The Leader River attacking State Highway 1 earlier this week (Source: RNZ) This week, northern Canterbury and southern Marlborough experienced the worst flooding in possibly more than a generation. Fuelled by a deep, broad, slow moving low that delivered huge rainfall tallies in the northern South Island - and significant snow in inland and southern … Continue reading The soggy question posed by New Zealand floods
New Zealand First’s drift to the fringe right
The party of Winston Peters is drifting to the right. (A. Cairns/Stuff) A few days ago columnist Andrea Vance wrote a zinger of a column about the drift of New Zealand First to the right of the New Zealand political spectrum. When one considers all that has happened, which New Zealand First has been a … Continue reading New Zealand First’s drift to the fringe right
Where to for N.Z-U.S. relations on America’s 250th Birthday?
Independence Day, 04 July 1776 (ChatG.P.T.) America turns 250 today (U.S. time). On a day which normally invokes the most overt celebrations of all things American, what it means to be American, Independence Day means different things to the 330 million people who have the legal right to call themselves Americans. Most will probably celebrate … Continue reading Where to for N.Z-U.S. relations on America’s 250th Birthday?
N.Z. Defence Force spending priorities in 2026: My take
An R.N.Z.A.F. 757-200 in 2024. These are due for replacement (R. Glennie) It is generally recommended that O.E.C.D. countries spend about 2% of the G.D.P. on defence. According to World Bank data, O.E.C.D. expenditure as a percentage of G.D.P. ranges from Israel spending 8.8% to Ireland, which spends 0.2% of its G.D.P. on its military … Continue reading N.Z. Defence Force spending priorities in 2026: My take
My submission on the N.Z. First Gender Definition Bill
I wrote a submission yesterday on the New Zealand First Gender Definition Bill, which seeks to biologically define a man and a woman. In this article I explain why my submission does not support it. This Bill of Parliament is open for submission until 02 July 2026. MY POSITION: I do not support this Bill … Continue reading My submission on the N.Z. First Gender Definition Bill