The policies that work best under ideal conditions may yield terrible outcomes when conditions differ. Policies that fare better across lots of conditions may be preferable, even if they aren’t the very best under idealised circumstances. Read more
Whichever coalition forms out of this past weekend’s election has a substantial opportunity ahead of it. America’s midterm elections brought a Congress that may be more inclined to take back authority over tariffs from the President. Read more
Higher incomes in Australia draw New Zealanders across the Tasman. Many of those who remain here struggle with a high cost of living relative to their income. Read more
Just before Parliament was dissolved for the election, the Government introduced the Local Government (Rates Capping) Amendment Bill. There was just enough time to call for submissions before MPs headed off on campaign. Read more
Alright people, listen up! The rules have changed since last time around. Read more
Almost 180,000 more New Zealand citizens have left the country than have returned in the past four years. Most have gone to Australia. Read more
Last Wednesday, at 9.46am, an email reached the Berlin office of Der Spiegel, Germany’s leading news magazine. Elif Eralp, the left-wing politician most likely to become Berlin’s next mayor, will wish it had never been sent. Read more
On Saturday, New Zealanders elect a new Parliament and deliver their verdict on the first term of Christopher Luxon’s government. What that verdict will be, nobody can say with any confidence. Read more
Seven months ago, the Strait of Hormuz closed. For practical purposes, it remains closed. Read more
Elections are supposed to be the moment when the main parties offer voters a choice between grand plans and rival visions. Indeed, that is the whole idea of democracy: to be able to choose between different paths, especially on long-term spending and taxes. Read more
In August, two senior coalition politicians in the governing coalition disagreed in public about the officials who serve them. ACT's Simon Court said new governments arrive in office to find 'a wall of people who don't necessarily agree with you'. Read more
Violent protests have a long history in the French Republic, going back well before the student revolt and general strike of May 1968. What sets this month's unrest apart is the scale of the damage. Read more
I was up doomscrolling late one night, When my eyes beheld an eerie sight. US midterms will be held next week. Read more
Whether you fill your tank, book a flight or pay for groceries, the rising costs stem from a war in which this country is not involved. Since the Gulf war broke out on 28 February, Iran has kept shipping through the Strait of Hormuz largely choked. Read more
In April 1638, guards in London tied a young man to a cart and whipped him through the streets to Westminster. There they locked his head and hands in a wooden frame for all to see. Read more