Author | Lightnews

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Stephen Clarke @stephenclarkenz.bsky.social · 3d

There's rain on my window
But I'm thinking of you
Tears on my pillow
But I will come through
Josephine, I'll send you all my love
And every single step I take
I take for you
Josephine

Chris Rea (1985)

153 years ago today Josephine took her inaugural journeys on the Dunedin–Port Chalmers Railway.

"Josephine", a Double Fairlie steam locomotive, displayed at the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Josephine steaming past Burke's Brewery on the Dunedin to Port Chalmers Railway, ca. 1872–1882. Photograph A McColl. P1992-004/1-009 Hocken Collections, Dunedin, New Zealand.

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 4d

It's fantastic to see Central City Ōtautahi Christchurch so lively and vibrant on this beautiful sunny day!

Tram going down the Spanish style buildings of New Regent Street with umbrella lined tables filled with patrons

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 5d

Kiwirail are bringing back the ChCh- - Dunedin Southerner Train for the Labour weekend 🚞

I hope the Southerner does well and is made a permanent fixture, I got to take it in May and it was an amazing trip!

The full Southerner train ready to depart for Dunedin at the Christchurch railway station platform, May 21st 2025

The beautiful historic Dunedin Railway Station lit up at night, 23rd May 2025

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 5d

Imagine if we could also get $44–54bn investment in rail to provide people with proper transport options and rectify a century-long imbalance in funding. Oh yeah, and the benefit/cost ratio of PT would well exceed these roads, many of which fail to have benefits exceeding their costs

Marc Daalder @marcdaalder.bsky.social · 5d

Paywall now lifted: 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

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Marc Daalder @marcdaalder.bsky.social · 5d

Paywall now lifted: 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

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Bernard Hickey @bernardchickey.bsky.social · 5d

FYI, paying subscribers have asked me to open this one up to all for reading, listening, watching and sharing. #nzpol So free for all to read now. thekaka.substack.com/p/fridays-ea...

Friday's Early Bird & Dawn Chorus: Choosing $30b of motorways instead of real wage increases

100,000 protest against Government's 1% pay offers to teachers, doctors & nurses in biggest marches in 40 years; Mega-strike against real wage cut offers set against $14 billion blowout in RONs costs

thekaka.substack.com

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 6d

But the question is, what are *you* going to do about? Endlessly rotating between Labor and Nats is not going to move the country forward.

Progress requires change.

Vote different.

Because #KiwisDeserveBetter

Graph of results from Curia Market research poll showing roughly 60% of the country isn't convinced things are going well. These numbers were cited in the following RNZ article:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/575328/national-falls-below-30-percent-in-latest-curia-poll-left-bloc-could-form-government

Hashtags follow
#nzpol
#VoteTOP

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Luke @aleofatime.com · 6d

We're stuck

RNZ News Feeds @rnzrss.bsky.social · 6d

West Coast cut off following closures on State Highways amid severe weather

"We've still got quite a number of hours to go until we're out of the woods."

www.rnz.co.nz

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Philippa of Māwhera @misspedagogue.bsky.social · 6d

#Oct23Storm To top the day off, we now have no water at my house. Very low level of water left at the reservoir. Storm related issue at the treatment plant.

FB Post
Grey District Council 1h •
WATER LEVELS ARE NOW CRITICALLY LOW
Some people are out of water - follow this post for updates. Urgent contingency measures are being planned.
Omoto Reservoir is at 10%.
This is due to a storm-related issue at the GREATER GREYMOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
A large team is on site and has been working for several hours.
AFFECTED AREAS: GREYMOUTH, COBDEN, BLAKETOWN, BODDYTOWN, KARORO, SOUTH BEACH, PAROA, KAIATA, DOBSON, TAYLORVILLE, STILLWATER, RUNANGA, DUNOLLIE, COAL CREEK, and RAPAHOE.
Please FOLLOW this post for updates, and SHARE and TAG everyone you know.
Also, ADVISE ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.

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2covet @2covet.bsky.social · 6d

Onya!
#nzpol 💪👏❤️ #Oct23Strike #NZMegaStrike I support everyone striking today!
Kia kaha! Aotearoa Steadfast.

Paul_BarlowNZ @paulbarlownz.bsky.social · 6d

Bit of a crowd today in Auckland for #oct23strike action! One estimate I heard was 15 to 20 thousand people!

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 6d

Hopefully it's all clear! This is what the under slip north of Murchison looked like before today's weather, as per Waka Kotahi:

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 6d

The Lewis Pass washout is pretty bad, but the Arthurs should be open by then at least

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 6d

At a rough guess probably not, unless the wind settles down this afternoon

Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 6d

All roads to the West Coast are currently closed ⛈️

A washout north of Murchison on the Buller Gorge Road SH6,
The Lewis Pass Road SH7 has been scoured out near Boyle,
A truck crash and downed powerlines has closed the Arthurs Pass Road SH73,
A Slip on the Haast Pass SH6.

Bit rough out there!

