Newsworthy
On bank profits, and Gerry Brownlee’s asset sales plans for Christchurch
Click for big version. The news that the banks in New Zealand have returned to their pre-global recession levels of profit comes as no real […]
On the Maori response to the SOE asset sales
The government’s relationship with the Maori Party over the partial selldown of the state’s four energy companies is not yet terminal, but it is looking […]
On the predator society
In these last few days before Parliament opens and the cycle of normal political life resumes, significant stories are gaining coverage that they might otherwise […]
On Mitt Romney’s victory in Florida
So Romney now looks a certainty to be the Republican candidate against Barack Obama in November, after yesterday’s win in conservative Florida put paid to […]
On today’s protest march in Christchurch
Reading meaning into the utterances of Christchurch mayor Bob Parker is always a risky business, but Parker’s comment to the Press the other day that […]
On Kim Dotcom’s bail application
The Crown is opposing bail for Megaupload CEO Kit Dotcom on the basis of (a) that he poses a flight risk and (b) he could […]
On taking the fall for Anne Tolley
Anyone looking for a textbook case of the apparent politicisation of the public service need look no further than the case of former Northland kura […]
On the guy who REALLY is running North Korea
Years ago and while still a cub reporter, I had to accompany Muhammad Ali, Bundini Brown and rest of the Ali retinue on a week […]
On Cunliffe’s likely role, and France as the next Eurozone crisis country
Later this afternoon, we’ll find out just how the new Labour leader David Shearer has managed the difficult task of rewarding his faction while bringing […]
On the Labour leadership change
So it is to be David Shearer as leader, and Grant Robertson as deputy. With David Cunliffe, there were always two concerns. One, whether the […]
On the coalition agreements
Now that the three deals done to maintain the National-led coalition are all on the table, its pretty clear how shabby these arrangements really are. […]
On income inequality
The OECD report this week that has found New Zealand to have one of the fastest growing income gaps in the entire OECD will come […]
On charter schools
Since its inception. Act has been the party of American Crackpot Theories, so we should probably be thankful that the coalition agreement between Act Party […]
On the Labour Party leadership race
Newness is in the air, in every sight and every sound. Both candidates seeking to become Labour’s next leader have been citing the need for […]
On the upcoming Cabinet re-shuffle
Prime Minister John Key has indicated that a Cabinet re-shuffle is on the cards. In all likelihood that re-shuffle won’t be moving Bill English, Tim […]
On the challenges facing Labour’s new leader
While some are urging Labour to take its own good time over deciding on a new leadership team, there is little reason to think that […]
On the election outcomes
Well, at least the election has pinpointed the site of Labour’s Last Stand – on Saturday night, south Auckland was almost the only place in […]
On Information Shearing
“If God did not want them to be sheared, He would not have made them sheep” — Calvera, the bandit leader, explains the nature of […]
On why even financial analysts are jumping ship on the asset sales plan
Barring a miracle, John Key will be getting the green light in 48 hours time to sell off a 49% stake in several of our […]
On child poverty
Last night, if you missed Bryan Bruce’s brilliant TV3 documentary on child poverty in New Zealand –or would like your relatives and friends to see […]
On Epsom, and dodgy aspects of the asset sales programme
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com So last night, even Peter Dunne – always a reliable weathervane on which way the political wind is blowing […]
On the cuppa tea tape and billboard circuses
First the secret cuppa tea tape, then the billboard defacement plot. Just when the election campaign looked like the mainstream media might have to focus […]
On the election campaign’s fixation with the future
Less than two weeks to go. And what is NOT being talked about in this campaign is at least as important as what appears on […]
On credibility, and the government’s irrigation plans
Like the Biblical loaves and fishes, the government’s Future Investment Fund from asset sales just keeps on giving – $1 billion for schools and hospitals […]
On National’s asset sales debacle
The concession by Finance Minister Bill English that National may not get the $5-7 billion it expected from its asset sales programme is a hammer […]
On the first week of the campaign
Labour needed to make inroads early in this campaign. It had to capture voter attention – hey, maybe this could be a real fight after […]
On Phil Goff’s debacle in Christchurch
Any points Phil Goff may have won in the television debate a few days ago went west during last night’s public debate in Christchurch – […]
On the welfare reform proposals
Remember the so called ‘underclass? Remember when John Key in 2007 went walking down McGehan Close in Owairaka, and took 12 year old Aroha Nathan […]
On last night’s debate between John Key and Phil Goff
Has John Key lied about raising GST? The ‘explanation’ he offered during last night‘s debate was that he had made the promise not to raise […]