Gordon Campbell on ministerial transparency, presidential lies (and Bob Dylan)
Minister gets inadequate advice from departmental officials, gets caught out. That’s embarrassing, but hardly of lasting impact…
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Gordon Campbell on (finally) changing the abortion law
As many observers have noted, New Zealand has a very conservative abortion law in place that has always been interpreted liberally in practice…
Gordon Campbell on why deportation decisions should be transparent
Kicking the problematic cases upstairs for the Minister to operate as some kind of ‘last chance saloon’ is to turn the deportation decision into a lottery.
Gordon Campbell on our addiction to the monarchy
Of all the major outposts of Empire, New Zealand has always been the very last to shed its fascination with the British royals.
Gordon Campbell on what the polls say about National’s leadership
Like his Tory counterpart Theresa May in Britain, National Party leader Simon Bridges seems widely unloved, and safe in his job only to the extent […]
Gordon Campbell on the West’s role in arming Khashoggi’s killers
Of all the crimes committed by the Saudi regime, it has been this revenge killing ordered by the Saudi Crown Prince that has finally brought universal condemnation.
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s backdown over the Hobbit law (and Jami-Lee Ross)
Clearly, Jami-Lee Ross is not waging a normal form of political warfare, with agreed rules of combat and rational cost/benefit calculations.
Gordon Campbell on the Jami-Lee Ross Saga
Secretly taping your political leader and threatening to release the contents in public is not a good way to win clemency, or gain support from your team
Gordon Campbell on why the highly educated tend to vote centre-left
In March of this year, the French economist Thomas Piketty published a paper tracing the political journey that the university-educated have taken across the political spectrum…
Gordon Campbell on the government’s feeble response to loan sharks
When it comes down to protecting the most vulnerable, Parliament can sometimes move at glacial pace, and do the bare minimum.
Gordon Campbell on the political cost of rising petrol prices
Over the course of National’s entire term of office… it had the great good fortune that high global oil prices rarely coincided with a low Kiwi dollar…
Gordon Campbell on the ongoing battles over free speech
Free speech controversies rarely have to do with the opinions of those lacking a public platform.
Gordon Campbell on bringing business into the 21st century
From now on it seems, firms will only need to re-invest a paltry $50,000 in research and development – half the previous amount – to qualify for a sizeable tax break.
Gordon Campbell on the teachers’ struggle for better pay and conditions
These days, strike action is essentially a game of three dimensional chess, and the industrial stoppages coming our way in education are a case in point.
Gordon Campbell on why we shouldn’t buy into NZF’s pledge list of values
Signing a compulsory pledge to respect an arbitrary list of “values” is nothing other than neo-colonial bullying.
Gordon Campbell on Elizabeth Warren’s plan to save capitalism from itself
Over the past six weeks, Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren has emerged from the pack as Trump’s likely Democratic rival in 2020.
Gordon Campbell on the party of no ideas
The striking thing about the issues that have political coverage over the past few months is the almost total lack of policy content to any of them.
Gordon Campbell on National’s ‘meth crooks’ failure of leadership
Given that National Party leader Simon Bridges has made consistency and strong leadership the cornerstones of his attacks upon the coalition government, his own massive […]
Gordon Campbell on the Tax Working Group’s road map
Trying to analyse the interim report on the Tax Working Group (TWG) is like trying to review an entire All Blacks game, but at the half- time mark.
Gordon Campbell on how the Kavanaugh case relates to women’s suffrage
On suffrage day – reportedly – we celebrate women winning a political voice, and ensuring that their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon, despite attempts to ignore and silence then.
Gordon Campbell on our military roles in Iraq and Afghanistan
Yesterday, PM Jacinda Ardern committed this country to an extension of our military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, pending a review early next year…
Gordon Campbell on the Ardern pep talk
The intolerance being shown for coalition disagreements betrays our depressing appetite for a tidily totalitarian style of government where everyone is expected to march in lockstep.
Gordon Campbell on the rising cost of petrol
Most of the scenarios envisage global oil prices going up – maybe even way up – starting about now.
Gordon Campbell on yesterday’s electricity price review
The review shows the cost of electricity has been shifted off business and onto consumers
Are Only Old People Likely to Vote for Him?
Generational change favours the left, right now
On Nanette, and the limitations of stories
Is the ‘future of comedy’ really just a TED talk?
Gordon Campbell on the fuss and fighting over the PM’s Pacific Forum trip
Dutifully, the Pacific Islands Forum meeting is described each year as the region’s most important gathering of leaders…
Gordon Campbell on trying to cheer up the business sector
Why on earth is it seen to be Jacinda Ardern’s problem when business chooses to whine on about its lack of confidence, and its lack […]
Gordon Campbell on the continuing saga of the Chelsea Manning visit, and BTS
The National Party has played fast and loose with the facts during its campaign to deny an entry visa to the American LGBTQ activist Chelsea Manning.
Not Like A Hurricane
Hawai’i scares itself sick, over a no-show storm