New Zealanders’ hostility towards China is growing rapidly – but the worst may be still ahead. International analyst Geoffrey Miller examines the latest survey results on how this country feels about China. The latest “Perceptions of Asia” survey from the Asia New Zealand Foundation, released today, shows a sharp rise in the number of New …
Should anyone have trust in politicians, given the manner in which they solicit money from the wealthy? Probably not, since virtually every party in Parliament in recent times has been found to be involved in flaunting the law or accepting dodgy donations from the rich. News reports of questionable donations and fundraising have been building …
Accusations by a journalist that the Prime Minister leads an unusually secretive government don’t tell the whole story about its desire to control information. Graham Adams takes a closer look at the guidelines for the new $55 million journalism fund. Despite widespread cynicism about the Government’s ability to fulfil its promises — whether it is …
While New Zealand’s problematic but lucrative relationship with China gets lots of attention, there’s another important and similar relationship with Saudi Arabia that receives less interest. International analyst Geoffrey Miller explains why Riyadh is too important for Wellington to ignore. New Zealand’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Barney Riley, has his work cut out for …
In promising to be New Zealand’s most open and transparent government ever, Labour has one key challenge: reform the Official Information Act. This vital piece of machinery for democracy is in terrible disrepair, and the Government has promised to rewrite it for the modern age, but so far are stalling on this. The urgent need …
What can New Zealand learn from Cuba about fighting Covid-19? Plenty, especially in terms of producing vaccines, according to Health commentator Ian Powell. As the Medical Director for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners Dr Bryan Betty is an important leadership voice for general practitioners. He is also well placed to draw up …
One of the most important, and scathing, critiques of Jacinda Ardern’s Government was published this week by senior political journalist Andrea Vance. She reveals how the current administration has become adept and determined at keeping information secret and the public in the dark about crucial issues. You can read her piece here: This Government promised …
The National Party has a major problem with standards, especially amongst its MPs and election candidates. The latest controversies involve the resignation of their longest-serving MP Nick Smith over an employment dispute, and allegations of abhorrent behaviour by election candidate Jake Bezzant. The party has been beset by a series of scandals in recent times, …
New Zealand’s evolving foreign policy – especially with China – is put under the microscope by international analyst Geoffrey Miller, who says it’s important to consider the wider trends and not just the latest twist in the story. This week’s meeting between Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison in Queenstown was yet another opportunity to judge …
The National Party is currently facing questions about the quality control processes in its candidate selection. Liam Hehir reports on his experience at the grass roots of the party, and puts forward some suggestions for reform. On the question of whether the National Party has a culture problem, my answer would be yes. It …
Local government is about to go through a major reorganisation that will affect all our lives, with the Government’s three-year independent review into the future for local democracy. Researcher Jean Drage calls for some urgent debate about exactly what is needed from local government, and she warns against New Zealand going down certain pathways. Local …
On 22 May 1942, a failed prime minister sat down to record what would become one of the most influential and celebrated political speeches in Australian history. The previous year Robert Menzies had dramatically resigned after Federal MPs vetoed his grandiose plan to leave Australia and sit in Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet. Menzies’ party, …
The level of orchestration and political acting was turned up a notch this week in Queenstown by prime ministers Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison, who went to great pains to put on a highly contrived united front about their different orientations towards China. Clearly, both leaders were highly sensitive to the danger of the escalating …
The Prime Minister’s denials that the topic forms part of the school curriculum are puzzling. Graham Adams tries to make sense of her tactics. Jacinda Ardern has offered herself as a hostage to fortune by repeatedly denying that the doctrine of “white privilege” is being taught in schools, or that the teaching curriculum mentions …
Is New Zealand navigating the China-West, politics-trade relationship in a craven way? Increasingly that seems to be the view from overseas, and especially Australia. This critique was boiled down to its essence in last night’s Australian Channel 9 18-minute documentary, “Kiwis might fly”, which you can watch on Youtube here: Dollars VS Decency: Is China …
Should we give more power to the politicians so that they can get things done? It’s an increasingly popular idea in New Zealand that we should hold elections every four years, rather than three, so Governments can implement more change. This week the Act Party gave the idea another push with the release last Saturday …
New Zealand’s foreign minister is ruffling feathers. International analyst Geoffrey Miller explores Nanaia Mahuta’s orientation to her job, Beijing, and Belarus. Nanaia Mahuta’s comments on China in a Guardian interview this week brought a veiled rebuke from Beijing – and a new wave of international headlines. It was a fresh reminder that the foreign minister’s …
One week on from last Thursday’s Budget, the “Benefit Boost” is still being discussed and dissected from all sides, but especially by the political left, which is celebrating, questioning, and endeavouring to work out how significant the move is. Today, for example, welfare economist Michael Fletcher has published his breakdown of the numbers involved in …
Budget: Benefits increase and poverty Janet McAllister (Stuff): Budget did not go far enough to fix child poverty Max Rashbrooke (The Guardian): Jacinda Ardern’s budget made progress on poverty, but it’s not mission accomplished Simon Wilson (Herald): Chewing over the Budget with Judith Collins and poverty researchers (paywalled) Henry Cooke (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern defends lack of middle-income measures in Budget, says Working For Families reform …
What role has the political left played in helping create some of the changes to the current way politics is debated? Below is a short five-minute speech I contributed to a panel discussion at an event hosted last week by Diplosphere, entitled: “Living in the Age of Outrage”. The questions posed for speakers at the …
This week’s Budget has more than just financial accounts. International analyst Geoffrey Miller delves into what the allocations say about the direction of foreign policy under the new ministers. There are some new clues to be found in the Budget that illustrate the foreign affairs and trade agenda of the Labour Government, under new …