Stories by Mei Heron

After a week of public squabbling, New Zealand First and the Green Party head to their annual conventions in Auckland this weekend vowing to focus on themselves, not each other.

The Māori Party wants to develop a nationwide train network which it says would bring thousands of jobs to the regions.

A poverty action group describes Labour's new family package as generous but complicated, while National says the party should trust people with their own money. Audio

The two parties have not ruled out working together after September, despite trading insults over election policies. Audio

The Green Party has attacked New Zealand First during its campaign launch in Nelson, accusing them of divisive politics that set New Zealanders against each other.

The Green Party says it will charge bottling companies access to water, if elected to government.

The minister responsible for drug reform will give his initial support to a member's bill legalising medicinal cannabis.

Employers are unhappy with Labour's new workplace policy, calling it a cookie-cutter approach that didn't work the first time round.

Children from several schools created their own placards and protested outside Parliament today demanding the government ban plastic bags.

The Green Party will fight National's Nick Smith for the Nelson seat in this year's election, the first time the party has tried to win a seat since 1999.

The Labour Party admits it's been embarrassing to have dozens of interns, brought to New Zealand to campaign for the party complain about sub-standard living conditions. Video

Private training colleges are predicting up to 70 percent of their business could collapse if Labour's new immigration policy is implemented.

ACT leader David Seymour's euthanasia bill has been pulled from the members' ballot and will go before Parliament. Audio

Police have arrested the protesters who scaled a large crane near Parliament to unfurl a banner ahead of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit.

Social service providers will no longer need to hand over the private details of their clients to the government until a new data protection policy is in place.

Two days out from the budget and Finance Minister Steven Joyce is not giving away any clues about where money will be spent - though he says there are no election year bribes.

Evidence would probably be needed to justify a review of the NZ Navy's contracts with a company linked to a corruption scandal, the Prime Minister says.

The government's draft plan to reduce suicide rates is toothless, the Mental Health Foundation says.

An open letter signed by over 12,000 people has been handed over to MPs, calling for an urgent review of the mental health system.

Myrtle rust, which damages trees including pohutukawa, manuka and feijoa, has been found on mainland New Zealand for the first time.

Despite the rocky release of its party list, Labour is talking up its diverse line-up for this year's election.

Petitioners - accompanied by dozens of dogs - are calling on MPs to require research animals to be offered for adoption, rather than euthanised. Video

New Zealand First is backing its chief-of-staff and his 12-year-old son, who reprimanded a peace activist during yesterday morning's service. Video

The government's new immigration plan will hurt the horticulture industry by making it harder to get and keep staff, according to one Bay of Plenty company. Video

The caregiver who led the battle to increase the pay of care and support workers hopes her win will help lift people out of poverty. Video