Stories by Russell Palmer

The government has quietly cancelled plans to improve recycling and roll out a kerbside food scraps composting scheme.

The last two quarterly figures for the economy are the worst since the late 2021 Covid-19 lockdowns.

Te Pāti Māori had to "get past ourselves" to figure out working with Labour. Labour says it's all "casual", but the Greens say they'll meet regularly.

The prime minister not attending Waitangi Day would show he "has no balls and may be a drop-nuts", Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is accusing the commission of bowing to "a bit of political heat" after it apologised for using Manurewa marae as a voting place.

The government's latest announcement has prompted calls for Nicola Willis to resign. Audio

A legal academic says the bill has gone through very poor lawmaking, and late changes undermine the select committee.

Green MP Tamatha Paul says there's a feeling of determination in Tokoroa after last night's 'Save our Mill' meeting. Audio

The deputy PM is among those attending a community meeting about the mill, with calls for worker relief heading into Christmas.

The children's minister says she is relieved two youths who were part of the boot camp pilot have been found.

In the worst scenario, we're only months away from hitting the limit, and expansions will be "absolutely critical", Corrections says.

Whaikaha's chief executive told MPs the way its funding problem had been handled "will not happen again".

It is one of several changes Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden has announced to the process.

"Despite all of that cheap Crown capital, despite all of that scale, they've been building houses at a far greater cost," Nicola Willlis says.

The report - which recommended building public health capacity - arrives as thousands of jobs are being culled in the sector. Audio

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has urged the French to keep an open mind about a new path forward for New Caledonia.

Police have confirmed funding for their new Federal Street station comes out of a Budget bid earmarked for recruitment.

That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him.

The alternative to policing by consent would be a police state, which New Zealanders don't want, the party says.

Mark Mitchell promised to step down if there was no significant change in law and order statistics in his first 12 months. Audio

A select committee led by coalition MPs has called for the proposed repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act to be softened.

Labour's Māori Development spokesperson was the first to be ejected from the House after calling David Seymour a "liar" - breaking Parliament's rules.

"The government's own lawyers recognise the bill would at first blush undermine Māori people's rights," a law professor says. Audio

Defence Minister Judith Collins has formally told Parliament she is allowing uniformed personnel to fill in for striking civilian staff.

The controversial bill - which only ACT supports - has officially been introduced at Parliament. Here's a first look.