Gordon Campbell on the Penny Wong visit
Good grief. Has foreign policy commentary really devolved to the point where our diplomatic effort is being measured by how many overseas trips have been […]
China
Gordon Campbell on Sinai, where it suits us to waive international treaties
Farmers are currently enjoying the highest prices and payouts in the history of this country. They will never be better placed to acknowledge that their […]
Gordon Campbell on New Zealand’s surrender to the US, plus a playlist
Like a unicorn, New Zealand’s independent foreign policy is a fabulous creature – highly treasured, rarely seen but credited with magical healing powers. Some say […]
Gordon Campbell on the panic in the Pacific over China
For years, it has been no secret that China wants closer security and trade ties with the small nations of the Pacific region. All part […]
Gordon Campbell on Ukraine, and blokes in peril
A great darkness is falling over Ukraine, and it will last for decades. In launching a full scale invasion, Russian president Vladimir Putin is doing […]
Gordon Campbell on the Olympics of ultra-nationalism
Before this year’s winter Olympics Games even began, Human Rights Watch had already condemned China’s intention to use its hosting role as an opportunity to […]
Gordon Campbell on the crisis – what crisis? – over Ukraine
Is Russian leader Vladimir Putin going to invade Ukraine, or is he just bluffing (for now), much as China was a few months ago? A […]
Gordon Campbell on Defence’s desire to join the ”lets confront China” club
China has been put on notice by us. According to the New Zealand Defence Assessment 2021 report released on Wednesday, and set out in bold […]
Gordon Campbell on how AUKUS undermines our no-nukes cred, plus a music playlist
Yesterday’s media outings by Covid Minister Chris Hipkins demonstrated the contradictory forces at work. First, the government is being slammed for its lack of compassion […]
Gordon Campbell on why New Zealand needs to change its Defence habits
In a flashback to the military displays of days gone by, one of our frigates recently joined a Carrier Strike show of force in the […]
Gordon Campbell on Korea’s global cultural domination, plus a K-pop playlist
So far, South Korea’s culture industries seem to be pandemic proof. They’re also winning huge global audiences, and not merely large domestic ones. In recent […]
Gordon Campbell on Covid vaccine inequality, plus Cowboy Bebop
Plainly, the Big Pharma model – where vaccine development, distribution, and pricing is left in the hands of the private sector – is not fit […]
Gordon Campbell on Canada’s election, and the AUKUS defence pact
Yesterday, Canada held an election in which everyone lost, including the voters. After holding its most expensive ( $C600 million) election campaign ever, the result […]
Gordon Campbell on the geo-political posturing over China’s cyber hacks, plus the weekly playlist
The timing was one of the weirder aspects of this week’s cyber condemnation of China by the West. Why was this piece of political theatre […]
Gordon Campbell on why we should abolish the military
Last Friday, Defence Minister Peeni Henare announced his intention to seek savings within the circa $20 billion allocated to Defence over the next decade or […]
Gordon Campbell on why it’s getting harder to walk the tightrope between China and the US
This morning, China announced it is changing its “two child” family limit to a “three child” policy. This looks like a desperate attempt to fix […]
Gordon Campbell on yesterday’s big parliamentary air kiss to China
In order to obtain support from the two major parties, Act Party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden twice had to soften the language of her […]
Gordon Campbell on our determination to ignore China’s human rights abuses
For nearly two decades, New Zealand has been juggling our dependency on China when it comes to trade, while expecting our traditional allies to look […]
Gordon Campbell on the demonisation of film and TV subsidies
Yesterday’s big winner at the Oscars was Chinese-American director Chloe Zhao and her film Nomadland…. And Weta Digital happens to be listed here among the […]
Gordon Campbell on why China’s pact with Iran is a big deal, and why a vaccination target isn’t
One of the most significant developments in global politics in a generation has flown in almost entirely beneath the radar of the Western media. On […]
Gordon Campbell on what we could do for Hong Kong, if only we dared
There has been something repulsive about PM Jacinda Ardern’s assurances that our joint 5 Eyes criticism of China’s actions over Hong Kong – and China’s […]
Gordon Campbell on Chris Liddell, the RCEP, and reviving our trade with Iran under Biden
Being nominated by US President Donald Trump to head a key international organisation should have been the kiss of death for any nominee, even before […]
Gordon Campbell on tourism’s endless sense of grievance
Sad that a once in a century pandemic should have come along before the government had a clearly thought out plan for rescuing all the […]
Gordon Campbell on Level One, and living with predatory markets
Welcome to Level One, earthlings. This is the new normality while the virus still roams beyond the border walls. Those borders will remain closed and […]
Gordon Campbell on the Govt attempts at poaching the soft centre-right vote
More than once in the past few days Finance Minister Grant Robertson has been at pains to thank both his predecessors – Michael Cullen and […]
Gordon Campbell on the global panic, and the local plans to deal with Coronavirus
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump gave Americans and Europeans a lot of good reasons to panic and/or bristle with outrage. Instead of providing leadership and […]
Gordon Campbell on our unreal optimism about the economic impact of coronavirus
At this week’s Chinese New Year celebrations, PM Jacinda Ardern was resolutely upbeat that business with China would soon bounce back to normal – better […]
Gordon Campbell on the addiction to Chinese student fees, and a possible future for RNZ Concert
Last week, Australian PM Scott Morrison extended its ban on foreign visitors from or passing through from mainland China – including Chinese students – for […]
Gordon Campbell on the economic impact of coronavirus, and the Iowa debacle
As Bloomberg says, the coronavirus shutdown is creating the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment. On the upside, the mortality rate with the current outbreak is lower […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s hopes of driving NZF out of Parliament
For months, National’s best (and only?) hope of winning Election 2020 has involved keeping New Zealand First down below the 5% MMP threshold, and out […]