Jacinda Ardern and Labour have time on their side for a change. It may allow New Zealanders to think it's their 'turn', but only if they can avoid distractions like, oh, trans-Tasman squabbles
Read MorePolitics
It's Leadership, Stupid
Policy is important, but the 2017 election is now about leadership. Change versus the status quo. Who has the X-factor? In six weeks we will know
Read MoreIn the end, you cannot understand the things people do
We all have our breaking points. Metiria Turei just reached hers.
Read MoreToo many martyrs? Greens torn apart by Turei confessions
The 2017 election campaign hasn't properly started, yet it has taken another twist as two Greens MPs chose their conscience over party strategy and broke ranks. But who's really been the most indulgent and how might voters react?
Read MoreWho breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?
Metiria Turei's admission about past rule breaking looks to have cost her a ministerial position, even if the Greens are part of Government after September. That's a pretty heavy penalty for being overly silly some twenty-four years ago.
Read MoreHow the Jacinda Effect changes everything & nothing
What looked like a campaign set to be dominated by third parties now has suddenly been tilted back towards the big two. Jacinda Ardern's election to the Labour leadership makes many new things possible, but one key thing even more likely
Read MoreDon't listen to Mark Richardson ... he's just wrong
There are still reasons for caution about Jacinda Ardern's rise to the Labour leadership. The fact she may one day have children is not one of them - and Mark Richardson doesn't understand how anti-discrimination law works.
Read More"We have been here before"
You probably want to read about Andrew Little and Jacinda Ardern. But I want to talk about what our recently very busy Court of Appeal has been up to.
Read MoreSaving the furniture: How much more can Labour stand?
It's late in the day, but the Colmar Brunton poll finally put the question of Labour's leadership front and centre. Under MMP the answers are complex, but it recalls the twists and turns of 1990
Read MoreA new New Zealand is Necessary
The 2017 election is weeks away. Parties are focusing on the immediate issues. It should be different. If we are to have a prosperous, secure, sustainable and democratic future we need to be talking the language of the future.
Read MoreOhariu & Epsom: Is it different this time?
It must be just about campaign time, because the dirty deals to game MMP are back in the news. But are they as dirty as they used to be? And do they still matter?
Read MoreIs the basic income "barking" or an idea whose time has come?
Former Prime Minister John Key thought a Basic Income was "barking". It seems many countries disagree and are piloting the idea. As new technology threatens the jobs of many, might a Basic Income become an essential polcy?
Read MoreTurei's confession: What's good for the goose...
Some have rallied behind her. Some want to 'lock her up'. But Metiria Turei's confession of potential welfare fraud raises more complex questions for her and her party
Read MoreA little bit more on Winston's proposed referendums
Winston Peters says his price for government is two binding referendums. If we believe him, which we probably shouldn't, then let's note some more problems with his proposal.
Read MoreThe Greens come out swinging... not just at Winston
Winston Peters won't mind the Greens showing a bit of fight. Rather, Metiria Turei's attack on his "racist" politics is more likely to rattle the cage of another party and send a 'pragmatic' message to voters..
Read MoreIt's really too nice of a Sunday morning to be outraged
Sir Geoffrey Palmer fears that the Government's response to a Supreme Court ruling may be "deeply offensive to the rule of law and a constitutional outrage." At the risk of challenging a legal Goliath, I must demur.
Read MoreModeration in all things, even elections
While Todd Barclay and Labour's interens have sparked some life into election year politics, here's hoping we learn from overseas and scandal isn't the dominate theme of Election 2017
Read MoreThis is why they can't have nice things
Did Labour set up an overseas intern scheme in order to evade the limit on political party election expenses? No ... no it did not.
Read MoreTwo bad decisions, one awful day for National
National's problems are entirely of their own making and come down to some bad decisions. But the real concern will be that it now seems the Prime Minister has been involved in a cover-up
Read MoreIt's not the crime, it's the coverup
The story of Aaron Gilmore ... sorry, Todd Barclay's ... behaviour towards his electorate staff has just got a lot more interesting, as new details about the efforts to cover it up emerge. Might the Police have reason to again become interested in it?
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