OPINION

"Education is a right! Stop the debt sentence!" These were the slogans emblazoned on placards, held by students rallying against the University of Auckland’s 2015 fee hikes. Read more

I prefer making New Year's resolutions for other people rather than for myself. And in that spirit, can we make 2016 the year of not obsessing about whether New Zealand Inc. Read more

As we begin year seven of the euro crisis, observers may ask what all the fuss was about. Wasn’t the euro supposed to collapse? Read more

There is no poverty in New Zealand because the poor are not living in slums. Some people in so-called poverty even have cars and ovens. Whether you agree or disagree with the above statement, you are right. Read more

"I only buy certified organic, fair-trade, palm oil-free, ethically-sourced, free-range, sustainable, eco-friendly, non-GMO products." Yeah right. Over the past few years, companies have noted a change in consumer preferences, particularly among younger cohorts. Read more

The EU may not work particularly well. The euro crisis is far from over, and there are plenty of sound economic reasons to criticise the project of European integration. Read more

The EU likes to portray itself as a good and modern place to do business, despite the hiccups of the euro crisis and other distractions. Between this self-image and reality nevertheless lies a gap, and nowhere is this more evident than in spread of corruption around the continent. Read more

Parenting books are full of advice about how to raise your kids. Much of it is obvious: You should love them, instil in them a love of learning, let them take risks, and teach them to be resilient over adversity. Read more

You were probably expecting our usual take on the week as in the previous 47 editions of Insights we sent out this year. But since this is our last bulletin before Christmas, please allow me to digress, just a little. Read more

Writing a regular column can occasionally be hard work. It is not enough just to know a topic in detail; it also requires insight and an angle to make any piece of writing meaningful. Read more

There is no such thing as a free lunch. The very same logic applies to tertiary education. Read more

Some things are worth doing even if they do not directly improve the company’s bottom line. Other things that could improve a firm’s profitability could nevertheless be wrong to do. Read more

On Tuesday, Minister of Commerce Paul Goldsmith decided not to proceed with the long debated criminalisation of cartel behaviour. The Minister’s explanation was telling: “In weighing up the benefits of criminalising cartel activity, the government had to consider the significant risk that cartel criminalisation would have a chilling effect on pro-competitive behaviour between companies.” If you are unfamiliar with competition law, you would be surprised by such a statement. Read more

Christmas slouches ever nearer. And with it holiday shopping, impossibly loud brass bands on Lambton Quay, and television Christmas specials reminding us that charity ought not stop with the family Christmas tree. Read more

It is time to spice up the family Christmas, and I’m not talking about an extra teaspoon of nutmeg in the fruit mince pies. Wouldn’t Christmas be so much more bearable if we could all just chill out and pass around a joint? Read more