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Bruce Buckman

@brucebuckman.bsky.social
1K followers 480 following 7.2K posts

Probationary curmudgeon. 🇳🇿 I’m probably not talking about what you think I’m talking about if you’re not in New Zealand.

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Reposted by Bruce Buckman
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions @nzctu.bsky.social · 12h
Because of gender and ethnic pay gaps in Aotearoa, Pacific women are now working for free until the end of the year. This election year, we need to vote for pay equity. It’s the only way to make sure that all working people are respected, valued, and paid what they’re owed. #nzpol
Tile showing a rally march with people carrying signs and flags. Text reads: “From today until the end of the year Pacific women are working for free because of gender and ethnic pay gaps. Working for Free Calendar.' Flower logo reads “Respect Us, Value Us, Pay Us.” Footer text: “*Stats NZ Household Labour Force Survey 2026.”
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Semafor @semafor.com · 13h
Visitors to the US are on track to drop by almost two million year-on-year. “We’re the only major country in the world losing visitation,” the head of the US Travel Association said. “It’s mind-boggling.” www.semafor.com/article/09/2...
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CEO Johnny Cans @oldmatecans.bsky.social · 16h
unexpected allies but welcome ones to be sure
Gimli and Legolas meme

Gimli: I never thought I'd be fighting alongside Fletcher building, silver fern farms and Orion

Legolas: how about alongside people who say "fuck Jenny marcroft and transphobia"?

