If MPs were following the leaders, the leaders were probably following the polls which had started to show greater support for the proposal, writes Claire Trevett.

Fans of the rather spectacular David Attenborough Africa series will have observed similarities between the great giraffe turf war in that programme and the battle underway in the Maori Party.

There is a different truth creed for politicians than witnesses in court, where the usual vow is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, writes Claire Trevett.

Claire Trevett says when it comes to delivering bad news about the fauna and flora of NZ, the same advice applies as to tramping near fairy tern nesting sites: tread with meticulous care.

By far the busiest room in Parliament is the Room for Improvement, writes Claire Trevett. The room is somewhat like a detention room and of late its revolving door has fanned the rest of Parliament's inhabitants.

While he was away it seems the tax officials went to play with their half-baked monetary schemes, writes Claire Trevett.

Prime Minister John Key went a tad off-script in a speech in Santiago yesterday, and delivered New Zealand's economic history via a parable of wine.

Imagine an alternate reality in which a disgruntled caucus member leaks Labour leader David Shearer's first draft of his reshuffle, writes Claire Trevett.

Having done his utmost to get the Maori Party into the intensive care unit, Harawira has put on his quack's white coat and offered to give it the kiss of life, writes Claire Trevett.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has backtracked on a law change that would have ensured compensation for ill-treatment of prisoners by the state was used to benefit victims rather than being given to the inmates.

Anybody interested in the realities of being a sole-charge police officer should visit the Facebook page of Houhora's Senior Constable Tracee Knowler, writes Claire Trevett.

Claire Trevett writes: "John Key caved in and did something vaguely resembling the Gangnam Dance - prompting one observer to sum it up thus: "I bloody love that we have a Prime Minister who is not afraid to make a tit of himself.""

It is never easy seeing a dream lie in shreds, and for all the inevitability, the end of National MP Tau Henare's tilt to be Speaker was no exception, writes Claire Trevett.

Cunliffe supporters are now questioning what he did wrong, given there was no overt leadership challenge, writes Claire Trevett.

Despite Key's claims that he was not bothered about the happenings in Labour, he appeared to be paying a great deal of attention indeed, writes Claire Trevett.

The promise to deal with alcopops has been reduced to a provision that will allow a future government to act on them at some unspecified time, writes Claire Trevett.

The saga of the Ministry of Social Development's failings certainly drew attention away from that ugly wart of what John Key knew and when about Kim Dotcom, writes Claire Trevett.

Labour could learn a lot from the chocolate wars - that bitter contest that played out on the bloody battlefields of the supermarket shelves in 2009, writes Claire Trevett.

Blissful ignorance is politically convenient, but there is a point at which it goes too far, writes columnist Claire Trevett.

Claire Trevett says John Key's actions show that there are at least two ostriches in New Zealand: him and Act leader John Banks.

Claire Trevett says God loves a trier, but unfortunately the PM does not feel the same way about his latest trier - Tau Henare.