Katie Scotcher

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just spoken to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone, expressing solidarity and support for his country.

Russia's actions in Ukraine are an affront to the world but mustn't be allowed to create a more polarised, dangerous world, the prime minister says.

The working holiday scheme between New Zealand and Spain has been expanded to allow more young people to travel and work in each other's countries for up to two years.

The Prime Minister leaves for Europe today, where she will push to nail down a long-awaited free trade deal with the European Union.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to participate in the upcoming NATO Leaders Summit, becoming the first New Zealand leader to do so.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will sit down with her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese today for their first formal talks since his election.

Victim Support has finally given the Ministry of Justice a full copy of a report into allegations of bullying and service failure but under the condition very few people see it.

The police minister is defending her track record in the job as the National Party calls for the prime minister to replace her.

The minister of police wants the police to work faster to tackle a surge of gang violence in Auckland.

Transport Minister Michael Wood has had to contact the Transport Agency a second time over costly road safety props, after a further three were found to have been on back order.

The government is being criticised for letting its relationships with Pacific islands drift, as China tries to boost its influence in the region. Audio

New Zealand has joined an alliance of Indo-Pacific nations aimed at countering China's influence in the region.

Scrapping pre-departure tests will come "sooner rather than later", and more advice is being sought on whether people with adverse reactions could be exempt from workforce mandates.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw is sending a strong signal to voters - the plan to slash emissions would have been stronger if his party held the balance of power.

Low-income families who scrap their old car will get funding to buy a low-emitting vehicle in a $569 million scheme, one of the big-ticket items in the government's first Emissions Reductions Plan.

The thousands of people who use public transport every day could soon find out if the half-price fares they are enjoying now are here to stay.

According to police, in the 12 months to October last year there were 283 ram raids around the country, more than five a week.

The anti-mandate protest in the capital earlier this year has cost the Wellington City Council more than $300,000.

In today's Focus on Politics podcast, Political Reporter Katie Scotcher assesses where the government's planning is for new and potentially more deadly variants.

The Associate Health Minister has asked officials to draft a plan on how the government should respond if a variant arrives that is more transmissable or severe than Omicron. Audio

The Russian ambassador can't be summoned to Parliament for questioning as he has diplomatic immunity, the Foreign Affairs Minister has told MPs.

The Foreign Affairs Minister has called MPs' efforts to haul the Russian ambassador before them for questioning "not very useful".

Russian Ambassador Georgii Zuev has continued to decline to either appear before select committees, or to be interviewed by media, saying that would be futile.

MPs are debating the extraordinary step after the ambassador rebuffed two requests to appear before a committee to answer questions about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In today's Focus on Politics podcast, the government is pressing ahead with its planned mega media merger. Political reporter Katie Scotcher explores what it will mean for RNZ and TVNZ, as well the…