The New Zealand Labour Party has selected Meka Whaitiri as their candidate for the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election at a hui in Taradale today.

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

TVNZ broadcaster Shane Taurima announced his bid for Labour's Ikaroa-Rawhiti byelection candidacy yesterday on Te Karere, the news programme he usually edits.

TVNZ's Shane Taurima will seek Labour's selection for the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election, saying the late Parekura Horomia had approached him about standing in the past.

Behaving badly towards those who are vulnerable might be a sign you are in the most need of help, writes Deborah Hilll Cone.

The one thing alternative finance minister won't be criticising in tomorrow's Budget is the Government's confirmation that it is on track to return to surplus in 2014-15.

Many left-wing thinkers believe we have no "agency" or ability to make conscious choices, writes Deborah Hill Cone. Until we can work this one out we are not going to make much progress with rewiring criminals.

Editorial: Naturally enough, the Government was keen to put the entire blame for what happened on "politicking" by Labour and the Greens.

The man who usually walked alongside a Labour leader on to a marae was not there this time. Instead, Labour's leader and his caucus were going on to a small marae in Tolaga Bay to farewell him.

Labour and the Greens have defended their controversial electricity policy after New Zealand's business leaders issued an open letter asking them to withdraw it.

A Wellington public servant has admitted photocopying highly sensitive Cabinet committee documents.

Parekura Horomia never gave me one good news tip - but he was still one of my favourite people to see on the Maori beat, writes Yvonne Tahana.

Thousands are likely to pay their respects at Parekura Horomia's tangi at Tolaga Bay this week but no matter how many come locals say they'll be ready.

The Labour Party has paid tribute to New Zealand military personnel serving around the world and has remembered those who died on battlefields at Gallipoli nearly a century ago.

"What just happened?" asks Brian Rudman. "Bland, colourless Labour leader David Shearer has suddenly been transmogrified into a working-class hero."

Former National MP Paul Quinn has ruled out a return to Parliament to replace Jackie Blue.

The Labour-Green proposal to cut Kiwi householders' power prices through radical market reform has been given the thumbs-up by consumer groups, but energy sector commentators are divided on the plan.

Labour and the unions have cried foul over the appointment of MP Jackie Blue as the new Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

Editorial: Labour's revenue spokesman, David Cunliffe, was hardly ploughing new ground when he accused Apple, the world's biggest tech company, of failing to meet its tax obligations in New Zealand.

Someone should tell David Shearer that getting all indignant about someone else's blunder was not the best of tactics to employ in Parliament, writes John Armstrong.

New iwi-run television stations could be part of the broadcasting landscape once pending legislation is passed, says the chairman of the organisation which will control Crown-allocated spectrum.

Were senior Cabinet ministers asleep at the wheel? Did they fail to step in soon enough when problems at Solid Energy were apparent? John Armstrong investigates.