Stories by Anneke Smith

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has spent time with communities in Tonga after the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum wrapped up.

The Pacific Islands Forum has emphasised solidarity in the face of the many challenges confronting the region, with climate change affecting nearly every area of discussion.

The leaders of the 18 member states are spending a day on Vava'u Island - with no officials or media allowed.

Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters has been labelled a climate denier by the opposition after downplaying the climate crisis while visiting the Pacific.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stepped out of the Pacific Islands Forum to throw a rugby ball around with some young female players from Tonga.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has touched down in Tonga for his first Pacific Islands Forum in the top job.

Nearly three months passed from when a former political figure's party was told he was a "sexual predator" until the man stopped working for them.

"In the first instance the balance wasn't quite right. We spoke, the nation spoke and they listened." Audio

The former political figure is accused of sexually abusing two teenage boys while he was a mentor at their sports club.

The jury in the trial of a former political figure accused of sexually abusing two teenage boys in the 1990s has now heard the defendant's side of the story.

Two male complainants say the man sexually abused them between 1995 and 1999.

The man denied making the allegations up and said although he did vote for a different party he wasn't politically motivated.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty to nine charges of indecent assault.

He "felt disgusting" after the alleged sexual abuse by his sports mentor at the time, the complainant says.

Two complainants say the man abused them in towns in Auckland and Waikato between 1995 and 1999.

The man, in his 50s, is accused of sexually abusing two people, one underage, in the 1990s.

As National Party members rallied in Auckland over the weekend, Sir John says Christopher Luxon is growing into the PM role.

Party faithful are relishing the election result but are also being asked to encourage like minded people to join the cause.

The National Party caucus and party faithful are gathering in Auckland for its annual general meeting.

The party says its confidence in the Speaker of the House is "falling by the day". Audio

The coalition is progressing a law change that will give the police the power to randomly saliva-test drivers for drug use.

NIWA has cut climate science to the bone and set New Zealand up to be worse prepared for future climate disasters, a former staffer says. Audio

RNZ has seen the full executive summary of the independent report into what Tana knew about the allegations and what she did about them.

Power Play - The trade mission was overshadowed by a distraction for which the prime minister has only himself to blame.

With the NZDF's 757s past their best-before date, RNZ's Anneke Smith and Nate McKinnon reveal what they're like inside and the case for buying new ones.