OPINION

Angela Merkel has been Germany’s Chancellor for 10 years, but this is the first time that she is facing serious challenges. Merkel may have survived the euro crisis without a dent in her popularity but Europe’s refugee crisis is leading observers to a hitherto unthinkable question: what if Merkel stumbles over the uncontrolled influx of migrants into her country? Read more

Child abuse is a shameful thing. It occurs to a disquieting degree. Read more

Last week, I wrote about my colourful experiences promoting local government reform in Britain. Though originally unpopular, the idea to give more power to the people has now become government policy over there. Read more

Helen Kelly has not always agreed with The New Zealand Initiative on regulatory issues, but on the issue of medical marijuana, we certainly agree with her. The outgoing Council of Trade Unions president is wanting to use medical marijuana for her own terminal illness. Read more

Recently I attended a citizenship ceremony, and sat amidst a group of people that could best be described as the diaspora of humanity. The event, as is the norm, was presided over by Wellington City Deputy Mayor Justin Lester. Read more

As Mahatma Gandhi once said: “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win”. I was reminded of this quote when I read about George Osborne’s speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester last week. Read more

As Mahatma Gandhi once said: “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win”. I was reminded of this quote when I read about George Osborne’s speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester last week. Read more

If you wanted to sum up the madness of mining regulation in New Zealand the tongue-in-cheek phrase “what’s yours is mine and mine’s my own” is a great fit, as judged by a situation playing out in Northland right now. Minewatch Northland, an anti-mining group, is urging local residents to resist any attempt by Evolution Mining to conduct exploration work near Whangarei over concerns it could introduce heavy metals and other chemicals into the waterways. Read more

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has made all kinds of waves in the media recently, but the least expected has to be the news that Auckland Council spent two and half hours debating the free trade agreement. The result of the meeting was that the council’s Regional Strategy and Policy Committee kicked for touch by requesting that the final text of the agreement be released before a firmer position was taken on the trade deal. Read more

A year ago this week, the John Key-led government was sworn in for its third term. This followed a remarkable election night victory, revealing voters had turned their backs on both Kim Dotcom and David Cunliffe’s lurch to the left. Read more

David Cameron was furious. The report just released by his favourite think tank was “insane”, "barmy" and “rubbish from start to finish”. Read more

Plans to overhaul the school funding system were rehashed by the Minister of Education at a recent secondary teachers' union conference. Details for the new model are scant but the Minister stated that school performance will be included as a factor in funding decisions. Read more

To offset the greenhouse impact of an economy round-trip flight between New York and London, you would have to recycle approximately 40,000 plastic bottles. Fly first-class, however, and that number increases to a whopping 100,000 bottles. Read more

With all the excitement around the Volkswagen affair, the refugee crisis and UK Labour’s return to socialism, the euro crisis has been relegated from the front pages. (It is still ongoing.) But at last, there are positive signs of a change. Read more

Large tracts of farmland, Kiwi-managed and Kiwi-owned, are a matter of national pride, which is why selling such assets, especially rural land, to foreign interests is equated with a loss of sovereignty and often met with strong local resistance. It is an issue of real concern to many New Zealanders, who fear foreign direct investment (FDI) could exploit domestic employees and the environment, or that Kiwis will become tenants in their own land. Read more