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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 6h

Nice. I reckon the value of the hobby is easily another $100/month saving...

Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 7h

a few of us made public comments regarding the govt's consolidation of NZ's research funding

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social, Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social, Nicola Gaston, me, et al

admittedly mine is a bit less polite than the others

comments at www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/10/14/b...

Samuel Mehr, 2023 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist; Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Auckland; and Associate Professor Adjunct, Child Study Center, Yale University, comments:
“The consolidation of New Zealand’s primary sources of science funding is a terrible idea. It will weaken our global competitiveness and accelerate our ‘brain drain’ to Australia, Canada, Europe and various other attractive destinations for our top scientific minds.

“The biggest problem in the new science funding system its disregard for the importance of basic science, which isn’t even a ‘pillar’ and barely warrants two phrases of mention in the new funding structure. This year a Nobel Prize went to three economists who demonstrated that investment in discovery science drives sustained growth.

“One wonders if anyone in government noticed. Simply put: without core investment in basic science, our economy will suffer, and New Zealand’s universities will simply be unable to recruit and retain top talent.

“The second-biggest problem is moving oversight of funding decisions to the Research Funding New Zealand Board, which will be mainly comprised of non-academics. This is a highly unusual structure relative to the world’s top funding bodies, whose funding decisions are typically made by highly trained domain specialists.

“Take the US National Institutes of Health, who spends more annually on science than New Zealand spends on roads, tunnels, and bridges. There, panels of expert scientists in all areas of biomedical research confidentially review grant proposals, providing scores for proposals; then, separate panels of ‘program staff’ — most of whom have PhDs in the area they are making funding decisions about — decide which proposals should be funded.

“Moving control of science funding decisions away from the experts and toward government ministers is a recipe for under-informed funding decisions that are likely to be biased by external influence, whatever topics are currently exciting (but don’t necessarily have any long-term value), and, worst of all, the personal interests of the specific members of the board.

“Basic science in New Zealand has yielded world-changing discoveries in neonatal care, life-saving genomic advances in cancers, and the invention of R, a programming language used at every university on the planet. This is the country of Ernest Rutherford! Our government can and must do better.”

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 8h

Ours was updated today to 10kW - we're on PowerCo. The solar installers applied for it without me asking and confirmed it was done today. Now we just need some decent clear days to see how much more export we'll get at peak.

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Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

Barry @barryhannah.bsky.social · 14h

That “get a paper round” remark should be shouted at him wherever he goes hounding him for the rest of his days.

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Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

Jolisa Gracewood @nzdodo.bsky.social · 13h

Traditionally, of course, paper runs were done by bicycle, on quiet streets that were safe for children.

So perhaps the minister is inadvertently onto something here? 🤔🤔

Grant Brookes (he/him/ia) @grantbrookesnz.bsky.social · 15h

Simeon Brown tells young jobseekers to “get a paper run” on RNZ this morning 🙀

He is so out of touch, he thinks neighbourhoods still get a daily newspaper delivered
#nzpol

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Peter Ellis @freerangestats.info · 13h

Opening for an epidemiologist at my organisation, the Pacific Community (SPC). Based in Suva; not in my Statistics division but in the Public Health Division next door. Applications close 26 October Fiji time. careers.spc.int/job/epidemio...

Epidemiologist - Infectious Diseases

Noumea, New Caledonia or Suva, Fiji based position Attractive expatriate package Join the principal development organisation in the region Description The Pa...

careers.spc.int

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Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

Kelly Bodwin @kellybodwin.com · 15h

Despite all the uncertainty right now in American Higher Ed, our department is hiring!

jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/55...

Happy to answer any questions you have - it's a wonderful place to work. 🥰

(Note: this is a tenure-track TEACHING position, not a good fit for research-only goals.)

