Prime Minister John Key has defended his ministers' use of the taxpayer-funded Crown car service to campaign in the Northland byelection, saying it was within the rules.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters hopes to stand in Northland again in 2017 if he wins the byelection but will not commit to the seat if he loses.

Labour will oppose a bill setting up the two referendums deciding the fate of the flag because of a sticking point over the order of the questions.

Despite John Key's claim that such antics are commonplace in by-elections, they are not, writes Claire Trevett. It is more traditional to emphasise how policies already under way will benefit the electorate in question, rather than promise new things.

Yesterday's announcement is classic pork-barrelling, writes John Armstrong. It indicates National is seriously worried that Winston Peters may well carry off a victory.

Prime Minister John Key is unapologetic about rolling out multi-million-dollar promises during the Northland byelection.

Labour leader Andrew Little has given supporters a hint that they can vote for Winston Peters in Northland, but he rejects any comparisons to National's 'dirty deals' in Epsom.

The mischief in me wants Winston Peters to win Northland. The upset would be huge and National would lose a seat to New Zealand First, writes Rodney Hide.

If elections were won on fast starts and noise, NZ First leader Winston Peters would have Northland sewn up.

Taking such an early lead over his National rival in the campaign will give Winston Peters' bandwagon even more momentum, writes John Armstrong. Peters' support registered at 35 per cent in the poll,

The first poll of the Northland byelection shows NZ First leader Winston Peters has taken an early lead.

The self-appointed Pied Piper of the North, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, has the words "Follow Me" on the back of his campaign bus.

Andrew Little is wise to have ignored the pressure that was coming even from Labour quarters.

The Northland byelection had the makings of a real nailbiter if Labour had stood aside and made it a two-horse race.

Peter Dunne says he would look at revisiting his post-election concessions from the National Party if New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wins the Northland byelection.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters called an expansion of the SIS's surveillance powers "Nazism" in Parliament last night.

A surge in Chinese investment in New Zealand residential real estate is something the Government needs to consider, but at the moment is not a significant issue says John Key.

Opposition parties blew an "unloseable" election partly because Dirty Politics author Nicky Hager mishandled the information he had, NZ First Leader Winston Peters says.

NZ First is boycotting a committee which will decide how the public votes on the national flag, saying the referendum was an expensive exercise.

New Zealand First has pulled out of a committee which will decide how the public votes on the national flag, calling it a distraction.

The election of Trevor Mallard yesterday as Assistant Speaker will almost certainly take out of play one of the most recalcitrant MPs in Question Time.

NZ First's strong election result appears to have come at the expense of the Labour Party, preliminary results show.

The lowest-ranked NZ First MP is refusing to say what job he did before politics.

If loyalty to the leader is highly valued, it's not hard to see why new New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabueau rocketed his way up the party list.

Mumbai born and educated New Zealand First MP-in-waiting Mahesh Bindra says he is living proof the party and its leader Winston Peters are not anti-immigration and anti-Asian.