Labour – an autumnal spring in the step / The Budget – all the more critical / UFB model for local govt infrastructure / That UN vote – McCully acted alone / The RMA – not dead yet? / An optimistic mood persists / Those water reforms

RMA replacement looks certain, whoever wins / First show of nerves on English / FMA looks again at non-GAAP profit measures / Issues of substance in battle for the Maori vote / Auckland light-rail decision a test for funding reform? / NZers ‘get’ free trade, right? Maybe / NZ dodges China’s extradition treaty wishes, for now

RMA reform - very untidy, but does it matter? / Labour’s new weapon and two Achilles heels / Less trusting Kiwis / Weak Q4 growth - cause for concern? / A heady week offshore / Local govt wants coherent water policy / DIRA decisions reflect careful political weighting

Elevating Jacinda / Maori seat arithmetic / Shane Jones and NZ First / Labour’s feint to Peters / Trump’s trade agenda becomes clearer / Media plays / RMA reforms

Show momentum, take some risks – Nats in election year / Labour’s ‘new’ look / Ohariu – why it still matters / Refreshing the trade policy refresh / Urban development - progress in theory, stalling in practice? / White House headaches / Civil Defence review

Sept 23 election – the ‘tired’ vs ‘the vibe’ / The Maori Party overplays its hand / Two weeks of Trump / Marlborough Sounds headache / The Thiel citizenship / May reshuffle signals in PPS appointments?

Election year dynamics / The battle for support partners / Shane Jones plots his return to politics / Is globalisation dead? / NZ economy continues to buck the trend – robust for 2017 / Kiwi in the White House / 2017 forward programme

HVxtra: Bill English delivers small ‘c’ conservative Cabinet reshuffle

New Cabinet this Sunday / A revitalising process / Resignations mount, but Sept 23 still best election day bet / Ins and outs / Retirement policy / Aussie economy re-emerges as a risk / Merry Christmas

HVxtra: Implications of a Key resignation