Why New Zealand will not be Australia’s 7th State

Australia and N.Z. A N.Z. commentator thinks we should be their 7th State (Google Maps) An opinion piece by David Farrar, owner/operator of Kiwiblog - a right-leaning blog site - suggests that New Zealand should become the 7th State of Australia. It is similarly interesting to note that when one looks at the layout of … Continue reading Why New Zealand will not be Australia’s 7th State

Decline in services a danger to N.Z. rural communities

A N.Z. Post store in Auckland. (Google Maps) This is a bit of a grumble about large businesses closing and the socio-economic devastation they leave behind, the trends and some local observations. It stems from the announcement by New Zealand Post that 140+ stores are closing (more on that later), and the apparent lack of … Continue reading Decline in services a danger to N.Z. rural communities

New Zealand votes: 07 November 2026

There is an unwritten but generally accepted practice among Governments to make sure that whatever Saturday is set down for the elections, that it does not clash with a foreseen event - e.g. Rugby Championship match, a major international event likely to overshadow it such as a general election in Australia. In 2026, the reasoning … Continue reading New Zealand votes: 07 November 2026

Political winners and losers in New Zealand for 2025

It is that time of year again when the political pundits roll out their nominees for best and worst political performances of 2025. Former Three News reporter, and now TV1 Breakfast co-host (in the new year) Tova O'Brien has just commissioned her take on New Zealand politics for the year. The L.O.M. (Loudmouth Obnoxious Minister) … Continue reading Political winners and losers in New Zealand for 2025

The National M.P. who wants to support Maori broadcasting

Last week was Scrutiny Week. It is a week where bosses of various public service agencies go to Parliament and explain what they are doing in their agencies and why the Government should support them. Meet Greg Fleming, National Party, Member for Maungakiekie and supporter of Te Mangai Paho (T.M.P.), the agency responsible for enabling … Continue reading The National M.P. who wants to support Maori broadcasting