Scoop's Selwyn Manning has dug deep into the oft-forgotten electorates and made some intriguing predictions as the country swings right
Read MoreElection 2008
Jones and Inga get offside linking faith with party
By claiming their support for National stems from their "spiritual values" two former All Blacks are crossing a dangerous line
Read MoreClark and Cullen have won the war, regardless of Saturday's battle
While the outcome of the election hangs in limbo for a few more days, one thing is sure – Labour is fighting desperately against a mood for a change which has been entrenched for many months
Read MoreWaiting for John Key
On the surface John Key sneaked a win in last night's TV3 debate. Yet the National leader remains a mere outline, a stranger, a man who simply wants to get a job rather than lead a nation
Read More2008 Election & Beyond: Democratic Big Change, Part I
Jon explores our democratic deficit, arguing that a democratic summit be convened irrespective of who wins power on Saturday
Read MoreBack in Two Ticks...
Sarah Campbell, a list candidate for the Alliance, writes about her frustration at the media ignoring small parties and the 5% threshold
Read MoreThe virtue of losing
Why the left might be happy to see National win this election
Read MorePolicies to Upset the Purists
If National's only pretending to be 'centrist', it's a very good act.
Read MoreThere's actually only one John Key, just not the one on show
National's campaign is hiding a front bench full of 1990s-style free marketers behind John Key's well-scripted one-liners
Read MoreGerry Brownlee and Winston Peters – as bad as each other?
As we all try to make sense of pressuring emails and undeclared shares, can't we agree that it's time for some real transparency?
Read MorePeter Dunne allows John Key to exhale as polls narrow
The polls are closing, making even the smallest parties significant players over the next two weeks
Read MoreDunne for PM
Peter Dunne's cosying up with National is less ideological and more a practical reality of minor party survival, plus more poll analysis
Read MoreTwo Weeks to Go: The Roulette Wheel
Jon explores the gambles underpinning John Key and Helen Clark's electoral strategies and says it's no good blaming the roulette wheel if we place all our money on only one number.
Read MoreOf coalitions and kings
Colin Espiner has promised to eat his blog post if the Maori Party does a deal with National. I think he's right, and here's why...
Read MoreIt may not be pretty, but our campaign ain't ugly
The New Zealand campaign isn't one of the five ugliest in the world, it isn't even as bad as America's. PLUS: An exclusive interview with the journalist who called our campaign ugly.
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What might have been, might be better
Labour says it's being "prudent" by reining in its spending plans, but it may come to regret not giving the economy more of a boost from the public purse
Read MoreMaori Seats are the great survivors
The Maori seats are here to stay. NationaI has been purposefully vague about its abolition plans, and even if it was serious, getting the job done would mean a long and complex process of constitutional reform
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Cool heads prevail on the back nine
As we approach the last fortnight, it's gun-to-the-head time in our election. With Labour's private polling suggesting it's closer than we think, the test for Helen Clark and John Key will whether they can keep a cool head
Read MoreThis week's poll of polls and coalition musings
With little movement this week's poll, we look at bottom-lines and why New Zealand First seems to be anchored at around three percent
Read MoreGenerational change: a question of language
An important dimension underpinning generation change is political language. Jon Johansson analyses both main party leader's opening addresses and finds scant evidence of any new paradigm emerging.
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