OpinionFran O'SullivanEnglish seems to enjoy twitching the reinsIn theory, English is Acting Prime Minister in these circumstances. But in reality, Key is still the PM when it comes to dealing with the daily demands of journalists, Fran O'Sullivan writes.01 May 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Will tax inspectors slow housing boom?Will giving tax inspectors more resources to clamp down on profit-takers have any effect at all on the rampant Auckland housing boom?28 Apr 09:29 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanHuka Lodge stoush comes to the boilTwo high-flying Alexes have been in the legal headlines in the past week: Huka Lodge owner Alex van Heeren and former Heart of the City boss Alex Swney.21 Apr 09:40 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanCampbell Live row ignites useful debateThe Prime Minister may have been out of New Zealand - or possibly flat out with the demands of 24/7 forex trading - when New Zealand television news and current affairs was in its heyday.14 Apr 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanValiant Campbell may have provoked political antagonists too oftenJohn Campbell has not been afraid to challenge the PM directly where some of his rivals have adopted a more supine stance, writes Fran O'Sullivan.10 Apr 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanChina young gun hot on two-way tradeFran O'Sullivan on governor Lu Hao - widely tipped to be a major player in Beijing's "next generation" leadership - who was in NZ yesterday.08 Apr 12:53 AM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Plan to can middle-men milking parentsA major disruptive play will be launched in the Chinese baby formula market in Beijing today which could ultimately have a big impact - some say seismic - on the price paid for imported product by....31 Mar 08:57 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Australia, NZ need to find more ways to work togetherWhen the Black Caps played Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night it was a perfect example of the aggressive transtasman competitiveness which can spur on extraordinary sporting triumphs for either New Zealand or Australia.29 Mar 09:26 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Exchange of favours for jobs one of the dirty secrets of global diplomacyThe dirty secret in global diplomacy is that much can and is accomplished through such simple but secret transactions, Fran O'Sullivan writes.27 Mar 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Key should get over Hager hang-upThe latest Snowden documents raise the question of whether NZ is simply a US trojan horse when it comes to intelligence gathering in the Pacific, writes Fran O'Sullivan.06 Mar 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Transtasman allies must look to futureJohn Key went into full sledge mode when he roasted Tony Abbott at a gala dinner to mark the joint hosting of the Cricket World Cup.03 Mar 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: SkyCity still on a winner despite stoushJohn Key has had a serious slap, writes Fran O'Sullivan. He underestimated the public's tolerance to be politically played by him. So where does it go from now?17 Feb 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Will Bill collar SkyCity over centre funding?Bill English really is the bad cop in the Govt's brinksmanship with SkyCity over just whose pockets will be picked to pay for the $70m to $130m cost overrun for the convention centre.14 Feb 01:00 AM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Watchdog needs to be open about probeFinancial Markets Authority boss Rob Everett should simply tell the market exactly what its probe into alleged market manipulation at one of the country's highest profile funds manager entails.10 Feb 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Abbott fast becoming political feather dusterTony Abbott is well on his way to being a political feather duster after his speech to the Canberra Press Club bombed, writes Fran O'Sullivan.06 Feb 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Westpac sees light as Kiwi boss gets nodWestpac NZ's high-powered directors flexed their muscles - ever so diplomatically - to ensure the appointment of Kiwi David McLean as the bank's new chief executive.03 Feb 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Time for NZ to take a stand over TPPIf New Zealand Cabinet ministers really, really want to notch up the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) they could change tack.27 Jan 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Nick Smith's stretch on housing crisis headline-grabbing but off the markWhat took hold of Nick Smith when he claimed the Resource Management Act added $30 billion to housing costs and stopped 40,000 new houses in the past decade?23 Jan 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: PM can strut rock star economy in DavosFor the first time in many years a New Zealand prime minister will join global powerbrokers in chilly Davos for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF).20 Jan 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Sloganeering offers little protection for our freedoms and values'Je suis Aotearoa." It has a certain piquant charm and would get a great deal of public attention if it was chosen as the branding to unite New Zealanders of all hues, nationalities, races and....16 Jan 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: White Gold Rush hits sticky patchThis will be the year in which New Zealand dairy farmers, companies, investors and their bankers will find themselves consumed by a crucial question - is the White Gold Rush finally over or will....13 Jan 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: John Key prepares platform for post-political careerThe Prime Minister will be busy cultivating his Rolodex for life after politics - and it's likely he'll be taking lessons from Helen Clark.26 Dec 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Steven Joyce needs to play cards right or walk awayThere's an old maxim in poker - "If you don't know who's getting screwed, get up and walk away from the table because it is you."23 Dec 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Milk price could sour English's optimismRock star to rock bottom? That's not where the New Zealand economy is heading, writes Fran O'Sullivan.16 Dec 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Fonterra still in a state of denialThere is one salient comment in the report by Queens Counsel Miriam Dean into the WPC80 incident that ought to give Fonterra's directors and shareholders cause for concern: "A company that is....09 Dec 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Revolution on the business frontLabour Leader Andrew Little has staked out valuable new territory with his announcement of a Future Work Commission.02 Dec 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Warm connection signals exciting times to comeXi Jinping has gone out of his way to forge a strong personal relationship with John Key on his visit.21 Nov 11:53 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Time to make housing tad less attractive to investorsSoon many NZers won't be able to afford to buy or rent houses in the cities where their jobs are, without leading a "penny-pinching" existence, writes Fran O'Sullivan.14 Nov 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Groser will walk a tightrope in BeijingHeightened tensions between the world's two superpowers will test the diplomatic skills of Trade Minister Tim Groser who arrives in Beijing before John Key for the formal Apec leaders meeting.04 Nov 08:30 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Key misses opportunity to clear air with more questions to come24 Oct 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Key catches drift on waterwaysThe Prime Minister has finally acknowledged the political reality that there are limits to growth as his Government takes a tentative step towards ensuring dairy effluent doesn't continue to despoil our major waterways.21 Oct 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Treasury must front up over role in SCF debacle17 Oct 04:00 PM
