Blog

So the US wants Russia to be banished “indefinitely” from the G-8 club for its actions in Crimea. Talk about gall. Astonishing to watch the […]

For decades now, there has been a peace dividend from global trade. The more interdependent our economies become, the less likely we are to go […]

During Prime Minister John Key’s current visit to China, Key and Chinese premier Li Keqiang agreed to a deal that enables direct trading on the […]

In one sense at least, Finance Minister Bill English has done everyone a favour with the way the Genesis share float has been structured. So […]

Anyone who may have feeling twinges of remorse that it might have been a good idea for Shane Jones to have won the Labour Party […]

If it does nothing else, this election will be a test of whether marketing really can turn a pig’s ear into a silk purse. Although […]

The Cabinet manual not only forbids actual conflicts of interest when Ministers are performing public duties from which they or their family members and close […]

To the Russians, the current crisis in the Ukraine must seem like a no-brainer. Ukraine has always been treated as vital to Russia’s self-defence, and […]

Once again, the “Five Eyes” intelligence network (to which New Zealand belongs ) has been caught out in a privacy outrage. According to this morning’s […]

Ever since the existence of the Echelon spy system was revealed in the 1990s, the risk of using cyber-espionage for commercial gain and trading advantages […]

So Richard Prebble is back, as campaign manager for ACT at this year’s election. For a political organisation that prides itself on being a fount […]

If you were a harried supplier to a New Zealand supermarket, would you trust the Commerce Commission to protect you, your staff and your livelihood […]

Up until now, the feeling that rugby may be bad for your health has been pretty much limited to concerns about the sometimes cavalier attitude […]

Years ago, I asked a former US ambassador how he managed to navigate his way around rural and provincial New Zealand. Pretty easily, he replied: […]

So the Odd Future rap collective have had their visas revoked because – according to the Immigration Service – they pose a threat to public […]

Smears are the political equivalent of a hit and run. First comes the allegation that hints of skullduggery – Russel Norman and Winston Peters held […]

So Prime Minister John Key has removed the passports of a few would-be jihadis from New Zealand wishing to join rebel factions in Syria. In […]

On Wednesday, I reported on a local analysis of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, which argued, among other things, that the TPP is not […]

The fog of secrecy around the Trans Pacific Partnership has always triggered concern about what New Zealand may be willing to give away in these […]