Gordon Campbell on the Newshub/Smokefree twin fiascos
Here’s a tale of two sunset industries. One has a track record of quality investigative reporting, and sound reportage of the 24/7 news cycle. The […]
ACT
Gordon Campbell on National passing bad policies under urgency
If National really had faith in its welfare policies, it wouldn’t be ramming them through Parliament under urgency – a step that means the policies […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s misleading policy packaging
Truth in packaging can be a political rarity, but the gap between what the Luxon administration says it is doing and what its policies will […]
Gordon Campbell on the politics as a morality play
To a striking extent, the working class vote in Western societies has been going to right wing demagogues, not to left wing social democrats. Even […]
Gordon Campbell on tomorrow, and the spirit of Moana Jackson
Since ACT is sponsoring the Treaty Principles Bill, it is understandable that David Seymour should be catching most of the flak being generated by the […]
Gordon Campbell on ACT’s flat tax fever
Party on, dudes. Repeatedly, the policy adventures of Christopher Luxon and David Seymour are taking New Zealand back in time to the most excellent year […]
Gordon Campbell on charter schools, and the Ghahraman blame machine
According to Act Party leader David Seymour, if we gave 16 year olds the vote and allowed teachers to teach civics classes in high school, […]
Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when […]
Gordon Campbell on coalitions, and hostage deals
Reportedly, National has finalised the details of its separate policy programmes with (a) the Act Party and (b) with New Zealand First. Terrific. Yet surprisingly, […]
Gordon Campbell on secret coalition talks, plus a music playlist
Routinely, the centre-right complains that Big Government treats people like children. Huh. Have to say, National, Act and New Zealand First are doing a pretty […]
Gordon Campbell on the blockade against Chloe Swarbrick’s right to speak freely about Gaza
The tut-tutting about what Green MP Chloe Swarbrick said and how she said it, and whether she could have/should have expressed herself in other ways […]
Gordon Campbell on the third person in this political marriage
Depending on the recounts and the by-election, the centre-right will still have won only 59 seats in what will be a 122 or 123 seat […]
Gordon Campbell on church and state in Mt Roskill
The interval between election night and the formation of a new government has been restfully free of bickering and posturing, and it would be nice […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s divisive plans to heal our divisions
As we wait for crime to cease, rents to fall, and food prices to plummet, how does the Luxon government propose to heal the divisions […]
Gordon Campbell on the election, and Labour’s options
On Saturday, the Labour-led government suffered a defeat of Biblical proportions, some of it self-inflicted. Years ago, veteran political blogger Jesus Christ had tapped into […]
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s last stand
The surge, the surge. It was within the margin of error in one poll, and the increase in Labour support in the other poll still […]
Gordon Campbell on why Winston Peters could be National’s new BFF
Over the weekend, some classic double speak from National. Christopher Luxon is saying he’ll be able to make a deal with whatever power configuration the […]
Gordon Campbell on the centre-right’s cynically divisive messages on race
Could be wrong, but I have a hunch that if a male Maori activist entered the home of a National Party candidate uninvited, it would […]
Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve […]
Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about […]
Gordon Campbell on chaotic coalitions, drinking water and useless debates
This week’s ONE News-Verian poll had the National/ACT coalition teetering on the edge of being able to govern alone while – just as precariously – […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s (lack of) plans for El Nino
Debate time: In contrast to most debates, political debates aren’t simply about winning on points of logic, but are also about looking likeable on television […]
Gordon Campbell on the centre-right’s credibility problems
Supposedly, people get the governments they deserve, but what on earth did we do in our past lives to deserve an Opposition as shambolic as […]
Gordon Campbell on the fictions about reckless government spending
Yesterday, the Treasury’s pre-election portrait was significantly out of whack with National’s repeated claims of rampant government mis-management of the economy. Instead, it seems that […]
Gordon Campbell on Seymour acting up, and Labour’s lost cause
To use a musical analogy, ACT Party leader David Seymour is to centre-right parties what Lindsay Buckingham was to Fleetwood Mac – a talented guy, […]
Gordon Campbell on gender posturing and mis-using PPPs in public health
What is it with right wing politicians getting standing ovations for doing the bare minimum? As in… Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron De Santis […]
Gordon Campbell on the BlackRock deal and banning cellphones
If a National/ACT government had negotiated the renewables deal with the giant investment firm BlackRock, it is safe to assume that we would be never […]
Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ troubled tango with the ACT Party
In line with its ideological mission to destroy any and all of the creative partnerships between the state, business, science and public health, the ACT […]
Gordon Campbell on ACT’s links to Big Pharma
Economists are weird. People are having trouble feeding their families. Yet the obvious solution – reduce the tax burden on their food – is treated […]
Gordon Campbell on Sir Roger’s lament, and the Commonwealth Games
So Dr. Frankenstein is feeling upset about how his monster has turned out. To the dismay of Sir Roger Douglas, the ACT Party has become […]