Winston Peters yesterday appeared dead-set on taking a leading role in opposition against John Key's new Government but some of his MPs won't shut the door on National.

National's campaign director Steven Joyce says Winston Peters "lining himself up for the argument of leading the opposition".

Winston Peters has hit out at National’s economic management, Labour’s infighting and Colin Craig’s Conservatives in his election night address to supporters.

Election 2014 was a night to forget for the minor parties as the National juggernaut left the Conservative Party, the Greens, New Zealand First, internet-Mana, the Maori Party and Act reeling last night.

Green Party co-leaders Russel Norman and Metiria Turei were in a defiant mood despite polling about a third less votes than they had hoped for.

A Conservative Party pamphlet comparing it with rival party New Zealand First has been ruled inaccurate and in breach of the advertising code of ethics.

Dumped NZ First MP Andrew Williams says items have been stolen from his Parliamentary office, but Winston Peters says it's a 'humbug' complaint without merit.

Political parties are tailoring all manner of policies for Auckland, or more precisely at 1,030,125 enrolled Jafas, to win their vote.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said today that voters should consider a Labour-New Zealand First as a potential alternative Government, not Labour and Greens.

It's delivery time for Kim Dotcom, writes John Armstrong. He must deliver irrefutable evidence that he's repeatedly promised to show the PM has not told the truth.

NZ First is on the rise and seems assured of returning to Parliament in bigger numbers, according to the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was in a buoyant mood as he returned to his old stamping ground yesterday, boasting that his re-election was now beyond doubt.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has warned "separatism is coming to a council near you" .

New Zealand First leader and possible kingmaker Winston Peters yesterday set out the priority areas he wants addressed in any post- election coalition negotiations.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will not be drawn on who he might work with after the election.

National voters prefer the prospect of a post-election deal with Colin Craig's Conservative Party rather than Winston Peters' NZ First, a Herald-DigiPoll survey suggests.

An inquiry into allegations former Justice Minister Judith Collins tried to undermine then-SFO boss Adam Feeley will begin a week before the election.

Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater is going to the High Court in an effort to stop media publishing information taken by the hacker known as Rawshark.

Collins and Slater appear to have frequent contact over entire time she was a Cabinet minister, including an email discussion about the editing of her Wikipedia page.

Winston Peters harks back to a New Zealand of the 1950s and 1960s when everybody had a job and immigrants didn't take them. "We're not anti-immigration up here," he says. "Crikey! I'm half Scots."

Who came out on top in tonight's minor party leaders' debate? The Herald's top political correspondents make their picks.

Winston Peters would not state a preference for the next Prime Minister during tonight's minor leader's debate - and Colin Craig sought to use it against him.

Minor parties will almost certainly make up part of the next Government and the leaders are facing off over dinner tonight. Click here for the latest updates.

Potential post-election kingmaker Winston Peters says a wide-ranging royal commission of inquiry into "Dirty Politics" allegations against National is a bottom line for NZ First.

Winston Peters' talk of sitting on Parliament's cross benches after the election - rather than entering a coalition or propping up a minority government - has never sounded totally convincing.