Independent Analysis and Reportage
Building upon recent episodes of A View from Afar, Political Scientist Paul G Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning discuss The Politics of Desperation. This episode flows on from our discussions about long transitions and the moment of friction.
Today, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning examine: At a micro level, how 'Post-Colonial Blowback' has impacted on New Caledonia, Gaza, South Africa, India and even New Zealand. And at a macro level, Paul and Selwyn assess how 'Post-Colonial Blowback' is a power giving rise to the Global South and its worldwide influence in global geopolitics.
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed ... <a title="Bryce Edwards Analysis – Time for “Fast-Track Watch”" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/22/bryce-edwards-analysis-time-for-fast-track-watch/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards Analysis – Time for “Fast-Track Watch”">Read more</a>
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. New Zealand has fallen slightly in the latest Corruption Perception Index – which measures the least corrupt countries in the world. New Zealand has gone from number two in the world, to number three. The annual index is produced each year by the global anti-corruption NGO, Transparency International. The country’s ... <a title="Bryce Edwards Analysis – Luxon needs to raise standards in the Beehive" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/01/31/bryce-edwards-analysis-luxon-needs-to-raise-standards-in-the-beehive/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards Analysis – Luxon needs to raise standards in the Beehive">Read more</a>
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Michael Wood has become a victim of his own complacency about conflicts of interest. He simply didn’t take integrity rules meant to protect the New Zealand political system from corruption seriously. And that’s rightly led to his downfall. Wood’s complacency about corruption-prevention is hardly unique. The whole country has generally ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Era of complacency over political conflicts of interest is over" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/22/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-era-of-complacency-over-political-conflicts-of-interest-is-over/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Era of complacency over political conflicts of interest is over">Read more</a>
Political Roundup: A Culture war over hate speech and free speech is unlikely Sunday’s announcement by Justice Minister Kiri Allan about forthcoming legislation on hate speech has sparked concerns that the country is headed for a second round of culture wars over free speech. As one journalist states today, Allan is “reigniting last year’s political firestorm”. ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: A Culture war over hate speech and free speech is unlikely" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/11/03/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-a-culture-war-over-hate-speech-and-free-speech-is-unlikely/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: A Culture war over hate speech and free speech is unlikely">Read more</a>
In this, the 21st episode of A View from Afar for 2022 political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning analyse the notion, and perhaps the reality, of Trumpism beyond Trump. And they do so through framing the results of Brazil's election; the approaching US midterm elections, and the coalition shifts toward the far right in the wake of Israel's elections.
Bannonism-Trumpism, a cultural ideological export - Political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning deep-dive into how Aotearoa New Zealand is in the cross-hairs of two distinct political powers - one has been around for awhile and applies influence operations aimed at elites; and the other is new to this part of the world and uses cultural and ideological diffusion that is aimed at civil society. Can countries like New Zealand resist the slide into US-styled political chaos?
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. When significant voices on the political left start speaking out against Labour’s proposed hate speech laws it’s a sign that they’re in big trouble. With criticisms now coming from across the political spectrum, it’s much more likely that the Government will ditch the botched speech regulation reforms. The latest leftwing activist ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Progressive opposition will help kill off hate speech proposals" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/06/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-progressive-opposition-will-help-kill-off-hate-speech-proposals/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Progressive opposition will help kill off hate speech proposals">Read more</a>
REFLECTIONS: By Robbie Robertson and Akosita Tamanisau in Melbourne The pictures of Professor Pal Ahluwalia, the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), and his wife Sandra Price on the morning of Thursday, February 4, during their long and unexpected plane journey back to Brisbane after their shock expulsion from Fiji brought back ... <a title="Fiji’s actions threaten to unwind the Pacific’s great experiment in regional education at USP" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/02/13/fijis-actions-threaten-to-unwind-the-pacifics-great-experiment-in-regional-education-at-usp/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji’s actions threaten to unwind the Pacific’s great experiment in regional education at USP">Read more</a>
The National Party is in trouble again for its Facebook advertising campaigning. Late last week, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against one of the party’s social media ads targeting the Government’s vehicle efficiency feebate scheme. The authority ruled it was “likely to confuse or deceive consumers”. The ad had claimed that the feebate scheme ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Electioneering on Facebook under scrutiny" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/09/16/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-electioneering-on-facebook-under-scrutiny/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Electioneering on Facebook under scrutiny">Read more</a>
I was in Ontario for a week in May. The premier of Ontario is Doug Ford, leader of the ‘Progressive Conservative’ party; brother of the late (and somewhat notorious) Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford. Ford is indeed the leading right wing personality in Canadian politics. The chart shows what we in New Zealand would call the ... <a title="Keith Rankin’s Chart of the Month – First-Past-the-Post in Action: Ontario 2018" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2019/06/26/keith-rankins-chart-of-the-month-first-past-the-post-in-action-ontario-2018/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin’s Chart of the Month – First-Past-the-Post in Action: Ontario 2018">Read more</a>