A political strategist who has trained National Party MPs says the Ports of Auckland colluded with right wing bloggers to undermine industrial action against the Ports of Auckland.

One of National MP Maurice Williamson's supporters says he dropped his ambition to run as Auckland's mayor partly because the National Party refused to let him stand under the party's banner.

Leaked documents written by a political strategist who has trained National MPs set out a vision for taking the party to the right of the political spectrum.

New National MP Claudette Hauiti gives every indication she has had a crash course in how not to be controversial.

The Government is again accused of interfering to appoint a 'mate' to a top public sector job.

National is facing the "notoriously difficult" task of winning a third term against an Opposition increasingly dragged to the "far left" by the Greens, says Key

National Party members are pushing for a new "waka-jumping" law to force rogue list MPs out of Parliament.

The Accident Compensation Corporation's Earners and Work Accounts are now fully funded ACC Minister Judith Collins has told National Party members at their Northern Regional Conference today.

Property developers who "sit and wait" for land values to increase have been sent a clear signal that the Government will act to bring more housing into the market.

John Armstrong writes: "One of the reasons why Governments slowly decay and die is that the longer they are in office the more prone they become to ugly pragmatism and compromise of principle."

John Key says it is possible the Government could get close to a surplus in the coming financial year - one year earlier than officially predicted in yesterday's Budget.

John Key is under absolutely no illusions about the difficulty he faces in securing a third victory at next year's election, writes John Armstrong.

Editorial: It was the Government's idea to put MMP to a referendum at the last election and it was the Government's idea to load the odds in favour of retention.

Aaron Gilmore has given a personal statement to Parliament, and said the media scrutiny he has been placed under prevented him from functioning properly as an MP.

Labour Party leader David Shearer says the party will bring their "popcorn and coke'' to National MP Aaron Gilmore's hugely anticipated valedictory speech later today.

Outgoing National MP Aaron Gilmore has apparently sent threatening text messages to a number of people after he decided to resign from Parliament.

John Armstrong asks: What kind of pressure was exerted over the weekend to force Aaron Gilmore out? Has he done some kind of deal with the party?

Disgraced National Party list MP Aaron Gilmore has moved to spare the Government further embarrassment during a critical week by announcing his resignation last night.

There won't be any changes to legislation around the controversial partnership schools despite opposition parties continuing their objections to elements of the bill.

Handing state homes over to community providers may benefit corporate developers, the Green Party says.

Those who knew Gilmore in the lead-up to 2008 election said he was constantly talking himself up and often described himself as the next Energy Minister.

John Key and Bill English must sometimes wonder why National lost its nerve during the 2011 election campaign, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Does anyone outside the Wellington beltway really give a toss about Aaron Gilmore, a parliamentary nobody who beyond fulfilling his duties as backbench lobby fodder, is an utter irrelevance when it comes to matters of real political import?

A restructure and the loss of more than 70 full-time roles from DoC will have a negative impact on the environment, conservation advocates say.