Category: Foreign Affairs
It's stating the obvious to say Donald Trump’s win was historic. It's actually staggering from various perspectives, but 2016 has been a year of historical outcomes – including Brexit. Democracy though is a remarkable thing!
It’s great to be back in Auckland. I studied economics here in the ‘80s and I’m grateful to Auckland University for sparking my interest in how markets and institutions really work. The windsurfing was pretty good as well. As a newly minted economist I lived in Wellington for eight years working at the Treasury...
Last Saturday, Australian voters went to the polls to vote in a double dissolution election - only the sixth in the country’s history. The Prime Minister had made use of a constitutional mechanism designed to resolve deadlocks between the two Houses of Parliament.
The recent referendum on the whether or not Britain should leave the EU has captured the imagination of those with an interest in public affairs. It is being cited as a part of a pattern of international events, including the rise of Donald Trump in United States, and the failure of the Liberal Coalition to secure an election night majority in Australia.
After one of the most divisive campaigns in British history, the UK is now preparing for a future outside of the European Union. After 43 years as part of the alliance, the Brits surprised all predictions with 52 percent voting in favour of leaving.
No matter what happens next, last week’s stunning “LEAVE” vote on Brexit has permanently disrupted the status quo ante. Both the Conservative and Labour parties are facing major leadership changes; conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has resigned, and Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn has been besieged by his shadow cabinet for his tepid support of the REMAIN option.
Politics is full of surprises. You only have to look at the US presidential race to see the truth in that statement. Here in New Zealand, last week’s announcement by Labour and the Greens, that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to showcase themselves as a viable ‘government-in-waiting’, was also a surprise.
Much of this year’s US presidential election coverage has focused on the unexpected success of Donald Trump to win the Republican Party nomination. However, pundits also got it wrong on the Democratic side of the ticket...
Last Thursday representatives from 12 nations - New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, the US, and Vietnam – gathered in Auckland to sign the biggest free trade deal in history.
Widespread criticism about Trans Pacific Partnership, Maori and the Treaty of Waitangi forced me to reread a big chunk of the TPP and previous free trade agreements and to study every element of the criticisms being levelled against the TPP and Maori.
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