Stories by Anneke Smith

National's deputy leader says Christopher Luxon was joking when he encouraged people to "have more babies".

A plan to price New Zealand's agricultural emissions may be out to pasture before it gets going, as National backs away from supporting He Waka Eke Noa.

The independent panel of experts which considered public submissions on electoral law also recommended a referendum on a longer Parliamentary term. Audio

Power Play - ACT Party leader David Seymour will be patting himself on the back after a sell-out annual conference in central Auckland this weekend.

This proposed ministry would be given the powers to evaluate new regulatory proposals, review red tape and change laws to remove surplus regulation.

Parmjeet Parmar, a former National list MP voted out in 2020, will stand for the ACT Party in this year's election.

The main parties both say they are willing to work together on policies to build more housing, but neither seems likely to budge over their approach.

The summit is Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' first chance for face-to-face meetings with Pacific leaders in the top job, in a whirlwind 23 hours on the ground.

The ACT Party is proposing to condense income tax brackets, slash the number of public servants and increase prison beds in its alternative budget.

An economist is predicting Labour could end up borrowing more than it planned for this year's Budget given the "immense competing interests" it is facing.

One of New Zealand's wealthiest people says he supports a capital gains tax, as new research lays the groundwork for a fresh tax debate.

The National Party has been quick to call for a by-election in the Napier electorate after Stuart Nash was sacked as a minister over a breach of Cabinet rules.

Drive-by shootings more than doubled at the height of inter-gang conflict between the Tribesmen and Killer Beez last year.

The government's decision to allow British anti-transgender activist Posie Parker into New Zealand was the right one, the High Court has ruled.

Te Pāti Māori says the Greens' climate minister James Shaw should resign. Shaw says Labour breached long-standing practice over the co-operation agreement.

National MP Mark Mitchell says he's disappointed Stuart Nash won't go head-to-head with him in a charity boxing match.

Police officers were needlessly put in danger during the riots at Parliament when they were sent in without the correct protective gear, police advocacy groups say.

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand - is bracing for another tough winter season with eight hospital 'hotspots' set to bear the most pressure. Audio

"Bonkers" and "extremely dumb" are just some of ways critics are describing the government's U-turn on transport subsidies.

Some of the government's most contentious portfolios will soon have a fresh face after the prime minister's first cabinet reshuffle.

The ACT Party is promising it will put a stop to what its leader says is pattern of past National governments campaigning from the right and governing from the left.

Chatham Islands iwi Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri today signed an agreement in principle for a treaty settlement with the Crown.

Auckland youth development worker and advocate Aaron Hendry says targeted interventions, which have proved successful, can be achieved without boot camps. Audio

A victim's advocate is describing sentencing discounts for offenders as a courtroom "lolly scramble" that lets survivors down and offenders off the hook.

Labour's outgoing president Claire Szabó has taken the stage at the party's annual conference to warn "it's all at stake" at next year's general election.