Labour's proposal for a capital gains tax was centre stage at a New Zealand Herald Mood of the Boardroom breakfast in Auckland yesterday.

NZ First is on the rise and seems assured of returning to Parliament in bigger numbers, according to the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey.

At 25 per cent or thereabouts in the polls, Labour is not in a position to be ruling any parties out of a possible coalition. Yet David Cunliffe seems hell-bent on doing just that.

The National Party is way out in front and in big trouble. John Key is going to win in eight days' time. It's possible, if unlikely, that he may not be able to form a government.

Every year, vast sums flow into and out of the Crown's coffers, but the amount of new money available for fiscally responsible political parties to fight over - call it the fiscal battlefield - is quite small.

On the face of it, Mana Party leader Hone Harawira and Labour Party hopeful Kelvin Davis agree on major issues that have plagued the Tai Tokerau electorate for years.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was in a buoyant mood as he returned to his old stamping ground yesterday, boasting that his re-election was now beyond doubt.

Te Ururoa Flavell is campaigning at university, and it has clearly unleashed the inner teacher in him.

He called him ''Shylock'' and a ''nasty little creep'' but Labour candidate Steve Gibson was among those queueing to shake hands with Prime Minister John Key today

Prime Minister John Key reviews the 3rd leaders debate and his own and David Cunliffes tax maths, he also added New Zealand would look at supporting the US in fighting terrorists in Iraq. has plunged in personal popularity dropping by 7.3 points

John Key has plunged in personal popularity, dropping by 7.3 points, and Labour leader David Cunliffe has jumped by 3.9 points in the latest Herald DigiPoll survey.

When it comes to the economy the country's two major parties are promising to take New Zealand in very different directions, writes Bryce Edwards.

In an effort to lower rates and weaken the currency, Labour is pledging to broaden the RBNZ's policy goal by re-writing its main objective.

Watch back the New Zealand Herald's Mood Of The Boardroom event, with National’s Bill English and Labour’s David Parker debating economic policy before an audience of business leaders at Auckland's Langham Hotel.

Labour and the Greens are backing National's plan to get all prisoners working or studying fulltime within three years.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has warned "separatism is coming to a council near you" .

Conservatives Colin Craig and Christine Rankin headed out on the campaign trail in Newmarket yesterday - so what reaction did they get?

National is not short of policy. Just look at the party's website, writes John Armstrong. But there is little that leaps out and grabs your attention.

John Key and David Cunliffe faced off in round three of their debates tonight, but who came out on top? The Herald's top political correspondents make their picks.

Labour leader David Cunliffe will be looking to turn the tables on National's John Key. Join our live blog and react live with our rate the debate dial.

The Conservative Party is within a whisker of the 5 per cent threshold in the latest TV3 poll, but its rival party New Zealand First remains over it.