Independent Analysis and Reportage
EVENING REPORT: On Friday August 20 the Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Adrian Orr told Bloomberg that a fundamental imbalance in the New Zealand economy is a lack of supply within the residential housing market. But will a supply correction alone resolve New Zealand’s affordable housing crisis? Stephen Minto analyses this question.
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. By joining the Government, the Greens promised to give Labour the spine it needed to act decisively on housing, inequality, climate change and other pressing issues. This hasn’t happened. In fact, rather than being the progressive backbone of the current government, some allege the Greens are helping to “greenwash” Jacinda Ardern’s ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Are the Greens just “Labour’s little helper?”" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/13/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-are-the-greens-just-labours-little-helper/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Are the Greens just “Labour’s little helper?”">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Today’s New Zealand Herald cartoon shows a titanic-style National Party sinking beneath the waters while the captain orders “Full steam ahead!”. Cartoonist Daron Parton nicely sums up the general media perception about the state of the party after its annual conference at the weekend. While the party leadership are keen to ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Divisions threaten to sink National" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/10/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-divisions-threaten-to-sink-national/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Divisions threaten to sink National">Read more</a>
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>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson like to think of themselves as leftwing politicians. So why aren’t they prioritising and championing the vulnerable at the bottom of society? Since Covid hit they have chosen economic policies that benefit the rich while pushing more into poverty. Increasing inequality was thrown into stark relief ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s sacrificing of the poor" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/28/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-labours-sacrificing-of-the-poor/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s sacrificing of the poor">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. It’s nearly a week since the “Howl of a Protest” took place throughout the country, and we’re still talking about the rural revolt. What are the farmers’ concerns? Are they legitimate? Has the rural-urban divide has become too deep, and will any of this have an impact on politics in Wellington? ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Seriousness of the rural revolt" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/23/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-seriousness-of-the-rural-revolt/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Seriousness of the rural revolt">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. The Government has begun a $3.5m advertising campaign to convince New Zealanders of the need for radical reform of our drinking, storm and wastewater. A consensus appears to be building on the need for change, but there are arguments against the Government’s “Three Waters” reforms. Have they come up with the ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Democratic and equity deficits in the Three Waters reforms" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/12/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-democratic-and-equity-deficits-in-the-three-waters-reforms/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Democratic and equity deficits in the Three Waters reforms">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. This week New Zealand was officially pronounced the second most peaceful nation on earth – just behind Iceland – in the publication of the annual Global Peace Index. New Zealand’s high “peacefulness” score was based on the country’s low amount of violence, conflict and terrorism. However, New Zealand was marked down ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Massive new government defence spending reconfirmed without NZ First" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/04/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-massive-new-government-defence-spending-reconfirmed-without-nz-first/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Massive new government defence spending reconfirmed without NZ First">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Whenever governments attempt to regulate political speech and activity, the results often end up being problematic and potentially harmful to democracy and debate. Regardless of how good the intentions, such reforms often bring complications, confusion, and unintended ill-effects. That means any laws around “hate speech” need to be extremely clear and ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The confusing and concerning hate speech reforms" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/30/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-confusing-and-concerning-hate-speech-reforms/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The confusing and concerning hate speech reforms">Read more</a>
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Could a backlash to “woke politics” be the basis for the revival and return of New Zealand First? The Winston Peters-led party held its first post-defeat conference in the weekend, in which the main theme was NZ First’s very clear focus on culture wars issues as a way to rebuild popular ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Winston’s anti-woke path back to power" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/25/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-winstons-anti-woke-path-back-to-power/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Winston’s anti-woke path back to power">Read more</a>
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Environmental costs are a big deal, which need to be properly factored into our economic decision-making. Last week the Government announced a rebate scheme for electric and hybrid vehicles. These days we emphasise the very important greenhouse costs arising from the burning of fossil fuels: coal, petrol, gas. But they are ... <a title="Keith Rankin Analysis – Policies for Reducing the Environmental Costs of Urban Transport" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/18/keith-rankin-analysis-policies-for-reducing-the-environmental-costs-of-urban-transport/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin Analysis – Policies for Reducing the Environmental Costs of Urban Transport">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>