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Charlie

@ichaber.bsky.social
200 followers 287 following 1.2K posts
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 2h
I wonder what immediately benefits more people in a wider area. 🤔 #nzpol
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Connor Sharp @connorsharp.bsky.social · 22h
"National leader Christopher Luxon did not want taxpayer funding going into a "white elephant" that was not commercially viable. "Of course we're very committed to our 17 roads of national significance and we make no apology for that." Hmmm which one is a white elephant? #nzpol
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 10h
I often see people claim that because clean energy sources like solar, wind, or nuclear are manufactured using fossil fuels their emissions are high. But thats absolutely not the case: even accounting for full lifecycle emissions they are vastly better than burning coal or gas:
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/09/2026
Consumer fossil fuel subsidies disproportionately benefit high consumers while stalling clean energy transitions, according to researchers in @science.org. With 90% of subsidy reforms failing within three years, experts urge policies focused on reducing fuel demand instead. mongabay.cc/CalZVt
mongabay.cc
Fossil fuel subsidies are the ‘worst energy policy in the world,’ researchers say
In an editorial in Science, U.S.-based energy policy experts Paasha Mahdavi and Michael Ross argue that governments creating consumer fossil fuel subsidies in response to rising energy prices is the…
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Bernard Hickey @bernardchickey.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
5.34 degrees above normal. Ouch.
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Ben Barclay @benbarclay.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Glaciers need a bigger y-axis.
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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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🚄Rob✅✅🚆 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Our economy heading into the 2023 election was doing fine, yes some inflation from global things but overall GDP 24 - 0.3% 25 - 0.2% 26 - 2.1% Unemployment 24 - 5.1% 25 - 5.4% 26 - 5.6% CPI 24 - 2.2% 25 - 3.1% 26 - 4.1% OBEGALx 24 - $12.9b 25 - $13.9b 26 - $6.8bn etc #nzpol
2023 treasury pre election  Key economic and fiscal indicators
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Ember @ember-energy.org · 30/09/2026
The fossil fuel share of final energy has already peaked across most of China’s industrial sectors. In light manufacturing, electricity now supplies THREE-QUARTERs of the sector’s final energy consumption ⚡ ember-energy.org/lat...
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
That’s interesting. Worth a further look when considering similar legislation. #nzpol
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Christina Hood @christinahood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Lindsay Wood has more background on the complaint about NZ's compliance with the EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement climate obligations here:
climatemattersnz.substack.com
“NZ in the Dock” Climate Matters Special
Guilty as charged?
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Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚🇳🇿 @notjustdna.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
#NZpol Saw this excellent quote-reply to Simeon Brown’s latest attack on Labour. Worth sharing.
David Peez @RebelEkonomista

"The truck driver in Pakuranga helps pay off a lawyer's loan." No, Simeon. He doesn't. Not a cent.

When the government lends a student money, it creates the dollars and credits their account. No tradie's tax was collected and posted to a law degree. When the graduate repays, those dollars are deleted, drained back out like tax. They don't land in the truck driver's pocket either.

So nobody foots the bill. The worker and the graduate aren't on opposite sides of a ledger. Setting them against each other is the trick, and it runs on the same myth as "add it to the tab", that the government is a household counting coins. It issues the currency. The real limits are real resources and inflation, not a truck driver's tax bill.

"Someone always pays." Sure. Just never the person you keep pointing at.

