Author | Lightnews

Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · 7d

Happy Birthday Sophie (I’m in Geneva so a bit behind time wise). 🎂

Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Charlie Mitchell @comingupcharlie.bsky.social · 29d

The deputy Prime Minister this week admonished a regional council for enforcing its rules (which it is legally required to do) on the basis that the RMA will be overhauled at some point www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

Are Cantabrians living in ‘the republic of ECan’?

The deputy PM is urging Environment Canterbury to pause its enforcement of consenting laws. Is this even possible? The Press fact checks David Seymour’s comments.

www.thepress.co.nz

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Jul 30

A terrible change that the PM justifies by reference to Australia - without any acknowledgment of compulsory voting across the ditch. Not comparing apples with apples.

Andrew Geddis @acgeddis.bsky.social · Jul 29

Oh well yes that sucks. Note also that the govt is requiring the select committee to report back in 4 months rather than the usual 6. So much for fulsome scrutiny of a rights infringing change to our fundamental democratic processes 😤

RNZ News Feeds @rnzrss.bsky.social · Jul 29

Electoral Amendment Bill passes its first reading in Parliament

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Jun 22

🤔 National’s election campaign talked a big game about localism which is quite different from scraping regional councils! Presume regional councils are seen as too environmental for Luxon. 🤯
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

PM open to scrapping regional councils amid RMA reform

The PM says he's looking into council rates caps as well.

www.nzherald.co.nz

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Jun 21

Interesting. LDAC guidelines are very helpful. Also have the Legislation Act. This was talked about in the 2021 version of the bill www.parliament.nz/mi/pb/hansar...

Radware Page

Loader page.

www.parliament.nz

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Jun 19

While the issues are well known we have yet to see the words; wording in law matters and is worthy of reflection & scrutiny.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Jun 19

I asked Min Bishop about this process in estimates today - would the amendment paper go back to select committee?
Answer - no.
More bad law making.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 29

Morning report “does changing the balance mean more pollution?”

Answer “it depends”.

Rules to protect freshwater are to bring back swimmable rivers. Something that is an anathema to Hoggard and the Minister ‘for’ the Environment.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 27

A fantastic resource.

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Dr Dean Knight @drdeanknight.bsky.social · May 18

It will be a fascinating week in Parliament, as recommendations of Privileges committee to suspend 3 MPs are debated — as @acgeddis.bsky.social
explains.

I wonder if we might be discovering some conventional rules about operation of the Privileges committee?

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Govt to debate suspensions handed down to Te Pāti Māori MPs

Parliament will debate on Tuesday whether unprecedented suspensions handed down to Te Pāti Māori MPs for potentially intimidating conduct - doing a haka in the House - should be adopted. Otago Univers...

www.rnz.co.nz

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Virginia Cattell @virgcatt.bsky.social · May 10

Exactly
#nzpol

Letter to the editor about the scrapping of pay equity claims

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 10

Or just quote from Ministers making no sense (and invoking tracks and getting on them) in committee stages and anything Shane Jone has said (I think he called me a shady house this week 🤔🏡🕶️) 👩‍💻

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Deborah Russell MP @beefaerie.bsky.social · May 8

These are the pay equity claims that the government wiped out in just two days to make its budget balance. It's appalling that tax breaks for tobacco companies are being funded by cutting women's pay rises and backpay.

(Also listed in alt text)

Education
- ECE teachers
- Early Intervention teachers
- Primary and Area teachers in state or state integrated schools
- Secondary teachers in state or state integrated schools
- Support workers, youth workers in residential schools, Education Service
- Education Advisors (Learning Support) MoE
- Psychologist MoE employed
- Service Managers MoE employed
- Early Learning Teachers
- Tertiary Education Library Assistant
- Tertiary Education Administration and Clerical
Public Service
- Public Service Administration/Clerical Claim 1
- Public Service Administration/Clerical Claim 2
- Corrections Psychologist
- Corrections Probation Officer and Senior Practitioner
Health
- Social Service Workers (5 NGOs)
- CSWs 1 (1.7.22)
- CSWs 2 (20.11.23)
- Front line Managers and Coordinators
- Plunket Administration/Clerical
- Plunket Nurses and Clinical
- Community Midwives in Primary birthing units
- Hospice Nurses and Health Care Assistants
- Primary Care Administration
- Primary Care Nurses
- Access Community Nurses
- Labtests Awanui
- Nurses in Residential Care
- NZ Artificial Limb Service
- Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
Local government
- Librarian and Librarian Assistant in Councils

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 8

Wildlife Act change not great either - government members thought it applied to new Government Roads but turns out (after sustained questioning) that it doesn’t! Opps. Rushed law is bad law.

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Dr Dean Knight @drdeanknight.bsky.social · May 8

So, we knew it was bad — undemocratic expedited process, dodgy retrospectivity and objectionable nullification of claims. But this shows it was doubly worse — a calculated and deliberate ambush to deprive claimants and a policy fait accompli.

RNZ News Feeds @rnzrss.bsky.social · May 8

National briefed its MPs two days prior to pay equity overhaul announcement

Officials warned ministers of 'legal risks' if the government talked about its intentions to make changes to pay equity laws ahead of the new legislation being passed.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 7

Lots of space now for title and commencement debate and then 3rd reading (will be full again for David Parker’s valedictory around 5.30)

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 7

Just asked Minister in charge of terrible bill to cut women’s pay if she agreed with this statement about rule of law equating to not making retrospective law (quoting from above) and no answer. Yet the retrospective law she is in charge of is progressing 🤯

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 6

🤯

Dr Dean Knight @drdeanknight.bsky.social · May 6

This government talks a big game about regulatory care and principles of good law-making in its Regulatory Standards Bill then doesn't walk the talk in practice.

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Dr Dean Knight @drdeanknight.bsky.social · May 6

Golly gosh. Several important bills are today being passed through all stages under urgency and without select committee scrutiny/public submissions -- and bills with constitutionally objectional features, such as retrospective effect and nullification of existing court proceedings etc. #wildwest

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 2

And I asked Minister’s numerous times (both in oral & written questions and committee stage) to include an environmental protection in the purpose of the fast track bill.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 2

Labour’s fast track for covid & RMA replacement was different. Environmental protections were not overridden. Any future Labour fast track would not override environmental protections. We put up numerous amendment papers that put environmental protections into the fast track & Government voted down

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 2

This Government has irresponsibly put future governments in the position of potentially needing to compensate overseas companies if approvals revoked. Labour is being careful about this potential liability. We don’t know yet how many projects will be approved by the next election.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · May 2

Thanks Sarah. National’s fast track overrides environmental protections and is appalling. I have said that Labour would review approvals granted under it based on environmental criteria with priority for projects that had previously been declined or prohibited.

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Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin @rachelbrooking.bsky.social · Mar 30

Yes. Under both Labour’s reforms and what Government is now proposing.

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Reposted by Rachel Brooking MP for Dunedin

Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 @paullecomtephoto.nz · Mar 26

WOAH!

Huge #Aurora Australis from Ōtepoti #Dunedin - 12:21am 27/3/25

(Back of camera image)

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