Take the personalities out of the equation and a National-NZ First Govt would be far less restrictive for National than one relying on the Maori Party, writes Claire Trevett.

It is only the first week of the parliamentary year and the features common to election campaigns are already on full boil, writes Claire Trevett.

Seven years after putting NZ First leader Winston Peters into the naughty corner, Key is now trying to haul him out again. writes Claire Trevett.

Let us turn our minds to how politicians spent the day and the New Year's resolutions they are pondering in between overs of the cricket.

What seasonal gift giving has shown us is the pecking order among the reindeer that drag Santa around, writes Claire Trevett. Steven Joyce has arisen as Rudolph.

The parliamentary year ended yesterday, and so it is time for the school prizegiving, writes Claire Trevett. For the middle year of a second-term Government, it was a surprisingly busy year.

Over the past week, a bit of a siege mentality set in as MPs ran the gauntlet of being asked about their super schemes and Wellington apartments, writes Claire Trevett.

Spring has sprung and with it a focus on renewal among political parties, writes Claire Trevett. National MPs are obediently acting like deciduous trees.

In the same way a teacher might elect a star pupil for the day, Prime Minister John Key has taken to anointing a Good News Minister of the week, writes Claire Trevett.

Everybody has distractions, writes Claire Trevett. In fact, when it comes to time, family and raising children is a far more time-consuming distraction than an affair.

He stood before them, like Rafiki in the Lion King holding aloft the precious Simba. In this case, Simba was 20 minutes of flattery and a ream of promises.

Prime Minister John Key gave New Zealand wine to the Queen and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Getting to know the royals better appears to have confirmed Prime Minister John Key's view that New Zealand should remain with the monarchy - but the flag can go.

Claire Trevett hands out awards for contestants in Labour's leadership following a fortnight of entertainment on the hustings.

It's now half way through the leadership roadshow of the Labour candidates, known as the 'Three Stooges' by National, writes Claire Trevett.

Despite the public shows of bonhomie between the three so far in an attempt to show a party undivided, there is a warning within The Odyssey for the two losers, writes Claire Trevett.

The snapper comparison set a lovely trap for Labour leader David Shearer, who obliged by falling into it, writes Claire Trevett.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett often stands accused of taking a hard line on matters within her purview.

If political parties have codes of conduct for social media, they are apparently flexible depending on how senior the MP is, writes Claire Trevett.

Claire Trevett writes: There is only one kind of coup in politics: the one that actually works. However, there are numerous varieties of attempted coups.

Any suggestion of a full merger between the Maori Party and Mana remains as likely as Act merging with the Greens, writes Claire Trevett.

If polling tracks were Roads of National Significance, then National is in a people-mover on the Waikato Expressway, writes Claire Trevett.

It appears inevitable Labour's candidate, Meka Whaitiri, will win the seat, writes Claire Trevett. The bigger question is how the Mana and Maori parties will go against each other.

A miracle took place in Parliament this week when National turned wine into water.

Winston Peters' timepiece has reached utu o'clock and how he is enjoying the resultant chiming, writes Claire Trevett. United Future leader Peter Dunne was the first to be struck.

Stripping honours for reasons other than traditional crimes, is a relatively new phenomenon sparked by the global financial crisis, writes Claire Trevett.

Mana leader Hone Harawira spat at the porridge in disgust, writes Claire Trevett. Prime Minister John Key thought the porridge was just right.

In the 1980s Australian show The Comedy Club, the naughty schoolgirl Jophesine had a standard defence to accusations of wrongdoing.

The man who usually walked alongside a Labour leader on to a marae was not there this time. Instead, Labour's leader and his caucus were going on to a small marae in Tolaga Bay to farewell him.