John Key's Government today faces its first accountability test in Parliament since the November election when Question Time resumes - and it is expected to be a fiery affair.
After a politically charged fortnight, there will be no shortage of subjects on which Opposition parties will grill the Prime Minister. The sale of the Crafar farms to Shanghai Pengxin, the partial sale of state-owned assets, and the Maori Party's threat to pull support from the Government unless it gets the Treaty of Waitangi clause in asset-sale legislation are all likely to be raised.
Mr Key will attempt to show he is in control, despite Maori Party threats to walk, and the high volume of opposition politics dominating the start of the year.
The rivalry between the Maori and Mana Parties is likely to be raw. But there will also be focus on the major opposition parties - Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First - and their degree of competition or co-operation.
New Labour leader David Shearer told the Herald he hoped to get greater co-operation between the parties in a few weeks on Question Time.
