Russell Palmer

The government is not considering mandatory vaccines for the wider workforce, the minister says, but employers could write vaccination requirements into future employment contracts.

Health officials should have been more up front after discovering five people could have been given saline instead of the vaccine, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has fronted to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee, defending the government's planning and use of the Covid-19 Response and Recovery fund.

National Party leader Judith Collins says she has "no confidence" the Taliban will change their brutal style of rule in Afghanistan, and it is clear women there will have "little future".

National, ACT and the Green Party agree more needs to be done to help those in Afghanistan.

After an alarming international report on climate change, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says criticism of New Zealand's response is "unfair".

The energy minister has demanded answers from generators about intentional power cuts overnight, but the opposition says she knew about the problems in the system and should step down.

The government is reassuring disabled people their voices will be heard as it presses on with major reforms to New Zealand's district health boards.

Explainer - What restrictions could be expected to be placed on someone like Suhayra Aden, coming to New Zealand after time with IS? RNZ is here to clear it all up.

New hate speech law proposals from the government are confusing - even tripping up the prime minister and justice minister. RNZ is here to clear it all up.

Explainer - Samoa has been struggling with a confrontational constitutional crisis. Confused? RNZ is here to clear it all up. Audio

Explainer - The Budget is approaching, but what actually is it, and does it even matter? RNZ is here to clear it all up.

Explainer - More changes are in the pipeline for New Zealand's gun laws, but there have been so many since 15 March 2019 it can be hard to keep track. RNZ is here to clear it all up.

Explainer - Who gets the Covid-19 vaccine, and when? RNZ is here to clear it all up.

Explainer - Who gets the Covid-19 vaccine, and when? RNZ is here to clear it all up.

Special votes can be returned and counted up to 10 days after election day so there is something of a lag time. Here's what they are, why they're special, and what you need to know about them.

This is what you need to know about voting and MMP.

Analysis - With more than 16 minutes of ads spread in four blocks across the hour, and five leaders to bounce ideas and insults off one another, last night's debate made for frantic, fractured…

Neither Jacinda Ardern nor Judith Collins were willing to claim victory in last night's debate, but that has not stopped both Labour and National crowning their own champions.

The election could see some parties welcoming far more MPs into Parliament. They may celebrate, but sudden party growth has its own pitfalls to avoid.

National's finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith remains defiant the party's economic plan stacks up - but has had to make another correction after using out of date figures.

The government should abandon some recommendations in the "appalling" Health and Disability review, and set up a separate ministry, people across the disability sector say.

Covid-19 has introduced the world to an all-new lexicon as 'coronavirus', 'self-isolation' and 'social distancing' become commonplace terms. Here's a guide to what they all mean. Video

The International, the highest paying esports tournament in the world, begins today in Shanghai. Here's all you need to know about the event.

Police will improve training to reduce officers' inconsistent approaches to chasing fleeing drivers, but are largely leaving their pursuits policy unchanged, following the release of a joint review…