Gordon Campbell on whether we’re punching above our weight, and should we care?
According to Pierre De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, the Olympic ideal was not about “winning, but fighting well. Life is not conquering, […]
Sport
Gordon Campbell on the Lancet’s stance against the Olympic Games, and on the US culture battles over abortion
Yesterday – barely a month before the opening ceremony – the Lancet medical journal has called for a global conversation on whether the Olympics should […]
Gordon Campbell on the America’s Cup, Critical Race Theory and a new, weekly music playlist
So… Why don’t they just cut to the chase, and call it the Emirates Cup? As this column predicted several months ago, the next America’s […]
Gordon Campbell on the media’s hissy fit over Naomi Osaka
Last Sunday as we all now know, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open. She had felt that the compulsory after-match press […]
Gordon Campbell on how the animals fare within a racing industry in decline
Somehow, the office sweepstake on the Melbourne Cup is still likely to be a thing, even in the year 2021. Probably though, most non-punters would […]
Gordon Campbell on why Emirates Team New Zealand is a really, really bad look
Now that the patriotic frenzy has died down, maybe we should all look in the mirror and reconsider the implications of our America’s Cup victory […]
Gordon Campbell on the demise of the Tokyo Olympics
As the Covid vaccines roll out around the world, the Tokyo Olympics are looming as a major test of when (and whether) something akin to […]
Gordon Campbell on Kobemania, Palestine, and the infrastructure package
Quick quiz to end the week. What deserves the more attention – the death of a US basketball legend, or the end of Palestinian hopes […]
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 Malcolm Turnbull, and rugby mania
When Malcolm Turnbull took over as PM across the Tasman, much was made of him citing the populist touch of Prime Minister John Key – […]
Gordon Campbell on the Sepp Blatter resignation
Any initial elation at Sepp Blatter’s resignation as the overlord of FIFA will be tempered by his declared intention to stay on until at least […]
Gordon Campbell on the FIFA scandal , and similar dirty dealings
Face it, it has been a very, very bad week for anyone who thinks that a) FIFA is a damn fine organisation run by guys […]
Gordon Campbell on the America’s Cup, and Lee Marvin
Like the Commonwealth Games, the America’s Cup is one of those large sporting events that is struggling to find anyone foolish enough to want to […]
On the dubious economic case for the Auckland convention centre
For now, Labour and the Greens are not opposing the convention centre in Auckland per se, but are asking for the tendering process to be […]
On the Prefu, and on the RWC attempts to vilify the French
Update: Audio – Bill English speaks to media at the release of the 2011 pre-election fiscal update. Click a link to play audio (or right-click […]
Gordon Campbell on the Rugby World Cup Victory
Opinion – Gordon Campbell This close, nail biting victory – without the triumphalism that the All Blacks running riot over their opponents would have entailed […]
On youth voting and the RWC’s C-List celebrities
The Greens’ Gareth Hughes has highlighted the apparent lack of interest by the young in this year’s election. Only about 72% of eligible 18-24 year […]
On sports injury; and the West Memphis Three aftermath
[See below for The West Memphis Three aftermath] Imagine if there was a party drug known to kill a number of teenagers around the world […]
On Italy, Politics and the Rugby World Cup
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com Silvio Berlusconi really needs Italy to win the Rugby World Cup, or an equivalent miracle. While he faces prosecution […]
On Russia and the Rugby World Cup
Between early September and late October, New Zealand will be hosting teams from 19 countries for the Rugby World Cup. This column will try to […]
On rebuilding Christchurch – and Rupert Murdoch’s beef with the Rugby World Cup
So the long awaited report on land remediation in Christchurch by the consulting engineers Tonkin and Taylor has been delivered to Prime Minister John Key […]
On the nation’s gift of a plastic waka to Ngati Whatua
Wayne Youle, ‘Often Liked, Occasionally Beaten’, 2004. From the 2006 exhibition Plastic Māori – A Tradition Of Innovation There’s a something wrong with putting the […]
On Pike River, shifting RWC games, Libya
Nearly four months after the Pike River disaster, the mine’s unpaid contractors are still waiting for the promised government support package to be unveiled. The […]
On Hone Harawira, and Jafar Panahi at the Oscars
None of the recommendations from yesterday’s hui in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate are likely to delight the Maori Party leadership, but the one that […]
On the Games, and progress in exporting democracy
Reportedly, Scotland and Wales are sending their teams to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, while Canada and New Zealand are still delaying team departures, until […]
On the World Cup, and the media’s buy-in to the national mood of elation
Well, New Zealand made a splash in the Fifa World Cup coverage yesterday – and I don’t mean via the draw with Italy. No, the […]
On the rugby apology to Maori, the Gaza blockade and lying about Kiwibank
Isn’t there something truly weird about any Maori Party request to government for an apology over the exclusion of Maori players from tours to apartheid-era […]
On RWC fever, and Obama’s Supreme Court choice
RNZ this morning carried the news that “new research” now shows that the Rugby World Cup would add an estimated $535 million to the nation’s […]
Public funding for a Rugby World Cup that few can afford to attend
In any other industry, the taxpayer/ratepayer subsidies being offered to the professional rugby industry for its World Cup event in 2011 would be being slagged […]
Managing the Press Gallery, and Afghanistan
Click for big version As a free fire exercise in which anything at all can be raised, the Prime Minister’s post Cabinet press conference should […]