By 3 News online staff
It's been a tumultuous first week in the political year, and that's before we've even heard today's state of the nation address from the Prime Minister.
Earlier this week John Key brought back Nick Smith, and hung on to Hekia Parata in a Cabinet reshuffle.
While at the annual Ratana celebrations the Maori Party dealt with a challenge to Pita Sharples' leadership, by announcing it will hold a meeting in two months time.
Political blogger Cameron Slater says he expects Mr Key's address to be focused on creating "literally thousands of jobs".
"The hint that I've got is that it's around about being smart about apprenticeships," he told Firstline this morning.
"Apprenticeships is something the Labour Party traditionally bangs on about, so it will be interesting to hear John Key talking about apprenticeships."
Political commentator Bryce Edwards also expects a heavy focus on the economy.
"Today's speech is going to be about jobs, welfare, growth, and what I'm picking is Resource Management Act reform. I think that's where the key announcement is going to be.
"John Key says it's not going to be about housing, but it's going to be indirectly about housing, and of course that means the RMA."
Dr Edwards says the Government's focus for the whole year will be on the economy.
"The ongoing global economic slump really is pervading politics, and so that's what this government is going to be focused on this year, and it's mostly what voters are going to be using to decide their vote next year."
Mr Slater says the past four years have been focused on saving jobs, in the wake of the financial crisis, but things are starting to turn around.
"Obviously John Key thinks that the economic indicators he's getting from [Finance Minister] Bill English in the economy are suggesting that we can now talk about growth, rather than saving," says Mr Slater.
Mr Key will be delivering the address at midday.
3 News
source: newshub archive
