Focus on Politics

A proposed law which is expected to see many more people with severe addictions to alcohol or drugs being detained is almost universally being seen as move in the right direction. But there are fears… Read more Audio

The government is searching for yet more ways to dampen the rampant housing market, including a billion dollar infrastructure fund and encouraging the Reserve Bank to further limit lending to… Read more Audio

The world was shocked when the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union last week. The outcome of the referendum caused ructions on global stock markets, and a seismic shift in British… Read more Audio

The Children's Commissioner has used his last State of Care report to warn that tens of thousands of vulnerable children could be in danger as the Government plans a massive overhaul of Child Youth… Read more Audio

The numbers of refugees New Zealand will accept was boosted this week to one thousand people, to take effect from 2018 - the first increase in 30 years. The annual quota of 750 has not been raised… Read more Audio

The long term plan for the Defence Force was unveiled this week. It includes a major infrastructure upgrade, and a new focus on cyber security, in a world political leaders say is increasingly… Read more Audio

Labour and the Greens have made it official, signalling a formal working relationship, 18 months out from next year's general election. The agreement, represented by a memorandum of understanding… Read more Audio

The Finance Minister, Bill English, has delivered his eight Budget which he says delivers money to sectors under pressure - health, education and housing. But critics say the Budget has failed to… Read more Audio

The Director of the Security Intelligence Service has spoken out this week about her agency's role in the jihadi brides controversy. Rebecca Kitteridge has also addressed a Privacy Act exemption, that… Read more Audio

The depth of New Zealand's involvement in the global network of secretive trusts was laid bare this week by further revelations in the Panama Papers. The new information may have created big waves in… Read more Audio

The fallout from the Panama Papers has continued to dog the Government this week. It's been just over a month now since the millions of documents from a Panamanian law firm showed how the world's rich… Read more Audio

As New Zealanders waistlines continue to expand, the lists of measures politicians say they are taking to combat obesity also grows. But there is fierce resistance to putting in place a tax on fizzy… Read more Audio