Trump Faces Immediate Challenges, Has No Strategy as Rivals Race Towards ISIL Capital
Posted 12:08pm Sunday 12th March 2017 by George Elliott
Fighters belonging to the most important players in the Syrian civil war converged on the small Syrian city of Manbij last week, illustrating the complexity of a conflict which will be six years old on March 15 and reminding us that the Trump administration is yet to outline a coherent Read more...
Why a hospital rebuild matters to students
Posted 12:12pm Sunday 12th March 2017 by David Clark
Even though today it is agreed across the political spectrum that our hospital desperately needs updating, the timeframe for a rebuild keeps getting dragged out, and some argue that the new buildings may deliver fewer services than they currently do. My position is simple: Dunedin requires a Read more...
Critic Interviews Don Brash
Posted 12:01pm Sunday 12th March 2017 by Joe Higham
Don Brash is the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Leader of the Opposition, from 2003-2006 (National Party), and, for seven months in 2011, led the ACT party. His return to the political sphere comes as one of the two spokespeople for controversial political lobbying group Read more...
PM’s Proposed Raise in Retirement Age Receives Little Cross-Party Fanfare
Posted 12:04pm Sunday 12th March 2017 by George Elliott
Prime Minister Bill English broke with his predecessor last week in a major policy shift, announcing a proposal to raise the age of eligibility for superannuation, New Zealand’s pension scheme, from 65 to 67 years old in the year 2037. English argues that this measure will cut costs for an Read more...
Why Use Facts When You Can Use Anecdotes?
Posted 10:24am Sunday 5th March 2017 by Joe Higham
Prime Minister Bill English has blamed unemployment rates on young people failing workplace drug tests; despite admitting the comments he made were based entirely on anecdotal evidence. English explained that high unemployment figures do not reflect a need to limit the amount of unskilled Read more...
Annette King’s Departure Leaves Jacinda Ardern Poised to Become Labour’s Deputy Leader
Posted 10:40am Sunday 5th March 2017 by Anna Linton
Annette King has stood down as the Labour Party’s Deputy Leader, with both herself and leader Andrew Little endorsing Jacinda Ardern as her successor. “I did ask her [King] to stay on the front bench with the Health Portfolio, and she did consider it,” Little told Critic, Read more...
Struggle, What Struggle?
Posted 11:20am Sunday 5th March 2017 by Tyler West
The entirety of ‘things wot gon dun happened to students last year’ can’t in all honesty be contained in a listicle. Much as in years before, and likely years to come, 2016 was an often bloody year for anything that might resemble a real ‘student movement’ Read more...
Jacinda Ardern a smart pick for Labour deputy
Posted 11:30am Sunday 5th March 2017 by George Elliott
Labour’s caucus will elect a new deputy leader this week and they’d be stupid to not be on board with Jacinda Ardern. Annette King’s most recent tenure as deputy was always meant to be a temporary arrangement, but she did leave with one last battle cry last week, sternly telling Read more...
Will Parliament Lose its Resident Bow Tie Aficionado?
Posted 11:16am Sunday 26th February 2017 by George Elliott
The Green Party announced last week that it won’t be standing a candidate in the Ohariu electorate this year. The move improves the chances that Labour Party candidate, Greg O’Connor, ousts United Future’s Peter Dunne. Since the announcement, the Greens and Labour have repeatedly Read more...
It’s France’s Turn At This Populist Nationalism Thing
Posted 11:18am Sunday 26th February 2017 by George Elliott
We’re all probably feeling a bit electioned out. The American presidential election was exhausting for everyone, even for observers behind computer screens in faraway lands. Regardless, the onslaught continues; the American political system is already gearing up for the midterm elections next Read more...