Simon Bridges has ordered a review of the National Party’s culture following the Jami-Lee Ross saga. Such exercises tend to set up by those who have a pretty clear idea of the outcomes they want to see and who are likely to be dismissive if they’re not duly delivered, writes Bryan Gould, the former UK Labour … Read more
From Monday almost 100 NZ exporters are taking part in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. The forum heralds a more prosperous and integrated China, but it takes place against the background of a debilitating trade war, writes Stephen Jacobi of the NZ International Business Forum Competing economic visions will need to find a … Read more
Housing was in the news this week, and there was a striking indication of where the Ardern-led government’s focus lies, writes Guyon Espiner of RNZ There were two big housing stories this week, two quite different approaches to them and one clear signal where the government’s focus lies. The first was a government generated “media … Read more
If we’re serious about our commitment peace, we shouldn’t be hosting a ‘forum’ sponsored by a giant arms manufacturer, and we shouldn’t have troops involved in illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, argues Green MP Golriz Ghahraman Last week, as harrowing details emerged of the targeted murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Donald Trump provided … Read more
Yesterday saw yet another story of young home owner success splashed across the news. But this time both sides of the political divide kicked off, sledging the government and the new mortgagees alike. Don Rowe explains. Monday morning dawned like many others. It was raining in Auckland. Denise L’Estrange-Corbet was being weird on the telly. Stuff … Read more
People are freaking out about the potential hazards of Lime e-scooters. Hayden Donnell asks whether we could apply these same standards to another type of vehicle causing even more harm. At first the reaction to the introduction of Lime e-scooters was positive. There were explainers. Stories about how far people had travelled in a single … Read more
Last week in the Spinoff, Green MP sketched a history of NZ drug laws and issued a repudiation of National MP Simeon Brown’s Psychoactive Substances Amendment Bill. Here he argues that her position fails to face the real challenges that come with the scourge of drugs. In her article How New Zealand got hooked on moral panic … Read more
Fossil fuels are on the way out and New Zealand is leading the way, writes Claudia Palmer, the Campaigns and Mobilisation Manager for 350 Aotearoa. The New Zealand government’s ban on offshore oil and gas exploration is leadership on climate change, plain and simple. For an issue so vast and fraught with difficulty and vested interests, the … Read more
Submissions on the proposed law to end new offshore oil and gas exploration have revealed a host of problems, says Cameron Madgwick, CEO of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of NZ. The phrase “a week is a long time in politics” seems very timely after a week of hearings on the proposed law to end … Read more
Some time in the next two years the public will be asked to vote on whether or not New Zealand should legalise the personal use of cannabis. But how exactly should that question be phrased? We went to the experts to find out. Manu Caddie, Hikurangi Cannabis My suggested referendum questions are: Should adults be … Read more
As NZ marks a major anniversary for what is now called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Michael Appleton explains what it is that he and his fellow diplomats actually do New Zealand’s first professional diplomat, Carl Berendsen, was positioned in the Prime Minister’s Department; from 1926 till 1943, he was essentially our one-person … Read more
In the aftermath of the Jami-Lee Ross saga many have called for increased transparency around political donations, saying it’s better for a healthy democracy. But what if that’s completely backwards? Liam Hehir makes a case for mandatory anonymity. One thing the Jami-Lee Ross saga has stirred up is the issue of political finance in this country. … Read more
The High Court yesterday ruled in the latest legal tussle between disgraced Conservative leader Colin Craig and disgraced blogger Cameron Slater. Sam Brooks reads the judgement and shines light on the shade. Look, there were no winners in this case. Legally, sure. Morally, it’s like when the checkers team had a scrap against the backgammon … Read more
The Law Commission has just released its briefing paper on abortion, looking at alternative approaches to New Zealand’s current law. Family Planning CEO Jackie Edmond explains what these options are. The Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing our abortion laws. In his letter to the Law Commission, charged with reviewing options should the law be … Read more
