Labour MP David Parker's bill to ensure contract workers such as cleaners, couriers, musicians and fast food delivery workers are paid at equal or higher rates to the minimum wage will go before Parliament.

The internally conducted review of Labour's abysmal performance before and during last year's election campaign is already being widely dismissed.

National has been asked to join other parties in Parliament and support an increase in the refugee quota.

The review led by former British Labour MP Bryan Gould contained a round-up of the reasons for Labour's dire election result of 25 per cent.

Judith Collins tonight released emails that show a $30,000 door that will separate Labour MPs from National MPs sharing a floor in Parliament House was opposed by the National Party.

A boat of asylum seekers had a credible chance of reaching NZ - but the Government will not say what options were being considered if that had happened.

Labour MP and possible mayoral contender Phil Goff has joined prominent Aucklanders in a second open letter calling on Ports of Auckland and Auckland Council to stop port expansion.

It is too early in Andrew Little's career as a party leader to be ruling out realistic answers to problems he would face if he leads Labour to power.

Bill English said the forecast super costs of $30 billion by 2030 were large but ruled out changing anything, saying it was affordable "at the moment".

Keeping silent about axing the $1000 kickstart payment for new KiwiSaver members, isn't a broken promise, strictly speaking, writes Audrey Young.

Transsexual former MP Georgina Beyer does not believe taxpayer-funded sex-change surgery should be available "off the rack".

Editorial: The PM does not want to call it a capital gains tax but that is what it is. Houses bought as investment property will have their capital gain taxed if they are sold within two years.

Finance Minister Bill English says he does not know what effect the new rules on taxing capital gain on residential properties and new disclosure rules from non-resident buyers will have on the....

Labour would like to see targeted investment in regional NZ in next week's Budget, Grant Robertson said yesterday in his first major speech since becoming finance spokesman.

Labour have condemned the restructuring of the corrections system which will see almost 200 jobs cut.

Prime Minister John Key today rejected claims by Labour leader Andrew Little that National had been dishonest with voters last election.

The Labour Party has floated the idea of withholding state support such as Working for Families tax credits from people who are not enrolled to vote.

Andrew Little has tarnished his own reputation for fair play by trying to expose the name of the Cabinet minister whose brother faces child indecency charges, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Labour has proposed withholding state support such as tax credits and Working For Families from people who are not enrolled to vote.

Andrew Little is inviting the Barbarians at the gate into Labour's lair in an attempt to lift the party's economic credentials, writes John Armstrong.

Andrew Little says John Key should have acted sooner to address any potential conflicts of interest involving a Minister whose brother faces child indecency charges.

Grant Robertson has a tough job as Labour's finance spokesman. He has to critique National's performance without yet having formulated his party's own economic policy.

Rodney Hide writes: Little is polling below Labour's previous leaders, Cunliffe and Shearer. Peters is breathing down his neck. Key remains on 51% as preferred PM.

Having military deaths only investigated in-house raises suspicions that this is a convenient way of closing down investigation and criticism - Labour.

Just as Labour governments are prone to cater to even the more extravagant wishes of trade unionists, so their National counterparts can find it difficult to resist the over-the-top whims of....

The member of Parliament-elect for Northland, Winston Raymond Peters, returned to the House this week, a Phoenix rising, a man transformed, writes Claire Trevett.

David Cunliffe, who had been married for more than 30 years, confirms split but won't be making any further comment "for the sake of our children and our wider family".

Labour will oppose a bill setting up the two referendums deciding the fate of the flag because of a sticking point over the order of the questions.

Yesterday's announcement is classic pork-barrelling, writes John Armstrong. It indicates National is seriously worried that Winston Peters may well carry off a victory.