Amanda Thomas
@amandathomas.bsky.social
Feminist political geographer working in environmental studies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Co author of Stopping Oil: Climate Justice and Hope (2023) and Imagining Decolonisation (2020). Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Feeling that a $4 billion motorway project for Wellington that NZTA admits will lose money & is proposing to fund through tolls, a levy on our rates and/or a regional fuel tax isn't a great idea?
Then let's organise together on Tuesday night at St Joseph's: www.greens.org.nz/wlg_event_0212 #nzpol
Then let's organise together on Tuesday night at St Joseph's: www.greens.org.nz/wlg_event_0212 #nzpol
December 1, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Feeling that a $4 billion motorway project for Wellington that NZTA admits will lose money & is proposing to fund through tolls, a levy on our rates and/or a regional fuel tax isn't a great idea?
Then let's organise together on Tuesday night at St Joseph's: www.greens.org.nz/wlg_event_0212 #nzpol
Then let's organise together on Tuesday night at St Joseph's: www.greens.org.nz/wlg_event_0212 #nzpol
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Christmas is coming, and the Black Friday sales signal we’re in peak gift-buying season.
When you’re picking out gifts for friends and family this year, there’s a whole slew of tech products that are better to avoid. I put together a guide to help you through it.
When you’re picking out gifts for friends and family this year, there’s a whole slew of tech products that are better to avoid. I put together a guide to help you through it.
A tech critic’s guide to holiday gift-giving
Maybe your grandma doesn’t need that Alexa smart speaker
disconnect.blog
November 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Christmas is coming, and the Black Friday sales signal we’re in peak gift-buying season.
When you’re picking out gifts for friends and family this year, there’s a whole slew of tech products that are better to avoid. I put together a guide to help you through it.
When you’re picking out gifts for friends and family this year, there’s a whole slew of tech products that are better to avoid. I put together a guide to help you through it.
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Fossil fuel companies were given confidential drafts of legislation during their (successful) two-year campaign to weaken oil and gas regulation and overturn the offshore exploration ban - new reporting from me via the OIA
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
How the oil and gas industry helped rewrite New Zealand’s drilling rules
A paper trail shows just how far ministers went to accommodate the oil and gas industry's wishlist.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 24, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Fossil fuel companies were given confidential drafts of legislation during their (successful) two-year campaign to weaken oil and gas regulation and overturn the offshore exploration ban - new reporting from me via the OIA
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
So good.
In Monrovia, California, protesters are purchasing 17¢ ICE scrapers from Home Depot and immediately returning them to create long lines and slow down the entire store. Their aim is to disrupt sales and convey a message opposing ICE raids occurring in their neighborhood.
November 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
So good.
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
We're seeing some confusion about this, so let's talk about it.
Home Depot has been complicit as ICE snatches day laborers out of parking lots. At minimum Home Depot is turning a blind eye, and there have also been rumors they may be more actively complicit. Organizers including #weaintbuyingit 🧵
Home Depot has been complicit as ICE snatches day laborers out of parking lots. At minimum Home Depot is turning a blind eye, and there have also been rumors they may be more actively complicit. Organizers including #weaintbuyingit 🧵
In Monrovia, California, protesters are purchasing 17¢ ICE scrapers from Home Depot and immediately returning them to create long lines and slow down the entire store. Their aim is to disrupt sales and convey a message opposing ICE raids occurring in their neighborhood.
November 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
We're seeing some confusion about this, so let's talk about it.
Home Depot has been complicit as ICE snatches day laborers out of parking lots. At minimum Home Depot is turning a blind eye, and there have also been rumors they may be more actively complicit. Organizers including #weaintbuyingit 🧵
Home Depot has been complicit as ICE snatches day laborers out of parking lots. At minimum Home Depot is turning a blind eye, and there have also been rumors they may be more actively complicit. Organizers including #weaintbuyingit 🧵
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
@amandathomas.bsky.social
representing for Uni Workers for Palestine in our bid to divest our pension from Palantir, Elbit and genocide.
www.1of200.nz/podcast/1/20...
representing for Uni Workers for Palestine in our bid to divest our pension from Palantir, Elbit and genocide.
www.1of200.nz/podcast/1/20...
