Labour and the Greens have defended their controversial electricity policy after New Zealand's business leaders issued an open letter asking them to withdraw it.

A Wellington public servant has admitted photocopying highly sensitive Cabinet committee documents.

Parekura Horomia never gave me one good news tip - but he was still one of my favourite people to see on the Maori beat, writes Yvonne Tahana.

Thousands are likely to pay their respects at Parekura Horomia's tangi at Tolaga Bay this week but no matter how many come locals say they'll be ready.

The Labour-Greens' proposal has created a major dilemma for potential Mighty River Power investors - should they invest in a company that could be subject to major regulatory change, including a dramatic adjustment to its business model?

It didn't take David Shearer long to zero in on the million dollar-plus pay packets of chief executives running the country's power cos as the next stage of his campaign for govt control of the market.

The Labour Party has paid tribute to New Zealand military personnel serving around the world and has remembered those who died on battlefields at Gallipoli nearly a century ago.

"What just happened?" asks Brian Rudman. "Bland, colourless Labour leader David Shearer has suddenly been transmogrified into a working-class hero."

The Labour-Green proposal to cut Kiwi householders' power prices through radical market reform has been given the thumbs-up by consumer groups, but energy sector commentators are divided on the plan.

Labour and the unions have cried foul over the appointment of MP Jackie Blue as the new Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

Editorial: Labour's revenue spokesman, David Cunliffe, was hardly ploughing new ground when he accused Apple, the world's biggest tech company, of failing to meet its tax obligations in New Zealand.

Someone should tell David Shearer that getting all indignant about someone else's blunder was not the best of tactics to employ in Parliament, writes John Armstrong.

New iwi-run television stations could be part of the broadcasting landscape once pending legislation is passed, says the chairman of the organisation which will control Crown-allocated spectrum.

Were senior Cabinet ministers asleep at the wheel? Did they fail to step in soon enough when problems at Solid Energy were apparent? John Armstrong investigates.

Act Leader John Banks yesterday jumped at the chance of payback against David Shearer, demanding the Labour leader stand down over his "secret" United States bank account.

Editorial: If anything useful has been learned from the Labour Party's pursuit of Solid Energy, it is that there are severe limits to the present Government's asset sales.

Small Business Minister and Act leader John Banks yesterday criticised the Government's proposed taxation of employer-supplied carparks in Auckland and Wellington.

Former Labour high flyer Shane Jones is back on the front bench after being cleared of corruption over his citizenship decision for Bill Liu in 2008.

Nine months in the political wilderness awaiting Lyn Provost's painstaking report may well have done the trick, writes John Armstrong.

Fifty million dollars worth of new homes are set to be built in Tauranga after being given council approval over summer.

A controversial exit speech by Labour MP Charles Chauvel this week pointing to the lack of racial balance in the shadow cabinet and factions in the party has opened up wounds around the last leadership battle.

All manner of people, policies and practices are being blamed for the near-collapse of Solid Energy, the state-owned coal company that is burdened with $389 million in debt.

Labour's new health spokeswoman Annette King has sent a warning shot to Health Minister Tony Ryall that she intends to put an end to his golden run in the portfolio.

David Shearer has pulled it off, writes John Armstrong. Yesterday's reshuffle of shadow portfolios is very different from the one he instituted on becoming leader 14 months ago.

Editorial: The job of Opposition is twofold. First, and most obviously, it is to unsettle the Government through trenchant and telling criticism. Secondly, it must present itself as a competent alternative.