Latest from Democracy

Nick Russell: OIA and TPP - Be careful what you wish for

People responsible for responding to OIA requests will need to take more care in identifying the documents that have been requested and considering their content, writes Nick Russell.

Jane Kelsey: Govt spin won't stop TPP facts emerging

If governments want to play by secret squirrel rules they can hardly accuse those who raise alarms based on best available information of scaremongering, writes Jane Kelsey.

Maire Leadbeater: A glimmer of hope for West Papua?

It is frustrating that serious human rights abuses in Indonesian-controlled West Papua continue to fly below the radar, Maire Leadbeater.

Andy Asquith: E-voting no silver bullet for low turnout

Let's do away with the technology and at least experiment with a return to a more traditional form of voting in local elections - a ballot box, writes Dr Andy Asquith.

Cathy Casey: Women's suffrage day

New Zealand has such a rich history of extraordinary and ground breaking women in sport, politics, academia and the arts, writes Cathy Casey. How should we celebrate their achievements?

Nicholas Ross Smith & Zbigniew Dumienski: Citizens' juries could reduce Auckland's democratic deficit

Using randomly selected juries to make some council-level policy suggestions is arguably a good starting point for organically growing a system for Auckland, writes Nicholas Ross Smith and Zbigniew Dumienski.

Gwynne Dyer: Burma's generals win again

Those military officers will continue to dominate politics, because 25 per cent of the votes, according to the 2008 constitution, can block any changes to the constitution, writes Gwynne Dyer.

Would you give up your right to vote if you never had to pay any taxes?

Greens need to let foreign leaders speak when the House sits

It's time that we grew up as a nation when it comes to diplomatic courtesy. It's time the Greens revoked their "unofficial ban" on visiting political leaders addressing the New Zealand Parliament.

Police use batons on protesters

Fresh clashes broke out in Hong Kong as riot police used batons and pepper spray on pro-democracy demonstrators after they were ordered to leave.

What are the Hong Kong protests about?

Pro-democracy protesters are continuing demonstrations in Hong Kong, with riot police responding with tear gas. What set it all off?

The world's most polite protesters?

Pro-democracy protesters may have engaged in a night of battles with police, but then they cleaned up and apologised to police who pepper-sprayed them.

Beat the rush and vote early

Matt Heath: Let's create a supreme leader

It's election time again. We've got bombshell books, burning effigies and debates about debates, writes Matt Heath.

Campaign launched to get more Kiwis voting

Bryan Gould: That's not left wing, it's just democratic

The rich and powerful are expert at using their dominance of the media to raise the salience in the popular mind of values that suit their interests, writes Bryan Gould.