Focus on Politics

Time now for Focus on Politics.

The Government announced this week that people who want their doctor to prescribe medicinal cannabis will no longer need to get ministerial approval, but they still… Read more Audio

Donald Trump's sudden and sweeping ban on refugees and people from seven Muslim nations entering the United States has had far reaching consequences. The US President's executive order, referred to by… Read more Audio

A war of words erupted and insults were traded earlier this week as political party leaders made their annual speeches at Ratana. The celebrations mark the official birthday of the church's prophet… Read more Audio

The Parliamentary year has drawn to a close, with the House rising on Wednesday night and most MPs packing up for the Christmas break. But some National Party MPs and Ministers will spend next week… Read more Audio

It's been an extraordinary week in politics, with John Key dropping a bombshell announcing his resignation, and Bill English now preparing to take over as Prime Minister after a swift leadership… Read more Audio

Political deals to help out a certain candidate or party in an electorate seat have been frowned upon in the past, but the practice will become much more widespread in the 2017 election. National has… Read more Audio

Housing, crime and transport are the three most talked about problems in Mt Roskill and are high on the agenda for the candidates vying to be the electorate's first new MP in decades. Phil Goff was… Read more Audio

A massive 7.8 earthquake centred at the top of the South Island has sparked a major government response this week. The damage wrought in Kaikoura and the wider region and in Wellington is estimated to… Read more Audio

Donald Trump's victory in the United States Presidential elections sent shock waves throughout the halls of Parliament this week. It caught many New Zealand Politicians off guard, and left them… Read more Audio

The Government's controversial Saudi sheep deal was back in the public spotlight this week after the Auditor General released her long-awaited report into the matter. While Lyn Provost cleared the… Read more Audio

One case of a autistic boy being locked in a seclusion room in a Wellington has led to revelations the practice is much more widespread than authorities were aware of. An investigation into the use of… Read more Audio

The sudden increase in the country's prison population means the Government will now have to stump up an extra billion dollars to build more beds. The move means there is less in the pot for other… Read more Audio