Was “The Prime Minister’s Hour” on Radio Live a prohibited election programme? The Electoral Commission says “yes” – the Broadcasting Standards Authority says “no”. And the row needs to be resolved.
Read MorePoliticians who pretend – a week of parliamentary delusions
Politicians have been arguing that black is white this week, showing that they're about as connected to reality as a two year-old chasing dragons
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday February 17
US and Afghanistan in peace talks with Taliban; Xi says US should respect China's core interests; Thai police say Iranians arrested for attempted bomb attack were targeting Israeli diplomats; Iran offers to return to international nuclear talks for first time in a year; Greek finance minister says Greece is being forced out of euro; horrific scenes at Honduras prison fire scene; and more
Read MoreNo more garage sale NZ: the politics
National is caught on the wrong side of an argument it doesn't want to be having, because it's already busy losing another argument it doesn't want to be having. Know what I mean?
Read MoreNo more garage sale NZ: How the Crafar Farms 'set aside' ups the ante
Justice Miller put on his radical robes yesterday and turned the prevailing view of foreign investment on its head. So what does it mean for the overseas ownership debate and the Crafar Farms deal?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday February 16
Greek austerity package doesn't go far enough, says head of eurozone finance ministers group; Joe Biden criticises China's Xi Jinping over human rights abuses, intellectual property theft and devalued currency; Iranians arrested and charged over attempted bomb attack in Bangkok; Pakistan's Musharraf accused of knowing Osama bin Laden's hideout; UN asks for aid access to Sudan; economy remains biggest US election issue; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday February 15
Claims Syrian troops have killed 500 in Homs in past ten days; UN to consider Arab Laegue plan for Assad to hand over power to vice president; Moody's downgrades six Euro countries; Bipartisan US group urges China to back Iran sanctions; Obama unveils new Budget; Maldives leader wants peace, former president demands new elections; and more
Read MoreAnti-Israel bombings not casus belli
Suspicion that Iran is responsible for bomb attacks on Israeli embassies are no more - or less - credible than suspicion Israel has assassinated a number of Iran's top nuclear scientists. True or not, they should be pause for thought, not cause for war.
Read MoreRiveting argument about tax
I wrote a book! (I know, I am as surprised as you...) Casey Plunket from Chapman Tripp says parts of it suck. I say otherwise.
Read MoreIt's time to put up or shut up
Now that the rather pointless referendum on keeping MMP is over and done with, the real work starts. You have to play your part, too.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday February 10
Dozens killed in sixth day of Homs crackdown; Arab League to return to Syria, perhaps with UN observers; Analysis – so what should be done with Syria?; Greeks government parties reach austerity deal, EU ministers meeting to discuss; Israel and US disgree on Iran threat; Amensty claims Russia & China breaking arms embargo in Darfur; Further improvements in Burma?; and more
Read MoreAsset sales – Where are Mum and Dad’s shares?
Iwi may be steaming over the Government’s plans to convert State-owned enterprises into “Mixed Ownership” businesses - but so will the country’s “Mum and Dad” investors when they find out what the iwi are being told.
Read MoreYou can't put Key on the radio ...
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 MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday February 9
Euro Bank makes US$14 billion concession – if Greece agrees to austerity deal (+ analysis); Argentina accuses UK of "militarising" south Atlantic and takes Falkland's claim to UN; South Korea to make weapons for Saudis in new deal; CIA boss considers Burma trip; Protesters back Maldives' first democratically elected PM
Read MoreAnd 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 MoreStorm in a baby's bottle
Yet again parents are coddled to within an inch of plausability, this time over breastfeeding
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 MoreSyrian slaughter continues as Russia stonewalls at the UN
Diplomacy is failing Syrians as Russia rejects the latest UN Security Council draft resoltuion aimed at stopping al-Assad's brutal crackdown on his own people. Russia's threat of veto is within UN rules, but a rising Syrian death toll is a consequence that's tough to justify.
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 networks seek more State support for “commercially attractive” local programmes.
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