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Everything must be a compromise. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: All winners in democracy

24 Sep, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: We've done out bit - now it's the politicians' turn.

The 2017 campaign has become a political and emotional roller-coaster. Photo / Supplied

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Too close to call

17 Sep, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

OPINION: What's on special? The election is looking like an impulse buy.

Labour Party Leader Jacinda Ardern during the labour campaign trail. Photo / Nick Reed

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Ardern's abortion view jarring

10 Sep, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Once again we are being asked to vote without knowing what we are voting for.

Winston Peters' parliamentary salary puts him in the top 1 per cent of wage earners and yet he still gets the pension. Photo / Dean Purcell

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: It's not about need - it's greed

3 Sep, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: The true scandal is our welfare system shelling out money to fit and able.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern during her press conference at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Labour keeps quiet its tax policy

27 Aug, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: What's Labour's tax policy? Don't know? Don't feel bad. Neither does Labour.

Labour MP Chris Hipkins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: This isn't Hipkins' fault

20 Aug, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Hipkins proves a convenient scapegoat.

There are more townies who want clean waterways than farmers having to foot the bill. Photo / File

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Don't tax water, trade it

13 Aug, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

Farmers are right to be worried about Labour's plan to tax water

Don't feel too sorry for Andrew Little, walking here alongside new Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Let Jacinda and Winston tango

6 Aug, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

OPINION: Labour could still win government this election. Politics is a wonderful thing.

Mike Hosking at work in the Newstalk ZB studio. Photo / Michael Craig

BUSINESS

Rodney Hide: Why Hosking is right on pay

30 Jul, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Salaries should be kept secret.

Green Party co-leaders Metiria Turei and James Shaw during the Green Party AGM. Photo / Dean Purcell

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Turei wins the handout vote

23 Jul, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Metiria Turei's confession - smart politics or dumb move?

The polls are bad for Little but I think it's still 50/50 he will be Prime Minister later this year. Photo / Supplied

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Is Little ready to dance with Peters

16 Jul, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Time for Little to rise above the negativity.

State agents rummaging through your recycling bin? What next? Photo / Kellie Blizard

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Big Brother goes through our rubbish

9 Jul, 2017 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: State agents rummaging through your recycling bin? What next?

The exterior of Southern Spars. Photo / Doug Sherring

BUSINESS

Rodney Hide: Beware glass-half-full type

2 Jul, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Memo to employers: watch out for a particular ex-employee from Southern Spars.

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: NCEA failure repeats itself

25 Jun, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Today's "well prepared" is yesterday's "cheating".

Former Maori Party President Pem Bird. Photo / Ben Fraser

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Speeding towards denial

18 Jun, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: It's not leadership to be blaming others for your folly.

Education Minister Nikki Kaye ordered guidelines be drawn up on the taking of guns into schools. Photo / Andrew Warner

Hide: Bedwetters, gun haters unite

11 Jun, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

OPINION: Army visits to schools is the right introduction for our children.

Vege King owner Harjit Singh confronted a shoplifter in violent altercation.

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: Dairy owner Harjit Singh my hero

4 Jun, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Dairy owners are left to fend for themselves without even the promise of help.

Ex Labour candidate Rohan Lord. Photo / Sourced via Facebook

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Lord not meant for politics

27 May, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: By quitting the race, Rohan Lord proved he is not right for politics.

What to make of our global ranking on children's rights as 158th out of 165 countries? Photo / 123RF

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Low rights ranking is nuts

21 May, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Our global ranking on children's rights a wake-up call.

We need council to go back to doing council things. Photo / Brett Phibbs

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Council needs to back off

14 May, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Council rules are a roadblock to Auckland's development.

Labour list candidate Willie Jackson with Labour leader Andrew Little at the Labour Party offices in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: List shambles hurts Little

7 May, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Willie Jackson 'omnishambles' reflects poorly on the party's ability to govern.

I suspect the truly stupid among us aren't parsing the latest Worksafe NZ public release, taking notes for where to hide Easter eggs. Photo / 123RF

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Folk at Worksafe are eggs

30 Apr, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Easter Egg hunts are for children, not Government office workers.

