Stories by Russell Palmer

Police Minister's office says the use of discretion over recruits who had not passed a literacy test was introduced in 2018 under the Labour government.

Government officials are looking at developing minimum standards for the protection of critical communications infrastructure.

The sport and police minister says the $2.9m Sport NZ is redirecting to new initiatives for reducing youth offending will not go into the government's "boot camps".

A Judicial Conduct Panel will look into the behaviour of Acting District Court judge Ema Aitken, after she allegedly accused Winston Peters of lying.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says it's "not good enough" some providers still don't know if they'll be funded beyond the end of the month. Audio

Opposition parties say the government should be going much further, much faster in sanctioning Israel.

The government will strengthen its proposed law to criminalise stalking, including broadening the criteria to a longer timeframe.

The Privileges Committee proposed a 21-day suspension for three MPs over the Treaty Principles haka. Audio

And the leadership ratings in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll - taken after the Budget - are also bad news for the government Audio

The minister says a "culture of fear" about the agency needs to change. Audio

The Health Minister has repeatedly avoided answering direct questions about the bonding scheme.

What's billed as a historic change under the Resource Management Act is being released to the public for feedback.

Stronger whistleblowing laws and more emphasis on free and frank advice are needed to balance out a crackdown on leaks, the Public Service Association union says. Audio

Sir Brian Roche says in some cases public servants should be fired. Audio

Former National MP Dame Marilyn Waring has gathered a group of female former MPs to look into the changes.

The Prime Minister said the 2025 Budget got the basics right and put the country back on the path to surplus.

总理称，2025年财政预算案抓住了"基本核心"，并将国家重新带回发展的轨道上。

David Seymour said the cost of policy work across the government was $870m a year, so the cost of the bill was about 2 percent of that.

Labour says the government's decision to dump plans for a digital services tax is a tax break for tech giants like Facebook and Google.

Analysis - The government blindsided the opposition by postponing a debate about punishments for Te Pāti Māori, but the delay gives all sides time to plan. Audio

All 123 MPs will be allowed to have their say on the potential punishment of Te Pāti Māori MPs for last year's Treaty Principles haka.

The Public Service Minister claims questions she removed about religion, te reo Māori and rainbow identities because they infringed on people's privacy. Audio

A 'frank' half-hour meeting was Brooke van Velden's first with the Council of Trade Unions since 2023.

The Privileges Committee report on Te Pāti Māori's haka last year will be debated and voted on next Tuesday.

NIWA and GNS Science's chairs have been named to lead two of the new research institutes.