Last week I heard a 60-something-year-old talk about getting some files out of his ‘machine’. I imagined some kind of futuristic filing cabinet but it turns out he was talking about his computer. Read more
Australia is often referred to as the “lucky country”. However, what most Kiwis (and many Australians) don’t know is that Donald Horne was being unkind when he coined the phrase in the 1960s, the full sentence being: “run by second-rate people who share its luck.” Former Finance Minister Michael Cullen once said of Australia: “It’s nothing to do with their intrinsic superiority or less regulation or whatever, it’s because they’ve got this vast mineral wealth. Read more
On Monday, European finance ministers agreed to the release of €6.8 billion for Greece. This followed the latest report of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund troika on Greek reform and austerity measures. Read more
Last week, the OECD published Education at a Glance 2013, comparing education indicators across 42 countries. Ministers Steven Joyce and Hekia Parata highlighted a few points of interest. Read more
One of the great, yet little known Kiwi academic giants has passed away. Professor Kenneth Robert Minogue, a New Zealander by birth, Australian by upbringing, and Englishman in his working life, has died at 83. Read more
A few years ago, my pet hates in the English language were narrowly defined. They were the handful of words and phrases football star David Beckham typically uttered when reporters courageously interviewed him. Read more
Sometimes Australia seems an odd country indeed. Kevin Rudd’s elevation to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) leadership last week after three years spent undermining his own leader, colleagues and political party, is the latest astonishing development. Read more
Of all the aspects of the euro crisis, the most worrying one is the effect it has had on the younger generation. Across Europe, youth unemployment has reached such proportions there is talk about a lost generation. Read more
There has been no shortage of excitement in Australian politics in recent years. Treachery, back-stabbing, scandals and defections are among the staples of Australian democracy (which one might now instinctively misspell as demo-crazy). Read more
Recently the government announced it would fund KickStart, a breakfast-in-schools programme designed specifically for decile 1 to 4 schools. The announcement was generally well received but did raise an uncomfortable question: is it the state’s role to feed people’s kids? Read more
Has the Australian Labor Party (ALP) lost the plot? The evidence suggests as much after the governing party’s fifth successful leadership coup in 10 years returned Kevin Rudd to the office of Prime Minister on Wednesday. Read more
After decades of loose discussions about a trans-Atlantic common market, serious talks on a free trade agreement between the US and the EU are finally about to begin. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will formally start to take shape with a first round of negotiations in Washington on July 8. Read more
As Kiwis watch Kevin Rudd's re-elevation to the Australian prime ministership, one curious thing becomes clear: this leadership bid had nothing to do with policy, but Mr Rudd's character, and backbenchers afraid of losing their seats. To understand why Julia Gillard failed so miserably as prime minister, one must understand the shortcomings of Mr Rudd. Read more
As Kiwis watch Kevin Rudd's re-elevation to the Australian prime ministership, one curious thing becomes clear: this leadership bid had nothing to do with policy, but Mr Rudd's character, and backbenchers afraid of losing their seats. To understand why Julia Gillard failed so miserably as prime minister, one must understand the shortcomings of Mr Rudd. Read more
Finally, exceptional primary school teachers can see an opportunity to be recognised for their hard work in the classroom. The primary teachers’ union, the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), recently announced the introduction of what is essentially performance-based pay. Read more