The NCEA system is touted as flexible. That flexibility damns it as a system of comparison. Photo / Greg Bowker

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: NCEA passes a deception

23 Apr, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Education Minister Hekia Parata is patting her own back.

Prime Minister Bill english cooked dinner for his family. Photo / Supplied via Facebook

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Autumn of political content

16 Apr, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: It's a great time to be alive, writes Rodney Hide.

Labour Party leader Andrew Little leaving the Wellington High Court with his lawyer, John Tizard. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Faux pas but integrity too

9 Apr, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Little's dilemma is an enigma - but he behaved honourably at the end.

Authors Nicky Hager, left, and Jon Stephenson with their book, Hit & Run during the launch at Unity Books in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: SAS allegations shredded

2 Apr, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

Chief of Defence's response to Hager/Stephenson's book is professional, says Rodney Hide.

The prospect was for Barclay to be MP for 60 years. A glittering career lay ahead of him. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Rodney Hide: Not a good look for Barclay

26 Mar, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Rookie MP Todd Barclay is creating controversy in Clutha-Southland.

Ardern has worked in Prime Minister Helen Clark's office and been an MP for nine years. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Rodney Hide: Ardern missed a golden opportunity

19 Mar, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Red tape is costing us homes and opportunities and a cause worth campaigning on, says Rodney Hide.

Makhlouf has no such concerns. The government takes his pay and expenses each week out of ours and from all that we spend. Photo / Supplied

Rodney Hide: Think taxpayers not tax eaters

12 Mar, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Diversity has become the new thing among the Wellington and Auckland power elite, says Rodney Hide.

Ardern's win last week in Mt Albert was reported as a landslide and proof of her vote-pulling power. Photo / Dean Purcell

Rodney Hide: Time to give kids the keys

5 Mar, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

OPINION: The big mistake in politics is to underestimate opponents. Clearly, I underestimated Little and Ardern, writes Rodney Hide.

We are left wondering who exactly the Harawira's People are. Photo / David Fisher

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Politics of exclusion

26 Feb, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Just who are the "My People" Hone Harawira talks of?

Bill English sheared that sheep. In front of a crowd. On TV. Photo / Supplied

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Why I've fallen for Bill

19 Feb, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: I had my doubts about Bill English. It's not that I didn't think him capable. He's extremely so.

Labour Party leader Andrew Little, right and Willie Jackson, left before visiting Te Tii marae ahead of Waitangi Day. Photo / John Stone

Rodney Hide: Little's stinker of a week

12 Feb, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Jackson was standing for Labour. And yes, Little had lured him with the promise of a high place on Labour's list, writes Rodney Hide.

It's as though a language can be inserted into the curriculum without consequence. That's not the case. Photo / Regan Schoultz

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Cost of te reo too high

5 Feb, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: The choice of job opportunities is too narrow and compulsory te reo for 10 years would cost our children a lot but add not much.

President Donald Trump. Photo / Ron Sachs-Pool

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Trump trumps naysayers

29 Jan, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

Trump hysteria has become a parody in which the screamiest and stupidest attacks become headlines.

The one thing the party can't do is fire an MP. No list MP can be made to resign. They can be kicked out of the party but remain an MP. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Can't trust MPs to be gents

22 Jan, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Former Clerk of the House David McGee is recommending that resigning list MPs not be replaced by the next willing candidate on their party list.

Waitangi Day dawn service in the Treaty Grounds. Photo / Michael Craig

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: The Waitangi shemozzle

15 Jan, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: There many excellent reasons for the Prime Minister to stay away from Waitangi but being banned from speaking isn't one of them.

Travel in driverless cars will become easy, convenient and cheap. Photo / 123RF

TECHNOLOGY

Rodney Hide: Bring on driverless cars

8 Jan, 2017 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Your ride will arrive with a tap of your phone. It will whisk you to your destination and disappear to the next fare.

Rescue workers at Pike River Mine in 2011. Photo / NZPA

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Winston has skin in game

1 Jan, 2017 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Trendsetter Winston Peters ended 2016 offering to be the first man to re-enter Pike River.

Gareth Morgan talks opportunities for his new party. Photo / Jason Oxenham

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Politics told the TOP way

18 Dec, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: It's very exciting with Gareth already taking the trouble to explain what "talking politics in the TOP way" means.

In politics it's impossible to determine if someone is any good until they are in the job. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: National all aquiver over PM

11 Dec, 2016 5:00am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: The most common question in politics is, "Why not me?" That's the question National MPs have spent the week asking.

