Toby Manhire argues the decision of whether NZ will jump into a looming war against Islamic State is simply too big for John Key to decide by himself.

The dreamlike quality of the 2014 election was only confirmed yesterday when New Zealand woke to discover that everything was pretty much unchanged.

The National Party is way out in front and in big trouble. John Key is going to win in eight days' time. It's possible, if unlikely, that he may not be able to form a government.

As the Dirty Politics fallout continues to rain down on the nation's political parties, Toby Manhire scoops up the digital email debris uncovered in his satirical inbox.

Election emails fall from time and space on to the desk of columnist Toby Manhire - who shares them with you today. What do the say about NZ politics?

In those terms, it is hard to know what to make of Whyte's self-made maelstrom around race and privilege in New Zealand law.

Toby Manhire imagines how Kim Dotcom will deliver his promised election-eve "bombshell".

Toby Manhire writes: Sure as night follows day, the decision for the complainant in the diplomat sex case to speak out sparked controversy.

Politics columnist Toby Manhire leaks his version of the secret emails between the top players in Team Key.

Let's call them what they are: junkets, writes Toby Manhire. They might be effective, they might bring in crucial votes, but the whole approach leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Toby Manhire looks at this week's strange coming together of Kim Dotcom's Internet Party and Hone Harawira's Mana Party. "Here we are. Bloody hell."

For Labour, the Williamson resignation caps comfortably their sunniest week since David Cunliffe assumed the leadership, writes Toby Manhire. God knows they needed one.

No matter how entertaining and likeable the touring royals might be, this is surely no basis on which to assess the appropriateness or otherwise of monarchy, writes Toby Manhire.

Out of the gate, and off for a walk, went Cheery McWavy, to kiss all the babies, writes Toby Manhire. Behind him the pack followed up hill and down, keen to be seen with the top dog in town.

The timing of revelations that Kim Dotcom owns Nazi memorabilia could hardly have been worse, writes Toby Manhire, coming on the eve of the launch of his political enterprise.

No one could reasonably begrudge David Shearer about now were he to lean back on his chaise longue, log on to his New York bank account and let out a sigh of relief, writes Toby Manhire.

Around rolls another Waitangi Day, and with it the predictable outbursts from a small self-important, racket-making bunch, who so disappointingly let their own kind down by drowning out what should be a time of national reflection, writes Toby Manhire.

Toby Manhire offers political leaders' opening setpiece and parliamentary speeches for 2014, desiccated and digested.

The combined wealth of the 85 richest people in the world is the same as the combined wealth of the world's poorest 3.5 billion, writes Toby Manhire.

January's reputation as a political dead zone is getting a battering, writes Toby Manhire. The month is meant to be one of tumbleweed, interrupted only by the occasional burnt-sausage waft.

Whatever you do, never, ever attempt to feed a moa, warns Toby Manhire. The domesticated varieties might only bite you. The feral roadside moa, however, can be deadly.

Only a great fool prints screeds of predictions for the year ahead. So here are 100 of them.

According to high-level and wholly fabricated sources, an even higher rebate is available to film-makers who "reflect the realities of contemporary NZ", writes Toby Manhire.

Twelve days to Christmas, and I know what you're thinking, hardworking families of New Zealand: what gift to get your favourite public figure? Toby Manhire investigates.

This week, the Act Party left this Earth, drawing its final breath after a long and anguished illness, writes Toby Manhire. The account is overdrawn and must now be closed.

The story from NZ that received the most international play this week was: NZ rejects climate change refugee. Kooky. But his effort to gain asylum here because of the impact of climate change in Kiribati is more a harbinger than an oddity.

It probably doesn't happen like this, but I like to imagine a huddle of ancient boffins gathered around a large wooden table, all corduroy jackets patched at the elbow with leather.

The response was swift and pretty much universal: this was appalling, stomach churning, almost certainly criminal, writes Toby Manhire.