Let's get one thing straight: the Labour Party is not shutting journalists out of its conference in Wellington this weekend despite some media and bloggers breathlessly, but inaccurately, claiming it is.
Amid the energy-sapping and morale-draining bouts of bedlam afflicting the New Zealand Labour Party, one senior caucus figure gives every impression of being a veritable rock of calm and stability.
When it comes to casting aspersions, few insults are as venomous, vicious or more driven by utter contempt than accusing someone of being a ''scab''.
Words were very much Paul Goldsmith's forte before the former speechwriter, press secretary and biographer entered Parliament three years ago.
The downfall and disgrace of John Banks may have seemed the story of the week. But the Epsom MP was already history - ancient history, in fact.
John Banks can never escape his past, John Armstrong says.
Sue Bradford may not be everyone's favourite cup of tea.
It must surely be tempting fate to mention it, but there are definite signs Labour has finally emerged from its long bleak winter of dysfunction, despair and inertia.
When it comes to searching for the inhabitants of that land otherwise described by politicians in Tolkien-sounding fashion as Middle New Zealand, you need look no further than the Hastings suburb of Mahora.
It has been a very long time since allegations of corruption have been levelled at a Cabinet minister with such a degree of seriousness as was apparent in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
Having turned its caucus room in Parliament Buildings into a war room staffed almost around the clock by policy wonks, political strategists, experts in both mass communication and social media, plus assorted press secretaries - and all in readiness for the coming general election - the Labour Party might find itself with another war on its hands before then.
If voters swallow John Key's line that a vote for Labour is a vote for higher interest rates, they will swallow anything the prime minister puts in front of them.
Whether the world is ready for Pam Corkery running around her neighbourhood waving her underwear in the air if Kim Dotcom pulls off the impossible and becomes a post-election kingmaker is a matter of no small debate.
As the countdown to September's general election becomes ever more frenetic, one thing is becoming increasingly obvious: those parties which stick to their knitting and produce fresh, even visionary ideas and viable policies stand to be the big winners.
Excuse me, but isn't Judith Collins the Minister of Justice?
While there might not be much to like about Vladimir Putin, Russia's president deserves respect - the kind of respect you would show for a hissing cobra in close proximity.
They are the powers behind the all-powerful.
The Labour Party is guaranteed one thing in the countdown to this year's general election: there is no danger of David Cunliffe peaking too soon.
The applause from his colleagues ought to be long and loud when Shane Jones arrives for Labour's weekly caucus meeting at Parliament next Tuesday.
If there is any such thing as karma in politics, then the National Party should deservedly pay a heavy price at some point for so blatantly putting naked self-interest ahead of the public interest with regard to the no small matter of reform of the MMP voting system.
