In recent months, a particular minister has been especially visible in conversations about the future of schooling. His advocacy for charter schools is well known, and his regular visits to primary classrooms are often framed as opportunities to share ideas, read stories, and engage with young learners. There is nothing unusual about ministers visiting schools; … Continue reading Lessons Beyond the Classroom
New Zealand
What the Blame Hides
Trump’s claim that globalisation did not benefit the West reads strangely from Aotearoa New Zealand. Our story is not one of civilisational decline or of nations sinking into a late Western mood. It is the story of a small country that undertook one of the most radical neoliberal transformations in the democratic world and then … Continue reading What the Blame Hides
Culture at the Top
November 2025’s police-misconduct news did not surprise me. It felt familiar, almost expected. Social media quickly pinned on whichever government last made the senior appointments. But policing in Aotearoa New Zealand has a longer story. And when top cops fail, the institution drifts slow, steady, and always downward. Decades of inquiries show this clearly. This … Continue reading Culture at the Top