Read more: http://therebeleconomist.substack.com
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PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 29/09/2026
Just get it done and legislation passed, this doesn't really need any more trialling. The technology is already here #kikorangi
rnz.co.nz
EVs being trialled as giant batteries to power homes for less in Auckland
A trial to test how EVs can be used as giant batteries that could power households for less is being launched in Auckland.
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🚄Rob✅✅🚆 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This sucks, you know what could fix this? The government. Sell a new CCS enabled EV? It has to fully support V2G and not affect the warranty So far only BYD,Farizone, Geely/Polestar/volvo & Zeekr support it but only for trials evsandbeyond.co.nz/eeca-v2g-tri...
evsandbeyond.co.nz
EECA V2G report: only a handful of EVs can feed the grid | EVs and Beyond
EECA's first Queenstown vehicle-to-grid trial report finds V2G support in New Zealand limited to a handful of models, mostly on a trial-only basis, with only two compliant chargers and export tariffs ...
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
So essentially Flock cameras (like US) for a bit of government surveillance? What could possibly go wrong with this? 🙄 www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/... #nzpol
nzherald.co.nz
Act wants 'noise cameras' to catch loud cars and boy racers
The cameras combine microphones, video and number plate recognition.
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🚄Rob✅✅🚆 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This one site is twice NZs grid China built the world’s largest solar farm on a high-altitude Tibetan plateau desert that was 98% sand. Three years later it grew so much grass they had to bring in 20,000 sheep to eat it www.autonocion.com/us/china-wor...
autonocion.com
China built the world's largest solar farm on a high-altitude Tibetan plateau desert that was 98% sand. Three years later it grew so much grass they had to bring in 20,000 sheep to eat it
A Chinese utility blanketed Tibet's Talatan desert in solar panels. Three years later, herders have more grazing land — and fatter sheep.
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Why are we paying for gas exploration that’s already proven not to find anything. We could guarantee the amount of solar panels we could install for that however. Gas is not viable without subsidy! #nzpol
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Bee @dailybee.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
If only the Taxpayers Union weren't occupied, they would be raising the alarm on this use of public money, surely. #nzpol
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Nice
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Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We are systematically and consciously destroying the natural world So that a tiny elite can become ever richer There WILL be a reckoning www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Planetary boundaries’ necessary for flourishing of life have been massively breached, scientists warn
New report shows key indicators of Earth’s health are ‘outside the safe operating space’ as climate disaster looms
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petersuber @petersuber.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 20/09/2026
Turns out there are "positive tipping points" for the #climate, not just negative ones. The ongoing and accelerating shift to clean electricity is one of the positive tipping points. www.theguardian.com/environment/202…
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Thermal batteries aren't a future technology any more. 80 projects worldwide, 51 operating. Half of those came online in 2025 or 2026. Mostly 1–100 MWh, but Antora (5 GWh) & Chinese molten salt plants (up to 2 GWh) show what's possible. More soon on Substack. Sign up here janrosenow.substack.com
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Lan Pham @lanpham.greens.org.nz · 18/09/2026
Our Govt is so extremely destructive, 7 past Conservation Ministers have united to spell out just how bonkers their bills is 2mo (Sat 1pm) the good people of Tāmaki Makaurau will take to the streets and parliament lawn (in Pōneke) to March for nature. Don't sit this one out. Nature needs you ✊️🌏🌳
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Harm Less Solutions Ltd @harmlesssolutions.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Interesting story considering Australian citizens pay CGT on properties they own no matter what country that property is in. So much for CGT in NZ being a threat to our property market. The Aussies don't seem to think along those lines. www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/18/a...
1news.co.nz
Almost 200% surge in Australians house hunting in NZ – new figures
Australian interest in New Zealand property has surged, with searches by Australia-based buyers up 190% year-on-year in August, according to Realestate.co.nz.
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miravox @miravox.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
'And would you like a bit of E.coli with your dinner ma'am?' I mean, is Seymour trying to increase the pressure on hospitals? #nzpol
rnz.co.nz
Government eases food safety rules for small hospitality businesses
The "one-size-fits-all approach" being taken to regulating the hospitality sector is being overhauled following a review of the sector led by Regulation Minister David Seymour.
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PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 18/09/2026
Democracy in action, National Party style #nzpol "More than 98 percent of those who submitted on the legislation were against it"
rnz.co.nz
Controversial move on orders pass third reading, under urgency
The government's controversial move on orders legislation has passed its third reading in Parliament, under urgency.
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🚄Rob✅✅🚆 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Imagine not using your roof for free power
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Russel Norman @russelnorman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Maybe the Govt subsidising the import of giant gas guzzling cars to the tune of $264m wasn’t such a great idea www.nzherald.co.nz/business/pet...
nzherald.co.nz
Petrol surges to highest level since June, 91 grade back up at $3.18 a litre
The average price of unleaded 91 has risen more than 35 cents in the past 28 days.
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Mountain Tui @mountaintui.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Reminder: We would now have had future proof, high capacity, hybrid fuel, Interislander ferries if National &d NZ First hadn't cancelled it, throwing away ~$1 billion Now NZ waits for 2 lower spec, more expensive ships & lesser quality ports that need national security checks #nzpol #kiwi
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Alastair Somerville @acuity.design · 17/09/2026
Unhealthy perception in culture wars.
YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THINGS
Human perception generally works best when ignoring anything which isn't usable. Paying attention to everything is painfully draining.
YOU MUST HAVE A SET OPINION ON ALL THINGS
Having an opinion is part of being sentient. A person in a place/time with a past. Yet, like perceiving everything, there is a strain in holding opinions over time.
YOUR OPINION MUST BE CLEARLY BINARY
ON ALL THINGS
Binary opinions are a clarity trap that are exploited to make people be in one group or another. The blurriness of reality enables conversations not fights.
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CEO Johnny Cans @oldmatecans.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Today's Facebook memory from 2024. The lathe of heaven is actually quite soft and warm to the touch.
Gru meme

