It’s funny how times change. In 2019, Labour announced its first ‘wellbeing’ budget. Read more
If Guyon Espiner at Radio New Zealand is right about Associate Health Minister Casey Costello’s plans for tobacco policy, there is reason to celebrate. At least for those who care about harm reduction, proportionality, and civil liberties. Read more
Happy new years do not start like this. The first few weeks of 2024 served as a reminder that the geopolitical situation is at its most dangerous in decades. Read more
The Government’s decision to deploy defence force personnel to the Middle East marks a significant, yet reasonable, shift in its foreign policy. Far from undermining our long-held independence stance, this move reaffirms New Zealand’s commitment to democratic values and global security. Read more
Wellington City Council’s current leaking water woes epitomise the misplaced spending priorities of successive councils. Wellingtonians now face water rationing in their homes while they see vast quantities of leaked piped water escaping down streets and across pavements. Read more
Half a world away from New Zealand in the Red Sea, a small group is making a big splash in international relations theory and philosophy. The Houthis, already well known for their stunning flag design talents and progressive stance on ageist restrictions to military service, have awed the intellectual community once again. Read more
The New Year always brings the promise of a new beginning. But it also confronts us with last year’s headaches. Read more
Thank goodness New Zealand has an Auditor-General who takes his official responsibilities seriously. Last week, he released a damning assessment of recent ministerial processes for making funding decisions on two major infrastructure investment programmes. Read more
As 2023 draws to a close, we reflect on a transformative year for New Zealand’s political scene. The election ended Labour’s six-year reign and ushered in a new three-party coalition government under Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Read more
The demise of the last Government’s Fair Pay Agreement legislation is a cautionary tale for policymakers. Death and taxes are sometimes called the only certainties. Read more
As 2023 draws to an end, it is time for a stocktake on the most significant geopolitical issue of the past couple of years: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At first, this unprovoked attack seemed to trigger a revival of Western unity and determination. Read more
On 5 December 1933, ninety years ago this week, America ended alcohol prohibition. Fourteen years of prohibition had reduced drinking, but at a terrible cost. Read more
Two decades ago, a new term – ‘PISA shock’ – entered the German lexicon. The Germans had prided themselves on a world-class education system. Read more
New Zealand is a long, narrow country with a very low population density. Air transport is expensive and passenger rail almost non-existent. Read more
The country’s education establishment has come out swinging. ‘Destructive,’ ‘weird,’ and ‘radical,’ are how the critics have described the Christopher Luxon-led Coalition Government’s education reform agenda. Read more