Gordon Campbell on National’s crackdown on shoplifters
Politicians do like being tough on crime. Flexing law and order muscle is a feature of the patriarchal Daddy State, and is beloved by the […]
Justice System
Gordon Campbell on the flaws in anti-gang laws
Google “Christopher Luxon“ and “mojo” and you get nearly 60,000 matching responses. Over the past 18 months – here and here and again, here – […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s law and ordure policy
So here we are… Barely 75 days out from election day, and National STILL hasn’t revealed how it is going to pay for its stupendously […]
Gordon Campbell on the obscure Bill that erodes our system of justice
The pandemic continues to bury any number of major news issues. Understandably, there has been a deluge of stories in recent weeks about the beginnings […]
Gordon Campbell on the politics of why we’re not getting an inquiry into the Whakaari/White Island disaster
The Ardern government has made an art form out of reviews and inquiries- when to hold them, when to fold them, and when to shelve […]
Gordon Campbell on why Worksafe’s Whakaari/White Island prosecutions are good news
Somewhere in Heaven, Helen Kelly must be smiling about Worksafe’s criminal prosecution of 10 firms and three individuals for their roles in the lead up […]
Gordon Campbell on why the Supreme Court is a bigger threat than Trump to US democracy
If you need a chilling reminder of how weirdly different the United States is to New Zealand…then abortion rights is the place to start. Last […]
Gordon Campbell on the welcome restoration of prisoners’ right to vote
One one front, the government has now done the right thing, and has partially restored the right of prisoners to vote
Gordon Campbell on the handling of sexual assault complaints, and ticket scalping
In New Zealand, only four out of ten sexual assault cases that are taken to court result in a conviction.
Gordon Campbell on how the Kavanaugh case relates to women’s suffrage
On suffrage day – reportedly – we celebrate women winning a political voice, and ensuring that their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon, despite attempts to ignore and silence then.
Gordon Campbell on the Waikeria Prison decision
When and how does the government propose to change the key drivers of New Zealand’s bizarrely high – and economically unaffordable – rates of imprisonment?
Gordon Campbell on Sir Peter Gluckman and his report on prison reform
While his meth analysis has been decisive, Gluckman’s report on prison reform is likely to comprise a far more comprehensive, and important legacy.
Gordon Campbell on the Bain compensation case
The only good news about the Bain compensation fiasco is that it is finally over.
Gordon Campbell on the Teina Pora payout
Oops, sorry and $2.5 million in cash as a settlement for wrongful conviction.
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 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 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 John Key putting defamation costs on the public tab
So, where are we now on the Teapot Tape saga? According to Prime Minister John Key, Key was wearing his “ leader of the National […]
Gordon Campbell on how Obama’s Supreme Court choice says everything (bad) about his presidency
Nothing has epitomised the presidency of Barack Obama quite like his Supreme Court nominees. Time and again, Republican presidents will blithely nominate right wing ideological […]
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 our Feeble Response to Atrocities in SA
With an ally like Saudi Arabia, who needs enemies? In the past 15 years, the West can thank the House of Saud for • Providing […]
Gordon Campbell on the Dotcom extradition decision
Inevitably – and with justification – Kim Dotcom has already lodged an appeal against yesterday’s District Court decision that he is eligible for extradition to […]
Gordon Campbell on the rejection of a Pakistani polio worker
Too bad that the New Zealand Immigration and Protection (hah!) Tribunal don’t know how to use Google. If they did, their bizarre decision to send […]
Gordon Campbell on the Police harassment of Nicky Hager
So now we know. If you’ve done something to really annoy the Establishment – hello, Kim Dotcom, Heather Du Plessis Allen, Nicky Hager and teapot […]
Gordon Campbell on the John Key smear attack, Russia’s sports doping and Allen Toussaint
The rationale behind Prime Minister John Key’s smear attack against Labour yesterday (and the subsequent walkout from Parliament) was obvious enough. When you’re in a […]
Gordon Campbell on the gender pay gap
Column – Gordon Campbell Care to know what Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence thinks about the gender wage gap? No? Well, I suppose she is […]
Gordon Campbell on copyright, the Authors Guild case and the TPP
A few days ago, Google finally and comprehensively won a very long-running case brought against it by the Authors Guild which had claimed that Google’s […]
Gordon Campbell on Indonesia’s latest round of executions
Gordon Campbell on Indonesia’s latest round of executions To no-one’s real surprise, Indonesia has carried out its second wave of executions this year. Given the […]
Gordon Campbell on the inadequate response to sexual violence prevention
On combatting sexual violence, the government has finally begun to undo some of the problems that were of its own making. Early in March, ACC […]
Gordon Campbell on the Privy Council’s Teina Pora decision
The quashing of the convictions of Teina Pora for the rape and murder of Susan Burdett in 1992 has shone a spotlight once again on […]