Chris Trotter

Over the next 15 months, the clear strategic imperative for all three Coalition partners is break-out. Each must seize as much of the Right’s ideological territory as possible for themselves

Over the next 15 months, the clear strategic imperative for all three Coalition partners is break-out. Each must seize as much of the Right’s ideological territory as possible for themselves

Conservative New Zealand is still waiting for the Coalition to keep its promises – and NZ First’s surging poll numbers may be registering their impatience

Conservative New Zealand is still waiting for the Coalition to keep its promises – and NZ First’s surging poll numbers may be registering their impatience

Until Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori understand that the battle for law and order is waged in every human heart, and that if it is lost there, then it will be lost everywhere, they will never be returned to, or reconciled with, power

Until Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori understand that the battle for law and order is waged in every human heart, and that if it is lost there, then it will be lost everywhere, they will never be returned to, or reconciled with, power

Race and class, eh? Can’t win with ‘em, can’t win without ‘em. Order your popcorn now

Race and class, eh? Can’t win with ‘em, can’t win without ‘em. Order your popcorn now

One of the great pitfalls of political nostalgia is that the protagonists of the present can all too easily be mistaken for the antagonists of the past

One of the great pitfalls of political nostalgia is that the protagonists of the present can all too easily be mistaken for the antagonists of the past

A National-led government that can no longer claim, with any credibility, to represent the nation, is a National-led Government on the ropes

A National-led government that can no longer claim, with any credibility, to represent the nation, is a National-led Government on the ropes

History’s judgement of the manner in which the Coalition Government’s majority expressed its racially-charged hostility towards Te Pāti Māori is unlikely to be kind, says Chris Trotter

History’s judgement of the manner in which the Coalition Government’s majority expressed its racially-charged hostility towards Te Pāti Māori is unlikely to be kind, says Chris Trotter

Labour’s first and most urgent mission is to knock Te Pāti Māori out of the race, says Chris Trotter

Labour’s first and most urgent mission is to knock Te Pāti Māori out of the race, says Chris Trotter

Inevitably, Nicola Willis’ budget played favourites – rewarding the Right’s friends at the expense of the Left’s electoral supporters

Inevitably, Nicola Willis’ budget played favourites – rewarding the Right’s friends at the expense of the Left’s electoral supporters

Chris Trotter says a political party caught speaking out of both sides on its mouth on key issues will soon find itself in big trouble

Chris Trotter says a political party caught speaking out of both sides on its mouth on key issues will soon find itself in big trouble

Low pay isn’t a fixable bug in our free market system, it’s one of its indispensable features, Chris Trotter says

Low pay isn’t a fixable bug in our free market system, it’s one of its indispensable features, Chris Trotter says

Chris Trotter assesses the reasons for Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party's big election win in Australia

Chris Trotter assesses the reasons for Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party's big election win in Australia

Chris Trotter says there is very little that is either logical or rational in the doctrines of the Catholic Church – or in its manner of choosing a pope

Chris Trotter says there is very little that is either logical or rational in the doctrines of the Catholic Church – or in its manner of choosing a pope

Would our political parties get past the Fair Trading Act? Chris Trotter assesses how each political party in Parliament differs between what they promise and what they deliver

Would our political parties get past the Fair Trading Act? Chris Trotter assesses how each political party in Parliament differs between what they promise and what they deliver

Chris Trotter asks: If New Zealand can neither win, nor afford, to enter an arms race against China, then why not initiate a peace race instead?

Chris Trotter asks: If New Zealand can neither win, nor afford, to enter an arms race against China, then why not initiate a peace race instead?

Can Donald Trump really defy the laws of political and economic physics?

Can Donald Trump really defy the laws of political and economic physics?

Chris Trotter says Tamatha Paul is welcome to seek the protection of the Mongrel Mob in a dark alley. Most New Zealanders, however, will continue to call the cops

Chris Trotter says Tamatha Paul is welcome to seek the protection of the Mongrel Mob in a dark alley. Most New Zealanders, however, will continue to call the cops

Chris Trotter says if Christopher Luxon secured his promised New Zealand-India FTA by giving India what it most wants, NZ First would have all it needed to campaign against its former coalition partner with every prospect of increasing its tally of seats

Chris Trotter says if Christopher Luxon secured his promised New Zealand-India FTA by giving India what it most wants, NZ First would have all it needed to campaign against its former coalition partner with every prospect of increasing its tally of seats

Will institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?

Will institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?

The next question after 'will Luxon really go?' is, of course, 'will that work?'

The next question after 'will Luxon really go?' is, of course, 'will that work?'

While people may laugh at a ventriloquist’s dummy, they are much less likely to vote for one

While people may laugh at a ventriloquist’s dummy, they are much less likely to vote for one

Until we can agree upon the shape and purpose of the state we are defending, then the long-overdue refurbishment and rehabilitation of our armed forces is unlikely to, and probably shouldn’t, happen

Until we can agree upon the shape and purpose of the state we are defending, then the long-overdue refurbishment and rehabilitation of our armed forces is unlikely to, and probably shouldn’t, happen

Chris Trotter asks: What happens to a nation’s politics when compromise becomes a dirty word?

Chris Trotter asks: What happens to a nation’s politics when compromise becomes a dirty word?

The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly

The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly

Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023, and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result, the average level of support enjoyed by the parties of the Left and the Right turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical

Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023, and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result, the average level of support enjoyed by the parties of the Left and the Right turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical