John Key's rejection of the smacking referendum is yet another political cost being exacted by a law that few understand, and the fundamentalists are using that confusion to their advantage
Read MorePolitics
Greed is definitely not good
It's not just the less well-off who should feel aggrieved by fat cat salaries. One way or another, it's costing all of us
Read MoreThe Smack is back
Political leaders like John Key and Phil Goff may think the new law on “parental correction” is working, but an overwhelming majority of voters do not. Words of comfort will not make the issue go away.
Gay adoption. Now that I have your attention ...
As far as I'm concerned, preventing gays from adopting is as morally repugnant as stopping mixed-race couples from marrying. But our adoption laws are a bit more complex, and outdated, than just this one issue
Read MoreAfghanistan: What are we fighting for?
As
Just say no to the Small Poppy Syndrome
The real concern in this country isn't our jealousy of wealth and success, it's our knee-jerk meanness towards those at the bottom of life's heap
Read MoreCrime and punishment: Jackson James Wood makes a Salient point
Today’s special issue of Salient – Victoria University’s student magazine – critiques the criminal justice system
Read MorePublic health – reality, reason & rhetoric
"Overpaid" MPs are the canaries in the coal mine
New Zealand's politicians do get paid a lot—if you are on the average wage. But that's not who they are compared to anymore
Read MoreAfghanistan: Where is that exit?
The Prime Minister’s announcement that the SAS will return to combat duties in
The unlikely wisdom of returning to war
Although it goes against all my instincts, sending the SAS back to Afghanistan makes sense. What other path is there to peace?
Read MoreFast followers: the government’s lead free pencil
The government does have a philosophy – a “fast follower” philosophy. But as it goes to and fro on its climate change policies, it's allowing other parties to take the lead
Read MoreDying for an invitation to Washington
With the government's announcement on sending the SAS to Afghanistan due any day, it's time to stop pretending. They will say yes. And John Key will be responsible for any deaths
Read MoreParliament: No longer virgin, but not yet a whore
Taito Phillip Field's conviction on corruption charges marks a low point for our Parliament. But if that is as low as it goes, it's still not doing all that bad
Read MoreBill English: Let them eat cake
Airy dismissals, as Marie Antoinette found, can be lethal for politicians. National is learning that lesson
Read MoreThe DJ Bill English tax re-mix
While the media was focused on other stories, Bill English quietly killed off National's tax cut policy this weekend. But that doesn't mean we can take our eyes off our tax system
Read MoreAfghanistan: Stop fudging the facts
Mainstream media wakes up to some questionable aspects of
Two grumps and a prod - from Bennett & Garrett to drink
As The Verlaines put it so pithily, sometimes "there's too many things to talk of at any one time." [sic-Ed]. Paula Bennett... David Garrett... Andrew Becroft...
Read MoreUncensored: Super Fund Guardian's 40% advice for National finally revealed in full (+Guardian's reply)
After intervention by the Ombudsman, The Guardians of the Super Fund have finally released a full, uncensored copy of their advice to Bill English last year. It reveals a strong fight against the government's 40% local investment target and concerns that the Fund would simply overwhelm the market
Read MoreMemo to Labour – catch the ball
There's a number of basic rules in politics – don't make mistakes, and don't fight needless fights. Labour needs to heed both.
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