About
Chris Trotter
Latest articles
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
Pope Francis sees cancel culture as a threat to the open, compassionate and forgiving human society he has always championed, observes Chris Trotter
17th Jan 22, 9:45am
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Pope Francis sees cancel culture as a threat to the open, compassionate and forgiving human society he has always championed, observes Chris Trotter
For how much longer will New Zealanders accept the endless re-launches and re-announcements of its media-savvy prime minister? Utopia tomorrow and Utopia yesterday – but never Utopia today
10th Jan 22, 9:07am
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For how much longer will New Zealanders accept the endless re-launches and re-announcements of its media-savvy prime minister? Utopia tomorrow and Utopia yesterday – but never Utopia today
In 2021, the observation that the country was fast becoming unrecognisable became a commonplace in conversations across New Zealand, Chris Trotter says
20th Dec 21, 9:47am
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In 2021, the observation that the country was fast becoming unrecognisable became a commonplace in conversations across New Zealand, Chris Trotter says
The insurmountable problem facing President Joe Biden’s democratic capitalist missionaries, is that in order to fill the cups of the oppressed with freedom, they will first be required to empty their own pockets
13th Dec 21, 8:09am
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The insurmountable problem facing President Joe Biden’s democratic capitalist missionaries, is that in order to fill the cups of the oppressed with freedom, they will first be required to empty their own pockets
Luxon has, very clearly, chosen to reject the option of presenting a 'flinty-faced' National Party to an electorate grown accustomed to the rhetoric of 'kindness'
6th Dec 21, 9:14am
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Luxon has, very clearly, chosen to reject the option of presenting a 'flinty-faced' National Party to an electorate grown accustomed to the rhetoric of 'kindness'
Some might ask why National MPs would install yet another 'successful business person' at the helm of their party? Isn’t one Todd Muller enough?
29th Nov 21, 7:35am
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Some might ask why National MPs would install yet another 'successful business person' at the helm of their party? Isn’t one Todd Muller enough?
Climate science does not distinguish between urban and rural, cocky and townie. It will take both to bring NZ safely through the dangerous 21st century
22nd Nov 21, 8:58am
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Climate science does not distinguish between urban and rural, cocky and townie. It will take both to bring NZ safely through the dangerous 21st century
A cautionary tale of first principles: embraced in the desperation of crisis; abandoned in the hubris of victory; trending inexorably towards national tragedy
15th Nov 21, 8:44am
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A cautionary tale of first principles: embraced in the desperation of crisis; abandoned in the hubris of victory; trending inexorably towards national tragedy
What makes the Labour Party’s decision to dilute the power of its Electoral College so puzzling is that Jacinda Ardern would undoubtedly be elected by Caucus and Party with near unanimous support
8th Nov 21, 9:05am
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What makes the Labour Party’s decision to dilute the power of its Electoral College so puzzling is that Jacinda Ardern would undoubtedly be elected by Caucus and Party with near unanimous support
The level of craziness in the anti-vaccination movement is such that an aggressive Police response to their protests would, almost certainly, spark a ferociously violent reaction from hard core anti-vaxxers
1st Nov 21, 7:50am
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The level of craziness in the anti-vaccination movement is such that an aggressive Police response to their protests would, almost certainly, spark a ferociously violent reaction from hard core anti-vaxxers
To those who complain that the Prime Minister is unnecessarily and unethically stigmatising the vaccine hesitant and resistant, there is only one genuinely ethical retort: They have stigmatised themselves
25th Oct 21, 9:35am
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To those who complain that the Prime Minister is unnecessarily and unethically stigmatising the vaccine hesitant and resistant, there is only one genuinely ethical retort: They have stigmatised themselves