Who Is Behind The Rioting?

For a second night the centre of Auckland has fallen victim to overnight riots and looting. The trouble began on Monday, when cars and rubbish bins were set alight by a mob of infuriated bankers. The cause of the initial disturbance is not known, but the trouble quickly turned to rioting, with shop windows broken…

Internet Outage Hits Labour MP

A series of ongoing telecommunications faults have left residents in a lower North Island town irate and frustrated. Wainuiomata residents have complained about the infrequent and erratic internet coverage in their area. The problems began inexplicably last month and have continued to dog the neighbourhood. A spokesperson for Chorus, Telecom’s lines division, said that contractors…

New Zealand’s Next Top Constitution

The government has announced the names of the people selected to sit on the Constitutional Advisory Panel. This panel is an independent group that will lead public discussion on constitutional issues. It will then report to the government. But the make-up of the panel is disappointing, and lacks serious star talent. If we really want…

Plenty Of Reasons For Labour SupportersTo Be Cheerful

I’ve made no secret of my Labour affiliations, but I maintain that my analysis on this blog is fiercely independent and impartial. I hate all right leaning parties equally. So I’ve been looking at the numbers in the latest polls, and I’ve come to the conclusion that all is not lost for Labour. Here are…

Right Thinking: Feeding Time

  Hard-hitting conservative columnist Dr Frank Shizenhausen returns after a lengthy break I cannot believe nobody has spotted the opportunity. The Herald has been running a campaign focusing on poor and needy children with not enough to eat. The fact that people are going hungry is an inconvenient blot on our nation’s reputation, and with…

These Are My Rules

In which I set out the principles I will rigidly enforce when I am your Lord and Master Godwinning a blogpost thread, other than for ironic or humorous purposes, will be a criminal offence. You may disagree strongly with your opponents, but admit it, the chances of their being actual Nazis are quite slim. People…

The Night I Met Rupert Murdoch

I haven’t written anything about the phone hacking scandal, but now seems like a good time to mention that I’ve actually met Rupert Murdoch. In fact I had a good long discussion with him. Surprised? Well admittedly it happened in the dream I had last night, and a weird dream it was too. But I…