Repeat after me: the public service is not a political party's election policy research unit, the public service is not a political party's election policy research unit, the public service is not a political party's election policy research unit.
Read MoreLaw
The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn
The Planet Key song and video can be watched, played on the radio and shown on TV without any restrictions at all. It's great that a judge has been able to make the law say what it should do.
Read MoreJudgment day for Planet Key (the song, that is)
We're finally going to find out if we need to change how our election laws limit satirical speech ... after the period for submitting to Parliament on our election laws has ended.
Read MoreWhy having no retrial for Teina Pora matters
The Privy Council says that Teina Pora should not face another trial. Now we can get on with trying to make some reparation for the wrong we did to him.
Read MoreFilling the void left by Winston (until he comes back again)
What happens when (or if) Winston quits Parliament before he is declared the member for Northland? Nothing very much at all.
Read MoreIs Parliament about to drop our commitment to the Rule of Law?
Parliament seems about to drop New Zealand's commitment to the rule of law from the Act underpinning the judicial branch. Retiring Supreme Court judge (and former Solicitor-General) John McGrath thinks that's worrying. He's right. There's still time to lobby the Minister of Justice.
Read MoreHow to win a death with dignity
Choosing to end your life on your own terms in order to avoid an inevitable lingering death is not suicide. So giving someone the means to do so should not be a crime.
Read MoreIf we're gonna go that way you're gonna need a bigger knife
David Seymour says he may take Winston Peters to court if he wins the Northland by-election. He doesn't really mean it.
Read MoreCuriouser and Curiouser
Jami-Lee Ross appears to be a quite exceptional candidate for the National Party. He does things in relation to money given to him that none of his colleagues do - albeit only in relation to one particular donation.
Read MoreYou can't have it both ways
The National Party's treatment of Donghua Liu's donation is strikingly at odds with with how it treated all the other donations it received. That's not only wrong, but it may even be illegal.
Read MoreBetween the potency and the existence ... falls the shadow
Despite what the "three strikes" law seemed to say, another murderer has avoided a sentence of full-life-without-parole. And that's partly David Garrett's fault.
Read MoreWhy not elect a Cassowary as Premier?
Queensland voters didn't go quite as far as this cartoon recommended. But they did create quite a thorny thicket for their politicians to play in.
Read MoreWhen the umpire commits the foul
If Parliament's rules say you aren't even allowed to refer to the existence of a particular court case, then how can the Speaker enforce those rules without letting everyone knows that the court case exists?
Read MoreAll those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain
Canada's Supreme Court just announced that Canadians do not have a duty to live. Why do New Zealanders?
Read MoreWhy does one symbol matter, but another does not?
John Key thinks our colonial flag is an outdated symbol that needs replacing. So why is our relationship with the Monarchy any different?
Read More"A trying operation under the influence of chloroform"
Handing someone a "Vote United Future" pamphlet on election day is an offence that can get you fined $20,000. Why is that, and should it be so?
Read MoreTilting at Helensvilles' windmills
Could John Key's place in Parliament be under threat from Arthur Taylor's electoral petition? No ... no it couldn't.
Read MoreHow high can you go?
Rules that stop you using your property as you see fit are bad. Rules that stop other people using their property ... are less so.
Read MoreAnd whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire
The Justice and Electoral Committee will soon be reviewing the 2014 general election. Here's the first of my thoughts on what it might profitably look at.
Read MoreKurdish bombs over Kobane
Can legislation intended to stop people fighting for ISIL/ISIS/IS/Daesh instead stop people fighting against ISIL/ISIS/IS/Daesh?
Read More