Articles by Mykeljon Winckel

They fell in love in the Dutch East Indies before the Second World War tore their lives apart. For years, each believed the other had died, until an extraordinary encounter at an air force base in December 1947 brought them together again. Originally published in eLocal magazine. Expanded and republished with additional historical context. · Two Strangers on a Staircase · It was late in 1947, at an air force base near Batavia, now Jakarta, in…

New Zealand's decision to abandon domestic oil refining deserves scrutiny beyond the price of petrol. The loss of refining capacity also raises questions about industrial by-products, agricultural inputs and whether successive governments have adequately protected the country's productive economy. The Cost of Losing a Strategic Industry · In March 2022, New Zealand's only oil refinery at Marsden Point ceased operations, ending nearly six…

From flood-affected communities and rising rates to public asset ownership and economic independence, Sue Grey argues that New Zealand needs a fundamental change in how it is governed. Speaking with eLocal's publisher and Founder Mykeljon Winckel ahead of the 2026 general election, Grey outlines her party's approach to restoring local accountability, rebuilding productive capacity and giving ordinary New Zealanders a greater say in decisions…

Surveillance was once imagined as a camera watched by a police officer in a control room. Today, it is an interconnected commercial ecosystem combining cameras, licence-plate readers, facial recognition, artificial intelligence, cloud storage, digital evidence platforms and enormous searchable databases. · Private companies increasingly build and operate the infrastructure through which governments, police agencies and businesses observe the…

Few periods in New Zealand’s modern history have transformed the country as profoundly as the reforms that followed the 1984 General Election. Supporters saw an economy liberated from unsustainable regulation. Critics saw the dismantling of a social and economic model that had protected local ownership, employment and community stability for generations. Based on research provided by Peter MacaDonald | eLocal Investigates · Editor’s Note: This…

The New Zealand Government has described the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as one of the country's most significant trade achievements in decades. It promises expanded export opportunities, reduced tariffs and stronger economic ties with one of the world's fastest-growing economies. · Trade agreements shape economies long after the political announcements surrounding them have faded. eLocal has examined the treaty itself together…

Artificial intelligence, digital identity, biometric recognition and automated surveillance are transforming societies around the world. As governments adopt increasingly sophisticated technologies in the name of public safety and efficiency, a larger constitutional question is emerging: are the laws designed to protect individual liberty evolving just as quickly? eLocal Investigates: This report examines the growing debate surrounding…

eLocal Conversations is a new interview series hosted by Mykeljon Winckel, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of eLocal Magazine. Featuring political leaders, business innovators and industry experts, each episode explores the ideas, policies and issues shaping New Zealand's future through respectful, in-depth discussion. Real Conversations. Real Policy. Real New Zealand. In this first eLocal interview, Mykeljon Winckel sits down with New Zealand…

Trade agreements are easy to announce but much harder to measure. If New Zealand has committed itself to a long-term partnership with India, shouldn't taxpayers also be told whether that partnership is actually delivering what was promised? The signing ceremony is over. · The speeches have been made. Hands have been shaken, photographs taken and another chapter added to New Zealand's long history of free trade agreements. · Now comes the…

Every year, millions of Americans celebrate Independence Day with pride, ceremony and a shared sense of national identity. New Zealand has no equivalent. While our constitutional journey followed a very different path, the absence of a widely recognised day celebrating our nationhood raises an important question: have we forgotten the story that unites us as New Zealanders? A Question Worth Asking · Every year on the Fourth of July, the United…