About
Chris Trotter
Latest articles
The critical question confronting New Zealand, writes Chris Trotter, is whether we any longer have the resources to repair our physical and human infrastructure?
1st Aug 22, 8:09am
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The critical question confronting New Zealand, writes Chris Trotter, is whether we any longer have the resources to repair our physical and human infrastructure?
The Greens loathing of majorities is attributable to their unshakeable conviction that their party’s view of the world is the only correct one. Greens are elitists, writes Chris Trotter, and proud of it
25th Jul 22, 7:14am
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The Greens loathing of majorities is attributable to their unshakeable conviction that their party’s view of the world is the only correct one. Greens are elitists, writes Chris Trotter, and proud of it
Any normal candidate would have run a mile from Guy Williams, rightly fearing the humiliation the comedian would be straining every muscle to inflict upon his victim. But, as Chris Trotter writes, Leo Molloy is not a normal candidate
18th Jul 22, 8:00am
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Any normal candidate would have run a mile from Guy Williams, rightly fearing the humiliation the comedian would be straining every muscle to inflict upon his victim. But, as Chris Trotter writes, Leo Molloy is not a normal candidate
What our history really teaches us, writes Chris Trotter, is that the politicians who most often win New Zealand elections, are the ones who promise Kiwis to keep as much as possible about their country exactly the same
11th Jul 22, 8:00am
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What our history really teaches us, writes Chris Trotter, is that the politicians who most often win New Zealand elections, are the ones who promise Kiwis to keep as much as possible about their country exactly the same
Nothing in politics is ever settled, writes Chris Trotter. The hands of history’s clock can go backwards, as well as forwards
4th Jul 22, 8:07am
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Nothing in politics is ever settled, writes Chris Trotter. The hands of history’s clock can go backwards, as well as forwards
A United States forced to live by the beliefs and values of the 18th and 19th Centuries cannot hope to go on leading the 'Free World,' or to compete economically with nations focused fearlessly on the future, Chris Trotter argues
27th Jun 22, 9:22am
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A United States forced to live by the beliefs and values of the 18th and 19th Centuries cannot hope to go on leading the 'Free World,' or to compete economically with nations focused fearlessly on the future, Chris Trotter argues
National’s Sam Uffindell cantered home, writes Chris Trotter, but the Outdoors & Freedom Party’s Sue Grey attracted an ominous level of support
20th Jun 22, 8:05am
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National’s Sam Uffindell cantered home, writes Chris Trotter, but the Outdoors & Freedom Party’s Sue Grey attracted an ominous level of support
Chris Trotter says gang violence will not be ended by politicians getting tougher, but by police officers getting smarter.
13th Jun 22, 8:11am
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Chris Trotter says gang violence will not be ended by politicians getting tougher, but by police officers getting smarter.
Chris Trotter assesses the family ties that bind him to our traditional links to England and Empire - and wonders if it will all survive very much longer as the core withers from the inside
6th Jun 22, 9:30am
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Chris Trotter assesses the family ties that bind him to our traditional links to England and Empire - and wonders if it will all survive very much longer as the core withers from the inside
History teaches us that it’s the waning superpowers, edged-off the geopolitical stage by more dynamic rivals, that the world’s small and vulnerable states have most reason to fear, writes Chris Trotter
30th May 22, 8:14am
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History teaches us that it’s the waning superpowers, edged-off the geopolitical stage by more dynamic rivals, that the world’s small and vulnerable states have most reason to fear, writes Chris Trotter
The defeat of the boofheads is the victory Australia had to have – writes Chris Trotter
23rd May 22, 11:22am
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The defeat of the boofheads is the victory Australia had to have – writes Chris Trotter
The intensification of ideological pressures is bearable for only so-long before ordinary men and women reassert the virtues of tolerance and common sense – writes Chris Trotter
16th May 22, 8:06am
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The intensification of ideological pressures is bearable for only so-long before ordinary men and women reassert the virtues of tolerance and common sense – writes Chris Trotter
Māori healers recall a time when 'words had power'. The words that give substance to ideas, no matter how radical, still do, writes Chris Trotter, but only if our representatives rediscover the courage to speak them out loud
9th May 22, 7:53am
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Māori healers recall a time when 'words had power'. The words that give substance to ideas, no matter how radical, still do, writes Chris Trotter, but only if our representatives rediscover the courage to speak them out loud
The CCTV recording of the ram-raid against Auckland’s Ormiston Mall is so disturbing, argues Chris Trotter, that only a free and frank debate about its causes will settle the nation’s nerves
2nd May 22, 6:58am
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The CCTV recording of the ram-raid against Auckland’s Ormiston Mall is so disturbing, argues Chris Trotter, that only a free and frank debate about its causes will settle the nation’s nerves
If the next round of polling reveals a level of Labour support beginning with a “2” – what happens then? asks Chris Trotter
18th Apr 22, 9:30am
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If the next round of polling reveals a level of Labour support beginning with a “2” – what happens then? asks Chris Trotter
Blandness is not the stuff of which exciting political contests are made – writes Chris Trotter. If neither Labour nor National are willing to challenge the neoliberal status-quo, then they will have to find something else to fight about
11th Apr 22, 8:02am
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Blandness is not the stuff of which exciting political contests are made – writes Chris Trotter. If neither Labour nor National are willing to challenge the neoliberal status-quo, then they will have to find something else to fight about
'Unite Against Covid-19' was a blockbuster hit across all the demographics: young and old; rich and poor; left and right; black and white. Audiences loved it. Chris Trotter’s question for 2023, however, is: 'Can Jacinda Ardern’s sequel match the original?
