Falling carbon prices have the Finance Minister seeking advice on the Emissions Trading Scheme. The ETS can and should be bulletproof. Read more
So much has happened in the past few weeks that I am spoiled for choice of topics to discuss. In the US, two banks collapsed, causing the biggest bank failures since the GFC. Read more
National recently announced a series of education policies that it will take to the election in October. One is to a develop a much more structured and knowledge-rich curriculum. Read more
Who really cares about the wellbeing of future generations? Those who do should care greatly about productivity growth. Read more
The Super City is saved. The government has unveiled five exciting options for a second harbour crossing, which means that Aucklanders will no longer have to endure bumper-to-bumper traffic and road rage when they cross New Zealand’s most famous bridge. Read more
During my years as an education academic, Professor Elizabeth Rata of the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland always stood out as a model scholar. She has always argued calmly for her ideas, using logic and evidence. Read more
It was a sight to behold. Last week, members of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) interrupted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech at the Austrian Parliament. Read more
This month, Environment Minister David Parker’s Resource Management Act reforms will be consigned to the dustbin of history. Provided, that is, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is listening. Read more
In a liberal democracy, the police are crucial to maintaining order and enforcing the law. But recent incidents, such as the disruption of British feminist Posie Parker’s event in Auckland, have raised concerns about the police’s ability or willingness to carry out these duties impartially. Read more
New Zealand’s resource management system is a contradictory mess. At least, that is the impression you get reading a recent report commissioned by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission on the cost of climate consenting. Read more
Anyone who has read Douglas Adams's excellent Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy knows about the Vogon race of Vogsphere – the galaxy’s natural bureaucrats. They’re officious and callous. Read more
Once again, the Ministry of Education has shown that it prefers ideology to evidence. Last week, it published a Common Practice Model (CPM) – a model of teaching literacy and numeracy to be followed by teachers across the country. Read more
In recent years, threats to freedom of speech have intensified. The Posie Parker brawl last Saturday is just the latest example in the culture war around free speech. Read more
In September 1969, hippies thronged to Auckland’s Albert Park to stand up for free speech, protest the Vietnam War, and enjoy the grass. It was part of a movement for free love and free minds that was sweeping the English-speaking world at the time. Read more
For a brief moment last year, it looked as if the Ministry of Education was finally going to embrace methods of teaching literacy and numeracy supported by scientific evidence. They published a new literacy and numeracy strategy that made reference to structured teaching methods. Read more