Gordon Campbell on the ch-ch-changes at IRD
Cutting jobs on the scale being flagged at IRD doesn’t make much sense, given that tax law and IRD investigations are set to become increasingly complex…
Blog
Recent News
Gordon Campbell on the Greens’ room for political pragmatism
The Greens here are currently being criticized by the commentariat for not making the same kind of pragmatic choices that sunk the Australian Democrats.
Gordon Campbell on being humane about welfare, child support and tax
It made for an unusual Venn diagram, but Greens co-leader Metiria Turei and Finance Minister Steven Joyce were briefly sharing some common elements this week…
Gordon Campbell on the National v Labour family support packages
Too bad that poverty can bring out the worst in people. Especially at times, among politicians…
Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters sitting pretty
Traditionally Peters and his party are good finishers in election campaigns and yet this year they’re already enjoying a strong 11% showing.
Gordon Campbell on the current US moves against North Korea
If Martians visited early last week, they’d probably be scratching their heads as to why North Korea was being treated as a potential trigger for global conflict.
Gordon Campbell on the Shane Jones concept
Since Shane Jones has never really existed, the media felt it necessary to invent him.
Gordon Campbell on Peter Thiel’s bad attitude problem
No-one in government seems to have done due diligence on Thiel’s business values to see if he would be a good fit for our corporate environment.
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s policy resurgence, and Alex Chilton
For much of this year, almost all the diversity in politics has been down at the retail end, where apparent differences reside in the tone, and in details.
Gordon Campbell on the EU’s beef with Google
EU competition watchdogs, who have just levied a $3.3 billion fine on Google, with anti-competitive practices at the heart of a court battle that’s been seven years in the making.
Gordon Campbell on the America’s Cup
The fact NZ now reigns supreme once again in the most sophisticated contest in the world’s most elite sport can’t help but reflect the trajectory the country has been on since the 1980s.
Max Rashbrooke on how to make government more open
New Zealand scores well on many international rankings of openness… those surveys have also pinpointed major weaknesses.
Gordon Campbell on the fallout from the Barclay tape
Anyone feeling that the watchdog roles of the media and Parliament have seen justice done to the scoundrel behind the taping scandal… well, maybe they should think again.
Gordon Campbell on the Todd Barclay cover-up (and the GCSB’s support for Groser)
[Go to Todd Barclay comment] When a small town kid makes good, everyone in the village – who after all, raised that child – is […]
Gordon Campbell on our refugee intake, and Uber’s woes
On figures released this week, there are currently 65.6 million people worldwide who have been displaced from their homes by war, famine or other external […]
Gordon Campbell on Emmanuel Macron’s plans for France
Emmanuel Macron’s “revolution” will complete its electoral phase with the final round of voting for the Assemblee Nationale.
Gordon Campbell on the lessons of the London tower block fire
One of the other factors evident in yesterday’s fire is the speed with which the fire climbed the outer shell of the building once it had escaped from its original site.
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s anti-immigration gambit, and Israel
Evidently, Labour wants to branded itself with swing voters as an anti-immigration party making concerned noises about the festering irritations of living and working in Auckland.
Gordon Campbell on the lessons from Corbyn’s campaign
Ignoring Jeremy Corbyn’s sensational election campaign for a moment – it has to be said that Britain is now really up shit creek.
Gordon Campbell on the limits of political loyalty
In the wake of the Comey testimony, one of Donald Trump’s White House defenders has claimed in her boss’s defence: “The President is not a liar.”
Gordon Campbell on Tillerson’s problems with Trump
Tillerson’s sober re-assurances to PM Bill English that the US remains committed to global and regional engagement count for very little.
Gordon Campbell on the Rex Tillerson visit
Rex Tillerson will be welcomed in style – even though he could fairly be called the least influential person in decades to hold the post.
Gordon Campbell on the US bailing out on climate change
Naturally, Trump has framed his decision as a patriotic duty. Yet the withdrawal will do next to nothing to restore American jobs and communities.
Gordon Campbell on marketing the Greens
While there will be a sigh of relief all around that the old Morris dancing/hemp smoking days have gone for good, it is not quite so evident what the current Greens stand for.
Gordon Campbell on the causes of poverty
One of the myths of the conservative right is that poverty is primarily a state of mind, and that welfare only corrodes the mindset necessary for people to pull themselves out of poverty.
Gordon Campbell on the twists in the UK election
The Conservatives’ original 21 point lead has come tumbling down in one recent poll, to a mere five point gap. Margin of error territory, in Britain.
Gordon Campbell on yesterday’s Budget
It may seem like Oliver to be so bold as to ask the Finance Minister for more gruel – but what the Dickens, Steven Joyce… is this Budget really as good as it gets?
Gordon Campbell on (not) taking responsibility, terrorism porn, and Dylan’s 76th birthday
So Martin Matthews, our current Auditor-General wishes he could have detected “earlier” the fraud that occurred on his watch at the Ministry of Transport.
Gordon Campbell on the Navy’s dealings with Fat Leonard, and Twin Peaks
Oversight at any level of performance is not New Zealand’s strong suit… The Navy has now gone one step beyond. It won’t even ask itself whether it did a good job.
Gordon Campbell on the demonising of Iran
Will New Zealand still be willing to pursue its recent trade overtures to Iran, now Donald Trump has singled out Iran as the main source of terrorism and instability in the Middle East?