Audio Search

The New Zealand First leader blindsided the Prime Minister this week when he scuppered Labour's plans to lift the refugee quota to 1500. Winston Peters had just landed in Nauru for the Pacific Islands… Audio

Focus on Politics for 31 August 2018 Audio

The controversy over the leak of National leader Simon Bridges' travel expenses took on a life of its own as the week drew to an end, with the Speaker pulling the pin on the QC inquiry he originally… Audio

Political intrigue abounds with the launch of an inquiry into the leak to media of information about the National leader Simon Bridges' travel bill. Audio

The furore around "free speech on campuses" reached New Zealand this week after Massey University cancelled a speaking engagement by former National leader Don Brash. The move drew widespread… Audio

In one of his final actions as acting Prime Minister, Winston Peters, ordered top ministers to put their heads together to find a way to deal with the recent spike in deaths from synthetic cannabis… Audio

This time last year Bill English was Prime Minister, Andrew Little was Labour leader with Jacinda Ardern as his deputy. Metiria Turei and James Shaw led the Greens. Three other parties supported the… Audio

The Government has flagged big plans for New Zealand's mental health and addiction workforce. But is it doing anything to ensure there are the right people - and enough of them - to fill the gaps in… Audio

Business confidence has slumped, and the finger of blame is being pointed at the Government. National's finance spokesperson Amy Adams accused the Finance Minister of being anti-business, and running… Audio

July the first marks the beginning of the new financial year - and with it comes a raft of changes heralded by the new Government. Its flagship families policy will deliver a boost for low and… Audio

New Zealand is now in formal negotiations with the European Union to nail down a Free Trade Agreement, with negotiators to meet in Brussels in about three weeks time. The EU is New Zealand's third… Audio

More from Jane Patterson and the focus team... Video, Audio

The apologies have been coming in thick and fast over the last week after the Prime Minister's chief scientific advisor delivered a king hit to the country's meth testing industry. It's now clear… Audio

Focus on Politics for 1 June 2018 Audio

New Zealand's prison population has been increasing quite rapidly over the past few years. In 2013 there were just over 8200 people incarcerated in New Zealand, the prison muster as of now is 10,481… Audio

The Finance Minister, Grant Robertson, delivered the coalition Government's first budget this week, spreading the spending widely, but also keeping three-billion dollars in the kitty. Our Deputy… Audio

The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised her Government will bring down the rates of child poverty, and wants to address one of the key drivers of that - family violence. New Zealand's domestic… Audio

While the Finance Minister Grant Robertson puts the final touches on his first Budget, the blame game has already begun. The government's been dampening down expectations as it comes under scrutiny… Audio

Budget day is looming and political parties are starting to position themselves. Coalition government ministers are claiming big funding holes in several portfolios - one of those is education. Our… Audio

The Green Party finally has a new female co-leader after several months, but Marama Davidson has her work cut out for her. Since the election there has been fierce debate within the party's membership… Audio