KEY POINTS:
To mark the tenth anniversary of nzherald.co.nz, we're rounding up some of the highs and lows of the last decade. Below we look at some of the political moments to shake New Zealand since 1998.
1998 - Jenny Shipley removes Winston Peters as Deputy PM
Jenny Shipley, who became Prime Minister the previous year, removes Winston Peters as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Treasury in 1998.
Peters had signed a coalition with Jim Bolger but after Bolger was rolled by Shipley, and the two disagreed over selling Wellington Airport shares, the coalition was dissolved.
From the Independent
1999 - Helen Clark elected PM
Helen Clark becomes New Zealand's first elected female Prime Minister following the 1999 General Election.
Labour won the election and formed the country's second coalition government under MMP with the Alliance Party after just nine days.
Labour-led governments went on to establish Working For Families, KiwiSaver and the Cullen Superfund.
Herald report
2002 - Alliance Party dies
The Alliance Party implodes with Jim Anderton emerging with his Progressive Party in February 2002.
Anderton accused the Alliance Party leadership of blackmail after a dispute over tithing to the party's campaign fund.
In May, Mr Anderton formed his own party, Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition.
Herald report
2002 - Bill English leads National to record defeat
Bill English rolls Jenny Shipley and leads National to its biggest ever election loss, July 2002.
National won just 21 per cent of the vote, compared to Labour's 41 per cent. National also haemorrhaged 12 seats. English remained as National's leader for another year.
Herald report
2004 - Foreshore and Seabed hikoi
Foreshore and Seabed hikoi and the formation of the Maori Party, July 2004.
The then proposed Foreshore and Seabed legislation, which gave title to the Crown, inspired hikoi to Wellington in May 2004. Numbers were estimated at between 10,000 and 30,000 people.
Tariana Turia resigned from the Labour Party and formed the Maori Party, aiming to win all seven Maori seats in the 2005 election. The party won four of them.
Herald report
2005 - Rod Donald dies
Green Party co-leader Rod Donald dies at the age of 48, November, 2005.
Politicians across the political spectrum paid tribute him. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said: "Wherever one sits on the political divide, it can't be denied that Rod Donald was dedicated to his party's cause and their issues and had been a high profile and effective parliamentarian."
Herald report
2005 - David Benson-Pope and Taito Phillip Field resignations
Labour Cabinet controversy made the headlines in 2005 and 2006 with David Benson-Pope and Taito Phillip Field both being stood down.
Mr Field was stood down in September 2005, while an investigation into a work permit application for a Thai tiler who tiled Mr Field's house in Samoa was investigated. He is now facing bribery, corruption and obstruction charges.
Mr Benson-Pope was forced to resign from Cabinet in July 2006 after making misleading statements about the removal of Madeleine Setchell from her job as Environment Ministry communications manager. Setchell's partner was the chief press secretary for National Party leader John Key.
Labour Minister's resignations
2006 - National leader Don Brash quits
Don Brash resigns. Pressure had been mounting on him and after emails about his links to the Exclusive Brethren were revealed, he quit.
Brash rolled Bill English in October 2003. His time at the helm of National is remembered for his controversial speeches made at the Orewa Rotary Club and bringing National back to an improved showing at the 2005 election.
Brash tried to stop Nicky Hager's book the Hollow Men with a court order but relented. The book contained emails from and to Dr Brash that documented National's inner-workings.
Herald report
2008 - Peters censured
Winston Peters is censured following the Owen Glenn affair, September 2008
Winston Peters held up a sign saying "no" after allegations in the media surfaced that billion-aire New Zealand ex-pat Owen Glenn had made a donation to New Zealand First in 2005.
Peters denied knowingly receiving the cheque but the privileges committee decided otherwise.
The saga ended with Parliament censuring Mr Peters, who maintained his innocence saying: "The only court I will stand before is on November 8." But in the November election, his party did not pass the 5 per cent threshold and was not returned to Parliament.
Herald report
2008 - Key becomes PM
National ends nine years of Labour-led Government, November 2008.
The 47-year-old John Key fulfilled a lifelong ambition to become prime minister only six years after turning his back on a lucrative investment banking career and returning to New Zealand.
Mr Key said National had campaigned on the economy and the result showed the public wanted a Government to focus on economic issues.
Herald report
