Public support for John Key as Prime Minister has never been so high, according to the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey.

Labour and Maori Party strongholds will be hit if prisoners are stopped from voting, a prison reform group says.

Maori Party MP Hone Hawawira says the solution to the Foreshore and Seabed Act would be to put the foreshore and seabed under Maori control.

Health officials tackling Maori smoking want new measures to ban the habit at beaches, playgrounds, bus stops and other areas.

The woman who designed the Tino Rangatiratanga flag disputes accusations that the family of embattled Maori Party MP Hone Harawira are "cashing in" on the flag.

Rawiri Taonui looks at the alliance with the National Party and the year ahead for Maori.

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira's family reportedly planned to make money from the Govt's decision to allow the tino rangitiritanga flag to be flown on government buildings on Waitangi Day.

Labour has been challenged to reciprocate Ratana's decades-long loyalty by giving four Ratana candidates winnable Parliamentary list positions.

Prime Minister John Key arrived far too early for the party, but got the present he wanted at the annual Ratana celebrations yesterday.

Preventive detention will be retained as a sentencing option for judges under the Government's proposed "three strikes" legislation, Police Minister Judith Collins said today.

Offenders with a record will have "nothing to lose" and could be more likely to kill under the three-strikes law, a prisoners' advocate says.

National and Act have agreed to pass a three-strikes law under which some killers will be locked away in prison without any chance of release.