Putting the Prime Minister on the radio for an hour to show listeners what a nice guy he is "appears to encourage or persuade voters to vote for a political party or the election of any person at an election". Who'd a thunk it?
Read MorePolitics
And then nothing turned itself inside-out
Seeing as no-one really seems to know what is happening in the US Republican nomination race, I thought I'd chip in my $5 million Super PAC worth of thoughts.
Read MoreHappy Waitangi Day (and why protest is good for us)
Another national day, another chance for us to feel out who we are as New Zealanders. And another day of protest. But those who condemn the protests should stop whining and stop to think what really matters to us as a nation
Read MoreLawnmower Treasury says it's time for a trim
Treasury's advice to Bill English is nothing if not clear – it's time to cut. So does its briefing to the incoming minister make its case? Or rather miss the point entirely? What do you think...
Read MoreWho wants more State support for more “commercially attractive” TV?
New battle-lines are being drawn between New Zealand’s major free-to-air television networks and NZ On Air as the major networks seek more State support for “commercially attractive” local programmes.
Read MoreIf it's just a symbol, why do you care?
Is John Key being advised by Auckland law graduates?
Read MoreCrafar Farms deal ticks the boxes – but where does it end?
The Crafar farms sale is a canny deal with undoubted benefits for New Zealand. So why the fuss? Because each sale of productive land offshore raises questions about our future economically and as Kiwis
Read MorePay rises in the Garden (city) of good & evil
Chrischurch City Council CEO Tony Maryatt gets a 14% pay rise to $540,000 when people are still using toilets in the street? Where's the spirit of the blitz? Because true leadership speaks of sacrifice
Read MoreBecause politics is the LAST thing you need to see at election time!
NZ on Air wants to stop people thinking they are biased in a partisan way. So why are they being accused of acting in a way that shows partisan bias?
Read MoreNZ on Air gets it back-to-front on political docos
The debate over TV3's scheduling of Inside Child Poverty should prompt us to get back to some pretty basic core principles surrounding independence
Read MoreBrian Tamaki goes to Destiny Town. Wanna come?
So Destiny Church has finally found a new home. But is that any reason we should help fund it? On the other hand, if other faiths get a go, why not them?
Read MoreNew Zealand's new Pacific role, as the US moves in
Amongst the news of crashes and weather, one story of immense significance to New Zealand has been widely ignored... The US has reviewed its defence priorities and is moving back into our neighbourhood big-time. This offers huge risks and opportunities
Read MoreMOM … Show me the money!
John Key’s hottest line from the last election campaign could come back to haunt him as he ploughs ahead with the expansion of the “Mixed Ownership Model” by selling shares in a batch of state-owned assets.
Read MoreIt's always tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.
The election may be ancient history by now, but the controversy over the recorded conversation between John Key and John Banks is still brewing away. See what I did there?
Read MoreStratos is dead - who's next?
The death of Stratos Television last week is a sad, bad story – and we have not seen the end of it.
Read MoreLessons from a recount – where Labour went wrong
Labour failed to learn National's lesson from 2002 and paid the price, so it's now time for the party to get start selling Brand Shearer
Read MoreThe Beehive Christmas list 2011 – Ho ho ho!
Lookee here, Santa has come early for all those boys and girls in parliament. So what did he bring the politicians? Did they get what they wanted – and what they deserved? Let's sneak a cheeky peak
Read MoreA farewell to arms
The Occupy Dunedin camp has folded. Now a judge has told Auckland's version to do the same. So it goes.
Read MoreDavid Shearer's fresh start – 1) Keep it real
The election is over, so the work begins. Labour has its new face in David Shearer, but now has a mountain to climb to win 5-10% of National's voters over to its side (and a few back from the Greens). So how does it do that?
Read MoreThe post-election outlook on conservation lands
In preference to weeping, I try to count conservation blessings, and plan my new career as a lobbyist
Read More