Gordon Campbell on our training efforts against fundamentalism
As New Zealand scopes out the training role that we’re likely to play in Iraq next year against Islamic State, we should perhaps be keeping […]
Articles
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s next leader, and Putin’s problems
Now that the Labour leadership pageant has finally ground to a halt, the voting (and the guesswork about the likely result) can begin in earnest. […]
Gordon Campbell on the unravelling of the government’s responses to Islamic State
Despite having had months to prepare its story about the threat allegedly posed by Islamic State, the government’s rationale for its line of response is […]
Gordon Campbell on our IS counter measures, Forbes’ hostility to the TPP, and CNBC’s idiocy
There are two dimensions to the security measures announced yesterday: (a) the deployment of New Zealand forces in ‘training” roles inside Iraq, and (b) the […]
Gordon Campbell on Greens MP James Shaw, and the prospects for ecumenical politics
Every now and then Parliament gets an MP who is regarded kindly by those in the opposing ranks as being a basically good sort who, […]
Gordon Campbell on the links between bad labour laws and poor safety practices
By co-incidence, one of the prime dangers of the government’s new employment relations law has been underlined by the release of the death and injury […]
Gordon Campbell on the TPP finishing line, and Amazon’s woes
If the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal wasn’t such a serious matter, this would be pretty funny. Here’s Trade Minister Tim Groser on RNZ this […]
Gordon Campbell on the tokenism of New Zealand‘s role against Islamic State
Was John Key born lucky or what? Political performance tends to be judged on three things – the unemployment rate, the petrol price at the […]
Gordon Campbell on Pharmac, Gough Whitlam and Sleater-Kinney
Ridiculous reported comments on RNZ this morning by Trade Minister Tim Groser, as he sought to dampen down concerns about yesterday’s leaked draft of the […]
Gordon Campbell on the latest TPP leaks
The release by Julian Assange on Wikileaks of the draft Trands Pacific Partnership chapter on intellectual property – including drug patents – contains some pretty […]
Gordon Campbell on New Zealand getting involved (again) in other peoples wars
Apparently, the Key government is still pondering how New Zealand will contribute to the fight against Islamic State. Long may it ponder, given the lack […]
Gordon Campbell on child poverty, and David Shearer’s latest outburst
The politicisation of (a) the public service and (b) the operations of the Official Information Act have been highlighted by the policy advice package on […]
Gordon Campbell on the government’s review of security laws
So the Key government is about to launch a four week review of the ability of our existing legislation to deal with “suspected and returning […]
Gordon Campbell on John Key’s posturing about Islamic State
One of the main achievements of the Clark government was that it kept New Zealand out of overt involvement in the 2003 Iraq invasion. It […]
Gordon Campbell on New Zealand’s response to Kiwi jihadis
When Parliament resumes on October 20, Prime Minister John Key will reportedly be making a major speech on security and intelligence issues. The speech is […]
Gordon Campbell on John Key avoiding being held accountable for the SIS and GCSB
Will the management split on security and intelligence issues that Prime Minister John Key announced yesterday serve to enhance or to reduce his public accountability […]
Gordon Campbell on the Lyttleton executive pay scandal, and more TPP problems
It isn’t often that one story can encapsulate (a) the bogus rhetoric used to justify sky-high pay packages for top executives, (b) the unequal way […]
Gordon Campbell on the last rites for the TPP
The Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal is one of those litmus issues that has always had more to do with one’s place on the political […]
Gordon Campbell on the farcical elevation of David Seymour
With the election won, it’s time to find jobs for the boy. David Seymour is the Act Party’s latest scrounger to be rewarded by the […]
Gordon Campbell on the case for using air power against the Islamic State
There is an Alice Through the Looking Glass quality to the current response to the Islamic State. Everything about it seems inside out. Many people […]
Gordon Campbell on Cunliffe’s Last Stand
Right now, embattled Labour leader David Cunliffe has three options. None of them are particularly attractive for him personally, or for the Labour Party. In […]
Gordon Campbell on the troubled aftermath of Scotland’s independence vote
A week can be a very long time in Scotland’s 300 year struggle for independence. The “ No” vote last week that seemed to end […]
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s very bad year
While Labour leader David Cunliffe still appears to be in denial about the extent of Saturday night’s debacle, there was hardly a single redeeming feature […]
Gordon Campbell on a campaign that is ending as it began
This election campaign is getting no less strange as it heads on down to the wire. Winston Peters is still refusing to say whether a […]
Gordon Campbell on first time voting (Greens)
For the last two days, I’ve turned my column over to a couple of guest columnists who are first time voters. They’ve been asked to […]
Gordon Campbell on first time voting (centre right)
For the next two days, I’m turning my column over to two guest columnists who are first time voters. I’ve asked them to explain why […]
Gordon Campbell on the aftermath of the Greenwald/Snowden revelations
[See correction below. link] The credibility issues have come down to two main ones: 1 The email. This has to do with whether Key knowingly […]
Gordon Campbell on the Glenn Greenwald revelations
All that hanging out with the All Blacks clearly hasn’t taught Prime Minister John Key a thing about the ethics of playing the ball, and […]
Gordon Campbell on Obama’s major foreign policy speech today on the Islamic State
For the Syrian people, the next ten years offers them two really unpleasant choices. They can be slaughtered by the forces of the Islamic State, […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s phantom tax cut package
Hmmm. So National’s tax cuts package turns out to be one of those television advertisements that screams a headline promise – perfect skin! a youth […]