Wellington, Sept 21 NZPA - Act MP John Boscawen says he will delay his member's bill on smacking and hold a series of public meetings. The bill, which would legalise smacking for correction, was unlikely to have made it past its first reading.

Wellington, Sept 15 NZPA - More than half of the 8000 houses insulated under the Government's scheme belong to low-income earners, Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

Wellington, Sept 10 NZPA - Transport Minister Steven Joyce has described legal alcohol limits for drivers as "ridiculous" and his comments are being taken as an indication that tougher measures are on the way.

Wellington, Sept 3 NZPA - A smart card that subsidises healthy foods has been recommended by obesity researchers. The system was proposed in research commissioned by the Ministry of Health, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Wellington, Sept 1 NZPA - The "big four" Australian-owned banks will not make submissions to a parliamentary committee set-up by opposition MPs to investigate their behaviour.

Wellington, Aug 31 NZPA - Stocktaking minerals on Crown-owned conservation land was a "long way away" from mining the land, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Aug 28 NZPA - Independent News & Media (INM), a key stakeholder in New Zealand Herald-owner APN News & Media, has gained a further extension to the time for repaying a 200 million euro ($NZ424.8m) bond.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - Proposed legislation fighting money laundering would costs banks $350 million and that would be passed on to customers, banks told politicians yesterday.

Wellington, Aug 12 NZPA - A group representing former MPs says it will fight to retain travel discounts. Details of MPs' expense claims were released for the first time last month.

Wellington, Aug 10 NZPA - Labour Party leader Phil Goff doesn't think the media focused on Chris Carter's travel expenses because the MP is gay and takes his partner on overseas trips.