Three new polls reinforce an unchanging overall political landscape and underscore a recent trend that is bad for Labour, good for the Greens, and bad for the left generally
Read MorePolling update: Labour's loss is Greens' gain
Politics
Why the bad news isn't as bad as it looks
The double downgrade is exactly what the government didn't want eight weeks out from an election. But is it really so bad? Or does it speak to a larger narrative?
Read MoreThe truth behind the Don Brash strategy
What if Don Brash had an alternative motive for his tactics since his takeover of ACT? Is it all a cunning plan?
Read MoreUpdated Poll of Polls – two myths exposed
The race to become the next government is effectively over, but there is intrigue in some of the secondary numbers
Read MoreFor law geeks only ...
I realise repeated posts on the issue of hidden video cameras is not a sure-fire way to increase traffic to this blog, but here we go again ...
Read MoreSeriously, politicians: What the hell?!
Why does our political landscape so often resemble open mic night at the local comedy club?
Read MoreThanks ... but computer says "no"
My prospects as a freelance fixer of public policy problems look distinctly unpromising.
Read MoreACT says bye-bye Bosco - turns to the drug vote. Or not
ACT's John Boscawen reads the writing on the wall as the party tries to win over the lock 'em up crowd and the decriminalise drugs crowd at the same time
Read MoreFurther on "the Geddis solution" ...
My name is being dropped as the author of a potential way to fix the "problem" of covert video surveillance following the Supreme Court's intervention in the Urewera trials. What are the issues at stake?
Read MoreSingle Serves: The Gastronomic Poetry of Don Brash
Too many problems, why am I here?
We are told the Supreme Court's ruling on the use of covert video surveillance has caused a major headache for the Police. Let me fix that for you.
Read MoreRWC chaos - three surprises & some finger pointing
Looking at the meltdown on the Auckland waterfront on RWC opening night, why didn't National MP's push the alarm button? And why did McCully's own committee predict no more than 50,000 people?
Read MoreThe Opening Skirmish Ended, Let the Battle Proper Commence
MPs who say things in Parliament are absolutely protected from any legal consequences. The officials who tell them what to say aren't. Who'd be a public servant?
Read MoreScoring political points in the RWC chaos game
The government has been as twinkle-toed as a winger five metres from the try-line in its handling of the opening night chaos down on the Auckland waterfront. Here's the government's playbook laid bare...
Read MoreThe powerful Professor Mutu
Margaret Mutu has stirred the pot with comments about restricting white immigration. But the true bite comes in her claim that she can't be racist, a claim that no longer holds water
Read MoreEconomics & asset sales: Why governments get consistently ripped off
Governments are bad negotiators, because democracy demands they tip their hand before going to the bargaining table. That means governments get the short end of asset sale deals
Read MoreA real reason for road rage - Auckland's trains and no loop
The misuse of Don McKinnon, the road rage of Tau Henare and how the Rugby World Cup train debacle is just a foretaste of things to come for Auckland
Read MoreA new (moo) era for the farmers' voice?
Does the change of political leadership at Federated Farmers amount to a quiet, green revolution? Are farmers realising just how much they've lost touch with urban New Zealand and doing something about it?
Read MoreLatest polls - conservatism triumphant & the accidental leader?
For all the volatility in the latest round of polls, not much has changed. Indeed, change seems to be the last thing voters want right now
Read MoreCars’ cost: not smart transport
Some imaginary reasons, some ideological reasons, and some surprising ones: why we don’t follow rich Switzerland’s lead by investing in public transport
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