Colin James – Page 49

An investment opportunity for trader Key

John Key is the face of the government but he has yet to put his stamp on it. That is a challenge before him as he bids for a second term. Part of the answer may be whether he trades Key the trader for Key the investor.

First, some numbers. If ACT right now had only three seats (the most, on present indications, it will have after this year’s election), it could not on its own give National a majority, as now. And if National had two fewer seats, the Maori party’s five would not do on their own either. read more

When inequalities globalise, how much can we keep to ourselves?

This is the year to start focusing on the next globalisation: the merging of inequalities within economies with the inequalities between economies. It’s been running a while already. It might make free trade arguments irrelevant.

There is a parallel globalisation, that of the physical environment and its resources. Growing recognition of the interdependencies embedded in this globalisation lay behind governments’ bother at Cancun last month to keep climate change negotiations alive. read more

How will it be, now that it's all different?

When the world’s biggest economy’s central bank, supposed to be the custodian of sound money, prints mind-boggling amounts of the stuff and flings it around, something has changed. The old “normal” is gone. But where and what is the new “normal”?

Nobody knows yet, though there is plenty of guessing. read more

Muddling the numbers in an uncertain world

Will 2011 be the midnight year when the undead stalk the echoing halls of power, seeking political necks for blood? That is one of the big questions for the two big parties when they emerge from holidays.

It is no idle question. First, there is a measure of unease, despite the government’s high poll ratings. Winston Peters is adept at feeding and feeding off unease. Second, if he gets over 5 per cent, he might get in the power game. read more

A celebration that reminds us how fragile we are

Why will 2011 be one of our big years? Because for six weeks we will get to watch big men in one of the world’s big contests right here. But how does that make it a big year?

A sport is some mix of skill and strength, hand/foot/eye coordination and athleticism, individuality and cooperation. Sport is a visible expression of human capacity. Peak sport is a peak human activity. read more

The Key leadership and the also-rans

National finishes 2010 on top, where it has been since John Key became leader. But is it on top of the big questions? That bothers some of the party’s ardent supporters.

There are three main dimensions to the Key leadership.

One is connectivity. In his reactions to and actions in the two disasters Key was emotionally involved, not gushily or manipulatively, but unselfconsciously and matter-of-fact. Real but not overdone emotion goes a long way in a leader. It’s one-of-us-ness. read more

The year of a young leader on the rise

It’s been a year of shock-and-awe — an earthquake, a mine disaster — and shock-horror-probe — micro-scandals about a chief executive’s spending on mince pies and a minister’s on bottled water and actual scandal, unseating a minor minister. Lots of scope for good and bad politics, local and national. read more

Now for some slow crunch talks on the Treaty

A “fantastic day”, “excited”, “almost beyond my wildest dreams”: what could Rahui Katene have been talking about in Parliament last Wednesday? A four-to-five-year meander through the constitution. Can you share her glee?

Katene, who joined the Maori party MPs’ caucus in 2008, was disappointed no one else had mentioned that “our co-leader, Pita Sharples, stood alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and announced a new phase of debate” on the constitution. read more

Bill, the budget and disruptive thinking

It’s nearly Christmas: time for gloom … oops, cheer. Tomorrow Bill English issues the half-yearly economic and fiscal update. The message will be caution and constraint, though with dashes of positivity.

The short-term basis for positivity is that, while the economy is unbalanced and seriously indebted and the budget is in structural deficit (temporarily accentuated by the looming drought, which might slice 2 per cent off GDP, the Canterbury earthquake, the mine explosion and kiwifruit disease), we are not under the same economic and fiscal pressures which are forcing difficult choices on much of the rich world. read more

Investing national capital (in innovation)

Colin James’s opening comments at the symposium to discuss the OECD strategy on innovation, Wellington, 7 December 2010

Innovation is a very broad notion.

Here is the definition in the OECD’s Innovation Strategy, from the Oslo Manual: “the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service) or process, a new marketing method or a new organisational method in business practices, workplace organisation or external relations”. read more