We believed ourselves safe from the violence that has struck countless nations
around the world. We were wrong.
Pete McKenzie
Pete McKenzie is a freelance journalist focused on politics, foreign affairs & defence and social affairs.
History of a gnawing Kiwi crisis
NZ is in the middle of a dental crisis, and it's not the first time.
Rubbing noses in poverty doesn't work
Peter McKenzie examines the idea that feeling socially inferior can have real-life health impacts, arguing for a welfare system that doesn't shame the people who need it.
Peter McKenzie: Brexit's forgotten history
Peter McKenzie looks back to the turmoil of the 1970s to helps us understand how Britain got to this point.
Peter McKenzie: Why we need automatic voter enrolment
That NZ's electoral laws required poll-workers to effectively throw away about 1 percent of all votes cast at the last election is a democratic disgrace, writes Peter McKenzie.
Why young Kiwis are getting better behaved
Peter McKenzie examines some rapid behaviour changes among our young people, seeing them smoke and drink markedly less than previous generations.
How the NZ Army became an iwi
Over a few months in 1994, the NZ Army transformed into an extension of the culture which it had played a part in suppressing, writes Peter McKenzie.
Time for NZ to get tough on China
If NZ wants to retain its international reputation, it must take genuine steps to nip the Chinese government’s soft power campaign in the bud.
How the Govt can recapture democratic lustre
Peter McKenzie puts forward some practical ways to get around the anti-democratic impacts of the waka-jumping legislation.
Why students are so angry about mental health
Peter McKenzie examines why students feel so much anger about a topic which has only relatively recently become part of public discourse.
It's time to talk about NZ's racial wealth gap
In 2015, the median NZ European had $114,000 of wealth while the median Māori had just $23,000. So why the silence?
No shame in universalist agenda
Peter McKenzie argues the Families Package is the perfect demonstration of the Government's tendency towards universalism.