Biosecurity New Zealand is cutting the number of staff who protect us from pests and drug smugglers. It makes a lie out of National's 'money to the frontline' promises and is creating some unusual political bedfellows
Read MoreOur Afghanistan strategy – play it by ear
Official papers reveal our new strategy – or lack of it – for military involvement, civilian aid and international diplomacy in war-torn
Burying the lead
For all the government secrecy, it seems that the SAS is back in Afghanistan, ready to be sent to the frontline. It says so in the paper on, er, page 35, paragraph eight.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 11
Intelligence: Iran has enough nuclear fuel for a bomb; War crime investigations in Afghanistan; Australia launches investigation into Balibo Five; At least 26 dead in Iraqi bombings; and more
Read MoreSpring forward: my garden year starts here
My garden story begins in August, when the plum trees blossom
Read MoreAvoiding real life: the Back-up Plan and the Life List
When the day-to-day has lost its lustre, devise a plan to climb Kilimanjaro or learn book-binding. You'll immediately feel better and, hey, one day you might actually do it
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday September 10
European leaders call for Afghanistan summit after disputed election; China plans world's biggest solar plant; America freezes North Korean assets; 12 dead after drone attack in Pakistan; and more
Read MoreCanada, the ultimate NIMBY
Canada's taking its fight against having to repatriate one of its citizens from Guantanamo all the way to the Supreme Court. But rejecting the former child soldier leaves the country open to charges of not in my backyard, merci
Read MoreReferendum Madness
Is it praiseworthy or plain dumb for a government to honour a stupid election promise?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday September 9
Investigation into German airstrike that killed 125; Karzai says election fraud "inevitable"; Japan aims for 25% emissions cut by 2020; new Israeli settlement building; Iran and Venezuela oil deal; and more
Read MoreShock news: Some New Zealand media is quite good
The good news is that not all of Generation Y are narrow-minded, egotistical trivialists and TV3 has created a great new comedy show
Read MoreReturn of the overstayer
The overstayer issue is back on the political agenda with the Supreme Court decision that there are fundamental flaws in Immigration New Zealand’s removal processes
Letter to Laws: Kids are doin' it for themselves
The hypocrisy was bad enough, but Michael Laws' ignorance is worse. How dare he say that young New Zealanders can't come to their own conclusions about issues that matter to them
Read MoreWon't someone PLEASE think of the children?
New Zealanders have spent more than two years angsting over whether parents should be permitted to smack their children. Meanwhile, as a society, we've been failing our kids
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 4
New Iranian Cabinet includes first woman minister and alleged bomber; another attempt at Doha talks kicks off; Israel-Palestine economic talks; World Bank urges more Chinese stimulus; and more
Read MoreA poetic response to mining our national parks
For Gerry Brownlee (with apologies to A A Milne, the dormouse, the doctor, and Bad Sir Brian)
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday September 3
Taliban assassinate Afghan security chief; Experts debate new US Af-Pak strategy; Iran ready to negotiate on nuclear programme; Gaddafi celebrates in extravagent style; Fiji expelled from Commonwealth; and more
Read MoreKarzai limps towards an illegitimate victory
As Afghanistan's votes are counted the fraud accusations grow, the size of the turnout appears dismal and the new US military review doesn't tell us much that's new
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday September 2
Gen. McChrystal announces new strategy in Afghanistan (+analysis); New Islamic leader in Iraq; cholera outbreak in Papua New Guinea; Burmese refugees return home; and more
Read MoreA call to arms: Peters and Brown enter the battlefield
Winston Peters and Len Brown both made declarations of intent at the weekend that promise a battle royal on the right of New Zealand politics
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