Supermarket giant Countdown is facing fresh questions after large bins of whole snapper found at a waste meat processing plant were traced to its supply chain.

National's election-year overhaul of MPs and contenders continued over the weekend with the selection of Wayne Walford to contest the battleground Napier seat.

Labour Leader David Cunliffe is defending his leadership after accusations he is "tricky'', while former rivals for his job scored significant hits in Parliament.

Tony Milne has been selected as Labour's candidate for Christchurch Central at this year's general election.

Labour leader David Cunliffe helped with the purchase of a $4 million beach retreat for a wealthy businessman who later secretly donated to the MP's leadership campaign.

"What part of your political brain thought it a good idea to run donations through a secret trust?" Rodney Hide imagines a conversation between David Cunliffe and Matt McCarten.

Cunliffe has been battling the stench of hypocrisy since the use of a secret campaign trust to launder leadership campaign donations from five donors was disclosed, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

No one could reasonably begrudge David Shearer about now were he to lean back on his chaise longue, log on to his New York bank account and let out a sigh of relief, writes Toby Manhire.

Can Labour's leader climb out of the deep, dark hole he has dug for himself and revive both his leadership and freshen Labour's electoral appeal?

David Cunliffe is under further scrutiny for failing to disclose a savings investment trust until soon after former leader David Shearer was caught out not declaring a US bank account.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has revealed at least one of the donors to his campaign for the Labour leadership had approached him directly with an offer.

In politics, there are bad days. And then there are really bad days. Cunliffe was having one of the latter. It must have been sheer torture, writes John Armstrong.

Labour has revealed that it embarrassingly sent internal policy documents and speech notes for leader David Cunliffe to a National Party Cabinet Minister.

Labour has extended the deadline for selection of the candidate for Tamaki Makaurau electorate to allow for a TVNZ inquiry into Labour Party activism.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has come clean about the trust set up to handle his donations during last year's leadership contest - naming three donors.

David Cunliffe has admitted a trust was used to take donations for his leadership campaign, allowing him to sidestep the obligation to disclose donations.

Labour says it will ensure the Rena owners remove the wrecked container ship if elected to Government.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has confirmed he used a trust to deal with donations to his leadership campaign in last year's run-off for Labour's top job.

What you see with Matt McCarten is what you get. He's upfront and honest in his beliefs and approach. He is a hard-left, political head-kicker, writes Rodney Hide.

The political world was stunned on Wednesday when David Cunliffe announced me as his chief of staff, writes Matt McCarten.

Matt McCarten, Labour's new chief of staff, will have to find a way to make Cunliffe palatable to the centre without alienating those on the left, writes John Armstrong.

Former TV star Tamati Coffey wants to be Rotorua's next MP, and has been nominated for selection as a candidate for the Labour Party.

David Cunliffe's move to appoint long-time union organiser Matt McCarten as his key political operative is a smart move, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Editorial: David Cunliffe's attempt to upend the chessboard by appointing Matt McCarten as his chief of staff and key strategist is neither exasperation nor desperation.

Mike Williams, quipped that Cunliffe's choice was either a stroke of brilliance or of lunacy, writes Brian Rudman. Certainly keeping the reins on McCarten is going to be a task for Cunliffe.

Matt McCarten's appointment as Labour leader David Cunliffe's chief of staff has reawakened a longstanding rift.

McCarten's campaign skills should help draw voters back to Labour in its metropolitan strongholds, writes John Armstrong.