Cabinet's set to discuss controversial legal issues, when ministers hold their first meeting of the year today.

Whether David Bain should get compensation for his time behind bars is back on the agenda - after he dropped a judicial review into how his claim's been handled.

A decision could take many months.

Cabinet may also touch on the topic of embattled backbench MP Mike Sabin - with police still refusing to confirm he's under investigation over an alleged assault.

John Key's set to face questions from media on the issue, at his first big press conference of the year this afternoon.