Chris Trotter

Denied the state’s leadership and resources, New Zealand’s economy has been hollowed out and taken over. More importantly, so has its democracy

Denied the state’s leadership and resources, New Zealand’s economy has been hollowed out and taken over. More importantly, so has its democracy

With no realistic prospect of a 'policy disrupter' taking over the Labour Party, writes Chris Trotter, New Zealand’s wealthiest citizens can sleep easy

With no realistic prospect of a 'policy disrupter' taking over the Labour Party, writes Chris Trotter, New Zealand’s wealthiest citizens can sleep easy

Māori and Pakeha have an equally pressing need for the Kotahitanga that was King Tuheitia’s guiding star

Māori and Pakeha have an equally pressing need for the Kotahitanga that was King Tuheitia’s guiding star

Chris Trotter says Chris Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen

Chris Trotter says Chris Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen

Chris Trotter says voting together, Māori and Pasifika workers, professionals and managers employed by the state, and “progressive” Baby-Boomer superannuitants, can defeat the Coalition Government. But will they?

Chris Trotter says voting together, Māori and Pasifika workers, professionals and managers employed by the state, and “progressive” Baby-Boomer superannuitants, can defeat the Coalition Government. But will they?

Chris Trotter asks: What will/can the USA do to avoid becoming the sick, old man of the Indo-Pacific?

Chris Trotter asks: What will/can the USA do to avoid becoming the sick, old man of the Indo-Pacific?

Victims of abuse in care are, at last, receiving recognition, apologies and compensation, but Chris Trotter asks if the Royal Commission has given them a credible explanation of why their suffering was inflicted, and how it was able to go on for so long?

Victims of abuse in care are, at last, receiving recognition, apologies and compensation, but Chris Trotter asks if the Royal Commission has given them a credible explanation of why their suffering was inflicted, and how it was able to go on for so long?

What social-liberal progressivism faces, writes Chris Trotter, is a conservative populist surge composed of defenders of a status-quo that, if not gone, is, at least, widely perceived as going

What social-liberal progressivism faces, writes Chris Trotter, is a conservative populist surge composed of defenders of a status-quo that, if not gone, is, at least, widely perceived as going

In Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, 13 July 2024, it wasn’t just Donald Trump who dodged a bullet, writes Chris Trotter

In Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, 13 July 2024, it wasn’t just Donald Trump who dodged a bullet, writes Chris Trotter

Labour may now enjoy a dominant position in Britain’s political landscape, writes Chris Trotter, but only by virtue of not being swallowed by it

Labour may now enjoy a dominant position in Britain’s political landscape, writes Chris Trotter, but only by virtue of not being swallowed by it

Democratic Party voters will reach out instinctively for the President they wish they had – blind to the President they have got, Chris Trotter says

Democratic Party voters will reach out instinctively for the President they wish they had – blind to the President they have got, Chris Trotter says

Keith Locke died at the age of 80 without losing either his heart or his head. Indeed, there was about the man a joyous naiveté that one no longer finds on the New Zealand Left, writes Chris Trotter

Keith Locke died at the age of 80 without losing either his heart or his head. Indeed, there was about the man a joyous naiveté that one no longer finds on the New Zealand Left, writes Chris Trotter

Chris Trotter asks what would it be like to live in a country where real change was possible? And we could make it?

Chris Trotter asks what would it be like to live in a country where real change was possible? And we could make it?

There may well have been 50,000 pairs of feet 'Marching For Nature' down Auckland’s Queen Street on Saturday afternoon, writes Chris Trotter, but the figure that impresses the Coalition Government is the 1,450,000 pairs of feet that were somewhere else

There may well have been 50,000 pairs of feet 'Marching For Nature' down Auckland’s Queen Street on Saturday afternoon, writes Chris Trotter, but the figure that impresses the Coalition Government is the 1,450,000 pairs of feet that were somewhere else

New Zealand’s future belongs to those who do not fear a nation carved out of unity and equity, writes Chris Trotter, and are willing to trust the carvers

New Zealand’s future belongs to those who do not fear a nation carved out of unity and equity, writes Chris Trotter, and are willing to trust the carvers

Forget the loud-hailers Minister, what you need is TikTok

Forget the loud-hailers Minister, what you need is TikTok

Only Willie Jackson possesses the credentials to meld together a new Labour message that is, at one and the same moment, staunchly working-class, union-friendly, and which speaks to the hundreds-of-thousands of urban Māori untethered to the neo-tribal cap

Only Willie Jackson possesses the credentials to meld together a new Labour message that is, at one and the same moment, staunchly working-class, union-friendly, and which speaks to the hundreds-of-thousands of urban Māori untethered to the neo-tribal cap

Chris Trotter says attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea

Chris Trotter says attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea

Chris Trotter says like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into 'Pillar 2' – or they are going to China

Chris Trotter says like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into 'Pillar 2' – or they are going to China

Will political polarisation intensify to the point where 'normal' government becomes impossible, and democracy is reduced to a triennial search-and-destroy mission?

Will political polarisation intensify to the point where 'normal' government becomes impossible, and democracy is reduced to a triennial search-and-destroy mission?

In many ways the media that the experts wanted, turned out to be the media they have got, writes Chris Trotter

In many ways the media that the experts wanted, turned out to be the media they have got, writes Chris Trotter

An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure, writes Chris Trotter

An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure, writes Chris Trotter

Perhaps the most important lesson of Friday’s School Strike flop is that political consciousness cannot be assembled like so many Lego blocks, writes Chris Trotter

Perhaps the most important lesson of Friday’s School Strike flop is that political consciousness cannot be assembled like so many Lego blocks, writes Chris Trotter

It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all, writes Chris Trotter

It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all, writes Chris Trotter

Chris Trotter asks: If Jacinda Ardern’s government struggled to contain 3,000 angry Kiwis in 2022, how will Christopher Luxon’s cope with 300,000 in 2025?

Chris Trotter asks: If Jacinda Ardern’s government struggled to contain 3,000 angry Kiwis in 2022, how will Christopher Luxon’s cope with 300,000 in 2025?