Prime Minister John Key should keep his hands firmly in his pockets and avoid enlistment in a Middle East peace-making mission when he meets political leaders in Paris and London this month
Read MoreDeepwater oil on Nature’s Coast
Two offshore spills in less than a month – but
Mana from Matt & Loves Labour’s Lost
The Mana by-election was Labour's pre-campaign test. It flunked
Read MoreAfghanistan – alarm bells should be ringing
If the Afghanistan alarm bells were not ringing in Wellington over the last weekend – they should have been
Read MoreGoff’s stormy ride is far from over
Chris Carter’s slide into the political wilderness shifts the focus to Labour leader Phil Goff’s ability to be an election-winner. Goff has a stormy ride ahead
Afghanistan: stumbling away from the war
If you think the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan is in a mess – take a look at ours.
Afghanistan: Leaving the Labyrinth
President Karzai has lost his preferred commander – General McChrystal falls on his sword – and New Zealand’s commitment to Afghanistan has not changed. Does anyone know what’s really happening in the labyrinth?
Read MoreBP slick exposes NZ safety gulf
The US government can barrel oil giant BP into stumping up $28 billion to clean up the mess created by its disastrous deep water oil drilling operation in the Gulf of Mexico – but could you see that happening here?
Drill, baby, drill - The NZ Way
As the United States shuts down deepwater oil drilling to get it back under control, New Zealand opens the door. Gerry Brownlee may not get much more mining on the conservation estate, but he can get it off-shore. How good is that?
Read MoreHere comes our “T” Party!
Yes, that’s “T” for Treasury – not Tea, as in the United States. But Treasury secretary John Whitehead’s step into New Zealand post-budget political cauldron could have a similar effect.
Read MoreBudget 2010: Solid, Sensible – but Sustainable?
The worst thing about Budget 2010 is that was so predictable. What’s not so predictable is its sustainability
Read MoreAfghanistan: Whoa, Johnny,Whoa…
Something happens when politicians put on the steel helmet and flak jacket to join then troops on the battleground in Afghanistan – over there John Key couldn't stop talking. Back home, however, he's keen to keep secrets
Jobs, jobs, jobs – the Key task
National and Labour need to look beyond their differences on government taxes and borrowing. The real challenge ahead is how New Zealand avoids a jobless recovery
Troubles at Rich Hill – Conflict in the Court
Supreme Court flip flop... Queen’s Counsels quiver... old friends part company... horseracing interests dissolve... charges of “apparent bias” upheld... Where will the inquiry into the conduct of Supreme Court judge Bill Wilson take us next?
Time to say “Bye Bye, Mr Karzai”
Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai has been threatening to join the Taliban. He should be encouraged to do it and we should leave his country quickly
Read MoreTo pee or not to pee
What do Housing Minister Phil Heatley and North Shore City mayor Andrew Williams have in common – beyond a couple of bottles of wine?
Read MoreWelfare's "future focus" looks pretty fuzzy
Social development minister Paula Bennett promises a benefit reform that brings “an unrelenting focus on work”. But just how sharp is that focus going to be?
Read MoreSuper city debate gets super heated
Aucklanders are giving the government’s super city plan the kind of reception that makes a lead balloon look positively stratospheric. Can Rodney Hide and Steven Joyce pull the Key coalition’s irons out of the fire?
Read MoreSAS – Now you see them, now you don’t
A newspaper photographer catches Willie Apiata walking home from an observation mission. John Key promises a new policy of openness about the SAS. The elite troops get involved in the first major fire fight of their mission. Where does the openness go?
Auckland heads for a "Toyota Moment"
Auckland is heading for a real “Toyota Moment” – a head-on collision into the reality of out-of-control growth, with Rodney Hide in the crash dummy’s seat
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