KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark is on the hunt for a new spin maestro after the surprise resignation of long-time Labour loyalist David Lewis.
The chief press secretary - whose association with Labour dates back to the days of opposition in the 1990s - has stepped down because of a change in family circumstances.
His departure comes little more than a year after he took on the key Beehive role, and such rapid turnover at the top of Helen Clark's media team is unusual.
Before Mr Lewis, Mike Munro filled the job for near on a decade, and left a big hole when he voluntarily departed after the 2005 election.
Mr Lewis will himself now leave big shoes to fill, having built solid relationships with journalists and proved unflappable as he dealt with what was a difficult 2006 for Labour.
The eyes of the political world are now turning to who will succeed him, and the man himself was yesterday typically discreet when asked about who might be in the running.
He would say only that he thought the matter would be settled "shortly".
It is possible the Prime Minister will choose to promote an internal candidate in the interests of continuity.
The chance of that happening is boosted by the fact Labour is in its third term in power and looks certain to face a stiff challenge from a John Key-led National Party at the next ballot.
Political commentator Colin James yesterday said a good strategist was needed, "this year perhaps more than most".
"They've got a new leadership of the National Party to contend with and to head off, and they had that bad year last year, which a really good communications strategy could have avoided," he said.
Mr James said the Beehive needed someone who could think strategically, cultivate personal relationships, who knew how the Prime Minister thought, and who could speak for the Prime Minister with authority.
"There aren't many of them around - maybe half a dozen in the country who could really do the job as well as they need."
However, offsetting that requirement is the media savvy of the Prime Minister herself. Mr James said anyone coming in as her chief press secretary would be advising someone who had proven she was quite good at it herself.
Mr Lewis is a highly trusted member of the Prime Minister's team and is considered skilled at handling internal Beehive relationships.
He navigated a path through last year's scandal involving David Benson-Pope and allegations from his teaching days.
"The Labour-led Government has started 2007 in a shambles," Mr Key said, referring to last week's friction between Winston Peters and Jim Anderton, questions over the corrections and parole systems, and the Taito Philip Field affair.
