Gordon Campbell On The Political Downsides Of Being Nice
We’re now knee deep in political debates, the season in which the media monetises the democratic process, and generates food for its political news cycle. […]
Gordon Campbell On The Centre-Right Laying Traps For Winston Peters
By“I can take care of my enemies, but God protect me from friends”- Salvatore Giuliano When it comes to running a market economy, Labour and [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On Opportunity’s Identity Issues, And Why Parliament Needs A Muzzle
ByThe public is not happy. The polls keep telling us that Christopher Luxon’s government is widely disliked, and that there is little enthusiasm either, for [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On This Week’s PREFU Outpouring Of Wishful Thinking
ByOver the past few days, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has got the dream headlines she wanted from the PREFU, Treasury’s Pre-Election Fiscal Update. “Less Debt, [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Flaccid Campaign Launches, And Despair Over Diesel Prices
ByThe National Party’s decision to highlight “No new taxes” as a signature slogan for its campaign is an interesting choice. Since the cupboard is allegedly [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Life And Works Of Arnold Lobel
ByThe Werewolf essays on classic children’s books focusses this week on the much admired, widely mourned creator of Frog and Toad, Owl at Home and [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Nicky Hager Book, Political Donations, And Another Fine Mess From Chris Hipkins
ByIf politics in a social democracy is to be a genuine contest of ideas, those ideas have to be contested transparently, between parties with similar [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Ongoing Relevance Of Jim Anderton
ByLong after she left office, Margaret Thatcher was asked to name her greatest accomplishment, and she famously replied: “Tony Blair, and New Labour.” Meaning: although [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On Israel’s Extreme Responses To The Film NAZA
ByLast week, the documentary film NAZA by the Israeli film-makers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor won the prestigious Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film [...] Read More »
On How The Pentagon’s Colonisation Of Australia Affects Us
ByForeign policy and national security decisions tend to feel like they’re happening at a vast distance from our day-to-day existence. The rent, the food bill [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Cricket In Times Square
ByIn the Werewolf series on classic children’s books, this week’s essay is about George Selden’s charming story of interspecies friendship There’s no logical reason for [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Politics Of The R16 Social Media Ban
ByIf political science really was a science, and the people in lab coats tried to create the perfect political issue in the lab, the end [...] Read More »
Gordon Campbell On The Owl Service By Alan Garner
ByIn this entry in the series on classic children’s books, the owls are not what they seem, but the English stay true to type. For [...] Read More »