Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2h

Another WCC election tidbit: Only 20.7% of Diane Calvert's first-choice voters in Onslow-Western gave their second choice to Ray Chung

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 4h

Thanks Brooke! Hopefully less about pipes

Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 12h

It's been a good run

Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 12h

Undecided yet!

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 12h

Thanks Ira ❤️

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 23h

Some personal news from today's Windbag newsletter.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 23h

Thank you! It's bittersweet - I've loved covering Wellington but I'm excited to broaden my scope.

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Reposted by Joel MacManus

The Spinoff @thespinoff.bsky.social · 1d

Windbag: Key takeaways from Wellington’s red wave local election

Andrew Little won the largest mayoral victory in 142 years, and Labour and the Greens grew their governing majority at the council table....

thespinoff.co.nz

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 1d

Possible but unlikely

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2d

I think categorizing Ben as a Calvert ally is a hugely inaccurate analysis

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2d

Despite opposition to "party politics" being a major theme of the campaign, voters opted for more party politics.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2d

The new Wellington City Council will include 5 Labour councillors and 4 Green councillors, plus Andrew Little, giving the two party "coalition" an increased governing majority - 10 out of 16 votes, compared to 8 under the previous council.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2d

Andrew Little has been elected as the new mayor of Wellington.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 2d

Peri Zee has declared victory in the Upper Hutt mayoral election, defeating Wayne Guppy after eight terms.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 11d

An outstanding debate happening in the Spinoff comment section today

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 11d

Those businesses would never work in New Zealand because there is no car parking

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 11d

They say hindsight is 2020, but that was five years ago.

thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...

Some of the government’s earliest decisions are coming back to bite it

Hindsight is 2020, and that was five years ago.

thespinoff.co.nz

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 13d

The government’s new earthquake-prone building rules aren’t without risks, but they might finally give Wellington the confidence to grow.

thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-...

The big shake-up: Why earthquake reforms are critical for Wellington’s future

The government's new earthquake-prone building rules aren't without risks, but they might finally give Wellington the confidence to grow.

thespinoff.co.nz

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 14d

Political super-group Vision for Wellington presented its final ‘vision’ for the city, but is anyone still listening?

thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-...

Windbag: An obituary for Vision for Wellington

The political super-group presented its final 'vision' for the city, but is anyone still listening?

thespinoff.co.nz

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Reposted by Joel MacManus

The Spinoff @thespinoff.bsky.social · 16d

New Zealand is punching above its weight in cowardice

Winston Peters promised that New Zealand’s recognition of Palestine was a matter of 'when, not if', which has a real deadbeat-dad-promises-he’ll-have-his-shit-together-next-week air about it....

thespinoff.co.nz

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 16d

Maybe New Zealand can no longer claim to have an international moral standing but at least we still have kiwi onion dip

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 16d

Reposting this in the wake of today's embarrassing news

thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-...

The case for New Zealand action against Israel

The 1976 Olympic boycott over our silence on apartheid left a black mark on New Zealand’s reputation. Our inaction on Gaza could leave another.

thespinoff.co.nz

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 18d

I didn't see this particular one but Lloyd has asked this question on the tiles a few times so I'm assuming that's where it's from.

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Joel MacManus @joelmacmanus.bsky.social · 18d

Ray Chung talking about a time when council officers escorted someone out of a public meeting after only three questions: "that was my most embarrassing moment on council".

Alex Baker: "THAT was your most embarrassing moment in council?"

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