The Anzac Frigate Life Extension Program
After months of delay, the New Zealand Defence Capability Plan 2025 was released on the 7th of April, to a fairly muted response. Media coverage focused on different aspects of the plan, with 1News highlighting the large naval and air components, as well as covering the levels of public support for increased defence spending (Day, […]
Opinion | Reading Between the Lines of the Treaty Principles Bill
Following the recent rejection of the bill, I unpack the hidden motives, unsaid terms, the overlooked consequences behind its promotion of ‘equality’ over equity, its flawed approach to Māori rights, and the dangerous literalist interpretation of tino rangatiratanga. By Rochelle O’ConnorGuest Writer After seeing the outpour of disgust against the Treaty Principles Bill and feeling […]
Opinion | Wicked Curveballs: The Reintroduction of the Three Strikes Law in Aotearoa New Zealand
By Stevie Hoesel In baseball, a curveball refers to a pitch that appears to be heading in a straight line toward a point but deviates from its path just before the batter takes a shot at it. It is a strategic move in the game, where, after three strikes, you are out — similarly, political […]
Opinion | AI Activator and GovGPT Policy Implications in New Zealand
By Lewis Mugonyi Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving globally, and its incorporation in various sectors of the economy makes it a pertinent policy issue for governments today and for the foreseeable future. Aotearoa New Zealand unequivocally illustrated this on the 11th of September when The Science, Innovation, and Technology Minister Judith Collins unveiled […]
Analysis | Enhancing New Zealand’s Democracy? The Independent Electoral Review
By Riley Parnwell The final He Arotake Pōtitanga Motuhake | Independent Electoral Review report was published last November. Experts comprising its panel made over 140 recommendations for change covering almost all of our electoral system.1 Some of the recommendations overlap with commitments between coalition parties. The panel, for example, recommended increasing the length of the […]
Opinion | Olympics: A Dream Shattering Bureaucracy
By Oscar Lin Olympics. For many athletes, participating in this rare, once-every-four-year event is a dream. Achieving the world ranking necessary to qualify requires years of relentless training and dedication. But for New Zealand athletes, there’s an additional hurdle: nomination by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC). The NZOC holds the final authority over the […]
Analysis | The Fast-Track Bill – A Path to Economic Prosperity or Democratic Downfall?
By Aamy Roshan Just last month, thousands of Aucklanders marched down Queen Street to protest the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, which was created to accelerate economic growth through development.1 Introduced in March, the Bill would essentially give three Ministers, Chris Bishop, Simeon Brown and Shane Jones, the unchecked power to consent to major development projects.2 Despite […]
Analysis | The New Zealand-EU Free Trade Agreement
By Lewis Mugonyi Introduction On the 9th of July 2023, New Zealand and the European Union signed a lucrative Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Brussels, marking a significant milestone in Aotearoa’s international trade relations. The agreement has been in negotiation for several years with the aim of bolstering the economic ties of both parties, […]
Opinion | Funding Scrapped for Section 27 Cultural Reports: An Ineffective Solution?
By Laura Oh In a move that has generated widespread concern, the Government’s decision to remove funding for section 27 cultural reports has the potential to unravel the progress made in ensuring fair and equitable access to justice for all. This action, part of National’s 100-day plan [1], is posited as a crucial step […]
Analysis | Colonisation in the Pacific
By Thomas Li Colonialism is an aggressive doctrine that derives its inherent roots from imperialism. The purpose of colonialism is geostrategic, as it involves establishing control of a country, invading and occupying it with settlers, and exploiting its resources for the benefit of colonisers. It has been argued that colonisation in the Pacific did not […]