The Greens’ donation cap proposal would simply pull the small party ladder up behind them, argues TOP leader Geoff Simmons. The Jami-Lee Ross saga has highlighted some of the problems with donations in politics. Greater transparency is certainly needed. However, the Green Party idea of banning donations over $35,000 would be the third strike against … Read more
A year ago today, Bill English and Winston Peters formally tied the political knot. Toby Manhire assesses the first 12 months for the coalition and the challenge for Jacinda Ardern, leading a Labour Party left out in the cold again. They were called the Odd Couple, they were called yesterday’s men, they were called the … Read more
With the festival season just around the corner, KnowYourStuffNZ founder Wendy Allison explains why drug laws need to change so that they can help people find out what is in the substances they plan to consume, and avoid causing themselves enormous harm The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was made in a time when the range of … Read more
In a series of interviews this morning, a very high-ranking member of the National caucus has set the clock ticking, laying out exactly what Bridges needs to achieve in the coming polls to remain in his job Last night the immediate damage to the National Party from the Jami-Lee Ross saga was laid out in … Read more
The refrain that climate change is difficult to get people to care about it or, worse, that nobody cares can’t be allowed to go answered, writes David Hall There’s a rumour going around that “not many people care about climate change”. Fortunately, Danyl Mclauchlan isn’t quite right about this. Unfortunately, his being wrong doesn’t make … Read more
A new Colmar Brunton poll for TVNZ conducted in one of National’s bleakest weeks makes tough reading both for the party and its leader. As is often pointed out, to read too much into any one poll is folly: it’s the patterns that matter. That’s a fair point; some of us do every now and … Read more
Here are some of the issues an internal probe following the Jami Lee-Ross saga will confront. The National Party leader faced a bit of blowback for commissioning an inquiry into the leaking of his expenses. He’s unlikely to face much criticism, however, for the inquiry he commissioned today. After a week-long fusillade from Jami-Lee Ross, … Read more
In a week like no other in NZ politics, the Botany MP turned on his former party and its leader, going about as rogue as you can go. Toby Manhire tallies the explosions Over the course of 100 hours last week, Jami-Lee Ross turned into a human firestorm. It began on Monday lunchtime with the … Read more
What a difference a year makes, writes Massey University politics professor Richard Shaw. This article was first published on The Conversation. Shortly before last year’s general election in Aotearoa New Zealand, a Morrinsville farmer protesting the then opposition Labour Party’s planned water tax held up a placard describing its newly minted leader, Jacinda Ardern, as … Read more
The Jami-Lee Ross saga is a betrayal without precedent in New Zealand’s political history. Danyl Mclauchlan explains why. So much of what happens in politics never makes it into the media. Every now and then a journalist – out for an early run or stumbling home from a late night – passes Parliament and observes … Read more
National was firmly and rightly opposed to such an anti-democratic piece of legislation. But Jami-Lee Ross’s volte-face on quitting parliament means they’re more than entitled to invoke it to throw him out of parliament, writes Liam Hehir Jami-Lee Ross has reneged on his stated to intention to resign from parliament and run as an independent … Read more
In an astonishing interview on Newstalk ZB, Jami-Lee Ross has taken the principled stance of not resigning to fight a by-election he has no chance of winning. Will Simon Bridges now look to the waka jumping law? Throughout this week, rogue National MP Jami-Lee Ross has shown himself accomplished at the marathon press conference. Tonight, … Read more
Communication broke down in Britain’s parliament this week as a New Zealand-born MP struggled with another member’s Glaswegian accent. Sir Paul Beresford, MP for the Mole Valley in the British parliament, grew up in Levin and studied dentistry at Otago University before moving to the UK in the 70s to work in the NHS. “I’ve … Read more
Last night RNZ reported that a woman alleging bullying by rogue National MP Jami-Lee Ross said she had received threatening phone calls from Simon Lusk. Ross himself had earlier confirmed that he was taking advice from the shadowy political operative. But who is he, and where have we heard that name before? When private security … Read more
A new bill to increase the penalty for drug supply and distribution has passed its second reading in parliament. Green MP Chloë Swarbrick looks back on a decade of harmful drug laws. We are at a crossroads on drug policy in New Zealand. There is a real risk we take a backward step, further entrenching … Read more