Author: Colin James

A marvellous thing happened on our way into the twenty-first century. Our economic prospects started to feel better — but that is partly because we got poorer.

Provided no international economic calamity takes us all down, this decade is shaping up not too badly.

Exports have gone well these past couple of years and the proceeds have been flowing into the cities. Migration has turned from an outflow to an inflow. The stockmarket, while hardly rocketing into the ether, did well above the world average last year. read more

Nandor Tanczos of the Greens refused to condemn the vandalisation of genetically modified (GM) potatoes in a Crop and Food Research Institute laboratory. This is a matter of profound importance.

First, note that Green co-leader Rod Donald approved “civil disobedience” in some cases in respect of GM crops when the government announced its position on the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification — though on Monday co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons explicitly condemned this particular act. read more

There are some really bad sides to MMP. We saw one just before Christmas: some very bad lawmaking and some very bad law.

Unsurprisingly, it involved Winston Peters. Not a man for detail, his drinking ban bill contained a stupid error and so turned out to be unfit for the hoon-crunching it was designed for. read more

Seeking heroes for an uneasy culture It’s a new year and it’s time we climbed out of the slough we’ve been in these past 20 years. Having some heroes would help.

We’ve just lost one. That was a surprise to me because, though I fully understood the America’s Cup’s status in popular culture, I had not grasped that Sir Peter Blake had become a national hero. read more

The public service is headed for sweeping changes in the wake of a high-powered “review of the centre” commissioned by State Services Minister Trevor Mallard — though they will not be introduced as a big bang.

Mr Mallard will today confirm the cabinet’s agreement to the changes. A change implementation advisory board is to be appointed to ensure the changes are driven through. read more

Did the world change on September 11? I didn’t think so on September 12 and I don’t think so now.

It was a spectacular event, brilliant in conception and execution and awe-striking in destruction of a cityscape.

It greatly annoyed the Americans who have responded with great force to exterminate an evil. read more

Helen Clark is hoping for 61 seats for her government in the 2002 election. That way she would not have problems with the Greens.

The Greens on Tuesday abstained on the Imprest Supply Bill, a “confidence” motion which, if lost, would have ousted the government from office. In the event the government had a majority, 64-46, swelled by New Zealand First supporting the bill. read more

MPs head off for Christmas tomorrow with fattened wallets. Time for some awards.

First to the numerous MPs who consumed House time at taxpayers’ expense on the introduction of the signally uncontroversial Land Transfer and Cadastral Survey Legislation Bill just to muse upon the word “cadastral”: an order to rescind their wage rise. For the record, cadastral means “for a register”. read more

Last week was a great killing week. The sainted Sir Peter Blake in Brazil, the woman in the ditch, the children in Masterton and the Mt Wellington RSA robbery-murder. Killing is normal in the news now.

So what are “they” doing about it? “They” who are supposed to fix everything and too often claim they can. The politicians. read more

Can you have sex with your clothes on? Some economic strategists seem to think so. Since political union with Australia is off the agenda, economic union is now being pushed.

We should give “absolute priority to complete economic union with Australia”, Victoria University Institute of Policy Studies director Arthur Grimes told the “Changing Gear” economic jointly sponsored by his institute and Business New Zealand last Thursday. read more