I Am Brie Elliott

12/10/2025

Christopher Luxon says unions are being "too political."
Well... yes. They’re negotiating with politicians.

When the government decides teachers’ pay, working conditions, and school funding... It is political. Politics decides whether teachers can afford rent, whether classrooms have enough staff, and whether tamariki get the support they deserve. What’s also political is a government that underfunds schools, hospitals, and public services, then blames the people keeping them running.

Saying ‘unions are being political’ is like saying firefighters are being too fiery - it’s literally their job to push back when the system’s on fire. Strikes don’t happen when everything’s fine... they happen when people are ignored for too long.

So yeah, it’s political. Because teachers are standing up to politicians who’d rather blame them than fix the problem.

On 23 October, workers across Aotearoa are taking action to Save Our Services. Show up. Stand beside them. Stand by our teachers, nurses, and everyone fighting for fair pay and dignity.

Find your local action here:

NZEI Te Riu Roa is the largest education sector union in Aotearoa. We come together as more than 46,000 educators to form a powerful force for change.

10/10/2025

There’s a 13-year-old being presented as a political ‘interviewer’ - asking questions about economics and capital gains tax - and honestly, it’s uncomfortable to watch. This isn’t about criticising him … he’s bright, confident, and curious. The problem is the adults and media around him. By putting him on adult podcasts and framing him as a political actor, we’re exposing a child to scrutiny, debate, and permanent online content that he’s not equipped to handle. His opinions are going to change, that’s normal, but the internet won’t forget. In New Zealand, we don’t usually turn children into spokespeople for political agendas, and there’s a reason for that. This is about adult responsibility, media ethics, and protecting children from being used for clicks, content, and ideological messaging. We need to ask ourselves: are we nurturing curiosity, or are we exploiting it?

09/10/2025

I just wanted to say a really genuine thank you.
I started posting here at the end of July hoping to reach a different crowd than TikTok - honestly just hoping a few more people might listen, maybe start a few good kōrero.

Since then, these videos have reached almost half a million people - which in a little country like ours feels huge!!
But what matters most to me isn’t the numbers though... It’s what they mean.

It means people care. People are paying attention.
And there’s still so much hope for honest, thoughtful conversations about where Aotearoa’s heading.

So thank you for being part of it, whether you’ve watched, shared, commented, or just quietly supported from the sidelines.
You’ve reminded me that we’re not as divided as we’re told!! And that gives me a lot of hope for what comes next.

09/10/2025

I just watched Orini’s maiden speech - and it was beautiful. The waiata, the haka, the pride in that room was EVERYTHING Parliament should represent.

And then Gerry Brownlee shut it down. He suspended Parliament. Again.

This isn’t about “order.” It’s about power... And whose voices are allowed to be heard in that space. It’s becoming clearer by the day that this government doesn't fear disorder - they fear unity. This isn’t the first time this year that Māori expression in Parliament has been treated as disorderly. As a Pākehā watching, I’m angry and heartbroken. This was culture. It deserved respect.

If Christopher Luxon truly believes in leading for all New Zealanders, he needs to take a serious look at what’s happening under his leadership - because people are losing trust fast. This happened on Luxon’s watch. Trust is wearing thin. The House looks broken.

My respect and solidarity are with Orini and everyone who stood in that moment. It was beautiful.

Something’s gotta give. This isn’t helping anyone. Not trust. Not democracy. Not New Zealand.

08/10/2025

An SOSNZ follower sent this to me last night. It appears Minister Erica Stanford is struggling to meet the requirements of the Official Information Act.

07/10/2025

Winston Peters posts about his home being vandalised by “the radical left”. Meanwhile, he’s spent years insulting people like Martyn “bomber” Bradbury, Benjamin Doyle, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, and Marama Davidson, dismissing threats and attacks against them, and labeling THEM ‘extremists.’

This video breaks down the hypocrisy, the double standards, and why someone like Winston Peters shouldn’t be setting the tone for politics in New Zealand.

07/10/2025

I received a very weird email from the so-called ‘New Zealand Curriculum Refresh Team’. It isn’t a numbered OIA response, it has no sender name, and there’s no clarity on which question it’s answering. The content reads like a PR statement - and the wording almost verbatim mirrors Minister Erica Stanford’s own messaging.

This is extremely unusual, because the Ministry of Education, as a public service department, is supposed to be non-partisan and neutral. They’re meant to provide independent advice and hold records of decisions, not echo the Minister without citing evidence, documents, or sources.

So far, no internal memos, meeting notes, or advice have been provided - just this vague reassurance. Neutral oversight exists for a reason: it ensures transparency, accountability, and that official records aren’t just filtered through political messaging. This email doesn’t do that - it raises serious questions about how these curriculum decisions are actually being documented and monitored.

05/10/2025

18 and 19-year-olds on Jobseeker Support, including those on the Health Condition, Disability, or Emergency Benefit, can now be cut off if their parents earn over $65,000 combined. Meanwhile, National is offering one-off $1,000 payments for “staying off the benefit,” and has halved the KiwiSaver government contribution from $521/year to ~$260.

It’s not about age. It’s not about laziness. Young people want to work - but when the system is rigged against you, losing jobs and support isn’t a personal failure.

This video breaks down why these policies aren’t generosity - and why the system keeps setting young people up to fail.

03/10/2025

Big thanks to Rivers for sharing crucial info that helped me unpack this bill 🙏 Check him out for more insights on NZ politics and current issues!

This video dives into the Summary Offences (Demonstrations Near Residential Premises) Amendment Bill, a proposed law that could seriously impact protest rights in NZ. I break down why it matters, how it could affect hīkoi and city protests, and why your submission matters.

📝 Submissions close Monday at 2pm – use your voice and help shape the law!

03/10/2025

01/10/2025

Chris Bishop is my MP. Yesterday, I made a post roasting him for all the photo ops he does around Hutt South - selfies at restaurants opened months ago, ribbon cuttings for businesses he had 0 impact in opening, Mitre 10 months after it opened, that sort of thing.

His response? Screenshots below. But to sum it up:
• “MPs go to local businesses, that’s our job.”
• “I like visiting restaurants and events.”
• And, my personal favourite: “Not sure who you are, but you clearly don’t understand the Hutt.”

Here’s the thing: I am one of his constituents. And like many families in Hutt South - including my own - we’ve seen people leave for Australia because there are no secure jobs, no affordable housing, and no future being built here.

That’s what I wanted to know: what has he actually done for us? Not one achievement listed. Not one example of change. Instead he got embarrassingly defensive.

MPs should be proud to stand on their record. If you can’t point to concrete wins for your community, posting selfies outside businesses isn’t enough.

I might’ve started with a joke - but it’s not funny when your MP can’t name a single thing they’ve done to make life better in the Hutt. Especially when families like mine are leaving for Australia because they can’t build a future here.

Being visible isn’t the job. Delivering is the job. And this reply speaks volumes

01/10/2025

Chris Bishop’s CV for Hutt South:

- Visit a local business I had nothing to do with opening… and take a photo.
- Stand outside new restaurants… for Instagram content only.
- Visit Wainuiomata's new Mitre 10 months after it opened, just to show I "care".
- Attend ribbon cuttings… months after the ribbon was cut.
- Pose at local events… without actually helping organise them.
- Take credit for things that happened before I even showed up.
- Make it look like I’m ‘working hard’ while doing literally nothing for the community.
- Visit Melling… just to take a photo.

Nice optics, Chris - can you do something productive now?