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Snugbucket @snugbucket.bsky.social · 6d

www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

Extreme 230kph wind, while town gets ‘absolutely destroyed’ in storm

“It’s so wild out there,” says one Hanmer Springs resident, amid 140kph winds. In the hills, the most extreme gust so far hit 232kph, MetService says.

www.stuff.co.nz

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 8d

Whew, lotta water in the Māwheranui Grey River today! ☔

The water just below the old wharf on the grey river with downtown Greymouth in the background and the hills in the distance

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 10d

Another "Basic Income" experiment that was deemed a success and will be made permanent.
TOP will bring a Universal Basic Income to Aotearoa, working in tandem with a land value tax switch to lower housing costs and welfare system reform.
Economic stability and social cohesion for all New Zealand

Photo of article from Business Insider highlighting a basic income scheme for artists in Ireland.

Hash tags follow
#KiwisDeserveBetter
#nzpol

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Byron C Clark @byroncclark.bsky.social · 9d

Every "Christchurch is cool now" article is illustrated with a photo of a pedestrianised street with a tram, meanwhile every local election the discourse is like "rip out the cycle lanes, then turn the botantic gardens into a car park? It's worth a least considering"

www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedeta...

Once branded the world's unluckiest city, Christchurch is now the 'capital of cool'

Our second biggest city is experiencing the type of revival that should make the rest of New Zealand envious.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 13d

Rest in peace Jim Bolger, an absolutely fascinating man with a complicated legacy.

From leading the government that sold NZ Rail in 1993, to being the first director of the renationalised Kiwirail in 2008. In his own words "My life is full of ironies"

Caricature of former National Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, standing beside a miniature train called 'KiwiRail'. Jim Bolger, who is the first Chairman of KiwiRail wears a cap with 'KiwiRail printed on it. KiwiRail became an entity 1 July, 2008 after it was bought back by the Labour government to once again become a state-owned asset.

Jim Bolger. 1 July, 2008. Webb, Murray 1947- : Collection. Ref: DCDL-0006975. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22713234

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Cam Bennett @cambennett.bsky.social · 14d

90 is a nice long life. I didn't like the things Jim Bloger's government did at all (neither did he entirely I think) but I did see him as an individual as someone with integrity.

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-pr...

Jim Bolger remembered as ‘a leader of conviction’ after death at 90

PM Luxon said Bolger left behind a legacy that will be respected for generations.

www.nzherald.co.nz

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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 14d

Former PM Jim Bolger has passed away following months of treatment for kidney failure. He was 90.

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger dies

The former National prime minister died on Wednesday aged 90 after months of treatment for kidney failure. “Jim was much loved and will be deeply missed,” his family said.

www.thepost.co.nz

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NZ Transit Buzz @nztransitbuzz.bsky.social · 13d

#LocomotiveNews: Mainline Steam Heritage Trust has welcomed back Kb968's tender bunker back from Steam and Sand, where it had been sandblasted and primed.

The tender bunker will be painted in due course.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 15d

This Government's climate strategy is weak as...

We owe it to everyone, including farmers and businesses, to take a unified, long-term approach to methane emissions pricing and reduction

TOP will restore the cross-party consensus on the climate to meet our obligations under the Paris Agreement

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/575686/government-lowers-methane-target-rules-out-methane-taxes.

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The Opportunities Party @top.org.nz · 18d

Squeezing profit out of an underfunded healthcare system is like shoving the ambulance over the cliff. This neoliberal economic model has resulted in higher costs and worse health outcomes everywhere it has been tried. Listen to the experts debate it here:
www.fabians.org.nz

#KiwisDeserveBetter

The Privatisation of Public Health

The Coalition Government recently introduced the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill - to enshrine targets for delivery of health services in legislation.

Government intends to achieve measurements of health system performance and productivity through this legislative mechanism, ignoring the complexity of the health system, the chronic problems of underfunding, demography and the social stresses which are impacting on hospitals.

New funding to deal with long waiting lists is likely to go to the private sector through extension of contracting out of services from three to ten years. The proposed ten year contracts have prompted a number of senior medical professionals, academics and economists to write an open letter to the Auditor General.

They expressed concerns about the transfer of money and the likely exodus of public health workers to the private sector as well as the detrimental impact on training for future healthcare workers. They also cited concerns about equitable access to care.

To discuss these issues we have invited:

Ian Powell, the former Exec Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists and now a commentator on health in the media and on his blog, Otaihanga Second Opinion.

and

Ganesh R Ahirao (aka Nana), a signatory to the letter to the Auditor General. He is an economist and was former Chair of the Productivity Commission. He is currently a board member for Action Station, Kaibosh Food Rescue and the Drug Foundation.

Date: Tuesday 14 October

Time: 5.30 – 7pm

Place: level 2, 57 Willis Street (via the lifts out the back of Unity Books).

Register [here](https://www.fabians.org.nz/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/mailing/url&u=15078&qid=1202628).

Livestreaming link [here](https://www.fabians.org.nz/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/mailing/url&u=15079&qid=1202628).

Ngā mihi nui

Pat Webster

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Cory, on Rails 🚂 @aitkesandpains.bsky.social · 18d

Very sad to see Chris Russell be elected Mayor of Buller over incumbent Jamie Cleine and Inangahua Councillor Linda Webb in a hotly contested race.

Thanks to Jamie for his hard work over the years, and for coming to Reefton to check up on me when I was having a hard time on the Community Board.

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