Peter Wilson: Week in Politics -Treasury's grim forecast doesn't deter Willis

Treasury's latest forecast shows the extent of the economic challenges facing the government, but Nicola Willis isn't backing down on delivering tax cuts; Christopher Luxon goes to Sydney, vowing New Zealand will be a "bedrock partner" in regional security; and Parliament adjourns for the year after another burst of repealing zeal.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is facing a difficult year balancing her tax cuts against deteriorating economic conditions, but there's no way she's going to back down.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - A rush to repeal and the Finance Minister's surprise

The government sets a cracking pace in Parliament as it starts dismantling Labour's legislation, Winston Peters has a fine time as Acting Prime Minister and Nicola Willis springs the surprise of the week as she sinks the new ferries project.

At the end of Parliament's first working week, it seemed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon really was leading a government that's "going to get things done" as he has often vowed it would.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - New government survives first Question Time

The government was under attack on multiple fronts during a week of relentless criticism and then faced its first Question Time in Parliament. Winston Peters launched another diatribe against the media, there were emotional speeches in the House during a debate on the war in Gaza and the new police minister expressed confidence in the commissioner after setting out what he expects from the force.

After a week of relentless criticism of its 100-day repeal policies the government's new ministers faced their first, and much anticipated, Question Time in Parliament.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Winston goes to war

Winston Peters' war against the media upstages the prime minister and draws a comparison with Donald Trump's populist rhetoric; there are fundamental changes for New Zealand in the government's 100-day plan; Labour announces its shadow Cabinet and the line-up offers a glimpse of its battle plans.

"I don't know what the hell he's on about." That was former broadcasting minister Willie Jackson's puzzled reaction to Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters' claim on Monday that the media had been bribed with $55 million.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - Winston Peters now second most important person in the government

Winston Peters' seniority is enhanced as he wins first go as deputy prime minister; Christopher Luxon puts a sensible cabinet together and Labour is primed to attack the new coalition government.

First impressions count, and the first impression people are going to get of the new government is that Peters is the second most important person in it.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - Peters' no show steals the show

Christopher Luxon smiled his way through media interviews this week, giving calm assurances that talks to form his "strong and stable" coalition government were progressing at pace.

He's doing it well. The messaging hasn't changed since day one.

That's despite the obvious difficulties he's experiencing with his potential partners ACT and NZ First - particularly NZ First.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Coalition negotiations could be near the endgame

After a slow start, the coalition negotiations may be approaching the point where an announcement is imminent, while Chris Hipkins keeps his job as Labour leader and could face another tax policy conundrum.

The media was really fizzing on Saturday after the final election results were announced the previous day.

Christopher Luxon said he was "going to get cracking", there were reports that he was about to "hit the phones" and negotiate coalition deals with ACT and NZ First.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - It all depends on Peters

Final election results mean Christopher Luxon must reach an agreement with Winston Peters before he can form a government.

After that his first task will be to appoint a cabinet and he's given indications of who will get some of the top jobs.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins will face a caucus meeting where his future will be decided, and "camp Chippy" is reported to be confident he will hold onto the position.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - 'Eerie silence' surrounds coalition negotiations

Negotiations to form a new government between National, ACT and NZ First were taking place this week - in Auckland at an unknown venue and with very little known about what was going on between the three parties.

Newshub's Lloyd Burr said incoming prime minister Christopher Luxon was attempting to control media coverage, and the best way to do that was to hold them in a city without a political press gallery.

After previous MMP elections, negotiations have been mostly held in Parliament.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Blame games and media bashing

Chris Hipkins catches Covid and there's a blame game over his cancelled debate with Christopher Luxon. Another poll shows National will need NZ First to form a government and a newly-relevant Winston Peters goes in for some media bashing. Loose talk from Labour candidates gives National a new attack angle, and National confirms its top-of-the- line $250 a week tax relief package will reach only 3000 families.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins came down with Covid-19 at the beginning of the week which forced him into isolation and caused the cancellation of The Press leaders debate in Christchurch.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Luxon likely to get what he doesn't want

Christopher Luxon's announcement that he'll work with Winston Peters after the election if he has to boosts NZ First's chances of getting back into Parliament; the latest polls show a three-way coalition is a likely outcome; and Chris Hipkins comes blasting back in the second leaders' debate.

