Gordon Campbell On Australia’s Failing R16 Social Media Ban
So that you can tell the grandkids…I hope you know where you were yesterday around noon, for what US President Donald Trump called “one of […]
Columns
Gordon Campbell On National’s Caucus Ructions
In his tilt at the leadership last November, Chris Bishop plainly forgot Omar’s excellent advice from The Wire: “If you come at the king, better […]
Gordon Campbell On The Folly Of Blaming Everything On Trump
The recently infamous “I’m the CEO/ Your job is the Prime Minister” exchange between Christopher Luxon and Tova O’Brien should be a defining moment in […]
Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Leadership Failure On The Fuel Crisis
As the last stop on the global supply chain for oil and diesel, New Zealand should be the first country taking pre-emptive steps to conserve […]
Gordon Campbell On The Feeble Fuel Support Package, And Israel’s Violent Land Grabs
Two big calls this week by the two real decision makers in this government. First, David Seymour all but sank the government’s plan to make […]
Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Juggling Of Public Anxiety Over Fuel Prices
When it comes to its public messaging on the Iran war, the Luxon government is talking optimistically, while trying to ease the public gradually into […]
Gordon Campbell On Our Willingness To Earn US Approval, Via China-Bashing
The Chinese Embassy is right. The recent joint statement by Australia and New Zealand condemning China’s actions in the South China Sea reads like a […]
Gordon Campbell On The Weaponising Of IRD
So hard to pick and choose but the $2.9 billion tax break for landlords still stands out as the coalition government’s most abject surrender to […]
Gordon Campbell On The Grail Quest For The Elusive Luxon Voter
At this point, fans of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon are rare birds indeed. Safe to say, if the National Party does swallow hard and go […]
Gordon Campbell On The Threat To Carve Iran Into Pieces
Oil prices are still rising amid fears that Iran may be laying mines in the Straits of Hormuz. The initial market confidence that the US […]
Gordon Campbell On The Iran War’s Impact On The Economy, And On Air New Zealand
Oil and gas prices have surged since the war on Iran began. The real surprise is that oil prices haven’t risen as much as you’d […]
Gordon Campbell On The Iran War
Funny…back when Russia invaded Ukraine, New Zealand didn’t wait for Vladimir Putin to tell us whether his acts of aggression were legal under international law. […]
Gordon Campbell On The “Move On” Homeless Fiasco, And Country Music In The Age Of Trump
According to Police Minister Mark Mitchell, applying the new “move on” laws to the homeless will not put any extra strain on Police resources. Well, […]
Gordon Campbell On The Callous, Short-Sighted “Moving On” Laws
Watching Christopher Luxon try to get to grips with a serious issue can be a pretty sad sight. His response to the homelessness epidemic has […]
Gordon Campbell On The Centre-Right’s Newly Found Passion For Taxes, And James Bond, Snowboard Ace
Meet National, our new “tax and spend” party. Reportedly, the National-led coalition is seriously considering spending (at least) $16 billion on a second harbour crossing […]
Gordon Campbell On Weather, Climate, And The Contest Between ACT And NZF For The Braindead Vote
As the wild weather rages, and once-in-a-century storms and floods become seasonal events, Mark Mitchell, the country’s Emergency Management and Recovery Minister, still seems locked […]
Gordon Campbell On The Threat To The Winter Olympics From Climate Change
This week, Superbowl football and the Winter Olympics have both served to illustrate the massive role that professional sport now plays in modern life. Reportedly, […]
Gordon Campbell On The West’s Indifference To The Carnage In Iran
The mullahs in Iran must be feeling very pleased with themselves. They have just carried out versions of the Tiannenmen Square Massacre over and over […]
Gordon Campbell On The Not Good, Very Bad, Terrible Unemployment Figures
As the unemployment rate hits 5.4%, the highest jobless rate in a decade, PM Christopher Luxon may be regretting his choice of “Fixing the Basics, […]
Gordon Campbell On The Secret Pact On Rare Earth Minerals, And The India FTA
Drill and dig, baby. The week began with the coalition government giving an Australian mining company the green light for an open cast gold mine […]
Gordon Campbell On Selling The Recovery Mirage, And Wolf Parade
If the economy was an apartment building, the recovery would be the party that’s beginning to kick off in the penthouse flat, while everyone else […]
Gordon Campbell On The Winston Peters Revival, And Canada’s Blueprint For A New World Order
Currently, the opinion polls indicate that Winston Peters is benefitting from the disenchantment with National and Labour. The fact so many people are turning to […]
Gordon Campbell On New Zealand’s Readiness To Prostrate Itself Before King Donald
New Zealand likes to portray itself as a steadfast champion of international law. (We’re the brave little country that stands up for what’s right). In […]
Gordon Campbell On The Selling Out Of Iran
First Venezuela, then Iran. In its modern versions of gunboat diplomacy, the United States is willing to weaken a terrible regime, but not to replace […]
Gordon Campbell On The Overweening Vanity Of Winston Peters
Plainly, age had not mellowed the ability of Winston Peters to take offence on grounds not visible to ordinary mortals. Yesterday, Peters felt so miffed […]
Gordon Campbell On Frank Gehry’s Lost Vision For Te Papa
On December 5th, Frank Gehry died at the age of 96. That’s a reason to recall one of the great wasted opportunities in New Zealand’s […]
Gordon Campbell On The Uniquely Odd Aspects Of The US Attack On Venezuela
The extremely weird nature of the US assault on Venezuela is becoming more apparent by the day. This hasn’t been the usual US imperial conquest […]
Gordon Campbell On The US Attack On Venezuela
In the wake of Winston Peters lame response to the US attack on Venezuela, its almost enough to make one yearn for the good old […]
Gordon Campbell On GDP Growth, And Other Holiday Diversions
No one likes being a downer at Christmas time, so…as we look forward into 2026, we can all agree that some economic growth is better […]
Gordon Campbell On The Wisdom Of Driving Faster Up An Economic Cul De Sac, And The Bondi Aftermath
Tomorrow is a long time, as Bob Dylan once said, and while Dylan wasn’t singing about our prospects of economic recovery, the mood of frustrated […]