National's future appears to be with Colin Craig's Conservative Party, writes Bryce Edwards.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown made a reasonable fist of fronting up to key Auckland businesspeople yesterday at the Herald's annual Project Auckland luncheon.

The future of a Victorian timber cottage used as a community church is uncertain after it was taken from its foundations and put on a trailer, only for the council to halt the work.

A campaign to get New Zealanders to embrace their biggest city as a place worth visiting starts today under the slogan "The Show Never Stops".

The Auckland mayoral office has confirmed today that Mayor Len Brown took a trip to Hong Kong in January this year at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government.

The Prime Minister says he is prepared to talk to the Conservative Party in order to stay in power.

A financially troubled council body has splashed out about $41,500 on a party for 1700 staff and family at the Cloud.

It all started at a family gathering where we suggested that, since he knew so little about his ancestors, my father, Nevill Lynch, must be descended from convicts.

Auckland Councillor Cameron Brewer says Mayor Len Brown is "jumping the gun" by proposing to lift all council staff to a living wage before knowing its effects on services or trimming $100,000-plus salaries.

Councils are being blamed for the high cost of building New Zealand houses, ahead of the role played by manufacturers.

Mayor Len Brown says there has been progress in making central Auckland safe, but admits more needs to be done to prevent deaths like that of Tarun Asthana.

The former mistress of Auckland Mayor Len Brown wants failed mayoral candidate John Palino to front up about an alleged plan to bring down the mayor.

When the dust settles on his sex scandal, Auckland Mayor Len Brown has another delicate task ahead - setting a lower salary for the new boss of the Super City.

The fallout from Len Brown's affair continues as right-wing councillor Cameron Brewer accused the mayor's office of a dirty tricks campaign against him.

Len Brown is a busted flush. It may not be right. It may not be fair. But it's the truth, says Rodney Hide.

A group of mayors has come up with an ambitious proposal to collect at least 20,000 promises of jobs for unemployed young people.

Bryce Edwards rounds up the must-read political items from the media and blogosphere over the last week.

The judge who sent John Banks to stand trial on false election return allegations made several factual errors that led to a wrong decision, according to the senior lawyer for the politician.

Len Brown says the career of a mayor ebbs and flows, and the wave of negative publicity the swamped him since news of his affair broke will pass.

Len Brown spoke of the love and support of his wife Shan Inglis after being sworn in as Mayor of Auckland last night, but there was little connection between the pair.

Len Brown has been sworn in as Mayor of Auckland with wife Shan Inglis at his side this evening.

Bevan Chuang claims Luigi Wewege knew of the relationship between her and Len Brown in July, three months before the election.

Luigi Wewege, the most wanted man in New Zealand, sat down for one tell-all interview.

Let's not forget that over the past year, 77 per cent of Auckland's 69.23 million public transport trips were on buses, writes Brian Rudman.