate activist Mike Smith laying bare this govts corruption on Nat Rad this morning.

@PaulGoldsmithMP changing goal posts and interfering in the country's laws once again.

NZ desperately needs constitutional reform.
If any govt, even with the of slimmest majorities, and little or no public support, can retroactively change the law on any case before the courts on behalf of their vested interest donors,
then no corporation or govt can ever be held accountable,
and we have no democracy, no equality before the law.

There must be a class of constitutional law, that can not be easily messed with by any questionable coalition that manages to scrape into govt.

NZ needs a constitutional law, it needs to be entrenched.
It cannot be changed without a large majority in the house and a referendum.
We also need a similar class of laws on infrastructure, public service structure, and public assets.

The govt needs is there to improve the wellbeing of the greatest number of people possible, protect human rights and the rule of law, and further the interests of all citizens.
it is there to marshal the knowledge we have available, and set strategy for moving forward.

That is why it exists.

If the likes of National and Act are going to vandalise the economy, destroy and loot the country every time they get in.

We need to strengthen our constitutional democracy such that the parties of corrupt vested interest, are utterly powerless to erode our human rights and democracy and take treasonous measures against our national interests.

National has been nothing but a ball and chain on this country from day one.

They are economically illiterate, and ethically bankrupt.

They are the party of vested interest.

We need to reform the govt, such that these malevolent vandals can never do this to our country again.

#nzpol
@MataAotearoa
@radionz
@_chloeswarbrick

[Nick Young @nickofnz]

The law change will work retrospectively to stop the groundbreaking Smith v Fonterra case from going to trial next year.

Story here
https://t.co/iu0rmO82sS

[Russel Norman @RusselNorman]

NZ Govt is so committed to climate pollution they plan to legislate over common law to block court cases that hold corporations responsible for their climate pollution. At the same time the NZ Govt is pulling every lever to increase climate pollution. https://t.co/dTfbnG7KRw

[Russel Norman @RusselNorman]

NZ Govt charges same Road User Charge on a small electric car as it charges a giant 3.5 tonne diesel SUV. Giant cars cause more road damage, injuries and deaths to pedestrians, cyclists and children, more climate and air pollution. It is a bizarre subsidy and it needs to change.

[Economissive @Economissive]

https://t.co/Xpk547bns2

[Musical Chairs @MusicalChairs14]

I don't know... maybe we could recognise that selling low-value, ecocidal products to the rest of the world, while importing fossil fuels, high-value tech / machinery, and globe-trotting jollies for the wealthy and sorted, is, errrm, not a great strategy for the times we are in?

[Nick Young @nickofnz]

Clean energy can provide reliable, around-the-clock electricity at prices that rival fossil fuels, as the war on Iran forces Europe to re-think its reliance.

New report says clean energy now challenges fossil fuels on price https://t.co/7t5n8gTi9W

#EnergyRevolution

[Mountain_Tui @Mountain_Tui]

NZ Government pushes ahead with disestablishing the Ministry of Environment despite 99% opposition during Select Committee & strong opposition from Labour & Greens.

Lan: "This government is pushing to bury that Ministry inside a mega-ministry focused on development & growth"

[Helen Clark @HelenClarkNZ]

At a party in the Minister of Finance’s office, where one assumes alcohol flowed, there was an exchange between journalists. The aftermath - one was later hounded from her job. The other wasn’t. All in the context of public media being undermined. Shameful.

[Mountain_Tui @Mountain_Tui]

I warned about this in August 2025. Forest & Bird's Toki @naturevision also raised awareness as Coalition moves to open 67% of NZ's conservation land for sale/exchange

As Simon Upston said, the majority of it has high ecological value & tourism earns far more $ for Kiwis #NZ

[Mountain_Tui @Mountain_Tui]

David Seymour threatens to fire RNZ boss for hiring John Campbell.

It's illegal for a Shareholding Minister to interfere in state broadcasters' independence

Kiri Allan was hauled through the coals for a mere suggestion with Seymour saying at the time democracy was at risk

[Nick Young @nickofnz]

This could end the threat of a toxic gold mine planned for the Otago wilderness.

Santana Minerals believes it doesn’t need to consider the rights of Ngāi Tahu because its toxic open-cast gold mine will be on private land in Otago, but the iwi says that’s wrong.👇

[adaptation is a lie @anticoalitionnz]

Animal agriculture now sits at 48.6% of Aotearoa New Zealand's climate collapse emissions. Up from 43% before Fed Farmers moved into the Beehive. Cows create more than a third of our emissions and most of our water pollution. When will we end them?

[Clare K @AucklandIsland]

I'm amazed at the lack of criticism by media towards Nicola Willis who single handedly cancelled our new interisland ferries. Every time the old ones break down she's directly responsible for any casualties and stress to passengers.
Gobsmacking fail.
https://t.co/yrEUl7W3uq

[Mountain_Tui @Mountain_Tui]

Trump like performance right here from #NZ Winston Peters. Even @chrisluxonmp & Chris Bishop admit that homelessness have doubled -

Govt. reduced social housing accommodation in #Auckland from 890 places to 39 in one year, and cut home grants by 70-80% - resulting in double

[Helen Clark @HelenClarkNZ]

Battle lines drawn on #NZ’s #conservation estate with Govt introducing legislation which would enable up to half of it to be eligible for sale. No doubt this would open more areas up for destructive activity like mining. This approach must be stopped https://t.co/zvNknz4On5

[Mountain_Tui @Mountain_Tui]

What happened to local democracy, local control?

The government has given councils an ultimatum: come up with amalgamation plans within three months or the government will do it for you.

https://t.co/iBNR93Qeqj