Down The List

Well, the unlikely alliance has been struck between what would appear to be two diametrically opposed movements. Enter, in this election year, the Internet Mana Party!

Winston is looking a bit queasy under attack from Brendan Horan as the lid comes off the can of worms that is cricket match fixing.

The Judith Collins conflict of interest issue has been swamped by the budget. But Winston Peters, from a party that seems to have a scarcity of policy,continues to snipe even when the ammunition seems to have run out.

With Maurice gone and Judith on gardening leave, are National losing their grip on power?

There have been a couple of bumps in the road to the election for the Nationals this week - the about face on the legal highs legislation, and Maurice Williamson's resignation.

The road to the elections is getting rougher and rougher. The departure of Shane Jones, apparently head-hunted by Murray McCully from the Nationals, leaves a big pothole for Labour.

Prince William, Kate and wee George are touring. What a great platform for electioneering politicians to display their 'nice guy' side.

With Labour still struggling to gain much traction in the polls the shape of potential coalition groupings are coming into the spotlight.

Is the Mana Party seriously considering forming an alliance with Kim Dotcom's new Internet party? What do they have in common politically or philosophically?

Accusations of financial impropriety at the Kohanga Reo National Trust forces minister Hekia 'u-turn' Parata to send in the Serious Fraud Office.

Justice Minister Judith Collins is on notice from the PM over a possible conflict of interest issue relating to a taxpayer-funded trip to China.

Do David Cunliffe's hidden trusts erode the public's trust in Labour?

With Labour making no gains on National, questions are being asked about how committed the team is to supporting the leader.

Recent revelations that TVNZ premises were used for Labour Party meetings, political bias in the media is a hot topic.

Government moves to cancel passports of New Zealanders intending to join Syrian freedom fighters is meeting with some criticism.

The ACT Party have changed their leadership. Two untried, untested new faces with little or no political experience have taken over. Will it make any difference to ACT's zero polling?

The Nationals and Labour launch into election year with promises about education and a baby bonus. But whose policy came first? And while we're at it, what about a new flag?

The intended launch of the new Internet Party at Kim Dotcom's 40th birthday party didn't quite go off with a bang. In fact it didn't go off at all.

Set at the WINZ office Christmas party where WINZ is congratulating itself on a successful year addressing child poverty.

John Banks is, at last, preparing to depart the scene over the anonymous donations issue. The Nationals must be starting to worry about their choices for coalition partners.

Is NZ Football run like a suburban tennis club or a highly professional outfit producing results we can all be proud of?

Considering that the Conservative Party under Colin Craig has not exactly seen eye to eye with Nationals on some important social policies can they really be a possible coalition partner for the National come next election?

With Roastbusters fallout continuing questions are being asked about the way the Police deal with rape complainants.

The Black Caps suffered what can only be described as a humiliating defeat in the recent series against Bangladesh. What's the problem? Or is it true that we just aren't very good at cricket and need to admit it?

Revelations about Angela Merkel's phone being bugged are explored in a New Zealand context.

The Nationals are not doing brilliantly in the polls. Are they running out of coalition partners? And Auckland is like a life sized game of monopoly.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown will need a very good PR company to get him through the extra-marital affair affair.

New Zealand has a shocking record in workplace safety in the forestry industry. Is self-regulation by remote overseas owners really going to fix the problem?

The National goverment announces plans to help a very limited number of low-income, first home buyers to buy old, unoccupied state housing stock in small regional centres. How will this actually help?

As the renovated and newly amicable David Cunliffe assembles his shadow cabinet of Labour spokespersons some are wondering why they missed out on a place.

State subsidy is no longer a dirty word... if it's going to a major corporate is the new truth for Simon Rogers Flaccid.

There are some concerns about the quality and intention of some programming on Maori Television and about its processes for appointing a new CEO.

David Shearer has bowed out of the Labour leadership. So who is the front runner as his replacement and will the new democratic voting system within the party and its support base ensure the best person wins?

With all the fuss about the GCSB and David Shearer's resignation other important issues seem to have faded -- like the hard-line welfare reforms and the possibility that New Zealand is shirking any real responsibility in regard to carbon emissions.

The Nationals are proposing changes to the child protection strategy that include banning parents who abuse their kids from having more kids, and keeping 'suspect' people away from areas where kids gather.

Fonterra is in damage control after the botulism in the whey it supplies to baby formula manufacturers. Let's hope that there's some way New Zealand's clean-green image can be preserved.

First Kim Dotcom and the GCSB, then the attempt to make it all go away with a law change, then the NSC, then Parliamentary Services and the accessing of journalist's 'phone records. Is the head that rolled the right head?

Peter Dunne and John Key prove that politics is indeed the art of compromise.

Will the recent welfare reforms even things out and incentivise beneficiaries to put more effort into getting jobs, or will it just add insult to injury for genuine beneficiaries with limited resources?

The Labour Party leaders seem a bit unfocussed. Could it be that Labour's historically 'robust' internal democratic processes simply make them appear indecisive?

The Mana Party and the Maori Party did not fare well in the recent Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election, coming second and third. Should they seriously consider joining forces?

The Nationals are courting Peter Dunne and Winston Peters as they try to get the GCSB bill over the line. Meanwhile they have done a U-turn on the Auckland rail loop.

Elected representatives enjoying corporate hospitality is a contentious issue as four labour MP's found recently.

The anti-fluoride movement has been victorious in convincing the Hamilton council to have a fluoride-free water supply. Wellington is their next target.

The gloves are off in the long run up to the next election. The name calling has started. Maybe it's time The Greens lost their 'nice' image, join the fray and engage in a bit of biffo?

Two executives, one from Fonterra and one from Sanitarium, meet at a low decile school as the milk and Weetbix arrive for 'the kiddies'.

The National Government seems to rate the paying of family carers of the disabled as a low priority -- a 'nice to have'. And it doesn't appreciate being legally challenged on its decisions.

Sky City Casino gets a couple of hundred new pokie machines and some black-jack tables in exchange for a new international convention centre. Sounds cheap, but what will be the real cost of this 35-year deal?

An inebriated low-ranked National List MP makes a fool of himself and trouble for John Key by throwing his inconsiderable weight around in a restaurant and threatening the waiter.

The Nationals are being accused of cronyism with their appointment of certain people from other fields to high level public service positions - squash champion Susan Devoy is now the Race Relations Commissioner.