Deputy Prime Minister accepts it but says John Key runs the "most transparent government that New Zealand's ever seen".

Leave John Key alone. Give the guy a break. It seems no one this week will speak up for our Prime Minister, write Toby Manhire

The Prime Minister was yesterday insisting he does not speak to Cameron Slater in spite of mounting evidence to the contrary and further calls for him to apologise for working with the blogger to attack political opponents.

Two fiery speeches by Little in the past two days have revealed the demeanour that he intends adopting - essentially bare-knuckle verbal pugilism.

Questions remain about missing evidence and gaps in the Judith Collins investigation.

Political columnist John Armstrong looks at whether Andrew Little can pull Labour out of the mire in which it is stuck so deeply.

Shane Taurima has spoken at the Maori Party conference telling them they needed to consider cutting deals to ensure their survival.

One of the Maori Party's electorate chairs has criticised the party's use of Prime Minister John Key and former Prime Minister, Dame Jenny Shipley for fundraising dinners.

A law which takes away the legal right to a tea break and weakens collective bargaining has taken line honours as the first law change passed in National’s third term.

New Police Minister Michael Woodhouse says he has always been upfront about his conviction on a drink driving charge almost three decades ago.

We are now halfway through the three-week marathon of what Labour likes to call hustings meetings for its leadership contestants but what Brian Edwards describes more colourfully as "cavorting....

The Government's Employment Relations Amendment Bill is best known for its removal of guaranteed rest and meal breaks. What else does it do?

Bill English's masterplan to radically "reform" the Labour-initiated, octogenarian state housing scheme has all the hallmarks of being ideological for ideology's sake.

The Prime Minister began his third term by warning National MPs and ministers that he did not want to see any hint of arrogance creeping into their behaviour.

John Key was wrong when he refused to answer a Parliamentary question about his discussion with Cameron Slater about a car crash victim's mother, the Speaker has ruled.

Blandness seems to be the secret to the National Party's success, and so can we expect a fairly boring third term National Government, asks Bryce Edwards.

The election of Trevor Mallard yesterday as Assistant Speaker will almost certainly take out of play one of the most recalcitrant MPs in Question Time.

The rotten smell of the contents of Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics will linger around the Government this term, writes John Armstrong.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has revealed his top priorities for the next three years.

Nearly two-thirds of National supporters voted for the Act Party's David Seymour in Epsom, newly released election data shows.

A former National staffer who resigned following the release of Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics has re-appeared with a new job.

Former minister Judith Collins is getting sympathy from unlikely places after she was denied the title "The Honourable" by Prime Minister John Key.

John Key admits he should've told Judith Collins that she wasn't getting an "Honorable" title, and "in all probability" she'll get it eventually.

Resource Management Act reform will be aimed at housing affordability, building and construction minister Nick Smith has told a summit today.

Judith Collins says she's angry after being blindsided by John Key's decision to deny her a title routinely awarded to former ministers - learning of it from the media.

Houses are going up by $30,000 a year but wages are only rising fractionally in one of the clearest illustrations of the worsening housing affordability crisis.