Gordon Campbell on sending an Orion P-3 to Tonga
Because the undersea volcanic eruption in Tonga cut communications with the more remote parts of the country, it wasn’t at all surprising that as a […]
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the global war against plastics
Compared to Covid and climate change, the threat from plastics seems like a low rent version of planetary disaster. Can that plastic bottle, this fast […]
Gordon Campbell on Australia’s failed model of Covid best practice
In decades gone by, New Zealanders tended to diss this country by comparing it to how much better things were in the States, or in […]
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 fostering the culture of Covid complaint
Success can be its own worst enemy. If the plane doesn’t crash or the ship doesn’t sink, that doesn’t prove the safety measures were unnecessary, […]
Gordon Campbell on why we should oppose the persecution of Julian Assange
Julian Assange is a polarising personality. Admired by many for his work as a whistle-blower, Assange is famously loathed by other people who still hold […]
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 the dubious wisdom of raising interest rates
During the last half of the 1990s, the first flickering signs of economic growth would cause then-Reserve Bank governor Don Brash to hike up interest […]
Gordon Campbell on the elusive charms of Christopher Luxon
Well, the first 36 hours of viewing the Christopher Luxon selfie were always going to be the best, before the repetitions set in. We get […]
Gordon Campbell on why an attack on Iran is back on the agenda
Reportedly, Christopher Luxon has the edge on Simon Bridges in National’s leadership contest although there is no firm evidence for that hunch. So, one hesitates […]
Gordon Campbell on Omicron, and the Bridges/Luxon dilemma
At this early stage, the Omicron variant seems to be more infectious, and more able to bypass the protection offered by vaccines and by the […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s less than stellar choices
Amid all the jostling in the National caucus ranks, spare a thought for Andrew Bayly. Who? Well might you ask. Plucked from obscurity by Judith […]
Gordon Campbell on the demotion of Simon Bridges
So Simon Bridges has been bounced from the front bench and stripped of his shadow portfolio responsibilities for the crudely “inappropriate” comments that he allegedly […]
Gordon Campbell on farmers playing the victim, plus Chile’s right turn
Among the farming lobby groups, the good cop/bad cop routine has been working a treat. It suits Federated Farmers to keep daylight between itself and […]
Gordon Campbell on the politics of anger, plus a music playlist
Angry? Are you talkin’ to ME? Of late, the Code Red levels of resentment inspired by the government’s Covid policy almost make one hanker for […]
Gordon Campbell on the politics of vaccine toughlove
Vaccine mandates begin to kick in today for education and healthcare workers. All of them will need to have taken a first dose step towards […]
Gordon Campbell on Ethiopia’s civil war
Stuff is still going on in the wider world, despite what happens here regarding Covid. Or in Ethiopia’s case, what happens there plus Covid. Belatedly, […]
Gordon Campbell on the politics of hoping for the best
As the new daily Delta case numbers surge upwards, it is getting harder for the captains of Team Five Million to make decisions that still […]
Gordon Campbell on the calls for “freedom” from Covid restrictions
Free markets, free minds, free choices, Freedom Days. In recent years, has any notion in the English language been so overused and so abused as […]
Gordon Campbell on why Three Waters is a good idea worth supporting
If anyone needs a fresh reminder of the value of state broadcasting, yesterday’s interview about the Three Waters reforms between RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan and Local […]
Gordon Campbell on decoding the COP26 climate change hype
Batten down the hatches. Hurricane Blah Blah Blah is about to unload some serious verbiage at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, yet the […]
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 our weird ways of funding care for the dying
National Party leader Judith Collins thinks the government’s traffic light system for emerging from Covid lockdowns is “confusing.” Perhaps she could be looking in the […]
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 juggling Covid, and France’s Trump-like populist
It is the age-old Covid problem. How to balance the needs for firms (and schools) to re-open against the need to protect public health. In […]
Gordon Campbell on the perils of declaring premature victory
Sure enough, Saturday’s Vaxathon was a barrel of fun and a throwback not merely to the Telethons of the past. It also revived memories of […]
Gordon Campbell on the epic fails of Kris Faafoi
Ever since Winston Peters first breathed life into this government in 2018, its own branding has been all about social justice and how we all […]
Gordon Campbell on Covid mandates, and the Covid pill
The cliché about “living with Covid” will not mean life as we’ve known it, Jim. Vaccination is fast becoming a condition of employment, and also […]
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 lifting the lockdowns, and the Covid pill
One can sympathise with firms struggling under the financial stress caused by Covid restrictions. Yet business (and other critics)appear to be demanding that the government […]