productive soil

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Matakana War Memorial heritage application

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Matakana War Memorial heritage application

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Welcome to Klaut.

Klaut is the publishing, production, and communications company of Grant McLachlan – a New Zealand-based writer. Grant is a prolific investigative writer of fiction and non-fiction for newspapers, books, and screen.

A former hearings commissioner, barrister, and solicitor*, Grant has worked in the public and private sectors, ranging from a Parliamentary researcher and campaign director to a planner and infrastructure specialist. His columns in New Zealand newspapers and his pro-bono work has assisted many people involved in disputes with central and local government authorities.

On this site you will find links to his current and past work. There are several projects in development so please watch this space.

Sparrow

A Chronicle of Defiance

An epic account of The Sparrows

- Battle of Britain gunners who defended Timor as part of Sparrow Force in 1942.

It is the story of Charlie McLachlan's war: a triumph of stubborn Scottish defiance and laconic Aussie genius over the relentless violence of man and nature. Charlie survives and bears witness to some of the landmark days of World War II.

Media Coverage

How National’s business model is ruining farming

Six parties debated in the dairy capital. Nobody named the thing killing the primary sector.

Column

Grant McLachlan

1 day ago3 min read

Is fast-track backfiring on National?

Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury, Queenstown, and Auckland ratepayers are being asked to carry the infrastructure bill for growth their own councils tried to stop.

Column

Grant McLachlan

Aug 153 min read

The Bullshit Economy

New Zealand has constructed an elaborate economy out of its own inefficiencies.

Feature

Grant McLachlan

Apr 1724 min read

Seven steps to a productive economy

New Zealand's addiction to property speculation is strangling the productive economy. Seven practical reforms — from taxing land and capital gains to protecting elite soils and standardising public infrastructure — could redirect investment where it is actually needed.

Column

Grant McLachlan

Apr 17 min read

Planning disasters - there's been a few

Click here to view the original published article. Among the buzz words to be thrown around in 2009, one will be "infrastructure". While words like "economic meltdown" and "recession" will make our shoulders sink, "infrastructure" will be to our Government what "change" is to Barack Obama. But it shouldn't be seen as the cure for everything. It would be a prudent to learn from our mistakes. So here are what I consider to be the biggest planning disasters in New Zealand's

New Zealand Herald