Colin James, as he retires as a regular newspaper columnist, reflects on the role of, and the privilege of being, a journalist.
Prime Minister John Key will be welcomed to Ratana at 1.30pm today, in a visit to a place which has special significance for political leaders.
News that Health Minister Tony Ryall has ordered his ministry to cancel a conference next month of more than 300 health professionals has caused a mild case of hand-wringing in Wellington, particularly from the Opposition.
Prime Minister John Key showed he was going to be a formidable target when he fielded his first set of questions in Parliament today.
Labour leader Phil Goff gets his first chance this afternoon to question new Prime Minister John Key on whether he has confidence in his ministers and why but the Government is also planning an attack on some of Labour's unfunded legacies.
Senior Labour MPs are eagerly awaiting the start of Parliament this afternoon because they are expecting to get their first chance to ask questions of the new Cabinet ministers.
At the risk of seeming completely out of step with some of my fellow political commentators, I do not have a problem with the new Government rushing through Parliament legislation it wants passed before Christmas.
The first cracks in the relationship between the National and Maori parties appeared last night when the five Maori MPs decided unanimously not to support the Government's Employment Relations Amendment Bill, which was introduced to Parliament under urgency.
Labour made a meal yesterday of the debate in the House on the Taxation (Urgent Measures and Annual Rates) Bill, complaining the urgency motion prevented public input into the tax changes being introduced by the Government.
Dunedin South MP Clare Curran and National list MP Mike Woodhouse were sworn in yesterday to officially become Dunedin's two newest MPs.
The importance of the Maori vote in deciding the next government was amply demonstrated in Parliament yesterday as five individual Treaty Settlement Bills were debated under urgency.
The National Party lost momentum in the House today during question time when Prime Minister Helen Clark and Finance Minister Michael Cullen turned the tables on leader John Key over his buying and selling of Tranz Rail shares.
It is unclear whether Prime Minister Helen Clark will be in Parliament at 5.30pm today when Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope gives his farewell speech in the House. But she should be.
Labour Party MPs had more of a bounce in their step yesterday as they started to believe the balance of public opinion was about to shift towards them following some wins by Finance Minister Michael Cullen against National Party leader John Key.
National Party leader John Key has started his damage control on his holdings in Tranz Rail shares as Labour MPs prepare to skewer him during question time in the House this afternoon.
The "Wellington crowd" will this afternoon get to celebrate their rugby team winning the Ranfurly Shield when a parade starts from outside the old Government House at 12.45pm.
A National-led government is likely to offer tax rebates for people with private health insurance, according to Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton.
What is happening in the National Party ranks?
Parliament will today operate in parallel universes as the final session of the year draws to a close.
The Government's much lauded, but also criticised, emissions trading scheme legislation should pass into law today, leaving Prime Minister Helen Clark with no further excuse to delay naming an election date, except she does not have to yet.