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
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 Internet Mana’s swearing video
Hand on heart time, folks. At any time in the past six years, has the thought “ F+++ John Key” ever crossed your mind? I […]
Gordon Campbell on National’s electorate deals
Image by Neetflux For all the talk yesterday from Prime Minister John Key about National being transparent about its electorate deals in Epsom and Ohariu, […]
Gordon Campbell on the diplomatic immunity fallout at MFAT, and Iraq/Vietnam comparisons
Image by Neetflux Terrific. I’m glad that Murray McCully is well and truly determined to get to the bottom of who screwed up the Malaysian […]
Gordon Campbell on Murray McCully’s avoidance strategy for his latest disaster
Blame the officials. Go to ground. Looks like standard operational procedure for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, this time with respect to Malaysia over the […]
Gordon Campbell on the cash for access scandals
If nothing else, the rash of stories about cash-for-access (to the National Party) and cash-for-exit (from New Zealand First) are giving us a clear sense […]
Gordon Campbell on Dotcom, and recent events at Scoop
The apparent resignation of Alastair Thompson from Scoop – there seems to be some dissent as to whether he has resigned or gone on sabbatical […]
On the (lack of) incentives for Anadarko to behave responsibly
Here’s how you’d think the system would work, when it comes down to the environmental impacts of oil and gas exploration. You’d hope and expect […]
On the latest round of leadership ructions in the Act Party
Call me old fashioned, but the recent versions of the Act Party almost make you feel nostalgic for the days of its youth. Back in […]
Gordon Campbell on the media’s duty to evaluate the Trans Pacific Partnership
One downside of so called ‘objectivity’ is that it can turn the media into a simple megaphone for those in power – especially in situations […]
Gordon Campbell on muzzling the Ruataniwha dam evidence
In case anyone still questions the value of our public investment in state radio, the revelations about the Ruataniwha dam project – which began with […]
On the risks of intervention in Syria
As Barack Obama considers the US-led response to the gas attack in Syria, the nuances of that response are getting more, not less difficult. How […]
On Shearer’s exit, and where Labour goes from here
Some political animals would have grasped for survival at the results of the latest Roy Morgan poll, which showed National losing ground and with the […]
Gordon Campbell on Egypt, the F-35 and Nanny National
Yesterday, this column compared events in Egypt to the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and – spookily – there is now an image to drive […]
On Kim Dotcom’s appearance at Parliament tomorrow
Ironic that in the same week that Kim Dotcom will appear before a Parliamentary committee to defend the right of New Zealanders to live free […]
On why everyone has a stake in surveillance reduction
In a week dominated by surveillance and privacy issues, the Economist has done its level best to rationalize why Barack Obama has chosen to expand […]
On Criminalising Protest, and Christchurch Cathedral Options
The Tauranga MP Simon Bridges – he’s also the Labour Minister and the Minister of Energy and Resources – is carving out quite a niche […]
On the Solid Energy debacle
So according to its former chairman John Palmer, Solid Energy could have done nothing about the sudden and dramatic fall in the price of coal. […]