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Chuan-Zheng Lee

@czlee.bsky.social
11 followers 16 following 10 posts

🇳🇿 Stanford EE PhD '21, data engineer in ed-tech, possibly prospective maths teacher

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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 18h
I started writing a hot take on the strategic voting dramas and ended up spending a week researching other countries. Read my now-very-lukewarm take:
czlee.substack.com
You can only game the MMP system once
Expect electoral reform if the Mowbray or Te Pāti Māori overhang engineers get their way. What are the options?
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Reposted by Chuan-Zheng Lee
Graeme Edgeler @graemeedgeler.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
One of the problems for the current National Government is that it unlike the Key Government, it needs the votes of both NZF and ACT to pass stuff (incl. the budget). When Key wanted to reform the RMA, ACT and Peter Dunne said "sure, if you X", and Key could say "Nah. I'll just talk to Pita"
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
If a job applicant tries to tell me that a decision carries no risks, to me that is a HUGE red flag. Policymaking takes this to another level. Politicians should be explaining the downsides of their policies (and how to mitigate them), not ducking them.
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Happened today in Marama Davidson's interview: youtu.be/d8Xsj29kQWo?... In 2023, Christopher Luxon did the same, saying "I don't see any risks": youtu.be/BWmzO1VBnvg?...
youtu.be
Marama Davidson on Greens' super-rich tax, KiwiMart, and working with National
YouTube video by Q+A with Jack Tame
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Dear party leaders, when Jack Tame asks on Q+A what the risks of your policy are, I want to hear AN ACTUAL RISK OF YOUR POLICY. If you say "the risk is in not doing it", no potential downsides, that tells me you don't like thinking things through, not that your policy is magical
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Substantively, the proposed social media ban for under 16s is a bad idea. But procedurally, this is a welcome development in MMP politics. A policy (even a bad one) that a majority of Parliament supports should not fall just because two smaller coalition partners don't like it.
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
A follow-up to my previous post, in which I make a startling confession about how my voting practices didn't actually follow my stated voting philosophy. czlee.substack.com/p/vote-for-p...
czlee.substack.com
I didn't actually vote for people
I tried, but MMP doesn't let you vote for people. Reflections on what I was doing instead, and my reluctant new voting philosophy
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Wrote two weeks ago, sharing belatedly: Six years ago, I said vote for people, not policies. Here's an update with what I've learnt — treating politicians like job candidates, some green and red flags, and which MPs make my current list. open.substack.com/pub/czlee/p/...
open.substack.com
An update on "Vote for people, not policies"
Years ago, I stopped voting based on policy. Here's what I've learnt about how to judge politicians instead — and which MPs currently pass.
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
New post: I used to be dismissive of those who warn of AI doom, and I no longer am. But the turning point for me wasn't about AI being "smart", it was observing that humans are probably more susceptible to influence by AI than I'd realised. open.substack.com/pub/czlee/p/...
open.substack.com
I changed my mind about AI doomsday
The AI doomsayers have a point, but it's not because AI will be really smart
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
lol. Headline's a little clickbaity but it sounds like they did everything right. Weighed all options and factors (yes, incl political), prioritised usability above all, for <$20k. AT gets flak for lots of things so it's nice to hear when they do a good job www.1news.co.nz/2026/05/02/f...
1news.co.nz
Fears of 'backlash and mockery' played into new Auckland rail line names
Debate over the names stretched across three years and five different approaches before a final decision was made.
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Chuan-Zheng Lee @czlee.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
I guess when first I heard of UATX I gave them a 50% chance of succeeding. But it's sad how very hard it sounds (w/out hindsight) to reliably tell people who genuinely subscribe to free speech ideals, from people who do so only when politically convenient. politi.co/49ELxlM
politico.com
They Wanted a University Without Cancel Culture. Then Dissenters Were Ousted.
Inside the civil war at the anti-woke university backed by Bari Weiss.
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