On the one hand, it is pretty easy to define political: po·lit·i·cal [puh-lit-i-kuhl] adjective 1. of, pertaining to, or concerned with politics: political writers. 2. of, pertaining to, or connected with a political party: a political campaign. 3. exercising or seeking power in the governmental or public affairs of a state, municipality, etc.: a political machine; a political boss. 4. of, pertaining to, or involving the state or its government: a political offense. 5. having a definite policy or system of government: a political community. On the other hand, how do you define what is political and what is merely topical? That is the question behind NZ on Air’s desire to stop broadcasters screening documentaries on political issues in [...]

The past two weeks certainly have been interesting in New Zealand politics. Buccaneer Brash sails into the Act caucus and makes Rodney Hide walk the plank one week and Hone the Horrible blunders through the political landscape in true barbarian fashion in the next. Suddenly, the rather colourless election looming in November looks like it [...]

The midwife responsible for the completely inadequate care of Linda Barlow resulting in the loss of her baby is now known to be Jennifer Rowan. Name suppression was lifted today. Jachin at Mandeno Musings has been following this case closely. You can read the relevant posts here, here, here, here and here. Now you know [...]

Apparently, Hone Harawira thinks I am a “boorish redneck”. I have no particular objection to Mr. Harawira’s opinion, partly because I am supremely indifferent to it and partly because I make it no secret that I consider him an ill-mannered racist trougher. So we are possibly even. Maybe. Harawira reminds me of an old Afrikaaner [...]

Apparently Gordon Brown has announced that the UK will hold elections on 6th May. In his speech he talked about the three challenges that face the country. You don’t have to listen to his speech: The three challenges facing the UK at the moment are: Gordon Brown David Cameron and Nick Clegg. UK Politics in [...]

A comment yesterday by ScrubOne had me thinking about the problem of the margin in legislation. Simply put, the problem of the margin is the innate unfairness of a boundary which attracts a consequence on one side, but not on the other.  Take the speed limit as an example. Is someone traveling at 101 kph [...]

In part 1 of this post I pointed out how democracy is prevented from becoming mob rule by the devolution of power to parliament – allowing the people their full say only once every three years. It is for this reason that I think direct democracy efforts such as binding referenda are doomed to fail. [...]

I was asked the other day if I could explain the various political parties in a simply way.After I had finished laughing, I told them politics is like traffic. We all use it and there are a set of rules called the road code and this is policed by traffic cops. Anarchists would remove all [...]

The media and the blogosphere have been alight with the by-election in Mt Albert and the selection of candidates. To this frenzy, I must add a small voice of dissent. The by-election fills me with deep torpor – and I don’t mean the town in the middle of North Island (no matter what the TVNZ [...]

I see that the latest Global Whining Warming news is that it may be with us “forever”. Apparently, some scientists are complaining that the elevation of levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may be, essentially, irreversible. “Forever”, in this case, means it may take 100,000 years to reverse, a mere blink of an eye [...]