Policy
Napier residents to pay 12% increase in rates next year
Napier residents will be paying nearly 12 percent more in rates next year, after Napier City Council voted unanimously in favour of the increase.
The increase was set to be as high as 16 percent, but… Audio
Economist says 2023 'no frills' Budget will be a difficult balancing act
An economist is calling this year's Budget a difficult balancing act between funding the cyclone recovery and curbing spending to help bring down inflation.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins described… Audio
Proving wealthiest pay low tax rates is a good start - now comes the hard part
Analysis - New Zealand's 'one percent' pay lower tax rates than ordinary earners - just don't expect any big changes to tax policy in the near future, Craig Elliffe writes.
Carbon neutral 2050: 'Imperative we get on with it' to prevent cost blowouts, scientist says
It will be more costly for New Zealand to try and become carbon neutral in the future if it does not pick up the pace now, one of the climate change commissioners warns. Audio
We can't plant our way out of trouble, Climate Change Commission says
The Climate Change Commission is warning decision makers that we can't plant our way out of trouble.
It's released draft recommendations to the Government for the next Emissions Reduction Plan, and… Audio
New gov bill to protect sexual abuse victims
Victims of sexual assault will have greater legal protection with the help of a new law aimed at giving children and adults better support in the courts.
The bill, which the government plans to… Audio
Parliament protest: lawyer on the issues in police response
The ICPA report into last year's Parliament protest has found some laws governing trespass and arrests are ill-equipped to deal with policing mass public disorder events.
Just 31 people connected to… Audio
Parliament protest: Police Commissioner defends officers' actions
The Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says he would not have done anything differently in the police handling of the protest and occupation of Parliament grounds last year.
That's despite the Police… Audio
Cabinet set to discuss potential Covid-19 rule changes
The Prime Minister says there are numerous moving parts to consider when Cabinet debates later today whether to remove all remaining Covid-19 restrictions.
Most of the outstanding rules were scrapped… Audio
Govt lobbying moves largely symbolic - Academic
A writer and academic specialising in democracy and inequality says he's underwhelmed by the Prime Minister's attempts to improve transparency in the lobbying industry.
Chris Hipkins says he wants… Audio
Lobbyist says removing parliament swipes won't do much
A lobbyist says removing swipe card access to parliament will do little to reduce access to politicians.
Mark Unsworth co-founded Saunders Unsworth, a PR and lobbying firm in Wellington.
He's… Audio
Analysis: Government crackdown on lobbyists
Many are dismissing as too timid and just about meaningless the government's proposed crackdown on lobbyists .
The government will strip swipe card access to parliament for lobbyists, seek a… Audio
Chris Hipkins on proposed lobbying changes
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has written to the speaker asking for all lobbyists to lose their swipe card access to parliament, and it will also ask third-party firms to sign up to a voluntary code of… Audio
French Fury versus Quiet Kiwis
Paris is a burning rubbish tip as residents protest plans to raise the retirement age to a level that would still be below ours. Why aren't we agitating for change? Audio
Car dealer claims govt miscalculated clean car numbers
The government's clean car discount has accelerated purchases of low emission vehicles, but the pledge that the scheme would be cost-neutral has been miscalculated, Toyota's chief executive says.
… Video, Audio
National Party policy focusses on removing renewable energy red tape
The National Party's housing and infrastructure spokesperson says the biggest barrier to renewable energy is the planning system.
National's new renewable energy policy plans to double the amount of… Audio
Māori free to switch voting rolls after law change
From tomorrow, Māori are free to switch their enrolment choice at any time, except in the three months before an election.
After a law change last year, Māori will be able to decide whether to enrol… Audio
Pay transparency 'will help everybody' - Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner
An open letter delivered to Parliament this morning calls on the government to crack on with legislation requiring transparency from businesses on the pay gap. Audio
NZers told possible participation in AUKUS would not threaten nuclear free status
New Zealanders are being assured talks underway for possible participation in AUKUS would not compromise Aotearoa's nuclear free status.
The alliance - between Australia, the United States and the… Audio
New Zealand is juggling old mates and new friends
Australia has drawn closer to traditional allies the US and UK by inking its nuclear submarine deal. Meanwhile our foreign minister's just returned from China where some delicate diplomacy has been… Audio