4th Apr 22, 8:14am
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'Unite Against Covid-19' was a blockbuster hit across all the demographics: young and old; rich and poor; left and right; black and white. Audiences loved it. Chris Trotter’s question for 2023, however, is: 'Can Jacinda Ardern’s sequel match the original?
Grey Lynn Ardern declared airily, 'Let’s do this!' If, 18 months from now, Morrinsville Ardern can snarl, 'I’ve bloody done it!', then she’ll lead her Labour Government to a third term
28th Mar 22, 9:49am
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Grey Lynn Ardern declared airily, 'Let’s do this!' If, 18 months from now, Morrinsville Ardern can snarl, 'I’ve bloody done it!', then she’ll lead her Labour Government to a third term
Too few to win, too many to die: it is looking more and more as if the National Party’s conservative falcons can no longer hear the falconer, Chris Trotter says
21st Mar 22, 7:50am
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Too few to win, too many to die: it is looking more and more as if the National Party’s conservative falcons can no longer hear the falconer, Chris Trotter says
Chris Trotter says in a week when smoke billowed over Kyiv and Wellington, what did National’s Christopher Luxon offer? Tax cuts
7th Mar 22, 8:26am
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Chris Trotter says in a week when smoke billowed over Kyiv and Wellington, what did National’s Christopher Luxon offer? Tax cuts
Chris Trotter says Putin’s invasion has conjured up the nightmare he spent 20 years attempting to forestall and given all the nations of Western and Eastern Europe a terrifying reminder of the wisdom of banding together against the Russian Bear
28th Feb 22, 7:57am
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Chris Trotter says Putin’s invasion has conjured up the nightmare he spent 20 years attempting to forestall and given all the nations of Western and Eastern Europe a terrifying reminder of the wisdom of banding together against the Russian Bear
Chris Trotter says surely, an ever-expanding crowd of angry people who hate politicians and journalists, and now have very little to lose by besieging the nation’s parliament, might just fall within the definition of 'Threat To National Security'
21st Feb 22, 8:12am
Chris Trotter says surely, an ever-expanding crowd of angry people who hate politicians and journalists, and now have very little to lose by besieging the nation’s parliament, might just fall within the definition of 'Threat To National Security'
Chris Trotter suggests the Government’s botched response to the Freedom Convoy has changed the political narrative
14th Feb 22, 9:52am
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Chris Trotter suggests the Government’s botched response to the Freedom Convoy has changed the political narrative
Politics as usual is no longer capable of delivering an Aotearoa worth living in. It is time for a new net to go fishing, says Chris Trotter
7th Feb 22, 8:57am
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Politics as usual is no longer capable of delivering an Aotearoa worth living in. It is time for a new net to go fishing, says Chris Trotter
When the tribe is imperilled, all eyes turn to the chief. So long as the tribe believes the chief is doing everything within her power to keep them safe, she will remain impervious to criticism
24th Jan 22, 9:00am
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When the tribe is imperilled, all eyes turn to the chief. So long as the tribe believes the chief is doing everything within her power to keep them safe, she will remain impervious to criticism