History books and policy changes such as for Three Waters and the media merger warn us ignoring economics is dangerous.
Read MoreWhy Do We Ignore Economics in Public Policy and History?
RNZ
How Broken is the Public Service?
Geoffrey Palmer has said that the public service has been so run down since 1984 that it could not today implement changes of the magnitude that the Lange-Douglas Government did.
Read MoreDestroying Public Service Broadcasting
The recognition that there is a media problem is correct, but the chosen solution is likely to be disastrous.
Read MoreKindness and Samfundssind
How we approached the threat of Covid tells us about possibilities for the future ways.
Read MoreThe New Zealand Media: A few modest proposals
New Zealand media were in trouble before Covid-19. But in a matter of weeks the situation has become much worse. Getting the media through the crisis will not be enough. Change is required.
Read More"It's not over til the fat lady sings": RNZ and Concert FM
What were they thinking! It is not the time to contemplate changes to Concert FM while massive changes to public broadcasting are in the wind.
Read MoreMuddled Thinking About RNZ.
Sometimes public policy in New Zealand is like the Red Queen who announced 'sentence first – verdict afterwards'.
Read MoreHigh Noon in the Economic Development select committee room ...
What narrative emerged from Radio NZ's bosses revisiting the Economic Development select committee room? Nothing definitive ... but there's more to come yet, I think.
Read MoreRNZ, Hirschfeld and Curran let the clichés come out to play ...
Carol Hirschfeld's resignation as head of content for RNZ shows that "Honesty Is The Best Policy", while Claire Curran's decision to set up a cafe meeting reminds us all to "Look Before You Leap". Let the clichés commence ... .
Read MoreWhy the TPP11 will have to go back before Parliament
Bill English seems to think that New Zealand could become a part of a new, non-US Trans Pacific Partnership trade bloc without Parliament having to look at the issue. I'm pretty sure he is wrong about that.
Read MoreMedia in a Post Truth World
A recent decision by New Zealand on Air in response to the changing media technologies raises a range of issues about how the platforms are used.
Read MoreOn the socially contextual nature of treating voters
Meng Foon's giving $20 to a long-time acquaintance is about respect, not corruption.
Read MoreTime to hit the reset button - again?
Turns out the government has been wrongly paying some accommodation supplement recipients for the last 23 years. Here's my overly cynical and (I hope) deeply wrong take on the advice MSD will give the government about how to respond.
Read MoreThe time is always right to do the right thing
Without anyone apparently noticing, the Auckland Transport Board has decided for Auckland ratepayers just when it is appropriate to convey their political beliefs to the world. Can they really do that?
Read MoreMore on bringing medical marijuana into New Zealand ...
Apparently Peter Dunne thinks [update: thought ... see end of post!] I'm wrong about bringing medical marijuana into New Zealand. Here's a longer discussion of why I don't think I am.
Read MoreMedical marijuana in Australia - next stop New Zealand
Australia has just passed the laws needed to allow medical marijuana to be grown and distributed. Once that starts happening, New Zealanders will be able to go across the ditch to get it - and then legally bring it back here.
Read More