New Choppers, Fewer Numbers, and a Sinking Feeling: NZ’s Defence Spending Conundrum
This helicopter deal is a step but it’s a wobbly one. Five to replace eight feels like a downgrade dressed up as an upgrade. The lack of drone investment is a missed opportunity. And the price tag, driven by ‘interoperability’, smells like we’re paying a premium to keep Uncle Sam smiling.
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The New NSS’s Dangerous Language on Taiwan
A conflict with China could prove far more costly than any hardship yet experienced over the last three decades of futile bloodshed.
Property, Ownership and the Foundations of Patriotism
Over the last 50 years, surveys in the US and Australia show a rising unwillingness to fight for one’s nation, especially among youth – from 20–30 per cent in the 1980s/1990s to 50–70 per cent in the 2020s. This decline mirrors plummeting home ownership rates among young people.
Latest
Why Control of New Zealand’s Freshwater Matters to Us All
The question is whether New Zealanders are prepared to give up equal, democratic control over water itself. That would be a step too far.
Catching Up After the Holidays: The World Didn’t Stop and Neither Did We
I hope you’ve all enjoyed a solid break over the holidays. We certainly did, recharging for what’s ahead. Now, we’re ramped up and ready for a cracker of an election year. Let’s make it count.
Good Oil General Debate
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Face of the Day
About 30 minutes before the race, they were told the guide would be Sam Ruthe – a record-smashing runner who on January 4 became the fastest 16-year-old to ever run the 1000m distance.