In times of trouble, consider the mattress
In times of trouble, consider the mattress
On Thursday, Britain will vote to leave the European Union or not. In November, the United States will vote to have Donald Trump as president or not.
Commentary
A house is core to a good life
A house is core to a good life
What's in a house? A lot more than "housing''.
Future policy being overtaken by the present
Future policy being overtaken by the present
The Government is about to bring in a Bill to regulate space. Well, not exactly. It is to cover Rocket Lab's launches of lightweight space satellites from Mahia Peninsula and comparable future innovations.
Green's new paradigm and Labour's need
Green's new paradigm and Labour's need
Where did people fit in Thursday's Budget? As a cost.
Labour, Greens must find a focus
Labour, Greens must find a focus
Labour and the Greens have again in recent weeks been banging their heads against a wall: trying to dislodge John Key from his supra-political perch.
Bracket creep, or fiscal drag, brings on tax cuts
Bracket creep, or fiscal drag, brings on tax cuts
When is a tax cut not a cut? When it just reverses a rise.
A character reputation being put to the test
A character reputation being put to the test
Is someone who does not pay a fair share of tax a person of "good character''?
How meaningful is the Anzac bond?
How meaningful is the Anzac bond?
Jihadis shout ‘‘Allah Akbar'' (God is Great) when killing.
Budget focus on real cost, real benefit
Budget focus on real cost, real benefit
Five weeks till the Budget. Much focus will be on the fiscal balance. But behind the scenes there has been an important change. Fitting the frame of that change was last December's Rebstock report on rescuing hard-done-by children, made public only on April 7.
Reform in the wings
Reform in the wings
It's been an international week: Helen Clark going for the top United Nations (UN) job; rich skunks exposed shuffling money to hidey-holes like New Zealand to avoid tax.
Climate affairs collaboration holds opportunity, risk
Climate affairs collaboration holds opportunity, risk
The sea crept back up the political beach last week, a reminder of a tidal change under way.
Now for the real stuff, Mr Key
Now for the real stuff, Mr Key
Two losses in a week for a man who made a fortune winning: to Bradley Ambrose, the photographer he trashed in the 2014 election campaign; and no new flag.
Is dairying too big to fail?
Is dairying too big to fail?
Is dairy John Key's ‘‘Think Big''? Is it ‘‘too big to fail''? Is it a security risk?
National at risk of losing line of sight
National at risk of losing line of sight
Third-term-itis is an insidious virus. The latest symptom is Michael Woodhouse's worms/minigolf/curtain hanging list of dangerous workplaces.
Opinion: Eye on the future a brake on change
Opinion: Eye on the future a brake on change
Government is always a balancing act. For this term the balance is between an urge in the National Party for business-friendly action and staying in touch with the wider public.
China still the elephant in the financial room
China still the elephant in the financial room
Bill English's sixth Budget was an election-year Budget in three respects.
Voters can push localism
Voters can push localism
Should local bodies bother about children? Could the Cabinet agree?
Need to sort out public-private muddle
Need to sort out public-private muddle
We have an extractive economy which depends on commodity exports. That makes the drought a big deal. It makes Solid Energy a big deal - made bigger by a public-private muddle.
Challenge of being a small, smart country
Challenge of being a small, smart country
Bill English has set the Budget date nice and early - as John Key did the election date in 2011 and is likely to do in 2014. Now, are Mr English and Mr Key - and Steven Joyce, who is to make a science speech on Thursday - up to the fiscal science challenge?
Notion of 'fair go' resonates widely
Notion of 'fair go' resonates widely
Houses are big in 2013 - big in size and way too big in price for too many people. That is the stuff of big politics.