Gimli: Aye I could do that.
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Russel Norman @russelnorman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade thinks the reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban breached the EU Free Trade Agreement. How do we know? Because they accidentally leaked their own legal opinion in Sep 2024. newsroom.co.nz/2024/10/01/g... www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Firstly. you have to love the photo choice. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
rnz.co.nz
NZ accused of breaking climate change promise with EU, but Todd McClay rejects claim
A Dutch environmental group claims New Zealand has broken its climate change promises in the free trade agreement with the EU and is lodging the first complaint of its kind through the European Commis...
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Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa @sanjanah.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Reminiscent of VFF's local government strategies from 2025, the network's mobilisation for this year's general election is very sophisticated, & includes operations to hide motive, intent, & network's output aimed at influencing the electoral outcome. One hopes MSM picks up, and reports it. #nzpol
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Davey Wilbury @daveishere.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
oh no, the scam everyone says is a scam may turn out to be a scam
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Tze Ming Mok 莫志明 @tzemingdynasty.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
They lie because they think it doesn't mean anything, it's just a game, it's just a job, it's basically a joke, totally meaningless and everyone knows it haha no need to be serious or sad about a soul rotting away
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I’m sorry what’s that? Man who wants to get rid of the Treaty’s role in law and who attacks ”activist judges” wants to talk ethics and the rule of law? www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
"These policies aren't just bad economics. They're unethical. They undermine the rule of law and property rights in this country, and they betray the basic idea of free enterprise.
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Stephanie Rodgers 🍉 @bootstheory.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
If me and @davidcormack.bsky.social and @oldmatecans.bsky.social put out a press release launching the Union of Mums & Dads (UMAD NZ) the first and only thing any media are reporting is our leftwing politics and activism. We're not getting Jesse Mulligan calling us brave and important on live radio
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Ashley Lynch ✂️🎞️ @ashleylynch.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
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Stephanie Rodgers 🍉 @bootstheory.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Not only is it telling that all these groups are basically the same five agitators with different tour bands, we must remember that they had to form a fake parents' advocacy group because they are utterly unpopular losers
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Digital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
16 days of rice germination squeezed into under a minute, from hard seed to leafy seedling ready for the flooded field.
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Terrible Maps :bot: @terriblemaps.zpravobot.news.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026
Countries by how New Zealand they are
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Petition to ban outlets from using ‘rogue’ when talking about AI.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I mean that’s a legitimately hilarious headline and it’s bloody funny how straight up pathetic the platformed responses - to the mere existence of a book - have been in our supposedly serious mainstream media outlets.
Nicky Hager is of an elite intelligentsia who hold a kind of Free Speech Union derangement revealed in Dirty Work – Dane Giraud
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Dr Paul Dorfman @drpauldorfman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
EVs are now nine times cheaper than petrol or diesel to drive in the UK. www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs...
carbonbrief.org
Analysis: EVs are now nine times cheaper than petrol or diesel to drive in the UK  - Carbon Brief
The latest surge in fossil-fuel prices means it is now up to nine times cheaper in the UK to drive an electric vehicle (EV) than a petrol or diesel car, shows Carbon Brief analysis.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“… if opinionated is a bad thing.” www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
"We all know that he's got strong opinions, but hey, Shane Jones and Winston Peters have got strong opinions. Lined up against us, he's in the third form in terms of being opinionated, if opinionated is a bad thing.Chong was kicked out of the chamber last year, after describing council's procurement policy as "racist", because it had a goal to improve partnerships with iwi, hapū and Māori businesses.Chong had previously defended the flying of a Confederate flag, widely regarded as a symbol associated with slavery and racial oppression in the United States, at an American car rally.
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Mike Dickison @adzebill.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I met an academic today who wanted to demonstrate how great paid Gemini was at citing sources, and when we tested it this only source it cited was a Wikipedia article I’d written on Sunday.
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Mountain Tui @mountaintui.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Could Erica Stanford be one of the most nefarious Ministers next to Chris Bishop? Sure as hell sounds like it. Mandated propaganda teachings about NZ Taxpayers Union to kids from 2027 #kiwi #newzealand
Year 8 mandatory curricumum teaches kids about the NZ tapxyaers Union and takes their official propaganda lines into the teachings
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Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa @sanjanah.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
S**t you can't make up. #nzpol
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It takes a special kind of ego to criticise an author without reading their book while including this sample of your own superior writing skill.
To adapt an age-old line, Mr Hager seems to think that “denial” is a river in Egypt.
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leon @leyawn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
ceo of burger king: our burgers have gone rogue again and infected people with e coli
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Look at this guy. All innocence and cuteness while I’m standing here stopping him continuing to bully the other neighbourhood cat currently perched awkwardly on the fence behind me while I wait for this shithead’s owner to come over and cart him off to cat jail.
A picture of a cute cat or a mugshot of a repeat offender?
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Julie Fairey (she/her) @juliefairey.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Words mean things. The dishonesty on display here is unbelievable. Reminds me of the debate when Bishop was like neoliberalism isnt a thing and @tzemingdynasty.bsky.social was like oh no you didn’t. These are not serious people.
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Jonathan King @jonathanking.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Here it is! The BLACK SHEEPS poster – featuring our spectacular star, Tabatha Killick, the incredible Joe Witkowski and the mighty (honorary) Dane Nathan Meister! Opens mid-November in NZ!
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
That’s the point though isn’t it? This behaviour is about the unspoken understanding of a group of people about what is required of them. Law’s mistake was in trying to make it a spoken understanding in front of people who aren’t fully part of the program. www.rnz.co.nz/news/educati...
rnz.co.nz
'Not happy': Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid 'cannot explain' OIA comments
The head of the Ministry of Education says she is "not happy" with a manager caught on video appearing to suggest staff skirt the law, nor a scathing internal review of the culture in its curriculum d...
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Gosh, I’m shocked. Shocked I say. www.rnz.co.nz/news/educati...
