About GNZA
Welcome to Great New Zealand Argument, a "historical blog" which aims to bring to life notable writing of argument and opinion from New Zealand history by re-publishing it in the context of a contemporary weblog.
This page is a gateway to the most recently-posted arguments and to the archive of all material posted here.
If you like what you see here, then you'll love Great New Zealand Argument: Ideas about ourselves, the debut title from Activity Press, edited by Russell Brown. This book brings together important essays and speeches spanning nearly 70 years, most of them long out of print. It explores the questions of who we are and how we are changing.
As well as the works available online via this page - including the first published transcript of David's Lange's 1985 Oxford Union debate speech - it includes 'Bringing Argument to Life', an introductory essay by Russell Brown; Margaret Pope's first written commentary on the Lange speech; and an updated version of Tze Ming Mok's Landfall prize-winning essay, 'Race You There'.
Readers outside New Zealand can order Great New Zealand Argument at the Public Address Store, for $NZ29.95 plus postage and packing. The store will be open presently for New Zealand sales, but in the meantime we invite you to support your local independent bookseller by buying the book from them.