Law & Government
About Law & Government
Our representatives in Parliament and their advisors have the power to affect thousands, even millions, of lives. From the constitutional framework that empowers and limits government, to issues of law and policy that touch on deeper issues like the value and inviolability of human life, we continue an active engagement and interest in a range of policy and legal issues.
Most Recent Activity
The “yeah, nah” government
By Kieran Madden
That gutting feeling of unfulfilled expectations is hard to shake, and the bigger the promise, the bigger the disappointment. The…
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Now is the time to take our changing future seriously
By Kieran Madden
The Government is dead-set on improving “wellbeing” as the mark of their leadership, and “long-term intergenerational wellbeing” in particular. This…
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Financial responsibility goes beyond mere “Rules”
By Alex Penk
Sometimes the most important ideas are the ones that aren’t being discussed. This came to mind with the release of…
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The process of voting on our voting process
By Danielle van Dalen
Last week, Justice Minister Andrew Little flagged the possibility of having an MMP referendum at the 2020 election to reconsider…
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The Politics of Diving
By Kieran Madden
Soccer goalkeepers sure look spectacular with their acrobatic dives during penalties, but studies show that simply standing in the middle…
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Shaking off stardust politics
By Kieran Madden
Famously elusive about her political leanings, pop sensation Taylor Swift recently went beyond her usual neutral get-out-and-vote message to endorse…
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Better the ballot box we know
By Danielle van Dalen
When online banking was first introduced, my Dad was sceptical. He worried there would be problems with security, access, and…
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Don’t leave law to the lawyers
By Alex Penk
One day, a man called John Entick was at home when in walked Nathan Carrington and three other government agents….
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The $64,000 question
By Julian Wood
As my colleague discussed in a recent column, we have to be careful that our desire to punish offenders and…
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Is there demand for a tourist tax?
By Danielle van Dalen
I’m no economist, but even I know that basic economic theory says that as the price for a product increases,…
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Does punishment prevent crime?
By Jeremy Vargo
Benjamin Franklin once wrote to a friend that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and…
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Beware the consequences of the waka-jumping bill
By Danielle van Dalen
Like many, my first introduction to politics was through a class election. My group decided our key campaign promise was…
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Submission: The End of Life Choice Bill
By Danielle van Dalen
We are opposed to the End of Life Choice Bill. The dangers of this Bill lie at its very core…
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“No.8 wire” ethic is not enough
By Julian Wood
While New Zealanders are proud of the “number 8 wire” ethos that represents our ingenuity and resourcefulness, our actual productivity…
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New Zealanders need to inspect details of End of Life Choice Bill
By Alex Penk
MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday, 14 December 2017 With the End of Life Choice Bill now voted through to Select Committee stage,…
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Three strikes, out
By Alex Penk
The “Three Strikes” legislation is going to be struck out. The new Government has promised to repeal the law in…
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Dodging the lolly-scramble for power
By Alex Penk
As a kid, there was one word that always got your heart racing and your legs pumping at a community…
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The battle lines for our votes
By Kieran Madden
It’s the economy, stupid. This phrase, coined by one of Bill Clinton’s wily campaign strategists, has done a crude but…
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Press column: The price of a ticket on the Universal Basic Income train
By Alex Penk
Read Alex and Julian’s column, published in the Christchurch Press: The price of a ticket on the Universal Basic Income…
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Press column: Why populist politicians favour the dangerous appeal of referendums
By Alex Penk
Read Alex’s latest column in the Christchurch Press: Why populist politicians favour the dangerous appeal of referendums “In the vast…
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