Can we stop talking about Auckland, just briefly? Canterbury matters as much to the future of New Zealand, and tells us more about the character of the government
Read MorePolitics
Mining Our Natural Potential: not specious, just stupid
An open letter to Gerry Brownlee, surgically exploring his cranium, and finding some fossils inside
Read MoreWhen you ain't got nothing, you've got nothing to lose
David Bain has filed a claim for compensation with the Minister of Justice. He'll be damn lucky to get it.
Read MoreWelfare's "future focus" looks pretty fuzzy
Social development minister Paula Bennett promises a benefit reform that brings “an unrelenting focus on work”. But just how sharp is that focus going to be?
Read MoreWhy are National and Labour trying so hard to LOSE Auckland?
Labour's candidate selection for the Auckland electorates seemed odd, but National's willingess to risk the city for a bit o' gold and silver in the Coromandel is one hell of a punt
Read MoreHistory in the making - healthcare wins and mining losses
As Barack Obama enjoys the thrill of history, John Key should take a look at his own party's history on mining before commiting too heavily to some big holes in the ground
Read MorePrime Minister talking money, dairy talking crap
Last week’s outbreaks of foot in mouth, by John Key and Federated Farmers, were illuminating and obfuscating, respectively
Read MoreTurning ECan inside out: Creech governance review, exposed?
Is the government's investigation of the performance of Environment Canterbury open to more robust critique than it has been getting?
Read MoreThe last wails of the angry Hollow Men
And so the saga of the Brash email invesigations ends, not with a bang, but with continued denials by those exposed
Read MoreSeventh State debate: The Shortland St Effect
We opted out of Australia in the 1890s, and although some at the time hoped we'd have another chance at Australasian union, that was our one and only shot. Our distinctive New Zealand voice is now pulling us further away from our neighbours than ever before
Read MoreHelping the Attorney-General out of a jam
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has told Parliament that disenfranchising all prisoners cannot be justified in a free and democratic society. So why does it look like he's going to vote for this to become our law?
Read MoreScience strikes back: the dilemma of urgency vs. uncertainty
The man who has the Prime Minister's ear has quietly but forcefully defended climate scientists and thrown down the guantlet to the skeptics
Read MoreRNZ, ECan, the pot and the kettle
My theories on the Greens’ “conspiracies”, which will undermine their brand as much as National’s
Read MoreI love the news, it's my favourite show
This is a shameless attempt to attract media coverage for a relatively obscure blogsite. Please print my story - it's about a gay Labour MP.
Read MoreSuper city debate gets super heated
Aucklanders are giving the government’s super city plan the kind of reception that makes a lead balloon look positively stratospheric. Can Rodney Hide and Steven Joyce pull the Key coalition’s irons out of the fire?
Read MoreWho'll come a waltzing Matilda with me?
Why should we bother trying to catch up to Australia when we can just become Australia?
Read MoreNational's putting the central back in centre-right politics
For every tilt to the right, the government has a counter-balancing move to the centre. Whether that's due to mixed-up ideology or the height of political pragmatism, this is a National government a long way from the party of Richardson, Shipley and Brash
Read MoreSAS – Now you see them, now you don’t
A newspaper photographer catches Willie Apiata walking home from an observation mission. John Key promises a new policy of openness about the SAS. The elite troops get involved in the first major fire fight of their mission. Where does the openness go?
The anti-whaling ship of fools
Shame on Labour spokesperson Chris Carter and partisan blog The Standard for using anti-whaling diplomacy for short-term political gain
Read MoreJust leave Michael Laws alone.
Our liberty cannot be guarded but by freedom of the press. But does a free press really have to suck so bad?
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