rnz.co.nz
Allegations of favouritism, 'unsustainable' workloads at Education Ministry's curriculum division
A damning review has found serious problems including allegations of favouritism and lack of public sector values in the Education Ministry's curriculum division.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This is just to say I have drunk the Fumé Blanc That was in the fridge
It’s a Fumé Blanc. I drank it.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The fundamental difference between a human and a piece of software, no matter how sophisticated, is a human aware of what it’s doing. The very concept of ‘going rogue’ is pointless in this context.
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Eleanor G @zaichishka.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Vet performs surgery on critically injured skink 'Kevin', who weighs less than 4 grams www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...
rnz.co.nz
Vet performs surgery on critically injured skink 'Kevin', who weighs less than 4 grams
A vet at Massey Wildbase Hospital has operated on their smallest patient yet - a critically injured skink now known as "Kevin".
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Char Of AotearoaNZ @kiwichar.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
These halfwits are just burning through our taxpayer dollars & our environment to fill the private coffers of the dying fossil fuel industry. Mind numbingly dumb fucking fools. 🙄🤦‍♀️ #nzpol #OneTermGovernment #NZ
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Given how problematic it is to find and exploit a significant field of gas, this isn’t much different than slapping $40 million down a spin of a roulette wheel. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Resources Minister Shane Jones said the projects would help secure New Zealand's ongoing energy needs.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Here you go little car. Have 11kWh of energy straight from the sun.
It’s like sunbathing for cars.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It’s always amusing how authors spend time dreaming up dystopian futures and the future always turns out way more stupid than they could conceive of. www.engadget.com/2267229/meta...
engadget.com
Meta put Muse in a Tamagotchi like 'Charm' device - Engadget
Meta's Muse Charm is a Tamagotchi-like device with Muse AI.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It is impossible to overstate how much this cat, who is not my cat, loves this rug, which is not his rug.
Not My Cat loves Not His Rug.
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Reposted by Bruce Buckman
Adam Rogers @jetjocko.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A lot of things make me feel kind of dumb, including how to take at face value the logic of “we are a multibillion dollar transnational industry building a vengeful elder god, and we definitely won’t stop unless you regulate us the way we want, which is a secret.”
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Essentially what they’re doing is ideology washing; you can’t claim they are ideologically motivated if no one puts evidence of that ideology on the record. Meanwhile anyone who does go on record complaining is immediately accused of being ideologically motivated. www.rnz.co.nz/news/educati...
rnz.co.nz
More claims of Education Ministry staff trying to avoid OIA come to light
More whistleblowers have contacted RNZ with fresh allegations of Education Ministry managers actively trying to avoid scrutiny via the Official Information Act.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Jordan Williams has the aura of a car salesman who doesn’t want you to read the fine print.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Guys you want a robust free market economy but when that economy turns so parasitic that it begins to kill its host you’re not actually getting what you want. Customers with no money left are no customers at all. www.nzherald.co.nz/business/zur...
nzherald.co.nz
Business leaders call for end to plans to break-up grocery, energy sectors
New Zealand Initiative says intervention threats by politicians may deter investment.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“Education Minister Erica Stanford said the source of the information was ideologically-driven” To which I say so what? What a ridiculous idea, that a whistleblower must pass an ideological neutrality test before they can be taken seriously. A childish response. www.rnz.co.nz/news/educati...
rnz.co.nz
Education Ministry whistleblower claims OIA subversion not an isolated incident
The person who leaked a video of an Education Ministry official apparently attempting to subvert the Official Information Act (OIA) claims it was not an isolated incident.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
All of the three parties in the coalition have indulged in providing a streamlined gateway for anti-evidence groups to get their fringe ideas written into policy. The most anti science, anti research, anti expertise government we’ve had in living memory. www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
stuff.co.nz
NZ First’s health policy copy-pasted from advocacy group’s website
New Zealand First released a health policy on Sunday that is largely copy-and-pasted from a charitable trust called Make New Zealand Healthy.
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Gir @edufk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"New Zealand First appears to have copied most of its health policy from a natural health advocacy group - even going so far as to copy a typo from the group’s website into their official policy documents." www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
stuff.co.nz
NZ First’s health policy copy-pasted from advocacy group’s website
New Zealand First released a health policy on Sunday that is largely copy-and-pasted from a charitable trust called Make New Zealand Healthy.
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Phil Wheeler @phil-wh.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm old enough to remember when Family First was the hardline conservative bigoted lobby group for parents. Education is now a battle front, just like it has been in the US for decades. Well-funded astroturf groups are here to commodify education.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Doesn’t get much more fusion cuisine than corned beef & kimchi in French brioche buns.
Lunch, innit.
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Lan Pham @lanpham.greens.org.nz · 21/09/2026
More environmental vandalism with last minute changes that remove the ability for councils to set rules that would protect marine biodiversity ☠️☠️ It is beyond time for NZ to stop letting down ourselves and the rest of our Pacific neighbours in the pitiful protection of less than 1% of our ocean.
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Given its origins as an website to rate the attractiveness of women on campus we should probably not be surprised that Facebook has now arrived at this misogynistic endgame. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
Meta bans ads for Virginia Woolf play in Spain because they relate to feminism
Theatre told that Facebook and Instagram filter out ads mentioning ‘social topics’ such as civil rights or feminism
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Dylan Reeve @dylanreeve.com · 21/09/2026
What do we think the chances are that Nicky Hager's new book is about gardening? Or maybe, a deep dive into New Zealand's endemic mosses?
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It’s kinda amazing he’s doing a preemptive “please don’t put in the paper I’m mad” without knowing anything about Hager’s book. www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
“I’m much more interested in getting the economy growing, making sure I’m actually restoring law and order, making sure I’m delivering better education. That’s the stuff that kind of matters, frankly.”
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Bruce Buckman @brucebuckman.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The bow Seymour is drawing here is so long it can be seen from the moon. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
"The most important question is well what else will these policies do? And the effect on New Zealand business, both inside and outside the country, people's willingness to invest and innovate - which by the way, is what we actually need if we want higher wages and a more affordable life - is terribly chilling. Because once you start with one industry, the first question is who's next?"
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