The latest reporting on Don Brash's "stolen emails" has again exposed National's political spin machine and a media with a curious attitude towards the public's right to know
Read MoreThe mother of all parliamentary problems
Westminster is both the legal and the spiritual mother of New Zealand's Parliament. But just at the moment, it looks to be ripping itself apart. Where she goes, will we go? Where she falls, will we fall?
Read MoreMulroney the foxymoron
A former Canadian PM is the latest politician to prove "political judgment" is an oxymoron
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 21
Iran launches surface-to-surface missile; Swat Valley "a war zone" (+ map); China-EU summit; Russia: arms reduction must lead to equal security; and more
Read MoreRankin is not the issue
If the government has a strategy for the Families Commission, then allowing the Christine Rankin row to run its course is not the way to advance it
Read MoreThe Sunday pork roast
It’s got all the right ingredients: local celebrity, an epiphany, cute animals, industry bad guys, hoodwink, public outrage - the media’s happy as a pig in muck, this week. But why did it take so long?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 20
Tamil Tiger leader confirmed dead, civil war ends; ASEAN concern at San Suu Kyi trial; China to subsidise new car buyers; Obama imposes deadline on Iran talks; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday May 19
Iran top of agenda at Obama-Netanyahu meeting; analysis of Netanyahu's politics; PNG unrest over Chinese business; Tamil Tigers in 'final battle'; Indian markets climb; and more
Read MoreA new home for the Hillary house
In which I rescue the government from its dilemma over what to do with the Hillary homestead and help rejuvenate the Auckland waterfront, all in one go
Read MoreThe trouble with babies and animals
It was W.C. Fields, wasn’t it, who made that enlightened and penetrating remark about the wisdom of avoiding animals and children?
Read MoreDoing it for themselves?
Is the Minister of Women's Affairs betraying women by urging her ministry to engage more actively with men?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday May 15
US moves on new regulation for controversial derivatives; Aung San Suu Kyi faces new trial; Neanyahu's surprise trip to Jordan; Pakistan gets its way on drone attacks; and more
Read MoreTorture takes a toll... on Obama
As the release date for more US troop-abuse photos nears, the White House executes another awkward policy turnaround
Read MoreGot the patches. Got the tasers. Get the guns?
Napier’s tragic siege will accelerate the provision of tasers to all frontline police. Whanganui can now ban gang patches in public. But why are tougher firearms controls so hard?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 14
Over a million refugee as fighting continues in Swat; South China Sea islands up for grabs; Bank of England's growth forecast; South Korea's $10b for greentech; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 13
America's top military commander in Afghanistan sacked: ops out of control; can the Afghanistan war be won?; foreign firms to list on Chinese sharemarket; Israel calls for peace but not two states; and more
Read MoreGive us a fair go, Simon Power
The Justice Minister last week tried to tell the United Nations what a 'fair go' means in this country. He failed miserably
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday May 12
Pope arrives in Israel calling for two-state solution; Next week's Obama-Netanyahu talks previewed; Japanese Opposition leader resigns; hundreds of thousands flee Swat Valley; and more
Read MoreKilling sacred cows
Vegetarians and vegans have taken the moral high ground, but think again - in a fossil-fuel challenged world, animals need to be part of the food chain.
Read MoreLabour's links to Police, Hager exposed!
Don Brash might dream that Helen Clark hacked his computer, leaked the contents to Nicky Hager, forced the High Court to allow his book to be published, and then oversaw the police investigation which kept her role secret. The truth is more prosaic
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