Gordon Campbell on the PM’s Indonesian guest, West Papua and Perfume Genius
As David Lange once said, it is almost impossible to get New Zealand to think about Indonesia, the huge nation sitting right on our doorstep.
Foreign Affairs
Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ attempts to cozy up to Trump, and to Russia
Attempts by the Foreign Affairs Minister to downplay Russia’s role in the shooting down of MH17 have already earned unflattering coverage across the Tasman
Gordon Campbell on our unthinking readiness to confront China
Other countries regard trade deals as an adjunct of diplomacy and defence and proceed accordingly.
From the Hood : Mateship
A List of Thing Mates Don’t Let Mates Do, Based on a Google Search and/or the Fact Asylum Seekers are Human Beings
Gordon Campbell on Ardern’s refugee non-deal
Trump has welshed on the Manus deal to Australia… On the weekend, Turnbull humiliated Jacinda Ardern in turn, by once again rejecting New Zealand’s offer.
New Eyes on Trade
David Parker needs to continue how he has started
Is Kaiser Bill alive and well in the White House?
The Trump/Kaiser parallels are quite unnerving…
What’s New Zealand telling Trump about his threats to North Korea?
Sometimes friends have to tell friends they’re acting crazy…
Gordon Campbell on why Labour isn’t responsible for Barnaby Joyce
Evidently, the National government is similarly desperate for anything that might discredit or derail the Ardern juggernaut, even if that means throwing Peter Dunne under a bus.
Gordon Campbell on the Bojo visit
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson is in town today, just over a year since his political career peaked… and then wobbled off into a grey […]
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 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 our caving in to the Aussies
The latest expression of this lopsided relationship has seen young Kiwis at Australian universities being hit with a trebling of their tuition fees.
Gordon Campbell on Thiel, and the sympatico between Peters and English
We got a less manicured and truer picture of Bill English at yesterday’s press conference
Gordon Campbell on the Murray McCully exit
Leaving has been his finest gift to caucus, and to the nation. Would that it had been done sooner, but welcome that it be done at all.
Gordon Campbell on the latest allegations against Helen Clark
According to former PM and UNDP leader current Helen Clark, the allegations leveled at her this week in a Foreign Policy magazine article by the […]
Gordon Campbell on New Zealand’s support for the Kazakh dictatorship
Thanks to Sacha Baron Cohen, Kazakhstan will always seem like a bit of a jokey, ramshackle kind of place. To that end, the Stuff story […]
Gordon Campbell on not crying foul, Argentina
So a couple of guys found to be criminally liable of environmental pollution in Argentina lodge an application with the Overseas Investment Office… in order […]
Gordon Campbell on having an extradition treaty with China
Reportedly, an extradition treaty with China is now on the table, although – thankfully – Prime Minister John Key has also indicated that a lot […]
Gordon Campbell On Our Fearless PM's Foray Into China
Don’t mention the South China Sea dispute. Oh, but he will! Earlier this week, the image of dauntless Prime Minister John Key not backing down […]
Gordon Campbell on the banning of a leading Iranian film-maker
For the past fortnight, New Zealand has been obsessing on the reputational risk to this country of being seen as a tax haven – despite […]
Gordon Campbell on the (missing) US links to the Panama Papers, and Merle Haggard
Belatedly, US complicity in the global tax avoidance systems is now trickling out into daylight. To some, one of the suspicious aspects of the scandal […]
Gordon Campbell on living in denial about the Panama Papers
So now we know why New Zealand won all those awards for being the ‘easiest place to do business.’ Evidently, foreign firms that register in […]
Gordon Campbell on the SIS crying wolf, the Syrian end game and Max Edwards RIP
In the wake of the Cullen/Reddy review of the security services – and the suggested extension of their powers – it seems healthy to highlight […]
Gordon Campbell on the security services review, and Bernie Sanders’ victory against the TPP
To no-one’s real surprise, the Cullen/Reddy review of the security services has recommended an extension of the powers of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), […]
Gordon Campbell on the left’s current challenges in Spain
In December, the elections in Spain ended in a four way stalemate. Neither of the two old major parties – the ruling right wing Partida […]
Gordon Campbell on our underfunded Syrian refugee intake, and dairy industry carnage
Once again, our little show pony Prime Minister is prancing around the world offering to take in refugees – from Syria, from Nauru – while […]
Gordon Campbell on the Defence Force’s spending bonanza
It has been a fairly typical week for this government… mental health services in Christchurch slashed, further massive cuts to DHB funding, and the abdication […]