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
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 […]
Gordon Campbell on the West’s existential crisis about what to do with Putin, and the Islamic State
Say one thing for Russian President Vladimir Putin. At least he’s given NATO a purpose in life. Right now, that consists of being something that […]
Gordon Campbell on the Greens proposal to gradually lift the minimum wage
Heading into the election home stretch, voters have a clear choice about the best way to help low and middle income New Zealanders. They can […]
Gordon Campbell on John Key’s ‘blame it on Judith’ strategy
Right now, Prime Minister John Key seems intent on limiting the scope of any inquiry into his government’s dealings with Cameron Slater. The declared aim […]
Gordon Campbell on last night’s debate, and the Collins accusation
Debating is a peculiar discipline in that what you say is less important than how you’re saying it. Looking poised, being articulate and staying on […]
Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ latest bout of immigrant bashing, and Bob Dylan in the basement (again)
So in the latest 3News-Reid Research poll, New Zealand First and the Conservatives have been the big winners. It is only one poll, but rather […]
Gordon Campbell on the US foreign policy somersaults over Syria and Iran
Amidst the day-to-day reports about the military advances of the Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, one remarkable aspect of this war has barely […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s housing assistance plan
So, as many as 90,000 people could derive some benefit from National’s housing assistance plans for low and middle-income earners. As much as $218 million […]
Gordon Campbell on the usual round of mud slinging and name-calling
The media, as its critics regularly point out, is far too easily diverted by political sideshows and slanging matches, from its duty to cover the […]
Gordon Campbell on no more Mr Nice Guy
When future historians seek to identify the exact moment when the prime ministerial career of John Key hit the downward slope, they may well point […]
Gordon Campbell on the ongoing fallout from Nicky Hager’s book
Call me old-fashioned, but ad hominem attacks have almost seemed the last refuge of a scoundrel. That doesn’t mean you can’t reach a conclusion or […]
Gordon Campbell on Nicky Hager’s new book
Illustration by Tim Denee According to Minister of Everything Steven Joyce – whose duties now extend to fielding questions about Nicky Hager’s new book Dirty […]