John Key helped the Maori Party throw a $5000-a-seat fundraiser at which diners at the event were promised the chance to "chat confidentially" with the Prime Minister.

A law change will see iwi gain control of the Maori Language Commission and the Maori broadcasting agency.

National and the Greens have been major movers in the latest One News Colmar Brunton poll, with National up six points to 51 per cent and the Greens down by five to 8 per cent.

New Zealand First would hold the balance of power if the results of the first major political poll of the year were translated to an election result.

The Maori Party has used the annual Ratana anniversary to send a message to Labour not to rule it out as a potential coalition partner.

Labour's poll support has slipped after an initial surge following David Cunliffe's election as leader, the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey shows.

Should Chris McKenzie retain co-leader Tariana Turia's Te Tai Hauauru seat, he will become the latest in an increasingly long line of those who have made the leap from political employee to MP.

A police log the Maori Party claims shows extended surveillance of those associated with the Ruatoki raids contains nothing to be worried about, National's Tau Henare says.

The Maori Party is seeking talks with retired boxer David Tua to discuss the possibility of his standing for the party at the next election.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says he will represent anti-apartheid activists at Nelson Mandela's funeral.

Political strategist Chris McKenzie has been named as the Maori Party's candidate for the Te Tai Hauauru electorate.

Labour's Shane Jones says Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell should "put up or shut up" over Operation Eight and Ruatoki raids documents.

The Maori Party says it has a number of capable women who can replace departing co-leader Tariana Turia and it's not worried about the absence of a high-profile candidate.

The chances of any union between the Maori Party and Mana Party appear remote, despite changes in leadership and calls for talks from several party members at the Maori Party's annual conference.

Maori Party President Pem Bird has delivered his last speech as party President at the party's annual conference.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell defended his Gambling Harm Reduction Bill in Parliament tonight.

Matt McCarten says John Key must feel like he's in a B-grade horror movie where his prom dates keep coming to gruesome demises.

Don't write the Maori Party off completely. Not yet, anyway.

Any suggestion of a full merger between the Maori Party and Mana remains as likely as Act merging with the Greens, writes Claire Trevett.

In all areas of life, to test whether an action is effective, we need to have an idea of what would have happened in the absence of that action.