Independent Analysis and Reportage
In this week's podcast, Paul G. Buchanan and Selwyn Manning will discuss: three areas that have been relied on to protect New Zealanders from terror-styled attacks; legal measures designed to protect communities from danger and even protect individuals from themselves and why they failed.
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. The tragic terrorist attack at an Auckland shopping mall on Friday has led to a lot of debate about how it could have been prevented. It turns out authorities were well aware of Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen’s severe mental health problems and his capacity for violent extremism if not dealt with ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Could government agencies have averted the development of a terrorist?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/09/07/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-could-government-agencies-have-averted-the-development-of-a-terrorist/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Could government agencies have averted the development of a terrorist?">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Should anyone have trust in politicians, given the manner in which they solicit money from the wealthy? Probably not, since virtually every party in Parliament in recent times has been found to be involved in flaunting the law or accepting dodgy donations from the rich. News reports of questionable donations and ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Cash for access to politicians continues" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/15/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-cash-for-access-to-politicians-continues/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Cash for access to politicians continues">Read more</a>
Video we cross LIVE to author and film-maker Barbara Sumner to discuss her new book Tree of Strangers. But first, in this book, Barbara has laid bare her own life experiences to illustrate why New Zealand’s 65 year-old adoption laws must be fixed. It’s a beautifully written story of a child’s journey through the early ... <a title="Video: Selwyn Manning talks with Barbara Sumner about her new book and why adoption laws must change" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/09/23/live-special-at-8pm-selwyn-manning-talks-with-barbara-sumner-about-her-new-book-and-why-adoption-laws-must-change/" aria-label="Read more about Video: Selwyn Manning talks with Barbara Sumner about her new book and why adoption laws must change">Read more</a>
Does money buy policy in New Zealand politics and government? Based on the ongoing political finance scandal involving New Zealand First, which comes hot on the heels of the Serious Fraud Office charging four people in relation to donations to the National Party, New Zealanders have every reason to doubt the integrity of the electoral ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Is Government policy for sale in New Zealand?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/02/15/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-is-government-policy-for-sale-in-new-zealand/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Is Government policy for sale in New Zealand?">Read more</a>
A thorn in the side of National, former MP Chester Borrows punctured his party’s “law and order week” before it even started, by framing its new crime and punishment stances as ignorant and dangerous. Appearing in the media early in the week, he painted National’s discussion document as populist, opportunist, and a knee-jerk response where ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s law and order populism savaged" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/11/28/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-nationals-law-and-order-populism-savaged/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s law and order populism savaged">Read more</a>
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Gavey, Professor of Psychology, University of Auckland Last Friday, a New Zealand jury returned a guilty verdict in the Grace Millane murder trial. The 21-year-old British woman was killed by a 26-year-old man in his Auckland apartment in December 2018. The high-profile trial drew criticism for ... <a title="Grace Millane’s murder trial shows social attitudes continue to minimise gendered violence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/11/28/grace-millanes-murder-trial-shows-social-attitudes-continue-to-minimise-gendered-violence-127796/" aria-label="Read more about Grace Millane’s murder trial shows social attitudes continue to minimise gendered violence">Read more</a>
A consensus is building around the need for reform of New Zealand’s rules governing political party donations and spending. Many commentators are asking whether our electoral laws are fundamentally broken and, if so, how they should be changed. Currently the leading ideas appear to be to clamp down further on donations, better regulate loans to ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Fixing the problems of money in politics" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/11/25/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-fixing-the-problems-of-money-in-politics/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Fixing the problems of money in politics">Read more</a>
The Zero Carbon Act (ZCA) is over a week old, but it’s still being heavily debated and analysed. After all, depending on who you listen to, it’s the most significant new law of the year, of this Government, or even of some people’s lifetime. And it deals with a giant issue – climate change. There ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Zero Carbon Act consensus and disagreement" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/11/15/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-zero-carbon-act-consensus-and-disagreement/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Zero Carbon Act consensus and disagreement">Read more</a>
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Tonight’s historic first vote on abortion laws will inevitably disappoint many advocates of reform. This is because of the watered-down proposals put forward by the Government, and the politicking that has accompanied the legislation – especially New Zealand First’s insistence on seeking a referendum. Of course, abortion law reform ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The complications and politicking of abortion law reform" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/08/08/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-complications-and-politicking-of-abortion-law-reform/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The complications and politicking of abortion law reform">Read more</a>
In many other parts of the world, the close relationship between our Prime Minister and a leading business lobbyist would be considered corrupt, but in New Zealand it’s seen as “business as usual”. Does that make it right? Is it in the public interest to have the politicians and lobbyists in each other’s pockets? The ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Should we worry about lobbyists’ influence on the Government?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/05/28/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-should-we-worry-about-lobbyists-influence-on-the-government/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Should we worry about lobbyists’ influence on the Government?">Read more</a>
What’s happened to the Government’s promised liberalising reform of abortion laws? An announcement of new legislation is looming, but there are signs that reform might be less liberal than pro-choice campaigners were wanting or expecting. The concept of a “woman’s right to choose” is at the centre of the demand for abortion liberalisation reform. Campaigners ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Abortion reform in question" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/05/25/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-abortion-reform-in-question/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Abortion reform in question">Read more</a>