The May Budget will have no plans for tax cuts, Prime Minister John Key confirmed yesterday, and he sought to dampen expectations that there would be anything significant in the future.

Prime Minsiter John Key gave a pre-budget speech ahead of the National-led Government’s sixth budget.

Prime Minister John Key made a pre-budget address in Auckland, revealing some of what National will announce in the Budget 2014.

John Key says this year's Budget will continue to maintain discipline over Government spending and that the prospect of a large increase in spending “can be a distraction”.

The police unit that protects the Prime Minister and other VIPs has had another budget blowout - this time by almost $1.3 million.

Prime Minister John Key says don’t look to National for a big spend-up in the Budget or in the election campaign, despite the forecast surplus in the next financial year.

Hone Harawira issued an ultimatum to Kim Dotcom and the Internet Party yesterday: if Dotcom does any sort of deal with Peter Dunne, Harawira is out, writes Audrey Young.

Kim Dotcom’s Internet Party has started registering support in a new political poll, and could have enough to gain one seat in Parliament if it did a deal with Mana Party.

Kim Dotcom bought his NZ residency with a $10m cheque; now he wants to buy off Hone Harawira to try to secure the balance of power at the September election, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Dotcom has about as much chance of playing kingmaker in 2014 via his just-launched Internet Party as Corkery has of succeeding the Queen to the British throne, writes John Armstrong.

Mr Dotcom launched the online membership drive for his party this afternoon under the cloud of claims his ownership of a rare copy of Hitler's book Mein Kampf is evidence of Nazi sympathies.

Mr Dotcom launched the online membership drive for his party this afternoon under the cloud of claims his ownership of a rare copy of Hitler's book Mein Kampf is evidence of Nazi sympathies. Mr Dotcom also addressed issues around hundreds of thousand of dollars owed to former staff and contractors by the company which runs his large luxurious home which was the scene of a paramilitary raid by police in early 2012. He said he had now paid all of them.

The Act Party and the Conservatives have received large donations from their wealthy benefactors ahead of the September election, the latest party returns show.

The Electoral Commission wants every eligible New Zealander, whether citizen or permanent resident, to enrol and vote in this year's general election.

Hone Harawira should think carefully indeed before committing his fledgling Mana Party to any vote-sharing deal with Kim Dotcom's Internet outfit, writes John Armstrong.

The Government-initiated report released last week about the Kohanga Reo National Trust has certainly not satisfied critics, or killed off the scandal, writes Bryce Edwards.

Vote Chat is a series of public interviews of politicians, candidates and commentators brought to you by the University of Otago Politics Department. In this chat author and journalist Max Rashbrooke is interviewed by Dr Bryce Edwards. The idea is to foster a different type of political environment whereby the audience doesn't just get the usual well-rehearsed campaigning speech from a politician. Audience participation is encouraged and you can ask your questions either in person, by tweeting @OUVoteChat or by using the hashtag #VoteChat14.

It is unfortunate that some Government sloppiness about business relationships has clouded the coverage of John Key's trip to China, writes Liam Dann.

The money paid by Oravida in exchange for a golf game with John Key, didn't actually go to a 'charity' as stated by the PM, but to the National Party, writes Bryce Edwards.

Claims by a political pundit that Labour's Shane Jones is about to jump waka to another political party is just 'mischief', the MP says.

It is six months until the General Election. Is there really any point in voting? Richard Jackson argues not but Mike Williams says that is wrong and if you want to see change, then participate in the democratic process

Labour leader David Cunliffe feels Education Minister Hekia Parata is hiding information from the public, that the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust should have public accountability.

Labour's leader has unveiled a suite of policies intended to boost forestry and wood processing - including a 'pro-wood' pledge for new government buildings.