1/200 S2E172 - University Workers for Palestine — 1/200
As the Gaza genocide and the invasion, apartheid and killings in Westbank continue, University Workers for Palestine (UWP) are renewing demands and strengthening actions to secure a BDS policy from Un...
www.1of200.nz
November 19, 2025 at 5:44 AM
@amandathomas.bsky.social
representing for Uni Workers for Palestine in our bid to divest our pension from Palantir, Elbit and genocide.
www.1of200.nz/podcast/1/20...
representing for Uni Workers for Palestine in our bid to divest our pension from Palantir, Elbit and genocide.
www.1of200.nz/podcast/1/20...
Fuck yea
Kelston Boys' High School charter takeover bid abandoned
Kelston Boys' High School charter takeover bid abandoned
The school never supported the move.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Fuck yea
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Today marks 15 years since the Pike River mine disaster. Anna and Sonya are meeting with Brooke van Velden today to call for stronger health and safety protections in our country, taking time out of the most precious day of their year to fight for all New Zealanders. #nzpol
November 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Today marks 15 years since the Pike River mine disaster. Anna and Sonya are meeting with Brooke van Velden today to call for stronger health and safety protections in our country, taking time out of the most precious day of their year to fight for all New Zealanders. #nzpol
Reposting to capture the Shortland St ad break doom scroll crew
Folks, particularly fellow researchers, one of our Aotearoa colleagues, Faisal Al-Asaad, has set up a fundraiser for his friend Mohammed. Mohammed is an environmental scientist in Gaza. In the absence of an avenue to bring him here, please contribute what you can spare to him and his whānau
'Seeds of Hope' - help Mohammed and his family rebuild their life and home
Dear supporter, I have launched this fundraiser to support my dear friend Mohammed ElAbadsa, with whom I've been lucky enough to connect, correspond, and work with over the past year. Through a transl...
chuffed.org
November 13, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Reposting to capture the Shortland St ad break doom scroll crew
Folks, particularly fellow researchers, one of our Aotearoa colleagues, Faisal Al-Asaad, has set up a fundraiser for his friend Mohammed. Mohammed is an environmental scientist in Gaza. In the absence of an avenue to bring him here, please contribute what you can spare to him and his whānau
'Seeds of Hope' - help Mohammed and his family rebuild their life and home
Dear supporter, I have launched this fundraiser to support my dear friend Mohammed ElAbadsa, with whom I've been lucky enough to connect, correspond, and work with over the past year. Through a transl...
chuffed.org
November 12, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Folks, particularly fellow researchers, one of our Aotearoa colleagues, Faisal Al-Asaad, has set up a fundraiser for his friend Mohammed. Mohammed is an environmental scientist in Gaza. In the absence of an avenue to bring him here, please contribute what you can spare to him and his whānau
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Yes, absolutely there is an impartiality crisis at the BBC. But it's not the one the billionaire media insists it is. novaramedia.com/2025/06/16/b...
BBC Gives Israeli Deaths 33 Times More Coverage, New Study Reveals | Novara Media
An analysis of over 35,000 broadcast segments and articles found that the BBC referenced the 7 October attacks in at least 40% of its coverage - but only 0.5% of articles referenced Israel’s decades o...
novaramedia.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Yes, absolutely there is an impartiality crisis at the BBC. But it's not the one the billionaire media insists it is. novaramedia.com/2025/06/16/b...
