Editorial: Looking for an electoral gift to unwrap at the National Party conference last weekend, the Government issued a hardly inspiring programme of roadworks.

Wages have only gone up $34.53 annually against house prices, which are up by $38,000, according to a new report. Which regions fared the worst?

Prime Minister John Key gave the strongest hint yet that modest tax cuts for low- and middle-income earners will form part of National's pre-election promises.

The roading announcement was also part of a wider strategy to convince voters that the Greens will be the driving force of any post-election coalition, writes John Armstrong.

Prime Minister John Key has announced a $212 million roading and construction package in a bid to shoreup National's vote in regional New Zealand for the election.

The three National MPs effectively forced to retire at the coming election appeared to boycott a ceremony at the party's conference yesterday to thank all 12 retiring MPs for their service.

The prospect of the Internet Mana alliance teaming up with Labour has been a recurring theme at the National Party conference.

If it seems a dismal beginning to the election campaign, there is cause to hope that this has been a flash flood, rather than the start of a long storm, writes Toby Manhire.

John Key briefly considered walking away from the job about 18 months ago and his new biography reveals he sacked two Ministers for 'nothing in particular'.

Controversial businessman Donghua Liu has issued a new statement to the Herald confirming "close to" $100k in total payments to Labour and its MPs.

National's little Act Party poodle seems to be running scared of the attention-seeking yapping of wannabe Conservative Party lapdog Colin Craig, writes Brian Rudman.

A donation from Donghua Liu to a rowing club linked to a former Labour Cabinet minister has been confirmed.

Prime Minister John Key has added his voice to calls for Donghua Liu to put up or shut up over his donations to Labour.

Labour's Tukituki candidate rejects a claim that she was once a National supporter, despite a photograph of her and PM John Key tweeted in 2011.

Millionaire businessman Donghua Liu has confirmed for the first time that he donated to the Labour Party.

Letters of support from two Government MPs for Donghua Liu's citizenship bid have been kept secret - despite two Labour politicians' letters for Liu being released this week.

This gaming of the system is not new, writes Brian Rudman. What is different this election is that instead of it being nudge-nudge, wink-wink, it's become formalised.

Almost half of National's own supporters believe the fundraising tactics the party uses with its "Cabinet Clubs" are a bad look, according to the latest Herald poll.

Retired accountant Graham McCready is pursuing a private prosecution against the Prime Minister over the Banks' case and says it's not a waste of court time.

New Herald poll shows Internet-Mana would get two MPs, as their success eats into the Greens vote while National is still well ahead of Labour.

Yet another poll - the Herald-DigiPoll survey today - suggests National is heading for a decisive re-election in September.

Ex-NBR owner Barry Colman recently gave the National Party $50,000 - the first time the wealthy publisher's contribution has had to be disclosed.

List MP Claudette Hauiti has been selected as the National Party candidate for Kelston.

Paul Goldsmith was gasping like a fish out of water, writes John Armstrong. When he did find his voice, he made an absolute hash of answering the reporter's questions.

Left leaning political commentator and academic Bryce Edwards has pulled out of Otago University's Vote Chat online politics show over concerns the programme is now dominated by National Party supporters.

With 100 days to go until election day on September 20, the political parties - no doubt fibbing through clenched teeth - profess to be ready. Or close enough.