Seven long‑term agreements to secure New Zealand’s future[Read More...]

Protest at Winston Peters’ home shows how far debate has fallen

I should start with an apology. I’m sorry that I am finding it really difficult to get too...

GDP slump exposes deeper cracks in economy and government response

When the latest quarterly GDP result came out last week, many of the accompanying commentaries...

NZ roads vs Australia: Why better highways could boost tourism

I’ve spent the last week travelling. A good old-fashioned road trip, to be exact. We’ve been...

Chasing foreign supermarkets won’t lower food prices

I sometimes wonder if our politicians put themselves in the headlines without thinking things...

New Zealand’s perfect political storm approaches

In Sebastian Junger’s excellent portrayal of the sinking of the fishing boat, the Andrea Gail, the...

Butter backlash overlooks farming’s crucial economic role

It seems that we’re going batty over butter. In case you’ve missed it, it’s the price of the stuff...

Why a new slave labour commissioner won’t change anything

Labour MP Camilla Belich has lodged a member’s bill asking for another commissioner, this time to...

NZ urged to trim government size amid rising spending concerns

The great American economist Milton Friedman was fond of saying that “the real tax on American...

NZ Government’s progress overshadowed by global economic, political risks

It’s 18 months since the new Government was sworn in. The mess they inherited has been well...

A vision for NZ: A safe place where everyone can prosper

Last week, I managed to get myself caught up in a lively conversation with a couple of mates. It...