Goff has spent much of the past week playing political football with two of New Zealand's major trading relationships.

How did Timaru businessman Allan Hubbard assemble a top-flight team of lawyers and public relations practitioners to defend his reputation and protect what's left of his dwindling commercial empire?

New Zealand finally seems to be on the road to building a much stronger relationship with Uncle Sam.

Fran O'Sullivan writes that Phil Goff has been handed a couple of political aces - but how he plays them remains to be seen.

Escalating tensions between unions and the Government signal a fall in New Zealand's international standing and a return to the days of class struggles.

A Govt admission that fear of a major Chinese land grab in NZ would test the nation's free-market credentials.

Bright Dairy's investment in Synlait Milk should easily get the rubber stamp from the Overseas Investment Office.

Prime Minister John Key will launch his own version of 'Panda diplomacy' in Beijing today.

Auckland voters will face quite a dilemma if the mayoralty of the new Super City stays an effective two-horse race.

It matters not one whit that Hubbard stood aside from active involvement in the company earlier this year.

Fran O'Sullivan believes the visit to NZ by Chinese Vice-President Jinping is probably of more long-term importance than a visit by his US counterpart, Joe Biden.

There's been a victory in the long quest for a Russia free trade deal.

New Zealanders earning over $50k will now be paying less tax than Australians after today's tax cuts.