A great deal of time (and frequently money) can be spent working on the content of a speech, structuring sentences and phrases, re-writing and honing it. This includes selecting the appropriate alliteration and assonance chosen to enhance the effect, using quotations and examples and the rule of three- this is a writing principle that suggests that things that come in threes are funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things — slavishly adhered to.

John Key made one of his last speeches as Prime Minister of New Zealand at the International Sovereign Wealth Fund Forum (IWSWF) on 8-11 November. He made his shock resignation announcement about one month later on 5 December, and will step down a week after that.

Everyone had an early start that morning, gathering to listen to Key at a breakfast meeting at 8am on 10 November at Auckland’s ANZ Viaduct Events Centre.  He was certainly more engaging than I had expected, was better in person than on television, could read an audience and knew his stuff.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have never had an easy relationship. For the most part though, Egypt has always supported Saudi Arabia, and vice versa, except when the Morsi government took charge. A Sunni country being led by the Muslim Brotherhood was not Saudi Arabia’s idea of loyalty.

I’ve been sent some background on the Constructive Journalism Project, a UK initiative that aims to innovate and strengthen journalism by developing methods for journalists to bring more positive and solution-focused elements into conventional reporting. I hadn’t heard about it before.

I was interested to come across this “Education Bond” that is being launched in the UK- between private equity firm, Gaw Capital, and InvestUK. It aims to allow Chinese, and other foreign students, to invest in property in the UK and thereby acquire permanent residence.

This made me think about the appropriateness of such a “bond” in New Zealand. Some 33,000 Chinese student visas have been granted in this country, as at July 26 2016, according to an article by Radio NZ.

The article also states: “Immigration New Zealand figures showed it approved 33,425 visa applications from Chinese students in the 12 months to the end of June.

That figure was up from 29,880 in the preceding 12-month period and a significant increase from a low of 21,777 in 2009/10.Annual study visa approvals for China had not been so high since 2006/07, when 34,448 were approved.”

Surely, such a bond would be the way New Zealand should go? But imagine if it were approved.There would certainly be an uproar. The question, however, whether it would be the right thing to do.

Why do you think he’s a successful businessman? Because he says so?

Here’s how Donald Trump made his money: he got a $1 million loan from his father, and then borrowed an additional $19 million against his future inheritance from banks. So his father’s wealth allowed him to start with $20 million in capital that Trump himself had done nothing to earn (he’d eventually inherit $200 million from his father.)

The subject of refugees is highly topical; the global media carries many stories about refugees, mostly from Syria. Yet, refugees come from all over the world, especially from Asia and the large continent of Africa.

New Zealand has agreed to take in only 1000 of these refugees. The number has just gone up from 750, with an agreed number of 250 from Syria. On 7 September 2015 the Government announced New Zealand will welcome 750 Syrian refugees in response to the ongoing conflict in Syria. Of the 750 places, 600 will be by way of a special emergency intake above New Zealand’s annual quota, and 150 places will be offered within the quota.

An abridged screening of a documentary, “Stepping up: NZ’s response to the refugee crisis” was shown to a full house at the Rees Hotel on Saturday 1 August.

Stepping Up? New Zealand’s Response to the Refugee Crisis, is a recently produced documentary by Lucia Dore intended for the New Zealand general population and policy makers.

Imam Mohamed Magid pause as he prays at the mosque of All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Sterling, Virginia, U.S. May 19, 2016. To match Special Report USA-EXTREMISTS/TEEN REUTERS/Carlos Barria

I recently made a documentary about the treatment of refugees in New Zealand. It's entitled "Stepping Up: New Zealand's response to the refugee crisis" and looks at some of the issues NZ faces with refugees coming into the country, including statistics of how the country compares with the rest of the world. (For more about this project go to the filmmaking section of this website).