Polity • Public Address

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$('#currentPageLink').val(location.pathname); var baseUrl = "/system"; </script> <script src="/static/system/js/forum.js?k=1b4bab4db5" type="text/javascript"></script> <script>var siteroot = "/";var csrf = "xk3G55nUJ8d9REww";</script> <script src="/js/c.js?set=js-header&v=1712884442000"></script> </head> <body class=" "> <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/c.js?set=osdetect&v=1712884442000" ></script> <div id="container" class="blog"> <header id="title" class="header"> <div class="header-content"> <a id="logo" href="/">Public Address, a community of blogs</a> </div> <a href="/polity/"><h1>Polity <em>by Rob Salmond</em></h1></a> </header> <div id="main" class="tk hfeed">  <article class="archive"> <h3>November 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/catch-you-later/">Catch you later</a> <time datetime="2016-11-23T09:38:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 23, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>October 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/four-thoughts-on-polling-in-wellingtons-mayoral/">Four thoughts on polling in Wellington’s mayoral election</a> <time datetime="2016-10-19T12:29:00+1300" pubdate>Oct 19, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>September 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/behavioural-economics-and-hekia-parata/">Behavioural economics and Hekia Parata</a> <time datetime="2016-09-12T10:17:00+1200" pubdate>Sep 12, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>August 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/burgergasm-the-second/">Burgergasm the second</a> <time datetime="2016-08-30T11:50:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 30, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/key-peddles-cynical-interest-rate-avenger/">Key peddles cynical “interest rate avenger” fantasy</a> <time datetime="2016-08-26T11:18:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 26, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/hekias-waynebrave/">Hekia's waynebrave</a> <time datetime="2016-08-24T09:59:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 24, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/why-did-the-tpp-fail/">Why did the TPP fail?</a> <time datetime="2016-08-22T10:46:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 22, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/hidden-costs/">Hidden Costs</a> <time datetime="2016-08-12T10:04:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 12, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>July 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/the-most-important-graph-in-the-world/">The most important graph in the world</a> <time datetime="2016-07-21T12:22:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 21, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/australian-election-dust-and-diesel/">Australian election: Dust and Diesel</a> <time datetime="2016-07-13T15:24:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 13, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/post-post-truth-post/">Post "post-truth" post</a> <time datetime="2016-07-05T12:58:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 5, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>June 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/english-canards/">English canards</a> <time datetime="2016-06-29T09:40:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 29, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/four-cents-on-brexit-fonterra-and-new-zealand/">Four cents on Brexit, Fonterra, and New Zealand</a> <time datetime="2016-06-27T14:40:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 27, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/custard/">Custard</a> <time datetime="2016-06-17T14:54:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 17, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>May 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/labour-and-the-greens-in-a-tree/">Labour and the Greens in a tree...</a> <time datetime="2016-05-31T17:42:00+1200" pubdate>May 31, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/budget-2016-fantasyplan/">Budget 2016: Fantasyplan</a> <time datetime="2016-05-26T16:34:00+1200" pubdate>May 26, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/budget-2016-growth-for-the-country-but-not/">Budget 2016: Growth for the country, but not for your family</a> <time datetime="2016-05-26T14:19:00+1200" pubdate>May 26, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/budget-2016-dull-on-top-hollow-underneath/">Budget 2016: Dull on top, hollow underneath</a> <time datetime="2016-05-26T14:00:00+1200" pubdate>May 26, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/mikes-minute-mikes-maths/">Mike's minute: Mike's maths!</a> <time datetime="2016-05-24T10:40:00+1200" pubdate>May 24, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/decrypting-social-investment/">Decrypting “social investment”</a> <time datetime="2016-05-19T15:34:00+1200" pubdate>May 19, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/is-being-a-tax-haven-worth-it/">Is being a tax haven worth it?</a> <time datetime="2016-05-09T10:16:00+1200" pubdate>May 9, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>April 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/a-short-history-of-half-baked-housing-blunders/">A short history of half-baked housing blunders</a> <time datetime="2016-04-29T12:03:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 29, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/lady-luck-smiles-more-than-we-think/">Lady luck smiles more than we think</a> <time datetime="2016-04-26T11:52:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 26, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/geography-and-housing-options/">Geography and housing options</a> <time datetime="2016-04-22T10:09:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 22, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/flaccid-balloon-mite-ridden-bees/">Flaccid balloon, mite-ridden bees</a> <time datetime="2016-04-19T12:48:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 19, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/a-wilting-rose/">A wilting rose</a> <time datetime="2016-04-07T15:05:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 7, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/father-of-the-bride/">Father of the Bride</a> <time datetime="2016-04-04T10:48:00+1200" pubdate>Apr 4, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/eleventy-billion-dollars/">Eleventy billion dollars!</a> <time datetime="2016-04-01T15:39:00+1300" pubdate>Apr 1, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>March 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/the-taxpayers-union-rides-again/">The Taxpayers' Union rides again!