Stories by Craig McCulloch

Former prime minister Sir John Key has reminded National it needs to find potential coalition partners for next year's election.

National leader Simon Bridges has opened the party's annual conference with a rousing speech, giving a preview of the Opposition's campaign strategy for next year's election.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins is showing no sympathy for principals who say they've been blindsided by an "unfair" aspect of the teachers' pay deal, which could cost schools thousands of dollars.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has doubled down on her criticism of Australia's deportation policy as "corrosive", ahead of her meeting with counterpart Scott Morrison.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will touch down in Melbourne this afternoon, four months after her planned visit to the city was called off due to the Christchurch terror attack.

The Auditor-General's investigators are to look into the National Party's complaints about taxpayer funding being used to underwrite KiwiBuild homes.

A small Māori village in a Bay of Plenty forest has secured $2.4 million in funding to improve its rundown housing. Video

Defence Minister Ron Mark has taken aim at "metropolitan urban New Zealand", saying its "reverse nimbyism" is jeopardising military operations.

Doctors will require a specialist's recommendation to sign off on most prescriptions under the government's proposed medicinal cannabis scheme.

Crown agency Callaghan Innovation has been given a clean bill of health over its handling of Official Information Act requests following complaints it had "stonewalled" the Taxpayers' Union.

Heavy-polluting vehicles could soon be slapped with an import fee, with the revenue going towards subsidising clean, green vehicles. Video, Audio

The Serious Fraud Office's decision not to prosecute a former DHB head who racked up about $120,000 in unjustified spending has prompted an outcry.

A roadblock protest labelled "lunacy" by Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little is bringing the hapū and iwi into disrepute, a Treaty claim negotiator says.

Police are investigating after an aggrieved hapū member cut off a Crown limousine carrying Andrew Little, blocked the road, and then issued the Treaty Negotiations Minister a "trespass notice".

New Zealand's plastic bag ban may not cover many of the thicker "emergency-style" shopping bags stocked by supermarkets, despite the government's promise it would.

New Housing Minister Megan Woods has fronted to media for the first time in her new role, promising a different approach to KiwiBuild under her watch.

The Ministry for Women - which aims to eliminate the gender pay gap - has defended paying its male staff 6 percent more than its female staff.

One of the gun shop owners consulted over the government's buyback scheme says their advice was ignored, and the amounts offered are a "gross misrepresentation".

Politicians on both sides of the aisle are accusing each other of trying to manipulate voting laws to boost their chances at the next election. Audio

One of the authors of Hit & Run has backed away from a key claim in the book, revealing he now believes armed insurgents were in a village attacked by New Zealand elite soldiers. Audio

ACT leader David Seymour says his proposed free speech protections would not allow people to spread footage of the Christchurch terror attack.

Power Play - For the National opposition, a breakaway Christian party is a 'Hail Mary' of the highest order, writes Craig McCulloch.

A major anti-family violence pilot programme is expected to get the green light for more funding at a pre-Budget announcement on Sunday.

The government has announced the next steps in its plan to recharge New Zealand's recycling.

Watch - National leader Simon Bridges has been booted out of Parliament's debating chamber for disputing whether he'd made a "barnyard noise". Video