"In her opening remarks to the meeting, Heather, the Free Speech Union chief executive, said next year it planned to launch a “large education initiative” focused on 16 to 25 year olds." ‼️
Lockdowns and Covid-19 vaccines loom large during one panel discussion at the Free Speech Union’s annual meeting
Tearful Tamaki rallies the free speech faithful
newsroom.co.nz
November 9, 2025 at 9:47 PM
"In her opening remarks to the meeting, Heather, the Free Speech Union chief executive, said next year it planned to launch a “large education initiative” focused on 16 to 25 year olds." ‼️
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
And the person behind Palantir is NZ resident Peter Thiel, given residence in 2011 due to his “exceptional circumstances” - after spending only a total of 12 days in the country. Here’s a recent Guardian article about Theil and Palantir and Trump and AI etc etc www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Peter Thiel’s Palantir poses a grave threat to Americans | Robert Reich
Working with the Trump administration, the data company could be used to target the president’s opponents
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
And the person behind Palantir is NZ resident Peter Thiel, given residence in 2011 due to his “exceptional circumstances” - after spending only a total of 12 days in the country. Here’s a recent Guardian article about Theil and Palantir and Trump and AI etc etc www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Cool cool.
The outsourcing firm tells the Government it is uniquely positioned, and its services could be of great value
Prisons operator Serco eyes NZ's public health infrastructure needs
newsroom.co.nz
November 8, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Cool cool.
One of the companies the university retirement fund UniSaver has holdings in.
The diagram for what Palantir does is like if Richard Scarry got super paranoid and did an Apocalypse picture book
November 7, 2025 at 10:02 PM
One of the companies the university retirement fund UniSaver has holdings in.
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
As temperatures continue to drop in Gaza, Israel is refusing to provide Palestinians in Gaza with the tents & mobile homes it agreed to in the ceasefire.
“There must be swift action to bring in all the necessary supplies to save people’s lives.”
“There must be swift action to bring in all the necessary supplies to save people’s lives.”
'We hate winter': Palestinians face the rain without shelters as Israel blocks tents
In violation of the ceasefire, Israel continues to block tents from entering Gaza, leaving displaced families to face a harsh winter
ow.ly
November 7, 2025 at 7:45 PM
As temperatures continue to drop in Gaza, Israel is refusing to provide Palestinians in Gaza with the tents & mobile homes it agreed to in the ceasefire.
“There must be swift action to bring in all the necessary supplies to save people’s lives.”
“There must be swift action to bring in all the necessary supplies to save people’s lives.”
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
I'm sure it's totally coincidental that the AoNZ government's changes to the Marsden Fund have been followed by successful applications led by female investigators dropping from 55% to 33%, and successful applications led by Māori investigators dropping from 13% to 5%. 🫠 🧪
Information on the 2025 Marsden Fund round
Information about the number of funded proposals in the 2025 Marsden Fund round broken down by research area and institution, also including gender and ethnicity data
www.royalsociety.org.nz
November 5, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I'm sure it's totally coincidental that the AoNZ government's changes to the Marsden Fund have been followed by successful applications led by female investigators dropping from 55% to 33%, and successful applications led by Māori investigators dropping from 13% to 5%. 🫠 🧪
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Uni Workers for Palestine have been working steadily at this divestment campaign for a while now. It's an solid collective and we're ready for the work ahead.
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
University pension scheme under fire for Israeli investments
Hundreds of university workers have ramped up a campaign to demand their retirement savings provider divest in companies 'profiting from genocide'.
thespinoff.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Uni Workers for Palestine have been working steadily at this divestment campaign for a while now. It's an solid collective and we're ready for the work ahead.
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Asked whether he’s sure technology will allow the Government to meet its climate goals, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts replies: ‘Can we be sure about anything in life?’
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/06/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/06/g...
Gutting of Zero Carbon Act crashes bipartisan climate consensus
It took more than a year of painstaking cross-partisan negotiation to land the Zero Carbon Act. Now, the Govt is gutting it unilaterally, Marc Daalder reports
newsroom.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Asked whether he’s sure technology will allow the Government to meet its climate goals, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts replies: ‘Can we be sure about anything in life?’