Cal Poly - Details - Tenure Track Position - Statistics

jobs.calpoly.edu

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Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

🦝 Pepper Raccoon: Trash Priestess 🦝 @pepperraccoon.com · 1d

#Kikorangi fam, I have an open studio this weekend as part of the Lower Hutt Arts Trail! Check out my space, I'll have all my merch available and also, it's gonna be v chill and we can just have a yap <3

FB Event here: www.facebook.com/share/1CoNfr...

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, and he was 4th on 1st preferences, and still 4th after Calvert's 1st choice were divided. Only into 3rd on Nunns second prefs. Doubt the specials will be enough to push him out, but it'd really round things out.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 1d

Yay - Dog Man (+Cat kid comic club etc) are excellent reads that don't shy away from some quite heavy stuff. Mr almost 8 loves reading lots of books but it's Dog Man that gets re-read over and over, each time a new hilarious bit is required sharing with Mum and Dad.

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Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

Rebecca Priestley @rkpriestley.bsky.social · 1d

Our 1-year Master of Science in Society, at Victoria University of Wellington, is open for enrolments. We draw on science communication, STS, traditional knowledge, and the wider humanities, to look at science in its broader societal context. More info here: #Kikorangi www.wgtn.ac.nz/explore/post...

Master of Science in Society - MScSoc. Look at science in its wider social context. Explore how scientists can work with different groups and communities. Use traditional knowledge, the arts, and the humanities to respond to pressing issues facing society today.

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Kirsty Johnston @kirstyjohnston.bsky.social · 2d

I thought I’d have a go at answering the question: what’s the flow on effect on emissions budgets from the methane cuts?

The answer was worse than I had anticipated

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Scientists fear weaker methane target signals wider retreat from climate action

After cutting methane targets, New Zealand has a choice: shoulder the burden at huge cost - or cause more warming to the planet.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Eddie Clark @dreddieclark.bsky.social · 2d

Any idea when our private elections overlords finish counting the on the day votes? I know there were lots, so not surprising (or outrageous) that the standard Sunday deadline wasn't met, but we're a fair way into Monday & I see nothing for WCC & a couple of races ARE in the balance.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 2d

Great news. Bodes well for day 91!

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Robert McLachlan @robertmclachlan.bsky.social · 2d

Kaydee in, Butt out. Māori wards now 0.3% ahead in Horizons region

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 2d

Congratulations! Look forward to your pieces mocking other bits of the country (i.e. providing excellent journalism) as well. :)

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 2d

Hmm, I wondered why the wellington prelim results hadn't been published (along with a heap of other areas electionz controls...) Was supposed to be yesterday.

Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

David Hood @thoughtfulnz.bsky.social · 2d

A general population shift (both within age cohorts and from older to younger) is very consistent to the increasing opposition to getting rid of the Treaty in the New Zealand Election Study

bsky.app/profile/thou...

David Hood @thoughtfulnz.bsky.social · Aug 21

The New Zealand Election Study data for the 2023 general election is now out, and available publicly at dataverse.

I have remade my Treaty graph, replacing 2020 with 2023. The long term trend towards Toitū Te Tiriti is unchanged.

The same colours is the same age group with 21 years of change. Different colours are people of different ages at the same point in time.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

On prelim results Palmy now has 2 Green and 1 Labour. Yesterday it was 1 Green, 2 Labour. Either way a slight shift right with Fitzgerald elected. Could change again on specials as it’s pretty close.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

Nat candidate in 2011. Maybe changed tune, though she was the only no vote on Māori wards early in 24.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

Wood, Hapeta.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

Yep: Two of them ran to be Nat MPs!

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

Suspect this is a fairly constant shift across the country. Just some areas started at an even lower baseline.

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Jonathan Marshall @jmarshallnz.bsky.social · 3d

Wood, Arnott and Fitzgerald for starters :(

Reposted by Jonathan Marshall

Paul_BarlowNZ @paulbarlownz.bsky.social · 3d

One final bit of good news - 234600 people across the motu voted to remove Māori wards, 245800 to keep them - 51.1% of all votes were to keep them, 48.9% not to. The majority of the country that voted were in favour so suck it coalition!

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