By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - Money to pay for a new Maori family violence campaign would be funded out of a budget originally tagged to ensure victims in courts got the help they needed.

Wellington, Dec 9 NZPA - Housing New Zealand is being accused of blocking applicants from getting state houses using its new advisory service.

Wellington, Nov 27 NZPA - Recommendations from Dame Margaret Bazley's review of the legal aid system. * Disestablish The Legal Services Agency as a Crown entity and give its functions moved into the Ministry of Justice;

Wellington, Nov 23 NZPA - The Labour Party wants a parliamentary inquiry into homelessness. Labour Party housing spokeswoman Moana Mackay said she would ask Parliament's social services select committee to look at the issue. National MPs hold a majority on the committee.

Wellington, Oct 27 NZPA - Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said "far-reaching" decisions made by Cabinet today over the running of local authorities will be made public this week.

Wellington, Sept 4 NZPA - The Government has given $8.8 million to social services groups that are under severe financial pressure, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said today.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Report into the economic and social status of children across thirty countries shows that the fall out from the New Right reforms of the 1980s and 1990s continues.

This past Friday night, I enjoyed a few beers with one of New Zealand's pre-eminent political commentators, Chris Trotter.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - Legislation that would allow superannuitants to take their superannuation with them if they move overseas is not fair to retirees staying in New Zealand, a select committee was told today.

Wellington, July 16 NZPA - An additional 52,000 people signed on for benefits in the last 12 months and more than 310,000 now rely on the Government for their income, the Labour Party says.