Stories by Craig McCulloch
News
Mallard's legal dispute cost more than $330k, National reveals
Taxpayers have had stump up more than $330,000 on a legal dispute sparked by Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard falsely accusing a staffer of rape.
Ardern promises to close 'gaps in hate speech legislation'
The prime minister's hope for political consensus regarding hate speech law is looking doubtful as the report into the Christchurch terror attack reignites the debate. Audio
Speaker apologises to man following 'rape' comments
Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard has apologised for comments he made last year claiming a rapist was working on the premises.
NZ First Foundation defendants lose right to name suppression
The two people charged over the handling of donations to the New Zealand First Foundation have lost a legal bid to keep their names secret.
'Irresponsible' for Labour to rule out capital taxes - Greens
Greens co-leader James Shaw has lashed out at Labour over rising house prices, labelling it "irresponsible" for refusing to entertain a tax on capital gains.
Reti becomes new National deputy leader: 'We're placed here on our merits'
Shane Reti has been elected deputy leader of the National Party, unopposed, in today's caucus meeting.
Election 2020: The low stakes final leaders' debate
Power Play - Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins went head-to-head in a muted final face-off on Thursday night, in what seemed at times to be an exercise in warding off the inevitable, writes Craig…
Ardern imagines a country with no housing waitlist, no Covid and swimmable rivers
In a rally cry to Labour faithful, Jacinda Ardern has painted an ambitious vision of the future she says could be reality if New Zealanders "stick to our plan".
Ardern swamped by supporters at South Auckland markets
With one week of the election campaign still to run, Jacinda Ardern has spent the day rallying party faithful in deep Labour territory, encouraging supporters to lock in their vote early.
'I got tools I needed,' drug user tells PM
Linda Clark's voice trembled as she told Labour leader Jacinda Ardern her story: "Aged 19, I had my first puff of meth."
Collins puts brave face on a difficult week
Analysis - National is trying to steady its ship after a shocker week on the campaign, with leader Judith Collins dogged by dissent, leaking, a debate loss and a walkabout whoopsie.
Calls for no more Ms Nice Collins
National leader Judith Collins has gone on the offensive in Nelson, encouraged by a GreyPower crowd urging her to embrace her "Crusher" persona.
Explainer: How deep does National's fiscal hole go?
A week on from National's campaign launch, the party is still battling a cascade of complaints about errors in its alternative budget.
National to unveil border and quarantine policy this morning
A National government would set about expanding the country's quarantine system to allow it to gradually open up the border, RNZ understands.
Labour's tax plan framing both clever and cynical
Power Play - Call it what you want - canny politics or a left-wing betrayal - Labour's tax plan is far from transformational. Even National could barely muster much outrage, Craig McCulloch writes.
Critics pile on Green private school funding boost
Education Minister Chris Hipkins is distancing himself from an $11.7 million boost for a Taranaki private school after the National Party panned the taxpayer funding as "rank hypocrisy".
Covid-19 lockdown settings: What to expect today
Cabinet ministers will meet this morning to review the Covid-19 lockdown settings, but are not expected to make a definitive decision on whether to relax them.
ACT says NZ should model its Covid approach on Taiwan
The ACT Party wants to allow most returning New Zealanders to isolate in privately-run facilities - such as Airbnbs - rather than government-managed isolation hotels.
National Party to address Roger Bridge allegations 'soon'
The National Party board will meet "as soon as possible" to discuss allegations surrounding its member Roger Bridge and a late-night call on talkback radio.
Politicians decry cost of mosque gunman's incarceration
The eye-watering cost of keeping the Christchurch mosque gunman behind bars has reignited calls for him to be sent back to Australia to serve his sentence there.
Covid-19 privacy leak was 'deliberate and politically motivated', inquiry finds
The inquiry into the leak of Covid-19 details has placed the blame squarely on National MP Hamish Walker and former party president Michelle Boag, but also finds some fault with the Ministry of… Video
New poll: Labour climbs to 60.9%, National at 25.1%
Support for the National Party has hit a new low in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll.
Mallard releases Code of Conduct following bad behaviour in Parliament
Parliament's referee Trevor Mallard has threatened to name and shame the worst-behaving MPs if he is left to enforce a new code of conduct.
National leader Judith Collins' reshuffle no minor matter
Power Play - With hastily-filled gaps in National's new-look line-up, Judith Collins still has work to do to shake the narrative of a party in disarray, writes Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch.
Govt unsure of how many essential workers have arrived
The government does not know how many foreigners have come into NZ under the essential worker exemption and says it would "not be a great use of officials' time" to find out.