Joe Biden gave a message of unity in his inauguration speech and his swearing in shows a pendulum swing in US politics back to the establishment. But what does that mean?
Read MoreJoe Biden inauguration: The pendulum has swung, but how far?
Opening Pandora’s American Box
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.
Read MoreTrump Impeachment II: Hat tip to history or something more?
Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment could be merely a note to later historians as to how awful this term has been or it could be the start of healing. But either way, Trump’s place in history will now largely be decided by Joe Biden
Read MoreA New World Order?
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about today’s global politics?
Read MoreThe madness of King Trump
Howl, howl, howl, howl. As rioters storm the Capitol, we see the madness at the heart of the Donald Trump era. He is now Shakespeare’s King Lear - raging but impotent as America turns the page
Read MoreAfter Brexit?
Beethoven is a New Zealander
The National Library is still disposing books from the nation’s heritage.
Read MoreDesigning For End Users.
Far too often designers forget the purpose of the exercise is to communicate.
Read MoreRedisorganising the Health System – yet again.
Implementing the New Zealand Health and Disability System review not only involves major technical problems but creates fascinating political tensions.
Read MoreNot every wrong has a remedy (in court, anyway)
Disappointed supporters of legalising cannabis are asking the High Court to void the recent referendum result. They aren’t going to succeed, and probably shouldn’t even try to do so.
Read MoreThe Kafkaesque nature of the WorkSafe charges against GNS Science
WorkSafe has charged the Government’s volcano watchdog, GNS Science, as one of the thirteen parties in relation to the Whakaari/White Island eruption. We don’t yet know why. But can they really be guilty of not sciencing properly?
Read MoreSinful or Harmful?
We need to change public policy if our aim is to minimise the harm from drugs.
Read MoreTransformation or Progress?
Why this government will not be transformative; do we want it to be?
Read MoreAlways more fish in the sea? Maybe not
Is the way we think about our marine environment out of date? And what can Covid-19 teach us about being better kaitiaki of our oceans? Because the need is now urgent
Read MoreUp and Down with COVID-19: Could President Trump Be Right (Twice!) In The End?
A seminal paper on ecology, media and attention spans offers insight into just how Covid-19 might yet just ‘go away’… at least, in a political sense. By Sonia Mazey and Jeremy Richardson
Read MoreAs Safe As Houses?
Stein’s law says that if something cannot go on forever, it wont. But does a speculative bubble matter? The cryptocurrency bubble can be left to itself (tax evasion and criminal transactions aside). Why shouldn’t we do the same for housing?
Read MoreSuffer the Children
Are we reducing child poverty by as much as is needed to reach the targets set by the government under the Child Poverty Reduction Act?
Read MoreWinston’s Legacy
The future for an effective centre party in New Zealand?
Read MoreMaori Caucus wins big in new cabinet, with focus on Covid & Election 2023
Jacinda Ardern has started her second term with a bold reshuffle and seven new ministers coming into cabinet. There’s a hat tip to the regions and women, but Maori are the big winners with today’s announcement, thanks in large part of Kelvin Davis
Read MoreKindness and Samfundssind
How we approached the threat of Covid tells us about possibilities for the future ways.
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