Save money by cancelling new ferries

The old ferries reach the end of their life

Repairing them and buying new ones cost more than you saved
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Sydney EV @sydneyev.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Seems many people need to know this… You CAN put solar farms on agricultural land AND still use it as agricultural land. Means farms scan now farm food AND energy. At the same time. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Ugh, that's so reckless and a HUGE waste of money💸 hampering the economy: www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361... There is no argument why that would be good in any way or still needed after Methanex (using ~45% of all gas) announced closure. (www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/02/m...) Thanks to @nzpom.com #nzpol
stuff.co.nz
Simeon Brown says controversial LNG contract could be signed during election campaign
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says it would be “recklessly irresponsible” for the government to to sign a binding LNG contract before the election.
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Nobody in their right mind would start using LNG now, right!? #nzpol
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Andrew @openpolicy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Two years ago I was supervising a Masters student at VUW who's research project was on children's rights to privacy, & the right to be forgotten, and how adults — including parents — posting photos of their kids online were infringing their rights. There's no minimum age for having #privacy rights.
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John Kostyack @kostyack.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
AI will kill us all (IF we let it). Not talking here about rogue AI agents, I'm talking about rogue tech oligarchs helping to torch the planet with major new investments in fossil fuel infrastructure.
bloomberg.com
US Data Centers Set to Burn More Natural Gas Than Most Nations
Data centers in the United States will consume more natural gas than most countries within a decade, according to a new outlook from BloombergNEF.
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Corrected it. #nzpol
Altered/Corrected National "No New Taxes" announcement
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Greg Wester @gwestr.me · 16/09/2026
LOL
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 16/09/2026
All the September dynamical ENSO models (including SINTEX) are now in, and they give a 100% chance of a record event this year using the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) metric:
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Terry Baucher @trabaq.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Well this sounds...not good
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Char Of AotearoaNZ @kiwichar.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
“The announcement comes one day after Nicola Willis declared that a levy is a tax, and that there would be neither under a renewed National Government.” 😂🤪 #nzpol #OneTermGovernment #NZ www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...
stuff.co.nz
Government unveils new development levies, insists it’s not a tax
The government has unveiled its plan to replace development contributions - which are paid by developers to councils to cover increased costs driven by growth.
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
LNG would indeed be very stupid. #nzpol
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T✨ @tastromo.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I think if Labour were smart they’d make this election about one thing: Energy. Energy security, energy prices, energy pollution & emissions. Labour can win on all 3, and given how difficult things are going to be in the Middle East by then, it could/should be a slam dunk for #NZLabour #nzpol
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Sebastian Peitsch 🇬🇱 @speitsch.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
#Ladestau for combustion engine cars - meanwhile the Tesla Supercharger is half empty I don’t think ICE engine cars will ever have a future. Who wants to be dependent on public pump ⛽️ infrastructure when you can just charge at home? @electricfelix.eurosky.social
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Last time I got a few dollars in income tax reduction I started to pay thousands in charges/levies/taxes/fees. So, no thanks! #nzpol
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
LNG is simply too expensive #nzpol
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Ben Ross @benakl.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Back of the A3 butter paper estimate means the CRL on Day 1 was already matching the maximum capacity the motorway network can offer in people per hour into the City Centre. And the CRL patronage will only grow. The motorway network will not
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
He's 💯 right here! This are the basics and look at that list - all for less than earmarked for RoNS. Let's do this! 💪 🚀 #nzpol
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Charlie @ichaber.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NZ Labour, read this ⬇️ #nzpol
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Musical Chairs @musicalchairs.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
It is pretty obvious that the blue line tells the more accurate story. Now look at early- to mid-2023. The papers were talking up GDP growth, but in reality the economy was sliding. April/May 2023 was a major turning point. The media missed it because they were looking at misleading data. [2/2]
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