David Cameron was furious. The report just released by his favourite think tank was “insane”, "barmy" and “rubbish from start to finish”. Read more

With all the excitement around the Volkswagen affair, the refugee crisis and UK Labour’s return to socialism, the euro crisis has been relegated from the front pages. (It is still ongoing.) But at last, there are positive signs of a change. Read more

As far as corporate scandals go, they do not come bigger than the Volkswagen affair. Yes, other companies make mistakes too. Read more

The Volkswagen emissions cheating affair is only the last in a long row of German corporate scandals, as I wrote last week (The fallout from the Volkswagen fiasco, 24 September). But it is not just a corporate scandal we are witnessing, what is on display is also a piece of crony (or at least cosy) capitalism. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich from The New Zealand Initiative explains that, while they might make homeowners feel richer, high home prices are not a cause for celebration. It’s time to remember what a home’s true function is and why unaffordability is problematic. Read more

It was a great week for New Zealand – and for me personally. Statistics NZ reported a net gain of more than 60,000 people in the year to August. Read more

Volkswagen’s admission of having systematically manipulated emissions results of its cars has not only plunged the world’s second-largest car manufacturer into crisis, but it is also causing damage to Germany’s international reputation. But why is anyone surprised? Read more

Shortly after being chosen by his party as Australia’s new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull singled out one international leader as his role model: his New Zealand counterpart. “John Key has been able to achieve very significant economic reforms in New Zealand by doing just that, by taking on and explaining complex issues and then making the case for them,” Turnbull told the media. Read more

Last week, I wrote in this column that Europe’s refugee crisis could undo the EU. This week, I notice how much progress has been achieved in that respect over the past seven days. Read more

“At least Germany is getting some good press recently,” a friendly businessman just told me a few days ago. “That’s quite a change from what we have seen before.” What he was referring to was the European refugee crisis, in which the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel was suddenly regarded as humane, caring and compassionate -- and not as brutal, egotistic and authoritarian as in its dealings with Greece. Read more

Sometimes it is easier to see things clearly the further you remove yourself from them. For me it has been like that with Europe. Read more

Five years ago, Alan Kohler kindly offered me a weekly slot to comment on the European economy. Since then, I have been covering the various aspects of the European debt crisis in more than 200 Business Spectator columns. Read more