John Key is punting on the Opposition attack running out of steam by the time Judith Collins goes on leave, writes John Armstrong. That is not a safe bet.

Prime Minister John Key laid out the welcome mat for foreigners yesterday and said it was a point of contrast between National and other parties.

Labour could still win power at the next election, National deputy leader and Finance Minister Bill English said in a speech warning against complacency.

Prime Minister John Key says Police Associate president Greg O'Connor should present any evidence he has that MPs are increasingly interfering in police work.

Most foreign investors who come to New Zealand bring capital and "know how" and make a great contribution to our young country, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

The National Government is leaving nothing to chance in its bid to be re-elected. National executed a screeching u-turn on legal highs and locked in the drug dealer vote.

This has been by far the best week for Labour this year, due in equal parts to the Williamson scandal and Labour's management of an important policy, writes Audrey Young.

Judith Collins’ staff sought a briefing from MFAT staff before the "private" dinner she had with Oravida bosses and a Chinese border control official.

Mr Williamson today resigned his ministerial portfolios after the Herald revealed he phoned a senior police officer about the criminal charges that Liu was facing. Prime Minister John Key said today Mr Williamson "crossed the line", despite assuring him that he did not intend to influence the prosecution.

Maurice Williamson lobbied a colleague to give citizenship "as fast as possible" to a businessman - then conducted the ceremony himself the day after it was granted.

National MP Maurice Williamson crossed the line in making a phone call to police over the case of a wealthy businessman, Prime Minister John Key says. Mr Williamson told a senior police officer that the businessman, Donghua Liu, who was facing domestic assault charges, was "investing a lot of money in New Zealand" and urged police to be on "solid ground", according to internal police emails.

Maurice Williamson says he was not asking for special treatment for a rich Chinese businessman and he will contest his position as MP at this year's election.

National MP Maurice Williamson crossed the line in making a phone call to police over the case of a wealthy businessman, Prime Minister John Key says.

Maurice Williamson has resigned as a minister after Herald revelations he contacted a top police officer after a businessman was arrested for domestic assault.

Maurice Williamson's resignation as a minister was forced by "a significant error of judgment" in the words of Prime Minister John Key, writes Audrey Young.

New Zealanders whose lives have been blighted by the dangers of legal highs are thrilled by plans to pull them from sale within a fortnight.

It's a wonderfully Kiwi thing that National Party honcho Sir Wira Gardiner financially supported Shane Jones' bid to become Labour leader.

NZ's ambassador to China asked Judith Collins to tell him anything he needed to know about a Beijing dinner with an unnamed senior Chinese official.

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig says he does not intend to ask National to gift him an electorate.

National Party powerbrokers Peter Goodfellow and long-term partner Desley Simpson have married in an intimate service at a resthome.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has recovered her memory after telling Parliament she could not recall whether she had briefed New Zealand's ambassador to Beijing about her Oravida dinner.

Judith Collins was under pressure on two fronts yesterday, facing further questions over both the Oravida conflict-of-interest saga and widespread fresh privacy issues in her ACC portfolio.

Winston Peters has got to the crux of the matter of whether Judith Collins is guilty of such a grave conflict of interest she would have to be sacked, writes John Armstrong.

John Key says his attendance at a fundraising dinner for the Maori Party had no strings attached and did not mean a guarantee it will go with National over Labour after the 2014 election.

John Key helped the Maori Party throw a $5000-a-seat fundraiser at which diners at the event were promised the chance to "chat confidentially" with the Prime Minister.