Wellington, Dec 10 NZPA - Trade unionists are thrilled by the defeat of a bill that would have opened up Easter trading laws but Auckland's Chamber of Commerce says the vote was crazy.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Dec 9 NZPA - Another bid to relax Easter trading laws failed in Parliament tonight when a member's bill drafted by Rotorua MP Todd McClay was defeated 62-59 on a conscience vote.

Wellington, Nov 19 NZPA - Parliament is going to debate another bill drafted to open up Easter trading.

Wellington, Oct 7 NZPA - Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell was urging the people of a small Bay of Plenty town, where two teenagers died amid gang violence, to join a march against gang violence. Tomorrow in Murupara there will be a "March for Life".

Putting Parliament into urgency and passing two controversial bills last week was the best thing the Government could have done for the Labour Party.

Wellington, Dec 12 NZPA - Steven Joyce, who was appointed to cabinet a week after being elected as a list MP, told Parliament today how he was going to go about his responsibilities as a minister.

Every election throws up a swag of cliffhanger seats that can spell doom or glory for parties and individual MPs. GRANT FLEMING of NZPA looks at the key electorates in 2008.