I Am Brie Elliott

26/08/2026

There’s another part of this debate that I think deserves more attention.

The Government has used social media to reach young people when it wants to hear from them.

For example, when the Ministry of Education consulted on the Relationships & Sexuality Education Framework, Erica Stanford confirmed that young people were specifically targeted through platforms including Instagram to gather feedback.

That makes sense: if you want to hear from young people, you go where young people are.

But now the Government is arguing that under-16s should be restricted from accessing these platforms because they are harmful.

Okay - but then what happens to young people’s participation?

Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises children’s right to express their views on matters affecting them, with those views given due weight.

So if Instagram is an effective way for the Government to consult young people when developing education policy, what happens when the Government restricts young people from using Instagram?

What replaces it?

Because “we used Instagram because that’s where young people were” is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the consultation.

But it also creates a pretty important policy question:

If you take away one of the places where young people can be reached, how will you make sure they still have a meaningful voice in decisions that directly affect them?

Protecting children online and listening to children aren’t mutually exclusive.

But if the Government wants to do both, it needs to explain what meaningful participation looks like after the platforms it currently uses to reach young people are no longer available to them.

Read more: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361025284/horrible-toxic-place-why-stanford-and-luxon-still-use-platforms-they-hope-ban

26/08/2026

26/08/2026

What does that say about her judgement? Jeez we are being run by fools.

The ministry chief executive found in contempt for misleading Parliament over a multi-million-dollar IT project has offered his resignation, but it has been rejected.

26/08/2026

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has defended prioritising a rates cap over a social media ban for under 16s - despite the cap not coming into effect until 2029.

26/08/2026

They said they were reforming teacher training. Here’s what was actually happening.

A private provider gets direct texting access to the Education Minister. Its founder is appointed to chair the regulator. That same provider walks away with over half the funding meant for smaller training programs.

Then the regulator’s interim CEO - who also works for a private consultancy - helps that consultancy win a closed-tender contract to review the regulator’s own standards.

The conflict of interest isn’t declared until after the contract is signed.

The appointments, funding allocations, OIA-released messages and procurement documents are public record. Follow the timeline yourself.

Who benefits when the people regulating the system are also running the businesses being regulated? 👇

25/08/2026

| In a career that spanned over half a century, Dolly Parton captured the American experience, penning more than 3000 songs.

25/08/2026

Fixed it.

25/08/2026

Okay, National. You asked for the numbers. Labour has given them to you.

So why isn't the bill getting a first reading?

Labour has now said it will support the under-16 social media ban through first reading.

Chris Hipkins has explicitly encouraged the Government to get the first reading done before the election so the scrutiny and improvement process can begin.

And National's response?

"Sorry, no time."

That's a pretty interesting position for a Government that spent yesterday presenting this as an urgent policy it has been working on for a year.

If this is genuinely a priority, why isn't it being prioritised?

If Labour's support was the thing standing in the way, that excuse has now disappeared.

And I'm not even asking whether you agree with the ban.

I'm asking a much simpler question:

If you finally have the votes you need, why are you not taking the opportunity to put your legislation before Parliament?

Because as of today, the public has been told this is important.

Labour has said: okay, let's test it.

You can't simultaneously tell people this is a major issue that needs urgent action, and then decline the opportunity to actually put the legislation before Parliament when you've finally got the votes.

Education Minister Erica Stanford - who had been leading the work - welcomed Labour's support, but said she would have liked to introduce it earlier.

25/08/2026

Casey Costello just confidently lying in the house... oop!

24/08/2026

I found this in my pocket this evening… Isn’t it cute!?

Can’t wait for the Big Hairy Finance debate in Wellington on August 29th!

Let’s go!