A scandal can be distinguished from a controversy. Immigration policy became controversial in the 90s, the foreshore and seabed in the 2000s. Even though there were bungles, and offensive views and policies were aired, the underlying issue was always sharp disagreement over core values and policies.
In a scandal, the underlying issue is wrong-doing.
Read MoreNZ First wants to charge straying MPs $300,000. I say they can't do it. Winston says I'm wrong. Where does the truth lie?
Read MoreSouth Africans head to the voting booths; Thai court orders PM to step down; Chinese e-commerce conglomerate to go public -- worth more than Amazon; Boko Haram takes 11 more girls, Putin signs restrictive "blogger law"; and more
Read MoreThe timelines are damning, the hits this week revealing. But in the end none of it matters, because it all comes back to that dinner and what we knew months ago
Read MoreAn alcoholic 58 year old man with twenty convictions for drink driving has been disqualified indefinitely but keeps getting his licence back.
Read MoreNew Zealanders who stay overseas for too long don't get a vote. Is that right?
Read MoreThis weekend saw some rare political courage from an MP on the slide, but it can'tstop the questions
Read MoreOn their own, the odd golf game, visa waiver or dinner doesn't shake public confidence in a government. Until something happens that pulls the threads together and puts them in a new light... Enter Maurice Williamson...
Read MoreJudith Collins wants to go to war with the media. That probably is ... not wise.
Read MoreChildren killed in Syrian airstrike on school; Uighur terrorist attack on train station in China; UNESCO criticises Australian decision to allow dredging of Great Barrier Reef; 60 percent of eligible voters turn out for Iraqi election; IMF approves $17 billion loan for Ukraine
Read MoreIf Steven Joyce is right that David Parker told ‘nine lies’ about the economy on The Nation last weekend, then he must believe the economy is already in full boom; growth has peaked and needs to be slowed; exporters are whingers; the hot New Zealand dollar is nothing to worry about; that not selling enough products to the world to pay for all the things we buy from other countries isn’t a problem - hell, we’ve been doing it for forty years - let’s do it for another forty!
And there is no housing bubble in Auckland - David Parker made it up.
Read MoreEU sanctions 15 Russian and Ukrainian political and military figures; North Korea conducts live-fire drill near border with South Korea; Chinese president visits home of Uighur separatists; Iraqi PM seeks third term; Nigerian military negotiating release of schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram; and more
Read MoreIt's too soon to say whether Labour's onto a fiscal winner, but politically its given the party a circuit-breaker it desperately needed
Read MoreHow 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.
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 MoreIt's now or never for Labour, starting with monetary policy and legal highs
Read MoreThe 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 MoreDisputed 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 MoreI 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 MoreObama 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
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