The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill, currently passing through its remaining stages in Parliament, helps Big Oil less than you might think
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 12
Global markets rise with news of Spanish bank bailout; Burma declares state of emergency after violent clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in western Rakhine state; China's exports and imports up and inflation down; US threatens sanctions against "spoilers" to progress towards new Somali constitution and president; Russian police raid homes of opposition leaders; and more
Read MoreTrend: Left turn
Our poll of polls confirms National’s poor showing over the Budget period. Looking ahead, the advantage probably lies with Labour and the Greens
Read MoreNational forgets history lessons in class size debacle
A lack of political memory and of old-fashioned electorate experience are at the heart of National's F-grade performance on education and class sizes. If MPs did their homework they'd start looking, well, closer to home
Read MoreDon't do it Paula: Why Bennett's latest scheme should be removed at birth
Good on the government for its determination to keep having the "uncomfortable conversation" about child abuse. Sad it's not talking much sense
Read MoreDon't look here! Look over there!
What does a government do when people are talking about things that don't suit it? It gives people something else to talk about instead.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday June 7
Deputy al-Qaeda leader killed; China and Russia to boost military ties; Australia GDP up 1.3 per cent -- fastest growing in developed world; ICC calls on UN to take action against Sudan's president; Argentina and UK urged to find peaceful solution to Falklands dispute; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 6
G7 to hold emergency Eurozone talks; Putin in China to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao -- will discuss Syrian violence and Iran's nuclear programme; John Key signs NATO agreement to increase cooperation across terrorism, military training, disaster relief and intelligence; top al-Qaeda figure targeted in drone attack; Merkel endorses oversight of EU banks; and more
Read MoreDifferent bishops, different buildings, same outcry
Since when did church buildings become a matter of public vote?
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday June 5
EU to urge Russia to put more pressure on Syrian government to cease violent crackdown on opposition; US calls for China to release all prisoners still held in relation to 1989 Tienanmen Square pro-democracy uprisings; US and Vietnam exchange soldiers' letters and diaries from Vietnam War; US drone kills 15 in Pakistan; Portuguese government to prop up three ailing banks; and more
Read MoreEgyptians - between a pyramid and a hard place
Egyptians - and the rest of the world perhaps - must be asking how they ended up with a Mubarak appointee and a conservative Islamist competing in a presidential poll which is shaping up to be a referendum on the actual Mubarak trial.
Read MoreDoing the Herald editor's job for him
I don't know if the New Zealand Herald editor exercises any oversight over the columns his "opinionators" send to him each week. But I thought I'd do an after-the-fact job on John Roughan's effort on gay adoption that appeared in last Saturday's paper.
Read MoreRemarks on 40 years
I spoke last night to the Values - Green Party party, and book launch. This is, more or less, what I said.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday June 1
Ireland votes in popular referendum over whether to ratify German fiscal treaty; Asian markets fall over Eurozone fears; Tibetans detained by Chinese police after protests; Pakistan test fires missile; David Cameron's former aide charged with perjury; and more
Read MoreBoo for my side. Boo!
Robert Frost once said that "A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel." I guess that makes me a liberal.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 31
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor sentenced to 50 years in prison for his part in Sierra Leone's civil war; Suu Kyi addresses migrant workers in Bangkok; China buys up Spain's $938 million assets in Brazilian construction company; Syrian diplomats expelled from 13 countries after Kofi Annan says Syrian situation at tipping point; European Central Bank won't fund recapitalisation of Spain's Bankia SA; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 30
Pressure builds on Syria to answer reports of civilian massacre; Philippine senate convicts chief justice for failing to declare foreign currency deposits; China ousts former rail minister on charges of bribery and vice; al-Qaeda second-in-command killed in NATO strike; UN report links Rwanda to Congolese rebellion; and more
Read MoreMMP Review: My 2c
Only one day left to put in your MMP Review submissions. Here is one I prepared just now.
Read MoreWhose airwaves are they anyway?
About 400 people packed a Wellington hall to protest the planned closure of TVNZ7. Among them was former ABC TV current affairs journalist Duncan Graham
Read MoreStat games: National nonsense about employment
If National is going to keep shining up shit and calling it gold, then I am going to keep exposing it as shit.
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