Kaikoura's rocky inland road. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Rodney Hide: Let's dump RMA for good

4 Dec, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

Parliament had a good week passing the Hurunui/Kaikoura Earthquakes Emergency Relief Act.

An earthquake is not likely to kill us. They should not frighten us. We face far more dangerous hazards daily without a thought. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Earthquakes make us great

27 Nov, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Earthquakes make New Zealand great. We would not have a country without them.

Trump's win is a triumph for voters. Photo / AP

WORLD

Rodney Hide: Revelling in Trump's victory

20 Nov, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: I am still revelling in Donald Trump's victory.

Gareth Morgan started his own party and made sure it's his. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Here's telling Gareth Morgan

13 Nov, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: One of the great joys of politics is being accountable to, well, everyone.

Phil Goff takes on Labour. Photo / Nick Reed

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: No meat in this pork barrel

6 Nov, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: We must fervently hope there are no more by-elections because the real expense is they make politicians dig deeper into our pockets.

NEW ZEALAND

A dishonourable mention

30 Oct, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

The Honourable Minister's behaviour was less than honourable.

A Labour loss would be enormous. Photo / Getty Images

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Roskill crucial for Labour

23 Oct, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: If Labour wins the the byelection no one will notice. There will not be a ripple. If they lose, there will be a political tsunami.

Phil Goff is more broadly representative than anyone else I know. Photo / Dean Purcell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Everyone loves Phil

16 Oct, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Phil Goff has the potential to be an excellent mayor. He is capable and personable. I don't know anyone who doesn't like him.

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Bring our heroes home

9 Oct, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Paul Thomas is from a remarkable family of eight boys and three girls. All eight boys served in the New Zealand army. Five saw active duty.

There's no quirk or loophole. Corrections quite simply got it wrong. Photo / Mark Mitchell

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Corrections got it wrong

2 Oct, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Making unlawful detention subsequently lawful only deepens the outrage.

Has Labour lost its mojo? Photo / Michael Craig

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Left lacks puff and policy

25 Sep, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Labour is the narrow party that has shut itself off from the great bulk of New Zealanders.

Picketers at Affco in 2012. Photo / Christine Cornege

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Union declares war on peas

18 Sep, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Unions used to bring the country to its knees, now it can't manage to organise a boycott of a meal delivery company.

Winston Peters is a political tuatara dozing in the sun, rousing only when absolutely necessary. Photo / Gregor Richardson

NEW ZEALAND

Winston the MP who keeps going and going

11 Sep, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: If politics was the Olympics, Winston Peters would be three-times triple-gold. No one comes close.

The call for diversity increasingly trumps the principle

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Somewhat over the rainbows

4 Sep, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: People's Party was announced with a narrower focus than its name suggests. Its target is Asian and ethnic voters and its issue is fighting crime.

Is online porn responsible for cutting teen pregnancies? Photo / Getty Images

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: No sex, please, we're Gen Z

28 Aug, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: I suggest teenagers are doing their sexual exploration online by sending each other naughty pictures and watching porn.

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Sigh of relief for au pairs

21 Aug, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Immigration NZ announced a trial in Queenstown to make it less likely that that they will lock up au pairs travelling with their families.

Goddard then abruptly resigned. Photo / AP

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: Goddard's flight a bad look

14 Aug, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Dame Lowell Goddard has badly let the team down. Her failure has been splashed through the British papers. It's not a good look.

The Government could have paid Bain $2m compensation and the taxpayer would still be ahead. Photo / 60 Minutes

NEW ZEALAND

Hide: A $1 million betrayal of justice

7 Aug, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Our justice system can't admit mistakes and fights not for justice but to be right.

The poster for Al Gore's movie. Photo / Supplied

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: No denying global scorning

31 Jul, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: I have to admit to a bad week. It started Monday. It was cold and I thought: "Huh, where's global warming?"

Values are harder to change than circumstances.

NEW ZEALAND

Rodney Hide: We can beat poverty of spirit

24 Jul, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: We have the power to change our own lives and far better to live a life of hope and ambition than one of hopelessness and despair.

Even a 10 per cent fall would wipe out a poor Auckland family's equity. Photo / Chris Loufte

BUSINESS

Rodney Hide: Too much talk and policies

17 Jul, 2016 5:00am
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: The Auckland housing market is planned chaos. We have Government intervention upon intervention.