Barry Soper is Newstalk ZB's senior political correspondent
Barry Soper is Newstalk ZB’s senior political correspondent. He was ZB’s political editor for many years after first joining the station and the press gallery in 1980.
Soper: Someone likely to end up as toast after Nats SFO probe
COMMENT: Simon Bridges was subdued and he looked shocked as he talked to journalists.
Soper: Provincial Growth Fund goes where banks fear to tread
Fund agreed to pay up millions of dollars to improve forgotten, weed infested Māori land.
Barry Soper: Burning Bridges - hapless Nats leader is toast
COMMENT: Summer BBQs spell bad news for Simon Bridges' job at the top.
Soper: Why Christmas can't come soon enough for Bridges
COMMENT: The year, especially the past few months, hasn't been great for Bridges.
Soper: Do we get value from royal tour?
COMMENT: Looking at happy faces, spending taxpayers' money was last thing on their minds.
Soper: Jami-Lee Ross saga - now the joke's on National
COMMENT: Will National use the so-called waka jumping law to get rid of Jami-Lee Ross?
Barry Soper: Simon Bridges comes up short
COMMENT: All in all yesterday played out as a National Party soap opera.
Soper: Bridges, the National leak and a shambolic schmozzle
COMMENT: Bridges' use of ministerial limo has become something of a political tidal wave.
Soper: PM shows some steel in sacking Whaitiri
For her first sacking Ardern turns to the Helen Clark playbook.
Soper: Clare Curran saga reflects poorly on PM's leadership
COMMENT: Clare Curran's demise eerily similar to that of the Labour MP she replaced.
Barry Soper: Why are landlords being picked on?
COMMENT: Most landlords aren't fat cats, so why change rental laws, asks Barry Soper.
Soper: Someone's out to get Simon Bridges. They'll likely succeed
COMMENT: To know the enemy from within but perhaps the truth is too hard to bear.
Barry Soper: Simon Bridges becoming the invisible man
COMMENT: National leader had his chance but failed to take it.
Soper: Simon Bridges squares up to his biggest problem
COMMENT: With the last poll putting him at nine per cent he knows he has cause for worry.
Soper: Simon Bridges' rubbish first day as leader
COMMENT: In his first attempt to embarrass Labour, Bridges ended up with egg on his face.
Soper: Burning Bridges - new leader won't be next PM
COMMENT: Next National Prime Minister will not come from new leadership pairing.
Live: Bridges new Nats leader, Bennett remains deputy
Some MPs are still undecided, so a lot lies on the pitch to caucus.
Soper: Anything can happen in Nats race
COMMENT: Public popularity won't decide who'll step into English's Hush Puppies.
Barry Soper: Why there's a lot to worry about in the National leadership race
Comment: Simon Bridges clearly wanted no distractions as he launched his leadership bid.
Peters takes legal action over pension leak
Former ministers, journalists, bureaucrats in Peters' sights.
Barry Soper: Winston Peters drove a hard bargain
Comment: The NZ First and Greens deals came at a fairly hefty cost to Labour.