</a> <time datetime="2016-03-30T13:00:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 30, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/let-the-big-lies-flow/">Let the big lies flow</a> <time datetime="2016-03-29T13:03:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 29, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/home-spun-non-truths/">Home-spun non-truths</a> <time datetime="2016-03-22T10:18:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 22, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/global-behemoths-and-tax/">Global behemoths and tax</a> <time datetime="2016-03-18T10:54:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 18, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/key-derangement-syndrome-derangement-syndrome/">Key Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome</a> <time datetime="2016-03-07T09:00:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 7, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/booze-review-brewday-iv/">Booze review! Brewday IV</a> <time datetime="2016-03-01T15:57:00+1300" pubdate>Mar 1, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>February 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/poll-soup/">Poll Soup</a> <time datetime="2016-02-23T09:18:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 23, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/key-peering-between-the-lines/">Key: Peering between the lines</a> <time datetime="2016-02-18T11:06:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 18, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/leaving-only-footprints/">Leaving only footprints</a> <time datetime="2016-02-15T15:45:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 15, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/hootons-zombie-apocalypse/">Hooton’s Zombie Apocalypse</a> <time datetime="2016-02-09T09:13:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 9, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/this-is-why-this-is-why-i-fight/">This is Why, This is Why I Fight</a> <time datetime="2016-02-04T10:56:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 4, 2016</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/protesting-too-much-responses-to-labours/">Protesting too much: responses to Labour's new tertiary policy</a> <time datetime="2016-02-01T10:49:00+1300" pubdate>Feb 1, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>January 2016</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/on-tour-with-the-boss/">On tour with The Boss</a> <time datetime="2016-01-20T14:19:00+1300" pubdate>Jan 20, 2016</time> </li> </ul> <h3>November 2015</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/hoskings-right-about-jobs/">Hosking’s right about jobs</a> <time datetime="2015-11-30T08:52:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 30, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/a-hazy-intriguing-crystal-ball/">A hazy, intriguing crystal ball</a> <time datetime="2015-11-19T09:55:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 19, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/an-orwellian-alice-in-wonderland/">An Orwellian Alice in Wonderland</a> <time datetime="2015-11-13T11:08:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 13, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/cold-calculated-and-cynical/">Cold, calculated and cynical</a> <time datetime="2015-11-10T15:32:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 10, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/jeb-reports-prescription-panic/">Jeb! reports. Prescription: Panic!</a> <time datetime="2015-11-03T13:14:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 3, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/the-pantheon-of-sporting-dominance/">The pantheon of sporting dominance</a> <time datetime="2015-11-01T14:07:00+1300" pubdate>Nov 1, 2015</time> </li> </ul> <h3>October 2015</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/canada-voted/">Canada voted</a> <time datetime="2015-10-22T13:22:00+1300" pubdate>Oct 22, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/forty/">Forty</a> <time datetime="2015-10-13T14:50:00+1300" pubdate>Oct 13, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/tpp-eh/">TPP, eh?</a> <time datetime="2015-10-06T11:05:00+1300" pubdate>Oct 6, 2015</time> </li> </ul> <h3>September 2015</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/political-strategy-and-canadas-ndp/">Political strategy and Canada’s NDP</a> <time datetime="2015-09-25T13:21:00+1200" pubdate>Sep 25, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/everest-reviewing-the-reviews/">“Everest”: Reviewing the 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the TPP: “Or you’ll do what?”</a> <time datetime="2015-08-19T08:34:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 19, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/saudi-sheep-misappropriating-taxpayers-money/">Saudi sheep: Misappropriating taxpayers' money</a> <time datetime="2015-08-11T13:10:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 11, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/buying-a-fight-with-democracy/">Buying a fight with democracy</a> <time datetime="2015-08-03T09:46:00+1200" pubdate>Aug 3, 2015</time> </li> </ul> <h3>July 2015</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/land-of-the-brave-little-kids/">Land of the brave little kids</a> <time datetime="2015-07-29T15:05:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 29, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/too-much-to-swallow-on-the-tpp/">Too much to swallow on the TPP</a> <time datetime="2015-07-27T07:43:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 27, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/a-week-on-from-the-housing-controversy/">A week on from the housing controversy</a> <time datetime="2015-07-20T09:09:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 20, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/house-buying-patterns-in-auckland/">House-buying patterns in Auckland</a> <time datetime="2015-07-11T13:23:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 11, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/the-bluff-it-budget/">The Bluff-it Budget</a> <time datetime="2015-07-10T12:06:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 10, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/the-overconfidence-man/">The overconfidence man</a> <time datetime="2015-07-02T12:35:00+1200" pubdate>Jul 2, 2015</time> </li> </ul> <h3>June 2015</h3> <ul class="popular"> <li> <a href="/polity/gay-marriage-weed-and-death-with-dignity/">Gay marriage, weed, and death with dignity</a> <time datetime="2015-06-29T14:22:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 29, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/government-votes-not-to-improve-mmp/">Government votes not to improve MMP</a> <time datetime="2015-06-25T12:04:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 25, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/bridges-swims-in-troubled-waters/">Bridges swims in troubled waters</a> <time datetime="2015-06-18T13:39:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 18, 2015</time> </li> <li> <a href="/polity/unity-success-chicken-egg/">Unity, success: Chicken, egg?</a> <time datetime="2015-06-15T10:08:00+1200" pubdate>Jun 15, 2015</time> </li> </ul> </article> </div> <aside id="centre" class="tk"> <h1 class="hidden">Navigation</h1> <section> <h2>Recent</h2> <nav class="recent slab"> <ul> <li><a href="/polity/catch-you-later/">Catch you later</a></li> <li><a href="/polity/four-thoughts-on-polling-in-wellingtons-mayoral/">Four thoughts on polling in Wellington’s mayoral election</a></li> <li><a href="/polity/behavioural-economics-and-hekia-parata/">Behavioural economics and Hekia Parata</a></li> </ul> <footer> <ul class="dotted"> <li><a href="/polity/archive/">Polity Archive</a></li> </ul> </footer> </nav> </section> <nav id="blogs"> <h2>Blogs</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/hardnews/" class="hardnews">Hard News</a></li> <li><a href="/up-front/" class="upfront">Up Front</a></li> <li><a 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