Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.
Read More.AUKUS is a backward-looking policy. The World needs to move forward.
Read MoreThe underlying economics of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill rests on intellectual property rights.
Read MoreThe claim that there are currently 14 layers of management at Health New Zealand, raises wider issues of how we organise systems.
Read MoreDavid Seymour describing himself as an ‘old-fashioned lefty’ caused a flurry in the commentariat.
Read MoreNew Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China?
Read MoreA burst of grassroots support, a rush of donations, a new, surprise candidate sweeping into an election race crying out for some ‘stardust’. Could the US presidential election have echoes of New Zealand 2017?
Read MoreThe Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.
Read MoreAs we unite to condemn the shooting at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania, can we honestly say we’re shocked? But perhaps this event could serve to unite a bitterly divided America behind a more peaceful path
Read MoreIt was billed as a make-or-break new conference, but the fact is Biden’s cognitive ability is now on the ballot in November and the Democrats need to ask their own make-or-break questions
Read MoreWhether Britain leaving the European Union was right or wrong, good or bad is for the Brits to decide. But there are lessons about international trade to be learned from Brexit, especially as it is very unusual for an economy to break so completely from its major training partner.
Read MoreIf you don’t understand how things work you make foolish mistakes. To explain how the government got into its cancer drugs muddle, we need to explain first how New Zealand’s pharmaceutical purchasing system works.
Read MoreEvaluating the impact of social policies will be very difficult but the government does not seem to be doing much real evaluation.
Read MoreThe opening presidential debate of 2024 was like no other. This was an awful debate of lies and incoherence, dangerously far from the policy battles of only years ago; a debate of golf swings and porn starts rather than issues
Read MoreMainstreaming need not be inherently anti-Māori. It will be if it is done badly because it will be anti-those-in need, and proportionally more of them are Māori.
Read MoreWhat does Budget 2024 tell us about the current government? Muddle on?
Read MoreThere was no less razzamatazz about the 2024 Budget than about earlier ones. Once again the underlying economic analysis got lost. It deserves more attention.
Read MoreHow to run a successful pressure group.
Read MoreNicola Willis delivered exactly what she promised at Election 2023 (more or less). But with the election in the rearview mirror, voters may be in for a less careful Willis in the years ahead as she promises cuts will be “business as usual”
Read MoreThe 2018 Social Security Act suggests that Labour may have retreated to the minimalist (neo-liberal) welfare state which has developed out of the Richardson-Shipley ‘redesign’.
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