National leader Christopher Luxon's announcement on Monday that he would work with NZ First after the election, if he had to, changed the dynamics of the campaign.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics: Leaders' debate fails to catch fire

The leaders' debate Chris Hipkins had to win but didn't, more bad news for Labour in the latest poll, ACT and NZ First reluctantly agree they could work together.

Chris Hipkins needed to win Tuesday night's 1News debate with Christopher Luxon and he didn't. He didn't get near it - and most commentators called it a draw or gave it to Luxon.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - On the campaign trail

The latest polls show Labour's flagship policy promise hasn't worked, next week's leaders debate could be its last chance. Treasury's PREFU warns there's no more money to spare, pressure mounts on National to explain its "mansion tax" policy and Winston Peters edges closer to a comeback.

Monday's Newshub-Reid Research poll was the most important of the campaign so far.

It was taken after Labour announced its flagship dental care policy - and it hasn't worked.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - Promises, polls and attack ads

The main parties launch their campaigns and Labour's attack ads draw an angry response, National's tax cuts are challenged, the policy deluge continues and is this "the most negative campaign in New Zealand history?"

Labour and National launched their campaigns and there was a marked difference in style.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - National aims for maximum voter impact

National revealed an enticing tax policy this week, aimed straight at what it calls "the squeezed middle".

That's middle New Zealand, where the most votes are, that big slice of the pie that the main parties need to win an election.

The headline figures in National's "Back Pocket Boost" package, taken from its media statement, are impressive:

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - Bad poll for Labour, more policies and a National MP in trouble

By the end of the week the 1News Verian poll, released on Monday, had been thoroughly analysed and it was grim reading for Labour.

National had gained two points to reach 37 percent, Labour had dropped four points and had slumped to 29 percent.

Commentators reached similar conclusions - it was very bad news for Labour.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - NZ First gains traction while GST-free produce fails to hit the sweet spot

Labour will have to do much more than offer families a saving of about $5 a week to get back in the election race, NZ First's support continues to creep up and the media starts looking at where it's coming from, while another poll supports the trend that's showing National and ACT with enough support to form a government.

Rarely has a policy attracted such harsh criticism as Labour's election promise to remove GST from fruit and vegetables.

On the government's own estimation it will save households about $4.25 a week based on an average spend of $32.50.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Labour's Auckland Harbour tunnel plan, National's cellphone ban

An ambitious and vastly expensive tunnel proposal for Auckland Harbour, a $2 billion international fund for New Zealand's renewable energy projects, the latest poll shows NZ First with enough support to get back into Parliament and the hottest topic of the week: National's policy to ban cellphones in schools.

It was a simple announcement by National Party leader Christopher Luxon that created the most controversy this week.

Peter Wilson: The Week in Politics - Poll pushes Labour closer to the danger zone

Another poll points to a change of government and pushes Labour closer to the danger zone, David Seymour says he won't sit at the cabinet table with NZ First, National announces a huge road building plan which the government picks holes in, and there's an interesting look at which MPs could be in a National/ ACT cabinet.

Peter Wilson: Week in Politics - Kiri Allan's out, wealth tax keeps haunting Hipkins

The political implications of Kiri Allan's downfall; David Parker gives up revenue - was there "a whiff of petulance" around his decision? National says Labour's tax policy includes removing GST from fruit and vegetables, and it isn't denied.

A justice minister being arrested is about as bad as it gets for a government going into an election but writing Labour off because of Kiri Allan's downfall could be premature.