Bill English's eight budget ticks boxes here and there, but it will be remembered in history for its complacency and the missed opportunities it represents
Read MoreWhy Corrections prevented Tony Robertson from getting treatment in prison
Tony Robertson has a lot in common with Graeme Burton, William Bell & the Beast of Blenheim. They were all serious high risk offenders – but none of them got to attend a rehabilitation programme in prison
Read MoreHave We a Housing Policy?
The government has let the housing market deteriorate with measures which are insufficient, late and ineffective. As a first step we need to identify the underlying problems.
Read MoreWhat to do about the one percenters?
A heart-breaking interview raises hard questions about what to do with the worst of the worst criminals
Read MoreMy review of Michael Bennett's "In Dark Places"
Where is Adult Education Going?
This is a condensed version of a paper given to a WEA Conference on 14 May, 2016, Available in full at http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/2016/05/where-is-adult-education-going/
Read More'Solar tax' makes it's harder to be green. For now
A solar tax makes it harder to go green in the short term, but could drive more customers off grid as the appeal of solar power grows
Read MoreHow Special Housing Areas are failing & the immorality of land bankers
It's time to call out land bankers and require urgent action, because Auckland's lack of houses is driving people in their cars
Read MoreTime, which sees all things, has found you out
A blogger's own campaign to have name suppression laws tightened has resulted in that blogger being refused name suppression after pleading guilty to his own illegal activities. Isn't it ironic, don't you think?
Read MoreHow Should We Run a Budget Deficit?
If it necessary to run a budget deficit then it should be spent in the interests of future generations, rather than on increased consumption to be paid for in the future.
Read MoreCould New Zealand become Chile?
How should New Zealand see itself in world affairs, and does Chile provide a model for how we might do so?
Read MoreValue and Price
The social worth of a person in no way reflects their income or wealth. To confuse the two notions is to play into the values of the rich.
Read MoreQuick thoughts on the foreign trust lobbying affair
Some very quick thoughts on the matter of the PM's lawyer and his lobbying efforts, written on a Friday afternoon while waiting for a taxi to take me to the airport. So don't expect anything too deep and meaningful!
Read MoreAre animals to blame for peak antibiotics?
How signing the TPPA and buying New Zealand meat could help the fight against our growing resistance to antibiotics
Read MoreParliament's 2014 election review: the goodish, the so-so, and the ugly
The parliamentary review of the 2014 election has just been reported. What treats do our MPs have in store for the 2017 campaign and beyond?
Read MoreBible in schools: externalising an internal debate for & against
Bible in schools looks like a class out of time, the remnants of a time that's passed. But 650+ schools still choose to teach it. What are the pros and cons? I wrestle me way through them
Read MoreBible in schools: externalising an internal debate for & against
Bible in schools looks like a class out of time, the remnants of a time that's passed. But 650+ schools still choose to teach it. What are the pros and cons? I wrestle me way through them
Read MoreThe 'time thieves' at customer service
My wife and I have been waiting for a total of 11.5 hours now for a tradsperson to arrive to fix our dishwasher. When we can send a man to the moon – and are told customer service is all in the modern economy – how come this keeps happening?
Read MoreReducing External Political Interference in New Zealand: A Modest Proposal.
Are we too generous about the civilian rights of non-doms, who do not pay tax on all their incomes?
Read MoreFor some people, lightning really does strike twice
It's been said that Winston Peters is NZ's great political survivor. He's also been the beneficiary of a fair bit of legal luck along the way.
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