COMMENT: Waitangi is special, it hardly needs saying. Sadly February 6 is becoming the day to forget February 5 and the madness of Te Tii Marae.

COMMENT: Shane Jones' is set to join New Zealand First but not everyone in the party is holding up the welcome sign.

The English and Bennett team is bigger than the sum of its parts, writes Audrey Young, after the Prime Minister's State of the Nation address.

COMMENT: The new PM spent nearly five hours at the horse sales in what should be a busy election year, writes Audrey Young.

The pressure is on Little to improve his own performance and the party's image to lift its support, writes Audrey Young.

COMMENT: Bill English was bequeathed his political honeymoon in Europe by John Key.

COMMENT: Audrey Young sums up the political performances of our MPs this year, and picks a winner.

COMMENT: The Labour Party was quietly thrilled after getting over the shock of John Key's resignation as PM and his endorsement of Bill English.

COMMENT: The contest to become Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister is starting to look like an elaborate wiring diagram.

The US Admiral who ordered the USS Sampson to divert to the earthquake disaster zone has a long history with New Zealand.

Gone are the days when New Zealand spent a lot of time working out how to get the attention of the United States, at least under President Obama.

COMMENT: A Clinton presidency would have offered a seamless transition in the United States' policy towards New Zealand.

Perhaps the best feature of the American electoral system is that it gives us two and a half months to recover our composure before the new president takes office.

COMMENT: Key and McCully forged their successful political partnership around dealings the United States and it is about to be harnessed again.

COMMENT: Cancelling the Mumbai leg is embarrassing for New Zealand's reputation as a can-do country. Cant even arrive, writes Audrey Young.

COMMENT: John Key this week recalled the shock he felt when Simon Power privately told him he would be retiring from politics.

COMMENT: Political Editor Audrey Young gives her report card on the Education Minister, who has announced she will step down at the next election.

COMMENT: NZ First leader has been vocal about parents' strain on pension.

COMMENT: With every passing week, it becomes more likely that New Zealand First will decide the next Government.

COMMENT: Helen Clark has plenty of things consider as she contemplates the next step in the contest to lead the United Nations.

COMMENT: There are many ways by which Justice Minister Amy Adams can measure success in her job.

COMMENT: In afterglow of Joe Biden's charm offensive, it is easy to forget how bad things got at the breakup of the Anzus security alliance 30 years ago.

COMMENT: Helen Clark has stormed through the transparent part of her bid to lead the United Nations.

COMMENT: In a world in which the latest messaging apps last only seconds, the Labour Party has much to celebrate in lasting 100 years.

COMMENT: If Brexit the Musical is ever staged, casting of characters won't be hard given the performances so far of leading players, writes Audrey Young.

COMMENT: John Key came prepared to his post-Cabinet press conference yesterday on foreign trusts.

COMMENT: Murray McCully believes Helen Clark had the best start possible in the first phase of her bid to become the next Secretary General of the United Nations, writes Audrey Young.

COMMENT: New Zealand has no shortage of tea-stained reports about the failures of Child Youth and Family and its hard-working, well-meaning staff.

COMMENT: Few who know Clark would doubt her ability to do the job, and the fact that Clark will be in contention is an incredible achievement, writes Audrey Young.

If you like it, vote for it. If you like the present flag better, vote for it. Don't let anything else get in the way, writes Audrey Young.