A Game-Changing Revelation in Trump Administration’s Russia scandal? Or More Noise?

Posted 11:39am Sunday 16th July 2017 by George Elliott

The Trump-Russia drama escalated last week after the US President’s son released an email chain from June 2016 in which he eagerly discussed plans to receive damaging information on Hillary Clinton. In the emails, publicist Rob Goldstone tells Donald Trump Jr. that there is dirt on the Read more...

Government Searches For Way Around Regulations On Coal Mining

Posted 11:45am Sunday 16th July 2017 by George Elliott

Forest and Bird, says newly released documents show the government is working on “secret” plans to get around environmental protections to enable contentious coal mining. The documents, released to the environmental NGO through the Official Information Act (OIA), reveal that current Read more...

Like a Young Nat’s Wet Dream

Posted 11:40am Sunday 9th July 2017 by Joel MacManus

At 24, Todd Barclay was New Zealand’s youngest MP, anointed as the replacement for Bill English in Clutha-Southland, the safest National electorate in the country. He won by a huge majority. By 27, he was a disgraced politician who had not only ended his own career but also irreparably damaged Read more...

Labour Confronting Important Issues

Posted 11:48am Sunday 28th May 2017 by Jack Pacey

The Labour Party has added to its promises for the upcoming election with another set of policy announcements centred around the growing housing debate and the issue of mental health in New Zealand. These plans represent the start of what Labour hopes to develop into a coordinated effort to present Read more...

UKIP Tries to Stay Relevant by Turning to Islamophobia

Posted 11:51am Sunday 28th May 2017 by Cameron Meads

The Brexit vote rattled Britain and the world. The death of the European Union and the rise of a new world order seemed imminent with Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen’s mobilisation of alt-right voters. Almost a year on, many of these fears have faded while new implications have Read more...

The G.O.A.T. Series Part One: Male Athletes

Posted 11:57am Sunday 7th May 2017 by Charlie Hantler

G.O.A.T., or the ‘greatest of all time’, is an American phrase which has now become commonplace in sporting circles with discussions about which sportsperson is the best to ever grace their code’s pitch/ring/field and so on. Throughout the rest of the year, Critic will conduct a Read more...

Winnie Blues: Winston Peters on Yet Another Anti-Immigration Rant

Posted 11:07am Sunday 7th May 2017 by Joel MacManus

Winston Peters has targeted international students in his latest crusade on immigration, calling on the government to get rid of rules that allow foreign students to earn work visas and permanent residency after completing their qualifications. “We’re going to restore the integrity of Read more...

Interview with Nicky Hager

Posted 11:43am Sunday 7th May 2017 by George Elliott

George Elliot: There’s been a lot of blowback from Hit & Run. What is your assessment from the response to that? Nicky Hager: So far the book is going very well. It could seem like the goal was that the government announced the enquiry, and that was the test of whether it worked, but Read more...

Does Andrew Little Have a Point On Immigration Policy? No, he does not.

Posted 10:59am Sunday 30th April 2017 by Joe Higham

As with any election year, political parties tend to ramp up their immigration rhetoric, and with five months left until we know who will be leading our country for the next three years, this trend is already well underway.  With net permanent and long-term migration (arrivals minus Read more...

Kaye Takes Education & Brownlee Takes Foreign Affairs in Safe Cabinet Reshuffle

Posted 11:21am Sunday 30th April 2017 by George Elliott

The reshuffle has been perceived as a safe refresher for PM Bill English’s team—a balanced response to the departure of two senior officials. Nikki Kaye will replace Hekia Parata as Education Minister; Gerry Brownlee will replace Murray McCully as Foreign Affairs Minister. Gerry Read more...