espite its manifesto promise to make the Chief Archivist an officer of Parliament, the government has not yet announced its decision. It is taking so long there must be a problem. Let’s guess an outcome if the officials have their way.
One of the major issues which face a democratic nation is the challenge of keeping its bureaucracy accountable and responsive to the public. Over the years a variety of arrangements have developed with this objective.
Read MoreThe ACT Party's "plan to protect freedom of expression" is long on aspiration, short on detail, and would usher in an extremely unpleasant society should it ever be put into place.
This morning I had a chat to RNZ’s Morning Report about the ACT Party’s “plan to protect freedom of expression”.
Read MoreShirley Smith would say that in her childhood she was known as the daughter of (later Sir) David Smith, then she was known as the wife of Bill Sutch and later as the mother of Helen Sutch. Throughout her life she struggled to be a person in her own right.
Read MoreEveryone loses when families become fair game. That goes for the attacker as well as the target
Read MoreOur Court of Appeal thinks that China's criminal justice system is so unsafe that it simply cannot try cases fairly - and our government ministers can't really trust China's promises that it will do better.
Read MoreIf the Government is serious about redirecting policy towards wellbeing, it is going to have to do a lot more than making the odd statement in the budget.
Read MoreThe Leader of the Opposition forced a No Contest and inflicted a Dusty finish on the Wellbeing Budget... a story of politics through the lens of professional wrestling
Read MoreYou don't have to believe the conspiracy theories to see that Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf is in serious trouble. A new inquiry will have to uncover something yet unknown to excuse the three strikes he committed last week
Read MoreWhile delving into the details of how Simon Bridges got hold of Budget 2019 details can bring out partisan nastiness and seem like nothing compared to the lives of real people, process matters and it‘s good someone is keeping watch
Read MoreIn part two, the development of New Times thinking in reaction to urgent changes in the late 20th century, as those on the left struggled to respond to social upheaval, globalisation and the rise of a new politics dominated by the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Roger Douglas
Read MoreReality forces limits. But expectations once created have to be managed. The government is learning that the hard way. Plus money for striking teachers and poll lessons
Read MoreThe Chatham Islands are a world we have left behind.
Read MoreIt's time for a wee change. Taihoa and we'll jump into our new look
Read MoreIt is just impossible to dismiss the prejudice behind a lot of the criticism targeted at the rookie Green MP
Read MoreWhether Coalition New Zealand is a Christian party or not (the Tamakis themselves are divided), the idea that they, the New Conservatives, an Alfred Ngaro-led vehicle or any religious party can get into parliament does not stand scrutiny
Read MoreCan we consume limited resources forever? Is economic growth just a Ponzi scheme in which we borrow from the future? Is economic growth as we know it coming to an end?
Read MoreTwo weeks out from the Budget, it's a good time to remember what is the means of economic management and what are the true ends
Read MoreThe government has promised a ‘wellbeing budget’. No one seems to know what that means. We can set out some preliminary economic understandings.
Read MoreAcross the globe, politics seems to be a battle between strongmen, populists and those eager to make socialism great again. But there is another way. A third way. And it's time not merely to resurrect ideas from the 1990s, but to reimagine them
Read MoreWhile Chris Lee’s “The Billion Dollar Bonfire: How Allan Hubbard and the Government Destroyed South Canterbury Finance” traces the rise and fall of the finance company, it also provides valuable insights into how the financial system works – or doesnt.
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