It's too soon to say whether Labour's onto a fiscal winner, but politically its given the party a circuit-breaker it desperately needed
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Fonterra should hang its head in shame
How is Fonterra allowed to stay in business when it does this? Here is our dairy monopoly, enjoying its special status as the New Zealand economic engine (while threatening that economy with botch up after botulism botch up), now employing low paid ‘slave’ labour and getting away with it.
Legal highs leave MPs dazed & confused
A look at how we got into this legal highs muddle and how the government's knee-jerk reaction is all about the drug of power rather than any evidence on legal highs themselves
Read MoreTime running out for Labour
It's now or never for Labour, starting with monetary policy and legal highs
Read MoreFatah and Hamas - a marriage made in peace hell
The ink is hardly dry on the latest attempt by Palestinians to present a united front, yet Israel and the United States are threatening them for not doing as they are told and trying to blame them for a collapse in the no-peace peace talks about talks.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday April 24
Disputed East China Sea islands covered by Washington-Tokyo defense treaty, says Obama; labour strikes at Chinese factories spread to include 30,000 protestors; Ukrainian politician believed to have been tortured and killed; Brazil hosts conference on future of internet governance; and more
Read MoreHere's what a real bloke sounds like
I was going to write something about Kelvin Davis, the new Labour MP taking over from Shane Jones. But his own words say it all. This is impressive. He speaks from the heart and embodies Labour principles effortlessly. How did he ever end up too low on the Labour list not to make it back into parliament in 2011...No, don't answer that. That's another blog.
So here is Kelvin's first statement as Labour MP in waiting:
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday April 23
Obama reasserts administration's focus on Asia-Pacific with trip to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines; China and Japan reignite World War II enmity; Nepalese officials try to convince sherpas to work season on Everest; Saudi health official sacked as deadly MERS virus spreads; and more
Read MoreWarning to Labour; the heretic hunters are driving people away
Shane Jones wouldn’t be quitting if he thought he was going to be in government next year. His resignation is a very clear warning bell; Labour cannot win if it loses people like Shane Jones and voters who support him.
Read MoreCoalitionally speaking – a look at scenarios on the right
The ins and outs of possible coalitions on the left are far more absorbing, but Alex asked for it... so here's my humble take on some of the coalition issues facing the right (and a sneaky mention of Shane Jones)
Read MoreHere we may see what Men for Stealth and Robbing must endure ...
A peripheral group of political zealots want to introduce the UK's approach to punishing burglary into NZ. Except they don't really want to do that at all.
Read MoreGreens: Everywhere they look, Peters is there
As the polls stand, all roads to a change of government lead through New Zealand First. And that makes the Greens little more than by-standers
Read MoreOur future lies in science
New Zealand loses focus on science to its detriment, and the world's
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday April 17
Tensions rise in Ukraine; Chinese economy slows; rescue efforts continue for passengers of South Korean ferry; Syrian opposition obtain US weapons; Boko Haram seizes 200 girls from Nigerian school; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday April 15
Worst climate change consequences can be averted, says international panel; avian flu outbreak in Japan leads to chicken cull; Pakistani Taliban factions agree ot one-month cease fire; Guinea-Bissau heads to the polls; and more
Read MoreIsrael's fear of Palestinian sports people
The banning of Palestine's only Olympian from running in the Palestinian Marathon is very revealing about Israel's disingenuous attitude towards any peaceful relationship with the people it keeps under illegal occupation.
Read MoreLabour does not need to promise a coalition with the Greens
The Greens were getting ahead of themselves with their offer to Labour to campaign as a coalition government in waiting, and Labour was right to reject the offer.
Read MoreQuestion time with Simon Bridges
The transcript of Wednesday's question time in the House is not yet available via Hansard. Fortunately, I am able to roughly recreate it below (with some possible inaccuracies, although minor in nature).
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday April 10
Indonesia counts votes in parliamentary election; Japan and US trade officials meet; 24 killed in Islamabad shopping mall terror attack; new French PM passes confidence vote; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday April 9
Ukraine expels pro-Russian separatists from government building in Kharkiv; Hagel warns China against making unilateral moves that could escalate tensions in Asia Pacific; Australia signs pact to free up trade with South Korea; and more
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