Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain today announced seven appointments to the Archives Council Te Rua Wānanga.

The Council has a statutory role to provide the Minister with independent advice on archives and record keeping issues.

A work programme designed to generate multi-million savings for regional ratepayers is being forwarded by the Waikato Mayoral Forum to the region’s local and regional councils for consideration.

Cabinet today agreed on New Zealand’s contribution to Afghanistan beyond the April withdrawal of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) from Bamyan province, in line with the joint ISAF/Afghan transition plan.

If schools challenged the Minister of Education’s decision to close and merge Christchurch schools it could potentially be long, expensive and, ultimately, of no purpose for the effected schools, University of Canterbury’s Head of Law Associate Professor Chris Gallavin said today.

The biggest and most comprehensive consultation on homelessness in Wellington starts tomorrow, with the launch of Te Mahana: the draft Strategy to End Homelessness in Wellington by 2020.

Justice Minister Judith Collins has announced legislation will be introduced to Parliament today to clear the way for changes to laws dictating the line of succession to the throne.

The Palmerston North City Council has recorded a favourable operating position of $1million for the first six months of the 2012/13 financial year.

Auckland Council and Auckland Transport are seeking feedback on draft bylaws aimed at minimising nuisance, obstructive or unsafe activities in our public places.

Submissions are now open on the proposed public safety and nuisance bylaws.

Ripping the heart out of Christchurch communities by unnecessarily closing and merging schools is not the way to help these shattered communities rebuild, Green Party Co-leader and education spokesperson Metiria Turei said today.

Hekia Parata’s decision to close or merge 19 schools in Christchurch will come as a blow to their local communities and the city as a whole, says Chris Hipkins, Labour’s acting education spokesperson.

Just four days short of the second anniversary of the February 22 earthquake, Christchurch principals, teachers, students and parents are facing emotional pressure with the announcement of school closures, University of Canterbury Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Niki Davis said t

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced she has listened to parents and school communities and decided about a third of the proposals for greater Christchurch schools should now not proceed.

The Central Plains irrigation scheme is a Think Big scheme that is bad news for the environment, the Green Party said today.

Local procurement policies like those being introduced in Australia will ensure New Zealand businesses secure a greater share of major projects, the Green Party said today.

The Canterbury Water Banks Peninsula Zone Committee will meet for its first monthly public meeting for the year on Tuesday, 19 February, in Akaroa.

A new community space in Hamilton’s Garden Place Library will be launched in March.

Named Kootuitui - a Maori word meaning "connect" - will be formally opened by Mayor Julie Hardaker on March 12, and will operate from Monday to Friday.

Tomorrow’s announcement on the future of Christchurch schools is an opportunity for the Government to show some respect for the communities affected and to demonstrate that it has listened to their concerns, Labour's acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

Labour is asking what has happened to the Chinese workers brought to New Zealand last year by King Facade Ltd, a Mainzeal-related company that this week went into voluntary liquidation following the Mainzeal collapse.

Labour will ensure subcontractors are paid for the work they’ve done when construction companies collapse, says Labour Leader David Shearer.

The Green Party has revealed today that the National Government has so far racked up a $26 million bill at the taxpayers’ expense for its ideologically-driven asset sales programme, before a single asset is even sold.