Stories by Yvette McCullough

The minimum wage and benefit levels get a boost today, but there's criticism of both - and for different reasons. Audio

National is calling on the government to set a target of having a least 70 percent of adults vaccinated against Covid-19.

The bill put forward by National MP Simeon Brown "clearly targets" Māori and Pasifika, the Mongrel Mob says, and they believe the bill is purely to gain votes.

National is urging the prime minister to support a vote of no confidence in the speaker after obtaining a statement of claim in the defamation case of the man Trevor Mallard wrongly accused of being a…

The government plans to help first-home buyers into the market, by increasing the caps for financial support, and extending the bright-line test to 10 years.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta says Dutton's comments "only serve to trash his own reputation", while Chris Hipkins says it means Australia is "exporting its garbage".

Opposition MPs and medical experts are backing the government's decision to make Pfizer New Zealand's main Covid-19 vaccine.

Senior National Party MP Simon Bridges has continued his attack on Police Commissioner Andrew Coster in a fiery Justice Select Committee this morning.

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis is not taking a judge's ruling that inmates at Auckland Women's Prison were treated in a "degrading" and "inhumane" way at face value, and wants more information.

The ACT Party is accusing the government of failing to keep New Zealanders safe, citing the number of gang members with gun licences increasing under its watch.

The National Party has failed in its attempt to move a motion of no confidence in the Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Despite the latest unemployment figures being better than expected, there are warnings that for Māori, Pasifika, and women the economic revival is not that rosy.

National is calling on the government to introduce urgent temporary legislation to make it easier to build houses.

The government has been slammed for its "underwhelming" Public Housing Plan, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is backing its record. Audio

New Zealanders need to be prepared to stay put if caught up in Covid-19 outbreak over summer, but ready to return home if outbreak has spread widely, the government says.

The government is moving ahead with its election promise to introduce regulation to bring down the fees banks charge retailers for paywave.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw says there's nothing token about the declaration of a climate emergency or the commitment for the public service to be carbon neutral in five years' time. Audio

The 53rd Parliament has kicked off with a lively Address in Reply debate, with the opposition vowing to hold the government to account, and to ensure it delivers on its promises.

This term of Parliament will be dominated by Covid-19, with the government's plans and promises focused on the pandemic.

The workplace relations minister is not ruling out lifting the minimum wage in line with the living wage.

Business leaders aren't backing National Party's call for the government to "rein in" the Reserve Bank and insist conditions be put around new funding.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern walks a centrist balance beam this morning, meeting with E tū union delegates before giving a speech to Business New Zealand.

Andrew Little says he "relishes" the challenge of stepping into the Health portfolio where he will take charge of introducing reforms of the sector. Video

National's caucus will today begin the task of trying to pick up the pieces, at its first meeting following the weekend's crushing defeat.

With Māori still making up half the prison population, justice advocates fear changes to bring down incarceration rates have lost momentum, Yvette McCullough writes.