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/06/g...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/11/06/g...
Uni Workers for Palestine have been working steadily at this divestment campaign for a while now. It's an solid collective and we're ready for the work ahead.
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
University pension scheme under fire for Israeli investments
Hundreds of university workers have ramped up a campaign to demand their retirement savings provider divest in companies 'profiting from genocide'.
thespinoff.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Uni Workers for Palestine have been working steadily at this divestment campaign for a while now. It's an solid collective and we're ready for the work ahead.
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
thespinoff.co.nz/society/06-1...
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
Experts universally pan National's latest act of climate denial
NZ’s climate law to change – Expert Reaction
NZ's climate law to change - Expert Reaction - Science Media Centre
Among several changes announced last night, the Government says the Climate Change Commission won't be required to advise on emissions reduction plans. The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will also be...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Experts universally pan National's latest act of climate denial
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
When I wrote this just two-ish months ago, the premise was that the architecture of the CCRA (zero carbon act) remained, but the policies that sustained it had been hollowed out.
With the CCRA changes today, I feel like that no longer holds
www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
With the CCRA changes today, I feel like that no longer holds
www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
How Jacinda Ardern’s ‘groundbreaking’ climate law has become ‘a shell’
The Zero Carbon Act promised to lock climate ambition into law. But with key policies repealed, delayed or watered down, the once 'world-leading' legislation has become a husk of its former self.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
When I wrote this just two-ish months ago, the premise was that the architecture of the CCRA (zero carbon act) remained, but the policies that sustained it had been hollowed out.
With the CCRA changes today, I feel like that no longer holds
www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
With the CCRA changes today, I feel like that no longer holds
www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
I am so upset.
Last week Time Magazine solicited a piece from me on Zohran Mamdani & anti-Muslim hate. I pitched a framing re the dehumanization of Muslims & how Mamdani’s inclusive, socialist campaign in its content resists that. They agreed. I wrote the piece. 1/
Last week Time Magazine solicited a piece from me on Zohran Mamdani & anti-Muslim hate. I pitched a framing re the dehumanization of Muslims & how Mamdani’s inclusive, socialist campaign in its content resists that. They agreed. I wrote the piece. 1/
To be asked to write about racism only to be racially aggressed in the editing process is a new level unlocked I have to say.
November 3, 2025 at 9:35 PM
I am so upset.
Last week Time Magazine solicited a piece from me on Zohran Mamdani & anti-Muslim hate. I pitched a framing re the dehumanization of Muslims & how Mamdani’s inclusive, socialist campaign in its content resists that. They agreed. I wrote the piece. 1/
Last week Time Magazine solicited a piece from me on Zohran Mamdani & anti-Muslim hate. I pitched a framing re the dehumanization of Muslims & how Mamdani’s inclusive, socialist campaign in its content resists that. They agreed. I wrote the piece. 1/
Reposted by Amanda Thomas
SOAS University becomes the first British University to Issue a Statement on Scholasticide in Gaza www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/s...
Senate statement on Gaza, Palestine
The Senate has published a ‘Senate Statement on Scholasticide in Gaza, Palestine’.
www.soas.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 7:51 AM
SOAS University becomes the first British University to Issue a Statement on Scholasticide in Gaza www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/s...
Just finished watching Tangata Pai on Three Now - bawled my way through the final two episodes and so, so worth a watch. Hearing the Taranaki mita was beautiful, and episode 6's depiction of mental health crisis 🤯
thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...
thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...
Tangata Pai is an ambitious drama that excels beyond its heavyhandedness
A groundbreaking primetime drama weaves protest, politics and 30% te reo Māori.
thespinoff.co.nz
October 28, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Just finished watching Tangata Pai on Three Now - bawled my way through the final two episodes and so, so worth a watch. Hearing the Taranaki mita was beautiful, and episode 6's depiction of mental health crisis 🤯
thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...
thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...