The Greens’ proposal that election campaign promises be costed has drawn the praise it is due: it is an excellent proposal. But it is a harder job than it might seem. Read more
There is nothing wrong with being an old grump. With a lifetime of disappointments to reflect on, old grumps have earned the right to grouse about how things used to be back in their day. Read more
Retirement savings, lavish family holidays or private dance lessons: these are some of what the cost of a private education in New Zealand could buy according to the New Zealand Herald's calculations. The paper ran a story last Sunday questioning why New Zealand parents choose private schools for their kids. Read more
Albert Einstein said, “for an idea that does not first seem insane, there is no hope.” If Einstein is right, there is hope for the Greens’ proposal to establish a new office to cost political parties’ new policies. It did not take long for the government to reject the Greens’ idea out of hand. Read more
‘Never let a good crisis go to waste.’ For a long time, this was the unofficial motto of the EU. Whatever challenges it faced, overcoming them often enabled it to progress with the process of political and economic integration. Read more
In the schooling world, the word ‘incentive’ may conjure all sorts of negative vibes. Particularly if the word implies receiving an external reward for doing something that one would otherwise do purely for intrinsic satisfaction. Read more
Oxfam does fantastic work in the developing world. It is one of the relatively few charities endorsed by The Life You Can Save: the Peter Singer-inspired NGO that ranks charities by their effectiveness. Read more
For all those who have set their New Year's resolutions, how’s that going? Will 2016 be the year you finally get slimmer, richer, and more attractive? Read more
"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